Misscraps has given excellent information on NYEve on the strip. I just wanted to add a couple things
from our experience a few years back for the New Year's Eve Fireworks viewing:
--Do stay in the vicinity of your hotel and on the same side of the street. We stayed at Flamingo and
watched the fireworks from in front of Ballys. It took us over an hour to walk back across the street,
walk past Bills, into Flamingo and then up the elevators. The longest took to get the elevator to our
room/floor. EVERYONE was trying to go up to their room at the same time--obviously!
--We did have our kids with us one year when they were older- young teens. They do fence off the middle of
the strip/street from the walk-ways. The mayhem is in the middle of the strip/street. We sat in front of Ballys with
some locals and their kids and were fine. Don't take small kids into the very crowded areas. Also, if your
kids are not used to seeing adults on their "not best behavior" -- I also wouldn't take them. My kids
still like to regale their friends with stories from that night and they're now in their 20's!
--Everyone had to show their room key when returning back to the hotel. Doors were monitored by security
Jean H--
Life is ten percent what you make it
and ninety percent how you take it!
"I believe in luck: how else can you explain
the success of those you dislike?" —Jean Cocteau
From: Misscraps <misscraps@aol.com>
To: "vpFREE@yahoogroups.com" <vpFREE@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, December 25, 2011 3:26 PM
Subject: [vpFREE] New Years on the strip
A few pointers if u are spending New Years eve on the strip. Many of the hotels will close their doors to anyone who does not have a room key an hour or two before and after New Years. An exception may be if you show a Diamond or 7star card to get into a Harrahs property. The strip becomes Extremely crowded, and can be scary to stand in during the midnight peak. Small children should NOT be taken to the strip.
For best viewing and safety, try to pick somewhere a bit wider to stand, such as in front of the Mirage fountain, or up Flamingo Ave a bit away from Las Vegas Blvd.
The monorail will close for at least an hour and it will take a couple of hours after midnight for normal traffic to ensue over closed roads such as Flamingo, so don't plan to cross the strip or go anywhere by car or shuttle during the night.
Even when standing on the strip, you are best off to stay on the same side of the street as your hotel.
Pick out your viewing spot early and get there at least 45 minutes prior to midnight. Check the newspaper for locations where the fireworks will go off. Dress warmly with hat and gloves.
To avoid the crowds, a good viewpoint is the back of the Rio in the parking lot with a panoramic view of the strip, but no music. The Hilton's pool area or garage is another good viewpoint on the other side of town.
The fireworks are short, lasting only 15 minutes.
If you want to eat dinner, somewhat expensively, but with a great view, try Alize at Palms or Voodoo Lounge t Rio, or Top of Stratosphere, if you still can book it.
If you are invited to a casino dinner and show, be aware that most of these are snide, with no view of the fireworks planned, so you will have to eat and go outside. Many of these venues include a free buffet the next day, so ask about that.
Unfortunately our casino invites in Vegas have been sparse this year, so we will have dinner at the Gold coast and head for home to watch Anderson Cooper and
Kathy Griffin on tv, who were hysterically funny last year (Cooper's giggling to Griffin's shenanigans was so funny).
Have fun and stay warm.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
