“Especially when the weather’s sunny, it’s impossible to get bored in Las Vegas.
Between the pools and the casinos and the shows and the clubs and the museums and the shopping centers and the amusements and the restaurants and the extravaganzas and the galleries and the bars, it’s easy to keep busy.
Vegas has become such an unnavigable mess, here are our thoughts to help organize your next trip.
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The main reason to go to Vegas is the breadth of variety shows, from the music of Bette Midler to the Beatles and the spectacle of Cirque du Soleil to the city’s numerous topless revues. Here are our top picks of the shows running right now.
1 — Cirque du Soleil’s “Love,” the Mirage, 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. S., mirage.com, $93.50-$150 Cirque du Soleil was running out of ideas. Sure, its visuals have always been amazing, but the shows were bleeding into one another because of repeated acts and inane and samey music. Their smart solution: Borrow somebody else’s songs. “Love” is more about the Beatles’ music than it is about Cirque’s majestic stage pictures. The songs have been remixed and they’re played magnificently loud.
2 — Bette Midler’s “The Showgirl Must Go On,” Caesars Palace, 3570 Las Vegas Blvd., caesarspalace.com, $95-$250 What’s not to love about the Divine Miss M taking over Sin City? Even though this show needs work, what’s great is truly great. Midler manages the gigantic stage with grace and ease, cracking jokes and delivering ballads as only she can. But there’s also a lot of padding in this gig — too much for only a 90-minute show featuring a person of Midler’s experience and capability.
3 — “Spamalot,” Wynn, 3131 Las Vegas Blvd. S., wynnlasvegas.com, $69-$179 Faithful followers of “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” are split on this one. It’s side-splittingly funny. Or it’s a watered-down version of the movie. Either way, this musical has found a home on Broadway — and in Las Vegas, of course. In the Wynn’s elaborate production, actor John O’Hurley (famous for playing J. Peterman on “Seinfeld”) plays King Arthur.
4 — Toni Braxton, Flamingo, 3555 Las Vegas Blvd. S., flamingolasvegas.com, $69-$109 Braxton isn’t the first name you’d think of when you picture elaborately staged, years-long Vegas residencies, but she’s doing just fine at the Flamingo, thank you very much.
5 — “Fantasy,” Luxor, 3900 Las Vegas Blvd. S., fantasyluxor.com, $49.50-$64.90 Some say that a trip to the Strip isn’t complete without a topless revue. This one is packed with music and a couple of performers who take you through the show via song. But the stars of this show are the dancing girls, who play out a number of fantasies for the audience before heading out to the merch booth for post-show autographs and pictures.
6 — Cirque du Soleil’s “Ka” at the MGM Grand, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. S., mgmgrand.com, $69-$150 Yes, “Love” is all about the music. But “Ka” is the most spectacular show in Cirque’s ever-widening repertoire — largely because of the unique stage and the performers’ agility in navigating it both athletically and elegantly. This ticket is some of the best money you’ll spend in Las Vegas.
STAY
1 — The Signature at MGM Grand, 145 E. Harmon Ave., 877-612-2121, signaturemgmgrand.com. Chances are you’ve never stayed at a Vegas hotel with a private gated entrance. Then again, the Signature hardly considers itself a normal “hotel.” Offering sprawling junior suites, impressive 950-square-foot one-bedrooms and gigantic 1,500-square-foot two- bedrooms, this is one of Vegas’ poshest temporary addresses. Rates start at $159.
2 — The Platinum Hotel & Spa, 211 E. Flamingo Road, 702-365-5000, theplatinumhotel.com. It’s a couple of blocks off the Strip, but if you’re looking for luxurious comforts, big rooms with kitchens, affordable prices and a sizable pool area that won’t have you tripping all over tanning bodies, the Platinum is the hot ticket. Getting a taxi can be a bummer, so give yourself some extra time to make that Bette Midler curtain. Rates start at $149.
3 — Circus Circus, 2880 Las Vegas Blvd. S., 702-734-0410, circuscircus .com. This is Cheeseball Vegas at its most hilarious. You’re doing Vegas on a shoestring budget, and you’re set on staying on the Strip. There’s nothing wrong with Circus Circus, so long as you take it for what it is: A divey, past-its-prime hotel and casino that’s bound to be torn down in the coming decade in favor of something Wynn-like. Rates start at $46.95.
DINE
1 — L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, MGM Grand, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. S. You’re splurging on one meal in Las Vegas? This should be it. The French-inspired cuisine of Joel Robuchon is heavenly. And this fine restaurant will provide you with the single best meal you’ll eat in this town. Go with the tasting menu ($125 per person) for the smartest way to really sample the kitchen’s wares, and be sure to ask for the wine steward to suggest pairings.” ( via denverpost.com) by Ricardo Baca
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