Las Vegas👍

[TheTigerUK]

One of my grand daughters (19 YO) is at the moment having time out for traveling, in a couple of weeks she is off to Perth Australia and when she comes back she wants me to go Vegas with her for a week in January, will her age limit us at all, casino etc ?

Any recommendations/must do while we are there ? Grand Canyon a must and she would like to see a Rodeo but they don't seem on all the while.

[Chris_in_the_UK]

A lot of hotels do not allow guests under 21 to stay due to them having a casino.

[chrisjones3]

Be prepared to get ID’d frequently. Even I do at 57 as it is a blanket policy in some bars. Not sure about the gambling side as it is not my bag but I expect 21 again?

Vegas is fun though, pinball museum, good restaurants (but book ahead) (Lotus of Siam - Flamingo Road is excellent) and lots to walk around wide eyed at the excess. Watch out for cheap hotels and high “resort fees”. Reminds me a lot of Dubai.

Grand Canyon is absolutely outstanding, was there Jan 2022, plus you pass the Hoover Dam on the way there and it is a good stop off. We also took a separate trip to the Joshua Tree NP earlier this year from Vegas and that one plus Grand Canyon visit rate as the two highlights of my two years in the US.

Never bothered with the shows as I couldn’t manage the forethought or pay the prices but I hear good things from those that have done.

All in all a cool place to visit but 19 yo is going to alter the type of Vegas trip.


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[craig1912]

Yes her age will limit what you can do. Our son was 18 and there were many places we couldn’t go in. I’d personally wait until she was 21.

[noTAGlove]

It can get pretty cold in Vegas in January, and like everywhere in the northern hemisphere it gets dark early. You may as well go to Blackpool.

You maybe unlucky to get blizzards at the Grand Canyon, and it will be cold. Can’t imagine there are rodeos in the cold weather

Not the best of months to travel.

[Passenger]

Wild horses couldn't etc but then I've seen, visited Atlantic City and Vegas is just a bigger, 'glitzier', likely more expensive version.

Wouldn´t say no to the National Parks some time.

[noTAGlove]

Fly to Vegas, spend a night or two to realise just how much you can dislike a place, but even worse the dislike the other tourists, and then get out of Dodge.

Grand Canyon, Zion NP, Bryce NP,
Canyonlands NP, Yosemite NP etc. all within a reasonable drive by American standards.

Best NP for me was Zion (trumped Grand Canyon - you are looking up rather than looking down) the NP I would not take a detour again for was Joshua (nothing special).

[dougair]

Never stayed in Vegas more than a couple of nights. It’s a weird Disneyland for adults. At night can be impressive but venture outside during the day and it’s quite a difference. Long long list of better places to go in Nevada / So Cal.

I have been when under 21 and you just get hassled for ID all the time even if you just stray into the gaming areas of the casinos!

[Speedyexplorer]

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=la...f7npXXNHY,st:0

[Mr_Mac]

Freemont Street, Stratosphere Tower, Bellagio fountains are all worth a look. There’s the new Sphere concert venue which has just opened and looks amazing.

[TheTigerUK]

Thanks all, what your saying is about the same we have heard, its a no no then, New York a possibility then.

[noTAGlove]

Thanks all, what your saying is about the same we have heard, its a no no then, New York a possibility then.

If you don’t mind freezing your nuts off. If it has to be the USA, my choice would be southern Florida and the Keys, but it is the peak most expensive time of the year given all the snowbirds.

[Ivan Drago]

Vegas is fine for under 21.

She won’t be served a drink and won’t be able to play any table games but she will be able to play the slots and worse case if they challenge her they just ask you to step off the machines.

The Beatles show at the mirage is fantastic is she’s after that but tickets aren’t cheap.

Vegas is ultra expensive now, beers are 18 dollars, food is ridiculous. New York is the same in terms of expense.


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[lenlec]

My brother went one new year.
He enjoyed it but was cold especially at night
I’ve been in March and it was just right 30 odd degrees

[lenlec]

Vegas is fine for under 21.

She won’t be served a drink and won’t be able to play any table games but she will be able to play the slots and worse case if they challenge her they just ask you to step off the machines.

The Beatles show at the mirage is fantastic is she’s after that but tickets aren’t cheap.

Vegas is ultra expensive now, beers are 18 dollars, food is ridiculous. New York is the same in terms of expense.


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I’ve heard prices are crazy there now.
I remember a load of us went in 96 I think to watch the 1st Tyson v Bruno fight. Dollar a beer

[noTAGlove]

Vegas is ultra expensive now, beers are 18 dollars, food is ridiculous. New York is the same in terms of expense.

Everything in touristic USA has gone absolutely bonkers in price.

We did the USA for combined road and city trips from 2009 onwards for seven out of nine years. We did everything the USA had to offer, two week trips all in August, and have some fantastic memories.

Typically we paid about £120-£150 per night for accommodation 3 to 4 star accommodation in New York, San Diego, Chicago, San Francisco etc. and all the hotels very close or in the National Parks Zion, Bryce, Canyonlands, Yosemite etc. etc.

Now it starts at £300++ per night minimum.

[dougair]

Everything in touristic USA has gone absolutely bonkers in price.

We did the USA for combined road and city trips from 2009 onwards for seven out of nine years. We did everything the USA had to offer, two week trips all in August, and have some fantastic memories.

Typically we paid about £120-£150 per night for accommodation 3 to 4 star accommodation in New York, San Diego, Chicago, San Francisco etc. and the hotels very close or in the National Parks.

Now it starts at £300++ per night minimum.

Have you tried booking a nice hotel room here lately?! What used to be £300 a night now £600-700!

[chrisjones3]

Have you tried booking a nice hotel room here lately?! What used to be £300 a night now £600-700!

I think you are right on hotels. We moved here in 2021 and coming end of Covid flights across the US were ok as were hotels. Now I can still get reasonable flights / meals / beers but hotels are permanently crazy. I usually use Airbnb these days but even then I think I paid 750 quid for three nights in Denver and 550 for three nights next weekend in Texas Hill Country. Hotels in NYC were $600 a night up from $190 in Covid!


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[noTAGlove]

Have you tried booking a nice hotel room here lately?! What used to be £300 a night now £600-700!

Thats my point. Whatever base you start from hotels are more than two and closer to three times the price pre-Covid.

And then there is higher air fares and rocketing car hire price. We paid around £300 for two week for a full size even not long before Covid.

That $50 steak you think is chunk cheaper because of the exchange rate, is actually more expensive in GBP when you chunk on 20% tip and 10% tax.

I think it reflects what a poor economy the UK has become in relation to the USA.

During my first trip to New York in the late 80s as a student I was eating steaks without worrying too much about the cost. Now you need a mortgage to do the same.

[Ivan Drago]

Ah don’t get me started on the tipping. It’s absolutely crazy.


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[Steve B]

If you do go, I can highly recommend Tacos El Pastor it's up by the Wynn Las Vegas, best taco's ever!!

[Mj2k]

It is not that US has become expensive, just our economy and exchange rate has worsened. Shown here:

The average daily room rate in February 2022 for Las Vegas (the Strip and Downtown), was $149.52. In February 2021, with the city still coping with COVID-19 restrictions, the ADR was $98.03, which by most comparisons, was a bargain. For context, the pre-pandemic February 2019 ADR was $130.06. That February 2022 ADR was actually slightly ahead of the February 2019 number even when adjusted for inflation.

You can’t talk 2-3 times the price in isolation of everything else going on, choose the local currency and see the true changes. Cannot bleat over how cheap things were a decade ago with a different fx like you know what’s the driver.

Covid, it was not.


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[Chris_in_the_UK]

It is not that US has become expensive, just our economy and exchange rate has worsened. Shown here:

The average daily room rate in February 2022 for Las Vegas (the Strip and Downtown), was $149.52. In February 2021, with the city still coping with COVID-19 restrictions, the ADR was $98.03, which by most comparisons, was a bargain. For context, the pre-pandemic February 2019 ADR was $130.06. That February 2022 ADR was actually slightly ahead of the February 2019 number even when adjusted for inflation.

You can’t talk 2-3 times the price in isolation of everything else going on, choose the local currency and see the true changes. Cannot bleat over how cheap things were a decade ago with a different fx like you know what’s the driver.

Covid, it was not.

I remember the heady days when we got 2$ to £1 and this was waaaay before Covid etc.

[Mj2k]

I remember the heady days when we got 2$ to £1 and this was waaaay before Covid etc.

Indeed, was only a teen-child when that happened, Floridian holiday.

Still astounded how much further my savings money went and how many clothes and trainers I came home with that trip.

Love that again as an adult with proper spending power!


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[noTAGlove]

I remember the heady days when we got 2$ to £1 and this was waaaay before Covid etc.

2007. Just before the GFC.

[adigra]

I like Vegas for a day, but you really have to be in the mood for the worst of what consumerism has to offer. I don't gamble and don't care about shows, but the food is generally excellent, and I really like the rooms at the Palazzo. The shopping is decent too. Technically it's a horrendous place, and the casinos always look like graveyards of humanity. You can't avoid casinos as they are designed to be walked through from reception to the lifts. Anyone under 21 can walk through only on the designated path and not stop, which is really bizarre.

I love flying into Vegas as a starting point as we really enjoy driving through the desert on the way to the CA coast. We try to find different routes through the Mojave and Joshua Tree, over the mountains, etc. But you really have to be into that kind of thing, which I am not sure many 19YO are. We just did it again in July and it was 49C in Vegas! Unbearable. But combining a couple of days in Vegas with a few more in LA would make for an awesome trip.

As for New York, I would think a 19YO would get a lot out of it. It's filthy, worn out and often just plain hostile, but genuine. And so much more to offer than Vegas. I'm on my way there tomorrow for work.

[snowman]

I remember the heady days when we got 2$ to £1 and this was waaaay before Covid etc.

Likewise, I treated a group of US colleagues to a movie in a theater one night and they thought I must be Rockerfeller, but I think it cost me about £15!

M

[K9david]

Personally I love Las Vegas and try to go at least once a year. It is what it is, you either love it or hate it, to my mind there is no in between.

To me I know of no other place where I can virtually guarantee the weather, see amazing natural scenery within a 20 minute drive out of the city, see first rate headline entertainment and have my choice of every cuisine in the world within the same day.

That said I know it's not for everyone, yes it's full of excess but I find it's easy to look past all that.

If you go , enjoy , if you dont , enjoy whatever else you decide. 👍

[TheTigerUK]

A total change of direction ヽ(͡◕ ͜ʖ ͡◕)ﾉ we are going to Disney Land Paris on January 30th for five days.

Any recommendations which hotel to use ? Thinking Hotel New York.

[Neil.C]

A total change of direction ヽ(͡◕ ͜ʖ ͡◕)ﾉ we are going to Disney Land Paris on January 30th for five days.

Any recommendations which hotel to use ? Thinking Hotel New York.

That'll be cold!

If it must be Disney much better to go to Florida, a lot warmer.

[jukeboxs]

I've been to Disney Paris (DLRP) 20+ times [we used to go twice a year every year with our two daughters, but haven't been since Covid). We've stayed in them all. My choice of the Disney hotels would be (in order of preference):

• Disneyland Hotel (if money is no barrier - so possibly not - special offers can make it not so painful)
• Sequoia Lodge (normally £100s cheaper than New York or Newport Bay, but just as nice, and similar walking distance - in the middle of the 3)
• Cheyenne (not as fancy as the others, but can be much cheaper, and still only a 20 min walk)
• Newport Bay (feels to me a little more special than New York, but I'm not a massive Marvel fan)
• New York or Santa Fe (depends how much you're willing to spend)

We also stayed off-site at nearby hotels on the shuttle bus route. In the old days (10-15 years ago) you could save a lot and the cost of the annual Disney Park membership (annual pass) was quite cheap. I think the cost benefits are less now, and the shuttle buses a little less enjoyable than they were (too many people).

We spent very little time in the hotel - as we were at the parks for 8am (now 8:30) opening (for Disney magic hours) and stayed until 10-11pm for the light show (every day/night). So, hotels for us were not that important. That said, I still have fond memories of the Disneyland Hotel - what luxury (or seemed it to us anyway, and especially our daughters!).

5 days is a good amount of time. You'll get the full experience many times over. We sometimes also fitted in a day trip to Paris, but probably not worth it given you're paying for the daily Disney park passes.

Enjoy !

[Chris_in_the_UK]

That'll be cold!

If it must be Disney much better to go to Florida, a lot warmer.

100%

[noTAGlove]

That'll be cold!

If it must be Disney much better to go to Florida, a lot warmer.

Much better to go to Florida and avoid Disney.

[Neil.C]

Much better to go to Florida and avoid Disney.

I didn't like to say but.....

We usually visit my son in Florida for a couple of months a year and have been going to Florida for 30 odd years and never been to Disney.

Is this some sort of record?

[noTAGlove]

I didn't like to say but.....

We usually visit my son in Florida for a couple of months a year and have been going to Florida for 30 odd years and never been to Disney.

Is this some sort of record?

Maybe you are saving yourself for freezing January Euro Disney trip.

[snowman]

Fly to Vegas, spend a night or two to realise just how much you can dislike a place, but even worse the dislike the other tourists, and then get out of Dodge.

Grand Canyon, Zion NP, Bryce NP,
Canyonlands NP, Yosemite NP etc. all within a reasonable drive by American standards.

Best NP for me was Zion (trumped Grand Canyon - you are looking up rather than looking down) the NP I would not take a detour again for was Joshua (nothing special).

Totally agree on Zion.

Someone we met at the GC said it was better so we diverted for a morning and loved it - I'd still say see the GC, but Zion is a nicer place, IMO.

Vegas? Went there once, it was enough.

M

[Onelasttime]

I've been to Disney Paris (DLRP) 20+ times [we used to go twice a year every year with our two daughters, but haven't been since Covid). We've stayed in them all. My choice of the Disney hotels would be (in order of preference):

• Disneyland Hotel (if money is no barrier - so possibly not - special offers can make it not so painful)
• Sequoia Lodge (normally £100s cheaper than New York or Newport Bay, but just as nice, and similar walking distance - in the middle of the 3)
• Cheyenne (not as fancy as the others, but can be much cheaper, and still only a 20 min walk)
• Newport Bay (feels to me a little more special than New York, but I'm not a massive Marvel fan)
• New York or Santa Fe (depends how much you're willing to spend)

We also stayed off-site at nearby hotels on the shuttle bus route. In the old days (10-15 years ago) you could save a lot and the cost of the annual Disney Park membership (annual pass) was quite cheap. I think the cost benefits are less now, and the shuttle buses a little less enjoyable than they were (too many people).

We spent very little time in the hotel - as we were at the parks for 8am (now 8:30) opening (for Disney magic hours) and stayed until 10-11pm for the light show (every day/night). So, hotels for us were not that important. That said, I still have fond memories of the Disneyland Hotel - what luxury (or seemed it to us anyway, and especially our daughters!).

5 days is a good amount of time. You'll get the full experience many times over. We sometimes also fitted in a day trip to Paris, but probably not worth it given you're paying for the daily Disney park passes.

Enjoy !

An almost perfect description of my vision of hell.

[TheTigerUK]

I've been to Disney Paris (DLRP) 20+ times [we used to go twice a year every year with our two daughters, but haven't been since Covid). We've stayed in them all. My choice of the Disney hotels would be (in order of preference):

• Disneyland Hotel (if money is no barrier - so possibly not - special offers can make it not so painful)
• Sequoia Lodge (normally £100s cheaper than New York or Newport Bay, but just as nice, and similar walking distance - in the middle of the 3)
• Cheyenne (not as fancy as the others, but can be much cheaper, and still only a 20 min walk)
• Newport Bay (feels to me a little more special than New York, but I'm not a massive Marvel fan)
• New York or Santa Fe (depends how much you're willing to spend)

We also stayed off-site at nearby hotels on the shuttle bus route. In the old days (10-15 years ago) you could save a lot and the cost of the annual Disney Park membership (annual pass) was quite cheap. I think the cost benefits are less now, and the shuttle buses a little less enjoyable than they were (too many people).

We spent very little time in the hotel - as we were at the parks for 8am (now 8:30) opening (for Disney magic hours) and stayed until 10-11pm for the light show (every day/night). So, hotels for us were not that important. That said, I still have fond memories of the Disneyland Hotel - what luxury (or seemed it to us anyway, and especially our daughters!).

5 days is a good amount of time. You'll get the full experience many times over. We sometimes also fitted in a day trip to Paris, but probably not worth it given you're paying for the daily Disney park passes.

Enjoy !

Thanks for the info, I have been quoted £1,931 for the two of us in a family room (two double beds) Disney Newport Bay Club which includes half board and all the park tickets, this is going by Eurostar plus I get a Disney+ subscription for 12 months :)

We would like to take in the Eiffel Tower while there so a day in Paris is on the cards.

Weather, cold is cold, part of the break :)

[jukeboxs]

An almost perfect description of my vision of hell.

Noted, I would have chosen different holidays if it were me, but my daughters loved their DLRP visits (still avid fans). I like the Disney ethos, there are many worse things to be into.

[Onelasttime]

Noted, I would have chosen different holidays if it were me, but my daughters loved their DLRP visits (still avid fans). I like the Disney ethos, there are many worse things to be into.

Fair play. I'm still getting over Frozen.

[Ivan Drago]

Thanks for the info, I have been quoted £1,931 for the two of us in a family room (two double beds) Disney Newport Bay Club which includes half board and all the park tickets, this is going by Eurostar plus I get a Disney+ subscription for 12 months :)

We would like to take in the Eiffel Tower while there so a day in Paris is on the cards.

Weather, cold is cold, part of the break :)

Best advice I can give it to go midweek and not in school holidays.

Take that advice and your longest ride wait will be 15 mins.


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[paw3001]

Thanks for the info, I have been quoted £1,931 for the two of us in a family room (two double beds) Disney Newport Bay Club which includes half board and all the park tickets, this is going by Eurostar plus I get a Disney+ subscription for 12 months :)

We would like to take in the Eiffel Tower while there so a day in Paris is on the cards.

Weather, cold is cold, part of the break :)

Be aware the food in the parks and Disney Village is absolutely terrible. Every restaurant was shocking, either it was deep fried and soggy or tasteless. Plus it was expensive.

However, the buffet in the Newport Bay was actually quite good. Plus it has a good pool. We also found the only places where food was of a decent quality was the Ratatouille restaurant in Disney Studios (ride is good too), the super expensive Disney princess lunch and the Disney Character lunch in the Disneyland hotel.

If you are there for 5 days and to avoid bankruptcy and starvation use your half board as much as possible!

PS super easy to get a train to Paris from the park as well.

[TheTigerUK]

Back home after our five day "adventure" to Disney Paris, I'm glad I went and enjoyed my grand daughters company.

We had a good time, half board worked out well and we enjoyed the choice of meals, Billy Bobs do a nice buffe :)

Almost walked my legs off, thank goodness the hotel bathroom, had a bath which I was able to soak in for an hour before bed :)

The firework display was very good, bought quite a few fluffy toys and fridge magnets for family members I even went to a live show (The Lion King) which I'm not really into after seeing many kids school plays over the years but it was really good.

Visited the Eiffel tower which wasn't has big as I expected but still I'm glad we went.

The journey home Saturday was a PITA due to the train drivers strike, we knew the strike affected our train home from St Pancras to Leicester so booked a National Express but then the Euro Star was over one hour later getting to Lille so we missed the bus and wasn't able to book another until 10.30pm which meant we had hours to kill in London, we found a small Turkish restaurant for a meal (very good) but even after that we had 3.5 hours to wait so at this point I said "F" it and booked a Uber which wasn't cheap but better than waiting in the bus station. The strikes cost me a chunk of money and a lot of hassle.

ps: Having done a little research of train drivers wages and perks I wouldn't be over sorry if there nuts dried up, shrivelled and dropped off :)

[snowman]

Back home after our five day "adventure" to Disney Paris, I'm glad I went and enjoyed my grand daughters company.
...

Glad you enjoyed it, but reading that I question my atheism - It sounds like my idea of hell

Luckily my kids never showed any interest in Disneyland/world/village/cosmos - Hopefully my grandchildren won't either

M

[Hood]

Glad you enjoyed it, but reading that I question my atheism - It sounds like my idea of hell

Luckily my kids never showed any interest in Disneyland/world/village/cosmos - Hopefully my grandchildren won't either

M

Same here
Idea of hell and just lucky the kids never showed an interest.
Going to that Harry Potter place was probably as close as I came to something like that.

[Onelasttime]

Same here
Idea of hell and just lucky the kids never showed an interest.
Going to that Harry Potter place was probably as close as I came to something like that.

Daughter went to Harry Potter world and we gave her £10 spends (she was only 7).

She came back with no change and a tiny box of Potter jellybeans with about 7 sweets in. I thought she was having us on and had spent the money on something else, but I checked and that was the price.

Harry Potter the thieving git wizard.

[Wimm]

Daughter went to Harry Potter world and we gave her £10 spends (she was only 7).

She came back with no change and a tiny box of Potter jellybeans with about 7 sweets in. I thought she was having us on and had spent the money on something else, but I checked and that was the price.

Harry Potter the thieving git wizard.

It isn't run by Merlin by any chance? Never known a firm who can suck the joy out of children's toys while extracting the cash out of parents wallets.

[Onelasttime]

It isn't run by Merlin by any chance? Never known a firm who can suck the joy out of children's toys while extracting the cash out of parents wallets.

I believe it's Warner Bros, but agree about Merlin. All of those places exist to fleece.

[Gerald Genta]

Glad you enjoyed it, but reading that I question my atheism - It sounds like my idea of hell

Luckily my kids never showed any interest in Disneyland/world/village/cosmos - Hopefully my grandchildren won't either

M

That was very much my view but I went to Disneyland Florida with my daughter last year whilst visiting wife's parents and (eye watering cost aside) I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the experience. Was adamant it would be wasted on my daughter (who was 3.5 at the time) but it was highlight of the trip. Had to eat my words. That being said certainly won't be going back for a few years though thats for sure haha.