LA & Vegas Road Tour

[Wendy L]

I don't even know if I have posted this in the right area or anyone can help but here goes.

DH says he does not want to go back to WDW for a few years :eek: and would like to see more of America. He has always wanted to got to LA and then go to Vegas for a few days. He also wants to do the usual must sees of the Grand Canyon, Death Valley etc. He has agreed though that I can have a few days in Disney (boy he's so kind:rolleyes: ).

I have looked in the brochures in the UK and they are not really very helpful, so I thought of my friends here. He wants to go either the end of June or early September for 2 weeks. Is this long enough? (not that we could afford longer really) He is talking about driving but I wondered whether we could book internal flights and if this would be more cost effective.

I'm waffling - sorry, can you help pleaseeeeee.

Wendy

[uscwest]

Wendy L, for a two week period I would think it would be most cost effective to rent a car and drive. Driving from the LA area to Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon is certainly a doable thing but in a two week period you may not get to spend as much time in each place as you would like. Contacting a reputable travel agent such as our Cinderella may be of great help to you in planning this sort of vacation.

[Cindernaenae]

Wendy - sounds like a fun trip!! As far as driving or flying once you're here, it really depends on what you want to see. LA to Vegas is certainly a very do-able drive.

Never done that one, but have done the San Diego to Las Vegas. It's been years ago, but I believe it was a 6 to 8 hour drive.

You don't really need a car once you're in Las Vegas, but you could use it to drive to see the Hoover ***. Or if you have the spends - do a helicopter tour. We wanted to when we got married, but couldn't quite afford it.

There certainly is a lot to see in the SW US.

If you get a chance, San Diego is really neat too. We took a couple of harbor tours and were able to see the Kittyhawk from a distance as it was anchored there.

Let us know what you decide!! Good luck.

[american idol]

we did Vegas, Hoover ***,Grand Canyon, Monument Valley and then into colorado and new mexico last october

It's not like driving in the UK, you just put the cruise control on and look at the scenery lol!! It's about 5 hours from Vegas to the Grand Canyon and the hoover *** is on the way- well worth a look. Anyway if you want any more info please ask- i'd be happy to help- this was one of the best vacations we did. Oh btw try to do a flight over the Grand Canyon:D

[PsychoAlice]

Last spring they were not doing helicopter flight over the D a m (LOL) LA to Vegas is VERY doable and youll be in my neck of the woods!! but I will tell you that during those time period Disneyland will be VERY busy!!

[victorlowe]

I feel somewhat disloyal to my home state of Florida in saying this, but "The West is Best". I moved to Denver, Colorado in 91 and would never move "Back East". You haven't seen the USA until you've been "Out West".

There is an "Unofficial Guide to Las Vegas" by Bob Sehlinger which is very useful: http://www.frommers.com/guidebooks/0764519832.html

Las Vegas in the summer is even hotter than Florida, but much drier. LV is adult-oriented, with the gambling and entertainment. There are lots of Brits in LV. My fave hotel-casino in LV is the Luxor; here's the link: http://www.luxor.com/index-flash.php3

San Diego does not have the very hot weather in summer that Florida and LV has; in fact, it has the best climate in the US.

My cousin in Broward County liked DLC more than WDW.
NEWS FLASH: DLC will be 50 next year.

If you can swing up to Colorado, check out Summit County, Colorado. Breckenridge is particularly popular with Brits.
Here's the county link: http://www.co.summit.co.us/.
Another useful site is run by some local people: http://www.summitnet.com/
I like to go up there for mountain biking in the summer, although I'm way slower than the youngsters. Take the bike up on the lift and ride downhill for a thrill.
Cinderella (at OLP) can help with arrangements.

San Diego is 2,410 miles from Orlando - a hard 4 day drive.

Scrooge McDuck fan, one ornery old cowpoke.

[victorlowe]

The best idea is to fly to Las Vegas and rent a car for the short drive to California, avoiding the more crowded LAX.
I do not care for LA at all, and never go there. The closest I want to get to that crowded city is Disneyland (in Orange County). San Diego is much nicer.
The drive between Las Vegas and San Diego is 320 miles (about 6 hours, traffic permitting, possibly longer on weekends).

LV can be particularly crowded on weekends, because so many of the visitors are week-enders driving in from California. Friday evenings and Sunday evenings can be busy times at the LV airport and hotel check-in's, as well. I have never been on the flights over the Grand Canyon, so I cannot comment on them, but the drive there of 250 miles each way can be a very long day.

In March 02 I stayed at the Lady Luck Casino Hotel on Fremont St. in LV, for only $85 total plus tax for 3 nights (single). I got to see Siegfried and Roy at the Mirage, before the recent tragedy, but the ticket price was more than the cost of my 3 nights' hotel stay.

In Sept. 02, I stayed at Harrah's Casino Hotel in Laughlin, NV (90 miles south of LV) for 2 nights free on a special offer I received through the mail as a Harrah's Club member. They also gave me a free show, two free buffets and $10 in coin. Harrah's should have known better than to offer me freebies, as I did not spend anything there (except a few tips to staff).
The various trade shows bring in a huge amount of visitors. I have been able to go to Comdex only twice: http://www.comdex.com/. Much important new technology is showcased during these important shows, which bring huge crowds.

Both hotel and restaurant prices in LV are significantly less than elsewhere, as they expect to make up the difference on gambling and show tickets.
Pick up lots of coupons at the car rental offices. My own favorite is Alamo Car Rental.
I hope other folks will offer suggestions, since I can only speak from my own personal experience.

[tajainaz]

Another southwesterner weighing in with opinions!

I've never driven Los Angeles to Las Vegas (slept through it once!), but I agree with flying into Las Vegas, if possible, rather than LAX, Burbank or Orange County (although Burbank isn't bad).

My thought would be fly into Las Vegas, stay on the strip (a lot of different priced resorts--and pricing can change daily!), then rent a car toward the end of your stay for local exploration and continuation of your trip. Don't forget you'll be traveling in 3 different states if you include the Grand Canyon in your itinerary, so be sure to check the rental car company's policy. Each one is different.

For more information on Las Vegas, check the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority website. This is the offical website and will have a listing of events and links to most of the resorts.
You can also check vegasfreedom.com and vegas.com. There are many others, so type Las Vegas, NV in your favorite search engine and see what comes up. Most are budget travel sites, but you have time to sort them out.

Unless there is a special event (conventions, rodeos, major sporting events, etc.), hotel rates tend to be lower Sunday through Thursday nights in Las Vegas, as many people fly in for short weekends (Friday and Saturday nights). Hey, they aren't dumb! They know most people are off on the weekends!

As mentioned by VictorLowe, Las Vegas is primarily adult oriented, but some resorts are geared more to family than others.
Circus Circus (and you think CBR at WDW is large!) and Excalibur have more internal entertainment aimed at children than most of the resorts.

Apart from determining budget, you'll need to decide what you want to do in Las Vegas. Walking and gawking is free, and there are a lot of buildings and sights available for gawking! Not much fun for the young ones, though, so if you have children, be sure to intersperse some play time for them. There are many shows at varying prices. Most of the evening shows begin at around $60 per person and many are not suitable for children. Children friendly shows are Cirque de Soleil at Bellagio and Treasure Island (the show at New York, New York is an adult show), Lance Burton at the Monte Carlo, and Blue Man Group at the Luxor. I'm sure there are others, but I've seen these and would not hesitate to take children to them--although the sound systems are very loud! I always take those little foam ear plugs to bring the volume down to a level I can handle! If you like the traditional revue with showgirls, Folies Bergere is at the Stardust and Jubilee at Bally's. I believe Jubilee has a "covered" (i.e., not topless!) matinee, so if you have young ones who might enjoy that type of program (gorgeous costumes and head pieces--not WDW coverage, though--dancing), check on it. Rita Rudner (New York, New York) is funny and somewhat female oriented, but a lot of men seem to enjoy her humor as well.

If you're booking your room directly though a hotel, it's a good idea to book well in advance, then check the room rates for your reservation dates via the internet weekly. The rates can fluctuate drastically at times--frequently in your favor! Every hotel has different cancellation policies (usually 48 to 72 hours, but some may be shorter or longer). If you decide to go for a lower rate, book the new rate, then cancel the old. The disadvantage to this is that the hotels may take up to 14 days to refund your deposit (better than Disney, which took 4 weeks!). Some websites may have the ability to change your reservation, but I don't recall any at the moment.

I have a couple of favorite moderate resorts on the strip. One is the Monte Carlo (decent pool, lazy river, but not a lot for children), which is just south of the Bellagio and north of New York, New York. The other is the Flamingo (be sure to check the Las Vegas website, not Laughlin), which is on the east side of the strip across from Caesars. It's an older property (think Bugsy Siegal) that has been updated continuously over the years. It has a beautiful pool area and a wildlife habitat. I like to hang out with the penguins! LOL! Again, not a lot for children.

If you forget things or want to pick up snacks at more reasonable prices than hotel gift shops, there is a CVS pharmacy just north of the Monte Carlo and a Walgreen's pharmacy just north of the MGM Grand (across from the Monte Carlo). Both have limited grocery lines, primarily snacks and drinks. As with WDW, it's much less expensive to purchase bottled water at these locations than at the hotels.

Favorite places for breakfast at a reasonable price: Carrow's, located on a little island of property between the Monte Carlo and New York, New York, and the Golden Gate Hotel and Casino coffee shop, in downtown Las Vegas. It's at the entrance to Fremont Street.

The weather in Las Vegas and Death Valley will be very hot (over 100 degrees Fahrenheit) and usually dry, although storms can appear suddenly, rain very hard, then end just as abruptly and the sun will shine again! Las Vegas is high desert (higher elevation) and Death Valley is low desert (around sea level and much hotter and dryer than Las Vegas). Hats, frequent applications of sunscreen and consumption of massive quantities of water are the order of the day in both places.

The rims of the Grand Canyon are at much higher elevations than Las Vegas, and it's significantly cooler. If it's 110 degrees in the desert, it's likely to be 20 to 30 degrees cooler on the rim (not always, but a good rule of thumb!). The north rim is more tourist oriented; the south rim (which is at a higher elevation than the north rim) is less developed and more nature oriented. Resorts closer to the Grand Canyon are more expensive than those ****her away or in Flagstaff. You can hike (or ride mules) to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, but I don't recommend it if you don't like heights. There are a lot of switchbacks and very narrow passages. We did it once a number of years ago, and while I treasure the experience, I'll never do it again! Also , the floor of the Grand Canyon is very warm in comparison to the rim. The Grand Canyon is a National Park, so you should be able to locate more information by searching for information about the United States Forest Service/National Parks.

That's it from the top of my head! Time to head outdoors and tackle the weeds--we have a slight possibility of rain tomorrow or Tuesday (the first since December 25th!) :D

Enjoy the planning and your trip!


Taja :sun:

Editing note: Apparently the word for "greater distance from" was bleeped (in relation to the Grand Canyon). Someday automatic screening software will be able to discern content!

[Wendy]

I would do my roadtrip round the West just to see the Grand Canyon again (especially at sunrise and sunset)............amazing place.
I took 4 weeks but there's still much that can be done in 2weeks.
I also loved Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon but I believe they may be too far to squeeze into your schedule.
The driving is so easy and seeing everything en-route is half the thrill. If you did decide to take longer, or decide on another trip: I love Yosemite National Park, it just took my breath away.
Some of the brochures do reccomend certain routes which might be helpful to see as much as possible in a 2week trip.
Where-ever you go, it really is the trip of a life-time.:thumbs:

[Keith]

Really enjoyed Las Vegas.... definitely not disney <G> but excellent in its own right.

Grand canyon goes without saying.. I'd throw in a recommendation for the Hoover da-m as well. The scale is just mind-boggling although most of the really good tours inside the da-m were cancelled after 9/11 :(.

Also agree Rita Rudners show is really great :) well worth seeing.

Jubilee does have a covered matinee but I've still not been forgiven for booking the later show :rolleyes: I TRULY *honestly* didn't know the implications of booking the later show in vegas. Oops :)

I love the luxor for just out and out vegasness :) Caesar's palace is amazing and has a fantastic champagne buffet for almost no money and LOADDDDDS of great food (not that I remember much given the unlimited champers :).

All of the hotels were open to negotiation when I went... Called "how much for a couple of nights" 200 "but REALLY how much come on ;-)" 60? and so on. The most economic of the big ones at the time was the stratosphere because it's at the end of the VERryyyyyy long road. Avoid paying rack rate for this one at all costs..

2 weeks would be fantastic!!! ps. dont forget a quick visit to Ethel M's chocolate factory ;-) YUM http://www.ethelm.com/

[nyck]

We are doing the same LA and Vegas for 2 weeks at the very end of march ,cheapflights with BA.We will fly to LA stay the night then FLY to Vegas in the morning £70 return.We will be stay 3 nights in vegas also getting married then back to LA anaheim to hit the parks etc.

nyck

[victorlowe]

Did you say you were getting married in Vegas? Congrats!

I hope your lady will not be like Britney Spears who got her wedding annulled in 48 hours. (It did keep her in the public eye)

As Tajainaz mentioned, Lance Burton has a fantastic show at the Monte Carlo. Stop by the Magic Shop at the MC and pick up various magic tricks to show the folks back home. I particularly like the floating money. I think Monte Carlo is one of my top 3 faves in LV, kind of a Middle-America casino, as opposed to the Bellagio, where they sell the thousand-dollar Italian shirts.

Tajainaz also likes the Diner at the Golden Gate Casino at the end of Fremont St. (I think it's called Bay City Diner), and I thought I was the only fan of that place.

Circus Circus does indeed appeal to kids of all ages, but their Buffet is the most crowded I have ever seen (also one of the cheapest), when the whole population of LA seems to come over on Saturdays. The Flamingo, Bugsy Siegel's fave, is just as Taja described it, and some of the casino cage cashiers seem right out of a gangster film (I hope that is not politically incorrect).

The Blue Man Group (Luxor) is another surprise. I did not expect to like it, but found myself really into that show. I don't think the Jubilee's (Bally's) second show is for kids, unless the family goes to naturist camps. Check out the Harley Museum on the Vegas Strip, near The Aladdin. A great suburban casino is Green Valley Ranch, where I heard that Michael Jackson lived for a while.

The very best value for money is the Rio, but its only drawback is that it is too far from the Strip (the main drag) IMHO.

S McD fan, reminiscing about LOSS Vegas

[tajainaz]

If you can get a good rate at the Rio, it's a terrific place to stay! They did have a shuttle operating from 9 am to midnight (1 am Friday & Saturday nights) between the Rio and Harrah's on the strip. It was operating in April, 2003, but I recommend checking the website to be sure it's still in operation if you are considering it. The rooms are much larger than average and have (or had in 2002) a small refrigerator (dorm or counter-top size) in each room. Unless you desperately need a king size bed, I recommend the rooms with 2 queens. The layout is much better. For some reason, the king bed is oriented so that the bathroom light blinds the person in bed--not a good thing when one person is up and the other wants to sleep! Also, we found the Seafood Buffet to be overhyped and overpriced (April, 2003). Save your money and go to a good seafood house. The Carnival Buffet has slipped a bit over the years, but still has good food and value, particularly if you have a group with varied food preferences.

I agree with victorlowe about the crowds at Circus Circus. The last time I stayed there was in 2000 (meeting friends who were determined to stay there!), and I vowed never again! There were massive lines for everything and even the casino felt crowded! It's a terrific place to visit, but I would not care to stay there again. However, many others love it, and they usually have terrific rates.

Keith, I can just imagine the reaction to the evening performance of Jubilee! Methinks you might have been tucked into the Naughty Corner for a bit! :D

Other thoughts:

TRANSPORTATION: The new monorail from MGM Grand to the Sahara may be operating, but I'm not sure, so check it out. I believe there is a fee for it, but I don't know how much. There is a free (or it was in April, 2003) monorail between the Excalibur, Luxor and Mandalay Bay Resorts, as well as one between the Monte Carlo and Bellagio (not operating in April, 2003). There is a "trolley" system (road rather than rail) operated by the city, that is $1.65 per person that runs from Mandalay Bay at the south of the Strip to the Stratosphere at the north end of the Strip, with a stop at the Las Vegas Hilton, which is just off the north end of the strip at the Convention Center. Since you're charged each time you board, you'll want to plan your stops carefully. Also, be very careful if you stand on the trolley. Some of the drivers take the corners fast and hit the speed bumps hard! It's easy to go flying (personal experience! :rolleyes:). If you have three or more people, it may be worthwhile to take a taxi at times.

MGM Grand: This is a vast resort, but sometimes has good room rates, particularly in the Emerald Tower. This is the oldest section of the hotel (renovated several times) and has the smallest rooms, but if you like the location and don't mind smaller rooms (about the size of a WDW Moderate), it's a good deal. The next level is the Grand Tower, which can run $20 to $40 more per night (usually--all bets are off if there's a major event!), and is a little larger than a WDW Deluxe resort. I've never stayed there, but usually spend some time there each trip.


Taja :sun:

[american idol]

we stayed it the MGM grand tower- it was very nice - we paid $119 per night in October - the emerald rooms were $99 at the same time.

When we were there the monorail was not running:(

[tajainaz]

The new monorail is scheduled to open Q01, 2004. I think I saw it operating on a television program (Travel Channel?), but it could have been during trials. I have a bad habit of watching a few minutes of a program, doing other things, and catching another few minutes the next time I walk through the family room!


Taja :sun:

[victorlowe]

Recent (or old) News Stories:

It is SO unlikely that Michael Jackson is guilty, folks. He is being railroaded. He's just weird, but that's just Michael (I mean that tall white chick with the funny nose). LV folks know this.

Kobe Bryant in Eagle, CO is also being unfairly accused. That girl is just an attention seeker who carefully encouraged and then never objected to his attention. I hope other young men who go up to the Vail Valley will not fall for this scheme, which is sadly not at all unusual.

The shopkeepers in Boulder, CO are of the opinion that Jon Benet Ramsay's mother accidentally killed the child in a fit of temper.

The daughter in the Smart family in Salt Lake City, UT was never kidnapped - she was a teenage runaway and a willing convert to her minister friend's lifestyle. Her LDS parents naturally objected, but it is hardly a case of true kidnapping warranting all that media attention and police time.

We'll never know much about what happened at Columbine, in Littleton, CO, because most of the records are sealed. I'd like to know how the kids' parents did not know there were guns in their garage ? It's a form of parental neglect to allow dangerous weapons in the house. The teachers were at fault, also, for ignoring all the hazing those kids had to go through, showing extreme lack of good judgment.

As usual, the media try create a kind of illusionary parallel "reality", in order to sell papers.

S McD fan, commenting on Colorado, Utah & Nevada news stories.

[mickeymadclaire]

Hi Wendy
Dont know if you have booked your trip yet,but we travelled to America for our honeymoon ,i love Florida but as i had been there with my ex it did not seem fair to take my new hubby.So we went to San Francisco ,Las Vegas and Anaheim,we stayed at the luxor in Vegas and it was awesome and we stayed at the Sheraton in Aneheim i got 4 days in Disney so i got my fix but we also got to see Hollywood,Sea World and Universal Hollywood ,We had a fantastic time and when we went to the park (disney of course) they had a massive fireworks display (much bigger than DLP) i cried my eyes out it was so emotional.Soi much in fact my friends went last month and brought back a cd with music from the parades and fireworks and when they played it i burst into tears again .


Well what can i say Disney magic gets you every time

Have a great trip any questions just ask

Claire

[Cinderella]

Stay away from Circus Circus, it may be more child oriented but the rooms are not very good. They really need to get redone.

San Diego is 120 miles from LA and it's about a 2-2 1/2 hour drive depending on traffic.