Las Vegas guide and MSE thread 2011

My_Fathers_Daughter

pennylane99 - I didn't think of that, do you think that it will make a difference if there is a sale early Jan? Or will Sunday to Thurs always be expensive?
My only chance of including a Sat night is if I fly BA from Heathrow but it is a bit of a trek for me.



Carl, you can drive over the Hoover Dam, but if I am right the bypass/flyover will be opened by now so you would have to turn off the road to make sure you see it. The new bridge in itself is a megastructure so worth stopping to see, it was only half built last time we were there.

You also go through a couple of the places named in the song 'Route 66' (Kingman and another I can't remember) but there isn't a great deal to see to be honest.

pennylane99

November / December

My_Fathers_Daughter wrote: »

pennylane99 - I didn't think of that, do you think that it will make a difference if there is a sale early Jan? Or will Sunday to Thurs always be expensive?
My only chance of including a Sat night is if I fly BA from Heathrow but it is a bit of a trek for me.



Carl, you can drive over the Hoover Dam, but if I am right the bypass/flyover will be opened by now so you would have to turn off the road to make sure you see it. The new bridge in itself is a megastructure so worth stopping to see, it was only half built last time we were there.

You also go through a couple of the places named in the song 'Route 66' (Kingman and another I can't remember) but there isn't a great deal to see to be honest.

Sun-Thurs Virgin flight only will always be expensive, though you can normally get around the Saturday night rule if you take a package holiday rather than just the flight.

The Virgin flight sale started last week

My_Fathers_Daughter

Carl - looking at the website for the Hoover Dam Bypass there is a viewing plaza on the Northbound carriageway, so I would go down and over the dam on your way to the GC and then go over the bypass (but stop and walk onto it) on the way back.

http://www.hooverdambypass.org/faq.htm

I won't be in vegas long enough to go this time (baby sitting won't allow) so I am very jealous!

My_Fathers_Daughter

pennylane99 wrote: »

Sun-Thurs Virgin flight only will always be expensive, though you can normally get around the Saturday night rule if you take a package holiday rather than just the flight.

The Virgin flight sale started last week

I saw that it said it had started, but none of the flights I have been looking at - Vegas end of Jan, the dates I want and others, and Florida for MIL in Jan/Feb/Mar seem to have been reduced at all...?

ferf1223

March

pennylane99 wrote: »

Sun-Thurs Virgin flight only will always be expensive, though you can normally get around the Saturday night rule if you take a package holiday rather than just the flight.

That's interesting and a good tip for some who can't manage a Saturday stay...thanks!

ferf1223

March

carlw wrote: »

Thanks very much, i was being a bit stupid, once i looked up the hotel you recommended i understood what you were saying. I think that is what we will do then, hire a car and drive out to South Canyon, stay the night and then have more time at the canyon. Have you driven every time, and are there sights to take in on route? I believe i will pass hoover dam for 1?

I personally thought it was a boring drive (also took us a lot longer than 4.5 hours but we did have a few stops including breakfast), but straight-forward enough not to be at all worrying. You can drive part of Route 66 if you want - we did on the way back, got off I-40 at Seligman (stop at the Sno Cap Diner for a one-of-a-kind experience) and drove Route 66 to Kingman...made my FIL's day.

I personally thought paying extra to stay at the rim was totally worth it...though they do sell out quite far in advance so may be down to cancellations.

http://www.grandcanyonlodges.com/

But there are motels in Tusayan that are much less expensive. We liked walking outside our room and being right at the rim, and waking up and being right there. The restaurant at Bright Angel was AWFUL though...so manage expectations...if we did it again I am virtually positive we would drive out to Tusayan and get fast food instead.

pennylane99

November / December

ferf1223 wrote: »

That's interesting and a good tip for some who can't manage a Saturday stay...thanks!

I often do that through Expedia if I want a midweek trip.

They have the option of choosing a hotel for just part of your stay, so I choose the cheapest hotel for one night, and then dont use the hotel, just to get the lower price on the flight. Also Quidco cashback and Nectar points

photome

August

carlw wrote: »

Thanks very much, i was being a bit stupid, once i looked up the hotel you recommended i understood what you were saying. I think that is what we will do then, hire a car and drive out to South Canyon, stay the night and then have more time at the canyon. Have you driven every time, and are there sights to take in on route? I believe i will pass hoover dam for 1?

Thanks again

Carl

I would recomend driving to the south rim and staying over. Take in the hoover dam either way and park up to walk over the new by pass, its well worth it. On the way back detour via Flagstaff for the meteor crater, well worth it IMO.

We stayed at Tusayan ( I think) about a mile from the park entrance, its worth getting up before dawn and getting to the canyon to see the sun rising over the canyon

Having said all that you only have 6 days in Vegas, is it worth losing 2days?

ferf1223

March

photome wrote: »

I would recomend driving to the south rim and staying over. Take in the hoover dam either way and park up to walk over the new by pass, its well worth it. On the way back detour via Flagstaff for the meteor crater, well worth it IMO.

We looked at detouring for the meteor crater but looked like it would add 2 hours driving or so (one hour the wrong way to Winslow(ish) then back toward Vegas) so decided not to...one day I would like to see it though.

I agree that losing 2 days of a 6 day trip may not be worth it...it was many, many Vegas trips until we finally made it to the GC.

luci

May

The first time we went to Vegas we were only there 4 nights and one full day was spent on a GC and Hoover Dam trip which we did by bus and Cessna. We didn't regret it. Another day was spent at Wet and Wild. We still managed to cram a lot in because we didn't think we would return. :rotfl: