Las Vegas guide and MSE thread 2016

John259

kellyt1981 wrote: »

hiring a car and driving back to LV via Yosemite

It's a magnificent drive!

Sorry if you already know all this...

The Tioga Pass (CA120 between Yosemite Valley and Lee Vining on US395) is closed between roughly November and June. During that time you can use the less scenic route via Bakersfield. Except in mid-winter, there's also a scenic but much longer route via Lake Tahoe. The Tioga Pass is by far the best route, if possible.

Yosemite Valley to Las Vegas via the Tioga Pass or Bakersfield can just about be driven in one long day, but two days will be much more relaxed and give you time to see Death Valley and the places of interest on the Tioga Pass Road (if you go that way) including Tuolumne Meadows and Olmsted Point.

For the overnight stop when the Tioga Pass is open, I tried Mammoth Lakes once but that's a bit too much of a touristy skiing resort town for my taste so I prefer Bishop. I've never stayed in Lone Pine but that's also a popular choice.

Bakersfield isn't the most wonderful of towns, so if you go that way then I'd suggest looking for a motel on the outskirts or in one of the nearby smaller towns.

Yosemite Valley to Las Vegas via Lake Tahoe needs at least three days. More if you want time at Lake Tahoe.

Yosemite Valley is near the western side of the park. Accommodation in the park is expensive and often needs to be pre-booked but there are less expensive options in the towns outside the park. Prices and the need to pre-book reduce as you get further from the park. I've always stayed in Merced but that's too far away for a lot of people. Other options include El Portal, Mariposa (the town, not the grove of tall trees) and Oakhurst.

The US National Park Service web site has lots of practical information about...
Death Valley https://www.nps.gov/deva/index.htm
and Yosemite https://www.nps.gov/yose/index.htm

Google Maps is a good way to check routes and distances, and also to search for motels.
https://maps.google.com
Motels in Bishop https://goo.gl/maps/fZRvjN5o1pM2

Some videos:

Yosemite
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgo3gf9_q8Y

Yosemite to Lone Pine via the Tioga Pass and US395
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJ7RgMNbrzc

Driving through Bishop
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fWTa8sTgSg

Death Valley
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZxH70GsfWw

Driving round Lake Tahoe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoZtTgNYLSc

photome

Hovis91 wrote: »

Grrrrrrrrr....how annoying ...finally found all the times for refreshing,clicked on reward it said next and then by the time I had put my details in it came up sorry sold out today .....suppose I will have to try again tomorrow! I have decided I am only chasing it this week after that I am going to forget it...it's too stressful��

You did better than me, at least you saw it available

Hovis91

It was literally there for a millisecond ...I had been flipping backwards and forwards for sold out to browsing and bingo there it was the magic words next,but I was too slow.Tomorrows times are 11.23-11.25 vegas time and today's time was bang on to the minute almost so give it a go Photome although I will be gutted if you are quicker than me (which is likely because it is so slow on the iPad!)!!!

Hovis91

So 7.23pm -7.25 pm.

ferf1223

Hovis91 wrote: »

Grrrrrrrrr....how annoying ...finally found all the times for refreshing,clicked on reward it said next and then by the time I had put my details in it came up sorry sold out today .....suppose I will have to try again tomorrow! I have decided I am only chasing it this week after that I am going to forget it...it's too stressful��

did you copy your email address so you could just paste it in vs typing it? that helps, if you didn't...I do find the tabbing annoying, it doesn't go where I expect it to go and even with the email pasting I have missed out as I typed first name instead of last or vice versa and had to correct...but pasting email and tabbing to the fields seems to be the fastest way.

Hovis91

I find it really difficult to type anything on those rewards fast.I don't know if it is the iPad but I seem to be typing so fast and then it takes ages to catch up.I will try pasting it tomorrow and see.

photome

thanks for the heads up Hovis, can i ask, where do you find out the refresh times?

Hovis91

On facebook....each day is a different time and they get later as the week goes on.
Monday......9.29-9.25
Tuesday......9.27.9.30
Wednesday..11.23-11.25
Thursday..10.09-10.15
Friday..8.55-9.05
Saturday..12.18-12.23
Sunday..12.06-12.31
These are Vegas Time so obviously 8hours behind us!!!
Hope it helps someone to try and get their reward.

Hovis91

Also remember even if it says sold out keep trying it!!

rorylando45

If I booked a room at Flamingo through lastminute.com, am I able to add it to my TotalRewards account manually? And if so, how do I find my 5-digit Confirmation Code? Thanks!