Travel Advice - Las Vegas/Phoenix - Page 2

bunt_q · #21 Posted **Apr 12, 2007, 6:50 PM**

Crazy easterners...

bunt_q · #22 Posted **Apr 12, 2007, 6:53 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PHX602

I have visited all 3 cities as well, Denver does have the most active downtown but as far as things to do, metro Phoenix makes Denver look like Pecos Texas.

Hmm... I am calling you next time I am down there. I love going to Phoenix, but I *always* run out of stuff to do in the evenings by, oh, night 2 in town. Local knowledge would go a long ways I think. (You have to admit, it's harder to find stuff in Phoenix... you can't just go downtown or any other single spot and walk around until you run into something to do, not like you can here or in a lot of cities. Even Scottsdale there isn't much that jumps out at you.). Still, I do love visiting Phoenix...

MayDay · #23 Posted **Apr 12, 2007, 6:55 PM**

"I didn't say stick shift. Next time you get into a car with an automagic transmission, look at the little "2" by the "D". When you select that gear, you're in second, which gives you, amongst other things, better control of the vehicle when going downhill."

Gotcha - we don't have those mountain thingies out here so 2nd is never really needed, not even in the snow.

KEVINphx · #24 Posted **Apr 12, 2007, 7:07 PM**

As far as visiting Phoenix, there is plenty to keep you busy for a few days! (p.s. Sedona can be done in a day trip, its so amazingly beautiful and EASY to get to from phoenix and I do not know what the other poster is saying but you do not need to use 2nd gear! I go there frequently in a honda civic and do not need to use any 2nd gear, you should give it some serious consideration and there are some nice places to eat with great views!)

back to phoenix, if you are into fine dining then there is Mastro's in North Scottsdale. Its a local steak house that has 2 other locations in southern california. Very pricey but excellent food!

Elements is also a great place, check the site! http://www.sanctuaryoncamelback.com/.../elements.html

For great ethnic foods, you only need to drive around downtown tempe and you can find wonderful Indian, Pakistani, Mid-Eastern, Mexican, Chinese, Etheopian and almost anything else you could think of!

If you are into shopping, head to downtown Scottsdale for the Fashion Square mall which is now very nicely integrated into the rest of the downtown fabric with the Waterfront canal project and you can check out the rest of the more touristy shops in downtown. If you've already been there then you know there are also plenty of nice galleries and SMOCA as well, if you are into the arts!

As far as nightlife, there are some nice spots downtown such as Amsterdam as another already mentioned and a club right next door to there. Burn is another place within walking distance of there where everyeone seems to go after they leave Amsterdam. Both are gay oriented places but tend to have large #s of straight people too. As far as edgier and more alternative type places Friday nights are definately at a place called "Glam" in Phoenix where they play more of an electro 80s inspired music and kind of grungy atmosphere. Saturday nights are hot at a place called Rogue East not too far from Glam but im not certain of the exact address of either, just search the names of the places IE: "glam phoenix " etc and you will find what you need. Downtown Tempe is also a great place if you are more into the bar/pub scene as opposed to dancing, with the exception of Chery Lounge and Pit on Mill Ave. Scottsdale is the place if you are more into the VIP/bottle service type nightlife with plenty of places of that callibre.

anyway......just a bit of random info !

MayDay · #25 Posted **Apr 12, 2007, 7:33 PM**

Now THAT is some good information! Thank you!

PHX31 · #26 Posted **Apr 12, 2007, 7:44 PM**

Good information overall, KEVINphx, but maestros doesn't compare to Houstons. Maestros is MUCH more expensive, is just a typical overpriced (yes, delicious) steakhouse with a few other things you can order al la carte. Houston's has a wide variety of things (steak included), and their baby back ribs can't be beat and apparently their fish is as fresh and good as it can possibly get in the desert. Plus, they have great salads, I actually ONLY get the thai steak and noodle salad when I go there because it is so damn delish. Anyway, enough of the Houston's advertisement!

KEVINphx · #27 Posted **Apr 12, 2007, 10:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PHX31

Good information overall, KEVINphx, but maestros doesn't compare to Houstons. Maestros is MUCH more expensive, is just a typical overpriced (yes, delicious) steakhouse with a few other things you can order al la carte. Houston's has a wide variety of things (steak included), and their baby back ribs can't be beat and apparently their fish is as fresh and good as it can possibly get in the desert. Plus, they have great salads, I actually ONLY get the thai steak and noodle salad when I go there because it is so damn delish. Anyway, enough of the Houston's advertisement!

yeah, its typical of steakhouses but at least its locally based! I've never had Houston's only because a few people i know gave me basically the oposite review that you have !

KEVINphx · #28 Posted **Apr 12, 2007, 10:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MayDay

Now THAT is some good information! Thank you!

if you have any of PARTICULAR queries let me know, because of my job i drive all over the entire valley and am very familiar with the location of many places. I also live across the city from my family so i have many meeting places with them in between us!

PHX31 · #29 Posted **Apr 12, 2007, 10:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by KEVINphx

yeah, its typical of steakhouses but at least its locally based! I've never had Houston's only because a few people i know gave me basically the oposite review that you have !

Really? That's very surprising, I'm not saying that because I really like it, but anyone I've ever talked to about it (and it's a lot because when people ask and my GF tells them that she works at Houston's) bascially rave about it. Maybe you should try it for yourself. Maybe other people don't like the Scottsdale one... you should go to the Esplanade one, like I said, they are a little bit different.

KEVINphx · #30 Posted **Apr 13, 2007, 7:30 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PHX31

Really? That's very surprising, I'm not saying that because I really like it, but anyone I've ever talked to about it (and it's a lot because when people ask and my GF tells them that she works at Houston's) bascially rave about it. Maybe you should try it for yourself. Maybe other people don't like the Scottsdale one... you should go to the Esplanade one, like I said, they are a little bit different.

lol, went out to dinner tonight with my family again and two more people went on about how they dont like Houstons (apparetly they have only been to the one @ esplanade as well!) I dont think i'll be making a trip there as i cant afford it myself and my parents are the ones who i go out to nicer places with, and if they dont like it then i dont know! lol

SnyderBock · #31 Posted **Apr 13, 2007, 11:59 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrendog

You should go to Vegas and have a scheduled layover for 2 or 3 days in Salt Lake City, on your flight back to Cleveland! Salt Lake City would be on the way home and would workout well as far as scheduling it with the airlines. I'm from Texas and have visited all three cities. Vegas is great, Phoenix isn't worth much of a visit, unless you want to do some desert camping, hiking, etc,... I have had the most fun in Salt Lake City. There is even a strip of casinos just over an hour west of Salt Lake City in Wendover. But,... during spring, Salt Lake City and the Utah Rockies are the most beautiful place in this entire country! It would be a shame to pass them up. Plus, Downtown Salt Lake City is one of the more active downtowns in the country, with endless things to do Gateway Mall, Downtown and the Sugarhouse area, it even has an amusement park and water park 20 minutes up the road (May be a little earlier for that?).

Just a thought bro, but I can't think of a better May trip then Vegas and Salt Lake City!

At least my original statement - you wished to mimic - was true! SLC, lively downtown?

Yeah, if your itinerary is already set, my advice was worthless. Just thought I would throw it out there - in case you were still in the planning stages. As for Phoenix, I would say go watch a Diamondbacks game! That's my advice!

mttop · #32 Posted **Apr 13, 2007, 2:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrendog

You should go to Vegas and have a scheduled layover for 2 or 3 days in Salt Lake City, on your flight back to Cleveland! Salt Lake City would be on the way home and would workout well as far as scheduling it with the airlines. I'm from Texas and have visited all three cities. Vegas is great, Phoenix isn't worth much of a visit, unless you want to do some desert camping, hiking, etc,... I have had the most fun in Salt Lake City. There is even a strip of casinos just over an hour west of Salt Lake City in Wendover. But,... during spring, Salt Lake City and the Utah Rockies are the most beautiful place in this entire country! It would be a shame to pass them up. Plus, Downtown Salt Lake City is one of the more active downtowns in the country, with endless things to do Gateway Mall, Downtown and the Sugarhouse area, it even has an amusement park and water park 20 minutes up the road (May be a little earlier for that?).

Just a thought bro, but I can't think of a better May trip then Vegas and Salt Lake City!

Quote:

Originally Posted by SnyderBock

At least my original statement - you wished to mimic - was true! SLC, lively downtown?

Yeah, if your itinerary is already set, my advice was worthless. Just thought I would throw it out there - in case you were still in the planning stages. As for Phoenix, I would say go watch a Diamondbacks game! That's my advice!

That was a funny statement. Salt Lake having a lively downtown

wrendog · #33 Posted **Apr 13, 2007, 2:48 PM**

come on.. it was funny...

GeorgeLV · #34 Posted **Apr 17, 2007, 2:51 AM**

I'd seriously recommend skipping out on the car rental until you get to Phoenix. Traffic in Las Vegas is very intense (IMO, worse than LA), so unless you have a specific need for a car (or are coming from SoCal where it's a very easy drive) why deal with it?

Instead walk and take cabs. There are many buses and helicopter rides available to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas.

To get to Phoenix from Las Vegas I'd just fly. The flights from Las Vegas to Phoenix are cheap (less than $100) and frequent.

Of course if you really want to experience the scenery then driving is the only way to go. Make sure to stick to driving during the daylight hours as you really need to pay attention to the road unlike, say, the I-15 from Vegas to LA where you can set the cruise control at 80 the entire way.

MayDay · #35 Posted **Apr 17, 2007, 1:46 PM**

GeorgeLV, we aren't getting the rental car until we're leaving Vegas and that will be early in the morning.

MayDay · #36 Posted **May 14, 2007, 5:12 PM**

Okay folks - thanks again for the suggestions, they're appreciated. I think we might be going out on May 26th (Saturday night). Send me a PM before this Friday (May 18) if you'd like to meet up for drinks.