When you’re in LV, it’s fun to stay at the MC.
The Monte Carlo Resort and Casino is a perfect launching pad to propel you into the Vegas nightlife – and day life.
The grand hotel – angling and jutting out far and wide in two directions from its center base, much like an eagle that majestically spans its wings – can’t be missed. With approximately 3,000 rooms, the resort is like a beacon, drawing you in with its distinguished, cursive “Monte Carlo” signature on both imposing wings.
It’s a perfect set-up, smack dab in all the action on the south side of the Strip.
Inside, the casino action thrives, but there is more. So much more.
Blue Man Group and More
Blue Man Group plays here, and you really notice. Near the lobby, cute statuettes of the famous troupe are on full display and make for ideal photo opportunities for children and adults. Of course, there are lots of blue tones around the area, and about 45 minutes before show time, a Blue Man Group procession runs throughout the casino floor. This is when the vibe really picks up.
As for the Blue Man Group show, the recent relocation to the Monte Carlo is a good thing. As a result, the show has been re-energized. The vibrancy is contagious, including the pre-show when little blue blimps float around the 1,200-seat Monte Carlo Theater, where there is not a bad seat in the house.
The show is exclusive to Las Vegas and can’t be missed. Most impressive are the innovative methods that the group interacts with the audience. Of course, the technology is cutting-edge, but – ironically – the underlying message is that humanity trumps technology.
Before or after the show, the Monte Carlo boasts the best place in town to eat and drink while watching sports – the Pub at Monte Carlo. The Pub Fry Sampler, with a trio of mesquite, sweet potato and hand-cut fries, is addictively tasty, and the array of burgers, sandwiches and appetizers could satisfy even the hungriest of appetites.
But, let’s be real, the star attractions are the large-screen TVs, including an impressive set that may be bigger than some houses. Sports never looked so good. More than 260 beers are offered with 136 on tap.
As much as I wanted to stay cooped up in the Monte Carlo, other attractions beckoned. Again, being on the south side of the Strip put us within walking distance of many destinations.
‘Fine’ Dining in Pub
Immediately south of the Monte Carlo lies New York-New York, with its Statue of Liberty façade and roller-coaster (think Coney Island) loop around the exterior.
Inside, New York-New York boasts the finest Irish pub in the land – Nine Fine Irishmen. The meal was so good, we were still talking about it days later. The Drunken Onion Rings featured the best batter of any variety ever devoured by my party after decades and decades of sampling across the country. Don’t let the menu description (Bloody Mary-marinated, beer-battered and with spicy mustard) fool you. These flavors were subdued but magically enhanced the crisp rings.
The beer and cheese dip was quite creamy and made with Smithwick’s Ale and Irish cheddar cheese with an assortment of country breads. Chicken pot pie included a huge, flaky crust, and the funnel sticks dessert was beyond State Fair-good.
The atmosphere of Nine Fine Irishmen is a sight to see … and hear. The layout is conducive to multi-levels of ornate cottage areas, shop-style snugs, a Victorian bar and outdoor patio seating with overlooking the Strip. Even when the restaurant is full, diners can slightly feel vibrations of the outdoor roller coaster rumbling overhead. Although barely discernible, the vibration can’t help but make diners smile.
Exhibit of ‘Titanic’ Proportions
The next property south, the Luxor Hotel Casino, includes a can’t-miss attraction: “Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition.”
This impressive, 25,000-square-foot walk-through exhibit is huge – large room upon large room of amazing artifacts (or sometimes exact replicas) that is temperature-controlled to mimic what it was like on the ship at its various points.
Visitors walk through cabins of all the various classes (third-class cabins cost what would be $900 today; first-class cabins cost what would be $57,000 today, and some were the equivalent of $103,000). The actual plates, dishes, marble backsplash and much more are on-hand, making visitors acutely aware of exactly how life was like on the doomed ship.
The grand staircase will cause memories of the “Titanic” movie. It’s an exact replica with domed ceiling and rich, ornate walls. The title features original subflooring, recovered in a 2004 Titanic expedition. Later, visitors can see a huge piece of the Titanic’s hull. But what really hit home was the newly expanded outer promenade deck, complete with the frigid temperatures felt on that fateful April night. It was downright spooky and made me realize how the passengers must have felt like.
Before you enter the exhibit, you are given a boarding card of an actual passenger on the ship. At the end, a memorial wall features the names of all the passengers. At that point, you find out if the person you are representing died or was saved. Yet one more feature of the exhibit that connects you to the actual voyage.
When that Shark Bites
One final stop south brings you to Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino, which features the Shark Reef Aquarium near the South Convention Center. There are more than 2,000 animals to see in more than 1.6 million gallons of water. Children obviously love this attraction, but you don’t have to be a kid to appreciate all the amazing species.
The underwater world is truly a sensory experience that includes 15 species of sharks and other predators. One shark swam directly above me, and it snarled a menacing tooth at me, captured brilliantly by the photo I took.