Chicago and Las Vegas suggestions needed

[texas*princess]

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I just got back from Vegas (10th trip there now?) so I thought I'd offer up some suggestions:

1) Hotel - I stayed at the Bellagio for the first time ever and LOVED it. Everything about it was beautiful and the location (right in the middle of the strip) was perfect. If you can't do Bellagio, Caesar's is also good. I've also stayed at Paris which was alright. MGM, Luxor & TI were decent but on the polar ends of the strip, so it's a lot of walking (or cab rides) to get anywhere. Palms is great.. .and you will likely see a celebrity or two, but it's off the strip and if you want to do anything on the strip you'll need to cab it up.

2) Clubs: If you are planning to club it out, GET THERE EARLY because the lines get long very quickly. Also, it won't be hard to find the guys on the street with "VIP cards".. these are usually for free cover charge for ladies only. This doesn't mean you get to stand in the VIP line, because everyone else will likely have those cards, and that line is usually for people who are paying big $ for bottle service and tables.

Pure (Caesar's), Rain (Palms) & Tao (Venetian) are excellent choices. The lines there start a little before 10 PM.

Prive' (Planet Hollywood) is also a TON of fun.. and it is currently the "hot" thing since it's still new. If you go to Prive' get there early because there is no formal "line"... there is basically just a big mob of people that form and the bouncers randomly decide who gets in.

STAY AWAY from Studio 54 (MGM). It's a waste of time & money.

I went to THE BANK at Bellagio for the first time and it was actually "just ok" for me & my group. We weren't impressed and left an hour or two after getting there. I'm not sure what happened... when it was called "Light" (before the renovations & changing of the name) it was actually really cool.

3) Shoes - Wear comfortable shoes during the day. And if you can, wear open toed shoes when you go out at night. Typically when we go out we wear high heels which will make anyone's feet hurt after being on your feet for 5-7 hrs and dancing. If you wear open toes (like strappy shoes) it will hurt a bit less because then your feet just have to deal with the height and not the height and the fact that your toes are being smushed together.

4) Food - Every hotel has a 24-diner. When you arrive, find it. Trust me, this diner will be your friend when it's 6 am and you are just getting back from a night out partying and have the munchies.

5) The pool - If you plan on laying out by the pool during the day, I'd recommend getting there early.. because every other guest at the hotel will have the same idea at 1 PM. When you get there it also helps to ask the people working there which spots are best (if you are looking for full sun exposure they will know which spots to hit since they are there everyday)

6) Shows - I've seen three so far, and all of them were great: "O" (Bellagio), "KA" (MGM), "Love" (Beatles theme @ the Mirage). DO BUY YOUR TICKETS BEFORE YOU LEAVE FOR VEGAS because they will either be sold out or you won't get very good seats. Of those, "KA" is my favorite so far... mainly because it seemed to have a "plot/storyline".

[KSUViolet06]

I'm glad you had a good time. I love love love Tao & Pure.

I've also seen "O" and I really liked it. I totally agree with what you said about booking tickets BEFORE you get there. I REALLY wanted to see "Love" the last time I was there but we didn't get to because it was sold out.