1) If this is your first time, you should really stay in the heart of the strip. It is easy to walk in both directions. Look into these hotels... Ceasars, Bellagio, Planet Hollywood, Paris (or something close). Planet Hollywood is nice enough and pretty reasonable.

Staying on the strip was a beating for me, traffic, noise everything is more expensive there. It’s fun to do it once just to say you’ve stayed at one of those famous hotels but I greatly prefer older Vegas on Freemont Street, the 4 Queens, Binion’s etc. They might be below the standards of sum (typically 3 stars) but your money goes a lot further. 4 Queens is very liberal with the suite upgrades, slip the desk clerk a 20 and most times they’ve had no problem moving us into one of the large suites. Be sure you DO NOT get a room that overlooks Freemont Street if you plan on getting any sleep, the lights and noise don’t stop.

If you are a serious blackjack player, old Vegas is the only place to play much better house rules and fewer clueless tourists.

2) Everything in Vegas is EXPENSIVE... really expensive. Gone are the days of the cheap quality meals, endless free booze, etc. Sure, there are still dumps that will have a $5.99 buffet, but I doubt that is what you are looking for. Someone that has never been to Vegas could spend a lot of time just walking through the hotels (It's free and some of them are pretty incredible). Your wife would enjoy the shopping...

Not sure where they’ve taken away the free booze, you can sit at low limit slot machines and drink all you want as long as you’re gambling in all the casinos I’ve been too. I agree there are tons of fun free things to do just walking through hotels, check out cheapovegas.com.

3) Go check out Freemont. It's not my favorite, but something you should definitely see.

Agreed, but stay out of Glitter Gulch.

4) If you want to see a show, most of the Cirque de Soleil (sp?) shows are good. "O" at Bellagio is incredible. I am seeing Garth Brooks at the Wynn tomorrow night... I'll let you know how that goes.

I absolutely hated O, goofy clowns, psychedelic transgendered acrobats, and some dudes naked butt. Ghey.

Believe it or not, Phantom of the Opera at the Venetian is beyond incredible, the entire auditorium is part of the show, the talent and production is one of the most amazing spectacles you’ll ever witness.

5) Do not rent a car. Complete waste of money and incredibly inefficient.

I COULD NOT DISAGREE MORE. Getting anywhere by bus in that town is a nightmare, it’s not fun to have a 500lber in a mumu suffocating you with overly generous sideboob, especially when you aren’t exactly a featherweight yourself. Parking is free, or extremely easy to validate wherever you go. Ask most any concierge and they will hook you up.

The drive to the Hoover Dam, and even to the South End of Grand Canyon is awesome and an easy day trip.