Las Vegas Vacation Blog Blog

Yes, the fine dining choices in Las Vegas have multiplied to such numbers that it would take you forever to try them all. No they are not cheap, unfortunately that means you might not have Foie Gras or Seared Halibut on a bed of Saffron Rice or tiny over priced Filet. If you are going cheap you can still eat well.

• Consider a buffet but understand the good buffets are just as expensive as a decent meal. Unless you are planning on skipping meals and grabbing a few extra piece of fried chicken for a late night snack try a cheap restaurant instead.
• Try a few of these 25 for under $25 restaurants Most of these restaurants have meals that can get you out for under $15. Just do not drink any alcohol and you should be fine.
• Go the deli route for lunch and you a save a considerable amount. Canter’s Deli in the Treasure Island, Carnegie at the Mirage, Stage deli at the MGM and Forum Shops and the Backstage Deli at the Luxor
• Hotel food courts can be found in almost every hotel and they vary from pizza and hot dogs to full blown tours of cultural cuisine.

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Often time you read about great deals for hotels only to find out you have to take two buses and walk two miles just to get to where the action is. That is not the idea behind a cheap vacation. You want to enjoy yourself at all the spots that the big money people are at but at a fraction of the cost.

• Las Vegas in the middle of the week is far more affordable. It still can be absurdly cheap on a Tuesday night. The defining factors are often conventions and major events but on average rooms are cheaper during the week. Avoid weekends all together if possible, table limits are higher, restaurants reservations are harder to come by and the room might cost you three times as much.
• Once again, compare rates at different hotels. The key to a cheap vacation is information and the more you have the better your chances of saving a few dollars.
• Location is important. In Las Vegas you need to have access to everything and the ability to walk from casino to casino. Hotels you should consider, each are in the center of the Las Vegas strip and consistently have lower room rates:

o Harrah’s
o Imperial Palace
o Bill’s Gambling Hall
o Flamingo
o Bally’s

A: Ah, you’ve got a great selection. Stay at the Stratosphere, and you’ll be near the Big Shot, Insanity and X Scream, and Circus Circus is home to the Adventuredome.

With Speed and the Las Vegas Cyber Speedway right on property, the Sahara is a good choice, not to mention it’s within walking distance of the Stratosphere and Circus Circus. And at New York-New York you have The Roller Coaster; and the midway. Heading out near Primm? You’ll want to stay at Buffalo Bill’s to be near the Desperado and Turbo Drop.
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1 See the White tigers at Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden: The Mirage
2 Lake of Dreams at Wynn. 140 foot mountain covered with 1500 trees, waterfall and three-acre lake.
3 Get face to face with sharks at Shark Reef, Mandalay Bay
4 Animated birds and animals: Sam’s Town atrium
5 One of my favorite things to do in Las Vegas: Be entertained by strolling mimes: Canal Shoppes, Venetian
6 Classic car collection: Imperial Palace
7 High impact motion simulator rides at Luxor.
8 Don’t miss the $70 million Fremont Street Experience, downtown.
9 See “Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition” at the Tropicana
10 Visit the Dolphin habitat at The Mirage
11 See the world’s largest atrium: Luxor
12 Visit the glitziest museum in the world: Liberace Museum (1775 E. Tropicana)
13 1,200 feet off the ground roller coaster: on top of the Stratosphere Tower
14 View an exquisite collection of fine art: Bellagio
15 Love hamburgers and Harley’s?: Harley-Davidson Cafe
16 There are Flamingos and African penguins at the Flamingo Hilton
17 X-Scream thrill ride 900 feet above the strip at Stratosphere.
18 Visit Madame Toseau’s wax museum: Venetian
19 Watch the dragon battle against the magician: Excalibur’s moat
20 Ride the roller coaster: New York-New York
21 Submerging yourself in a magnificent garden of fragrance and color at the Bellagio is another of the things to do in Las Vegas.
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First, make a list of all of the things you want to do and see. Have anyone else who is going with you do the same. Sit down together and discuss your plans. The next thing you want to do is go to the computer and see where all of the sites and things to do on your list are located.

Find out what time you will be arriving in Las Vegas. Start planning from there. To make the most out of your trip group the sites in one area and do them the same day or two. For instance, you want to see Freemont Street in downtown Las Vegas and do some gambling. Plan to walk around Freemont Street and enjoy the moving ‘ceiling’. Then gamble downtown as it pays out better than on the strip.

Do not dip into your money. If you lost it all, you have to wait until the following day to gamble again. You don’t want to lose all of your money the first day. Also, it won’t be a very memorable trip if you lost thousands of dollars. Get all of the things you want to do downtown done. The following day you may have some shopping, a gondola ride, and a show to take in. Start with the shopping, rest on your romantic gondola ride, and then in the evening you are ready to see your show. The third day you may want to take a drive out to see some scenery and the majestic Hoover Dam.

Put a general time you want to do each activity and allow enough time for each of them. It is all about planning and not flying by the seat of your pants. Sure, you can make changes but knowing ahead of time you can get all of the sites you want to see in makes for a more relaxed and comfortable trip.
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I hope this gave you a general idea of how to plan your Las Vegas Vacation.

Dos: Bellagio waterfront—it’s free! It’s breath-taking! Gondola at the Venetian—so romantic!Treasure Island show—risqué! Nice fireworks! Drive a convertible at night—amazing sights! Shop à la vegas—especially if you’ve won big $$$!

Do go to dueling pianos at New York, New York. Best thing I did there, fun, energetic, singing, dancing, drinking, good times.
Posted by Vegas Rocks on March 8, 2006

Do Do Do Do go to the Rehab Sundays at the pool in the Hard Rock Hotel. My husband and I stayed in that hotel and we though it was hot. People: If you are single, you better get there very early…the hottest young women and men in the planet are partying in that pool!! And don’t forget you may be swimming a couple feet away from a Rock Star. Add to your to-do list on Las Vegas.

If you can, take the helicopter ride to the Grand Canyon—one of the most amazing experiences. Maverick Helicopters was great and we had champagne and snacks in the canyon itself. One of life’s special times, much better memories then sticking money in a machine that may or may not love you back. Also visiting Red Rock Canyon at sunset and the Valley of Fire. Very beautiful and inspiring.

Do play the nickel slots…there’s tons of them with almost every theme you can imagine.
Do tip the cocktail waitress if you want your drinks to keep coming.
Do use the personal safes in your hotel room.
Do spend $ on your hotel room and make sure you book a room on south Las Vegas Blvd. Trust me when I say that staying on south Las Vegas Blvd as opposed to north Las Vegas Blvd makes all the difference!!!!!
Posted by CowgirlFromHell on March 8, 2006

Do wear comfy shoes and don’t forget the casinos give you free drinks while you gamble.
Posted by Amers1978 on March 8, 2006

I can’t believe no one has mentioned Cirque du Soleil yet. Saw Mystère at Treasure Island…am now addicted. It’s expensive, but amazing—worth every cent.
Posted by stephstr on March 8, 2006

Do: See Bellagio lights at night. Fabulous. Check out Wynn and the waterfalls by the bar and Boulud’s restaurant. Have a drink, enjoy the view. Go to one show—your choice. Don’t just gamble. Cirques are fun. Avenue Q is funny. Celine, Barry, etc. Bring walking shoes—you can get a good workout in. Plan one night out for dinner. Splurge. There are great chefs there. Flay, English, Emeril. My choice is Boulud’s in Wynn.

Most of what I’m thinking has already been mentioned, but a couple items for comfort along with the comfortable shoes. Do carry lip balm and eyedrops…even at night. Do go to the buffet at the Rio, just take the free shuttle back. If you have more than a few days, take one of them for the Grand Canyon trip. Do get a comp card at Harrah’s. I paid my first trip and have rooms comped on 5 subsequent trips, and you can get rooms at any of their properties that they now own from the Caesars acquisition. (No, I’m not a big spender either). Do take advantage of learning some table games like craps. Most casinos offer lessons in the a.m. If you enjoy them, give it a try with your gambling money. The odds are better than slots, just make sure to find a $5 minimum table. Do try something new each visit. Most important, have fun whatever your preference is…there is something for everyone.

Do take a night to visit Fremont Street. It is so much different than the Strip. The light show is just amazing and it is free!! So cool to watch all the tourists staring up at the canopy. You get to see the Famous “Vegas Vic” and his girlfriend “Sassy Sal.” Piano players, magic tricks, cheaper food and a good time. Beware of the taxis—they end up costing you more than twenty bucks from the Strip—not bad if you are sharing the cost.

Don’t: Wear high heels if you’re walking on the Strip—it’s bad for your feet and posture. It just does not look good unless you’re ‘working’ off the strip. Don’t concentrate on 1 or 2 hotels/casinos, there are so much to see! Don’t worry about where to eat—like casinos, there are restaurants or buffets in every corner. Don’t forget your camera—capture every moment, everywhere! Don’t sleep too much—you’ll miss out on a lot!!!

Don’t rent a car—traffic on the strip is awful. There is plenty of public transportation—tram from Bellagio to Monte Carlo and another from MGM all the way to the Las Vegas Hilton. Posted by pixie on March 8, 2006

Don’t go to those time shares to get a free lunch or something. They are a waste of Vegas time.

Do not not not go to the Blue Man Group, it is the most expensive and stupidest show I have ever seen. The climactic finish involves them throwing toilet paper all over the whole audience, and then raising their arms as if something special has happened. Absolute waste of everything.

Don’t waste your time inline for tickets. Book early and make the reservation online or over their toll-free number and pick it up before the show.

Don’t go to Vegas in July unless you plan to stay inside the whole time. Believe me, we are used to heat in Houston, Texas where it is hot eleven months out of the year (no joke) but the heat in Vegas was unbearable even at night. They said something about it being a dry heat. Whatever it was, I’ve never experienced anything like it and it felt like I was literally in an oven and suffocating at the same time. The most relief from the heat came when we were in the “river” pool at the MGM Grand.

Don’t start drinking too early. Most of the fun happens @ night and you don’t wanna pass out too early.
Don’t waste $ on a rental car. Almost anywhere you need to go in Vegas you can walk or take a shuttle.
Don’t leave your belongings unattended (duh) and Ladies…… always always keep your $ in your bra, or keep one hand over your closed & fastened purse to avoid pick pockets.
Don’t forget your ID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Don’t trust strangers.
Don’t do anything dumb to get yourself kicked out.

Don’t:
Play the slots at the airport; plenty more where those came from.
Even look at the people handing out the trashy cards/offers, etc. on the Strip.
Go to the Stage Deli at MGM. There’s no there, there. You have to eat in the smoky, Sportsbook. Better choice is Carnegie Deli in Mirage. You can check out the tigers when you’re done.
Fight the urge to go in the M&M store. Go inside. Just think of it as another museum of pop culture.
Hold up traffic and expect everyone will wait 20 seconds for you to take a photo.

Do not walk between the Rio and the Strip at night….Between you is an area where you may encounter pervs (from the Adult Superstore), gang bangers, transients, drunk truckers, and many other seedy characters. Gunfire has been known to break out from unknown places.
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Beyond conventions, major sports events and holidays also affect the visitor numbers. Unless you’re a sports bettor, I’d stay well clear of the city any time there’s a heavyweight boxing match, a NASCAR race or the World Series of Poker. The Super Bowl, baseball’s World Series and the NCAA basketball tournament in March also cram the town’s sports books with gamblers, causing hotel prices to balloon.

You might also consider staying away during major holidays, when an influx of visitors also causes rates to skyrocket. Halloween is huge in Vegas (lots of people head there for Gothic wedding ceremonies featuring tomato juice toasts and cameos by the Grim Reaper), as is Valentine’s Day (again for weddings), St. Patrick’s Day and New Year’s Eve.

To a somewhat lesser extent, all of the long-weekend holidays (Memorial Day, Presidents Day, Labor Day, etc.) also see an increase in rates and visitors. Time was when the family holidays — Thanksgiving and Christmas in particular — saw big drops in tourism numbers, but that’s no longer the case. (Maybe Grandma prefers the slots to turkey dinner with the toddlers … or she insists the entire family come to “Pair-O-Dice” to party with her.)

The only reason folks avoid Vegas around Christmas today is that it’s the month many performers take off. So if you’re heading to the Strip in December to see its legendary headliners strut their stuff, check first to make sure that they’ll be performing while you’re there.

Sin City is at its quietest when there aren’t any conventions or holidays, and when the desert climate is at its harshest. I’m talking December, January and February — when night winds whip down the Strip, freezing the toes of revelers in strappy high heels — and the blast-furnace months of June, July and August, when the blazing sun slaps down visitors more effectively than snake eyes on the craps table.
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Over the years, the reputation of Las Vegas has changed from Sin City to a more family oriented vacation spot. Today, Las Vegas has a little something for everyone. Whether your vacation is geared towards gambling at a casino, live shows and entertainment such as Cirque du Soleil or a Gondola Ride at the Bellagio, or just shopping at the outlets and designer stores, Las Vegas can give you the experience of a lifetime, whatever your goal and budget.

You can visit any of the many casinos or fine restaurants in Vegas. Maybe give one of the golf courses a whirl while the kids can enjoy many of the child appropriate activities in town for your Vegas Vacation.
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1. Purchase necessities BEFORE you leave and save!
It’s the little things that add up — little things like sunscreen, toothpaste or even a simple aspirin. If you forget these items, expect to pay a premium for them at your destination, particularly if purchase them at your hotel or resort. A five dollar disposable camera at the neighborhood drug store can cost as much as $18 at a hotel.

If you must leave necessities behind because of packing restrictions, make sure you have a list of what you need and stop at a discount store before you get to your destination hotel or resort.

2. RENT a condo or home instead of a hotel room!
This is the single most cost effective measure that a family, especially large families, can take when planning a vacation. Renting a home or condo is easy on the budget in many ways. Besides saving on the actual lodging cost, being able to prepare some meals yourself will cut back on the number of expensive restaurant meals you consume.

If you’ve never rented a home or condo before, don’t let the task intimidate you. I’ve put together an article that answers every question you might have and follows up how to find a vacation rental and what you need to consider before you rent.

3. Spend the day away from the attractions.
You’re paying for that hotel swimming pool… use it! Spend the day at the beach or a nearby museum. The shopping areas near the major attractions (like Downtown Disney) have children’s play areas, providing an inexpensive day of fun for the little ones.

4. Find an ALTERNATIVE to airport parking.
Have friends drop you at the airport or consider a “Park & Fly Package” at a hotel close to the airport. Just one night’s stay includes free parking from a few days up to two weeks, depending on the package.

5. Rental CAR Tips
While renting a car can sometimes save you money over using airport shuttles or save on the wear and tear of your own vehicle,  or you can use a limousine service. There are also pitfalls that everyone should consider:

• Avoid airport car rentals when possible! Airport surcharges and taxes are often nearly double that of off-site car rentals. It might be cheaper to take a cab to a nearby car rental off airport property.
• While a coupon for a free upgrade might sound like a good deal… beware. These larger models often do not get good gas mileage and will cost you more in fuel costs.
• If you are planning on renting a vehicle for five or more days, check weekly rental rates. You can often save as much as 25-30 percent compared with paying for a five- to seven-day rental on the daily rate.
• Check your insurance coverage before leaving home. Not taking insurance coverage at the counter can save as much as $10 to $15 a day. Many personal insurance policies offer liability coverage or cover rental-car coverage. Also, some credit card providers have a built-in protection for rental car insurance.
• Check whether your hotel or resort charges for parking. You might eat up any savings on airport shuttles if your hotel or resort charges for parking.

6. LIMIT expenditures for limitless fun!
Have a small budget, but want BIG family fun? Take it to the limit with these money saving tips! Although they all start with the word limit, they go a long way to ensure limitless fun and enjoyment on a limited budget.

7. You gotta EAT!
Sure, you’ve got to eat, but you can take a few budget shortcuts here without feeling deprived by trying these tips:

• Stay where breakfast is free.
• If you are driving, pack a cooler with drinks and snacks. Packing sandwiches for lunch at a rest stop gives the kids a chance to run off their pent up energy and can be healthier than fast food.
• Split meals. Children are many times too excited or tired to eat much at a time. Restaurants that are kid friendly are more than happy to accommodate special requests for extra plates.
• Eat lunch in your room. You’ll be surprised how good a peanut butter sandwich, chips, and fresh fruit tastes away from home, and everyone gets a needed break from the heat and crowds of tourist destinations.
• Do not use the mini bar in your hotel room!
• Take advantage of coupons, but be sure to read the fine print.
• Order take out and eat that pizza watching a beautiful sunset from your balcony or at the picnic table by the pool. Bring your own drinks for a cost-cutting measure.
• Bring along individual refillable water bottles. These can be refilled at the hotel and at attraction water fountains. A family of four could easily spend $20 or more a day buying water.

8. Take advantage of multi-day passes at the attractions.!
Do your homework and come up with a variety of great deals!

9. TAME the gimmies!
You can tame the “gimmes”, and your pocketbook at the same time, by giving children a pre-set spending limit for souvenirs.

Think outside the box to find inexpensive souvenirs. We invested in autograph books (about $6 at most attractions) and watched the fun as our girls collected the “autographs” of their favorite characters. They have become cherished keepsakes.

10. Take ADVANTAGE of coupons!
Whether it is for lodging, food, or attractions – coupons SAVE money! Find them everywhere… online, in local newspapers, at convenience stores, motels, etc. Always read the fine print carefully for terms of the coupon.
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I hope you take these 10 tips with you on Las Vegas Vacation, especially if your trying to save a few bucks.

If you are planning that trip to Las Vegas and you are wondering if you should include the kids this should give you an idea of the kind of money you will spend while entertaining the offspring. I have two children and I have a tendency to spend my share of time on the strip.

Important to note, if you are looking to be frugal while in Las Vegas consider the choice of hotel when making a decision on your Las Vegas vacation. Do a little research and compare room rates before booking. Saving a few extra dollars helps when the kids are in town.

Need a few ideas on on saving money on a cheap vacation to Las Vegas?

• Cheap Guide to Las Vegas
• Easy Tips for saving money in Las Vegas
• Free Attractions in Las Vegas