Driving directions discussion ...

[External Poster]

This posting is from: Amy
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HI,

Here's a suggestion on the driving directions. If you post the
addresses for all the hotels and all the desitnations, then
everyone that is driving can "mapquest" the directions as much
of as they want and have them handy when they get to town.

I am very excited, this will be my first DLV!!! I am already
picking my clothes out :)

Kisses,

Amiee

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[External Poster]

This posting is from: Tootsye
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I agree with Aimee. If we have the address of the activity, we can
find it. We found Diva Las Vegas, and that proves we are smart
clever girls! A street map doesn't cost very much and if you
share a ride one can be the navigator! <g>

Now if I could only figure out which way is east?

Tootsye

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[External Poster]

This posting is from: annie
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>Here's a suggestion on the driving directions. If you post the
>addresses for all the hotels and all the desitnations, then
>everyone that is driving can "mapquest" the directions as much
>of as they want and have them handy when they get to town.

Yes, we will have the actual street addresses of the activity
locations on the final schedule this year. This was suggested
last year by somebody who had a GPS device. It was also
suggested that we include the main facility phone number.

There will also be the DLV activity map of the area with the
activity locations indicated.

Here's the information that will appear on the final schedule
this year:

When: When the activity starts.

What: Name of activity.

Where: Where it happens.

Map symbol: Letter or number on our activity map.

Cost: How much it costs, actual or approximate.

Meet: Exactly where within the facility, and how to meet the group.

Duration: About how long it's expected to last.

Coordinator: DLV volunteer(s) in charge of it.

Sign-up: Sign-up notes, if any.

Facility address: Actual street address

Facility phone: Main phone number

Monorail stop: If it's practical to use the Monorail.

Taxi instructions: What to tell a taxi driver.

Dress suggestions: General and specific dress suggestions.

Notes: Various items, is it "mainstream", will check-in be
available, etc.

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(This posting was entered by annie, an external user of MyDLV.)

[External Poster]

This posting is from: Mary Beth
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>A street map doesn't cost very much

Most of the local free tourist magazines have maps in them as well.

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(This posting was entered by Mary Beth, an external user of MyDLV.)

[External Poster]

This posting is from: Ginger
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>Now if I could only figure out which way is east?

Tootsye,

With you having traveled throughout the country in your "home
away from home" I know you are kidding. However, a GPS changes
everything for those of us who really are challenged in strange
locations! In Las Vegas last year I found all kinds of quick
ways to get around town.

Maybe the best use I've found for mine is the help it gives me
walking around in the downtown areas of large cities where you
can't even see the direction of the sun after getting off the
subway. The GPS really will point the way! My advise is if you
have a portable one bring it with you, and with the prices coming
down they are pretty affordable.

Ginger

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[External Poster]

This posting is from: annie
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>>A street map doesn't cost very much

>Most of the local free tourist magazines have maps in them as well.

You may not need to get an additional map. We do include a map
which shows most major streets, our suggested hotels, and the
locations of most activities.

Here's an example from 2007:

http://www.geekbabe.com/dlv/dlv2007/maps/

NOTICE: THIS IS OUTDATED! DO NOT USE FOR DLV2008! IT WILL BE WRONG!

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(This posting was entered by annie, an external user of MyDLV.)

[External Poster]

This posting is from: Tootsye
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Ginger,

I was only half kidding. Most of the time, I can get oriented pretty
well, but for some reason, I am always turned around in LV? It has been
that way for 25 years, and

I have never understood why?

I do very well with a AAA street map!

But, the GPS is an excellent idea!

Hugs,
Tootsye

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[External Poster]

This posting is from: Ginger
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Tootsye,

I'm almost a human compass and mapping program, but I've had problems in
Las Vegas since almost the beginning. At first I attributed it to the
fact I flew in and then rode around with others. Then I decided it was
so flat there were few landmarks other than the airport south of town
and the Stratosphere at the north end of the strip.

When I rented a car I printed out Google maps and directions to
everywhere I was going from my hotel and did OK with the maps plus the
AAA map I brought with me too, but still didn't have a good
orientation.

Last year I brought the GPS and it was so easy, plus I finally got
oriented. Unknown to me the rental cars were in a new facility and my
old route down Paradise wasn't an option. I had pre-programmed the unit
with my hotel and a few seconds after being turned on the GPS found it's
new location and routed me toward the Interstate and I was in my hotel
on the northern end of the strip in what was not much more than 15
minutes. I was surprised at how much easier that route was than the one
I had been taking! Took it to Be All and Pinkfest in Chicago and found
out how well it worked getting me to my destinations, especially on foot
after getting off the subway and having no idea what the directions
were!

How did we live without all of our modern conveniences? Glad to have you
back after your absence!

Hugs,

Ginger

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[External Poster]

This posting is from: Mary Beth
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>don't assume that you can use this information,
>take off at the last minute, and leave yourself just
>enough time to get there.

A very important thing to keep in mind for anyone who is coming
to Vegas for the first time is this phrase:

"OBJECTS ARE FURTHER AWAY THAN THEY APPEAR."

Because the buildings are so huge, the Strip presents an
incredible optical illusion. Hotels that are right next door
to one another and look like they are just a 5 minute walk
can be a good 15 to 30 minutes walking time to get from door
to door (the Bellagio to Caesar's looks close, but isn't). It can
sometimes take a 10 minute walk to get from the sidewalk to the
casino entrance (Bally's and Caesar's Palace come to mind here).

If you are driving, it can take up to 30 minutes to drive from
the Mandalay Bay end of the Strip to the Sahara end, and that's
if there is no traffic. When parking in a casino garage it can
be a hike to get from your car to the casino floor (the MGM
Grand and Mirage garages come to mind here). When you are
planning which events to attend, give yourself plenty of time
to get there, including driving time from your hotel to the
casino and walking time from the garage to the meeting place.

And remember:

"OBJECTS ARE FURTHER AWAY THAN THEY APPEAR."

-Mary Beth

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[External Poster]

This posting is from: annie
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>I'm almost a human compass and mapping program, but I've had
>problems in Las Vegas since almost the beginning.

Disorientation is sometimes discussed on the various LV boards,
the most common report being that the Strip is perceived as
running mostly east-west instead of its true orientation which
is mostly north-south.

One theory is that many visitors first came in to Las Vegas
from California, driving on either route 15 or the old highway.
Since California is generally perceived to be west of Las
Vegas, there is a reported tendency to assume that one is
entering Las Vegas from the west, when in actuality they
are heading due north.

Another curve which is thrown to the visitor (no pun intended)
is that the downtown streets are angled about 20 degrees to the
east of the otherwise normal orientation. The Strip itself bends
to this orientation around the Mirage, but most other streets in
that area remain aligned more or less to the true directions.

Then there are a few others in there, such as Rancho, Boulder
Highway, and the northmost part of Las Vegas Boulevard, which
are skewed about 45 degrees from what you would call normal.

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(This posting was entered by annie, an external user of MyDLV.)