More than ten years after the first release, and over thirty-five years after Hunter S. Thompson's book with the same name, people coming into contact with his Gonzo journalism for the first time are still amazed by the metaphorical language and narrative techniques used by the now departed writer. If you are a fan of either the book or the movie, here we give you a chance to follow Raoul Duke's and Oscar Acosta's search for the American dream in the deserts of Nevada and the City of Sin.
| If you're going to Vegas, why not put on the yellow Saigon mirror shades and prepare to see the City of Sin through the eyes of Raoul Drake, Doctor of Journalism. |
You'll find our Ultimate Hunter S. Thompson Guide to Las Vegas at the bottom of the article.
1. Bazooko Cirkus Casino
Circus Circus Casino in Las Vegas. Circus Circus refused to have anything to do with the film, and all interior shots had to be taken in the now closed Boardwalk Casino. The real carousel-themed bar in the Circus Circus Casino revolves in the opposite direction as the bar shown in the movie. The "Horse-A-Round" bar, as it is called in Circus Circus, has to be considered a must visit for any Fear and Loathing fan visiting Vegas. There have been some reports of the carousel being broke on several occasions the last couple of years, but it is still definitely worth a visit. The large gorilla statue appearing outside of the Bazooko Circus won't be found here though. Rumor has it that Johnny Depp kept it and that it now "lives" in his front garden. And no, the ape is not for sale.
Quote for when you get there: "Bazooko's Circus is what the whole hep world would be doing Saturday nights if the Nazis had won the war. This was the Sixth Reich."
2. Mint Hotel
While covering the Mint 400 race, Raoul Duke and Dr. Gonzo stay in this hotel in downtown Las Vegas. The hotel was sold in 1988 and is now part of the western half of Binion's Horseshoe. In the book, Thompson writes that he stayed in room 850, but tracking down that exact room will be really hard. During the takeover, Binion's changed all the room numbers, but if you are looking for that real Fear and Loathing experience, we suggest that you book a room on the eighth floor - and book ahead. Just as the Fabulous Mint hotel during the Mint 400, Binion's Horseshoe is a busy place.
Quote for when you get there: "There's a uh, big machine in the sky, some kind of, I dunno, electric snake, coming straight at us. Shoot it! Not yet, I want to study its habits."
3. The Strip
Duke and Gonzo spend a lot of time cruising down the strip and even if a lot of things have changed since 1971, the strip is still the strip and pretty much impossible to miss when visiting Las Vegas. The traffic can be really bad on certain hours, so we suggest taking Paradise or Dean Martin/Industrial as much as possible. However, the Strip is probably the best place for harassing Out-of-towners. Hey honkies... it's pure...
Quote for when you get there: "I want you to understand that this man at the wheel is my attorney. He's not just some dingbat I found on the strip, man. He's a foreigner. I think he's probably Samoan. But that doesn't matter, though, does it? Are you prejudiced?"
4. Debbie Reynolds concert at the Desert Inn
As you probably already know, the sidewalk is not a reasonable place to park; we suggest that you take park your car elsewhere. Since 2001, the old location of what used to be the D.I. is now the address for Wynn Hotel and Casino. You can still catch live shows here and if the place is sold out, just tell the staff that you're friends of Debbie's. Believe it or not, ol' Debbie is still performing, but nowadays you might have to take Route 95 up to Reno to catch her act.
Quote for when you get there: "F**k seats! We're friends of Debbie's. I used to romp with her."
5. National District Attorney's Conference
While covering the convention at the Dunes, Duke and Gonzo stay at The Flamingo right across the street. Since 1993 the Dunes is just dust, and today the Bellagio is located at this spot. The Flamingo Hotel however, is revamped but still in business. We were not able to find the flooded room 1150 and the evidence of excessive consumption of almost every type of drug known to civilized man probably helped the decision to tear the place down instead if restoring it for posterity.
Quote for when you get there: "Listen, you fuzzy little shit head! I've been f**ked around in my time by a fairly good cross-section of mean-tempered rule-crazy cops, and now, it's my turn. So f**k you officer. I'm in charge."
6. Mint 400 Off-Road Rally
The desert race was established in the 1960s as a promotional rally for the Dell Webb's Mint Hotel and Casino. The race known as "The Great American Desert Race", ended after the sale of Mint hotel, but was resumed in March 2008. The SNORE (Southern Nevada Off-road Enthusiasts) has revitalized the race at the original location in the Moapa Valley north of Las Vegas. Visit the course at Moapa Paiute Travel Plaza at exit 75 off Interstate 15 and stay updated for next year's race. If you don't want to hike out in the desert on race-day, make sure to catch the Tech inspection and vehicle parade on Fremont Street prior to the race. Our blogger Rex commented the 2009 Fremont event as kind of "NASCAR on acid"
Quote for when you get there: "Too bad you guys missed the bikes checking in, oh MAN what a sight! Husquavarnas, Yamahas, DMZs... Kawasakis! Maicos! Pursangs! Swedish Fireballs! ...a couple of Triumphs here and there, a CZ, all very, very fast. *Very*. What a race it's gonna be..."
7. Baker
Fleeing Vegas, Duke gets pulled over by a highway traffic cop on the interstate. Apart from asking Duke for a kiss, the policeman tells him to stop at the next rest area. Dr. Duke suggests Baker, a place he always wanted to visit. Not my jurisdiction, the officer replies.
| Duke heads for Baker, where he talks to his lawyer who tells him to get back to Vegas for the National District Attorney's Conference. |
The town is still there; about 6 hours drive north of Vegas.The official homepage invites you to great outdoor activities like camping and bird watching, but we suggest you leave Baker before the f**kers are closing in on you and you find yourself stuck in that stinking desert crossroad.
Quote for when you get there: "Actually, I'm poolside at the Flamingo right now, talking though a portable phone some dwarf brought out from the casino. I have total credit here. DON'T come anywhere near this place, you bastard. Foreigners aren't welcome."
8. North Star Coffee Lounge
Again, it is really hard to say for sure, but the North Star Coffee Lounge could very well be the North Star Bar and Grill on Camino Al Norte. Actually, it can be any coffee shop where the city ends and the dry, hot desert takes over. The scene taking place at this anonymous coffee house is certainly a low point for our duo, but hey, $5 for a lemon meringue pie is good price.
Quote for when you get there: "That's the name of a horse I used to own. What's wrong with you?" |
9. Mint Gun Club
today called Las Vegas Gun Club. The unmistakable flat hollow booms of shotguns going off leads Raoul directly to the Mint Gun Club, and of course our beloved duo finds a bit of trouble here. This episode is not portrayed in the movie, but in the book, the encounter with the desk man the day before race-day is a classic scene when our doctor of journalism is trying to register his attorney to the Mint 400. Raoul tries to haggle the entry fee by mentioning his Vincent Black Shadow.
Take a day off and visit the reptiles out in the fields and break a few clays, all in the name of gonzo journalism.
Quote for when you get there: "As your attorney I must advise you that you'll need a very fast car with no top and after that, the cocaine. And then the tape recorder, for special music, and some Acapulco shirts... This blows my weekend, because naturally I'll have to go with you - and we'll have to arm ourselves."
Tracking down all these places is not easy, and considering that Hunter S. Thompson hardly knew how he got to these places either, we think that we've done a pretty nice work nailing them all down on the map.
| Make sure you print this thing before your next trip to Las Vegas, and don't miss out on exciting expeditions like Baker or Moapa Valley. |
Ultimite Hunter S.Thompson Guide to Las Vegas larger map
