Defcon

posted July 22, 2011 8:48 PM

Anyone going to Defcon 2011 in Vegas? I will be there, don't have details like a hotel room worked out yet.
posted by These Premises Are Alarmed to Proposed (3 comments total)

I live in Las Vegas. Have you spent much time in Vegas before?

Going off the initial assumption that you're not too familiar with the city, here's some advice:

Hotel:

Check with me before you finalize your room reservation and I'll let you know what I think in terms of location, value, etc.

According to the DefCon website it is being held at the Rio, which is not on The Strip but is actually to the west about a mile.

Here's some advice regarding finding a good price (please let me know if price isn't an issue and other amenities are a priority):

If you want to stay in the same area as the convention but in a cheaper hotel than the Rio, the Gold Coast is right across the street. (The Palms is also nearby but is likely to be as expensive as the Rio.)

Another option is to stay on the Strip near Flamingo and catch the free shuttle that runs back and forth between Caesars Palace and the Rio.

Bill's Gambling Hall & Saloon is a relatively inexpensive hotel right at the intersection of Flamingo & Las Vegas Blvd ("The Strip"), which is the same intersection as Caesars Palace, the Bellagio, and Bally's.

Imperial Palace is another relative inexpensive mid-Strip hotel and is a short (0.2 mile) walk north of Flamingo, and you can spend a nice chunk of that walk indoors if you want (you will understand why that is a consideration when you experience our August temperatures).

Transportation:

I recommend using the free shuttles, trams, and cheap monorail to get around as much as possible, and the bus that runs up and down the Strip isn't too bad either.

Cabs if you need to get somewhere in a hurry, but grab one of those tourist maps and have an idea of what the real route is from where you are to where you're going or you may get taken for a ride.

I generally recommend that most tourists do *not* rent a car. IMO, they are more trouble than they are worth on and around the Strip and then there's all the added stress of trying to navigate a strange city and everyone here is a terrible driver and you also often have to swerve to avoid hitting some drunk tourist who has wandered out into the middle of the street (pro-tip: don't be that guy). I've lived here for 4 1/2 years and I still find driving on and around the Strip to be nerve-wracking.

Do *NOT* plan on walking any significant distances outdoors in August. However, walking is still a viable transportation option for sight-seeing on the Strip as you can traverse most of the distance through the air-conditioned interiors of the giant casino-hotels.

Meetup ideas:

Let me know what sorts of things you're interested in and I can suggest possible Meetup venues/activities.

Meanwhile, I just Circled you and have begun to cyberstalk the shit out of you (it's my hobby). Initial intelligence suggests that you might enjoy going on a pub crawl to some of the local brewpubs and other quality beer establishments? My husband and I can show you where to find the *good* beer in Las Vegas (vs. the $8 Coors Light they sell in the bars on the Strip).
posted by Jacqueline at 2:01 AM on July 23, 2011

I too live in Vegas and would love a meet-up! I'm pretty flexible about venues....
posted by yodelingisfun at 8:15 AM on July 25, 2011

I guess this one didn't happen?
posted by infinitewindow at 8:17 PM on August 16, 2011