3 comments about Frommer's Portable Las Vegas (Frommer's Portable).

1. My best friend and I are planning a trip to Vegas (A Thelma and Louise Adventure) and this book was a great source of information! Good eats, places you must visit, sites for deals. Plus it fits right in your pocket!

   Don't pass this book up!




2. Frommer's Portable Las Vegas is an invaluable source when visiting Las Vegas. I just went on my first trip to Las Vegas and this book was small and light enough to fit in my purse. It gives you all the essential information without all the "fluff" and details of the larger books. I suggest you get a larger book (like Frommer's Las Vegas 2000) to keep in your hotel room but get the portable book for carrying around with you.



3. Neither my husband nor myself had ever taken a trip out to Las Vegas before. We had heard tons about it from various other friends that had been and were overwhelmed trying to plan out exactly what the two of us wanted to see or visit. The portable guidebook came in very handy when we were trying to figure out what entertainment and sights we had to choose from other than the obvious....casinos.

2 comments about Las Vegas with Kids, Second Edition.

1. There is very little in this book that isn't covered elsewhere in more detail. I bought this book and "The Complete Idiot's Travel Guide to Las Vegas" before a trip to Las Vegas with my two sons. The Complete Idiot's Guide had lots more info including info about kid friendly hotels, things to see, etc. Neither book included information about which hotels let kids stay free which was info that I was looking for.
   Las Vegas With Kids includes lots of what to me was worthless information - for example: 5 pages are used to list the airlines that fly into Las Vegas, another 6 pages of websites for hotels, packing lists that list only the obvious (and only for the summer season).
   My advice would be to buy a general travel guide to Las Vegas and don't bother with this book.



2. I thought that this book was an excellent starter when planning a vacation to "Sin City" with the kids. My husband and I were worried that it would be a vacation where we stayed in the hotel for 5 days and swam by the pool. However, we were able to use this book to plan our days. We were able to find local parks, historical sites and some pretty good restaurants. In addition, the book gave us ideas to keep our 8 year old active by trying things that we would not normally have done (i.e., horseback riding, etc.) The book broke down which hotels were "kid friendly" and what amenities were available to us at the hotel. My son was so excited about this vacation that he still talks about it to everyone more than a year later. I would highly recommend this book for anyone who has children and wants to stay away from the casinos.

3 comments about Avant-Guide Las Vegas: Insiders' Guide to Progressive Culture (Avant Guides).

1. This book was my introduction to the Avant Guide series, and I was thoroughly impressed. I've been to Vegas several times and used as many guide books, but this is by far my favorite. The author demonstrates a refreshing respect for everything cool -- from groovy local dives to swanky tourist hot spots. If you wish to revel in all things Vegas -- if you dig the history and the kitsch -- this book will show you a good time regardless of your budget.

   Be warned: Square types may find plenty to offend on these lively pages. Hotels are ranked from "Very Expensive" to "Cheap A--"; drugs and prostitution are given a comic wink; and the author makes a point of helping you avoid child-infested locations. If any of this sounds like a bad thing, you'd best avoid this book.

   But for anyone with a healthy sense of humor, irony, and things absurd, this book is the next best thing to having a supercool, local friend guide your Vegas experience.




2. Dan Levine and his crew have experienced what they write about.It's based on reality,not on puffery. Savvy,irreverent at times, funny and wonderfully practical.It's extremely well organized and easy to use. I've read a ton of stuff on Vegas and this is the only one I actually use and give to others. Their opinions are the same as mine.
   
   My only criticism is the binding. It tends to fall apart after many uses. Dan, would you consider spiral binding?
   
   Thanks, Dan. Samuel Henderson



3. I bought this book after using and fully enjoying the Avant-Guide to Paris. I knew nothing about Vegas before a recent trip and Avant-Guide made sure I was well prepared. It had excellent information on cool and hip places as well as "classic Vegas" and must-see destinations. It covers it from the perspective of singles or couples. This is not a family vacation book or a budget travel book. It is fun to read and easy to navigate. Because of this I also bought the New York book which is equally enjoyable.

5 comments about Las Vegas on the Dime: An Insider's Guide to Great Deals.

1. Okay, I'm a native Las Vegan so I'm obviously biased, but I really enjoyed this book. It's from a local who has lived here for quite some time and he feels the need to touch on everything from great hidden thrift shops, free music venues and good grub. His style is light and breezy and he has a knack for funny sketches about all the strange people he's encountered along the way. It's true that the book is a bit narrow in scope, concentrating on those with a love for the odd and/or peculiar and the youthful tone of the book is geared more toward the hostel/backpacker set; yet this should not be a point of criticism for the author, nor should he be docked a star for it. There's nothing wrong with target marketing. Writing a sharp, hip guide that is at the same time very open-minded to all sorts of trends is clearly Mr. Toole's goal - and he pulls it off in spades.



2. I'm sending this book to my pals back in the UK. Ever since Virgin Atlantic started a non-stop flight from Las Vegas to London the stream of Brits in Las Vegas hasn't stopped. This is right up their alley. Off-Strip eating places that won't break the bank and excursions that will appeal to those who will quickly tire of the corporate "experiences" offered on the Strip. Having this book has made this recent transplant feel like a local. I only hope there's a second edition in the works to keep things fresh and up to date. The back cover photo says it all!



3. At 22 years of age, I was ripe for my first "adult" trip to Vegas a few weeks ago. I purchased this book and man did it help. I stayed at a great hostel, had the trill of playing some cheap tables, swallowed some good grub, shopped at some offbeat places and experienced some wickedly cool bands at venues that I don't beleive is covered in any other travel guide. I also dug the author's writing style - light with fresh, funny tales about the people in his town. I even have more respect for him when I found an online interview of the author and he encouraged people to write to the publisher to drop the list price by a few dollars because he felt his book was too expensive. Now that's honesty! Seriously folks, you should buy the book, it's not a budget guide really, but more of an off-the-beaten path type guide that will have you touching on several places to make your trip to Vegas a treat.



4. Las Vega$ on the Dime is the best guide to the valley of sin. If you're a traveler with a smaller wallet than the billionaire high roller then this book is for you. Toole's book does a comprehensive overview of the best places to eat, sleep and be entertained without straining your funds to depletion.
   This book is one of the few on the market that explores not just one type of dining, but ALL of the dining genres including (but not limited to)- sushi, American, French, and Polynesian.
   Las Vegas on a Dime is a must have for pocket-pinchers and the casual traveler alike; it gives visitors a rare locals look to one of the most diverse cities in the country.
   The writing is concise and conversational, with attention paid to details about each of the establishments reviewed. Inside you can find more than just a guide to saving money, but great reviews of the places explored as well. Toole has taken the time and painstaking effort to make sure that the reader is well informed about the city, so that on arrival you're ready to spend, without getting ripped off.



5. Yeah! I didn't expect to have as much fun as I did, but this book led me to a great hostel (they offered shuttle service to the airport!), some good food (Vegas doesn't lack in eateries) and some fun, inexpensive bits on the strip & downtown. I also liked the author's writing style - hip & fresh, but never snide. Why four stars and not five? Because I'd love for this author to come out with a new edition. Not that the info inside is outdated, but that Vegas changes every week from what I've been told, and there could be some hot new stuff in the city that I'd like THIS AUTHOR'S OPINION ON! Maybe it's not fair to dock a star for that reason, but I hope it'll encourage him or the publisher to get a new one out. Also, Mr. Toole, if you had a website for your Vegas tips, I'd sure like to check that out!

1 comments about In The Desert Of Desire: Las Vegas And The Culture Of Spectacle.

1. Las Vegas is a unique city in the history of the world in that it was founded by those seeking escape, and exists as a place for those seeking to escape. The latter has created a city built on catering to the desires of other people, which is the topic of this short book. Whether it be gambling, shows, sex, or exotic animals, no other city in human history has so excelled at providing entertainment of so many forms and types in one place at one time. The book examines the different spectacles offered by Las Vegas, with a close eye on the appropriate history, business aspects, and ironies. Each chapter focuses on one specific spectacle; such as art, wildlife, and dance shows. In each, the author traces the development of that spectacle from its origins in Western history to its growth in American culture, and final establishment in Vegas. For each, the author also shows how private and public actors interact to create the final product seen by tourists. All in all, a very interesting and good work. This reviewer has visited Las Vegas twice, and after reading this book, I more fully understand it now and appreciate when went into creating it.

1 comments about Las Vegas: The Best of Glitter City (DiscoverGuides).

1. First of all, never trust a guide book to Vegas which states "we don't gamble" (p. 31) and then tries to tell you which casinos are the best. This book is full of opinionated "top ten" lists which only appeal to a certain demographic. (Namely, the demographic which would drive all over town to find the number one 99-cent shrimp cocktail, and then would look for the number one spot to park the RV. Lucky for them, both lists are provided.)

   Every traveler to Vegas should see Sehlinger's Unofficial Guide to Las Vegas, which would appeal to a wide variety of tourists. The younger crowd needs to check out Frommer's Irreverant Guide to Las Vegas.

1 comments about Fodor's Las Vegas 2006 (Fodor's Gold Guides).

1. If you are going to Las Vegas for the first time, get this book.

2 comments about Open Road's Best of Las Vegas, 1st Edition (Open Road Travel Guides Las Vegas Guide).

1. This was a comprehensive look into Las Vegas for the average traveler. This book was very good at pointing out various hotspots and steering the reader clear of tourist traps. The one fault of this publication was that it contains no pictures of the area and only text and a few maps. Pictures would have enhanced the purpose of the travel guide by giving the reader visual cues to the Las Vegas when actually in the city.



2. Jay Fenster knows all there is to know for the visitor to Las Vegas. Having his book was like having the best possible tour guide right by my side.
   
   I love Mr. Fenster's writing style, and the organization of the book, his grouping of attractions based on the visitor's length of stay. As a non-gambler, I was especially interested in what else we could do. Following Fenster's recommendations, we requested a high room with a street view (gorgeous at night!), had a buffet at the Rio (over 300 dishes), saw Cirque du Soliel `Mystere', and ventured off the strip to the Green Valley Ranch, Lake Las Vegas, and Red Rock Canyon Conservation area. We had two fabulous Thai dinners at Lotus of Siam. I can honestly say Jay Fenster's book really took our Las Vegas vacation to the next level.

No comments about Conquer Las Vegas in 3 Days - Do the Most Amazing Town in the World in a Too-Short Vacation.

No comments about Berlitz City Guidemap Las Vegas (Z-Map).