Viva Las Vegas.... Solutions?

[Jennie@ifish]

I am again going to the ICAST convention in Las Vegas.

I would like to take my boys because
1., They take care of their Mom, and
2., I'd have to find child care and that's as expensive as taking them!

So... Knowing that... Last year we stayed at the Tropicana in a garden room. They were cheap and kinda dingy, but OK for our needs.

I would stay there again, but The Convention Center is so darn far away, and the Taxi fares killed me!

The kids want to be close to New York, New York. Anyone ever stayed there? Any reviews? We were looking at Mandalay Bay, because that would give them something to do, while I convention. :smile: It's just so expensive. Is it worth it?

Any other ideas for transportation? I'd hate to drive there. It looks like a mess!

I'm on the watch for cheap flights, too, if anyone notices any.

I'm looking for July 8th through the 12th or so.

Thanks,
Jen

[Thumper]

Originally posted by Jennie@ifish:
The kids want to be close to New York, New York. Anyone ever stayed there? Any reviews?

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">Sooz and I stayed there in March. I found it dingy and unimpressive, though I find New York City to be dingy and unimpressive too. So it may just be my bias. Sooz swears by the quarter "Wheel of Fortune" machines, where she won the 1,000 coin jackpot for the third year in a row --- first pull too! :grin:

[Hogmaster]

Jenn -

Start looking for a cheap rental car. It may not save you much (if any) over several daily cab fares, and usually I wouldn't recommend it, but because of your multiple daily trips to the show it would make sense.

There is nothing close to the convention center that won't likely require a cab short of the Hilton, and even that is a walk and not near the strip.

Even if you don't drive it much, it opens up where you stay much better.

For what it is worth, all the casinos have free parking, though sometimes that is a walk in and of itself in from the garages. But it opens up downtown (eat at the Golden Nugget buffet for the boys and see the plate sized world's largest nugget). You can see the really neat lazer light shows there in the evening.

NYNY is nice, but the rooms tend to run $100 or so on up. The Trop still has the best deals. I stayed last month at Treasure Island for the first time, and the rooms were surprisingly nice. They have deals too that are usually in the $80 range.

I have lots of hints (again). There is much you and the boys have yet to discover :grin:

[Big Dog]

I stayed at San Remo and it was clean. Nothing fancy but it did the job.It is within walking distance of New York New York.

[Jennie@ifish]

A couple years ago, I flew into Vegas and then drove to Utah, where the OWAA conference was to be held. On the way, I thought, "What the heck! Never been to the Vegas strip, I'll just cruise through..."

I WAS SCARED TO DEATH!

I had no idea it was so large and busy! I turned around in some hotel lot and got the heck out of there! What a zoo! I'll never, ever drive there again! :smile: Call me chicken, but I'm a country one lane road girl!
So... then, I got on a country road out to Utah... I drove, and I drove, and I drove... No signs, no houses, no stores. I had a half bottle of water, and I started to think, "This doesn't look like home anymore!" I thought I was lost in the desert!

Finally came upon an Oasis... Walked in, asked if I was on the way to Utah, and they said yes. Put 50 cents into a "last chance" slot, and walked out with 70.00 or so! :smile:

COOLNESS!

Anyway, the rental car is out, unless I hire a driver! :smile: That place scares me, and believe me, you wouldn't want me driving there, either!

The boys really liked the water park, but I don't want to waste a whole day there again... or do I?

Here is the schedule. We'll get there on the 7th or the 8th... prolly the 7th. That leaves us the afternoon and the next day for play, together. Then... I have to do the conference on the 9th and 10th, and prolly the morning of the 11th.
So, for recreation I have the full day of the 8th, and the nights of the 7th through the 10th.

OK, Gary, take it away. Plan us some fun!! :smile:

What is the least expensive flight you've gotten to Vegas? The least expensive I can find right now is 200 round trip. That's no bargain, but I think I have a companion fare on Alaska that I can use.

I just love flying Southwest though... Those people make it so fun! Southwest is always a party!

Jen

[Cool Texan]

I havent stayed at NY NY, but have done their roller coaster. Its a must ride!!!! Way fun!

[Hogmaster]

OK, OK, don't drive then. If you are scared, so will everybody else be! :grin:

You just need to set a daily cab fare budget then. Stash the money aside just for that purpose and then see if you can beat it. Planning it that way won't make it seem like so much of a hit on the wallet.

BTW, believe it or not, the bus system is a good choice for up and down the strip. They run frequently, it only costs a buck or so and a few of them are even air conditioned. :shocked:

The Water Park it a gas for the boys no doubt, and it is July and all, but maybe rather than the whole day, plan on 3-4 hours max.

The Rio has the best buffet. You will need a cab, but this time, breakfast, lunch or dinner, go. The choices are immense. Everyone eats too much, sure, but do it by taking small quantities. That place has about every type of good food selection known to taste good!

Do try to get downtown one evening. The Golden Nugget's nugget is worth seeing :smile: And the buffet there is good too. But the real fun is watching the Lazer light show and listening to the MUSIC while it is going on. Every hour and the music changes every time. I think it starts at 7. And believe it or not, again, the busses will get you down and back for cheap and make it an adventure. :grin:

The Treasure Island Pool was pretty cool, and the Flamingo Hilton pool is really nice. I like them because they are more central to the strip and not as expensive as some of the others like the Mirage, Cesars, Paris, Venitian, and of course the starting at $300/night Bellagio.

From what I have seen, $200 is a run of the mill fare there, but it is tough to get below about $150. If you can get a companion fare at $200, you should probably take it since overall you'd still come out ahead. Last minute fares come up, but seating for three on a whim to travel on particular days is risky...

Other fun things...

Go to the Hard Rock Cafe Casino. The rock and roll is great in there! Yes, it is another cab fare, but go for a lunch or dinner.

If you didn't last time, you still need to at least let the boys take the motion rides at the Excaliber. They are less money than the Captain Nemo stuff in the Ceasars Mall, yet just as fun. Look for the ones that involve vehicles.

Watch a thunderstorm in the Alladin Mall. It is like being in Egypt or Morroco to wander through there.

If the boys are frisky and adventureous, take them to the Fun Zone (between the MGM and the Harley Davidson cafe). Tell them you will buy them video game tokens based on how high they climb up the rock wall first. That will get their hearts pounding! :grin:

I noticed they still have the bungee jump off the crane next to Circus Circus BTW. Head first into a postage stamp looking swimming pool! Not recommended for the faint of heart! :shocked: :shocked:

OK, not many people do this, but it is worth seeing the old auto museum at the Imperial Palace. The Palace is another inexpensive lodging choice, but the casino and hotel are, while centrally located, back off the strip. Not idea about their pool though. But the cars are REALLY cool. President Johnson's limo and an Elivis Cadillac, no to mention tons of huge old 40's vintage Dusenburgs and such. You can get free passes when you walk by. The barkers give them out (don't grab the wrong flyers! :shocked: ).

The dolphin habitat at the Mirage is cool, though I still like just staring at the huge aquarium (for free) behind the registration desk. See how many different species you can count. Then you can wander out and see the tigers in the viewing area. They have a new pay for viewing area more "naturalized" which I was told was good but didn't see it when I was there...

So start saving for those cab fares and be ready to walk. The more walking you do the more you see.

We stayed at the NY NY with our kids. All the strip hotels are overpriced, unless you get a special rate. The NY NY is kid friendly though with kid elevators that only go from the floor you are on to the kid places, like arcades etc.

We also won enough money on the "Money Time" slots to pay for the entire trip, for once. :grin:

Rick

[Thumper]

Actually, I could spend a whole week just sitting, watching and listening to the water show at the Bellagio. Unbelievable! But they would probably run me off before that.

[wannacatchem]

Jen...I drive from here to Vegas a few times a year - my last trip will be next month, thank god. I go thru Bend, Lakeview, Reno into vegas. From Lakeview to Vegas it's a time to ponder, because it takes zero driving skills. When in Vegas, I stay at the Barbary Coast. It's about the smallest casino on the strip, right next door to the Venetian, catty corner from the Bellagio. PAris Paris is acoss the street. It's about dead center of the strip. I never stay there on weekends and it 78 bucks a night for 4 thru expedia.com. Round trip gas used to be about $160, I drive a three year old full size pickup that gets about 20 mpg. I drive by myself and don't mind driving 12 hours at a stretch - Vegas in two days. If you can drive in Portland, you can drive on the strip. Get a map and find routes away from the strip. A couple blocks away makes a world of difference. Enjoy your trip

[sinker]

I got an idear for ya!!
Take me!!!
Take me!!

:grin:

[pdxkevin]

I use a couple sites for tickets:

www.southwestairlines.com
www.cheaptickets.com
www.bestfares.com
www.hotwire.com

Keep your times open as possible. Going a day earlier or later can save serious cash at times.

[pdxkevin]

Las Vegas from $19 per night... BestFares.com

Here is site boasting about Las Vegas on 25 cents per day

[ 05-27-2003, 01:20 PM: Message edited by: pdxkevin ]

[Hogmaster]

Kevin -

Some of those suggestions are downright scary!
:shocked: :shocked: :shocked:

There is Las Vegas on a budget, then there is Las Vegas on the CHEAP! Wow!

Free hot dogs? All you really have to do is stand at the Craps table with a minimum bet and order white russians all day and night. All the major nutritional needs are met - Chocolate (kahlula), Sugar (Rum), and milk! :grin: :grin: :grin:

[SCUTZ ZA]

You can always take the free tram north and then take a taxi. There is even a trolly that is only a buck and it will go up and down the strip, so go as close to the convention center as possible and then take a taxi. I agree the best free attraction is the fountains at the Belogio, I spent over two hours watching every show, simply amazing. Have fun, craps is your best odds in the house, FYI.

[Killertraylor]

The Mandalay Bay is very nice, Jen - you won't go wrong if you stay there, but it is very pricey. I've stayed at Mandalay, MGM, Excalibur and Bellagio. The only one I wouldn't recommend is Excalibur. The rooms were dark - which I think is what they were going for - a dungeon type look. It just felt dirty and dark - not my idea of a good vacation room.

I strongly suggest taking the public bus to get to downtown and then take a cab from there if you need to (although I think there is a bus that goes to the convention center also) The bus fare is really cheap ($2 max) and if you can get over all the hot stinky people that will be on it the first week of July when it's 110 degrees out, you'll save a ton of money.

I usually spend about $200 a person on airfare so that's pretty good. I'd strongly consider the MGM or Mandalay Bay in July as the pools are the nicest around and it will be too hot to do much else than lay under the water misters at the pool! Hope you have fun.

Joe

[The Fishing Geek]

Southwest had the cheapest fare at $188 roundtrip.

[Spoiled Daddy]

Jen,

We were in Vegas at the beginning of this month. We stayed at the Orleans, which is off the main strip. We got in on an internet special and the rooms were only $69 a night, plus SW Airlines round trip at $169 per person. The rooms were OK and the Orleans has a 70 lane bowling alley, plenty of restaurants, large pool and sauna and a large arcade area for the kids. If you check their web site, you can see what special events they have going in their large sports auditorium. I think (and that always gets me in trouble...) that they have an "Xtreme" indoor motorcross event going on there now that is being filmed or broadcast on ESPN2. You can confirm by checking their web page.

It is off the strip and the taxi bills back and forth were about $25 each way. We learned to ride the shuttle from the Orleans to the Gold Coast and Barbary Coast, which run every 20 minutes. From there, we rode the local busses and never paid more than $2 for a one way trip in the downtown area.

Hope this helps... Tom

[Jacks or Better]

I've stayed at the NY NY and the Excalibur which is just across the street. Atmosphere it's NYNY but I enjoyed the Excalibur for the price. A lot less than NYNY (can't remember what but I remember at the time comparing)and close to everything. Fun dinner in the lower level with a jousting tournament - you cheer for your own knight in shining armour and eat with no utensils. Also a great Italian restaurant on upper floor. Small shop with fruit, MacDonalds and a Krispy Kreme shop. Be sure and check out the free nighttime water show in front of the Belagio. Be sure and take your own water bottle with you. No drinking fountains anywhere and they get you for a pretty steep price on bottled water. You can fill your own in the room. Wish I were going down again this year.

[Boedy]

Jen,

I am currently working out of Las Vegas and it has given me the chance to take a good look at most of the hotels on the strip and off. Stayed a weekend at the Monty Carlo right next to NY NY and it was very nice and close to every thing. The Stratosphere is always offering cheap rates but it’s at the far end of the strip so it may be a little more in cab fare. Rio is also a little off the strip so its also cheaper most of the time then most of the big strip hotels. The Venetian is amazing but spendy but worth a trip just to see it . I highly recommend Emeril Laqasse’s restaurant there called Delmonicos for anybody that wants a great steak I had the Rib eye and loved even at 30 + bucks.

I don’t think the driving is too bad but if your not used to big city driving I could see how it could be overwhelming. Anyway I should still be in Vegas when you plan on being there so if you need a tour guide I would be happy to show you or anyone coming down around.

[sinker]

I've got the best idea that I've PERSONALLY seen so far.
TAKE ME!!!
TAKE ME!!!



:grin: :grin:

[Jennie@ifish]

It sure is fun to look forward to something. This thread has got me all happy happy!
:smile:
Sinker, I'd take you if I could afford it, but looking at my account... uh... I think Visa is taking me. Will Visa take you, too? :smile:

Jen

[sinker]

Maybe you could stuff me into your baggage?? :grin: :grin: