Off The Beaten Strip Attractions In Vegas

By Author: Bonny Kominek
Total Articles: 96
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The Pinball Hall of Fame

Whether you can''t stomach any more flashing lights unless they emanate from a pinball screen, or you just think reliving childhood pinball experiences would be a hoot, the Pinball Hall of Fame is the way to go. Created by the Las Vegas Pinball Collectors Club to share the world''s largest pinball collection with the public, the 4500 square foot Pinball Hall of Fame features games from the 1950s to the 1990s, with a heavy focus on the sixties to the eighties (pinball''s prime). The place is run by the same guy who has graciously installed his pinball machine collection, Tim Arnold, a veteran arcade operator from the 1970s and 1980s. It is a registered 501c3 non-profit corporation (entrance is free), and all of its machines are in playable condition ? a quarter per play for the older machines, and 50 cents for all models from the 1990s. After covering its own expenses, the Pinball Hall gives all excess income to the Salvation Army. As of this writing, there are 152 playable pinball machines in the Hall (from 1947''s Heavy Hitter to 2009''s 24 and CSI), but the list of machines is always changing.

Located ...
... on 3330 East Tropicana, at the northwest corner of Tropicana and Pesos, the Pinball Hall of Fame is open to all comers from 11 AM to 11 PM on Sundays to Thursdays, and 11 AM till midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

The Gospel Brunch at the House of Blues

Who hasn''t thought about watching world-famous gospel performances while chowing down on waffles or Creole chicken and shrimp jambalaya? Maybe the thought is a slightly bizarre one, but in case it has ever struck, the Gospel Brunch at the House of Blues has you covered. The buffet list is deliciously extensive ? hickory-smoked bacon and sausage links, cheese tortellini salad with smoked salmon, southern fried chicken, homemade fruit cobbler, white chocolate banana bread pudding, cornbread muffins with maple butter, and many more mouth-watering delights. Before even entering the venue, you''ll come face to face with the 50,000 bottle caps included in an entrance mural created by Mr. Imagination. Additionally, the House of Blues displays more than 300 pieces of original folk art.

The place to get your gospel fix is in Las Vegas Boulevard''s Mandalay Bay Hotel and Resort, at the House of Blues, every Sunday. (The Gospel Brunch is apparently on hiatus until March of 2010, but the House of Blues is still worth checking out in itself).

For those weary of the high-stakes, high-intensity nightlife Las Vegas is known for, the Pinball Hall of Fame and the Gospel Brunch at the House of Blues present perfect, laidback alternatives. Bonny Kominek wrote this article while on a holiday booked with Dialaflight who provide great deals on flights to America including flights to Las Vegas.