Road trip LA to Vegas Tips and Advise Required

Irish Gunner

Hey

Thinking of doing a road trip from LA to Vegas in April. Going to head to LA stay a few days then drive to Vegas during the week and then head back to LA for the weekend before flying back. Looking to do up an itinerary although it will just be a draft may not stick to it on the day. Looking for advise on things to do see along the way. Also have not booked any car hire any recommendations and also no hotel booked in Vegas as don’t want to book it and then veer of course along the way. What's Vegas like re Hotel availability arriving on a weekday and finding something on the day or just booking a room before I leave LA?

Cheers

ProudDUB

You won't have a problem getting a hotel room in Vegas in midweek, if you just show up on the day. But you will pay considerably more than what you would if you booked it in advance. Try Priceline. I've gotten some great deals with them for hotels I needed in the next 24 hours.

jippo nolan

Irish Gunner wrote: »

Hey

Thinking of doing a road trip from LA to Vegas in April. Going to head to LA stay a few days then drive to Vegas during the week and then head back to LA for the weekend before flying back. Looking to do up an itinerary although it will just be a draft may not stick to it on the day. Looking for advise on things to do see along the way. Also have not booked any car hire any recommendations and also no hotel booked in Vegas as don’t want to book it and then veer of course along the way. What's Vegas like re Hotel availability arriving on a weekday and finding something on the day or just booking a room before I leave LA?

Cheers

Hi, done it a few years ago, great trip, a satnav will be handy to get you out of LA but beware, car hire company will screw you.
Buy cheap sat nav with US or California maps loaded.
I stayed in Hacienda hotel near LAX, basic hotel but has complimentary bus pickup from LAX.
You can use bus to airport to pick up your hire car when it suits you.
Hotel has enclosed area beside bar for those who smoke!
Sat nav handy to get out of LA up through San Bernardino which is a climb, bring bottled water for the trip.
The is a water stop about halfway where there you can refill your water bottles and have a rest.
In Las Vegas I stayed in the stratosphere hotel which is cheap & cheerfull however it is at the end of the strip and I would advise you stay a little nearer to the center.
A hire car is essential but car parking charged at a daily rate in hotel is expensive.
You can visit the Hoover dam which is not too much of a drive.
The Grand Canyon would probably be an overnight trip by car, however there is lake Meade which is well worth a visit & it is in a national park in the desert.
Again bring bottled water as the temps. Can reach over 40degs.
When we went we found about 4 nights in Las Vegas is plenty as it will wreck yor head after a while.
Return to LA & relax & see the beaches and Hollywood which is about an house drive from hacienda hotel.
Manhattan beach is only a ten minute drive from hotel and there are great places to eat there.
Enjoy!

InTheTrees

As regards driving from LA to LV, its only about 250 miles so you can do it in a day. And its mostly desert so there's not much to see on the way.

An advantage to booking your hotel in vegas in advance is that you'd have more chance of finding some kind of online deal.

tricky D

Stayed in Harrahs at the bend in the Strip. It's around $40 for a room per night (excl tax/resort fee/whatever it's called ~12%) and the parking was free.

LA to LV can be done in <5 hours but get a satnav.

AVIS car hire worked out for me at about $30 per day.

Ponster

tricky D wrote: »

LA to LV can be done in <5 hours but get a satnav.

It also depends on where they start the journey from. A satnav is very useful in LA but I find only if it tells me which lane I'm supposed to be in before entering/leaving the freeway. Once you're on the 10 it's a straight drive 'til the 15 unless they fancy doing some sightseeing on the way.
A smartphone with offline satnav might do the job just as well.

Irish Gunner

Cheers for the tips

Plan to stay maybe close to Airport and see a bit of LA for about 3 days been there twice before . Then hire car and head to Vegas possible detour to Joshua Tree so leave early. Seen Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam so may not go there. Local LA resident doing trip with me so hopefully they know their way round.Also when is Spring break in April is it Easter as I take it some may head to Vegas?

Flight quotes are coming in at around the €600 mark with US Airways via Philly that average?

InTheTrees

Irish Gunner wrote: »

Cheers for the tips

Plan to stay maybe close to Airport and see a bit of LA for about 3 days been there twice before .

The area around the airport is notoriously dangerous, except for Marina Del rey but there's not much there. Dont spend three days in LA at an airport hotel, Thats like visiting London and staying at Heathrow.

Santa Monica and Venice beach are the good safe lively places to stay and they're just north of the airport. Or Beverley Hills as well, there's reasonably priced hotels all over.

Irish Gunner

Yep Santa Monica or Venice Beach would like to stay can get deals in the below as friend maybe able to get room for half if not more discount seem like business hotels

www.omnilosangeles.com,
www.luxecitycenter.com,
westinlosangelesairport.com.
westin Pasadena
sheraton downtown

any of these in good areas if not then can look at Santa Monica or Venice Beach

Uncle_moe

if you have time en route to Vegas I would suggest getting off the interstate and head towards kings canyon national park. Spend the night in Kernville up in the mountains if you can get a room (tends to be busy up there). Drive to vegas via bakersfield the next day. The scenery is spectacular and you drive on some very remote roads where you might not see another car for an hour or so. Place like mojave are worth driving by just for the sheer remoteness of them. We stayed in bakersfield for the night as there weren't rooms in kernville. Not much in bakersfield but fast food restaurants but we arrived late and left early. Stay at TI if you get a good deal on it, nice rooms and the casino is always lively.

InTheTrees

Irish Gunner wrote: »

www.omnilosangeles.com,
www.luxecitycenter.com,
westinlosangelesairport.com.
westin Pasadena
sheraton downtown

Fair enough if you get a good deal, also LA is a car city so you'd be driving and you're more likely to get free parking at an airport hotel.

Out of that list the only one I'd go for is the "westin los angeles airport.", its right next door to the Airport.

The others are either downtown (Financial centre and dead after 6pm) which is quite a distance or pasadena which is miles away.

Its worth mentioning that the Westin LA Airport is right across the freeway from the Inglewood neighbourhood. Which should be avoided at all costs. Dont even drive in there.

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=5400+West+Century+Boulevard,+Los+Angeles,+CA&hl=en&ll=33.944962,-118.374982&spn=0.028802,0.053687&sll=34.044125,-118.264046&sspn=0.229006,0.429497&oq=5400+West+Century+Blvd&hnear=5400+W+Century+Blvd,+Los+Angeles,+California+90045&t=m&z=15&layer=c&cbll=33.945039,-118.374968&panoid=ehWdtCX-Lb_n6oDp-u3NDw&cbp=12,114.19,,0,6.12

Uncle_moe

I think people are giving the impression that you'll be in danger near neighbourhoods such as Inglewood, Watts, Compton etc. LA isn't that bad. I stayed down near the airport before and had no problems walking around and going to bars. Make sure you hit up the In-n-Out on Sepulveda if you do stay near the airport. But as i said these areas aren't great but I wouldn't say you;re in any real danger unless you venture deep into the projects. I went into Inglewood with a guy who grew up there and while it seemed a bit sketchy I didn't feel like I was in real danger. Just be cautious.

dingy2

Better to book hotels in Vegas before you go...you will get great deals on hotels midweek.....if you call in on the off chance looking for a room they will rub it in price wise

InTheTrees

Uncle_moe wrote: »

I think people are giving the impression that you'll be in danger near neighbourhoods such as Inglewood, Watts, Compton etc. LA isn't that bad. I stayed down near the airport before and had no problems walking around and going to bars. Make sure you hit up the In-n-Out on Sepulveda if you do stay near the airport. But as i said these areas aren't great but I wouldn't say you;re in any real danger unless you venture deep into the projects. I went into Inglewood with a guy who grew up there and while it seemed a bit sketchy I didn't feel like I was in real danger. Just be cautious.

Oh there's always one...

Nobody is suggesting that you'll be in danger near those neighbourhoods.

Just dont go into Inglewood. Compton. Watts. As you yourself admit its a "bit sketchy" and you were there with a local. (How would a tourist know if they're "deep" in?).

Uncle_moe

InTheTrees wrote: »

Oh there's always one...

Just wondering why everyone is always scaremongering about places. i live in Dublin and would feel less safe in comparably dodgy neighbourhoods here than in LA. We'd be pissed if Americans started on about how ****ty some places are in Ireland but we're well able to dish it out.

Your tone bothered me too as though I'm one of those ultra PC people. I was making the point that the area is not as bad as people were making out. Everyone is quick to point out the "bad" areas nearby but not the good like Manhattan Beach, Redondo beach, and Hermosa beach. To be fair someone did mention Marina Del Rey.

InTheTrees

Uncle_moe wrote: »

Just wondering why everyone is always scaremongering about places. i live in Dublin and would feel less safe in comparably dodgy neighbourhoods here than in LA. We'd be pissed if Americans started on about how ****ty some places are in Ireland but we're well able to dish it out.

Your tone bothered me too as though I'm one of those ultra PC people. I was making the point that the area is not as bad as people were making out. Everyone is quick to point out the "bad" areas nearby but not the good like Manhattan Beach, Redondo beach, and Hermosa beach. To be fair someone did mention Marina Del Rey.

I'm one of the few regular posters on this forum who consistently recommend LA. I love the place. Its one of the major cities of the World, let alone the US. And its a real shame when you see people discount it and go to somewhere like San Diego instead.

But I'm also not here to sugar coat Los Angeles. There are areas of LA that you would be at risk by driving into. Especially tourists. And I mean driving not walking.

And there are NO "comparably dodgy" areas in Dublin. Not even close. As far as I know you cant wander into a shop and buy an AK47 in Dublin can you?

The murder rate in LA is 7.2 (per 100,000), it used to be in the 30's. Ireland by comparison is around 1. And that homocide not violent crime.

Inglewood, Compton, Watts and South Central LA are places you dont want to go even though there's about a 80% chance you'd be fine.

InTheTrees

Uncle_moe wrote: »

Your tone bothered me too as though I'm one of those ultra PC people. I was making the point that the area is not as bad as people were making out. Everyone is quick to point out the "bad" areas nearby but not the good like Manhattan Beach, Redondo beach, and Hermosa beach.

SOrry if I offended. Just a brief response;

The OP gave a list of Hotels he had to pick from and so there wasnt much choice besides one right next to the airport. And on the edge of Inglewood.

And this is a Holiday Travel forum and so I stick with my original advice not to venture into Inglewood.

I'm sure if one is young and with a friend from the area, and looking for a bit of adventure then you'll be fine as you said "as long as you dont venture too deep"(!).

But would you recommend your mum and sister drive through there? How would you tell them when they're in "too deep"?

I dont think so. Which is why I would recommend to people on a holiday travel forum, and that I know nothing about, that they dont risk it and just avoid the area. Just like other Los angelenos.

Irish Gunner

Decided to go with the Westin in LAX as I am getting it on the house thanks to my Cali friend.:) who lives nearby. Wont be going 'Straight outta Compton' or driving near it but will listen to a few rap songs along my journey:D

Now to look for places to hire a car any recommendations?
I may drive to Vegas or somewhere else maybe up the coast any suggestions?

cheers