Contrary to what some people think, Las Vegas weather does have four seasons. Yes, the seasons are different than you would experience in a Northern state,
restaurants in las vegas but they exist nonetheless. Let's take a look at what they are like.Normal high temperatures in Las Vegas, in the middle of Winter, are around 55 degrees farenheit. Daily normal lows hover around 35. Lows have been recorded as low as 8 degrees. Temperatures into the 80s have been recorded in March as Winter was ending. Las Vegas hasn't has a major snowstorm in years, but in January 1979 Las Vegas received 9.9 inches of snow, and in January 1949 Las Vegas was hit with 16.7 inches! January and February tend to be rainier than most months, but they still average well below an inch of rain.
The normal high for Las Vegas in Spring starts around 70 degrees, and by the time Spring is ending the average high is 100. Temperatures as high as 116 have been measured near the end of Spring, that's just a degree short of the highest temperature measured in Las Vegas in the past 80 years. Spring is particularly dry in
map of las vegas strip most years, with less than half an inch, on average.falling in the months of April, May, and June combined. Humidity is also low, and bottoms out in June.
The normal high for Summer in Las Vegas is over 100, although is dips below 100 after September 1. Humidity increases in July and August, and the number of thunderstorms increases to about 3 per month for those two months. Lows have been measured in the 50s in September, but 80s is normal for July and August, dipping into the 70s in mid September.
First a little note of caution; the "free drinks" in the casinos for gamblers are not all that free. If you can stay on your budget while alcohol happy, go for it. But the casinos have found that alcohol happy gamblers spend much more than sober ones!
Many of the restaurants in Las Vegas offer
Happy Hour Specials; often a two drinks for the price of one type of thing.
On The Strip, O'sheas Casino offers
Domestic Draft Brews for $2. I've seen Beer Pong played here, and this is the only place I've ever seen Casino Backgammon. The crowd tends to be under thirty, and everything here is on the cheap. Try to imagine a Frat House Party with the Sorority Girls in attendance. O'sheas Casino is tucked in between the Imperial Palace and the Flamingo.
Benny's Bullpen in Binion's Horseshoe serves
Miller Lite,
Jack Daniels or
Southern Comfort for $2. Next to the Sports Book, Benny's Bullpen is a more comfortable place to kick back with a few drinks while watching your game. Benny's Bullpen also runs a $10 Pizza and Pitcher special... best with friends. (Downtown in the middle of the Fremont Street Experience.)
If you prefer cheap mixed drinks, The Plaza serves
Well Drinks for $2.50 all the time. The Plaza was once a fabulous new casino, but that was eons ago. Nowadays they tend to attract the cheapskates and low-life's. To make this work for you just remember to generously tip your waitress and smile; she won't be expecting it, so you're likely to get better service than anyone else. If you're looking for glitz, this is the wrong place; if not, the Sports Book may be the best place to hang out. The Plaza is on the Main Street side of The Fremont Street Experience.
Nightclubs and Lounges With No Cover Charge
Locals have free access almost everywhere, and most of the time. Seeing that sign can really irritate you if you happen to be from out of town. Ladies also get treated special at many of the Las Vegas clubs; on
Ladies' Night the drinks are often free until 11 p.m. - for ladies only.
Although the drinks may not be free for most of us, here are some of the clubs that usually have
no cover charge - so you can regulate your expenses according to what you drink while dancing and having a blast.
Caramel Bar & Loungeat the Bellagio is a hybrid high energy dance club and smooth intimate ultra lounge combination. Chocolate oversized leather furniture under warm caramel lighting, accented by a marble topped center island, creates a warm and inviting ambience that delivers both comfort and sophistication. The dance floor is animated by local DJs turning Hip-hop and Top 40 hits. And a light appetizer menu is available between 5 and 9 p.m. to compliment the full service bar. Since proper club attire is required, bling is not out of place here. You'll find that this is the perfect place to kick back with friends, or spend some intimate time with someone special.
Cleopatra's Barge Nightclub atCaesar's Palace has reinvented itself to attract a younger crowd than in the past. Cleopatra's Barge has a floating dance floor with DJs turning R&B and Classic Rock hits through the night. This Egyptian themed dance club is served by a full bar, with tables scattered across the "dry land" and a few more tables "on deck" that are usually reserved. If you're looking for a quiet romantic spot, this may not be it; but if you just want to have fun, this is the place for you.
Mist Bar & Loungeat Treasure Island is a fusion of two ideas. On the one hand Mist is very similar to the Caramel Bar & Lounge, just a little darker and bit more intimate. With Persian rugs, dark leather lounge style couches, warm ambient overhead panels, candle lit coffee tables, and potted plants, against dark burgundy walls, Mist is the perfect hotspot to mingle with close friends or unwind with a little romance in mind. DJs spin a tasteful blend of Hip-hop, Rock, and the popular current hits at a volume that allows a comfortable mixture of conversational privacy, intimacy, and people watching. On the other hand, Mist also sports an oversized plasma TV for game night and a few beers with the guys. This is like partying in a larger version of your own truly cool living room!
If you'd rather not leave The Strip, O'sheas Casino in the middle of The Strip between the Imperial Palace and the Flamingo serves a
Hot dog with a Beer for $3.00, 24 hours a day. For more information on Q'sheas Casino, read further down under
Where to Get Cheap Drinks.
Downtown for lunch with a big appetite, Uncle Joes's Pizza has one of the better deals. $3 will get you two oversized slices of
Pizza and a Soda. Uncle Joe's is a small authentic NY style pizza house; so expect a traditional crunchy crust, good sauce, plenty of cheese, and laid back friendly but not too fast service. (On Fremont Street and Las Vegas Boulevard.)
Another choice would be to pick up a
Hot dog and a Coke for $2.95 in the Fremont Club at the Lanai Express. Lanai Express is known for its reasonably priced Chinese dishes served cafeteria style, so you don't have to wait for your meal. American food like Hamburgers, Hotdogs, and Shrimp Cocktail will give you more choices than you'd usually find at a Chinese place; so there's something for everybody, even those who don't want the Hotdog deal. (The Fremont Club is in the center of the Fremont Street Experience.)
SPOTLIGHT: Mermaids Casino and Lounge
Famous for vintage slots rather than glitz, this place is a funhouse for those who are
not looking for quiet, high-end class. The brassy waitresses cater to the drinkers, slot players, drinkers, socializers, drinkers, eaters and drinkers. If you end up spending much time here, the waitresses will even remember what you like to drink; you'll notice a personal touch. The strings of welcome beads you discover around your neck tend to be financed by the nickel slots, and the treats here are unique. Mermaids is between the Golden Gate and the Golden Nugget on Freemont Street, downtown.
Snacksat Mermaids Casino and Lounge include the 99 cent
Fried Twinky. They also have
Fried Oreos and a
Chocolate Covered Banana on a stick. If that's too radical, you can also get a
Nathan's hot dog for 99 cents at the Snack Bar.
Snacks in Las Vegas have traditionally included a
Shrimp Cocktail Special. I believe that tradition started at the Golden Gate downtown on Fremont Street over forty years ago. Sometime their menu changes faster than their Marquis, so remember to verify the price. Nowadays just about everyone has some form of Shrimp Cocktail Special priced between 99 cents and $2.99, so look around for it, both downtown, and in many of the smaller casinos on The Strip.
All You Can Eat Buffets
If anywhere is famous for their buffets, it's Las Vegas! Almost every casino has one, so we'll only focus on a few of my favorites that have personality. There was a day when buffets represented the best deal in town. They are still a great deal for what you get; but with the Las Vegas transition into a family destination, the cost of food has gone up across the board to reflect the lack of gambling by minors.
Located inside the California, Aloha Specialties has an assortment of cash specials available between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. Chicken Super Bowl for $2.85 is served over rice with either gravy or teriyaki sauce. You can enjoy a Hamburger with macaroni salad for $2.85, a Chicken Tofu Saimin Noodles or a Loco Moco for $4.75. Loco Moco is a bowl of rice with fried egg and a hamburger patty drenched in gravy. Or a Large Saimin Noodles dish for $5. The Market Street Café offers a Prime Rib Special for $7.95. The Prime Rib is served between 4 and 11 p.m. and comes with soup or salad, potato, vegetable, and a desert! Reservations are recommended at Pasta Pirate which is more than just a pasta house. They are offering what is likely the classiest dinner deal in town! Steak and Lobster Tail with a choice of pasta, potato or rice, plus a saladand a glass of Wine for only $16.Magnolia's Veranda
Four Queens is part of the Fremont Street Experience. Inside Four Queens, Magnolia's Veranda offers a Prime Rib Dinner between 4 p.m. and midnight for $9.95. The special comes with soup or salad, choice of potato, vegetable of the day, and a roll.
French Market Buffet
If you are looking for more of a bargain, while still in The Strip area, the French Market Buffet is inside the Orleans. Don't let the name fool you; for $13.99 you can enjoy this multi-national all you can eat treat between 4 and 9 p.m. Lunch is about half the price; but they clear the dining room between meals here, so you can't stay through into dinner. They also offer
Friday Seafood for $5 more, and
Wednesday Steak for $2 more. This is another locals hang out, so the lines can get long; but they usually move pretty quickly, except on Senior Tuesdays when the lines seem to grow beyond expectation. (About a mile west of The Strip on Tropicana Avenue.)