So what do you think of Las Vegas? Should we go?

[BeckAndCall]

We are is serious planning stage for a week in Las Vegas just before Easter. We are me, DH and DDs 21 and 18 - it's kind of a birthday present for them - something memorable. DS 23 who lives in Canada will fly down to meet us .

I had narrowed it down to Caesrars Palace or the Bellagio and now DH has thrown a spanner in the works by saying it'll be too crowded, we'll be harassed by hookers and there'll be no escaping the cigarette smoke ( DD has asthma and is badly affected at times by smoke). Is he right ?

I'm now looking at resorts out of town but that's just not my ideal - I wanted to be in the thick of it ( I know DD at 18 can't do casinos but we love shows!)

Anyone got any experience of the strip that they can share? Thanks

I went for a few days (in 2000) and really wasn't interested in gambling. The whole place was crazy. We did the Canyon helicopter trip and drove to Death Valley for a couple of days.

I'd go back but use it as a base for exploring the desert and surrounding areas. Although I could watch the Bellagio fountains for hours .

Oh and the only place where people were thrusting cards was on the streets. Just cards, no actual prostitutes!

Grand Canyon was expensive but AMAZING!

I agree. It's much better than florida. I went with a group of couples in our 30s. We got asked for id once in margueritaville at the flamingo we didn't go back but we all carried it around after that.

Oh I love Vegas, it's an experience rather than a holiday. The whole place just so unreal. I've been a few times and always had so much fun. It's not all full on - some of the hotels have such amazing pool complexes you can easily spend a few days just chilling out in them. There's loads to do for under 21s so I wouldn't worry about that, particularly if you're going off and doing things like the Grand Canyon etc.

Agree with choosing your hotel carefully - I have stayed in quite a few and loved the Wynn, Venetian and surprisingly (because it was dirt cheap even by Vegas standards) the MGM Grand.

Prostitution is illegal in Las Vegas, although this is not the case in all of Nevada. So you won't get the actual 'hookers' but you will see the usual stickers, flyers etc. Smoking in public places is legal in Nevada so make sure you ask for non-smoking rooms in hotels or they will REEK.

Off the strip the city is pretty seedy, be careful.

I found a night there was enough. Worth seeing, then leave. So much else to do in the area and so many wonderful things to see.

It is fab, you will love it, hookers don't hang out at those hotels, take a trip to grand canyon too. Take id out everywhere, 18 year olds can't drink so you won't be able to go to bars

We spent a week there last August. Yes to staying on The Strip, part of the fun is wandering up and down, in and out all the hotels. The 18 age thing might get tiresome, but at least you're aware of it in advance. There's a lot of smoking, but the atmosphere isn't smoky, due to the aircon.

We really wanted to see a sunset at the Grand Canyon, so we took one long daytrip which also included Hoover Dam and a stop on Route 66. It was amazing.

It's lot of fun. If you like shows, restaurants, spas, pools and sunbathing, and shopping then I think you'll love it. I like all those, and it's all there and so easy to access. There are some fabulous restaurants and spas especially, and the prices are low compared to what you would pay here for similar facilities and quality. Definitely stay on the strip. As soon as you turn off it's pretty grubby and horrible.

Oh, go to Fremont street. It's fabulous seeing the old Vegas. I liked it off the strip. I like going to local bars though when I'm away. Obviously you won't be doing that. Although I would ditch the dc's one night and go on all nighter with your dh. It has to be done even if you only last until 2am!

All helpful views, thanks everyone!

Pretty mixed responses on taking 18 year old DD. I don't understand where you think they'll move her on from? We won't be stepping foot in any of the casinos, we're not likely to hang out in bars? She can walk on pavements and ride the roller coaster at NyNY, take a gondola at the Venetian and stand in hotel lobbies and shop in the mall!

Day trips to Grand Canyon and Hoover dam/lake mead already factored in.

So I've decided as a result of your suggestions is that we'll go for a non smoking no casino hotel - so Trump or MGM signature I think ( Vdara not quite right). Or maybe THE although that's not no smoking?

Where I really want to stay is the Bellagio so maybe we could do the non smoking block and be ok there??

( and the reason for choosing Vegas is that it's new for all of us - done all the other major places for families in the US and I've lived over there so know it well. But never done Vegas!)

Top tip lighthouse

If booking Bellagio ask for fountain view rooms

I love Vegas. Have been 3 times. First time I went, I was about 19 or 20 so also not able to drink or gamble. Didn't bother me much at the time as there was so much to see and do.

I have asthma as well, although cig smoke doesn't bother me too much. Most of the newer or more expensive hotels ventilate extremely well.

I have stayed in the Monte Carlo (okay, not great but got a really good deal) and Caesar's Palace (better).

Cirque du Soleil's "Love" show at the Mirage is AMAZING.

There are also things like dueling piano bars, a blues bar, the free show in the mall next to Caesar's, shopping, gondola rides, roller coasters, the lights on Fremont St and a million other things for your underage DD.

Great for say about 3 days, would have hated it for longer. Go to the Grand Canyon or something similar afterwards instead.

We stayed at The Venetian. Beautiful and great service.

There are a lot of prostitutes in Vegas, but what you will notice is the people handing out cards with numbers on them in the street. I didn't see any direct street soliciting. It is a sleazy place.

What is good though is Caesar's palace, the gondola ride at The Venetian and the Bellagio show. Be aware that the hotels and their grounds are huge, so what might not look far on a map, can actually be a fair walk.

The casinos themselves are fairly depressing. Just lots of people spending a lot of money, very quickly. And yes, they are smoky.

I went for 5 days with my best friend for our 30ths. We stayed at the Bellagio and it was amazing, our room didn't smell of smoke and we didn't really notice people excessively smoking tbh. It gets very sleazy very quickly the further out you go, so stick central. Use the concierge to book you theatre tickets, much easier than doing it yourself!

Everything is further away than it looks, the hotels are unbelievably enormous!

I loved it, and we're planning to go back for our 40ths!

"Where I really want to stay is the Bellagio so maybe we could do the non smoking block and be ok there??"

There is no such thing, the Bellagio is a single hotel block (Caesars has multiple blocks, you may have been thinking of there). You may (note may!) be able to have a room on a non smoking floor but they do accommodate smokers.

Your 18 year old could well be moved on in the gaming areas because all under 21s are not allowed to linger at all; she'll be okay however everywhere else. She can walk through all the casino gaming areas.

Think if you want a non smoking and non gaming facility I would recommend either of the two that you've been looking at.

We visited for a couple of nights in November and loved it. One thing I would recommend is the Neon Museum - it's a bus journey up from the Strip (and the buses that go up and down the Strip are pretty cheap), but the area is a bit seedy, so maybe take a cab. But it's basically where they keep and restore all the old neon signs from the very beginning of Vegas as a resort. You have to take a guided tour ($25, I think?) and it's great for giving a bit of context and history to your trip.

And wandering around places like the Venetian or the Wynn is entertaining enough in itself! (The breakfast buffet at the Wynn had long queues, but it was ACE.)

Don't forget In n Out B
burger!

I love Vegas and would love to go back.

We stayed at MGM Signature which is non smoking and non gaming. If you go here make sure you ask for a room in tower 1. Breakfast in the main MGM (both are linked) is amazing. It is buffet style and has so much to offer and very reasonable.

We hardly stepped foot inside a casino and spent 5 days there. Wish it was longer. Mind you, jet lag for us was horrendous and we were in bed by about 9 every night so generally had dinner, came back to our room, watched a rerun of Miami Vice with a glass of wine and crashed out!

We went for a week, for a wedding, nearly 4 years ago. DD was 8y t the time.

Never had an issues at all - no prostitues seen, and don't remember any smoke in the hotels or even walking through the casino areas. There was no problem walking through the casino areas - there are "paths" to stick to if underage, but we didn't have to rush or anything - and there are loads of areas where underage can be, inc restuarants and some bars.

There were men on some of the outside bridged areas handing out cards advertising strip shoes, prostitues, etc but they didn't hassle us at all. We simply ignored them.

We really liked it. Hadnever been before and it wouldn't have been an obvious choice, especially with a child with us. But we had a great week. It was VERY hot - a very dry heat - but there is so much air conditioning everywhere you are hardly outside that much. We would definitely return.

I have been to Vegas a few times and if you put a roof over the entire place it would be a mental institution! Some love it I wouldn't go back but I had a great time whilst I was there!

Are you really sure you want Las Vegas? I agree with Rooners that there are so many better places to visit in the USA. Our friends said Las Vegas was full of mindless gamblers. Driving through it was good enough and it uses enough energy to power a small African country. It is over hyped. At least New York has fabulous buildings, famous sights and culture plus you can see a Broadway Show.

Thanks milly - yes, I'm sure we want to go to Vegas!

I want to add somewhere new - I love NY, Washington, Seattle and many other US cities and lots of other parts of the world too. Some US cities I don't like - Los Angeles, for instance. Detroit not at all. Chicago I can take or leave. And Miami I love, DH hates.

But Vegas is new to all of us - and I keep seeing it in films and have never been! And it's close to places I want to see and haven't yet. Sometimes I feel like I'm the only person who's never been to the Grand Canyon!

dH still not convinced, btw. Found the perfect hotel - non smoking, non casino, great grounds - the Four Seasons. But was going to cost £8k for a week. Back to the drawing board! Most likely going to relax the criteria and stay at the Palazzo......

What about the Vdara or MGM Signature?. Both are completely non smoking facilities. Would also think that both cost far less per week than the Four Seasons.