OT: Advice on trip to ESA for out of towner

[Sloanfeld]

I want to go to the ESA to a game this season. I've lived in PA my whole life and have never been on a plane. I have never planned a trip. I'd love to visit during a 3-4 game homestand but maybe I'm just too new to be planning a long trip like that now, so I figure one game would be fair enough for this season. I'm looking at Orbitz, Southwest, and Priceline for the best deals. Right now I'm thinking about going to see us play the Spurs on 11-5.

I have to put a leave slip in work by 8-31 to guaratee that I can get two days off from work for this. I'm near if not at the top of the leave roster so I'm pretty much guaranteed the time if I put in for it.

It looks like I can get a deal for about $218 for a roundtrip flight after fees and taxes from Philly to SLC on Priceline, but that's without trying to name my own price and save. That doesn't seem like a bad deal to me. I have a free stay at a Hilton hotel from a promotion that I did last year so that's covered. I figure $218 for the flight, maybe $60 for the ticket, $35 for gas to/from the airport and parking overnight, $25 for food/other transportation, comes to about $338 for one game. A lot for one game but worth it for the trip. Does this seem like a reasonable to people who have been on trips before? Money is not a problem for me but I like to get a good deal. Obviously I'd love to come during a 3-4 game homestand, which would lower my price per game, but I'm too incompetent to plan that right now.

Even if I don't go this year I'd like to know about Trax. Will this be able to take me to a hotel and then the arena and back, or around the vicinity? And if anyone has any other suggestion on looking for a travel/airfare deal, or anything in general about the area that I should know for the 24 hours or so that I'll be in town please share.

I may not even bother with this since I'll be at the games in NY and Philly the following week but it's something that I thought I'd be planning this month and I haven't had the time for it until now.

One last thing, how quickly do games sell out? I should be able to at least get a ticket on eBay even if's crap, I figure.

[moevillini]

hey sloanfeld, I went to SLC for a game a in Feb 2008. I stayed in a nice hotel in downtown SLC and I was within walking distance of the ESA and all the LDS sites around Temple Square (worth seeing but be prepared for lots of friendly young people who'll want to discuss religion with you) It seems to me there were a number of places to stay in that vicinity. I'll see if I can figure out which place it was.

Compared to Chicago, NYC and Wash DC (the places I've most frequently traveled) the prices in SLC seemed pretty cheap.

Here's the website for the hotel, I think I paid around $140 per night (incl. tax)
http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hotel/SLCCCHH-Hilton-Salt-Lake-City-Center-Utah/index.do

[rick333]

Plane tickets you got are a nice deal. I just spend $400 per ticket to fly my in-laws from Buffalo. Mo is right, there are quite a few hotels right in the downtown area. Trax is free in the downtown area.

Downtown isn't too far from the airport and I would check with the hotel to see if they have a free shuttle service to/from the airport. If not a taxi shouldn't be too bad.

I don't know much about the tickets, but I am sure you can find something on ebay or through stubhub.

[jazzfan1971]

I'd rather just use the money to buy league pass.

[moevillini]

Here's the website for the hotel, I think I paid around $140 per night (incl. tax)
http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hotel/SLCCCHH-Hilton-Salt-Lake-City-Center-Utah/index.do

and guess what, it was a HILTON! I missed the part where you mentioned the free night! Do you have any restrictiions on the dates you can use it?

At any rate, I think I'd go later in the season when the risk of snowstorms might be less and you can enjoy nice weather for walking around. (edit: Reading Is Fundamental - I see you're thinking November - well, it shouldn't be too bad then either, any weather tips from the locals?)

League Pass is fine, but this is an adventure - Go for it!

[jazzfan1971]

I'd come to a playoff game then.

[Fido]

If you get a hotel anywhere downtown it is easy enough to get to ESA. Most of those downtown hotels are in the Trax free zone if weather is not ideal or didn't want to walk. The prices on plane tickets are pretty good too. If you get seats down low, be prepared for lots of noise. That building gets loud (especially in big games).

[Nate505]

The Howard Johnson downtown is close (like 2 blocks) and pretty damn cheap. Granted, it's about Super 8 quality but it's not bad or anything.

EDIT: Oops, maybe I should read your whole damn thing before responding

[JDubJazz]

I recommend a north or east facing room in the Grand America (not cheap) or Little America (still not cheap but cheaper). There's a streetcar station right out front, making it easy to get to the ESA. Also, if you are there on a Sunday morning, you can walk across the street to Little America for an awesome Sunday breakfast buffet with just about every tasty breakfast food you could ever hope to eat. those Sunday brunches are legendary (I know some of the kitchen staff).

[carrottop12]

There is nice Hilton in downtown salt lake that is about 15-20 walking minutes from the ESA. And honestly it's only about 2 minutes from a trax station that will take you right to the ESA. So if you have a free stay obviously that's where you want to go.

It's also right in the heart of downtown so you won't have to pay much to travel around. It's right across the street from a place called Market Street Grill so if you are going to be in town on a Sunday I recommend it for Sunday brunch.

I can't believe you've never been on a plane.

[Fido]

If you do end up making the trip, you'll have to post an update on what you did and how it went.

[DelaneyRudd]

Everyone knows the best brunch is at The Trapp.

[carrottop12]

Everyone knows the best brunch is at The Trapp.

[Jazztastico]

ooo let me know how it goes man, I really want to come for the december home stand like the 8-14 from England but am unsure on the prices. I may just go to New York and see the Jazz-Jersey road game instead I'm presuming thats cheaper

[StocktonShorts]

ooo let me know how it goes man, I really want to come for the december home stand like the 8-14 from England but am unsure on the prices. I may just go to New York and see the Jazz-Jersey road game instead I'm presuming thats cheaper

Are you going to the Jazz/Bulls exhibition match in London?

[Jazztastico]

haha yeahhh mannn, booked my tickets like the day they came out, cant wait, Deron v Rose will be sweet.

Still wanna sample an actual NBA game, and a game at the ESA is a must sometime in my life, even if its in the upper bowl for 15 bucks or whatever, cant beat actually being there

[moevillini]

ooo let me know how it goes man, I really want to come for the december home stand like the 8-14 from England but am unsure on the prices. I may just go to New York and see the Jazz-Jersey road game instead I'm presuming thats cheaper

If you're flying from London, I'm certain the airfare would be much cheaper to go to NYC than to go to SLC. BUT, the hotel costs will be much higher in NYC plus taxis and other costs will be higher. I wouldn't be surprised if the overall trip would be less to go to SLC, particularly if you stay more than one or two nights.

but then again, if you've never been to NYC, and aren't necessarily planning a return trip to the states, you probably should stick with NYC (unless you plan to ski in the SLC area while you're there)

[Sloanfeld]

Thanks for the responses everyone. I've decided to hold off on this for now. Another thing that I should consider is the amount of overtime I work and the opportunity cost lost by not working that, if it's still available then. I'll definitely keep this thread in mind for when I actually do plan to go.

But today I just realized that we are playing @ Boston on veterans day, which is a paid holiday for me. It's like 5.5 hours from me so I think I'm going to take a trip up there since I have the whole day to drive. I'm pretty fired up that I get to go there for a game. So I'll be @ NY, Boston, and Philly all in the same week. That's a lot of driving!

[StocktonShorts]

The season before last I got to watch the Jazz beat the Celtics @Boston. I've never seen such a depressed bunch of fans after a regular-season game.