FOR U.S. FORUM MEMBERS-I'm travelling to Las Vegas & SanFran: good gym suggestions please?

Greetings to all from Sydney, Australia. I am competing in my first fitness figure comp here next May (2010).
I will be travelling to the USA for the first time in November 2009.
 
I will be spending 5 days in Las Vegas and then 5 days in San Francisco.
 
I want to keep up my training routine as much as possible whilst in both places and find a decent gym in both places. I won't have a car in either place so want to find a gym not too far away on foot.
And by gym I mean a proper, full facility gym, not a room with a treadmill, an elliptical and a few free weights ranging from 5lb to 20lb !  Been burnt by descroptions of so-called 'gyms' in hotels before!
 
Las Vegas: Have been researching the hotel gyms via their websites. Unfortunately most of the hotel websites don't go into their fitness facilities in much detail. I was wondering if any members could recommend the best hotel gym in LV?
From my online research it seems that the Canyon Ranch Spa and Gym would be my best option at $35 a day or a 5 day pass for $150. Anyone been there and if so what's the gym like?
It seems to be the same price whether you're staying at the Venetian/Palazzo or elsewhere on the Strip, so I'd rather stay at a slightly cheaper hotel nearby than pay the Venetian/Palazzo room rates.
Was thinking of staying at the Mirage and then going across the road to the Canyon Ranch each day.
 
Think I would rather do that than try to get to one of the commercial gyms in LV, as none of them seem to be within easy walking distance from the Strip (e.g. 24 Hour Fitness Tropicana or Golds or LV Athletic Club).
 
San Francisco:  Will be staying in Union Square.
I was thinking perhaps staying at the Westin Union Square. They seem to have some deal where if you stay there you get access to the Sports Club LA gym underneath the Four Seasons Hotel for $25 a day (perhaps cheaper if you get a 5 day pass?) (It's free if you stay at the Four Seasons Hotel there, however my budget doesn't stretch to that kind of luxury hotel!)
Anyone trained there? It looks great from the website.....
I also saw the Club One at Union Square gym - anyone know what that's like? They seem to offer a daily pass of $20 a day to 'walk-ins'.
 
Any feedback/suggestions from US members on gym options in either of these places will be gratefully received!
Looking forward to visiting your wonderful country soon!
Thank you .

Wish I could help you out, my experience is gyms try to rip travelers off hardcore.  20+ dollars a session is just ridiculous.  Even though most gyms will give you a free week, in tourist towns if you don't have a local Id with you, you will being paying a hefty amount of money to work out.  Gyms around where I am at are only 3-5 dollars for a single use, everything is dirt cheap here.  But my last vacation I had the difficulties you are looking at, luckily I got a couple work outs in with a serious powerlifter for free, plus it was better than any gym I would have spent 20 dollars for.  Good luck with the competition, if I lived in that area I would help you out, fitness figure competitors are smoking hot.

http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/Seos-Log-2008-m442008.aspx

My folks live in Vegas but I know nothing about the gyms there.  Seems like the hotels you mention are close to top end.  You could also go with a cheaper hotel (although in Vegas rooms should be cheap because they're suffering w/tourism down there).  Could you spend less on hotel and spring for a rental car or cab fare.  I think you'd probably be happier at a nice full facility gym than a hotel one, imo.

Dude... seriously.... gym should be the last thing on your mind when you are in Vegas...
You should either be on the casino floor... or in the hotel room with someone you met on the casino floor

Stingray


Dude... seriously.... gym should be the last thing on your mind when you are in Vegas...
You should either be on the casino floor... or in the hotel room with someone you met on the casino floor

Well, perhaps after her contest is over.  Imo, she should stay the hell away until then.  Too much temptation and distraction.

He he.. Stingray... JMBS is right... I'll be steering clear of those buffets I'm hearing so much about !!!
Well, okay, I'll be hitting the buffet for breakfast.. but only after a good solid workout! And watching what I put on my plate.
 
The serving sizes in Vegas seem HUGE compared to here in Australia. But good value.
 
Will definitely be hitting the casino floor(s) .. and am going with my partner so won't be going to any hotel rooms with anyone else!
 
There are some amazing airfare and hotel deals for Vegas between now and December.. which is why we're going. Airfares from Sydney to LA or SanFran are one third of their normal price at the moment, and we are getting 5 nights in a 4 star hotel in both Vegas and SanFran for a great price. We can't get over how cheap Vegas and SF hotels are compared to here in Australia. A room in a 4 star hotel in Sydney would be at least double, if not triple, the price per night in LV or SF. That's competition for you!
And the exchange rate between the US and Aussie dollars is pretty good too at the moment.
 
We want to do a day trip out to Hoover Dam and other places nearby to the LV city precinct as well, so we will hire a car.. though must admit to being a bit nervous about driving in Vegas (well you guys drive on the right hand side of the road for a start so everything is back the front to me!!) but I guess if I can handle it in Sydney (which is a city of about 5million plus I think, with completely chaotic road design, or should I say lack thereof.. people compare it to driving in LA...) I should be able to handle LV.  And they seem to have free parking everywhere in LV (a welcome change to Sydney!)
 
Thanks to all who have responded so far.
 
 

If you have the time, make it out to the Grand Canyon!  It's probably a pretty good drive, but worth it!   Also, if you're driving from Vegas to Northern California, I believe you could hit Yosemite National Park on the way.  Can you tell I like the outdoors?  I'll take the Grand Canyon over a casino any day.  My folks love Vegas, but it's not my thing.
And thanks for giving our economy a boost!  We need it!
Good luck in your competition!  :)

If you have the time, make it out to the Grand Canyon!

J is absolutely right about this... You should definitely give Grand Canyon a shot while you are out there in Vegas.... also the Hoover dam.... Both are breath taking sites!

Oh... and don't forget your to pack your camera

I wonder if anyone realizes how long the drive to the grand canyon from vegas is.  If you don't mind being in a car and a long trip by all means it would be worth it.  Last trip I took me and an old roomate scored rooms in a big hotel there for 20 bucks a night, little did we know it was extremely slow everywhere and quite boring.

http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/Seos-Log-2008-m442008.aspx

Hey guys.. thanks very much for the sightseeing suggestions. We are definitely going to travel East of the LV city area to see the Hoover Dam and the countryside around there.. We thought about the Grand Canyon but it is a little too far, we are only there for 5 days and have so much to see and do around Vegas! (shopping... shopping... going to hit that Nike outlet store with a vengeance.. have deliberately not bought any new training gear for months.. SO much cheaper in the States than here...)
Plus it will be pretty cold in late November in Nevada I gather? Getting close to middle of winter and it's in the desert..?
At least I will arrive with a great tan.. having come from late spring/early summer here.. and I swim in an outdoor pool in a 2 pce swimsuit 3 times a week.. so the tan should be coming along nicely by then.. ha ha..
And am buying a new camera before I leave..!
Really looking forward to the trip, as I mentioned, never been to the US before but have always wanted to go (I used to rodeo here.. yes, we have rodeos here!)
I miss the National Finals Rodeo in Vegas by a week or two ... sniff sniff.. but the upside is we save thousands on airfares and accomodation travelling before 1 December.. high season hits 1 December and just the airfares alone TRIPLE! (from around AUD1000 to almost AUD3000 !!)

If anyone else has any gym suggestions for Vegas or San Fran... keep em coming! thanks!

Okay, my "brave" friends  (sheesh!):  I'll be the first to ask:  Would it be possible for you to send us a picture or two of you in past competitions?  You'd make a lot of guys happy here!  Ha ha!  ;)  But no pressure.

Hey JMBS....
You didn't read my first post very carefully...!
In the first line I said I was competing in my FIRST competition here in Sydney next May (2010).. so no past competition pictures!
But there are so many pictures of the gorgeous female competitors who are members of this site.. I am sure you have more than enough to look at.
I find them very inspirational. Though I am sure you fellas would look at them for other reasons too!
 
Thanks for the gym suggestions though, much appreciated.

AussieAnakina


Hey JMBS....
You didn't read my first post very carefully...!
In the first line I said I was competing in my FIRST competition here in Sydney next May (2010).. so no past competition pictures!
But there are so many pictures of the gorgeous female competitors who are members of this site.. I am sure you have more than enough to look at.
I find them very inspirational. Though I am sure you fellas would look at them for other reasons too!
 
Thanks for the gym suggestions though, much appreciated.

Oops!  My bad.  Apologies!  When you said you were competing in Vegas I guess I assumed you had competed before in Australia.  Sorry!  Ooh, Australia.  I've never been, but my wife has a cousin who works as a geologist in the Melbourne area I believe.  He keeps inviting us.  Hope to make it Down Under some day!  Later!  :)

Nah JMBS.. not competing in Vegas... just going there and then to San Fran for a holiday.. and wanting to keep training for the 10 days or so that I'm there.. my first comp is here in Sydney in May 2010.
I go down to Melbourne a fair bit for work. It's a nice place.
You will have to come visit Australian one day.  In summer. So you can go and watch a game of cricket at the MCG with your wife's relatives!

Lol!  So unlike a guy to not pay attention to the conversation!  ;)  It's the missing branch on my Y chromosome, I'm sure of it.  Guys are more 'look' than 'listen,' I'm afraid.  I read your original post again and now I see the confusion.  I honestly thought you were coming here to compete and also take in the sights.  What a bonehead am I!  Your visit is in November and competition not until May?!  In that case, party hard!  Plenty of time for recovery.  As I said, my folks live just outside of Vegas.  My mom says they've ammended the "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas." slogan to "What happens in Vegas gets bragged about all over"!  So bring back lots of stories!  Have a fun trip!
   My wife's cousin and wife have just gotten citizenship there from what I remember.  They were waiting on that to have a kid so the government health care would pay for the prenatal and birth or something.  They absolutely love your country.  It sounds like a marvelous place to raise a family.  Beautiful, but expensive from what you say.  I've heard you have the most fitness oriented country in the world.  Works for me!  Have a pleasant trip and a great competition!  :)

anytime fitness. they give you a free 7 day pass

first day with no buds, 11/17, need a new job. 1 down 13 to go.

Hi JMBS.. It's okay, we know you guys are easily distracted by bright shiny things...

I'm not sure about Australia being the most fitness oriented country in the world? I also read recently that we have the most obese people per capita in the world too?!

mr. 209


anytime fitness. they give you a free 7 day pass

Thanks for this info mr.209  I'll check it out. I know that some of the US gyms offer free 7 day passes, but only to locals, not tourists/visitors (in the hope that locals will then join up I guess?)
 
 

AussieAnakina


Hi JMBS.. It's okay, we know you guys are easily distracted by bright shiny things...

I'm not sure about Australia being the most fitness oriented country in the world? I also read recently that we have the most obese people per capita in the world too?!

Who knew?  I thought everyone was surfing, playing tennis, chasing kangaroos, wrestling crocodiles, dancing to The Wiggles, standing on their heads to be right side up.  You think you know a place.  ;)
 
Off to look at some bright shiny things!  G'day, Love!  (Did I get that right? 'Mate' for guys, 'Love' for girls?)  :)

"Off to look at some bright shiny things!  G'day, Love!  (Did I get that right? 'Mate' for guys, 'Love' for girls?)  :) "

He he.. Yep.. you got that pretty correct.. except we'd probably spell it "luv"
 
We say G'day when we first greet someone.. and I say "G'day mate" if I see a friend, regardless of their gender.  We usually just say "See ya" for goodbye.. or "catch you round like a rissole".. ha ha...
 
My (male) trainer has started calling me 'matey' and 'dude' lately though I've noticed... which is a bit of a worry... as I think I look much more like a 'sheila' than a 'bloke'!!

AA,
   G'day, luv!  Thanks for the lesson in Aussie culture!  Makes me want to visit even more!  Catch you round like a rissole!  :)

What in the world is a 'rissole' and how do you pronounce it?

Pronounced  "riss" "soul" ... I think you guys call them 'sloppy joes"? They're a pattie made with minced meat (usually beef) and onions, vegies that you cook in a pan. People eat them with gravy usually.
 
Don't ask me where the saying comes from?! A variation of "see ya round like a record" I guess.. another one here is "see ya round like a fruit loop" (I think you have fruit loops too, those brightly coloured ring-shaped kids' breakfast cereals of next to no nutritional value? !! )