NYC or Las Vegas (or somewhere else)

[AstorianPlease]

My 30th birthday is coming up at the end of the year and I'd like to go away for 5 days as MIL has very kindly offered childcare so it'll be adults only but I'm wondering where to go.

I have £4k for the whole holiday so for flights, hotel and spending money.

I've seen Las Vegas for £2291 (even less if I want a stop over but it's £200 more for direct so I'd rather go direct haha) for a hotel we've stayed in before and enjoyed but we only went for one night about 6 years ago.

Never been to NYC so opinions very welcome.

Or maybe there's somewhere I'm not thinking of?

It'll probably be in the October half term, thinking 13th-18th October possibly.

(Also I know some people might think it's tight im going without the kids but they are going to Disneyworld for two weeks in November so definitely not missing out).

No… they just don’t inspect any restaurants in Vegas at all, because the guide isn’t marketable from a publishing perspective. It’s not accurate to say any restaurant has lost them i.e. they’ve been re inspected and found not up to snuff. It’s literally impossible to get a star (or 3) there no matter how good the food is. There are a lot of reasons to legitimately hate on Vegas (although personally I unexpectedly loved it) but that really isn’t one.

My sister and her husband are just back from LV 4 days. They had been before on honeymoon and were celebrating a special wedding anniversary, so for nostalgia they went there. Enjoyed it, went to Hoover Dam rather than G Canyon as had been before.

The one thing they were very surprised about was that it was VERY VERY expensive to eat out. Very. They did a lot of take out food and drinks, which are legal to have in public places, unlike other US cities. They did have some meals, but said that for the price they paid, the food was mediocre at best.

NY has turned very expensive also. I was there recently, and could not believe how the prices of everything have increased. But hey, on holidays you just go with the flow I suppose.

My favourite place in all of the US (and I've been to a few now at this stage of my older life!) is New Orleans. Honestly it is like nowhere else in the States IMO. It's a bit mad for sure, but getting a steamboat up the Mississipi to waft by the old Plantation houses is so very Gone with the Wind. Then the Bayou tours on the swamps.... well that's a marmite thing, although very interesting. Also the Cajun country history. Oh I could go on and on. The food, OMG real Creole, jambalaya, Gumbo, Po Boys, Beignets the lot. You will come home heavier than you went!

I'd love to go back some day, come what may to Blue Bayou. LOL.

@Quizine I've always fancied New Orleans but was put off when someone said it's really dangerous, is that not the case or is it kinda like anywhere and there no go zones?

New Orleans is great! Nowhere you’d go as a tourist is sketchy…

Have you thought about Boston? Salem is only a short train ride away and would be brilliant if they already do Halloween that early.

I personally loved Montreal in October but it got really cold.

Ooo I do want to go to Salem! I'll have a look at Boston, thank you

@AstorianPlease It is a very busy place downtown around Bourbon Street, but I'll be honest and say we didn't go there after about 9pm sometimes earlier than that. Knackered after days out on the Bayou and doing what visitors do! I'm not a great one for crowds and noise and pushing and shoving and all that, I'll leave that to the young ones lol! You'd probably need your wits about you at night, but it's not dangerous downtown in the tourist areas.

It is safe if you take the usual precautions as you would anywhere and be aware of your surroundings. It is a great place, fab vibe and so much to see and do. I didn't find it dangerous at all, and did all the city things, like Jackson Square, the Voodoo museum, Louis Armstrong Park and much much more. Comfortable shoes a must, although the tram system is great.

We stayed in the Place d'Armes hotel, have a look, typical old New Orleans style architecture and a short walk to the busy areas, but far enough away to not be bothered by it too much at night. The rates are good for downtown in the French Quarter, you might like to have a look.

There is no comparison imo. Vegas is awful and NYC is fabulous.

If you want culture, fabulous restaurants and bars, amazing site seeing - go to New York. If you want tacky glitz, vulgarity and lights, Las Vegas has it in abundance.

I also really liked New Orleans. The music was fabulous.

@DillDanding don't be such a snob 🙄 you can say you like something without being so unnecessarily condescending about the thing you don't like, the world would be pretty boring if we all liked the same things.

Vegas is Vegas like it has always been, but NYC has changed a LOT in the last 4 years. Anyone who went prior to this will have seen a different city. I would pick Vegas from what you say OP.

I love NYC but Ive heard bad things about it since I last went five years ago. My friend who lives there said its gone backwards and its just like it was in the 80’s abit lawless.

i love Vegas and theres some fab food especially in the old part.

New Orleans is a dream. It has it all.

What is “fab food”? We all seem to have different ideas about that. If discerning people are going to LV you can bet there would be starred restaurants! The fact others it’s off anyone’s radar tells you a lot.

Salem is tacky too. Probably has fab food though.

Completely agree, I wouldn’t go back to Vegas if you paid me, utterly soulless, can’t see what the fuss is about! NYC every day.

I still prefer the smell of weed - a natural healing herb - to the smell of car exhaust fumes.

I absolutely wouldn't go all the way to Vegas for only 5 days! So either NY or Washington DC. Or a city break closer to home in southern Europe, maybe Catania, Naples, Dubrovnik, Athens or Istanbul. Or what about Dubai or Doha?

@Quizine the US has become extremely expensive lately, wherever you go. Since the pandemic the cost of food (even in supermarkets) has shot up. We were there a year ago and went to a very normal supermarket and were shocked at the prices. It was $15 for 1lb of sliced turkey or ham from the deli!

I know, and often those thinking of going NOW or anytime soon might not realise how pricey it has become, it can be a bit of a shock!

But if the budget allows, or if you can budget your way through it, there is absolutely nothing like NY, apart from New Orleans that is!

@TizerorFizz I was quite impressed by Salem. Yes, you have the typical witchy tourist traps but we found a couple of really nice (and expensive) stores and the history of Salem and the trials is very well done and there is lots to see.

We went in august though, so no Halloween decoration in sight.

There’s lots of nicer places on the east coast north of Boston!

It’s difficult to compare LV and NY. They do appeal to different people in many ways. Obviously NY has world class museums and galleries and iconic buildings. LV has gambling, shows and lights. It’s a different world but it’s a gateway to far more interesting places.