Las Vegas - help with accommodation & preparation

[Bumble]

We are flying in from Australia to LA & Driving straight to Las Vegas for 5 nights before heading to Burning Man

Our plan is to stock up & shop in vegas as well as enjoy all that vegas has to offer!
i am so OVERWHELMED to say the least about where to stay in vegas!!!!
These are the facts
- Overseas guests & once in a lifetime trip (unless we get called home again next year:)
- First timers
- mid 30s
- non gamblers (although, will have to have a dabble at some stage)
- have a rental car (so we can get out & about to stock up for BM)
- don't mind walking around like tourists - as long as we pass plenty of bars to refuel
- non smokers
-looking at around $600 for the 5 nights (i don't mind resort fees if it still comes under budget or close)

So on my list is
- Vdara (non smoking & non gaming - but will we miss out on the vegas thing?)
- MGM (because its MGM)
- Mandalay - however looks far away (but good pools to escape the heat

But i am sure there are heaps more to choose from & would love to hear other burners advise on hotels & also good shops including costume shops etc

Thanks in advance - Bumble

[gyre]

Don't go to Vegas?

Saw an ad here for a package at $80-90 a night or so, complete.
Don't remember who, but they're hungry there now.

[AntiM]

Ask the Vegas burners.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lasvegasburningman/

None of the casinos is located anywhere near things like grocery stores, so expect to drive to those.

[Just_Joe]

Downtown. Fitzgeralds. It's clean and cheap. You can wander two blocks in covered shade and visit several casinos, restaurants and outdoor music stages. There's a spiffy light show at night.
The strip Hotel properties you mentioned are huge so it's an effort to walk to the casino "next door". It will probably be ~110F when you're there.
Welcome to Nevada!

[Bumble]

Thanks weather man!
43degrees (110F) it will be a welcome shock coming from an australian winter & i guess a good way to start to acclimatise for BM

[Thecatman]

Make sure you drive on the right side.

Getting out of LA will be a nightmare as well the drive up Interstate 15, so be prepaired for 200 miles of bumper to bumper, stop and go traffic. Get good maps, gps, verbal directions etc.
Just a suggestion, you can get many necessaties in Fernley, which you will go through enroute. Just to save you from transporting it 400+ miles.
Have a great time and be safe!

[graidawg]

the hotels are pretty cheap - i stayed in the excaliber for a night and it was ok. the stratosphere was much funner but the rides were expensive. however the liquer stores made up for that.
vegas is a must do in my opinion but 5 days is too long you will get bored so plan on visiting a few other attractions. lake tahoe is pretty impressive but the wrong direction, personally if you have 5 days spend no more than 3 in vegas and have a leisurely drive up to bm. I would reccomend getting a satnav or very good directions from the rental company, and a good navigator.

[gyre]

Reno has casinos.

And it's not true that everyone in nevada is connected.

Some of them just work for the mob.

[Dork]

I agree, 5 days in Vegas if you don't gamble is kind of a lot. If you like expensive clubs you can probably keep busy, though. The clubs are becoming more of a focus than gambling these days.

Vdara is part of a big complex with Aria (my favorite for poker) and Crystals and is right in the middle of the strip, so no worries there. Really, anywhere on the strip is fine - get the cheapest place you can find, the newer the hotel the better. Downtown is depressing. Maybe go once to see the light show but 5 days is nuts.

[Turtleburp]

Thanks for the feedback - I quizzed Bumble on the five nights and aroused the ire of the holiday Gestapo!

[AntiM]

If you're going to splurge on anything in Vegas, shell out for tickets to one of the Cirque de Soleil shows. Or go to a time share presentation and score reduced price tickets.

[Turtleburp]

Cirque- yes!!

It would close a loop; after my first and last burn in 2001 I was supposed to see a show but on the day were supposed to fly ended up glued to the tv watching a much less pleasant airborne spectacular!

Thanks Savannah!