Where to Get a Hotel
Apart from an architectural wonder, the TI (Treasure Island) Hotel contains plenty of activities.
Las Vegas has everything and more when it comes to hotels, which should be the first step in your vacation guide. Depending on what you want surrounding your hotel, Las Vegas has something for you.
The northside of Las Vegas is home to several golf courses, including the nationally renowned Durango Hills Golf Course and Angel Park Golf Club. Treasure Island Hotel & Casino (TI) is one of the northernmost hotels on the Strip and is just minutes from both golf courses. According to its website, TrasureIsland.com, the hotel houses several restaurants including upscale Asian restaurant Khotan and a more casual Pizzeria Francesco's. There are also several casinos, and nightly shows consisting of stand-up comedy acts, recording artists and Cirque du Soleil. It is located at 3300 Las Vegas Blvd. South. Call (800) 288-7206 for reservations.
Other Las Vegas hotels to choose from include four-star hotels along the Strip such as The Mirage Hotel (800) 374-9000, The Venetian Resort (702) 414-1000, and MGM Grand Hotel (877) 880-0880. Each are within a walk of several casinos, venues for late-night concerts and shows, and the best restaurants Las Vegas has to offer.
Mix Up the Cuisine
Las Vegas cuisine is some of the finest in the world. World-famous restaurants offer up every type food imaginable, so you're sure to find something that appeals. Don't just stick with Mexican for the entirety of the trip. Mix and match several different cultures' foods into your vacation.
Roy's Restaurant is an establishment that doesn't care where the food came from as long as it tastes good. All the dishes were created by Head Chef Roy Yamaguchi. It's a Hawaiian-fusion restaurant that offers pre-selected meals in three or four courses. One such dinner includes Classic Hawaiian Martini, Yamaguchi Sushi, Misoyaki Butterfish and Chocolate Soufflé. What's even better is that the dinners are all very inexpensive, some costing as little as $35. Roy's is located at 620 E. Flamingo Road. Call ahead for reservations at (702) 691-2053. A second location is in Summerlin in the Northwest part of the city.
For a wonderful dinner and a great view of the Bellagio fountains and the Strip, visit the Eiffel Tower Restaurant. Don't think that "high-class" means "not fun." Head Chef J. Joho has prepared a menu that mixes French cuisine with light a la carte options. The result is a menu that blends roasted rack of lamb and finely cut scallops. One of the few restaurants in Las Vegas to serve caviar as an appetizer, it is located in the Paris Hotel at 3655 Las Vegas Blvd. South. Call (702) 948-6937 for reservations.
The Michael Mina Restaurant serves traditional entrees, including rack of lamb, lobster and filet mignon. Head Chef Michael Mina is internationally renowned, winning awards such as Bon Appetit Magazine's Chef Of The Year in 2005 and he was inducted into the American Gaming Association Hall of Fame. His restaurant is located at 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. South. Call (702) 693-7223 for reservations.
On the Southside of Las Vegas is a beautiful golf course called Bali Hai Golf Club. According to the Bali Hai website, this Indonesia-inspired course is home measures 7,002 yards from the tips and affords breathtaking views of the Strip from the fairways. If you're going to be anywhere near this course, it's good to take a visit to the Four Seasons Hotel at 3960 Las Vegas Boulevard South and treat yourself to a dinner in the Verandah Restaurant inside. The entrees are a mixture of American and Italian cuisine as the Verandah menu includes dishes such as Maine lobster ravioli, baked Chilean sea bass and Hudson Valley duck.
In western Las Vegas is an area of town referred to as Summerlin. A small, out-of-the-way restaurant known as Rosemary's can be found there. The food is a mixture of New Orleans cuisine, Southern home cooking and Midwestern flavor. The result is a menu filled with dinners such as Grilled Veal Tenderloin and Parmesan Tossed Angel Hair Pasta
Las Vegas Nightlife
A Summerlin golf course overlooks the beautiful desert scenery.
The nightlife in Las Vegas is never boring and there are plenty of places to go that don't include gambling.
In the famous Bellagio Hotel is the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art showcasing works of art within an AAA Five Diamond Award resort setting. General admission is only $15 and the gallery always has works from world-famous artists inside, including Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and Frank Stella. The Bellagio Hotel is located at 3600 Las Vegas Blvd South and can be reached at (888) 987-6667
If you like nightlife but want a place to relax with friends or family, Caylix Jazz Club can help. Offering up live music almost every night and a full wine selection, the club is a great balance of entertainment and taste. It is located at 4760 W. Sahara Ave., Suite 13. Call (702) 645-5299 for more information.
In the mood for a laugh? The Riviera Comedy Club books some of the best stand-up comedians. Actors such as Will Ferrell and David Spade have performed here, and just about every night there's an up-and-coming actor or actress looking to make a name for themselves. The Riviera is located at 2901 Las Vegas Blvd. South. Call (702) 794-9433.
About The Author
Ryan Day is a writer who hails from northeast Florida. He graduated from Flagler College in St. Augustine and has worked as a freelance writer for five years now and has been published in The St. Augustine Record and The Florida Times-Union. Ryan spends his free time traveling, volunteering with a local college ministry and playing kickball.
