Pumapayam Posted June 17, 2007 Author Share Posted June 17, 2007 Yes, you should be able to do it on that budget, although you'll have to go fairly basic on the hotel accomodations, and limit the number of expensive meals. If you decide to go to San Francisco, air fares tend to be higher to SFO than OAK, but SFO is more convenient to the city and has better links to the transportation system. However if you're purchasing far enough in advance you can probably find fares from Houston for around $300 or maybe a little less.We have about 6 weeks until our trip, and I am guess flights start jumping in price at 2 weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssullivan Posted June 17, 2007 Share Posted June 17, 2007 We have about 6 weeks until our trip, and I am guess flights start jumping in price at 2 weeks. Not necessarily. If a flight is running full, the lower fare classes may already be sold out. I'd buy tickets as soon as you've made a decision where you're going. Also, because of rising fuel costs, airlines have been trying to put through $5 and $10 across the board fare increases a couple of times a month lately. Not trying to hijack, but I can't wait for my vacations this summer. Only two more weeks of work before the boyfriend and I jet off to Portland, Seattle, Victoria, and Vancouver. And then the first week of August I'm off to New Zealand for a few days thanks to United Airlines loading a mistake business class fare to Auckland from LA that was cheaper than the coach fare. I love it when airlines do that and I get to take advantage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pumapayam Posted June 18, 2007 Author Share Posted June 18, 2007 Not necessarily. If a flight is running full, the lower fare classes may already be sold out. I'd buy tickets as soon as you've made a decision where you're going. Also, because of rising fuel costs, airlines have been trying to put through $5 and $10 across the board fare increases a couple of times a month lately.Not trying to hijack, but I can't wait for my vacations this summer. Only two more weeks of work before the boyfriend and I jet off to Portland, Seattle, Victoria, and Vancouver. And then the first week of August I'm off to New Zealand for a few days thanks to United Airlines loading a mistake business class fare to Auckland from LA that was cheaper than the coach fare. I love it when airlines do that and I get to take advantage. Well, tonight I am thinking we will make our decision, He metioned Chicago and Las Vegas, and I am still hoping for Provincetown. I will keep you updated. I am going to have him read all your comment tonight as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssullivan Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 Wherever you go, you'll have a good time. All of those are good choices (although I can only stand about two or three days max in Vegas, not a whole week). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pumapayam Posted June 19, 2007 Author Share Posted June 19, 2007 We got tied up with cooking and the gym last night, so we could not make a decision yet, hopefully tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArchitecturalPRGirl Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 We got tied up with cooking and the gym last night, so we could not make a decision yet, hopefully tonight.I just got back from Vegas Sunday and won my ass off. The tables are hot and I barely spent any of my own money! The pool at Mandalay is awesome. It's hot as hell, but there is tons to do and you can do it pretty cheaply.I still vote San Fran though. You can do it on a budget. I'm having lunch in an hour with my friend who is flying in from San Francisco if there's anything you want me to ask about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pumapayam Posted June 19, 2007 Author Share Posted June 19, 2007 I'm having lunch in an hour with my friend who is flying in from San Francisco if there's anything you want me to ask about.Bed and Breakfast, Timeshare, or Hotel?Which should we do in a city like San Francisco. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArchitecturalPRGirl Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 Bed and Breakfast, Timeshare, or Hotel?Which should we do in a city like San Francisco.I probably wouldn't do a B&B in San Fran unless you drive out to Carmel. Hotels in the city near all the restaurants etc is really cool. And there probably aren't many time shares in the city either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssullivan Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 Bed and Breakfast, Timeshare, or Hotel?Which should we do in a city like San Francisco.I'd go for a hotel if you do San Francisco. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pumapayam Posted June 20, 2007 Author Share Posted June 20, 2007 I probably wouldn't do a B&B in San Fran unless you drive out to Carmel. Hotels in the city near all the restaurants etc is really cool. And there probably aren't many time shares in the city either.Sounds like I know where to stay in SF.I guess B&B is more of a Northeast thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristiw Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 You can find some REALLY nice places to stay at vacationrentals dot comI just peeked at SF and they have some nice places you can rent by the week, which may even be cheaper than the cost of a hotel... more private too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Marty Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 Sears Tower in Vegas. . . who knew? So if you had to pick one, did you mean Vegas or Chicago? Chicago If you go to San Francisco make sure you take some pic's of the Golden Gate Bridge and post them. Las Vegas is not camera friendly from what I heard, you know "What happens here stay's here" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moni Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 My bf and I are planning our vacation, and we have decided amongst 4 final cities.Each has some reasons, which are as follows: Chicago, Illinois - Originally decided based on a doctor's conference that he had to attend, but later was found untrue. I have never been there as an adult. Maybe we can sit in on a taping of Oprah! Provincetown, Massachusetts - It is gay friendly environment, and my bf has never been there. I was there as a kid and I remember my father being captivated be a Celine Dion drag queen. (He is a big Celine fan). Las Vegas, Nevada - I don't gamble, and neither does my bf. This one is if-y, but still looks fun. My bf has never been to Las Vegas. San Francisco, California - My bf has never been, and I was there only as a child. Remember very little, except we have a photo of us from the crooked street. Any help with unique places to visit, stay, and fun things to do would help if you have been to these places. A big thing is my bf is not "out" so he wants to be in a comfortable environment where we can at least walk together, hold hands without any issues (we rarely/never do that in Houston) I am leaning towards P-town right now, Shying away from Las Vegas, and don't really know if "I" could afford the big cities of San Francisco or Chicago. We are going in late July. Thank you HAIF-ers I recommend Castro Street in San Francisco. It is really an area where gay people live, work and eat. All people are welcome and the restaurants are great. Trust me on this one. You can't go wrong and you will see all the little rainbow flags. Really, there is a lot to do in this area and the food is really good. Plenty of bars and nightlife and nobody will give you any trouble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pumapayam Posted June 21, 2007 Author Share Posted June 21, 2007 Las Vegas is not camera friendly from what I heard, you know "What happens here stay's here"Likely due to the horrible glare you'd get from all the lights I am sure.You'd have to have a tripod or a sensor on your camera that loves low light for night shots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Marty Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 Likely due to the horrible glare you'd get from all the lights I am sure.You'd have to have a tripod or a sensor on your camera that loves low light for night shots.The casinos in Kansas City, Missouri would not allow cameras "inside" in 1996. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pumapayam Posted June 27, 2007 Author Share Posted June 27, 2007 The irony of the poll reveals that we should not go to Sin City, but the final decision we made was Las Vegas, based partially on some friends that want to join us on our trip. So, the next item, we are planning to stay at the Luxor, thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssullivan Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 You'll have fun in Las Vegas, especially if you've never been before. Even if you don't gamble, there's still enough to do to occupy several days. It's also not too far to some places like Hoover Dam, which is a fun side trip.As for the Luxor, I've never stayed there. My company did have a huge conference for our clients (nearly 10,000 people there) in Vegas back in March. Our main conference hotel was Mandalay Bay, which is next door to the Luxor. Several of my clients couldn't get rooms at Mandalay Bay and were put in our overflow rooms at the Luxor, and I heard complaints from them about the rooms being very worn and in need of renovation. That's the only thing I have to go by regarding Luxor, but based on that, if I was going, I'd probably be looking at one of the other properties. But again, this was hearsay, I never saw the rooms they stayed in, and this was based on the opinion of about five people.Two more days until my first summer vacation... I can't wait. Just hope the weather cooperates with me getting home from Dallas tomorrow night, and out of Houston to Portland Friday night. I'm sick of all the rain and thunderstorms that keep disrupting my flights! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
native_Houstonian Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 I haven't been inside the Luxor for quite some time, but the last time I was there it was okay - probably a 2.5- 3 star hotel for Vegas standards. This is just my assessment from the casino floor, as I have never stayed there. It is on the end of The Strip, about a 15 -20 minute walk to what I consider the "heart" of the Strip area (Bellagio, Venetian, Paris, Mirage, Treasure Island, etc). Hotel rooms during the week are MUCH cheaper than weekend stays in Vegas. Probably 50% to 66% off weekend prices. Since you aren't much of a gambler and are there to see the sights, I would recommend staying on the Strip. You may also check out New York, New York and MGM Grand for rooms. We stay at NY, NY almost every time we are there, and always have a good time. It's on the same side of the strip as Luxor, but maybe 5 minutes closer to the "heart". If you are going to be there a few days, I would recommend renting a car one day and driving to Hoover Dam and stop by the Ethel M Chocolate Factory (it's on the way). Also, there is a nice ski lodge in the mountains (about an hour out of Vegas - I wanna say Mt. Washington, but I'm not sure), that makes for a nice afternoon drive. I'm a Vegas regular (2-3 times a year), so if you have any questions, PM me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArchitecturalPRGirl Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 The irony of the poll reveals that we should not go to Sin City, but the final decision we made was Las Vegas, based partially on some friends that want to join us on our trip.So, the next item, we are planning to stay at the Luxor, thoughts? I am also a Vegas afficionado/regular and I have stayed everywhere as far as the nicer hotels go, but I haven't stayed at the Luxor. I have also heard it is in need of renovation. Since Harrah's bought Paris and Caesar's, I hear you can get some great deals. Caesar's pool is pretty happening. Look into Monte Carlo and Treasure Island too. I just came back last week and stayed at Mandalay, which I really like in the summer because they have the best pools. We paid a lot for a weekend, $600. ouch! NY NY is ok, they have good deals too. I stayed at Venetain once and got a pretty good deal, but there are a lot of elderly people there, especially the pool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pumapayam Posted June 27, 2007 Author Share Posted June 27, 2007 It's also not too far to some places like Hoover Dam, which is a fun side trip.We will definately hit that.The rooms in the Luxor are worn in huh, so should we stay elsewhere? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
native_Houstonian Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 We will definately hit that.The rooms in the Luxor are worn in huh, so should we stay elsewhere?I would. Luxor would be pretty far down on my list. Are you going over a weekend or during the week. What is your budget? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArchitecturalPRGirl Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 We will definately hit that.The rooms in the Luxor are worn in huh, so should we stay elsewhere?You should look around, there are better places and with good deals. I agree with native. And Hoover damn is cool. I did it by helicopter and flew into the Grand Canyon. It's cool to fly over the Vegas strip and see it from that perspective.You're going to have fun. If you haven't been in summer desert heat, it's way different. It was 106 last week when I was there. You can't lay out outside the pool. Gotta be in the water or you'll roast.P.S. If you like Asian food and want to go to a fun trendy place for a nice dinner one night that has a great bar and good food and isn't as expensive as a lot of Vegas restaurants, I would recommend Tao in the Venetian. The one in NY is less touristy obviously, but the locals go to the one in Vegas. Gotta have a reservation though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pumapayam Posted June 27, 2007 Author Share Posted June 27, 2007 Anyone stay at Flamigo.I heard the rooms were recently renovated? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArchitecturalPRGirl Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 Anyone stay at Flamigo.I heard the rooms were recently renovated?You're going in the wrong direction:) lolGot to priceline Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pumapayam Posted June 27, 2007 Author Share Posted June 27, 2007 You're going in the wrong direction:) lolGot to pricelineOh, Are they cheap or expensive compared to Luxor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 this would be a neat place (if still open) http://www.latimemachines.com/veg0430.JPG or http://www.latimemachines.com/veg0433.JPG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
native_Houstonian Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 No, I would probably put Luxor and the Flamingo in the same category. Check the Las Vegas Hilton. It' 2 blocks off of the strip, but it has a monorail stop, so it's very convenient to get to the Strip. That is where I stayed the last time I was in Vegas, as my friend has Hilton Points that he wanted to use for a free room. It was nice.I would also suggest the Golden Nugget downtown. It's very very nice, and sometimes a little cheaper than Strip hotels since it's downtown. The only downside of staying downtown is that you have to take about a 30 minute bus ride to get to the Strip or a $20 cab ride. If you haven't already booked your flight, check contintental vacations or swavacations.com for package deals. You may be able to save a little bit there.I just checked the Golden Nugget website and they have $69 and $79 room rates during the week during July. That's pretty standard for them. And, they have undergone major, major remodeling in the past year. It's a beautiful place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArchitecturalPRGirl Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 Oh, Are they cheap or expensive compared to Luxor?Do you know dates yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssullivan Posted June 29, 2007 Share Posted June 29, 2007 Most of our conference in March was at Mandalay Bay. The rooms I saw there varied quite a bit, but all looked nice. The best I saw were in "the hotel," a separate smaller tower that's behind the main part of the Mandalay complex. Of course, rooms in the hotel are generally more expensive than at the main Mandalay Bay tower. I've also heard good things about the hotel rooms at The Venetian and Bellagio from a coworker who goes to Vegas a lot.As for the Flamingo, I'd rank it somewhat below Luxor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArchitecturalPRGirl Posted June 29, 2007 Share Posted June 29, 2007 Most of our conference in March was at Mandalay Bay. The rooms I saw there varied quite a bit, but all looked nice. The best I saw were in "the hotel," a separate smaller tower that's behind the main part of the Mandalay complex. Of course, rooms in the hotel are generally more expensive than at the main Mandalay Bay tower. I've also heard good things about the hotel rooms at The Venetian and Bellagio from a coworker who goes to Vegas a lot.As for the Flamingo, I'd rank it somewhat below Luxor.This guy is on a budget. Bellagio and Mandalay are way out of his league for this trip. And THEhotel at Mandalay is like $800 a night. Tilman Fertitta (Landry's) bought the Golden Nugget about a year ago and toally renovated it. He also put in a Vic & Anthony's. I hear the rooms are pretty nice and you can get really good deals since it's downtown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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