Vegas and --------

claire16c

Mike_J wrote: »

Next year (Sept)is our 25th wedding anniversary and OH has always wanted to go to Vegas but we both acknowledge its a long way to go just for short break (I believe the general consensus is 3 days is enough).

We are toying with doing a two centre including......and there is where the dilemma begins. We are looking at somewhere to just zonk for a week after Vegas (beachy and maybe AI). We have done Florida on numerous occasions. We are not sure if we fancy the west coast (LA, SF etc). Mexico sounds a good bet. Caribbean was another though but we are talking maybe September here so those strong winds may be an issue

Suggestions folks. Also if anybody can point us to a good place to start to price up such a trip. Don't fancy doing everything individual but seems to be having trouble with the main holiday sites of sorting pricing for the UK-Vegas, Vegas-??, ??-UK round trip. It seems they all think you want to come back to the Uk from your destination.

3 days is not enough. The first day is pretty much a write off with the travel and jet lag anyway.

How long is your total trip?

If it was me Id go to Hawaii because there is no where else I like better. Id do maybe 5 days Vegas, then 7 Maui.

You could put in a multi trip option on the American Airlines website. Theyve got a sale at the moment, flights to Hawaii were £700 when I looked the other day. Use VRBO.com to book accomodation you can stay for around £60 a night upwards in an apartment.


Other options would be somewhere in California, LA, San Fran, somewhere beachy. San Diego is nice but the sea water there is freezing!

Or do the whole trip in Vegas but stay in 2 different hotels in different parts. Go to the Grand Canyon for a night, etc.

lazyjack

SaveTheEuro wrote: »

I'm with you.

It wasn't so much boredom that made we want to instantly leave it was the appalling sights -- especially the hundreds (thousands?) of people sat at slot machines in vast hotel lobbies. And the attempt by hotels to recreate wonders of the world is crass in the supreme.

I accept some people go to Vegas and enjoy it. It's all subjective. But for me it's a sad place.

The thing with Vegas is that people really have to visit the place and make their own mind up. It's all well and good me (and plenty others) saying it's great whereas others like yourself would probably never go back.

I would add that there is certainly no shortage of entertainment if someone does go for a few days.

bazster

lazyjack wrote: »

Start by having a read here

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3701431

It's all opinion but to say you got bored in a couple of hours suggests you did absolutely no research.

How very arrogant of you.

Glancing through that thread all I see is recommendations for hotels, casinos and cabarets. Boooooring. Went in a few of them whilst wandering up the strip, yaaaaawn.

Oh, and there's a bit about the Grand Canyon, which of course isn't in Vegas.

In fact I did do my research, so I knew before I arrived that it would be gruesome, and I was right. I enjoyed the dirt-cheap hotel, the dirt-cheap food and the swimming pool in the sun for one evening, and then I left for somewhere more interesting.

As it happens we stopped at Barstow for the night on the way to Vegas (it's a huge truck stop in the middle of the desert for those who haven't been) and that was more interesting than Vegas. Rows and rows of shiny big rigs much more interesting than rows and rows of bloody slot machines.

bazster

lazyjack wrote: »

I would add that there is certainly no shortage of entertainment if someone does go for a few days.

Maybe, but it's not everyone's kind of entertainment. Certainly not mine.

bazster

For somewhere beachy on the west coast you could do worse than Santa Cruz. It's quirky, hippy-ish, naff in a charming sort of way, and it still has a traditional boardwalk funfair. It's like being in a Dirty Harry movie.

And there are some great bars, often with live bands, and locally-brewed beers. That's my kind of entertainment.

totallybored

Mike_J wrote: »

Next year (Sept)is our 25th wedding anniversary and OH has always wanted to go to Vegas but we both acknowledge its a long way to go just for short break (I believe the general consensus is 3 days is enough).

We are toying with doing a two centre including......and there is where the dilemma begins. We are looking at somewhere to just zonk for a week after Vegas (beachy and maybe AI). We have done Florida on numerous occasions. We are not sure if we fancy the west coast (LA, SF etc). Mexico sounds a good bet. Caribbean was another though but we are talking maybe September here so those strong winds may be an issue

Suggestions folks. Also if anybody can point us to a good place to start to price up such a trip. Don't fancy doing everything individual but seems to be having trouble with the main holiday sites of sorting pricing for the UK-Vegas, Vegas-??, ??-UK round trip. It seems they all think you want to come back to the Uk from your destination.

The weather will still be good in Septemeber in Vegas so if you like lying around in the sun you could easily fill in several days sitting by the pool doing very little. Make sure you choose a hotel with a decent pool, some of them are much nicer than others.

I personally can spend more than a week in Vegas but I spend a lot of my time there shopping, I like 5 star hotels and Michelin starred restaurants so it can get quite pricey! Book the hotel yourself, look for promo codes online and you can keep changing the room rate if you find a lower one. Rooms tend to be cheaper Sunday to Thursday too (before Prince Harry and his mates turn up for the weekend).

I'm not sure what sort of things you like doing, I've not been to any of the traditional Vegas type shows as they're not my thing but I've seen a few decent bands there, the Palms, Hard Rock and House of Blues are good places to look.

You have to go to the Grand Canyon, I did the helicopter there as its the quickest and still takes a good chunk of a day. My dad loved the Hoover Dam (again not my thing) and also went on a couple of other trips while I went shopping.

As you want to combine Vegas with somewhere else I'd do California or if you can afford it Hawaii. I quite fancy going to Seattle at some point and have thought about combining it with Vegas but I'm not sure how much there is to do there.

If you're looking for culture then Vegas isn't the place to go but if you can cope with brash and tacky (and remember you can stay in a very nice hotel) then Vegas can be fun. I've just been to Macau with all of its copied Vegas hotels and that was not fun at all.

Indout96

I know it takes all sorts, but pray tell what is superb about Vegas? I grant you there are splendid sights out in the wilds, but Vegas?
We arrived mid-afternoon, got bored in a couple of hours, and left the next morning.

We normally spend the morning shopping (yes we can shop for 14 mornings no problem LOL) or out at Red Rock / Valley of fire. back to the hotel or house in the afternoon around the pool to rest for a few hours then out at night for great food (not normally on the strip granted) then back in to Vegas for entertainment (some great shows) or a bit of gambling.
Last September we also managed to take in a game at LVUV football which was a first (but not a last) for us, really enjoyed it. I have also spent lots of time at DRIVE (now closed L ) where you got to test drive all the latest cars on a test track. The main point is that Vegas is ever changing, we have been many times and always manage to find new things to do.

However I will admit that we both love anything US (except the Holocaust museum in Washington) so maybe we are biased. anyway each to their own and we will be in Miami in 3 weeks but maybe Vegas again next March

Pulpdiction

What about New Jersey, there are some great beaches along that coast, sahould still be reasonably hot in September and you have Jersey/New York on the doorstep if you want them?

Alternatively if it didn't have to be a beach I could not recommend san francisco highly enough, one of my favourite places in the world, it's the USA, but not as you know it. Feels like a European city, nice and relaxed and you can just chill out but lots to do if you want to.

bazster

Indout96 wrote: »

We normally spend the morning shopping (yes we can shop for 14 mornings no problem LOL) or out at Red Rock / Valley of fire. back to the hotel or house in the afternoon around the pool to rest for a few hours then out at night for great food (not normally on the strip granted) then back in to Vegas for entertainment (some great shows) or a bit of gambling.
Last September we also managed to take in a game at LVUV football which was a first (but not a last) for us, really enjoyed it. I have also spent lots of time at DRIVE (now closed L ) where you got to test drive all the latest cars on a test track. The main point is that Vegas is ever changing, we have been many times and always manage to find new things to do.

However I will admit that we both love anything US (except the Holocaust museum in Washington) so maybe we are biased. anyway each to their own and we will be in Miami in 3 weeks but maybe Vegas again next March

Thanks for a sensible answer.

Like I said, it takes all sorts! Virtually everything you describe turns me right off instantly. Shopping? Gambling? Shows? Cars? Yaaaawn.

The one time I went to Vegas it was in the middle of a trip that went like this:

Flew into SF, spent a couple of days there.

Rented a car, drove south, stopping at Santa Cruz, Monterey, Big Sur, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara.

Skirted LA and headed for Vegas.

Left Vegas hurriedly for a fortnight camping and hiking in and around the canyons and parks. Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Zion Canyon, Kings Canyon/Sequioa, Yosemite.

Back to Santa Cruz for a couple of days soaking up the laid-back atmosphere.

Back to SF for a couple of days.

Booked nothing ahead except the flights, just followed our noses. Fantabulous! I too love many things American (did a similar sort of driving holiday in the East last year), but not Vegas or Atlantic City!

But, like I say, it takes all sorts!

costingbunny_2

Hi
I visited LV for the first time in March for a week and found plenty to do. Very different to anywhere else I have ever been but that was half the fun. Would I go back? Probably not, whereas I have been to NYC several times. It's not all about the gambling at all. Our week included - Grand Canyon tour, great restaurants, watching dolphins, watching people (free and v. interesting), seeing a Cirque show, visiting Freemont Street (Old Vegas), visiting a Ferrari showroom, riding a rollercoaster, drinking $1 frozen margaritas etc etc. Also, lots to do outside of Vegas - we met a couple in March who had been skiing just 1 hour outside of the city! Enjoy