Discussion
Some great suggestions on things to do / stay in Vegas. Certainly worth booking any major shows / sports events before you go. Personally I would do max 3 nights in Vegas - you will have exhausted day trips by then (and frankly Vegas is a bit of a dump by day!). Great option is fly to Vegas, then drive across to San Francisco - via Death Valley, Yosemite, wine country etc. Virgin fly to and from both locations.
Since my last visit in December 2018 there appears to have been some more gentrification of the so-called Arts District between the Strip and Downtown, with a number of restaurants, bars and breweries opening up.
Always good to have some new independent places (ie. not part of a casino resort) to visit - there weren't many such options in Vegas compared to other cities of similar size.
Always good to have some new independent places (ie. not part of a casino resort) to visit - there weren't many such options in Vegas compared to other cities of similar size.
If you are going driving for a few days worth including Route 12 as a contrast to the more usual long straight desert roads. It twists and turns for 122 miles through superb red rock scenery.
https://www.visitutah.com/articles/the-all-america...
https://www.visitutah.com/articles/the-all-america...
Wiltshire Lad said:
Some great suggestions on things to do / stay in Vegas. Certainly worth booking any major shows / sports events before you go. Personally I would do max 3 nights in Vegas - you will have exhausted day trips by then (and frankly Vegas is a bit of a dump by day!). Great option is fly to Vegas, then drive across to San Francisco - via Death Valley, Yosemite, wine country etc. Virgin fly to and from both locations.
Done Vegas many times and agree 3 days max. Going this Xmas and the fourth night was free and given $350 for “beverages “. ! So it would be rude not to do the four nights at the Waldorf. Then to Death Valley for New Years.
Part of a four week RV trip.
I've done a 10 night stay in Vegas before - plenty to swallow up a longer stay if you like the outdoors and use it as a base for day trips.
Inbetween days at the pool, we visited the grand canyon, hoover dam, red rock canyon, death valley, joshua tree, valley of fire, zion - loads of great places to visit if you don't mind a drive.
Inbetween days at the pool, we visited the grand canyon, hoover dam, red rock canyon, death valley, joshua tree, valley of fire, zion - loads of great places to visit if you don't mind a drive.
We're off to Vegas in July, a few nights for someone's 40th birthday then the wife and I are switching hotels and have our own holiday for a few nights. We want to do a Hoover Dam / Grand Canyon bus tour for a day but there seem to be loads of companies offering them, what is a good way of figuring out which companies offer the best experience?
MesoForm said:
...We want to do a Hoover Dam / Grand Canyon bus tour for a day but there seem to be loads of companies offering them, what is a good way of figuring out which companies offer the best experience?
In the past I've used => https://www.grand-adventures.com/They run minibuses rather than coaches so you can easily chat with your fellow passengers rather than just sitting in silence for several hours.
Just make sure you go to the South Rim rather than the rubbish west rim.
If there's several of you then it might just be easier/cheaper to rent a car and drive yourself.
Would you consider taking the train?
I cant recommend it highly enough. It will take 2 days in total though door to door from Vegas.
Each to their own but its one of the best days out I have ever had.
We took the dome car up to the canyon and then the parlour car on the way back.
Its not cheap, but I am not going back any time soon so the money is well worth it. Cost us IRO £700 for 2 people.
I think its a bit more now as they put prices up I think. You get about 3 hours at the canyon. We also added on the bus tour so when you get off the train you are straight on a bus and at the first viewing point within maybe 10 minutes. They take you round 3 or 4 different viewing points and then back to the main village where you get just over an hour to either get some lunch or just wander round etc.
I cant recommend it highly enough. It will take 2 days in total though door to door from Vegas.
Each to their own but its one of the best days out I have ever had.
We took the dome car up to the canyon and then the parlour car on the way back.
Its not cheap, but I am not going back any time soon so the money is well worth it. Cost us IRO £700 for 2 people.
I think its a bit more now as they put prices up I think. You get about 3 hours at the canyon. We also added on the bus tour so when you get off the train you are straight on a bus and at the first viewing point within maybe 10 minutes. They take you round 3 or 4 different viewing points and then back to the main village where you get just over an hour to either get some lunch or just wander round etc.
I'm off for my much delayed stag do in June (even though I got married last August!)
3 of us confirmed at the moment, MGM Grand, all booked through Expedia flying with Virgin but with stop overs there and back.
Had a panic the other day where they'd changed the flights and so we'd miss our connection the way home and the guy at Expedia said we'd have to cancel the lot and start again. Next thing I know he's called to say the final flight had also changed and we were fine.
I expect that to happen once or twice more before June!
3 of us confirmed at the moment, MGM Grand, all booked through Expedia flying with Virgin but with stop overs there and back.
Had a panic the other day where they'd changed the flights and so we'd miss our connection the way home and the guy at Expedia said we'd have to cancel the lot and start again. Next thing I know he's called to say the final flight had also changed and we were fine.
I expect that to happen once or twice more before June!
Truckosaurus said:
MesoForm said:
...We want to do a Hoover Dam / Grand Canyon bus tour for a day but there seem to be loads of companies offering them, what is a good way of figuring out which companies offer the best experience?
In the past I've used => https://www.grand-adventures.com/They run minibuses rather than coaches so you can easily chat with your fellow passengers rather than just sitting in silence for several hours.
Just make sure you go to the South Rim rather than the rubbish west rim.
If there's several of you then it might just be easier/cheaper to rent a car and drive yourself.
MesoForm said:
We're off to Vegas in July, a few nights for someone's 40th birthday then the wife and I are switching hotels and have our own holiday for a few nights. We want to do a Hoover Dam / Grand Canyon bus tour for a day but there seem to be loads of companies offering them, what is a good way of figuring out which companies offer the best experience?
This was a good Hoover Dam tour and the guide was also a comedian so a very funny day.https://www.viator.com/tours/Las-Vegas/Ultimate-Ho...
Bumping this thread as I need some specific hotel advice please?
I'm sure some will scoff at this, but has anyone stayed at Planet Hollywood? I've stayed at the north and south ends of the strip previously but I really fancy being in the middle this time. PH has always been a great laugh on nights out so I figure we'll give it a go this time.
It's got to be a strip view though! Which rooms are the best for this? Ultra Hip Premium Fountain View? I'll be going at a very busy time so I don't want to risk booking a normal room and trying to bribe an upgrade on check in.
I'm sure some will scoff at this, but has anyone stayed at Planet Hollywood? I've stayed at the north and south ends of the strip previously but I really fancy being in the middle this time. PH has always been a great laugh on nights out so I figure we'll give it a go this time.
It's got to be a strip view though! Which rooms are the best for this? Ultra Hip Premium Fountain View? I'll be going at a very busy time so I don't want to risk booking a normal room and trying to bribe an upgrade on check in.
MrBig said:
....
It's got to be a strip view though! Which rooms are the best for this? Ultra Hip Premium Fountain View? .
Anything with 'fountain view' in the name is going to give you a decent view of a worthwhile part of the Strip, rather than just a claimed 'Strip View' that is just a glimpse of the Luxor pyramid or something dull.It's got to be a strip view though! Which rooms are the best for this? Ultra Hip Premium Fountain View? .
I suspect there will be some re-naming and re-pricing of rooms that have views of the new Sphere behind the Venetian - for years hotels on the east side of The Strip have been stuck with 50% of their rooms facing nothing but suburbs, but now they can charge a premium for a good number of them.
Truckosaurus said:
I suspect there will be some re-naming and re-pricing of rooms that have views of the new Sphere behind the Venetian - for years hotels on the east side of The Strip have been stuck with 50% of their rooms facing nothing but suburbs, but now they can charge a premium for a good number of them.
We were in a room in the Venetian in April with a cracking view of the Sphere....unfortunately it wasn't finished then 
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