I feel I am betraying an old friend? :(

[sweetemotion]

Originally Posted by daytonababe

The Disney soda fountain isn't that any more , when we went 2 years ago it had been turned into a Ghiradelli shop / normal Disney store .

There are a lot of homeless in Vegas as many as Hollywood more if you go past downtown but I think the strip is far cleaner than Hollywood and far far safer.
I walked into a restroom last month in the sweet shop in the Hollywood and highland Center to find drugs paraphernalia and blood everywhere, according to the shop assistant it's a regular , never seen that in Vegas thankfully ..

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Wow that's really disgusting! I knew Hollywood had a big drug problem but I've never experienced anything like that. Would agree that Vegas is cleaner, I even prefer the downtown area to parts of Hollywood.

[Tweety1]

Originally Posted by daytonababe

Very .. it's not at all glam, grubby and full of very strange characters..

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I'm thinking Pretty Woman/Rodeo drive lol
Would you miss it completely?

[Tweety1]

Originally Posted by daytonababe

The Disney soda fountain isn't that any more , when we went 2 years ago it had been turned into a Ghiradelli shop / normal Disney store .

There are a lot of homeless in Vegas as many as Hollywood more if you go past downtown but I think the strip is far cleaner than Hollywood and far far safer.
I walked into a restroom last month in the sweet shop in the Hollywood and highland Center to find drugs paraphernalia and blood everywhere, according to the shop assistant it's a regular , never seen that in Vegas thankfully ..

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Oo that's horrible!

[Bella Girl]

In view of the comments on this thread about drug deals and shady areas, are there any tips to share about personal safety?

[Tweety1]

Originally Posted by daytonababe

Yes there is a airport near to Disney Santa Ana but you can't get a direct flight to there .

We drive everywhere , we flew into LAX, landed at 3pm and drive straight to Vegas, if your lucky it takes 4.5 hrs but it took us over 7, we got to Vegas just before midnight .
Driving is different to Florida , you do a lot more of it , but I wouldn't say it's any more difficult



LA traffic is a nightmare in that it's always busy and can be very slow, some places are 7 lanes wide but it's because it's so slow it's not scary , just make sure your in the correct lanes,

LA I suppose is Hollywood, Santa Monica etc .

There is all kinds of things to do in Vegas, if you do a search of my name I did a huge list of things to do in and around Vegas , we always have a car in Vegas and wouldn't not do. Yes most hotels charge for parking but ( & less than Disney charge though ) it makes life easier and if you want to eat off strip where it's far cheaper and visit places likes the hoover dam, red rock canyon etc .

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Thank you, you gave been very helpful - but watch out there will be more questions
My main worry was if the driving was worse than Florida. I would like to do Hoover dam aswell. There is just so much to do!

[Tweety1]

Originally Posted by sweetemotion

As a first timer, I'd say go to Hollywood. I far too excited my first time. But it didn't live up to expectations. Just like everyone else says. The main reason for this is from watching things like E! entertainment and watching all these "glamorous" shows on MTC etc. Of course, the Hollywood hills, Beverly Hills and Bel Air/Rodeo Drive etc are amazing. They are lovely places, but not far out and you have your homeless/run down areas. Although, that's all over California from what I've experienced.

The Walk of Fame was cool to see. The Chinese theatre was nice to see, and of course so many stars that I needed to see and have photos with. The Disney soda fountain was nice. I loved seeing the Viper room and Rainbow bar on Sunset Blvd. But I'm really into rock music and was lucky enough to meet a bunch of people there. Universal studios is awesome, if you're going to hollywood definitely stop in here. Hollywood is one of those places that you see once and really feel the need to go back to imo.

If Disney is your main thing when visiting the west coast, then maybe spend more of your time down in Dan Diego/ Anaheim and less time in Los Angeles.

It really depends on how much driving you want/would like to do. From La to San Fran is approx 8 hours. I did the drive in one and it hurt, and I was the passenger But as mentioned before there are cool things to see on the way, you could always stop midpoint and just do some of the little stop offs. I loved San Francisco so I'd recommend that over Vegas. But I've been to vegas 5 times and San Fran once so maybe that's why.

Alternatively, what about doing San Diego, Disneyland, Hollywood and end in Vegas? The flights from LAX to Vegas are usually really cheap, and take 45 minutes. I prefer Vegas to Hollywood but even there you'll find homeless people and tackiness.

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This is all very helpful esp doing the internal flight! Do you have an idea on the cost?

[daytonababe]

Originally Posted by sweetemotion

Wow that's really disgusting! I knew Hollywood had a big drug problem but I've never experienced anything like that. Would agree that Vegas is cleaner, I even prefer the downtown area to parts of Hollywood.

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I know I was shocked, I'm just relieved I walked in and not a kid..

I prefer Downtown Vegas too and I'm not exactly a fan..

Originally Posted by Tweety1

I'm thinking Pretty Woman/Rodeo drive lol
Would you miss it completely?

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Rodeo Drive is very nice and very posh a world away from hollywood.. its clean etc .. Hollywood is pretty much Pretty Woman.. seedy bars and run down, the Blue Banana in the film (its not called that really) is on Hollywood Blvd next to the Egyptian theatre.

Originally Posted by Bella Girl

In view of the comments on this thread about drug deals and shady areas, are there any tips to share about personal safety?

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Keep your wits about your and you kids close.. Mine are 14 & 18 in Vegas they get a fair bit of freedom they know it well I don't care if the wander up the strip ahead of us etc

In Hollywood not a chance and they wouldn't want to.. apparently its worst after dark.

The homeless mostly aren't a issue, my DD and I had a lovely conversation with a homeless couple on Hollywood Blvd they had a couple of pit bulls we played with. They weren't scary or anything.

Drugs are everywhere I know that my local skate park has its issues with them, We walked past the drug deal in Santa Monica, 1st time I've seen one in 16 visits to America and we just carried on walking.. not my business, it doesn't affect me..

Originally Posted by Tweety1

Thank you, you gave been very helpful - but watch out there will be more questions
My main worry was if the driving was worse than Florida. I would like to do Hoover dam aswell. There is just so much to do!

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Anytime just ask )

There is a lot to do and you won't do it all, So i would read some trip reports or get a guide book and pick a few places you really want to see...Imo its better to spend longer in each place and really get to see it properly..

here's my list of things to do in Vegas

Some of the things we've done over the years ( and some we haven't )
Shark reef
Secret garden
Neon museum ( our favourite )
Bellagio conservatory
Bellagio fountains
Mirage volcano
Gondola rides
NyNy roller coaster
Stratosphere tower & rides
Linq high roller ( big wheel )
Fremont street
Golden nugget, worlds biggest nugget
Ricks restorations
Counts kustoms
Kiss crazy golf
Pawn shop
Pin ball museum
Gun store
Go karting
Wet and wild
Cowabunga bay
Vegas sign
Madame Tussaud's
Mob museum
Atomic bomb museum
CSI experience
Lake mead
Hoover dam
Red rock canyon
Valley of fire
Primm ( certain days of the week the wooden roller coaster etc works )
Shopping
Eiffel Tower
Town square
Game works
Walked miles on the strip
M&Ms world
Hershey's world
Coke world
Romans show at Caesars palace
Shelby museum
Car museum at the Linq
Boulder City
Lake Las Vegas
Tanked
Shows
Circus circus adventuredrome ( probably my least favourite place in Vegas but some must like it ...

[daytonababe]

Originally Posted by Tweety1

This is all very helpful esp doing the internal flight! Do you have an idea on the cost?

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For 5 it will be a lot cheaper to keep the car and drive, there's 4 of us and i just can't justify the cost.

Traffic being slow aside... the drive from LA to Vegas is very easy.

[daytonababe]

Hollywood blvd

[Tweety1]

Originally Posted by daytonababe

I know I was shocked, I'm just relieved I walked in and not a kid..

I prefer Downtown Vegas too and I'm not exactly a fan..



Rodeo Drive is very nice and very posh a world away from hollywood.. its clean etc .. Hollywood is pretty much Pretty Woman.. seedy bars and run down, the Blue Banana in the film (its not called that really) is on Hollywood Blvd next to the Egyptian theatre.



Keep your wits about your and you kids close.. Mine are 14 & 18 in Vegas they get a fair bit of freedom they know it well I don't care if the wander up the strip ahead of us etc

In Hollywood not a chance and they wouldn't want to.. apparently its worst after dark.

The homeless mostly aren't a issue, my DD and I had a lovely conversation with a homeless couple on Hollywood Blvd they had a couple of pit bulls we played with. They weren't scary or anything.

Drugs are everywhere I know that my local skate park has its issues with them, We walked past the drug deal in Santa Monica, 1st time I've seen one in 16 visits to America and we just carried on walking.. not my business, it doesn't affect me..



Anytime just ask )

There is a lot to do and you won't do it all, So i would read some trip reports or get a guide book and pick a few places you really want to see...Imo its better to spend longer in each place and really get to see it properly..

here's my list of things to do in Vegas

Some of the things we've done over the years ( and some we haven't )
Shark reef
Secret garden
Neon museum ( our favourite )
Bellagio conservatory
Bellagio fountains
Mirage volcano
Gondola rides
NyNy roller coaster
Stratosphere tower & rides
Linq high roller ( big wheel )
Fremont street
Golden nugget, worlds biggest nugget
Ricks restorations
Counts kustoms
Kiss crazy golf
Pawn shop
Pin ball museum
Gun store
Go karting
Wet and wild
Cowabunga bay
Vegas sign
Madame Tussaud's
Mob museum
Atomic bomb museum
CSI experience
Lake mead
Hoover dam
Red rock canyon
Valley of fire
Primm ( certain days of the week the wooden roller coaster etc works )
Shopping
Eiffel Tower
Town square
Game works
Walked miles on the strip
M&Ms world
Hershey's world
Coke world
Romans show at Caesars palace
Shelby museum
Car museum at the Linq
Boulder City
Lake Las Vegas
Tanked
Shows
Circus circus adventuredrome ( probably my least favourite place in Vegas but some must like it ...

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Wow,wow I didn't realise there was so much to do! How far is the hoover dam,GC from here?
Any tips on obtaining cheap flights? Do you ever do indirect? Thank you so much you have been super helpful