Have fun Dave. I did Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Francisco in December. Not sure what you have planned, but a stay at the Wynns Encore on the strip in vegas is pretty awesome. It's the Hotel where The Hang Over was filmed. I didn't get a tiger, but I did get married.....by Elvis!!
There are some amazing things to see and do In vegas and you probably have a full schedule, but if you are looking for something to do, then do dinner at Tao's in the Venetian. It's top end Asian Fusion and was one of the best meals I had while in the U.S. The Venetian is also well worth a look and a Gondola ride. Check out the absolutely realistic sky, complete with clouds which moves overhead as you walk around the plaza or ride the Gondola. There is also a roller coaster on top of one of the hotels on the strip, can't remember it's name. We couldn't ride it as there was gale force winds sweeping Vegas while we were there which closed the roller coaster.
If shopping is your girls intention, there is an awesome Factory outlet centre about an hour south of Vegas on the L.A. road.....That's if you are driving back that way, wouldn't drive all the way there and back just for it.
In San Francisco I did Alcatraz which I thought was awesome, as is the Golden Gate bridge. If you do the bridge and it's not too cold, I recommend a pushbike ride across the bridge and down into the little village on the other side, which I hope I get it's name right, is Sou Solito or something similiar.
Whatever it was, it's a really great little village with funky shops and awesome cafe's. Well worth the visit.
Naturally you will do the cable cars. But if you are in a hire car make sure you do a run down the hills they use to film all the car chases!! I had a Nissan Tiida airborne over them!!!
If you are not in a hire car, rent a little three wheeled scooter and do it in that!! I saw some mad europeans of some nationality whose accent I couldn't pick, german? Swedish? Norwegian? whatever they were, they got one airborne, yelling and screaming as they did!
Pier 13 and the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, try some clam chowder from the karts out the front on the sidewalk. It was probably the best chowder we had while away and we ate lots of the stuff!!
China town is really interesting and while there, find the funky little bookshop with the Jack Karouac museum in it. It's like a history of the Beatnik Era. Flower power, Free Love, LSD and Marijuana!
Pretty cool!
Now, last but not least Las Angeles. The best part of Las Angeles for me was the fucking runway out of it! I fucking hated the place! What a dissapointing dump! It wasn't all bad, we stayed in a mansion off Mullholland drive in the Hollywood Hills, next door the the lead singer of Ramsteins place. Never saw him hankfully, otherwise I might have not been able hold back telling him his music sux!
But, back to the point......The Hollywood Hills are pretty. Highlights to me were Topanga Canyon road on a Triumph Speed triple, Venice beach, Muscle beach (On Venice Beach), Santa Monica pier.
