Royally Flushed

The top spot on our Las Vegas list goes to Mon Ami Gabi at Paris Las Vegas. Grab a table here for primo people-watching plus a great view of the fountain show at The Bellagio.

Without further ado, here are my top five best spots for championship people-watching in Las Vegas.  Rather than counting backwards like we did with yesterday’s five great spots, today we start with number one – my absolute favorite spot for checking out the Las Vegas crowds.

1.  Mon Ami Gabi restaurant at Paris Las Vegas.  Not only does this center-Strip café and its year-round patio offer terrific food – it’s voted #4 out of 1600+ restaurants on Trip Advisor’s Las Vegas forum – it also provides diners with a birds-eye roost for viewing both Strip traffic and The Bellagio’s famous fountain show.   An excellent list of wines-by-the-glass, a sublime chicken liver mousse pate and loaves of warm, crusty French bread complete the experience. 

2.  Trader Vic’s at Planet Hollywood.  Another great Strip-side patio perch – this one offers live music at night as well as a prime spot for watching the steady stream of shoppers entering the Miracle Mile Shops as well as those hoofing it down Las Vegas Boulevard.    A seriously strong Mai-Tai – a Vic’s specialty – makes the night fly by (almost before you know it.)

3.  Parasol Up/Parasol Down at Wynn Las Vegas.  They’re two, two…two bars in one!  Well, not really since one really is up (stairs) and the other is down (the escalator) but both offer prime people-watching complemented by absolutely stunning décor.  ”Down” offers a great view of Wynn’s Lake of Dreams — don’t miss the singing frog — and lots of May/December couples sipping expensive wines.  (more…)

Donny & Marie fans should purchase tickets before leaving for Las Vegas.

Yeah, I admit it – I sometimes eavesdrop on other people’s conversations. Especially when they are sitting three feet away and TALKING REALLY LOUDLY. On our last trip to Las Vegas, P.B. and I were enjoying lunch at one of our fav restaurants – Mon Ami Gabi at Paris Las Vegas - when I overheard the couple next to us discussing what they wanted to do during their stay. Well, that’s not exactly correct – let’s say they were discussing how they had NO CLUE what to do while in Las Vegas. Here they are in one of the most exciting cities in the world and they can’t decide if they want to see a show…what show to see…where to eat dinner…you name it. Later that day- call it kismet – I was reading an article that said 80% of people visiting Las Vegas don’t know what they want to do once they get there. What a waste of time, energy and vacation dollars!

I visit a lot of Las Vegas forums on the ‘net and this seems to be a popular topic:  “To Plan or Not to Plan” – that is the question.  For me, the answer is definitely PLAN!  Okay, I’m not saying plan every minute or even every day but it just makes sense to me to do some research before going so you’re not wasting precious time standing in line at restaurants or theater box offices.  If there is one thing that is lacking on the ‘net (and I’m not sure there is) it is NOT info on Las Vegas. Buy show tickets – like those to see Donny & Marie at The Flamingo.  Make dinner reservations. Book your spa day. Look up what games are available at each casino so you can maximize your playing time.  Whatever it is you definitely want to do while in Las Vegas – or at any vacation destination, for that matter – make your plans and any necessary reservations before you get to where you’re going!

As many times as we have been to Las Vegas, P.B. and I always go armed with a list of hot new Las Vegas restaurants we want to try (usually complete with reservations) as well as anything else we don’t want to miss like shows, slot tournaments and other events. Check out other areas on our site plus VisitLasVegas.com  for things you might want to incorporate into your trip.