That Time I Went to Las Vegas During a Pandemic

Hi! Hello. I have another insanely long Las Vegas trip report for you.   If you want the Cliff’s Notes version of Las Vegas vs. Covid, you can click here.

As always, booking this trip was a bit chaotic.  First it was going to be a long weekend for my birthday.  Then I don’t even remember what happened and I decided to make it a full week.   Then my job announced we were all to take two mental health days due to the quarantine slowly killing our brain cells, so I added on two days.  Then Delta went and cut all of their nonstops to Vegas except for the first flight of the day.   This meant my flight was moved to one with a layover.  So I decided fuck it, I will just change it to fly out the weekend before, work from Vegas for three days and be free.  Getting through to Delta to change my flight was quite the feat.  They were not at all prepared for the volume of calls and somehow decided hanging up on people was the solution.  I could not change my flight online because you lose that ability once the schedule is changed the first time.  Finally I got through and off to Vegas I go!

I took an Uber to the airport because fuuuuuuuuuuck getting on the New York City subway.  With the exception of getting a Keratin treatment for my hair, and one doctor’s appointment, I haven’t been outside of my neighborhood in over four months. It feels so odd being OUT.  I am out.  I am getting on a plane.  LOOK AT ME I AM OUTSIDE.  LOOK AT ME I AM GETTING ON A PLANE.

I flew first class to Las Vegas because a one way ticket was only $298.  Since Delta only sells half the seats in first class, I was off the plane in no time at all once we landed.

I usually travel to Las Vegas after work.  Today I landed in daylight so I got some photos from the plane.

Hello Las Vegas!

I would have taken the Wax bus if it were running.   But it isn’t and I did not want to take any alternative and walk a few blocks in the desert heat.  I had to wait 17 minutes for a Lyft.   The entire time, dripping with sweat.  So much for a DRY heat.

I get dropped off at Golden Gate and thus begins my trip!  I am here on a comp.  I am mad about it.  I stayed at The D in December and went D-Generate and somehow I no longer have offers from The D and only have offers from Golden Gate.  I don’t hate this hotel.   But there are no restaurants.  I have a fuckton of comps and dining credit.  I don’t wish to keep walking down to The D in this fucking heat.  My offer required a minimum of two nights.  I booked two, but I am only staying one.  I do not care about losing future comps if my comps are going to be at Golden Gate.

I am told I can check in early and she will waive the fee for me.   Thank you.  I am also told she is giving me a room with a window that opens.  Perfect in 113 degree weather.  I swipe my credit card and it gets rejected.  WHAT. THE. FUCK.  Not now credit card.  I swipe another credit card which works and I am off to my “smoking optional” room with an ashtray and pack of matches.
GUYS.   My card was rejected because I had cancelled it.  I don’t remember doing this.

Teeny tiny closet:

And the view!

Ii is 12:15.  I went outside and across the street to Plaza for McDonalds iced coffee and a cheeseburger.  On the way back to my room, I tried playing Keno.  As I am playing, a TITO spits out and this error message flashes on the screen.  Well fuck you too.

Here is another weird machine error at Golden Gate:

Then I tried Buffalo.  I win $436.  YAY.  I play down to $300 and am back in my warm room at 1:30 to take a nap.   I don’t remember the last time I arrived in Vegas during the day.  I normally go degenerate all night on night one.  That entire $436 would have been gone.  But it seems knowing I have the entire night ahead of me, I was able to somewhat curb my degeneracy.

The air conditioner never really cools the room off.  I am only here for one night so I don’t care too much.  Okay that’s a lie.  I hated every god damned warm minute in this room and am glad I am only here one night.

I am up at 5:30 and I intend to take an Uber or Lyft to the Paiute Smoke Shop.   This is a smoke shop owned by Paiute Tribe and cigarettes are super cheap.   But I cannot get a Lyft or Uber so instead, I gamble.  Side note, you can also take the bus which looks pretty easy. However with Circa construction going on, the bus stop was closed and I didn’t feel like walking in the sun to find where they moved it.  This should be back to normal soon.

I stopped at the Golden Gate Player’s Club to get my whopping $20 free play loaded and lost that pretty quick.   Along with the rest of my night’s budget.   Oh well, time to dig into my winnings.

Over to Binions to play Wonder 4.  Binions has a promotion going on where for every 100 points you earn, you get $10 free play.  The promotion was good for the entire month of July, and independently for the entire month of August.

I had some hits.
I now have $400.  I decide to cash in an award from the Binions app to get dinner at the coffee shop.   Binions burger, obviously.

I head back to Golden Gate.  It is 11-ish.  I have to show my ID to get inside.   I walk past a guy passed out on a slot machine sans mask.   I am asleep by midnight.

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27 thoughts on “That Time I Went to Las Vegas During a Pandemic

  1. David

    I love reading your trip reports even if this one is from August. I’ve been itching to go to Vegas since July but having to stay home two weeks afterwards is a no go for me unless I’m able to work remote from home. I will get to if the infection rate reaches 3% in the city. I hope to run into you at some point either in nYc or Vegas so you can teach me how to earn all those Vegas comps or you can use the binions food credit on me! Enjoy your next trip in a few weeks. Jealous!

    Reply
    1. jennifer Post author

      I am fortunate that I am working from home (or Vegas) for now. I may go again at Christmas / New Years since I have 2 four day weekends in a row. I feel like if you want comps at Binions, all you have to do is breathe inside and they accumulate on your card 🙂

      Reply
  2. NANCY

    wow- such a good report – even with having to work — but now you are on vacation… I love this report since this is all the traveling I will be doing for a while..

    Reply
  3. Jan Poole

    Oh goody! I love to see Jennifer putting her life on a shelf in Las Vegas in my inbox! Let me get a vanilla Crown and diet coke and settle in for a good read!

    Reply
  4. NANCY

    haha- putting the hot dime in your bra…surprised the host called and gave you the $30…but glad you accepted it as a win… never stayed at Paris but it looks nice

    Reply
  5. Tony b

    Nice TR! Did your itching areas has red dots? I had it the Hawaii a few years ago and it turned out to be sun poisoning. I’m thinking it’s age catching up to get even for all that time roasting in the sun when you’re younger.

    Seems like downtown was much nicer to you than the strip slots.

    Reply
    1. jennifer Post author

      I didn’t have red dots, but it did occur to me it might be sun poisoning. I was barely outside, but considering there are weeks in a row where the only time I leave my apartment is to throw out garbage, my body is not used to the sun at all.

      Downtown is my favorite. But when you are losing, you have to get out of there because it is too easy to just keep going. At least on the Strip, a walk to the casino “next door” takes a bit and breaks it up.

      Reply
  6. Janice Hart

    I loved your trip report, as always. You have such an interesting style of writing!! I was there for a week in June, staying at the Plaza, just before the mask mandate was announced.

    We had a great time staying downtown. I am not a strip type of person at all, I prefer the likes of the Orleans and/or Palace station for my play. I always play video keno, rarely do I play pennies.

    I’ll look forward to your October trip. I Hope the Flusher visits again soon also, but with Canada being closed, it’s not likely.

    Reply
    1. jennifer Post author

      Thanks Janice! I think Flusher is waiting for a vaccine. There’s the whole issue of not being covered for Covid if you are traveling from Canada. It really seems unfair.

      I keep staying on the Strip because I am Diamond, so no resort fees. And MLife likes me right now, but they won’t after they realize I keep stiffing them. But I want to get some content to start doing hotel reviews. May as well before those comps all dry up.

      Reply
  7. Rick Cicotta

    I will miss Vegas this year for the first time since 1969, well over 200 trips since. I’m bummed, pissed and depressed. So I stopped reading blogs and trip reports. That is, till yours came up on FB. I loved the shit out of it. So much so, that I promise not to hate vegas until I can go again myself. I stopped writing my own trip reports about 4 years ago. But maybe I will now be inspired! Thanks so much….

    Rick1323

    Reply
    1. jennifer Post author

      I am so sorry you are missing out on Vegas this year! I love looking back on older trip reports so I can see a common theme of what causes my degeneracy and I always find something I had forgotten about. I definitely recommend writing them even if you keep them to yourself.

      Reply
  8. Cathie

    My morning was so great because I got to read an entire trip report from you! So happy you had a winning tip and another in the wings! Keep finding pennies!

    Reply
  9. Vice

    Nice report!

    We went last July and despite COVID, had a great time as usual. Our next trip is Oct 27 – Nov 3 so we will be there the same time as you. Were at Bally’s and then GVR. We usually stay the 2nd leg of the trip at the Cal but Boyd has pissed me off with their lack of points for VP.

    Reply
    1. jennifer Post author

      I am actually considering the Cal for this trip because I want to start doing hotel reviews and I have not stayed there in awhile. But it is not as close to the Dunkin Donuts as Fremont. I might die.

      Reply
  10. Christina Marie

    “The machines here only have seats at every other machine. Some guy pulls a chair next to me and asks me if I like the machine I am playing. Go die. I asked him if he wanted the machine and he said no. So like…don’t do that.”

    lol, your trip reports always crack me up. As a woman who likes to go to Vegas to actually GAMBLE, I can relate. There’s always some drunk douche at least once a night, and I’m like, uh, no, you are getting in my way of losing money.

    Reply
  11. Joanne

    Jennifer, you crack me up every time. I laughed out loud when you described your door kick stretch fake out move. Are any buffets still open in Vegas?

    Reply
    1. jennifer Post author

      Hi Joanne!

      The only buffets currently open are Cosmopolitan and South Point. I know nothing about how South Point is operating. At Cosmo, there are barriers up at the buffet to keep you away from the food. You point from 6 feet away at what you want, and an employee grabs it and puts it on your plate. I assume they also have limited options.

      Reply
  12. NANCY

    I didn’t want this to end but its only 10 days until you are back again…. I know I already commented a few times on this report but so what? I want to say I want to stay at the Luxor next time I am in LV… haven’t stayed there in years but always had fun times in that casino and your stay there reminded me of that… I can’t imagine what all those kids were doing – sounds like they were camping! crazy…

    Reply
    1. jennifer Post author

      Oh I cannot wait to be out of here! I am staying at Luxor again on my first night. This time in a pyramid room. I have a lot of comps I normally would not have (Bellagio, Aria, etc) and am considering doing a mega trip and trying to get current photos of all rooms so I can do reviews. Some of my room photos are 15 years old by now! I tried planning it out and realized sadly that even 31 days in Vegas is not enough to do all of this AND also, degenerate gamblers should probably not go to Vegas for 31 days.

      Reply
  13. Mike/ mbny2000

    At one point before, you had mentioned that this trip might not happen, but I’m so glad it did. Once again, another great report. I lost track, but I’d like to think maybe you came out a little ahead from playing. Either way, I think the trip was definitely worth it. I was unable to get out to LV this year; to many hassles after the Covid closures, so waiting until next years seemed like the right move for me. You did it and had your usual great time. Good for you. Thanks again, and I know the next trip will be just as great or better.

    PS; your quote about the Fremont; ” Noticeably gone is the cantaloupe scented cleaner. Whatever they are using instead, smells like Raid. ”

    You. Are. The. Best.

    You. Are. The Best.

    Reply
    1. jennifer Post author

      Thanks for the kind words! I did NOT come out ahead, but just a tiny bit under. I hope my next trip can fund my December trip. Crossed fingers!

      And it really does smell like Raid. HATE.

      Reply
  14. Pingback: Las Vegas Travel Blog: Yes, I Packed 9 Hotels Into an 11 Night Stay - i put my life on a shelf

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