Lissa2905

All good plans have gone out the window, my fiance and I have been planning to get married in Las Vegas this December for a while now, however our work situations changed rather dramatically, and we are both now in the coal mining sector, living and working away from home..

Needless to say, the reality has now hit, and we don't have time or the internet connections for me to do my normal research. I have planned a few really great trips, and as this one is so special, I don't want it to be a shambles

Our plan wasA (3 days), Drive to Las Vegas (1 Day), Las Vegas (4 Days), Grand Canyon (2 Days), Drive to Lake Tahoe (2 Days), Drive to San Francisco (1 Day), 4 Days San Francisco, Drive to LA (3 days).

What I would be so appreciative of, is if you wonderful Fodorites could suggest 3 places to stay for me in LA, Las Vegas and San Francisco. That's where I'm really stuck.

The Budget is up to $200 per night, and we really like to stay where there is lots of atmosphere, and we're not against paying extra for a view.

In LA we're interested in the natural sights and the well know places, not the theme parks etc. And I had thought of staying in the Santa Monica area. We will have a car,

In Las Vegas we want to stay somewhere really nice, we like the idea of one of the bigger Casino's, we want to see the attractions, but the shows are probably our focus. I'm confused between what some friends are calling the 'old strip' and the 'new strip'. we'll be getting married on our second day there, so it should be special.

In San Francisco, I'd love to stay somewhere really central, would die to have a view, and be on a steep street . With so little research I know there is lots to see and haven't refined that yet.

I'm hoping you guys can help, thank you. Lissa

tracys2cents

Is this over the holidays? If so, Vegas can get pricey over New Years. If not, Vegas is quite a bargain weekdays in early December. However, many of the shows go dark (no performances) during the couple of weeks before Christmas.

Ambrose Hotel in Santa Monica is in your price range and includes parking. However, it's quite a few blocks walk to restaurants and shoppes.

In San Francisco, Columbus Motor Inn includes parking and is in the interesting, walkable North Beach neighborhood, not a bad walk to the Pier, not a bad walk to Union Square, and cable cars/bus etc all nearby. Park the car and leave it. Not a romantic spot though, more basic/family oriented. Also have enjoyed Hotel Cartwright, the Carlton, the Queen Anne and the The Tuscan Inn (but $35-$50 per night parking in San Fran can really eat into your budget, a caution when using priceline etc here) .

For Vegas, an address on "Las VEgas Boulevard South" is what you want. Go to www.kayak.com and see which hotels are in your price range, come back here with the names and you'll get lots of advice. Caesar's Palace, Wynn, Encore, Venetian, Mirage, Aria, Cosmopolitan, Bellagio....all should have some good special offers in early December. If you can plan weekdays in Las Vegas and weekend days in San Fran and Los Angeles, your budget will stretch further and your traffic in L.A. will be a bit lighter.

qwovadis

First congrats!

Second www.betterbidding.com

always gets me best prices bidding priceline.com from $60

lasightseeing.com downtown recently Westin Bonaventure $69

Vegas Venetian $80 recently was awesome

Marriott SF $80

Happy Hunting...

booking.com tripres.com if u do not want to bid

qwovadis

Try to arrive in Vegas on a Sun-Thurs for best rates

clarkgriswold

check the rates for your Los Angeles dates at the Casa Malibu Inn.

Kay2

A question about your itinerary for December.
Grand Canyon South Rim? North gets snow and closes.

Drive to Lake Tahoe (where we were married) and then drive to San Francisco.
Again, be careful of the weather. Not that it can't be done, but the highways coming down from Lake Tahoe can be restricted to chains or closed if a snow storm comes. It could delay you for a day or so at that time of year.

We stayed at the MGM in LV last year for a conference. It was OK, but I wasn't impressed.

janisj

I am a little bit confused. You told us what your plans was originally -- but that that is now out the window. Is that right? That now you are just doing LA, LV and SF and not the rest??

If so -- in the winter I would not drive between Las Vegas and San Francisco. The mountain routes can be either snowy or closed, and the valley route can be deadly foggy.

Anyway -- please clarify if you still want to include the Grand Canyon, Tahoe and the coast -- or just LV/LA/SF.

HIPoolboy

In the next month or two, deals for Las Vegas in December will abound. Agree with prior poster that a lot of the shows will be dark, but deals can be had on the ones that operate if you search around. If you can get a deal Venetian/Palazzo is a great choice with plenty of nice food options. Otherwise, the area around Paris, Caesar's and Bellagio is my favorite for the location. Old and new strip, the old being downtown where I would choose Golden Nugget. Two very different experiences beteen downtown and the strip; when I have time I like to spend a couple of nights in each. The rodeo finals are in LAS the first ten days...lots and lots of cowboys and entertainment geared to their appearance in LAS.

For LA consider the Hollywood area around the Renaissance. Check on the stars on Hollywood Blvd, Grauman's and so on. Consider a visit to the Griffith Park Observatory with great views of the whole of Los Angeles and on a good day to the coast.

joesorce

Planet Hollywood has strip-view rooms that look out over the Bellagio Fountains and the LV strip. "Hollywood Hip Strip View" rooms are on sale at $90 per night weeknights in December, no parking or "resort fees" added. The deal is totally changeable/cancellable up til 72 hours prior to arrival, so you might book it now while you continue to look around. Just don't forget to cancel should you decide to stay elsewhere.
www.planethollywoodresort.com

joesorce

Check out the "birth year special" at the Sheraton Delfina Hotel in Santa Monica. It's only offered if you're checking in on a Fri Sat or Sun. You pay $339 plus parking on the first night, and the 2nd and third night you pay your birth year (plus parking). So, if you were born in 1975, you pay $75 for each of your 2nd and 3rd nights.

http://deals.sheraton.com/Sheraton-S...35&iATANumber=

joesorce

In San Francisco, The columbus Motor Inn is $85 per night INCLUDING parking on weeknights, 2nd week of December. I don't think you'll find a nicer place in a better location for that price. www.columbusmotorinn.com Check the reviews or pop the name into the Fodors search box for info on others who've stayed here.

janisj

The OP has never returned to this thread so we still don't know exactly what she is asking . . .

Placename

Your original post is confusing to me. I had to go look at some of your other posts to get the information you need. It really helps if you look at it in sequential order:

Day 1- Arrive LA from Brisbane, Australia.
Day-3 Los Angeles
Day 4 Drive to Las Vegas
Day 5-9 Las Vegas'
Day 10, 11- Grand Canyon
Day 12-13, Drive to Lake Tahoe and visit
Day 15 Drive to San Francisco
Day 16-19 San Francisco
Day 20-22 Drive to Los Angeles
Day 23 Depart US.

If that isn't correct, then please consider re-posting your itinerary. It also makes more sense to consider the number of nights, not days.

My concerns: Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, Lake Tahoe will all be cold. Quite cold as they are all at elevation. Bring warm clothes for Las Vegas. Average December temps 56day-36 night. Many of the pools will be closed for the winter.

Grand Canyon is at 7,000 ft elevation and you won't want to spend two days there.
Lake Tahoe is about 6,500 ft elevation and you will also need winter clothing.

The drive from Las Vegas to Lake Tahoe in December can be very treacherous and you need to carry chains, supplies, and be prepared to stay overnight en route, or take an alternate route in case of storms.

janisj

Placename: I think the OP has left the bldg (or maybe the wedding is off )

Lissa2905

Hi Guys, no not off, still on, just been out in the middle of the bush with no internet since my last post
Thank you Placename, and sorry. I should've known better but was in a rush while I had access.
We are rethinking the drive north, and are abit adrift at the moment as to how to re jig our itinerary.
Great suggestions by the way on the places to stay.
Placename you had the itinerary exactly right, however we are now down to 20 days due to work commitments and airfares at that time of year.
Maybe we should fly straight into Vegas, spend a week, Death Valley, Red Rock, any shows that are still on. Fly to Sanfrancisco, spend a few days, then drive slowly back down the coast to LA before we leave.
Either that or Las Vegas then fly to Miami for a Carribean cruise honeymoon.
Like I said, plans completely out the window, and without internet it's going to be a struggle
Thanks for all the advice, I'm sorry I didn't get to reply sooner.