Going to Vegas...what to see, where to eat, etc.

So I'm heading to Las Vegas at the end of November for an event through my work. My wife will be joining me, and we'll be leaving the kiddos with family. The strip doesn't really interest me, I don't gamble, I don't love crowds of smelly drunk tourists, and we love the outdoors. That being said, we will probably meander around the strip one day, just to experience it and see it.

For those of you who have been there or live there, what should we see? I've heard there's a cool car museum on the strip somewhere, but don't know what it's called. Any other cool car guy stuff? We don't prefer chain restaurants or buffets, so tell me all about the cool little local one of a kind/hole-in-the-wall restaurants that are special in Vegas. We'll probably see a show, as my wife likes musicals and stuff, so do you have any recommendations there? Any good/legit websites to peruse the show calendars?

We'll be doing some hiking at edit: Red Rock, hopefully renting a car and driving to Hoover Dam and Grand Canyon West, and anything else cool we can come up with. Any outdoor recommendations would be great too. Thanks guys!

Shelby Autos is just off the strip and they have a museum.

There's the Speedway just outside of town, there might be something going on there.

For food, the buffet at Ceasar's Palace was awesome. Though, if you're a seafood buff, the buffet at Aria was excellent.

The museum you want is the Auto Collection at the Linq (formerly Imperial Palace).

As long as you have a car, I'd prefer a hike at the Valley of Fire SP over Red Rock. (PSST: "Red Rocks" is an amphitheatre in Colorado, while "Red Rock" is a National Conservation Area in Nevada - we get touchy about that.)

As far as restaurants, I sort of specialize in eating at hole-in-the-wall places off the Strip. Tell me what you like to eat and I can offer good suggestions.

The auto collection at the Ling is great. I saw it when it was the Imperial Palace.

In reply to sethmeister4:

If you're heading toward Hoover Dam, try to take a couple hours to head down to the Techatticup mine in Eldorado Canyon. It's a cool tour of an old gold mine, with lots of abandoned & vintage car and aircraft around. It's also been the site of numerous movies/TV shows/music videos. It's a very stark and desolate environment, and you can also head down the road a few more miles to dip your toes into the Colorado river.

Battista's Hole in the Wall is a very old school Vegas Italian restaurant that is right off the strip.

I've been to Mount Charleston a couple of times and really enjoyed it. It's only about 45 min from the strip and is 7500' elevation, so usually about 20 degrees cooler. Some good hiking there, and there is a lodge/restaurant with a nice outdoor patio and good views - great place to have a beer after a hike.

Not sure if it will have snow cover in Nov, so best to check that.

The Beatles Cirque de soleil show was really awesome! I highly recommend.

Check out the Welderup shop. Lots of cool stuff. You can do the showroom tour for free or they do paid shop tours most Fridays.

I'm a huge fan of the Neon Museum just north of downtown Vegas. Lots of great history of the city there. If you feel like going a bit farther afield, Valley of Fire State Park is worth going to.

Regarding Red Rock, I really like Ice Box Canyon there. It really is cooler than the surrounding area.

Even though you aren't too interested in buffets, I'd suggest hitting up one of the Station Casinos (my preference is Green Valley Ranch in Henderson) for the breakfast buffet. Very good value for the price. Friday and Saturday night buffet at the Bellagio is very expensive, but very nice.

In addition to the car collection at the Linq I checked out the movie car museum. The lady at the desk couldn't change a 20 so she let me in for free, which was within $5 of what I'd say it was worth. Mostly junk but they do have a nice Adam West-era Batmobile. Ultimately, the neon museum would have been a better use of the afternoon.

Somebody, PLEASE, mention a type of food they want to eat!

I'm dying to show off my knowledge! LOL!

EvanR wrote: Somebody, PLEASE, mention a type of food they want to eat! I'm dying to show off my knowledge! LOL!

I was just in Vegas last week for work. I love burgers, Italian, steaks, Mexican food, BBQ, and some Asian. I ate at Todd English pub at Aria, Bellagio buffett (not super impressed), Holsteins in Cosmopolitan, Metro pizza, Claim Jumper in Henderson, and Lucille's in Henderson. I'm usually in Vegas once or twice a year, so would love some good suggestions.

NY-style Italian: NY Pizza & Pasta, 2400 S Jones Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89146

Burgers: Fukuburger 3429 S Jones, Las Vegas, NV 89146

BBQ: H&H 4510 N Rancho Dr, Las Vegas, NV 89130

Mexican, just pick any really scary-looking Mexican joint you see, they're the best. I like Pepe's Tacos (various locations) or for higher-end Mexican, Lindo Michicoan (several locations).

Asian:
DIY Korean BBQ (the grille is built in to your table!) Tofu Hut 3920 W Spring Mountain Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89102

Ramen - Monta Ramen: 5030 Spring Mountain Rd #6, Las Vegas, NV 89146

Traditional Chinese: Harbor Palace Seafood Restaurant: 5030 Spring Mountain Rd #6, Las Vegas, NV 89146

Steak... I've eaten at various steakhouses around town, and find them acceptable for the most part, but I find them all ridiculously pricey. I don't find steak very challenging to cook, and I buy a couple really awesome steaks at my favorite butcher for less than half the cost of a single meal at a steakhouse. So I really won't recommend a steakhouse, sorry. My friends would say the Steak House at Circus Circus is the best, but since I haven't eaten there, I won't vouch for it.

In reply to EvanR:

Thanks or the info. I may be going back in October to hit some of the crazy haunted houses, so will try at least some of those places.

Thanks for all the info guys! If you've ever watched Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, that's the kind of stuff we like. Little mom and pop one-off restaurants that make real food. BBQ, Italian, Mexican, classic American fare are our favorites. We love cool breakfast places, since we're big breakfast fans. Oh, and good coffee shops are a must too. And no, I don't mean Starbucks.

There's also this.

Pizza/Beer: Evel Pie at 508 Fremont Street. Slice and a beer is $5. Excellent NY style pie, great jukebox and all Evel Knievel theme in bar.

Pinball Hall of Fame. Great way to kill a few hours.

In reply to BoxheadTim:

Wow, that is so random. Probably fun, but maybe not what I'll do this go around.

Hiking in Red Rock? Try to find This.

I'll give you a hint: it's very high up.

Just found out last week that I'm heading to SEMA this November! It's a "business trip" for me. Damn show has to start on Halloween, and I don't want to miss that at home with the kids. So I'll head out Wed morning and come home Friday. Leaves me just two days. I've been to Vegas many times, but not since 2003. Like OP, I don't gamble, and I don't drink, but I do like the strip. It's cool. Not sure how much time I'll have to wander around, 'cause I expect to spend most of my time at the SEMA show, but if I do venture out, looking forward to seeing the sights again.

Last time I was in Vegas, my wife and I went out to Valley of Fire and it was awesome. Don't think I'll have the time this trip, but if I do, I'm heading out there.

My son and I made a big loop one day, starting with a drive to Whiskey Pete's in Primm, Nevada to see the '34 Ford that Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker were killed in. It's next to Dutch Shultz's Cadillac. My son also wanted to see Buffalo Bill's Casino in Primm, because it's the basis for a casino in one of his post-apocalyptic shoot-em-up games.

We crossed the border to go drive around the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System - on a sunny day you'll see the three towers from a good distance.

Then we backtracked and went east to see the Hoover Dam.

On the way back, we toured the Atomic Testing Museum, including the Area 51 exhibit.

The last stop on that run was at the Pinball Hall of Fame

slantvaliant wrote: My son and I made a big loop one day, starting with a drive to Whiskey Pete's in Primm, Nevada to see the '34 Ford that Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker were killed in. It's next to Dutch Shultz's Cadillac. My son also wanted to see Buffalo Bill's Casino in Primm, because it's the basis for a casino in one of his post-apocalyptic shoot-em-up games.

Fallout: New Vegas! Last time I was there, I went to Goodsprings, NV, the starting point of the game. The outside of the general store is pretty close in real life to the game.

sethmeister4 wrote: Thanks for all the info guys! If you've ever watched Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, that's the kind of stuff we like. Little mom and pop one-off restaurants that make real food. BBQ, Italian, Mexican, classic American fare are our favorites. We love cool breakfast places, since we're big breakfast fans. Oh, and good coffee shops are a must too. And no, I don't mean Starbucks.

If you are a fan of 3D, you should look into the Four Kegs Sports Bar. Featured on the show and famous for stromboli. Guy Fieri mentioned how he personally frequented the place when he was a student at UNLV. Was on our list the last time we were in Vegas but unfortunately we never made it out there.