LA + Vegas, need tips and recommendations!

Murphy_The_Cat

pbright wrote:

Also, i read about a way that you get insurance for dirt cheap before you go, and then you can rent over there with no need for insurance...anyone know about this??

Yeah I've seen that on a thread on MSE somewhere. I THINK that it comes in about £100 for a years cover.

For a quick comparison of car hire with/without insurance heres an idea for you.

log onto a hirecar company that has both a co.uk & .com website and look at the difference.

here's the first one I came to
1 week in August, convertible, Orlando with Dollar.

Dollar.co.uk is £213 incl all insurances, extra driver, free tank of fuel
Dollar.com is £161 plus insurances + extra driver + tank of fuel for direct comparison.

I'm not for a minute suggesting that you can't get a MUCH better rate than what Dollar are offering. I'm just using Dollar as an example.

MTC

wdyw

We use Dollar or Hertz for west coast trips. Always booked before leaving the UK. Dollar prices now include the full range of insurances - used to have silver, gold and platinum ...where platinum included extra drivers plus a free tank of fuel. generally stress free while in the USA, too often double charged when back in the UK! Still can change insurance packages if bought through a fly-drive package.

Hertz is great if you catch them on one of the promo periods. Free upgrades, Sat-Nav included etc etc.

One thing we have learnt about hiring cars in the USA - unless your heart is set on a convertible, always book the economy/compact. Non of the above have any at the airport sites we fly into, so thay give you the free upgrade to whatever they have. We have been offered everything from a "full size" to a 4x4 as an alternative to our booked request.

Horasio

I would avoid the Hilton by the conference centre - is a bit off the beaten track and baggage takes ages and they still expect a tip:mad:

Lug your own if you have to stay there.

I stayed at the Tropicana, not so new but pretty good, we had a suite with a jacuzzi for a reasonable rate.

The monorail takes you to anywhere on the strip so not a great problem.

The Luxor is surreal - being pyramid shaped, the inside is diagonal, meeting at a point

Vegas is like one great big theme park - great fun and you need lots of energy. There is something for every taste!

Be wary of the slots, there are some good payers but generally very boring.

We are not gamblers, we like Vegas for the atmosphere and themes. Also, people between 18-20 will be peed off as they can't do what they do in the UK drinkwise and gamblingwise.

You can do well on buffets as they want you to gamble, so loss leader on the food.

wdyw

CCStar wrote:

I would avoid the Hilton by the conference centre - is a bit off the beaten track and baggage takes ages and they still expect a tip:mad:

Lug your own if you have to stay there.

Got a shiver there ..the thought of paying for baggage handling on a money saving site.

One of the redeemable features of the hilton is that it houses the Star Trek Experience. If you are in any way a treekie, check out their Nemesis package deals. Excellent value

The last week of August is the years biggest Star Trek convention - I would hate to be there then! (bothe for the smell factor and the cost of a room!)

Just though of one other thing to consider when booking a room. Any of the deals that includes "free $10/$0 etc gaming" is near enough that as a discount if for slots.

Just use the freebie ticket in a nickel machine and you will be hard pushed not to get 90%+ back that can be cashed in.

malid

Hi

I am responding to fist post so apologies if there is repetition.

My family and I have done the west coast several times and happy to advise. Would advise flying to LA but recommend avoiding Air New Zealand as they do not have seat back screens in all planes (unless they have upgraded for this year).

Yes it is a long trip from LA to Vegas but it's all part of the experience. In LA, we have stayed arround Anaheim (Disneyland area) as opposed to Beverley Hills/Hollywood. Annabella Hotel Katella Avenue is good but don't do direct booking, use a site such as hotels.com (there are many more). Excellent deals always available. In Vegas, Excalibur is a good strip location (nearer the newer hotels and opposite Luxor/MGM). This is a much better location than towards the Stratosphere in my opinion althoug a previous post disagrees. Also, try to stay midweek in Vegas as hotels are usually cheaper between Monday - Thurs.

The last couple of years we have used Dollar and booked direct from UK. Do use dollar.com site as it is cheaper than dollar.co.uk; however, last year, I believe we used a third party site to book and it was cheaper (may have been airline network). You must enure that you have the relevant insurance sorted. CDW/LDW is essential.

Good travel insurance ion direct-travel.co.uk

If you want to phone home, get a phonecard from 1st4phonecards.com - get the stars and stripes one.

Re money, change minimum amount for ready cash when you get there then use ATMs. You should get a Nationwdie Flexaccount so that you can have a Cash card - no charges. Would also highly recommend you get a Nationwide Credit card as you don't pay fees.

Enjoy; it's fabulous!!

pbright

wdyw wrote:

Great for the coast though, but why anyone would want to spend a week in LA beats me! A day or two for Universal studios etc and a trip to Venice/Laguna/Santa Monica and then get out ASAP!

I personally think LA is better than Vegas and i love Vegas. It all depends on your experience and Vegas is easier....its there and they over the homogenous tourist products: gambling, pools, hotels etc. Where as LA, with research and a much needed car...your sorted. You need more than a week there and for some reason people dont know this(italians seem to though, i have met italians there for 3weeks). Like i said, the richest, famous people in the world CHOOSE to stay there...its because it has so much on offer. Robbie Williams for example....not know in America, records in Sweeden.....why does he live and love LA so much...because he has seen it all. I was with a friend who had to be persuaded to come to LA with the bad "british" reviews he had heard but when he was there and shown the true experience he loved it. Like you said "fatboyonadiet"...you might get bored of vegas...especially if you want to domething different everyday. I think than itienery sounds great:

Day 1: Six Flags(i would miss out the water park though) - (my fav. theme park in world)
Day 2: Hollywood/Santa Monica Pier/ Beverly Hills
Day 3: Universal Studios (My 2nd fav. theme park in world)
Day 4: PCH through to OC(Laguna & Newport...possibly Nr. to Malibu)
Day 5: The Grove/The Beverly centre/Rodeo Dr/Griffith Audotorium

If you have sorted your acom. in vegas your sorted....you dont need to look to much in what to do/where to go. You will find out when you are there....its all homogenous products, and the ones better than other be it the ballagio fountains to the MGM nightclub...you will find out. Also there is so much promotion of day trips to the canyons etc advertised there its easy to see whats best and cheapest. Tip: Focus less on "sorted" Vegas and more on LA-the potentially best 5days of your life!!

I believe LA is much much better than Vegas and i love vegas also.





Day 4:

malid

Oops, should have added this to previous reply. If you like theme parks, especially roller coasters, Knotts Berry Farm (near Anaheim) is a good one. Beach wise, Huntington beach is a must.

pbright

malid wrote:

Oops, should have added this to previous reply. If you like theme parks, especially roller coasters, Knotts Berry Farm (near Anaheim) is a good one.

Knotts is great fun...but for five days there you should stick with LA's gem...Universal Studios.....& Six Flags Magic Mountain(my fav. theme park in the world.) Knotts is also a little bit further right...i know its further from Disneyland than Hollywood. Did anybody see the international arrivals at LAX on gmtv this morning? Thats where you will be coming out fatboonadiet. LAX is an experience in itself....i totally disagree with the poster who said that they happily avoided LAX at all costs. The decend to LAX gives great views...yu can see downtown, santmonica pier, beverly hills, hollywood sign plus its weird descending low over bare mountains for an hour then you see LA appear from nowhere. LAX is also an experience in its own with landmarks such as the revolving restaurant http://you-are-here.com/architect/LAX.JPG http://www.friedmanarchives.com/California/images/LAX%20and%20Lights%208x12%20300%20dpi%20no%20lamppost.jpg

wdyw

you won't see too much if you are in the middle seats of a 747! an airport is an airport, you get in and out as quick as possible and hope the baggage/car hire all works out. Compare to flying in/out over Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon....

For a first time vegas trip, three days is suffice. Dont miss the easily accessible Hoover dam and there are a stack of day trips to the Grand Canyon via copter or bus. a days shopping to drag back to the UK and the evenings for a wander up and down the strip.

but what about the 7days in LA? Unless I missed the post, Fatboyonadiet is planning on doing 7 days in LA and then 3 in Vegas (first post). Now its clear everyone has different preferences but there are a few things we all agree on.

Universal Studios
Santa Monica

I take the view that if I'm flying 4000odd miles away I want to see/do things I can't on my doorstep.

Is a day at Magic mountain worth it? Sure its a great park, but so is Alton Towers, 50 miles down the M6.

Roller blading/cycling/walking up and down the boardwalk between Santa Monica and Venice beaches ....to me there's nothing comparable in this country - so it gets a big tick.

Sea World, the Pacific Highway, Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks, Death Valley, we have nothing like them. Is having a meal in a revolving restaurant a better way to spend valuable time than seeing spectacular scenery (even if it does require a fair bit of driving)? Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. Everybody has different preferences.

scope

nelly wrote:

its either 2 or 4 hours cant remember properly

oh and dont stay in excalibur its crap if I ever go to vegas again which I doubt I'd deff stay in a smaller hotel

We stayed in the Excalibur 4-5 years ago and I though it was fine.. The breakfast buffet was EXCELLENT. If you do stay there get a room with view up the strip, its quite nice at night.