Surprise … We’re Going To Vegas

Author: momoftwo
Date of Trip: January 2001

I surprised my husband with three nights in Las Vegas for our 6th wedding anniversary, and by surprise I mean he didn’t know we were going until halfway to the airport!

“Speed”at the Sahara

SPEED…wow…when you first get to the Sahara, you can see the end of this ride, and if you love roller coasters at all, you must ride this one. Once inside the Sahara, you can buy a one-time ride, two-time ride, or all-day pass. Since we were staying in the hotel, we bought an all-day pass, which includes the Indy cars and NASCAR — pretty good deal considering the NASCAR speedway was $6 just for one go.

Don’t forget to get your coupon book…there is a $4-off coupon for a full-day pass.

This ride literally rockets you out to 70 miles per hour in 2 seconds. It is such a rush…then you go through a loop and up a huge tower where you experience zero G’s, then back down…through the loop and back again. It’s a short ride, but I was shaking after each ride. Not a good ride after a late night out drinking.

The Indy and NASCAR Races

The Indy and NASCAR races were neat; you race in a full-size car against seven other cars. You are inside your own area with a fully surrounded screen, so you feel everything. It takes a bit to get used to the cars; you can drive manual or automatic and they do give you a “training course” before you start. When you are finished, you get a printout with your rank and other vital NASCAR fan info.

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When you’ve finished, head on up to the NASCAR Cafe for a beer.

Rainforest Cafe

If you have been to any of the Rainforest Cafes around, don’t think this is like any other. This is the granddaddy of them all. Take it all in by wandering around before you get a seat; kids go crazy here. There is a waterfall in the back and simulated downpours every once in a while. We stopped in for their famous smoothies and were not disappointed.

The Sahara

Okay, so the down side first…The Sahara is at the beginning of the Strip and it is really a far walk to the main part of the Strip, so you’ll be taking the trolley. The trolley is not a bad thing, but it does stop at almost every hotel, so depending on where you are going, it could take 30-50 minutes from The Sahara.

The Sahara is walking distance to the Stratosphere and the Hilton…which has the Star Trek Experience and an AWESOME buffet. (Register for a players card and get a two-for-one buffet at the Hilton). The Sahara is also located right next door to Wet and Wild! The upside is that this hotel was not as expensive as some–the rooms were decent and check-in was a breeze. . . they even let us check in a couple of hours early.

The Sahara is one of the only casinos on the Strip that still has $1 blackjack, which was totally awesome. They have more table and slot games than any other strip hotel. “Speed,” the ride, and the Nascar Cafe are in this hotel.

All in all not a bad place, but I think I want to stay somewhere right in the heart of the strip next time.