Another Vegas question & Zion Park

[stumpy]

My cousin is getting married in June 2013. She is having here wedding on a Friday morning in Zion National Park. It is gonna be a very unique wedding! (She is totally an outdoor girl . . . so having her wedding outside in an unusual way doesn't surprise me) She is getting married at/near Zion Ponderosa Resort. We have to make our reservations soon b/c there are only so many vacation homes or cabins available.
I know Vegas is about three hours away from Zion. DH and I have been to Vegas a few times but my sis and niece have never been. So, we are planning on making this wedding into a longer vacation.

I know Vegas is HOT during the summer. Florida is hot -- and at least Vegas isn't humid. What is Vegas really like in early June? Do you have any recs for hotels that would be good for a 14 year old girl? It needs to be somewhat MM b/c we will stay several days in Zion and then several days in Vegas. My sis and niece don't have as much to spend so we need to be mindful of that.
I would like to stay on the Strip but the 14 year old is throwing me. I just want to make sure she is happy as well. So I guess pools and activities need to be good.

I never plan something this far in advance. When should I book Vegas? I can't imagine they have deals or even rooms available almost a year out for most places. Ugh. Other local family members are trying to finalize dates and want to know our plans . . . who thinks that far in advance?

Any help or ideas? If it was just DH and me then I would wing it, but that isnt the case here.

[leeluu]

If you can get a good deal, Mandalay Bay would be a great place to go with a 14 year old girl. They have a huge wave pool that kept me and my other cousins in their late 20's very entertained (granted we were also drinking, but still).

I stayed at Treasure Island and their pool was probably too party-central for a 14 year old girl. NYNY the pool was very boring so not good for a 14 year old girl either.

I would recommend staying on the strip because you can spend hours walking around on the strip during the day and seeing cool stuff.

[Susie]

I'm jealous! We just did a wedding + national park trip in the southwest in June, and I really wanted to go to Zion. The wedding was planned on such short notice that we couldn't get a campsite or back country permit though.

The north rim of the Grand Canyon is not terribly far from Zion, if you have any interest in seeing that. We wound up doing the wedding and then going to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon since it's where we could get a campsite. Vegas isn't really on my radar so I can't help with your actual question. Oops.

[stumpy]

Jul 6, 2012 16:12:29 GMT -5 Susie said:

I'm jealous! We just did a wedding + national park trip in the southwest in June, and I really wanted to go to Zion. The wedding was planned on such short notice that we couldn't get a campsite or back country permit though.

The north rim of the Grand Canyon is not terribly far from Zion, if you have any interest in seeing that. We wound up doing the wedding and then going to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon since it's where we could get a campsite. Vegas isn't really on my radar so I can't help with your actual question. Oops.

No oops needed!
We are planning on seeing Grand Canyon and Bryce Canyon. Might as well since we are close by. I am sure we will do lots of activities there -- horseback ride, rafting, etc.
So, this little wedding is going to add up to a BIG vacation . . . and a family one at that. (Some of the other family members might do Vegas as well but I am not gonna try and coordinate all of that -- I am only gonna work with sis and niece. The cousins are on their own! LOL!)

I figured on the Strip would be great but didn't know how partyish the pools would be. I have never been to Vegas i the summer -- only during Christmas time or in the spring. I don't normally go from a hot place to a different hot place! I know there are lots of things to keep the 14 year old happy and occupied but I want it to be fun and not to much like she is a tag along.