Las Vegas for Conference Goers
Maggers
Discerning traveler just returned from Las Vegas conference.
Jun 29, 2007
based on 5 votes
Fun things to do in Vegas while there to attend a conference at the Las Vegas Convention Center. This go list includes tips for seeing some sights around your conference schedule.
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Explore locations featured in this Traveler List:
Las Vegas
- Category: Best of
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Traveler type: Sightseeing, Repeat visitors
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Appeals to: Business travelers, Singles, Students, Budget travelers, Tourists
- Seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
- Tags: Las Vegas, Convention, Conference, monorail
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1. Renaissance Las Vegas Hotel
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Ave price:
$145
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This swanky new hotel is reasonably priced and right next door to the Las Vegas Convention Center. There is no casino so it's much quieter (and smaller) than the Hilton. There's an award-winning steak restaurant (Envy) and a few ballrooms for private events. A little pricier than the HIlton but much nicer. The Envy Lounge is a good place to meet for drinks after the conference. |
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| The monorail has a stop at the Las Vegas Convention Center. It is air-conditioned, quicker, and less expensive than a cab ride to the strip. If you are in Las Vegas in the summer, you most certainly won't want to walk in the heat. A three-day unlimited pass is $40, but check out the summer ('07) special of an $8 all-day pass. It runs late on most nights so you can ride it to and from dinner, shows or club-hopping. The stops for the nicer hotels (MGM, Bellagio, Caesar's, Venetian, Paris and The Mirage) on the south strip are a bit of a walk from the stations, so wear shoes that won't be killing you after a quarter-mile stroll. If you are considering renting a car, traffic on the strip can be pretty slow, although parking at almost all the hotels is free. |
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3. Las Vegas Hilton Breakfast Buffet
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| If your conference doesn't provide breakfast (or if you sleep in a little too late), check out the Las Vegas Hilton breakfast buffet. Located in the Hilton Hotel (attached to the Las Vegas Convention Center), the food is fresh and hot, the service is friendly and quick, and the price is right at $11.99. You'll pay at least that ordering breakfast from the hotel's Paradise Cafe. A multitude of fresh fruits, smoked salmon with all the accoutrements, omelet station, great sausage gravy and biscuits and every breakfast meat you can think of, including sirloin steak. Good coffee and freshly-squeezed grapefruit juice. Open 7am - 11am Monday - Friday and 8am - 2:30pm on the weekends for brunch ($16.99). |
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4. Red 8 at Wynn Las Vegas
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| Catch the free red shuttle bus from the white tented walkway on the south end of the Las Vegas Convention Center to the new Wynn Hotel for a look around and lunch at Red 8. The decor is Asian elegance and the prices are reasonable for dining in a luxury hotel. The dim sum menu offers good variety and an opportunity to sample different Chinese treats. The servers are happy to make recommendations for dim sum - the Chinese version of tapas. Lunch entree portions are large enough to share and include dishes from all over Asia. The quality and freshness of the ingredients was immediately apparent and the service is helpful. Try the Jasmine or other Asian tea. |
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5. Sore feet? Find reasonable women's shoes at Shooz at the Forum
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| I brought heels that were too high for all the walking in Vegas. The Forum Shops at Caesar's Palace (ride the monorail to the Harrah's stop, not the Caesar's stop) have three floors of shops, of which Shooz is on the first. They had friendly salespeople and reasonably priced footwear (I found a great pair for $60) and soothed my sticker shock from the other shops offering lovely but expensive shoes at $100+. Check out Caesar's Palace Hotel while you're in the area if you have time. |
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6. Gelato from Trevi in the Forum Shops
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| This restaurant in the Forum Shops at Caesar's is located next to the copy of the famous fountain of Rome. Enjoy some gelato or espresso from their walk-up counter on the side of the "patio" dining area while you window shop or check out the hotel. Take the monorail to the Harrah's stop and cross the street to the Forum Shops entrance - Trevi is on the first floor. |
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7. Star Trek: The Experience
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| Skip out on a conference session or two and treat your inner Trekkie. This extensive attraction, located in the Las Vegas Hilton next to the Convention Center, is comprised of a detailed museum exhibit, two rides and a museum store and should satisfy even the most obsessive fan. Allow at least two hours to get your $43 ticket's worth ($38 if you purchase online). |
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8. After the Conference: Dinner and a Show
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| Catch the monorail or a cab to one of Vegas' nicer south strip hotels (such as the MGM, Bellagio, Paris, Caesar's, The Mirage or The Venetian) or The Wynn to enjoy dinner and a show. If you rented a car, parking is free at almost all the hotels. Some suggestions for 2007: The Mirage - dinner at Stack or Japonais and The Beatles Love show by Cirque du Soleil; Bellagio - dinner at Olives (view of the fountains) or Sensi and "O" by Cirque du Soleil; Wynn - dinner at any of their restaurants, from Red 8 (casual Asian) to Alex (5-star) and the Spamalot show - a musical comedy interpretation of Monty Python skits. If you're feeling saucy (but not quite sleazy), the Zumanity Show at New York New York is the adult Cirque Show. |
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9. Las Vegas Nightlife - Club hopping by monorail
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Travel safely and affordably by taking the monorail to almost any upscale hotel for some nightlife fun. At the Mirage, check out the Japonais lounge for quiet drinks in a sophisticated, intimate setting or Revolution for the Beatles' fan in you. Mandalay Bay has several restaurant/nightspots with fun themes including Red Square, Forty Deuce (cabaret), Rum Jungle and Mix Lounge (cover charge) for a rooftop view of Vegas (and less crowded than Ghost Bar). |
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10. Going home - forgo the airport shuttle and share a cab
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| While the airport shuttle is a fine alternative to waiting in the taxi queue upon arriving in Vegas, split the $15 ride back with a fellow conference goer and save yourself the hassle of multiple hotel stops and fretting that you'll miss your plane. Last-day-of-conference traffic at the airport is bad enough without adding the delay of multiple hotel stops. |
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Compliment Maggers
