Vegas New Year's Eve?

Nightwish · #1 11-15-2006, 05:05 PM

Hey all, looking for some advice on Vegas New Year's Eve. Never been there at that time of year, but I keep on hearing that it's absolutely crazy. What's my strategy here? Should I try to get into one of the hotel parties? Stake out a spot on the Strip and just stand there? I'm pretty partial to watching the fireworks, so I wouldn't mind staking out some spot on the street -- unless there's a better way to do it? Any other ideas?

FWIW, I'm going with my gf, and we're in our early 30s.

akebono · #2 11-15-2006, 05:16 PM

I did this a few years back by standing out on the Strip. I don't really recommend it and think that a hotel party would have been much better. I'm generally ok with crowds and craziness but it sucked trying to keep people from trampling and falling over the girlfriend.

If it were just me and a bunch of the guys, I probably would've loved the craziness of it all. Now that I'm older and the girlfriend is soon to be the wife, I think I'd much rather spend the time in a hotel party that overlooks the strip and fireworks(Maybe Tangerine or something like that?).

Dynasty · #3 11-15-2006, 06:49 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I'm pretty partial to watching the fireworks, so I wouldn't mind staking out some spot on the street -- unless there's a better way to do it?

[/ QUOTE ]

The Strip fireworks display is better watched from a distance than directly on the Strip. The fireworks go off not to far above the rooftops of the hotels (Excalibur, MGM Grand, Monte Carlo, Flamingo, Treasure Island, Venetian, and others). So, if you're standing on the Strip, you can't see the whole display.

The best view of the fireworks may be from the rooftop of the Hard Rock hotel's parking garage. Every year, there is a large group of people there. I'm sure you need to get a ticket/reserve a spot in order to get on the rooftop. But, it's a great view of the Strip.

Likewise, a rooftop view from the Palms or Rio would be a spectacular view.

Nightwish · #4 11-15-2006, 07:48 PM

Good info, thanks! I'll look into the Hard Rock.

What about watching the fireworks show from a club? I hear both Tangerine and Risque have pretty good views of the Strip, any preference between the two? If I decide to go this route, should I get tickets beforehand or just slip $100 to the bouncer to bypass the line?

Dynasty · #5 11-15-2006, 09:24 PM

Neither club is going to give you a better view of the Strip than just being outside. It seems safe to assume all clubs will be packed so it my be hard to get a view from inside.

*TT* · #6 11-15-2006, 09:28 PM

Brian:

What is it like getting around on New Years Eve? I'll be on the strip so I'll probably stay on my roof until after the fireworks, but I am concerned that I might get stuck (I don't want to drive that night).

TT [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

Dynasty · #7 11-15-2006, 10:47 PM

You can't drive on the Strip from about 6pm to 4am. So, driving is out (taxis too).

Walking on the Strip is okay. While they keep a lot of the road blocked off so that it can be used by police and emergency vehicles, there's still extra walking space.

growlers · #8 11-15-2006, 10:54 PM

You can come join us at Dino's north of the Stratosphere for drunken karaoke, this is our yearly tradition now after spending two years figuring out how bad the strip sucks on New Year's!
http://www.dinoslv.com/

I IMPLORE you to have a plan - meaning a hotel party, concert, something- as as soon as the fireworks are over alot of the big hotels actually close their doors for an hour or two and won't let non-guests in (V, Mirage, Ceasers, Bellagio did this two years ago). Just wandering around the street REALLY sucks especially when the cops won't let you on the street anymore and the sidewalks are packed. It is a huge buzzkill as soon as the fireworks are done, if you don't have a plan in place. Trust me on this.

bav · #9 11-15-2006, 10:55 PM

[ QUOTE ]
What is it like getting around on New Years Eve? I'll be on the strip so I'll probably stay on my roof until after the fireworks, but I am concerned that I might get stuck (I don't want to drive that night).

[/ QUOTE ]

The strip just flat CLOSES from about 5pm until 2am. Good luck getting in/out of the Wynn or Bellagio garage. They also close some of the parallel and perpendicular streets near the strip. Basically you need to plan to get there early and stay late. Last year I waited until 2am to head in, and the traffic coming the opposite direction was serious. The Caesars garage was still guarded and marked HOTEL GUESTS ONLY, but I wandered across the strip and ended up in Harrah's garage.

As well, the center-strip hotels all institute "once you leave you can't come back in" policies at some hour. Unless you have a room key, they won't allow folks into the hotel from like 10pm to 1am (not sure exact times--all this gets documented and appears on TV news and in the ReviewJournal a couple days prior).

If you do go out on the strip, keep a death grip on your wallet, and if you're cute (guy or gal, doesn't matter) expect to be mildly molested. At 2:30am a 21yo at the poker table said "that was my first and last time to spend New Years on the strip--I've never had my butt pinched so much, and I'm sure I have bruises". HE said it was too crowded to figure out the sex of the pinchers. Hard to imagine what the chicks have to put up with.

growlers · #10 11-15-2006, 11:02 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
What is it like getting around on New Years Eve? I'll be on the strip so I'll probably stay on my roof until after the fireworks, but I am concerned that I might get stuck (I don't want to drive that night).

[/ QUOTE ]

The strip just flat CLOSES from about 5pm until 2am. Good luck getting in/out of the Wynn or Bellagio garage. They also close some of the parallel and perpendicular streets near the strip. Basically you need to plan to get there early and stay late. Last year I waited until 2am to head in, and the traffic coming the opposite direction was serious. The Caesars garage was still guarded and marked HOTEL GUESTS ONLY, but I wandered across the strip and ended up in Harrah's garage.

As well, the center-strip hotels all institute "once you leave you can't come back in" policies at some hour. Unless you have a room key, they won't allow folks into the hotel from like 10pm to 1am (not sure exact times--all this gets documented and appears on TV news and in the ReviewJournal a couple days prior).

If you do go out on the strip, keep a death grip on your wallet, and if you're cute (guy or gal, doesn't matter) expect to be mildly molested. At 2:30am a 21yo at the poker table said "that was my first and last time to spend New Years on the strip--I've never had my butt pinched so much, and I'm sure I have bruises". HE said it was too crowded to figure out the sex of the pinchers. Hard to imagine what the chicks have to put up with.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ha Ha we were both typing at the same time - I think he might have even better expressed suckiness of being outside with no plan.
What is your budget for this? All the bigger restaurants have "special" menus i.e. twice as much with half the staff serving you....
If you don't want to spend mega-bucks at a club, your best bet might be to spring for the party at the Stratosphere - as lame as the stratosphere is it will only be maybe $100 instead of $500 like a club and you get a good view, and are off the street.Then come up to Dino's!
If budget is not an issue, then I would go to a club like tangerine, et. Another option is HOB - we went to Sugar Ray at House of Blues and while we missed the fireworks we had a great time.