Although spur-of-the-moment fun is a hallmark of Vegas, planning some of your activities in advance is essential, especially given reduced capacity for many venues at the moment. In this installment of Las Vegas Magazine’s ongoing Day Planner series, we’ll give you a few options if you are staying near Main Street and Fremont Street downtown (there are a ton of them for such a small area). Walking shoes are always something to plan on, although the destinations here are relatively close together. Give yourself 10-15 minutes between destinations, regardless. And getting reservations and tickets early is a huge time and brain cell saver.
9 a.m.: You may have got to bed a wee bit late last night, so breakfast at Hash House a Go Go at The Plaza serves two purposes: It’ll allow you to pour copious amounts of coffee down your throat and fuel up for the coming day with massive portions of the restaurant’s signature items or cocktails. We recommend the BLT Mary if you need a hair of the dog, or Andy’s sage-fried chicken and waffles. Geez, that dish is huge.
10 a.m.: After that repast, waddle on down to the Brian Christopher Slots area at the casino. The popular YouTuber and Facebook personality chose his favorite games for the area. Maybe you’ll be as lucky as he is.
11 a.m.: Although Easter may be over, it’s never too late for a little hunt. At the posh Golden Nugget, wander around and game a little as you search for the Hand of Faith, the second-largest gold nugget ever discovered, at 61 pounds. It’s tucked away in the lobby.
Noon: Ready for lunch? Cruise down to the Market Café at the California for lunch, where the oxtail stew has garnered a loyal following. The beef takes hours to cook, as does the broth. Best of all? It starts at $14.99.
2 p.m.: Get your courage up. Your tickets for SlotZilla will let you climb to the top of the multistory structure, strap in and travel either two blocks seated or five blocks in a superhero position (depending on how brave you felt when you bought your tickets). If you feel like a pick-me-up after finishing, check out the multiple bars along the promenade. Then go and grab your suit and head to Stadium Swim.
3-5 p.m.: Yes, your reservations at Stadium Swim at Circa Resort & Casino let you swim, but wait until you see the monster screen for sports. It’s truly wild.
5-7 p.m.: It’s naptime and, boy, do you need it. Set an alarm so you’ll have time to dress for dinner.
7 p.m.: Which steakhouse did you score reservations at? Both Barry’s Downtown Prime at Circa and Oscar’s Steakhouse at The Plaza are hot spots where prime time is tight. Luckily, there are several other good steakhouses around the area.
8:30 p.m.: Wander on to Fremont Street Experience to look at the light show (this can even be in early evening, thanks to a recent upgrade).
10 p.m.: Head to the Delirious Comedy Show at Downtown Grand. This is staged in a larger room, so there’s no crowding, with different comedians each week. Pauly Shore even plays April 16, 23 and 30. See, laughter is the best medicine.
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