TR March 12-16 for ConExpo visit

I will post my trip report as replies so I can do it as I have time.

Hubby and I were in Vegas with 26 of our friends and family. Our last trip to Vegas was for ConExpo (construction equipment extravaganza) in 1987. This really felt like my first trip to Vegas because it had been so long, and the last trip we took our 5 month old daughter.

Flew from Flint, non-stop. Stayed at Treasure Island 4 nights.

TR March 12-16 for ConExpo visit

How do you pronounce the name of your town?

TR March 12-16 for ConExpo visit

SEEB WING.... It%26#39;s an Indian word meaning ';crooked river.'; LOL

So, the trip...Day 1 (We are 46/45, married 26 years, one of us likes beer.)

There are 22 in our group on the afternoon non-stop flight from Flint. We end up knowing about 20 other people on our flight, so the beer is flowing big-time in the terminal and on the plane. Flight is good until the last 45 minutes where we have some bumps. Cloud cover is spotty over the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam areas, but we get some good pictures anyway. Luggage is available right away, one guy in our group has a missing bag but he had packed in two bags so he%26#39;s all set (bag came the next morning to our hotel). I had checked on trans to the hotel, but we decided to take a chance on the shuttle. The %26#39;bus guy%26#39; gets us 2 shuttles which takes our entire group directly to Treasure Island. We arrive and wait maybe 5 minutes to check-in. Our request for a king non-smoking isn%26#39;t available, but next to me I hear the man is getting one, so I say we%26#39;ll wait. TI is completely booked, they will not have a king non-smoking available, we%26#39;ll have to take 2 queens. I%26#39;m already disappointed because we have a king bed at home, and I didn%26#39;t expect to spend $940 for 4 nights in a bed smaller than I am used to. But our room is also not ready, they are cleaning it at that moment. Ok, but then she says it%26#39;s also a 2 queen smoking room. Now I%26#39;m more than disappointed and also sleep deprived from only getting about 3 hours sleep the night before. My husband and 6 others from our group head to the bar where the beer and cleavage is plentiful. At $51 a round, they spend over $300, and we decide that it would have been cheaper to get a limo and 2 30-packs of beer. Note to self, get the card from a limo driver. I don%26#39;t drink, so I walk around the casino and keep checking with the desk to see if our room is ready. At nearly 5 I am standing next to another guy who is getting a king non-smoking, I think the smoke is starting to roll from my head, and the girl at the counter goes to talk to some important looking man who types away at the keyboard and **VIOLA** she comes back with the good news that they have a king NS available. Note: I think they were holding NS rooms for people who were given smoking rooms the day before, and they had until 5 to switch rooms. Whatever, I was a happy camper, and another couple in our group was thrilled because she has severe asthma and could NOT tolerate a smoking room. Our room is the old-style decor with gold print carpet. The bed is wonderful (as I%26#39;ve heard) and the bathroom is very large with a deep bath and this awesome magnifying lighted mirror. We all decide we need these at home! I saw a smoking room which was decorated in black and beige, more modern with a built in the wall flat screen TV. It was very nice except their view was a roof where the Sirens fireworks were shot from. The first night my FIL thought the hotel was on fire. LOL To explain how TI is laid out, I counted 18 or so floors, in 3 different %26#39;arms.%26#39; There are different elevators for the different %26#39;arms.%26#39; Our room was 20070 which seemed quite high up, overlooking the strip. 9029 overlooked the roof, I don%26#39;t recommend that area. 330-something had a mountain view, and that room was oversized. You can%26#39;t even select a floor for that area, you have to put your key in the elevator and it takes you directly to your floor.

After we get in our room we leave with our ';$51 per round'; group and head to the Mirage for their buffet at Cravings. OUTSTANDING!!! We took the hotel bus to the Mirage, which was hilarious since it was across the side street. We tipped the driver $1 each, so he made out pretty good for the 48 second trip. The Mirage has a huge aquarium behind the check-in area. That was cool. We made a joke about hoping our ice-fishing friends didn%26#39;t hear about the fish tank. Cravings....like a gymnasium sized restaurant with every type of food imaginable, all around the outer edge. From sushi to Thanksgiving dinner, and desserts to die for!! $24 per person for this which our good buddy picked up the tab of $240 including tip. We decide to walk back to TI and catch the Sirens show. I%26#39;m sorry, but it was only OK. The dancers were very good, but the show was a little cheesy for my taste. Back to our room and we%26#39;re sleeping in 2.2 seconds (9 pm/midnight eastern). Later I am awakened by the fireworks from another show, this is something I need to get used to. If you are going to bed early, I suggest you don%26#39;t stay at TI.

Day 2 to come soon.

Great report so far! I would also like to hear your thoughts on the CONEXPO. We have thought about attending this show as well. Thanks again ;)

Good trip report so far!

We did the same thing about 6 or 7 years ago when we took our first trip to Vegas since 1984.. what a difference 20 or so years make...lol

Looking forward to the rest.

Notes I missed from Day 1

DH (Doo-dah) decides that he isn%26#39;t going to gamble so he gives our youngest son (13) $20 to buy raffle tickets at a convention Young Doo is attending with our good friends.

Day 2 - I%26#39;m awake at 1:30 am, being that I%26#39;m 3 hours behind and have been waking at about 3:30 Eastern Time prior to the trip. Laying in bed, calculating how much longer until I can call home, I doze until 2:30 when I know our oldest DD (21) will be getting ready for work. 3:45 comes and I call our other 3 kids who are staying home. They think we are crazy for being awake so early. Doo is awake too but we refuse to get up yet, so we doze until 5 and then get up and shower, head to the Coffee Shop where we meet his parents for breakfast. Doo orders the Italian sunrise bowl (or something like that), recommended by his friend, and it%26#39;s delicious. I get a muffin which is HUGE. I eat half and put the other half in a sandwich bag I have in my purse. The prices are quite high, but you get very large portions. I see Doo checking his watch, he is extremely excited to get to the Expo. Out to the curb and we are whisked away by the Expo shuttles. It%26#39;s a 10 min. ride to the Las Vegas Convention Center. We head to the construction equipment with our group but end up splitting into smaller groups of 4-8. With cell phones, it%26#39;s easy to meet up with people. We LOVED LOVED LOVED ConExpo!!! I work in construction too, so I was more impressed than some of the other women. Doo tries some of the simulated exhibits, attempts to scoop basketballs up with an excavator, gathers free hats, pens, literature, etc. from the vendors. Scattered carts selling beer is a bonus in the heat (80). The guys are like little kids, ';did you see the magnet attachment for the crusher?!!!'; It%26#39;s great seeing Doo having such a good time. Again, cleavage is plentiful, and Doo gets his picture taken with hot babes about the age of our daughters....lol. We meet up with friends under some shade trees and enjoy a Nathans hot dog and a few beers. Ten minutes into the Expo we agree that we%26#39;re coming back in 3 years (next show) with our kids. ';We should%26#39;ve brought the boys'; is Doo%26#39;s mantra for the entire trip. By 4:30 we agree we had better head to the hotel to freshen up. We grab a bus and I find a lovely cut-crystal egg in my seat. Someone must have lost their purchase from a bag. I give it to the bus driver and say a prayer that the rightful owner is able to reclaim it. Back to the hotel we change and catch the last bus back to the Expo for a hospitality party given by JCB Equipment. We are the only 2 people on the bus, and the driver gives us a wealth of information and a card for a limo company. The party is great, free drinks and appetizers, a country band is playing, and they close with backhoe ballerinas (this is so cool!!). The backhoes drive around in a choreographed %26#39;dance%26#39; routine. We end up with friends on a bus and go to Paris where 2 are staying. The Paris hotel is breathtaking, but their elevator about makes me sick. (I%26#39;m stone sober but the elevator is jerky.) Their room is similar to ours but the bathroom is larger with a tub and separate shower. I buy a $3 orange juice so I can take some Ibuprofen. We walk towards TI and hope to catch some dinner (it%26#39;s about 9). We walk into Harrahs Piano Bar but security is getting ready to close the doors so we leave. I%26#39;m not all that impressed with what I hear. We missed the dueling pianos at TI, they only play Mon-Wed. Our friends had gone and said it was a hoot. Outside Harrahs the two other wives get on a green-wall motorcycle where we watch a %26#39;movie%26#39; featuring the girls on bikes. It%26#39;s hilarious but $55 to buy the video. They aren%26#39;t THAT drunk. We end up at Outback and play slots while we wait for a table. One guy wins $120 instantly, and he slips $20 into my machine where I instantly win $34, that%26#39;s enough for me. Outback is really good and reasonable. They all order a bacon cheeseburger for about $9 and I just order cheesecake (eating half and taking the rest for my snack the next day). There is talk of going to Kahunaville in TI but it%26#39;s packed and we%26#39;re zonked. It%26#39;s midnight but feels like 3am so we grab an elevator and head to our room. Laying in bed, we agree that we are definately going back to the Expo the next day.

Day 3 coming soon. More Expo, Fashion Show Mall, Fremont Street, Defending the Caveman show, The Deuce, and Golden Gate%26#39;s Bay City Diner.

Good report! I%26#39;ll keep looking for more!

ditto-

Day 3 - Awake at 3 again, even though it%26#39;s only been 3 hours since I went to bed. Doo and I get up and take showers, then lay back down and try to get more sleep. Friends call at 7 and we decide to try the TI Buffet for breakfast. It%26#39;s very good, although we don%26#39;t realize that the 2 sides are different, so we only go to one side. After we%26#39;re full, Doo discovers the made-to-order omlettes. $28.02 for 2 meals which is all you want to eat and drink. We also left a tip since the servers bring you drinks and keep coming back to check if you need a refill. Back on the bus to ConExpo and we%26#39;re off for the day. It%26#39;s huge, and we keep finding exhibits and areas that we didn%26#39;t know existed. Mid-afternoon I meet up with my MIL and we decide to head back to the hotel. The other ladies have had enough of the Expo after 1 day (or less). Back at the hotel, we find a couple friends by the pool. It was very hot by the pool, but it felt WAHNDERFULL! MIL and I order the recommended Painkiller (orange/pinapple and rum). It%26#39;s not a frozen drink like I asked for, it was on the rocks and not anything special. I am the world%26#39;s cheapest drunk, and it didn%26#39;t even give me a little buzz. Drinks gone and the mall calling to me, we headed to Nieman Marcus first. I found a bra I had seen online (LeMystere, Dream Tisha, amazing lift and support!!! $70). After that we went to Nordstroms where I tried to buy my favorite perfume, Clean by D%26#39;Lish but they were out. I tried on a few formal dresses (I get to play %26#39;mother of the bride%26#39; in July). SIL called to say they had purchased tickets for Defending the Caveman for $30/pp and we were meeting at 5:30 to head to Fremont Street. Back to the hotel to freshen up for the show. We head to the Deuce pickup. The bus is full by the time 16 of us load up. Doo and I are by the door and have to move everytime the bus stops (I think it%26#39;s every 100 feet or so). There is a guy sleeping/passed out near us and the seats are empty around him, which I quickly learn that the stench is beyond ';breathing through your nose.'; I give Doo a look and he assures me that we will take a cab back to the hotel after the show. 40 minutes and 15 stops or so later, we finally arrive at Fremont Street. Most of our group goes right to Golden Nugget (where the 8 pm show will be) for the buffet. I%26#39;m not hungry enough for a buffet so we follow a smaller group of 5 down to Golden Gate and are quickly seated in the Bay City Diner for a very reasonably priced meal. Doo had the cod meal which he says was average and fine, I order the chicken teriyaki bowl which is perfect, just like Applebees. Doo picks up the tab which is less than $100 for 7 of us. It makes us feel a little cheap...lol. Down to Golden Nugget for the show. It%26#39;s hilarious, worth every penny of the $30 tickets (1/2 off at the little booth I think). Doo is beyond exhausted so we jump in a cab with a real comedian and in 10 min. were back at TI. Our cabby told us some very funny jokes, fare was $17 but it felt more like being entertained.

I also didn%26#39;t squeeze this in, but before we went to the Mall, I stopped and played a few slots while waiting for MIL to come down from her room. It was Blazin%26#39; 7s and the girl next to me was helping me understand it. I can be thick-headed when it comes to all the lines and betting. I only went down $5 so it felt more like a %26#39;lesson%26#39; than gambling. Very fun. I wish I would have had more time for slots. I did all this research on where to play, but I was too busy with everything else.

Coming soon - Day 4. More ConExpo, More shopping, Eiffel Tower, winding down to go home.

Day 4 - awake at 3:30 again, but not feeling tired, so we get up and shower. Not wanting to bother anyone else, we head back to the Buffet for breakfast. I get out $28.02 and find out, ';it%26#39;s Saturday, and called brunch, now comes to $36. for 2.'; Ok, whatever, we are leaving the next day and aren%26#39;t broke yet. Nobody else is up yet so I join Doo for another day at ConExpo. There are almost no other attendees there, so the exhibit people are more than happy to give away their stuff (so they don%26#39;t have to pack it up). In an hour I have a bag full of hats, pens, can koozies, etc. Brother Ed shows up so I catch a bus back to the hotel for some non-Expo fun. End up back at the Mall, get a $20 chair massage (needed about 5 of those). Hit Dillards and found a great dress, but I%26#39;ll order it online and have it shipped if I decide it%26#39;s ';the one.'; Walked into Saks (have never been there before), and I quickly realize that I can%26#39;t even afford a pair of their underwear. People are very nice, and I see there is a bikini fashion show going on, wish Doo was here for this. Back to the hotel to sit by the pool, but it%26#39;s so windy that I only stay about 10 minutes. There are really a lot more people at the pool %26#39;scene%26#39; today, eve though it%26#39;s chilly. Doo comes back and we try to take a nap, but no luck there. End up at our friends%26#39; room. They had been to the Hoover Dam (with a rental car) the day before and stopped and bought 3-30 packs of beer for less than our %26#39;round%26#39; the first day. I want to go check out some other hotels, and I would feel perfectly safe going alone, but Doo thinks he will join me. We walk to the Venetian, take some photos of the lobby. It%26#39;s amazing! Then over to Caesars, stroll through the Forum Shops, WOW! It%26#39;s so cool, you feel like you are outside (same with Paris). Getting out of Caesars was stressful, we couldn%26#39;t go out the way we came in. I should have said %26#39;enough%26#39; at that point, cuz Doo was getting impatient and not enjoying the sights. We crossed back over the strip and started walking, and walking. Doo got a mischevious look on his face and said ';you want to see (stuff), you%26#39;re going to see (stuff). We%26#39;re going to the top of the Eiffel.'; I am SOOOOO afraid of heights, but I went and it was GREAT!! Even with the wind, it wasn%26#39;t bad. The view was just breathtaking! We saw the Bellagio Fountains from up there, checked out the layout of the city. From the Eiffel we continued South. I had hoped to go to NYNY and MGM, but Doo had seen Hooters from the Eiffel, and of course, it didn%26#39;t look far. By the time we hit the Tropicana, he said ';uncle,'; and we caught a cab back to TI. Cabby was a total mime, not chatty at all. We prefer the talkative drivers to lighten things. Back to our room, and we caught the 3 overtimes of the Boise-New Mexico BB game then joined our friends for a late night dinner at the Coffee House. I was literally falling asleep while eating. Doo had a burger and fries (huge), and I had the seafood gumbo (really good).

Day 5 - up at 4 am and off to the airport at 6 for a 9:30 flight. It was perfect timing, I would never allow a minute less than 3 hours at the airport. The shuttle was great, with our large group we were the only ones on the bus so we didn%26#39;t have any other stops. Nobody at check in, 20 minutes for security check, and we ate breakfast at the terminal, Gate D. They said Thurs. and Sun. are the worst days at the airport (departing). The Spirit and Southwest check in was backed up like crazy, so I would allow even more for those airlines.

Summary - loved TI although I don%26#39;t know if I%26#39;d stay on the strip again. We pretty much ate at our hotel since we didn%26#39;t want to venture out.

I would spend more time gambling if I went again. 4 nights was plenty, I was very ready to go home, but we%26#39;ll be back to Vegas. I will also rent a car and drive to Grand Canyon next time. I will also check out some more hotels, but I%26#39;ll make sure I go with someone who also wants to sightsee. Doo was a good sport, but that%26#39;s not his thing. Fremont Street was OK for eating, but I didn%26#39;t care for the nightlife.

The Deuce was a bad experience, but I will probably give it another try, maybe during the day. Cabs are still the best way to get somewhere when you%26#39;re %26#39;done%26#39; as we were. The airport shuttle was great for us. We met so many great people, many were locals. The best part was the weather!!

I forgot to add the best part. Earlier I said Doo gave our youngest son $20 for raffle tickets (rather than gambling in Vegas). Young Doo ended up winning a $950 rifle for his Dad!

And finally, I think next trip we would consider Harrahs. The location is better for %26#39;getting out.%26#39; That side of the street seemed to have more going on, and getting across the strip from TI was time consuming.