The Las Vegas Thread and MSE guide

brummiekid

September

PLEASE IGNORE - MAGAZINE NOW CLAIMED BY dawnylou

Hi Everyone.
I have a copy of the Las Vegas Today magazine left over from my trip in late September.
If anyone would like this please send me a PM and it will be in the post to you ASAP.
"First come first served" as they say!
I will post again once the magazine has been claimed.
Cheers
Mark
:beer:

slash2k01

November/December

Just wanted to say thanks to all the contributors on here, returned from a week in Vegas on Christmas day and I used this thread extensively in prep and when we were there, it was a great help to us seeing/doing all we could in the week so Thanks!

Only downside to the trip was that we flew to vegas on the day it snowed and after a 5 hour delay before we left they closed McCarren when we were 30 minutes out. We were diverted to Ontario, CA, where we were stuck on the tarmac for 5 hours waiting for US immigration to let us off the plane, then, after another 2 hours through immigration we were taked to an old, cold terminal building and all Thomas cook staff dissapeared, some staff from american airlines turned up and tried to get us hotels but that took 3 hours and we didnt know when the flight was gonna leave again (our bags where still in the plane). Eventually arrived in Vegas 30+ hours late.

Do you think we have a case for compensation from Thomas Cook as they were nowhere to be found when we needed to find a room for the night and find out when the flight would leave again? Also the fact that we were diverted to a closed airport when LAX was 40 miles away?

stoneman

May

slash2k01 wrote: »

Just wanted to say thanks to all the contributors on here, returned from a week in Vegas on Christmas day and I used this thread extensively in prep and when we were there, it was a great help to us seeing/doing all we could in the week so Thanks!

Only downside to the trip was that we flew to vegas on the day it snowed and after a 5 hour delay before we left they closed McCarren when we were 30 minutes out. We were diverted to Ontario, CA, where we were stuck on the tarmac for 5 hours waiting for US immigration to let us off the plane, then, after another 2 hours through immigration we were taked to an old, cold terminal building and all Thomas cook staff dissapeared, some staff from american airlines turned up and tried to get us hotels but that took 3 hours and we didnt know when the flight was gonna leave again (our bags where still in the plane). Eventually arrived in Vegas 30+ hours late.

Do you think we have a case for compensation from Thomas Cook as they were nowhere to be found when we needed to find a room for the night and find out when the flight would leave again? Also the fact that we were diverted to a closed airport when LAX was 40 miles away?

Sorry to hear about your problems, but you can imagine there were thousands in the same situation as you.

No chance of any compo from TC I am afraid, it's not their fault it snowed and LAS had to be closed, and the ineptitude of U.S. immigration. As far as you being flown to Ontario that decision is made by air traffic not TC, could be that LAX couldn't handle your flight because they were being over run. Big applause to AA though for helping out when it was nothing to do with them.
Try your travel insurance for the cancellation and claim for any taxis, food, etc.

funkyfin2000

May

Hi guys,

i am getting excited for our big trip in May, and we have 4 nights in Vegas.
We have beenbefore and we arnt big gamblers but loved it last time.

This time i would like to do some different things to keep the creative juices flowing.

Last time we did hoover, gran canyon and ceasers shopping, shopping mall etc and a few of the hotels to see what they were like. We also did old town as well and the rides on top of stratosphere.

I have a few things on the list to do, like 100mile shops in PH and go to a few more of the hotels and there see their gimmicks, but would like some ideas of what else to do in the day.

We have a car, but since the rest of the holiday is driving i would like to try and keep driving to a minimum if poss but not a big problem if not.

I quite fancied the mystry tour that was posted by ferf i think it was, that looks good.

anyone any other ideas?

Rich

FluffyFiFi

April

I'm off to California in March/April for 21 days and planning on spending 4 nights in Vegas. It will be dh, ds (13) and dd (10) so realise Vegas is not ideal for them but am hoping they will enjoy the MGM Lions, Stratosphere Rides, the fountains and all the other non-gambling things. Any suggestions on best place to stay for a family, we will have a car but would prefer to have some time out of driving as we are doing a fair bit before arriving. I'm watching out for deals and quite fancy Luxor but from what I've read on here the suggestions for families is Circus Circus but it looks pretty run down and I would prefer somewhere a bit newer.

Also, any suggestions on how to get the best deals for Yosemite, Death Valley and possibily Carmel/Monterery.

At the moment the itinerary is:

5 Nights LA - booked Knotts Berry Farm Resort at £34 per night
1 Night Cambria (PCH) - booked Cambria Pines Lodge at £44
1 Night Monterery/Carmel not booked yet
1 Night Yosemite - not booked yet
2 Nights either spent as an extra night in Yosemite or drive to Death Valley
4 Nights Vegas
1 Night Grand Canyon
4 Nights Laughlin
1 Night either back in LA or Palm Springs

Any advice on accommodation would be appreciated.

funkyfin2000

May

FluffyFiFi wrote: »

I'm off to California in March/April for 21 days and planning on spending 4 nights in Vegas. It will be dh, ds (13) and dd (10) so realise Vegas is not ideal for them but am hoping they will enjoy the MGM Lions, Stratosphere Rides, the fountains and all the other non-gambling things. Any suggestions on best place to stay for a family, we will have a car but would prefer to have some time out of driving as we are doing a fair bit before arriving. I'm watching out for deals and quite fancy Luxor but from what I've read on here the suggestions for families is Circus Circus but it looks pretty run down and I would prefer somewhere a bit newer.

Also, any suggestions on how to get the best deals for Yosemite, Death Valley and possibily Carmel/Monterery.

At the moment the itinerary is:

5 Nights LA - booked Knotts Berry Farm Resort at £34 per night
1 Night Cambria (PCH) - booked Cambria Pines Lodge at £44
1 Night Monterery/Carmel not booked yet
1 Night Yosemite - not booked yet
2 Nights either spent as an extra night in Yosemite or drive to Death Valley
4 Nights Vegas
1 Night Grand Canyon
4 Nights Laughlin
1 Night either back in LA or Palm Springs

Any advice on accommodation would be appreciated.

Your doing so similiar to us in May!!!
We are doing San Fran - Yosemite - Lake Isabella - Death Valley - Las Vegas - Palm Springs - San Diego - Los Angeles!

I would recommend you stay somewhere between Yosemite and Death Valley, if you want the details of where we are staying drop me a PM! We have picked some really nice places! I also got death valley accomodation cheaper than going direct, so let me know if you or anyone wants the full details on that!

We were looking at Luxor too but we arnt a family.....

Sounds great though what you are doing!

Let me know if you want any help on the above!

Rich

FluffyFiFi

April

Thanks FunkyFin,

If you could give me the details of where you are staying between Yosemite and Death Valley that would be great. We're flying with Virgin into LA and then driving up the coast but not going as far as San Fran as non of us are that bothered but we do want to see the Big Sur. DH wants to see Yosemite but I'm not sure how warm it will be in April so want to get into the warmer areas as soon as we can. Originally we were just looking at going to Vegas but then realised how much more there is to see and the trip has got bigger. We thought it would be better to drive up to the Grand Canyon and stay the night as it is such a long way to go. I'm really keen on Laughlin as it is very cheap and right on the banks of the river so we can do a few boat trips as well as spend some time just doing nothing.

sew109

November/December

FluffyFiFi wrote: »

I'm off to California in March/April for 21 days and planning on spending 4 nights in Vegas. It will be dh, ds (13) and dd (10) so realise Vegas is not ideal for them but am hoping they will enjoy the MGM Lions, Stratosphere Rides, the fountains and all the other non-gambling things. Any suggestions on best place to stay for a family, we will have a car but would prefer to have some time out of driving as we are doing a fair bit before arriving. I'm watching out for deals and quite fancy Luxor but from what I've read on here the suggestions for families is Circus Circus but it looks pretty run down and I would prefer somewhere a bit newer.

Also, any suggestions on how to get the best deals for Yosemite, Death Valley and possibily Carmel/Monterery.

At the moment the itinerary is:

5 Nights LA - booked Knotts Berry Farm Resort at £34 per night
1 Night Cambria (PCH) - booked Cambria Pines Lodge at £44
1 Night Monterery/Carmel not booked yet
1 Night Yosemite - not booked yet
2 Nights either spent as an extra night in Yosemite or drive to Death Valley
4 Nights Vegas
1 Night Grand Canyon
4 Nights Laughlin
1 Night either back in LA or Palm Springs

Any advice on accommodation would be appreciated.

I have done many road trips in the US and I think that you are in danger of trying to see too much and actually seeing nothing we try and ensure that we only have one stop for one night. You need more than one night at Yosemite and 4 nights at Laughlin unless you have activities planned is too long you will get bored. I love Laughlin but would only stay there 2 nighst max if you are not a gambler then this would be too long there is very litte to do outside of the casinos, the small shopping center and maybe a bt of watersports.

FluffyFiFi

April

Thanks Sew109, whilst in Laughlin we actually want to spend a few days with nothing to do but shop, sit in the sun and let the children unwind, but if you think it will be too much we can reduce it as nothing is booked yet. I just wanted a few days R&R before heading home. As for Yosemite I'm going to book one night but we are leaving 2/3 nights free so we can stay longer if we want. Do you think 4 nights in Vegas is too much? We are going to go to Hoover Dam and Lake Mead, drive out to the Valley of Fire State Park and the Bonnie Springs Ranch. Can you think of anything of else we might enjoy?

Thanks

funkyfin2000

May

We Fly BMi (Uinited) from Manc - Chicago - San Fran - Staying with friends in pleasenton overnight, then 2 nights in El Portal just outside Yosemite at this B+B - http://www.yosemitebluebutterflyinn.com/

Then on to Kernville, which is a great stop over halfway between Yosemite and Death Valley (as the Tioga pass will defo be closed for you, and almost sure for us)

This place we are staying is REALLY local and this located here:

http://www.mcnallysfairviewlodge.com/McNallys/Home.html

All reviewed really highly on TripAdvisor.

We then move on to Death Valley and stay at Furnace Creek, the cheapest way to stay here is using this company:

www.otel.com and search for Furnace Creek, cheaper than booking direct with them!

Then to Vegas for 4 nights, looking to do something different than we did last time, but we did some of the things you listed and they are great fun!

Then we push on to Palm Springs and stay in a Holiday Inn, just recently build, only 1 night there....

Then on to San Diego, where we grab 2 nights, at the Hilton Apartments!

Then 3 nights in LA @ Hilton Universal, going to Universal Studios and also Six Flags Theme Park, then we fly back to San Fran to get our Flight home via Chicago then Manchester

What do you think? Is that any help to you?

All our hotels are really really well researched and provide free wifi for my netbook to keep us updating the forum/facebook along the way

If you stay at any of these places then do let me know!

Happy to help and fire any questions over, as we have done San Fran, Montery and Carmel and Las Vegas on our Honeymoon last year hence why we are going back to see more!!!