I stayed in Barstow, Nevada on my way to Vegas, It is not a big place but they have a big shopping outlet there which we enjoyed. Not too far from Barstow about 30 miles approx. from Vegas you will pass Whiskey Petes, a huge hotel/ casino where you will be able to stay for a third of the price of Vegas. We actually flew in Los Angeles and drove to San Diego , Palm Springs and even had a trip into Mexico. As I don't know your reason for going to New York I cannot help there. My advice to you is to fly to New York, spend a few days there, so much to see and do and THEN hire a car and drive to Canada where there are many nice places to go and see. Leave Las Vegas until another time and fly to either LA or San Diego and drive from there. We did it that way and had a fantastic 16 days between looking around and then 4 nights in Vegas. To drive from New York to Vegas would be Crazy, huge motorways and a lot of map reading, anyway enjoy yourselves, petrol is cheap over there whuch is a big help!!!