While it "won't get you much" it does get you something! I like the Wynn very much but as long as I get HGP points and a few perks I am staying with Mlife properties (with the occasional stay at the SLS)

I have enjoyed "cutting"the line at the Bellagio buffet on a Sunday when there was a line of about 100 people. I have enjoyed being able to use VIP lines for check in-check out and most importantly (to me at least) I have enjoyed earning Hyatt Gold Passport points at Mlife properties.

OP Make sure you check out this thread in the Hyatt forum http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hyatt...ity-mlife.html for instructions on how to link your HGP and Mlife account. Just to be safe bring your HGP platinum card with you.

Aria pool is suprisingly meh for an upscale hotel IMO. I don't like their casino either. But I love Aria rooms.
Bellagio has a nicer pool and casino.

Mandalay Bay is ideal if you don't mind staying a bit away from the center strip. It has good connectivity to the central strip area and other MGM properties. Next you can also consider Aria.

Visiting LV for the first time. There seems to be so many casinos out there and don't know which one to visit.

I know all should be very interesting, but any specific one that's interesting to take a look?

Alternatively, which is like the "cheapest" casino on the strip with low bet amount for each hand be it Roulette, Blackjack or what not. I believe it should be cheaper at casinos outside the strip, but wouldn't mind trading higher price bets for the strip experience.

The strip is all the same. Walk up and down a couple of times. Watch the Bellagio fountains, and the volcano show at the Mirage, and the pirate show at TI (all free). Go into anywhere that looks fun and try a few bets. That is the experience.

But it sounds to me like you would feel more comfortable on Fremont street rather than the strip. Go spend a few bucks in Binions and the old timey places up there. Check out the 1500 foot overhead video screen (it's pretty cool) and maybe ride the zip line. At least if you get bored on the strip it might be something to check out.

Would be fine with casino on the strip, just wanted to know which is the "cheaper" ones.

Less popular usually means cheaper action, so on the strip I would try Circus Circus, Casino Royale, and Excalibur.

Also note that every casino changes the minimum bets by time of day, so in the evening when things are jumping the minimums go up, even at less popular casinos. For lower bets go in the morning or midday when things are slow.

If you don't mind going slightly off strip, you can get the free shuttle from Harrah's to Rio, and then walk next door to Gold Coast which has a reputation of being the casino that locals patronize.

apparently the pirate show is no more.

Whenever traveling with first-time visitors, I always take them to Luxor and Caesars Palace. I like the theming of both and I think it gives you an immersive themed casino experience. When you go to see the Bellagio fountains do it at night - it is a completely different experience than seeing them in the day. Try to get a close to the middle if you can, and against the rail in the center of one of the little viewing 'divots'. It will feel like a full immersion experience! Also walk on the bridge between Bellagio and Ballys at night, and stop in the middle. You will be surrounded by the lights and action of the strip - right in the heart of everything.

For lower-limit gambling check out the Ellis Island behind Ballys. A tiny local place with an off-the-menu steak special for $8.95 now (I believe) that is legendary.

What are you trying to get out of the experience? Purely from a sightseeing perspective, check out this list of Activities/Attractions from Anthony Curtis' Las Vegas Advisor site. It's a mix of free and paid attractions. I would not discount heading downtown to Fremont. I've had friends that have been to Vegas a few times but never to downtown and after they've gone with me, they say they really enjoyed it and need to head down there during future trips.

There's a few quasi-stand alone casinos like Slots of Fun, O'Shea's, etc that will typically have lower limits on the strip. Not sure if that's the experience you're looking for. Then you have lower end hotel/casinos like Circus Circus, Excalibur, etc. Purely from a gaming perspective, I'm not sure what you're expecting from a unique strip experience other than the cocktail waitresses and staff wearing themed outfits. Planet Hollywood has a Pleasure Pit at certain times that features pole dancers and dealers in corsets with higher than average table but still reasonable table mins. Other mid-end on Strip places I'd suggest would be NYNY and Paris.

Similar to RevJim, I would not discount heading to the downtown Fremont Casinos or offstrip to play. The table minimums downtown are reasonable and it's pretty lively. Fremont Street is a bit of a gong show that gives you one aspect of that Vegas experience IMO.

Just wondering what sort of table minimums are we talking about here for those higher end casinos?

5 bucks per bet on numbers for roulette? 50 bucks per hand for blackjack?

As RevJim says, it really depends on time on day and how busy it is.
During the morning, I think you'd be lucky to see $10 tables. (I recall seeing a $10 BJ table at Encore in the morning but that was about 2-3yrs ago.) During the evenings, you're likely looking at $20-25 min tables. And you'll likely see the lower limits for BJ with card shuffling machines and paying 6/5 BJ's. And the other thing to be aware of is that there's usually only a few tables with the lower mins and they're typically pretty busy. Once a table / casino gets busy, they may also raise the table minimums but will typically grandfather existing players with the previous minimum.

When I lived in Las Vegas we used to have fun going to the El Cortez and the Union Plaza for the cheap roulette. $20 would last all night if you bet on the outside. They also have really cheap baccarat.
On Strip I would look at Casino Royale, Circus Circus and Slots o' Fun. Non of which are "nice" but you will get a "Vegas" experience!

Wow. When was the last time you were in Las Vegas? It has not been called the Union Plaza in about 20 years. It is the Plaza. Slots of Fun removed their pit a several years ago and it is now a ghost town. Slots of Fun used to be packed. MGM's bean counters screwed that up. I could see that closing, just like Silver City Casino. Another MGM fail! They made Silver City 100% non-smoking 10 years too early. It is now a Ross Dress for less.

You can play $5 Blackjack at New York, New York
I've also found $ Craps at some of the lower end strip hotels (bally's, stratosphere)