Las Vegas vs. Atlantic City or Niagara???

[disneyfan328]

Ok so here's the deal. DH and I are celebrating our 10 year wedding anniversary in April and we wanted to go away for a few days (meaning at most maybe 3?) We have 3 kids and even with the oldest being in her freshman year at Penn State Local, the other two are only going to be 6 & 8 so being able to leave them for any longer than that won't work. We don't have much family or anyone that can take them for any longer of a period other than my mom, and her health not the greatest so we don't want to burden her. We are looking for inexpensive - really we just need a break and some alone adult time. We just got back from a 9 day trip to WDW in September so the kids are ok with mom & dad heading away for some alone time.

Thing is we dont know where to go. We really want to go back to Vegas as we honeymooned there, but not sure what kind of cheap package we could get. Remember food being really cheap - is it still? Any ideas? Going during the week is fine we have no problem with that - it would work out better anyway that way the kids are in school most of the day.

We also went to Niagara for 4 days about 9 years ago and that was nice, but not really a lot to do there?

We have found a place local ( pgh PA) that does 3 day charters to Atlantic City for roughly 200.00 a person ( flight included and 2 night stay) so that's pretty good, but never been there. Not sure what to expect? Is food reasonable like it is in Vegas???

Need to try and get plans made soon so any tips or info from anyone that has gone would be greatly apprecaited. We haven't had any alone adult time in forever so we are at a loss as to what to do, but really need it.

[vanblargen]

My buddy and I went to Vegas for 7 days/6 nights for $480 a person (Excalibur)

As for A/C, there is the boardwalk, casinos (of course... most are on the boardwalk, 3 are out at the marina) and there is an outlet shopping center 1 block off of the boardwalk. A/C itself is somewhat shady. Don't venture too far from the boardwalk or casinos. As far as food, there are some good/cheap places to eat. One being the Irish Pub.

Hope that helps

[crazykids]

I've been to all three & I live about 30 minutes north of Atlantic City. The location would really depend on what you are looking for. I think out of the three Niagra Falls would be the most romantic. The last time I was there was about 4 years ago & there was plenty to do, they even have casinos there now! We had a lot of fun in Niagra Falls & would definitely go back. Las Vegas is fantastic! I was only there once & it was one of my most favorite vacations & probably the cheapest. There are always great package rates advertised & cheap buffets are everywhere. There is actually a restaurant on the old strip that will get you a steak dinner for $3.95! If you can travel between Sunday-Thursday, you will really save a lot! Atlantic City would probably be my least favorite. There is the boardwalk & the beach, but if you're going in April - the beach is probably out. They do have plenty of casinos & restaurants, but they are not that cheap. The neighborhood is not a great one & I definitely would not go for a walk at night. If you do go to AC, I would definitely stay at one of the casinos. I do visit Atlantic City every now & then for a day trip, but after being to Vegas - AC is not even close!

Hope this helps - enjoy your trip!

[NJGIRL]

Been to all three. Just got back from Vegas two weeks ago.

Vegas....Nothing is cheap in Vegas anymore. Not the food (even the buffets are expensive now), not the hotels, not the shows.We were there in 1994 and yes it was a good deal then (we stayed in the new Treasure Island). No disrespect but there is a reason Excaliber was so resonable. Plus if your coming from PA that is a 5 hour ride plus time in the airport plus the time change. That makes for a very long first day of only three days. Loved
Vegas but wouldn't try to do it from the east coast for three days.

AC is OK. It's no Vegas. It could be a nice trip if you like to gamble and shop. Pretty much has headliners but not the type shows that they have in Vegas. Nothing else to do without driving 20mins. As one other person pointed out..Don't leave the boardwalk area on foot.

Niagra Fall... This would be my pick for three days. They have a really nice Hilton with a restaurant on top that overlooks the falls. They also have A Great Wolfe Lodge if you like water parks. The falls have at least three or four different tours you can do and I know that they have a fairly new casino (5 years old??) There are other activies in the area too. From PA it's about an 8 hour drive but you would spend at least that much time getting to Vegas (2 hours in PA airport, 5 hour flight, 1 hour getting out of vegas airport). But don't forget you will need passports.

[TFrauts]

My Husband and I LOVE the Great Wolf Lodge!! We go at least once a year!!(No kids) IMHO do your shopping and site seeing during the day...early dinner, and back to he resort after dinner....all the kids/families are tired from swimming allday...its much quieter and best of all....no line ups!! they even have a hot tub that is half inside and half out...is awesome in the winter!!

[disneyfan328]

so nothing cheap in vegas anymore. man that is what I was really looking for. We stayed at excalibur - its tacky but I loved the theme. and what in Vegas isn't tacky?? so how much are we talking for the buffets now days? I know that bkfst at the excalibur was only like 3-4 dollars each and we don't really care about going fancy or romantic we just want some time away. It won't be the filght down there that is rough, it will be the flight home. leaving at 5pm and getting home at 1 am or something like that. Niagara was ok, but in April its still pretty chilly up there and we not all of tours are open. We did the maid of the mist ect when we went and did the fun museums and such plus the whole passport issues. I forgot about that. guess thats going to be out of the running. I was really hoping for a good vegas deal from SW, but now I am worried about how much spendng money we will need for food ect. going to have to get in touch with a ta I guess. My one aunt lives there but not sure how much she will know about prices as they don't head to the strip very often.

Any one else been to vegas recently that has any more info on prices for food?

[NJGIRL]

so nothing cheap in vegas anymore. man that is what I was really looking for. We stayed at excalibur - its tacky but I loved the theme. and what in Vegas isn't tacky?? so how much are we talking for the buffets now days? I know that bkfst at the excalibur was only like 3-4 dollars each and we don't really care about going fancy or romantic we just want some time away. It won't be the filght down there that is rough, it will be the flight home. leaving at 5pm and getting home at 1 am or something like that. Niagara was ok, but in April its still pretty chilly up there and we not all of tours are open. We did the maid of the mist ect when we went and did the fun museums and such plus the whole passport issues. I forgot about that. guess thats going to be out of the running. I was really hoping for a good vegas deal from SW, but now I am worried about how much spendng money we will need for food ect. going to have to get in touch with a ta I guess. My one aunt lives there but not sure how much she will know about prices as they don't head to the strip very often.

Any one else been to vegas recently that has any more info on prices for food?

I didn't think the Excaliber was tacky (I actually think that the themed hotels are alot of fun) but when we were there a couple of weeks ago it was dirty and very run downed, at least the casino and down stairs arcade/show area was. We didn't go into any of the rooms so I can't honestly say what they looked like. There were definate differences between the older hotels that were not being kept up and the newer hotels or older ones that were being kept up and that showed in the price differences.

We wanted to eat at the Rio buffet but when I realized that we have to cross the highway to get to it we ditched that idea and ate at the Mirage buffet which was just OK and $25 per person for lunch. None of the buffets we looked at came close to $10 ...most were $20 to $30 per person for lunch and more for dinner. We only ate at one buffet while we were there because we are not big eaters. Most meals for us(we are not goumet eaters) were around $50 to $60 for all three of us. We did eat at our food court several times when we didn't feel like eating out. The food court was great and the price was usually around $25 - $30.

I know when we were there years ago it was a bargain to vacation there but IMO not any more. We spent about $7000 for 2 adults and 1 child. That included airfare from NJ, 3 nights at the Grand Canyon, 6 nights at the Venetian, a rental car for 9 days, food and entertainment. We had a wonderful time but I don't feel that it's cheap anymore.

[sloslo]

I would totally vote for Vegas. The food is still cheap but not as cheap as it used to be. You're still looking at say, $20.00 for a decent dinner buffet. For about $30.00, you can get a great, I mean great, dinner buffet at Bellagio. But if you only want three days, that may not be worth it considering how far away Vegas is. Do you still live in NJ? I lived in Old Bridge and went to AC all the time but I really could only find a day or so is all I was able to do. There's not much except for the gambling and occasional show.

[mttafire]

2 words
VEGAS BABY!
Nuff said.

[ThanxForNoticin]

Something to keep in mind with Vegas. Most of the draw is the Strip, and most of the hotels and restaurants on the Strip are not cheap. However, the older areas of Vegas (Fremont St, for example) and the casinos just off the strip need to grab your attention - so those are the places advertising breakfast and dinner buffets for $5 and $10. They want to get you to their casino, so they are going to offer cheaper food. Unfortunately, sometimes the cheaper buffets turn out to be just that - cheap food that doesn't taste too good.

But if you are looking to get away for a few days and not spend a fortune, I would consider two things. The trip to AC probably can work for you, especially if you stay on the Boardwalk. They do still have some of the small shops and restaurants along the Boardwalk that offer cheaper breakfasts and dinner buffets. They also have some decent shows at some of the resorts. If you are set on Vegas, a backward approach might be to contact one of those time-share places that offer you 3 free nights in Vegas in exchange for you sitting there and listening to a 2-hour pressured sales pitch. If you can ignore the sales pitch, you might be able to enjoy a few nice days for free and have more money for your meals! Good luck with your decision!

[goin2disney]

Also, it can be chilly in April in Atlantic City. Of the 3 I would pick Vegas! AC does not compare! I have never been to Niagara Falls but would love to go but I imagine it is the more expensive of the choices.

[Cinderelley]

We really want to go back to Vegas as we honeymooned there,.

If you really want to go to Vegas, then go. Do you have a preferred hotel there? If so, go to their website and sign up for their e-mail specials. I get great deals sent to me on a regular basis from Vegas. Yes, a lot of the food in the main hotels has gotten expensive, but if you look for smaller hotels, off the strip, etc. you'll still find some great deals.

If you're looking for another suggestion, have you considered a 3 or 4 day cruise? We did one for about $300 a piece for the two of us. It was a great refresher for DH & I.

[MicMouse]

Choose Vegas. We stayed in April for 3 nights at Arizona Charlie's on Decatur Blvd. Its about 5-10 minutes from the strip (you can see it from the hotel), but the prices were a lot cheaper than any hotel on the strip.

Its no Venetian, but it was clean and the people are friendly. Just rent a car and drive to the strip. Parking is free everywhere.

[DisneyDog]

Vegas is amazing, and I was surprised at how un-tacky it was. I expected pure tackiness, but I thought it was beautiful. I don't recommend AC. We live about 1 1/2 hours from there. The casinos are nice, but it's no Vegas. There really is nothing to do there besides gamble (we drove past the outlets, they don't look that great), and it's probably going to be too cold in April to walk on the unprotected boards. It might be really cold at Niagra at that time of year (might still get some snow). I vote for Vegas

[EPCOT84]

I vote Las Vegas for the weather and the sheer magnitude of the place. The themed hotels like Venetian, Paris, Bellagio make you feel like you are in an expanded Disney, if Disney did Vegas.

The Vegas of today is bright, colorful, and based on other posts on these boards, can be enjoyable for kids too.

The early '90's trend of creating a Disney-fied Vegas worked. The vast majority of Hotel casinos on the strip are owned by a handful of corporations. They have the $$$, like Disney, to push for improvements.

Check out the hotel casino websites for menus, prices, and entertainment.

To keep food costs down, most have food courts and smaller counter service restaurants that have good reasonable meals (think CS at WDW type food).

The buffets are getting pricey, but the cuisine is also improving. I've heard good things about the buffet in Paris. The Spice Market Buffet in Planet Hollywood (former Aladdin) was voted Best of Las Vegas in the local paper several times.

If you are a gourmet junkie, all the world's finest chefs are opening restaurants in Las Vegas.

Keep in mind, there is a trend away from the kitschy themes of the '90's back to sheer entertainment for grown-ups - more clubs.

Luxor, for example, is almost through ridding itself of most of the Egyptian theming, like Treasure Island turned into TI a few years back. The Aladdin has just been converted to Planet Hollywood Hotel & Casino. Newer resorts like the Wynn have no theme other than luxury.

Don't drive the strip. Take the Deuce, or if it is convenient, the Monorail. For those going to see the Star Trek Experience at the Hilton, the monorail is the best way to get there without a car.

[Kidsmom]

I have been to all three also in the last few years. Vegas is great, but expensive and takes up a TON of time with travel time unless you can do direct (I think you said you are in Pitts. PA). If you want a nice vacation there.....very expensive,but worth it.

AC....not that great unless you stay right there at the casinos.

The Falls.....love! But you don't get the discount anymore as the American Dollar is worth LESS than Canada's. That was the best part, how cheap it was. If you don't find it too expensive, it is awesome and romantic.

You might consider Baltimore. I love it there and don't think it is too far from Pitts (I thought it is under 4 hours??) Baltimore has great walking, shopping and eating. I have done 2 girls weekends there (from Upstate NY) and we love it there. Just a thought.

In the end you just want time alone! Maybe book a B&B on the otherside of town. No travel time and you are alone. Do the grown up things in town you have always wanted to do. You will feee 100's of miles away.

My husband and I go to a spa every other year which is an hour from my in-laws. Drop the kids and go!!

Good Luck and have fun with whatever you do!!

[pink]

I've never been to Niagara Falls so I don't know about that. However, Las Vegas is so much better than Atlantic City.

[J.T.Toad]

I have Been to vegas Its not cheap.

If I were you I d check out South Lake Tahoe.
Lots to do, lots to see, Fly in to Reno, Rent a
4wd. Will be cold in April. Have evin seen Snow.
I live 2 hours away and I can tell you its the most beautifull country in the world, and Gambling to boot.

J.T.

[mjaclyn]

My choices in order would be:

1. Niagra Falls (Romantic) - I've only been there once but the falls were beautiful. It's true there isn't much to do there so if you want to do more than relax I'd skip it.

2. Las Vegas (LOTS to do) - we stayed at the Venetian a few years ago and it was beautiful. DH and I are not gamblers at all but there was still a lot to do over the two days we were there. We walked from hotel to hotel just admiring the themes of each. We saw the white tigers and a few of the 'free shows' (Bellagio fountains, a pirate ship thing...). It was fun.

3. Atlantic City - went there this past June and HATED it. The Hotel was filled with smoke, the pool was absolutely disgusting and the food was terrible. We stayed at the Tropicana so I have no idea how it compares to other hotels there, but I will never go back.

[goofyskier]

Seeing I live in the area; I would vote for the Falls. Niagara on the Lake is a short drive from Niagara Falls and there are plenty of B and B's located in the area. This is also the wine region of the Ontario and there are plenty of tours that a couple can take. Addtionally, there are spas, golf courses, and some dinner shows in the area as well. Oh yeah. . .you still have the Falls to.

Also, to clear up a misconception, if you are driving into Canada from the US you do not need a passport. You also DO NOT need a passport to re-enter the US if you are driving. A passport is ONLY requiered if you are flying into or out of Canada from the US. Hope this helps.