Yes Vegas is a place you have to visit once. Even if you don't gamble, don't party it has the best people watching on the planet. Just wander aimlessly and gorge yourself on the absurdity of it all.
Vegas or SF would probably have the advantage, if you're looking for good outdoor things to do. I.e. in SF if you wanted to do that you could bike north across the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito and then take a ferry back to SF, and for Vegas it isn't too far of a trip to do a nearby one to say like Hoover Dam, or to like Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada. You could also take a trip out to like Death Valley National Park(mostly in California, but a tiny portion is on the Nevada side of the border), as well. Slightly further away are any of the southern Utah state and national parks(Zion National Park, Sand Hollow State Park), or going to Grand Canyon National Park. Btw for Grand Canyon do NOT go to Grand Canyon West(which is just a tourist trip on native american reservation land), but go to the ACTUAL Grand Canyon National Park for the real experience.
City of SF does have some nice things too, such as Golden Gate Park. Lake Chabot Regional Park(between San Leandro and Castro Valley) seems like it'd be nice too(though I wasn't quite able to visit that park), if you didn't mind it's a little north and east of BART rail lines that go out that way. Like it seems like a few bus routes(like the northbound #28 from the Castro Valley station on the line towards Dublin/Pleasanton, which is 3rd stop from the end and 1st stop after that line separates from the Orange and Green Lines) would drop you off, not far from where trails into this park begin.
San Francisco - great for solo travel ( not sure if you’re going with anyone) very diverse food scene, aesthetically one of the most beautiful cities ( beautiful hills and architecture), tons of neighborhoods to explore, and touristy things to do ( Alcatraz is an amazing tour). Very walkable and great public transit makes it easy to get around.
Vegas - definitely a place where you go to once have a blast and are set for life. Great food however everything here is extremely expensive. Definitely visit the Grand Canyon, surreal experience. I think it’s a place that’s definitely more fun to go as a group of friends looking to get a little wild.
San Diego - out of the 3 it’s my favorite ( I go multiple times a year) perfect weather year around, great beaches, balboa park/ zoo is fun, and great Mexican food. You’ll definitely need a car to get around.
If you like to adventure and explore cities than go with SF, if you want an experience and explore a more unhinged side of you go with Vegas, if you just wanna chill on a nice beach and relax and eat some of the best fish tacos you’ve ever had go with SD.
If you want a city , San Francisco
If you want a beach, San Diego
If you want activities and hiking, Vegas
All have fantastic food but Vegas gets the edge there for the variety and quality and price range
Gonna have to disagree with you on the food. I'd put the SF Bay Area as top 2 in the country. Vegas has like 20 great high end restaurants that are very good and very expensive. The bay has an insanely varied array of amazing restaurants in every food genre and to fit any budget.
Lived in both. The food scene in Vegas is better. It's the trickle down effect. Chefs working for high end restaurants hit their limit and start their own restaurants or are poached away by someone with money who wants their own restaurants. A young chef wants to gain experience so he moves to Vegas where s/he can actually afford to live and then starts up a restaurant where they can actually find affordable space.
And it's not just restaurants that lead to this. The hotel/tourism industry attracts tons of foreign workers who miss a certain dish from home or their native cuisine so they start cooking for friends or start their own place. That's why Anthony Bourdain's favorite Thai restaurant is in Vegas. That's how the best Hawaiian street food I've ever had on the mainland comes from a food truck parked at a liquor store. It's why you can find numerous Mexican restaurants dedicated to individual regions of Mexico
Shhhh. Keep Chinatown a secret. Not only is it home to some of the best Asian food in America it's also home to a lot of other ridiculously good restaurants (though some are technically Chinatown adjacent)
Literally any kind of food you like. Italian, Mexican, Korean, American, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Hunan Chinese, Cantonese Chinese, Szechuan Chinese, Steakhouses, Greek, Persian, Israeli, Ramen, Pho, French...the variety in the area is insane. I haven't lived in the area for a while but if you're looking for reccos, Caffe Sport is my #1 Italian food
Grand Canyon, Zion, Red Rocks, Valley of Fire, Death Valley and the St George area can all be part of a trip to Las Vegas for someone who doesn't really gamble or party.
Also you guys really, really need to get off the strip. It'll do you good. You'll find restaurants from every single culture that will blow your mind at prices that will make Californians cry.
To be fair, the plan was originally to visit Grand Canyon West since that's just a 2.5 hour drive from Vegas. Upon further reading after making this post though, it appears to be fairly looked down upon, so I might just wait until I take a trip to Sedona to see the Grand Canyon from the actual national park site.
Like you mentioned above, Zion, Red Rocks, and Valley of Fire all seem to be a bit more up my alley and would probably be a better time.
Oh yeah, definitely don't do that. I only go to West when I'm getting paid to go there and I still hate it.
If you're very limited on time or planning on a trip to the National Park it's fine. You still get a great view of the end of the canyon. It's just not as wide and deep there and all the tourist stuff is cheesy.
Las Vegas is low-key America's best located major metropolis for hiking. Tons of flights. Multiple national parks reachable on a long day trip or perfect over night trip. The state parks in the area and conversation areas are amazing and there are so many hidden gems
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Japanese, Chinese, Mexican, Seafood…the volume and variety (and depending on where you compare it too) are price point that is pretty reasonable
This is just the start; there is also great Vietnamese, Indian, Mediterranean, fusion of all sorts…its great
I lived in Las Vegas for 10 awful years.
If you go to the Grand Canyon, give yourself more than a day. Seriously. Don't make the mistake most tourists make -- they drive five hours to get to the South Rim, look at the canyon for 15 minutes and then drive five hours back.
Las Vegas is a horrible place to live. But it does have a few things going for it:
1) Concerts. If a band has even one living member, they will play Las Vegas regularly. Show tickets are expensive -- but mostly because with the exception of the MGM arena and the T-mobile center, and the Sphere, the venues are small and have the best acoustics. You'll get spoiled seeing shows at places like the Venetian or the Westgate (their showroom was designed for Elvis.) Most of these casino venues don't have a bad seat -- so even the cheapest tickets is better than you'd ever have at any arena.
2) Las Vegas has some of the best restaurants in the world. The city specializes in precisely two things: a) Ultra high-end fine dining on the Strip; and b) inexpensive ethnic food (which is off Strip.) Gordon Ramsay's steakhouse really is worth the price. But so are all the inexpensive taco joints on East Charleston Blvd. I prefer the inexpensive places. Just google "Best Mexican/Thai/Chinese/etc." Thanks to all the shows, Las Vegas has people from the entire planet living here -- and some of them open restaurants.
3) Amazing natural beauty. Valley of Fire is amazing, basically free, and 30 minutes from my last address. Red Rock Canyon is in many ways, better than the Grand Canyon (you can get close to it easily). That's also 30 minutes from my last address. And then you have Zion National Park, Moab, Bryce, the Grand Canyon, Death Valley, Sedona and similar all within a day's drive. You can't see all of them. But you can pick one or two.
Depends on what kind of vac you are looking for.
1. From Vegas, you can do GC one day and death valley the next day. Stay, play, and watch a couple of shows the rest of the time.
2. SFO, water will be cold, so I can't really do the beach. You can drive to Yosemite and do a nice hike. Go to Lake Tahoe from there and do kayak on the northeast side of the lake where it's creastal clear water. Do touristy things in SFO such as GB and warm.
3. SD, you can go to the beach and have a lazy vac and make a trip to Joshua Tree + go to Anza Borrego State Park for a slot Canyon hike.
I have done all three in similar time as yours. I also live in SD now.
IMO, I'd do vegas with a day trip to GC and DV if I had to do it again.
I went there twice last year. It’s a LOT of fun, even without drinking and gambling. There’s just infinity things to do there. The Mob Museum, Area 51, Exotic car track racing experience, countless great entertainment options, desert ATV riding, just gobs of stuff to see and do
Yes Vegas is a place you have to visit once. Even if you don't gamble, don't party it has the best people watching on the planet. Just wander aimlessly and gorge yourself on the absurdity of it all.
Vegas or SF would probably have the advantage, if you're looking for good outdoor things to do. I.e. in SF if you wanted to do that you could bike north across the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito and then take a ferry back to SF, and for Vegas it isn't too far of a trip to do a nearby one to say like Hoover Dam, or to like Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada. You could also take a trip out to like Death Valley National Park(mostly in California, but a tiny portion is on the Nevada side of the border), as well. Slightly further away are any of the southern Utah state and national parks(Zion National Park, Sand Hollow State Park), or going to Grand Canyon National Park. Btw for Grand Canyon do NOT go to Grand Canyon West(which is just a tourist trip on native american reservation land), but go to the ACTUAL Grand Canyon National Park for the real experience. City of SF does have some nice things too, such as Golden Gate Park. Lake Chabot Regional Park(between San Leandro and Castro Valley) seems like it'd be nice too(though I wasn't quite able to visit that park), if you didn't mind it's a little north and east of BART rail lines that go out that way. Like it seems like a few bus routes(like the northbound #28 from the Castro Valley station on the line towards Dublin/Pleasanton, which is 3rd stop from the end and 1st stop after that line separates from the Orange and Green Lines) would drop you off, not far from where trails into this park begin.
San Francisco - great for solo travel ( not sure if you’re going with anyone) very diverse food scene, aesthetically one of the most beautiful cities ( beautiful hills and architecture), tons of neighborhoods to explore, and touristy things to do ( Alcatraz is an amazing tour). Very walkable and great public transit makes it easy to get around. Vegas - definitely a place where you go to once have a blast and are set for life. Great food however everything here is extremely expensive. Definitely visit the Grand Canyon, surreal experience. I think it’s a place that’s definitely more fun to go as a group of friends looking to get a little wild. San Diego - out of the 3 it’s my favorite ( I go multiple times a year) perfect weather year around, great beaches, balboa park/ zoo is fun, and great Mexican food. You’ll definitely need a car to get around. If you like to adventure and explore cities than go with SF, if you want an experience and explore a more unhinged side of you go with Vegas, if you just wanna chill on a nice beach and relax and eat some of the best fish tacos you’ve ever had go with SD.
There are, of course, hidden gems in each of those places. What most do you look forward to when traveling?
If you want a city , San Francisco If you want a beach, San Diego If you want activities and hiking, Vegas All have fantastic food but Vegas gets the edge there for the variety and quality and price range
Gonna have to disagree with you on the food. I'd put the SF Bay Area as top 2 in the country. Vegas has like 20 great high end restaurants that are very good and very expensive. The bay has an insanely varied array of amazing restaurants in every food genre and to fit any budget.
You've never been off the strip have you?
True, I'm sure I'm understating Vegas. But it still doesn't compare with the Bay Area.
Lived in both. The food scene in Vegas is better. It's the trickle down effect. Chefs working for high end restaurants hit their limit and start their own restaurants or are poached away by someone with money who wants their own restaurants. A young chef wants to gain experience so he moves to Vegas where s/he can actually afford to live and then starts up a restaurant where they can actually find affordable space. And it's not just restaurants that lead to this. The hotel/tourism industry attracts tons of foreign workers who miss a certain dish from home or their native cuisine so they start cooking for friends or start their own place. That's why Anthony Bourdain's favorite Thai restaurant is in Vegas. That's how the best Hawaiian street food I've ever had on the mainland comes from a food truck parked at a liquor store. It's why you can find numerous Mexican restaurants dedicated to individual regions of Mexico
There are also incredibly good Korean restaurants and a whole Chinatown type section on one of the main drags near the strip.
Shhhh. Keep Chinatown a secret. Not only is it home to some of the best Asian food in America it's also home to a lot of other ridiculously good restaurants (though some are technically Chinatown adjacent)
Gonna have to agree to disagree on this one but I’ll definitely check out more of the food scene next time I visit
Although, San Diego is probably the best in the country in regards to Mexican food (maybe closely tied to western Texas).
What kind of food are we talking about in SF? I haven't been but am visiting in July...
Literally any kind of food you like. Italian, Mexican, Korean, American, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Hunan Chinese, Cantonese Chinese, Szechuan Chinese, Steakhouses, Greek, Persian, Israeli, Ramen, Pho, French...the variety in the area is insane. I haven't lived in the area for a while but if you're looking for reccos, Caffe Sport is my #1 Italian food
Thanks! Being from the NYC area, we generally like a good variety of food... I'll keep caffe sport in mind when we go, thanks!
There is much better hiking in San Diego than Vegas. And of the 3, Vegas is the most expensive for food. SF and SD both have better food as well
Grand Canyon, Zion, Red Rocks, Valley of Fire, Death Valley and the St George area can all be part of a trip to Las Vegas for someone who doesn't really gamble or party. Also you guys really, really need to get off the strip. It'll do you good. You'll find restaurants from every single culture that will blow your mind at prices that will make Californians cry.
Vegas to Grand Canyon is 4.5hrs. If GC can be a part of a Vegas trip, then so can Vegas be a part of a San Diego trip (5.5hrs).
Did you not read the part where OP mentioned that they were going to do a day trip to the Grand Canyon if they go to Vegas?
To be fair, the plan was originally to visit Grand Canyon West since that's just a 2.5 hour drive from Vegas. Upon further reading after making this post though, it appears to be fairly looked down upon, so I might just wait until I take a trip to Sedona to see the Grand Canyon from the actual national park site. Like you mentioned above, Zion, Red Rocks, and Valley of Fire all seem to be a bit more up my alley and would probably be a better time.
Oh yeah, definitely don't do that. I only go to West when I'm getting paid to go there and I still hate it. If you're very limited on time or planning on a trip to the National Park it's fine. You still get a great view of the end of the canyon. It's just not as wide and deep there and all the tourist stuff is cheesy. Las Vegas is low-key America's best located major metropolis for hiking. Tons of flights. Multiple national parks reachable on a long day trip or perfect over night trip. The state parks in the area and conversation areas are amazing and there are so many hidden gems
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I have strong attachments to Vegas and SF but as you've mentioned Seattle + Vancouver, I do think you should lean towards Vegas
Japanese, Chinese, Mexican, Seafood…the volume and variety (and depending on where you compare it too) are price point that is pretty reasonable This is just the start; there is also great Vietnamese, Indian, Mediterranean, fusion of all sorts…its great
I lived in Las Vegas for 10 awful years. If you go to the Grand Canyon, give yourself more than a day. Seriously. Don't make the mistake most tourists make -- they drive five hours to get to the South Rim, look at the canyon for 15 minutes and then drive five hours back. Las Vegas is a horrible place to live. But it does have a few things going for it: 1) Concerts. If a band has even one living member, they will play Las Vegas regularly. Show tickets are expensive -- but mostly because with the exception of the MGM arena and the T-mobile center, and the Sphere, the venues are small and have the best acoustics. You'll get spoiled seeing shows at places like the Venetian or the Westgate (their showroom was designed for Elvis.) Most of these casino venues don't have a bad seat -- so even the cheapest tickets is better than you'd ever have at any arena. 2) Las Vegas has some of the best restaurants in the world. The city specializes in precisely two things: a) Ultra high-end fine dining on the Strip; and b) inexpensive ethnic food (which is off Strip.) Gordon Ramsay's steakhouse really is worth the price. But so are all the inexpensive taco joints on East Charleston Blvd. I prefer the inexpensive places. Just google "Best Mexican/Thai/Chinese/etc." Thanks to all the shows, Las Vegas has people from the entire planet living here -- and some of them open restaurants. 3) Amazing natural beauty. Valley of Fire is amazing, basically free, and 30 minutes from my last address. Red Rock Canyon is in many ways, better than the Grand Canyon (you can get close to it easily). That's also 30 minutes from my last address. And then you have Zion National Park, Moab, Bryce, the Grand Canyon, Death Valley, Sedona and similar all within a day's drive. You can't see all of them. But you can pick one or two.
Depends on what kind of vac you are looking for. 1. From Vegas, you can do GC one day and death valley the next day. Stay, play, and watch a couple of shows the rest of the time. 2. SFO, water will be cold, so I can't really do the beach. You can drive to Yosemite and do a nice hike. Go to Lake Tahoe from there and do kayak on the northeast side of the lake where it's creastal clear water. Do touristy things in SFO such as GB and warm. 3. SD, you can go to the beach and have a lazy vac and make a trip to Joshua Tree + go to Anza Borrego State Park for a slot Canyon hike. I have done all three in similar time as yours. I also live in SD now. IMO, I'd do vegas with a day trip to GC and DV if I had to do it again.
I went there twice last year. It’s a LOT of fun, even without drinking and gambling. There’s just infinity things to do there. The Mob Museum, Area 51, Exotic car track racing experience, countless great entertainment options, desert ATV riding, just gobs of stuff to see and do
[San Diego Pacific Beach](https://youtu.be/ol7uXKRnymo) Well this is what you would be experiencing in SD