To not want to go to Las Vegas?

[gBean]

H and I are hoping to get away next year, just the two of us. I'm not massively well travelled, he is.

He really wants to go to Vegas and I just don't see the appeal. I don't like casinos. I like beaches and sightseeing and shopping. Would love to visit Venice, Portugal, Copenhagen but nothing about Vegas exites me.

AIBU or a bit daft?

I'm the least Vegas person ever (hate gambling, barely drink, bored by shopping) but I loved it for the people-watching. Having said that, I wouldn't go for an entire holiday; 48h is more than enough. Combine it with a California road trip or Austin (great for music).

Venice, Portugal or Copenhagen all knock Vegas into a cocked hat. I've been twice despite swearing id never go back after the first visit (long story), it's fun and people watching for 18 hours. Then the sleaze and awfulness just gets to you.

The Grand Canyon is amazing, if you stay there and walk into it. LV as part of a big road trip, great. If you are heading somewhere for a few days go to Venice.

There's a million places that would have been higher up my list of places to go but stbxh wanted to go to America & Vegas was #1 choice & I loved it. I really think it's whatever you want it to be. High end hotels, Michelin star dining, shows & amazing pools or casino's, mc'ds & loads of drinking & partying & everything in between.

Vegas is shit. Really shit. If you're drunk it's mildly exciting for a couple of hours but, basically, it's just a hotter and bigger Blackpool. The Hoover Dam isn't very exciting either - it's just a dam! Ladybower in the Peaks is more impressive IMO.

Definitely encourage your DH to go somewhere that's actually nice, rather than spending thousands on going to a bigger version of Alton Towers. Venice, Florence, Rome, Sicily, Barcelona? Seville if he's after hot weather and late-night drinking? Monte Carlo, Nice and Eze on the Riviera for casinos and beaches with a bit of glamour?

Just wanted to pipe in and say if you're going to Venice don't go for longer than a weekend. Me and DP went for a week and were bored most of the time. You can see everything there is to see in 2/3 days.

It'd be the last place on my list, just an arid version of Blackpool

Venice is fab I have to say, and great for couples. Copenhagen a bit boring to be honest. Portugal nice. Vegas is brilliant. I have been 5 times. Love culture, have done most European Capitals, Middle East, Far East etc etc but Vegas is just one of my favourite places ever.

Also, there is a really fancy casino in Venice, it's black tie and you need to get a little boat to it!

I have been dragged there for a conference, it's like a Disneyland for adults, everything is fake and if you don't see the point of gambling, it is utterly boring (yeah, you can also see good shows and have access to good shopping in much nicer places).

Can't imagine paying a longhaul expensive flight to go there. It is not worth it.

I absolutely love Vegas. We did 2 weeks there last year, and are going back for another 2 weeks this summer.

As others have said, it's so much more than just casinos. So much to do and see. In fact we didn't get to do everything we wanted to in 2 weeks and that's why we're going back.

I wasn't really looking forward to it tbh, but it was honestly the best holiday I've ever had!

Running - isn't Eze the loveliest place? I mean - the whole Riviera is stunning and further down towards Italy is Menton - just wonderful. Juan les Pins also fabulous - you could take an 7 day holiday, hire a car and do a different Rivera town every day. Now that's my idea of a holiday!

OMG- 2 weeks- what on earth did you/ will you do?

Also, roughly how much do you spend there? I was astounded by the prices there- the decent shows are £100 per person, the Grand Canyon is about £250 each- you could very easily spend a fortune without shopping or gambling.

Duchess - it's absolutely gorgeous, and so easy to get around as the trains are so fast and frequent. Eze is picturesque, but you're only 10 mins from Monaco for bars etc.
That said, running up and down the Nietzsche path to and from the coast was tough going!

Nothing would induce me to go to Vegas (or Dubai) Nothing

If you're going that far, go to california as a compromise. Fly into LA, drive through the joshua tree national park, stop off in palm springs then fly out from vegas.

We went for a family wedding and although I wouldn't have picked it as a destination it was actually lots of fun. There is the Area 51 and gangster museum, amazing areas for hiking and climbing just an hour outside, plus all the other things pp mentioned. We found the bus tour fascinating too.

All the public transport along that coast is unbelievably cheap and efficient - you can go from Cannes to the Italian border for about €15. I've never been to Monaco - that's next on the list.
Sorry for the derail OP!

Bearbehind, we will do a few days lazing around the pool so could be anywhere really

Last year we did a few shows - The Beatles Cirque, Matt Goss and another Cirque which I've forgotten. We did Shark reef at Mandalay Bay, secret garden at Mirage, shopping on the strip and also the outlets, visited Hoover Dam, drank cocktails etc. this year we'd like to do a couple more shows, see the Grand Canyon, maybe hire a car and visit Santa Monica for a night or 2, also go to top of Stratosphere and have dinner watching the fountains at Bellagio.

Last year we spent $3000 (about £2400 I think) in 2 weeks. Yes, it is expensive but we saw the shows and attractions mostly for free though myvegas. We also got a couple of buffet meals for free through it.

DP and I went there when we were backpacking. We didn't gamble but we did get very drunk and find it all very amusing. . The pound was strong when we went so everything seemed cheap.

It would be a long way down my list of places to go tbh. Iirc it's not too far from San Francisco, which I liked a lot, so could you combine the two?

It is fascinating that we are all so wildly different in what we like /dislike- it'd be boring if we all liked the same thing though.

Have fun tequila - the rides at the top of Stratosphere are an experience.

I forgot to add - we're not gamblers. We did have a little flutter, I think it we probably spent about $50 between us on slots I'm too tight to gamble. The myvegas app is free slots though, and you earn coins. You can exchange the coins for the show tickets etc when you get there. Really good! I've got enough now for a meal at the Bellagio so that'll be free . It does take a while to build the coins up but I put it on auto spin while I'm doing the housework!

I've been to a lot of places and Vegas really is amazing, I loved it and I'm not even a gambler, waste of money! (I did bet $5 just for the hell of it, and won $40) The casinos are full of smoke so I avoided those.
There's so many other things to do, lots of shopping and sightseeing. The pools are really fun. The food is amazing. I even went on the rides on top of the Stratosphere. we went to see the Grand Canyon as well and that was my favourite part.

YANBU my other half loves Vegas and I know everyone likes different things but IMO it's tacky and superficial. I would just never choose to go there. If he desperately wanted us to go together I would but I'd make it clear id rather not.

Wetlettuce, I could have written your post a year ago, word for word. But DH really wanted to go so I agreed. Best decision I ever made, and I never thought I'd say that!

Tequila Really? What changed for you?