For serendipity walk the strip. Use the bus to plan destinations in Vegas and for a true escape, rent a car for one day.
Every trip I plan one day away from Vegas, usually hiking at Redrock Canyon.
If you like riding a bus , take a $5 day trip to Laughlin (sometimes they go also to the Hoover Dam) which is free as a buffet (very basic) is thrown in. There you can walk the river or go see the largest Watch Store in the [URL="http://www.thewatchman.com/"]World.http://www.thewatchman.com/[/URL]
http://freevegastours.com/
[URL="I think Ken has it right. For serendipity walk the strip. Use the bus to plan destinations in Vegas and for a true escape, rent a car for one day. Every trip I plan one day away from Vegas, usually hiking at Redrock Canyon. If you like riding a bus , take a $5 day trip to Laughlin (sometimes they go also to the Hoover Dam) which is free as a buffet (very basic) is thrown in. There you can walk the river or go see the largest Watch Store in the World. http://www.lasvegasgrandcanyontour.com/BUS-laughlin-day-tour.php Here is another site to explore for that trip: http://www.sightseeingtourslv.com/contact.html You do have to plan this ahead as well because it does not go every day. The Vegas served by the city bus is not particularly scenic. That being said, I go for two or three weeks at a time without the bankroll for uninhibited gambling, so I often search out diversions that don't cost what gambling costs. I would not suggest just taking a ride to see the sights, except maybe a long, slow ride at night down the strip, if you can score a front seat in the upper deck of the Deuce in some uncrowded or layover area and being one of the first on the bus. It is slower than walking when you get to the lights of the strip, but it is kind of cool to see the lights and people of the entire strip up a bit higher and with no walking effort and sitting down. If you go the entire route, the crowds won't bother you and the delays just give you time to watch the area. It is hard to do this mid route because there will be crowds and working your way up to the top and waiting for a seat is difficult and uncomfortable. Most of the people who are turned off on buses in Vegas have been turned off by the overcrowded Deuce. Also, some strip buses have a film that allows advertisement on the outside of the buses and looking out is like seeing Vegas in a noir movie. Not fun. I avoid them. Since most of what is fun to see in Vegas is located on the strip or less than a mile away, developing a list of things to visit and see and using the bus as a means to get to them is probably a more satisfying plan than using the bus to tour rather repetitive neighborhoods with similar looks and stores. What the bus offers with some preplanning is access to places that many folks have considered off limits without a rental car or a cab. Let's assume that you are not dead broke and that the weather is not August hot. The buses are pleasant and air conditioned, but waiting for them in August outside can be uncomfortable. I generally go in April/May and then again in November/December. Probably the first most popular destination is the Pinball Hall of Fame. http://www.pinballmuseum.org/ This is an easy bus ride using the 201 bus that goes down Tropicana. Directions are on the site. You could just look at the machines, but you can also play them and $20 in quarters will last a long, long time. I like walking the college campus. You can access the area using either the 201 or the 202 and getting off at Swenson. However, there is a good bit of walking involved as the campus is huge. You see the campus and locals there. You can also see some small but interesting desert gardens. And poking in the buildings may offer art or other displays. Bring a sandwich and it is a cheap day out. If you go on the 202, the library is not far from there and wifi is available, but it is better if you bring your own computer. A few of us here have visited the Springs Preserve which is a bit harder to access by bus. Here are some photos of that along with some of the campus http://vegasbirthdaybash.blogspot.com/2011/06/springs-preserve.html I don't shop, but the buses are great to access shopping areas and outlets. And there are plenty of lists folks have made of free things to do in Vegas. The bus lets you get to them cheaply, and on the uncrowded bus routes off the strip, you can people watch the locals while you ride or have an interesting conversation with a stranger. The 202 is my favorite, especially combined with free shuttles from Gold Coast, Rio, Sam's Town. The 106 can get you out to Texas Station and Fiesta and I guess near the zoo as well. That is on my next list in spite of everyone telling me it is a terrible zoo. After September there will be a new express bus down the Boulder strip, so it will be faster to get to places like Jokers Wild where the craps is played with quarter chips. But all my bus thoughts start with a destination."]http://www.lasvegasgrandcanyontour.com/BUS-laughlin-day-tour.php[/URL]
Here is another site to explore for that trip:
[url]http://www.sightseeingtourslv.com/contact.html[/url]
You do have to plan this ahead as well because it does not go every day.
The Vegas served by the city bus is not particularly scenic. That being said, I go for two or three weeks at a time without the bankroll for uninhibited gambling, so I often search out diversions that don't cost what gambling costs.
I would not suggest just taking a ride to see the sights, except maybe a long, slow ride at night down the strip, if you can score a front seat in the upper deck of the Deuce by starting out at the BTC and being first on the bus. It is slower than walking, but it is kind of cool to see the lights and people of the entire strip up a bit higher and with no walking effort and sitting down. If you go the entire route, the crowds won't bother you and the delays just give you time to watch the area. It is hard to do this mid route because there will be crowds and working your way up to the top and waiting for a seat is difficult and uncomfortable. Most of the people who are turned off on buses in Vegas have been turned off by the overcrowded Deuce.
Also, some strip buses have a film that allows advertisement on the outside of the buses and looking out is like seeing Vegas in a noir movie. Not fun. I avoid them.
Since most of what is fun to see in Vegas is located on the strip or less than a mile away, developing a list of things to visit and see and using the bus as a means to get to them is probably a more satisfying plan than using the bus to tour rather repetitive neighborhoods with similar looks and stores.
What the bus offers with some preplanning is access to places that many folks have considered off limits without a rental car or a cab.
Let's assume that you are not dead broke and that the weather is not August hot. The buses are pleasant and air conditioned, but waiting for them in August outside can be uncomfortable. I generally go in April/May and then again in November/December.
Probably the first most popular destination is the Pinball Hall of Fame.
[url]http://www.pinballmuseum.org/[/url]
This is an easy bus ride using the 201 bus that goes down Tropicana. Directions are on the site. You could just look at the machines, but you can also play them and $20 in quarters will last a long, long time.
I like walking the college campus. You can access the area using either the 201 or the 202 and getting off at Swenson. However, there is a good bit of walking involved as the campus is huge. You see the campus and locals there. You can also see some small but interesting desert gardens. And poking in the buildings may offer art or other displays. Bring a sandwich and it is a cheap day out. If you go on the 202, the library is not far from there and wifi is available, but it is better if you bring your own computer.
A few of us here have visited the Springs Preserve which is a bit harder to access by bus. Here are some photos of that along with some of the campus
[url]http://vegasbirthdaybash.blogspot.com/2011/06/springs-preserve.html[/url]
I don't shop, but the buses are great to access shopping areas and outlets.
And there are plenty of lists folks have made of free things to do in Vegas. The bus lets you get to them cheaply, and on the uncrowded bus routes off the strip, you can people watch the locals while you ride or have an interesting conversation with a stranger. The 202 is my favorite, especially combined with free shuttles from Gold Coast, Rio, Sam's Town.
The 106 can get you out to Texas Station and Fiesta and I guess near the zoo as well. That is on my next list in spite of everyone telling me it is a terrible zoo.
After September there will be a new express bus down the Boulder strip, so it will be faster to get to places like Jokers Wild where the craps is played with quarter chips.
But all my bus thoughts start with a destination and a printed route in my pocket. Then the bus becomes a great gift for the frugal.
the entire discussion is here
http://www.vegasmessageboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=67655
