Swamp Travel Guide

Okay . . . let's try this again.

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Re: Swamp Travel Guide

Post by rass »

Sabo wrote:
rass wrote:Fucking sabo just pulled a Price is Right on me and topped my guess.


Hampton Inn Dumfries/Quantico!
I only knew that because I stayed at that hotel about 6-7 years ago!
Ha! I went with Fredericksburg because we stayed there once! I don't think at the Hampton Inn, but it was 7 years ago.
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Re: Swamp Travel Guide

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rass wrote:
govmentchedda wrote:I think you guys are greatly underestimating the amount of times children will need to stop on an afternoon/evening drive. And the traffic around NYC.
I was assuming that "stopping" meant "stopping for the day", otherwise, as you suggest, "things to consider" #s 2 through 4 are pretty much irrelevant.
Oh, I am. Legs of my recent trip that should have taken 6 hours according to google maps (5.5 hours if I'm driving) took nearly 8 with my three boys. He's going to get between NYC and Philly and say fuck it, and bed down for the night.
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Re: Swamp Travel Guide

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Am I the only one who constantly calculates the percentage complete a drive is? Like it used to be exactly 200 from Boston to my parents house and every 3 miles I'd be reworking the math. I think 1,300 as the denominator would have cause me to swerve into a tree.
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Re: Swamp Travel Guide

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Stafford, VA. It's got a pool.
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Re: Swamp Travel Guide

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The bigger question is do you go Molly Pitcher or Walt Whitman
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Re: Swamp Travel Guide

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Rex wrote:The bigger question is do you go Molly Pitcher or Walt Whitman

Maryland House is a given.
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Re: Swamp Travel Guide

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Damn, I didn't see this until today.

The issue with bailing off of 95-S to avoid DC is that the development in the exurbs has been so intense the last 2 decades, making 301 and Rt 1 (another parallel route to 95) extremely jacked up at various points along the way. It's not worth having to go through Waldorf, for example, rather than just gutting out what is usually a pretty minor back-up near the Wilson Bridge. (And they fixed a lot of that when they reconstructed/reconfigured that area a few years back.)

The place that will test you is Fredericksburg. Because of the aforementioned development of the exurbs, that place is just about constantly fucked up on 95. Part of it is volume and that a TON of people use that as a Whew, we got through DC stop... which means the exit/entrance traffic is constantly causing break lights. But, and this drives me crazy on 95 at various points... because it's sitting down in a valley, and people are morons and can't be bothered to keep a relatively constant speed, even in the middle of the night with relatively low overall volume, everyone hits their breaks because of such fluctuating speed.

I hate that fucking place.
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Re: Swamp Travel Guide

Post by Gunpowder »

mister d wrote:Am I the only one who constantly calculates the percentage complete a drive is? Like it used to be exactly 200 from Boston to my parents house and every 3 miles I'd be reworking the math. I think 1,300 as the denominator would have cause me to swerve into a tree.
If it were a common denom, then no, I've done the same thing. Less nowadays but going to college was 100 miles.
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Post by howard »

Rex wrote:The bigger question is do you go Molly Pitcher or Walt Whitman
Please.

Two words.

Vince.

Lombardi.
Who knows? Maybe, you were kidnapped, tied up, taken away and held for ransom.

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Re: Swamp Travel Guide

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Gunpowder wrote:
mister d wrote:Am I the only one who constantly calculates the percentage complete a drive is? Like it used to be exactly 200 from Boston to my parents house and every 3 miles I'd be reworking the math. I think 1,300 as the denominator would have cause me to swerve into a tree.
If it were a common denom, then no, I've done the same thing. Less nowadays but going to college was 100 miles.

I'm the opposite. I hate roads that put up a mileage sign to "X" towns along the road every other mile. Just a reminder of how far I have to go. I like to check where I'm at against an overall time expectation, just to make sure I'm on track.

But constantly counting down miles or percentage of the trip would drive me nuts, particularly on the front of some of the doozies on which I've embarked.
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Re: Swamp Travel Guide

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Gunpowder wrote:If it were a common denom, then no, I've done the same thing. Less nowadays but going to college was 100 miles.
Oh, I meant one that high. I'd keep doing the math, but being 6 hours in and like 25% done would be devastating.
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Re: Swamp Travel Guide

Post by Ryan »

About to call it a day in Aberdeen, MD where the sky is as juiced as '91 Ripken. Last drive to Florida, we cut Day 2 short because of the NC tornadoes (April '11). It looks 50 times worse here now. Happy to report we only stopped once in NJ, somewhere off Exit 3.

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Re: Swamp Travel Guide

Post by wlu_lax6 »

Shirley wrote:
AB_skin_test wrote:I use the Waze app for that too. It's crowdsourced by people actually on the roads.
Google bought them and integrates that data into Google Maps. That way you get the data without the annoying Waze interface or prompts to Facebook where you are at any moment.

Google already had pretty decent traffic and accident data, but the purchase of Waze made it even more precise.
Another reason to use Waze
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Re: Swamp Travel Guide

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mister d wrote:
Gunpowder wrote:If it were a common denom, then no, I've done the same thing. Less nowadays but going to college was 100 miles.
Oh, I meant one that high. I'd keep doing the math, but being 6 hours in and like 25% done would be devastating.
Way late on this, but no, you're not the only one.

Around here, a lot of our drives have very large denominators.
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Re: Swamp Travel Guide

Post by Sabo »

Has anyone ever been to Cook Forest State Park in Pennsylvania during the winter? If so, are there plenty of things to do other than freeze your ass off and build snow men?

I'm looking at SL for guidance since Cook Forest doesn't appear to be that far from the mean streets of Braddock, PA.

Muchas gracias in advance.
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Re: Swamp Travel Guide - Quebec

Post by Johnny Carwash »

So, in my nearly 7 years of living in a border state, I've yet to visit Canada, and am thinking of taking a trip north to Quebec sometime within the next month. Know that we have a few Canadians here, in addition to several more people who've spent time in the province, so wanted to solicit some advice:

1. What should be on my itinerary? I'd minimally want to see Montreal and Quebec City, and hopefully some scenic country areas. Any suggestions for those places specifically, or any others?

2. What's the best way to get in? As noted above, I'd like to see at least some of the countryside, but have an intense phobia of taking a car into a major city, especially an unfamiliar one. Plus I've heard Quebec drivers are generally horrible. Would there be any kind of practical drive/train combination?

3. The language thing: how essential is it to know some French? I know a little from high school, but wouldn't presume to be able to hold a sustained conversation. I know that much of the population is bilingual--would it be OK to address people in English straight off, or is it worth it to at least exchange pleasantries in French first? Or will they hate me either way by virtue of being Anglo and/or American?

4. Anything else I should know?

P.S. a Google search fortuitously turned up this thread from a previous iteration of the Swamp, which goes into some, ahem, interesting digressions on Montreal's entertainment offerings...oh, yeah, but I'm going mostly for the museums and fall colors and stuff.
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Re: Swamp Travel Guide - Quebec

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Johnny Carwash wrote:P.S. a Google search fortuitously turned up this thread from a previous iteration of the Swamp, which goes into some, ahem, interesting digressions on Montreal's entertainment offerings...oh, yeah, but I'm going mostly for the museums and fall colors and stuff.
And Syb still really loves Montreal strip clubs.
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Re: Swamp Travel Guide

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I always lean towards addressing the person in French and then asking if they don't mind speaking in English but you won't have any issues with anyone you'll interact with in Montreal or QC knowing English.

I don't have a lot of experience in Quebec outside of Montreal and QC, but I love both cities very much. Quebec City especially is the closest I've ever experienced to being in Europe (without, you know, actually being in Europe).
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Re: Swamp Travel Guide - Quebec

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Johnny Carwash wrote:So, in my nearly 7 years of living in a border state, I've yet to visit Canada, and am thinking of taking a trip north to Quebec sometime within the next month. Know that we have a few Canadians here, in addition to several more people who've spent time in the province, so wanted to solicit some advice:

1. What should be on my itinerary? I'd minimally want to see Montreal and Quebec City, and hopefully some scenic country areas. Any suggestions for those places specifically, or any others?

2. What's the best way to get in? As noted above, I'd like to see at least some of the countryside, but have an intense phobia of taking a car into a major city, especially an unfamiliar one. Plus I've heard Quebec drivers are generally horrible. Would there be any kind of practical drive/train combination?

3. The language thing: how essential is it to know some French? I know a little from high school, but wouldn't presume to be able to hold a sustained conversation. I know that much of the population is bilingual--would it be OK to address people in English straight off, or is it worth it to at least exchange pleasantries in French first? Or will they hate me either way by virtue of being Anglo and/or American?

4. Anything else I should know?
I went to school in Montreal, so can give you some great recommendations for bars, clubs and general nightlife that would guarantee you'd have a great time in the late 1980s.

Montreal drivers are pretty bad, but the pedestrians are even worse. A chicken and egg situation, but the Metro is a good way to get around the city.

If I was heading there for a weekend, I'd stop by some of the local breweries - http://www.dieuduciel.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - makes fantastic beer. St. Laurent Street has always been a great area - a mix of cool bars, old school ethnic places and hipsters. And the home of Schwartz' which is the place where everyone goes when they visit Montreal, but if you like slabs of meat, this place is a must visit.

Also did a quick search and found that this event http://www.montrealburlesquefestival.ca/home.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; is happening soon. (Club Soda was a favourite bar... back in the 80s).

Sorry I can't be more helpful as I haven't been in a decade, but unless it's winter, Montreal is really a difficult place to visit and not have fun.

Now, about language. The heart of the city - from St. Laurent in the east to the Decarie in the west is bilingual. But stray outside the area as well - places like the Plateau and St. Denis used to be a lot of fun. Don't stress about it at all. Try your broken french and you'll do fine as most people will answer you in english.

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Re: Swamp Travel Guide - Quebec

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Johnny Carwash wrote:So, in my nearly 7 years of living in a border state, I've yet to visit Canada, and am thinking of taking a trip north to Quebec sometime within the next month. Know that we have a few Canadians here, in addition to several more people who've spent time in the province, so wanted to solicit some advice:

1. What should be on my itinerary? I'd minimally want to see Montreal and Quebec City, and hopefully some scenic country areas. Any suggestions for those places specifically, or any others?

2. What's the best way to get in? As noted above, I'd like to see at least some of the countryside, but have an intense phobia of taking a car into a major city, especially an unfamiliar one. Plus I've heard Quebec drivers are generally horrible. Would there be any kind of practical drive/train combination?

3. The language thing: how essential is it to know some French? I know a little from high school, but wouldn't presume to be able to hold a sustained conversation. I know that much of the population is bilingual--would it be OK to address people in English straight off, or is it worth it to at least exchange pleasantries in French first? Or will they hate me either way by virtue of being Anglo and/or American?

4. Anything else I should know?

P.S. a Google search fortuitously turned up this thread from a previous iteration of the Swamp, which goes into some, ahem, interesting digressions on Montreal's entertainment offerings...oh, yeah, but I'm going mostly for the museums and fall colors and stuff.
I think I can help, I've lived outside of Montreal for 30 odd years, i'll take it question by question. Like Pruitt said Plateau and St.Denis used to be fun, it's over run with hipsters now but there are still good places to go there. Just wear plaid, skinny jeans and a mustache, you'll fit right in.

#1. Go see a hockey game! Montreal is a crazy hockey town with the most hockey history and the Bell Center atmosphere is like no other. Sure, I only have the MSG and wherever Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver play to compare it to but it is worth it. The museum of Fine Arts is a great museum to check out, I went to university around the corner from it. And as for food... go to Joe Beef but bring your wallet and make a reservation! It's a great spot to run into visiting celebrities or athletes, as they can afford it! And the Old Port is a cool Montreal destination as well, plenty of good restaurants down there too, just as expensive, but it's still a super cool place to walk through with lots of history.

#2. Yup, drivers are crazy. and the funny thing is no one thinks they are a bad driver. I worked the last two weeks in the city and my friend who yells at all the other drivers for being bad drivers, almost doored a cyclist, hit a car, and ran another off the road. And he thinks he's a good driver! I drive like an instruction manual, safe and observant, and that's why my coworkers don't let me drive much, I guess. Fight fire with fire mentality here. Plus mega construction going on everywhere right now. If you are driving here I suggest you stay in Vaudreuil and take the train into the city, that's where crazy traffic starts and that's still about 30-40 minutes out. the train schedule is here. problem is latest train back is around 9pm or something and it'll cost you a lot to get back. Maybe just park your car somewhere in vaudreuil and get a hotel in Montreal. Not sure where or how you'd be coming here but if you have more questions, feel free to ask.

#3. Use your general french to start the conversation, 'bonjour" and all those pleasantries, they'll appreciate the effort and return the favor when you switch back to your spoken language. I can't say if it's as bad as people make it out to be because I speak french (kinda) and live in a french town. But yes, I have been to a few places where they treat you like shit if you don't at least try, but I emphasize a few. Most places are bilingual, you just have to make an effort, if you can.

#4. I guess another thing would be, don't come looking like a tourist, those are the people that get treated the worse. It's families wearing fanny packs and red, white and blue that get the bad service. Just dress like you normally do, leave that American flag fanny pack at home, and enjoy this beautiful city.

They have a lot more to do here, a nice theater in the old port to check out the newest plays, a biodome to check out Canadian wildlife, an old abandoned baseball stadium that used to host MLB games, and lots more. Hopefully this helped, hit me up with any more Montreal questions if you want. As for Quebec City, I've only ever driven through it, beautiful place but they are bigger assholes when it comes to non french speaking tourists.
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Re: Swamp Travel Guide

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Ridiculously small sample size but I've never had any issues in QC though I didn't stray very far from the "touristy" area of the city centre. But I've only been there twice & once was for a marathon where basically everyone was also American. (The fact is used my pidgin French to start conversations may have helped.)
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Re: Swamp Travel Guide

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THC, I'm curious about how you have spent most of your life in a Francophone town, yet don't speak much French. I am genuinely curious, as I've been told that once you get outside of the big cities, everyone speaks French. Several bartenders told me that English speakers are looked down upon if they are Canadian, but it's OK if you are American. They said that a lot of people get offended that the rest of Canada is proficient in French or does not use French in Quebec.

I saw Bourdain go to Joe Beef on his show The Layover. It looked awesome, but I didn't realize it was so expensive. Seemed like a complete hipster dive-looking high end food place. The proprietor/chefs seemed like interesting characters.
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Re: Swamp Travel Guide

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The Sybian wrote:THC, I'm curious about how you have spent most of your life in a Francophone town, yet don't speak much French. I am genuinely curious, as I've been told that once you get outside of the big cities, everyone speaks French. Several bartenders told me that English speakers are looked down upon if they are Canadian, but it's OK if you are American. They said that a lot of people get offended that the rest of Canada is proficient in French or does not use French in Quebec.

I saw Bourdain go to Joe Beef on his show The Layover. It looked awesome, but I didn't realize it was so expensive. Seemed like a complete hipster dive-looking high end food place. The proprietor/chefs seemed like interesting characters.
Was Joe Beef where they had that big copper duck press thing?
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Re: Swamp Travel Guide

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Its such a terrible name for a restaurant.
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Re: Swamp Travel Guide

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govmentchedda wrote:
The Sybian wrote:THC, I'm curious about how you have spent most of your life in a Francophone town, yet don't speak much French. I am genuinely curious, as I've been told that once you get outside of the big cities, everyone speaks French. Several bartenders told me that English speakers are looked down upon if they are Canadian, but it's OK if you are American. They said that a lot of people get offended that the rest of Canada is proficient in French or does not use French in Quebec.

I saw Bourdain go to Joe Beef on his show The Layover. It looked awesome, but I didn't realize it was so expensive. Seemed like a complete hipster dive-looking high end food place. The proprietor/chefs seemed like interesting characters.
Was Joe Beef where they had that big copper duck press thing?
Yeah, they have a duck press.

And to answer govmentchedda - my French is passable, better than most people I know. But there are pockets of english speaking towns all over Quebec, I grew up in one called Hudson. It's surrounded by french towns and as teenagers, and even now, people kick the crap out of others from surrounding small town areas. I've lived in Rigaud the last 6 years, a town over from Hudson, and have tried going to the bar there. Tried. Everytime we get bullied out and it's always come close to punches. The whole West Island (suburbs west of montreal) is pretty much english too, with other towns randomly placed close to and around Montreal. It's only the nightlife that is dangerous for speaking english and only outside of the city at that. Montreal and the suburbs are safe, it's the small towns you have to worry about.

And as for Joe beef, One of my buddies worked there, and yes it is hipstery but isn't that what makes it expensive? David Chang and Anthony Bourdain love the place, that ups the price right there.
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Re: Swamp Travel Guide

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I'm finally going to Vegas. My wife and I are together/married for 20/15 years and both turning 40 this year. I was looking into getting her concert tickets for her birthday, but the couple of artists I know she would want see seem to be passing through the Philly/NYC area at the same time and have really inconveniently scheduled shows. Then I noticed one of them (Hozier) is playing in Vegas on April 9th, and we were planning on going somewhere w/o the kids this year, and that just happens to correspond with the kids' Spring break when we had asked my mom to come up and help us out with them anyway, so...SOLD.

After not doing as well on the flights as I would have liked (prices for a non-stop at anything resembling a reasonable departure time were more that twice what I was expecting, so went with a one-stop option there and back), does anyone have any advice or tips on a hotel? We'll be there for three nights, landing Wednesday and leaving Saturday. The show is at the Cosmopolitan, so I think I'd like to stay somewhere else, still on the Strip. My wife has been out there once before and stayed at the Flamingo, and while she liked it we'll go somewhere other than there, too. Somewhere nice, clean, good pool (that will be open then?), adult-ish but not a crazy party or club scene, $250-ish a night or so or less? Left to my own devices I'll probably end up at the Venetian.

Should I just stubhub the concert tickets now or wait? And any restaurant/bar recommendations or other should-see's in walking distance on or off the Strip would be appreciated. Thanks guys!
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Re: Swamp Travel Guide

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Are you looking for a big resort on the strip? Or, would a lower priced place, in the heart of the strip interest you? Like a Hampton Inn type place that is pretty no frills, but is clean and safe?
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Re: Swamp Travel Guide

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You can get a suite at the Wynn for $220 a night, and that's without entering their web promotion number. Shop around, there's no need to spend more than that for an awesome room.

I know that they always have specials out of Toronto - flight and rooms - if you are planning on staying for 3 nights.

(I have stayed at the Encore - connected to the Wynn - and Bellagio in recent years - three years ago, we were in a huge room at the Encore for under $100 a night.)

Also when you go, tell them it's your anniversary. Many hotels will upgrade you or at least send something to your room. Once you are on their property, Vegas hotels can be very nice.

And whatever you do, stay away from the Monte Carlo - that place is cursed. At least in gambling terms. Well, at least for me.
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Re: Swamp Travel Guide

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The casinos never close, why do you need a hotel room?
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Re: Swamp Travel Guide

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govmentchedda wrote:Are you looking for a big resort on the strip? Or, would a lower priced place, in the heart of the strip interest you? Like a Hampton Inn type place that is pretty no frills, but is clean and safe?
I think one of the resorts. Because dammit, I can stay in a Hampton Inn here.

Pruitt wrote:And whatever you do, stay away from the Monte Carlo - that place is cursed. At least in gambling terms. Well, at least for me.
I actually had scouted it out a little based on reviews and prices. To your cursed point and Syb below you, neither of us are going to gamble very much. We need a nice big bed to do what any couple on the run from their kids would do (fuckingsleep). Otherwise we'll be eating, drinking, pooling and walking/gawking.
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Re: Swamp Travel Guide

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The wife and I stayed at The Venetian last September and we probably won't stay anywhere else going forward. We absolutely loved it. I believe we paid something like $159 a night for a king suite. I get e-mails daily from them so will be on the lookout.

Whatever you do, stay on the Strip at one of the big casinos if you've never been.
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Re: Swamp Travel Guide

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Giff wrote:The wife and I stayed at The Venetian last September and we probably won't stay anywhere else going forward. We absolutely loved it. I believe we paid something like $159 a night for a king suite. I get e-mails daily from them so will be on the lookout.
Thanks man. The King Suite is $50 more than that (list) right now. I didn't do much looking for promo codes or anything yet, waiting to settle on a place or two.


Anyone with an opinion on whether it worth paying the upgrade for a room with a view, or should I just take a chance on asking nicely/playing the anniversary card?
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Re: Swamp Travel Guide

Post by P.D.X. »

rass wrote:Anyone with an opinion on whether it worth paying the upgrade for a room with a view, or should I just take a chance on asking nicely/playing the anniversary card?
Not uncommon for people to get upgrades for free just by asking when they check-in. (Especially if you have a tiny complaint about the room they initially put you in.)

Need Brian in here, obvi.
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Re: Swamp Travel Guide

Post by A_B »

Detroit is a place full of ugly dog fuckers and Donkeykong SUh is a dirty dirty cheat because that faggot ass faggot Matt Stafford tells him to be one because he really wanted to go to CMU but Dan Enos is a bastion of civility and wouldn't recruit him.

That should do it.
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rass
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Re: Swamp Travel Guide

Post by rass »

Thanks AB.
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The Sybian
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Re: Swamp Travel Guide

Post by The Sybian »

Stay at New York, New York. It'll be like visiting two cities at once!
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Giff
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Re: Swamp Travel Guide

Post by Giff »

rass wrote:
Giff wrote:The wife and I stayed at The Venetian last September and we probably won't stay anywhere else going forward. We absolutely loved it. I believe we paid something like $159 a night for a king suite. I get e-mails daily from them so will be on the lookout.
Thanks man. The King Suite is $50 more than that (list) right now. I didn't do much looking for promo codes or anything yet, waiting to settle on a place or two.


Anyone with an opinion on whether it worth paying the upgrade for a room with a view, or should I just take a chance on asking nicely/playing the anniversary card?
It was our birthday weekend, so we got an upgrade to a view (pool) as soon as we said that. We really don't spend too much time in the room as we're typically just walking around, so the view is typically not relevant to us. If I get an e-mail with a promo code, I'll PM ya.
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brian
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Re: Swamp Travel Guide

Post by brian »

I'm insulted.

(that I wasn't asked first).

Told you dogs, I'm always willing to help out with any Vegas advice.

First thing you have to consider is price. You can get a kick-ass room without having to pay an arm and a leg -- that you're coming mid-week helps a lot. Giff's price on the Venetian is about as good as I've ever heard for someone who wasn't getting a gambling/comp deal. So if you find something at the Venetian/Palazzo around that price point, jump on it.

Also, factor in that most of the hotels on the Strip have bullshit resort fees. That's an extra $25/$30 a night on top of what they quote you. That shit adds up, so include that in your estimation of Hotel X vs. Hotel Y.

The Cosmo, where your show is at, is crazy expensive because it's the newest place on the Strip, the rooms are the absolute balls and their casino is garbage so they have to make money on room rates. But they get it because 22 year old rich Californian douchebags paying with Daddy's credit card don't care about cost. (Gotta run...more in a sec including some actual helpful advice.)
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brian
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Re: Swamp Travel Guide

Post by brian »

Here's a link to help you find the best deal possible. There's some chaff in there you have to sort through I'll admit, but they aggregate the best deals and sometimes you'll find something really awesome and cheap.

Since it's your first trip and your anniversary and you want to impress the wife, let me give you a short list of the only hotels you'll probably want to consider (in order of proximity to the Cosmo and all other cool goings on on The Strip):

The Cosmo
Aria
Bellagio
The Venetian/The Palazzo (they're connected, essentially the same hotel, but booked differently)
Caesars

If you get sticker shock on those, you can also consider Mandalay Bay or the Mirage as one tier down, but still really nice places.

There's some decent places a tier below that too, but nothing as nice as the 8 above. But that's a good list to start with.

When booking, don't pay for the room with a view -- start out by playing the anniversary/first trip to Vegas card with the hotel clerk. If you're nice and hit the right notes and ask -- you gotta ask -- they'll usually help you out. If that doesn't work and you want to throw up a Hail Mary, you can offer them $40 or $50 and see if there's an "upgrade available". I've heard the success rate on that is about 90+ percent. If they say no at that point, they either don't like your face or there's literally nothing available.
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brian
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Re: Swamp Travel Guide

Post by brian »

Sorry that your show is sold out though. Hope you don't have to pay through the nose for tickets. I don't predict much luck, but I know a guy who knows a guy. I'll see if they're holding anything back for face. If it were a less popular show, I can usually get comps for The Cosmo.
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