The Jeff Does Vegas Podcast

Roughly 85 miles northwest of the Las Vegas Strip, you'll find what might be the most famous classified military installation in the world:

Area 51

If you believe what you see in pop culture, Area 51 - or "Homey Airport" as it's officially known - is the secret base where the U.S. Government stores dead alien beings & their spacecraft, and works on advanced technology like weather control, time travel, and teleportation.

But what REALLY happens there?  My guest for this episode is going to help shed some light on the subject...maybe.

Dr. Joseph Fitsanakis is a Professor of Intelligence and Security Studies at Coastal Carolina University, where he's also the program manager for the partnership between the university and the National Security Agency (aka: the NSA).  He's written several books on intelligence, espionage, and security and he's also a senior editor at IntelNews.org.

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

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Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

Here comes another World Famous Jeff Does Vegas Trip Report!  This time around, it's a recap of my most recent trip to Vegas from January 23-26, 2023.

I've got reviews of my stay at Planet Hollywood plus meals at Flight Club in the Venetian, Ramsay's Kitchen by Gordon Ramsay at Harrah's, and the famous Peppermill Restaurant and Fireside Lounge at the north end of the Strip.  I'll also share thoughts on The Carroll Shelby Heritage Center and the Atomic Saloon Show at the Venetian.

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

Get ready for another World Famous Jeff Does Vegas Trip Report!  This time, we're recapping mine & my wife's most recent trip to Vegas from December 11th-16th, 2022.

This episode includes reviews of our stay at Paris Las Vegas as well as meals at Roy Choi's Best Friend in Park MGM, Yellowtail Restaurant & Lounge at the Bellagio, The Steakhouse at Circus Circus, and others.  Plus, I share our experiences at Cirque Du Soleil's Mad Apple, Reckless In Vegas and Bat Out Of Hell - The Musical.

I also discuss the latest at The Mob Museum (including drinks & food at The Underground) and share a few thoughts & observations on recent goings-on in Las Vegas.

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

Back a few weeks ago, I decided it might be fun to step outside of my comfort zone and host an official Jeff Does Vegas Ask Me Anything session.

I put it out to you, the amazing listeners of this podcast, to ask me questions about anything you wanted to know - whether it was about Las Vegas, podcasting, my radio career, my personal life...literally ANYTHING.

And you guys didn't disappoint!  You asked some really great questions - both in advance and during the session - and it was a blast to engage with everyone and answer them.

I hosted the original live stream on October 21, 2022 and, as promised, I'm now releasing it as a podcast episode.  I've cleaned it up and done a bit of editing but, for the most part, it's presented here exactly as it happened.

If you'd like to check out the original video version of the Jeff Does Vegas Ask Me Anything live stream, you can find on the Jeff Does Vegas YouTube Channel.

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

As frequent listeners to the podcast know, one of my favorite parts of visiting Vegas is the food.

Over the last several years, Las Vegas has become a Foodie's paradise with dozens of new restaurants opening each year, featuring celebrity chefs and cuisine you can possibly imagine.  But you know what?  No matter how hard you try, you just can't beat a classic.

The Golden Steer, located just off the strip on Sahara Boulevard is Las Vegas's oldest continually operating steakhouse.  They opened back in 1958 and over the course of it's almost-65 year history, they've become legendary not only for their amazing steaks but for the incredible service, old Vegas atmosphere, and their famous (and infamous) customers.

My guest for this episode of the podcast is Nick McMillan, Managing Partner of the Golden Steer.  Nick and I talked about the early days of the Golden Steer, it's evolution from "western roadhouse" to "cool celebrity hangout", their place in Vegas Mob History, and what makes the Golden Steer different from other Las Vegas steakhouses.

If you want to learn more about the Golden Steer and make a reservation for your next Vegas trip, visit their website.  And for drool-worthy pics of their awesome food, be sure to follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

July 16th, 2022 marks the 77th anniversary of the detonation of the very first atomic bomb and to honor that milestone, I've decided to release a re-packaged version of one of my favorite episodes of Sin City Stories, my Las Vegas history spin-off podcast.

And although the actual test occurred in the desert just outside of Los Alamos, New Mexico, it led to one of the most interesting periods in Nevada's history and a very bizarre tourism industry for the city of Las Vegas.

Just as the cold war with Russia was beginning to heat up, the US Government selected a spot a little over 60 miles away from the glitz and glamour of the Vegas Strip where they could test atomic weapons.  The explosions lit up the sky and the mushroom clouds that came with the blasts could be seen for miles around - including from the rooftops of the hotels in downtown Las Vegas.

If you want to go even further in-depth on the history of Atomic Vegas, check out the complete shownotes on the Sin City Stories website featuring articles, photos, videos and more!  And if you've got a Las Vegas trip planned anytime soon, be sure to visit the National Atomic Testing Museum.

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

Las Vegas - or more specifically, Lake Mead, located just outside Las Vegas - has found itself in the spotlight as of late & is attracting the attention of two very different groups of people:

Mob Historians and Climate Scientists

Lake Mead is known as a water playground for both tourists & locals, but it's also one the United States' largest reservoirs providing water for over 20 million people across 3 states.  However, due to drought and increased water demand, the lake's water levels have dropped drastically over the last several years, which has led to some bizarre and horrifying discoveries.

Returning for this bonus episode of the podcast to discuss recent events at Lake Mead is Anthony Smith, one half of the creative force behind Mayhem In The Desert, a Las Vegas True Crime blog that takes a deep dive into some of the stories that helped shape Las Vegas's history.

If you want to learn more about Vegas's true crime past and the darker side of Sin City, be sure to visit Mayhem In The Desert.  Also, be sure to follow Mayhem In The Desert on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

Anyone who knows me well knows I'm a MASSIVE airplane nerd.  I love flying and everything to do with flying.  Over the course of my life, I've had the chance to do some really cool aviation-related stuff from logging hours in a Cessna, to flying a full-motion Boeing 737 simulator, to visiting aviation museums around the world.

If you've ever wanted to try your hands at the controls of an airplane - and see some unique sights while doing it - my guest for this episode is the guy you need to talk to!

Paul Sallach is the founder & president of All In Aviation, a unique Las Vegas-based flight school that not only offers you a chance to learn how to be a pilot but do it while cruising over spots like Hoover Dam, the Grand Canyon and the Vegas Strip.

Paul & I chatted about what got him into flying, what sparked his move to Las Vegas and what makes All In Aviation different from other flight schools.

If you want to learn more about All In Aviation and maybe even set up your first flight lesson, head to their website and book today!  You can also follow All In Aviation on Facebook and Instagram.

__________________________________________________________________________

Become a Jeff Does Vegas Insider today for only $5 USD/month & enjoy all kinds of cool perks like early access to new episodes, commercial-free versions of EVERY episode, invites to exclusive live streams & videos, insider-only virtual hangouts and even real-life in-person hangouts IN Las Vegas!

Sign up NOW at patreon.com/jeffdoesvegas

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

Shortly after I launched this podcast, I put together an episode called Vegas FAQ, where I gathered together some of the more common questions that I saw being asked about Las Vegas and attempted to answer them.

It's been over 2 years since I released the original Vegas FAQ and in that time, the city has gone through some big changes.  As such, some of the information covered in that episode is no longer accurate & the LAST thing I want to be doing is sharing incorrect advice.  Plus, with the easing/removal of COVID-related restrictions, there's a large segment of the population that might be making their first ever trip to Vegas and I'd love to help make that trip a little more enjoyable.

I go over A LOT of material in this episode - including money & budgets, getting around the city, how to choose hotels, restaurants & shows and I'll also be covering the "sin" in "Sin City" (alcohol, drugs & prostitution).

And because there's so much information jammed into this episode, I've made my notes available to you to as a downloadable PDF file.

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

Get ready...we're going on a little road trip.

We're heading about 35 miles southeast of the Vegas strip, to Black Canyon, where one of the greatest feats of engineering in the United States - and possibly the world - is located:  Hoover Dam

Constructed in the late 1920's & completed in the early 1930's, Hoover Dam serves a multitude of purposes including flood mitigation & hydro-electric power generation.  Present day, millions of tourists visit each year to both marvel at this amazing structure and to take advantage of the many surrounding amenities including Lake Mead and the numerous hiking trails in the area.

My guest for this episode is Patti Aaron, Public Affairs Officer for the Bureau of Reclamation in the Lower Colorado Basin.  Patti and I talked about the history of Hoover Dam including its planning & construction, the "controversy" behind its name, some of the economic benefits of the dam's construction, and she shared some fun bits of trivia about Hoover Dam.

For more information on Hoover Dam and to plan your trip, visit the Bureau of Reclamation's website and be sure to follow Hoover Dam on Facebook.

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate! 

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!