Las Vegas on a budget?

[disneybound31]

DH and I have always wanted to see Las Vegas...just for a couple nights.

We think it might be a fun, short, budget weekend for our anniversary in October.

Any must see's, must do's and advice for keeping it budget? Not big gamblers, but would take a small amount just to say we participated! Think $50 or less,lol.

We would fly in and hope to not have to have a rental car...or maybe rental car, add extra day and drive to Grand Canyon for a day that includes a Canyon tour?

Thanks! Don't know anyone who has been to Vegas, but I bet a bunch of you have!

 

[usnuzuloose]

It just depends on what you like doing. There is alot to see and do for free. All the casinos, shopping. What do you like to do?

 

[RyJMom]

I love Las Vegas. Hubby and I go every year.

It really can be done on the cheap. Especially if you don't gamble. We always book air and hotel separate. We always book directly with the hotel. Usually with a code from FatWallet or Cheaper Vegas. I always make sure it is a deal that can be cancelled and keep checking back for a better deal. We are going in July and have the Mirage for $54, $104 and $104 for a Thur,Fri and Sat. - So far.

You don't need a car in Vegas but we always rent one. The rental rates are so cheap ($16-$18 a day for full size) by the time we'd pay for a cab to and from the hotel it is not much more to have a car for our entire time.

If you do decide to do the Grand Canyon I'd rent your own car for at least that part of the trip and drive yourselves instead of a tour bus. It is an easy drive. We took the kids a few years ago and drove over and stayed the night at the Grand Canyon Park.

October is a little more expensive than the summer months but I'm sure there is good deals to be found. Good luck with your planning. Just watch out - You might get hooked!!!

 

[SanFranciscan]

I haven't been to Las Vegas since 1984, but I saw a guide book that sounds exactly like the sort of thing that you would be interested in. The Barnes & Noble that I saw it in has gone out of business, but I saw it there as recently as October so it is a fairly new book. I think that it was called "Las Vegas For Non-gamblers." It talked about the different theme-park-like attractions, including rides and shows, some of which are free to watch.

 

[disneybound31]

It just depends on what you like doing. There is alot to see and do for free. All the casinos, shopping. What do you like to do?

Hate to shop...I want to see the Bellagio fountains, want to see the major resort casinos and maybe check out a cool show (not Celine...but something we can't see anywhere else but Vegas...would love Tom Jones or other iconic 'Vegas' personality)...

We just want to see the quintessential Vegas 'stuff' that makes Vegas unique. We will most likely never go twice, so I would like to see and experience the 'must-dos'...

 

[Pakey]

I go to Las Vegas 3-4 times a year.

Sign up on the hotels' websites to get room deals. I've gotten them for as low as $15/night for New York New York and $25/night for Mandalay Bay. I've stayed at almost every hotel on the strip and most of them I'd stay at again.

Week days are significantly less expensive than week ends. There are always good last minute room deals.

If it's a one time only trip, definitely rent a car to see the Grand Canyon. I do not rent a car to get around the strip. Cabs to/from airport will be about $20 each. To get around the Strip, there is the Deuce bus that is very inexpensive. We usually walk but keep in mind that the hotels are about a half mile apart even though they don't look it.

I am not a gambler either but I love going to Las Vegas for the food and the shows. I've seen all of the Cirque shows except for the new Elvis one and I've seen a ton of the variety shows.

With only a weekend, you will stay busy just looking around. The Venetian is my favorite hotel, not only to stay there, but to visit there. Even if you don't like to shop, you should walk through the Grand Canal Shop area (grab a gelato on St Mark's Square and watch the living statue) , the Forum at Caesar's (animatronic type of statues) and the Conservatory at the Bellagio (will have fall decorations in October). These you can do during the day when the lights aren't on outside.

Have fun.

 

[usnuzuloose]

You could see Barry Manilo. Check google about Tom Jones. Wayne Newton may still perform. The older part of vegas downtown you can see the freemont light show. Bellagio has a neat chocolate fountain inside. Plus the conservatory inside. Bear in mind most hotels are shopping. The Venitian has the gondola ride inside and out. Hope this helps a little.

 

[usnuzuloose]

I go to Las Vegas 3-4 times a year.

Sign up on the hotels' websites to get room deals. I've gotten them for as low as $15/night for New York New York and $25/night for Mandalay Bay. I've stayed at almost every hotel on the strip and most of them I'd stay at again.

Week days are significantly less expensive than week ends. There are always good last minute room deals.

If it's a one time only trip, definitely rent a car to see the Grand Canyon. I do not rent a car to get around the strip. Cabs to/from airport will be about $20 each. To get around the Strip, there is the Deuce bus that is very inexpensive. We usually walk but keep in mind that the hotels are about a half mile apart even though they don't look it.

I am not a g ambler either but I love going to Las Vegas for the food and the shows. I've seen all of the Cirque shows except for the new Elvis one and I've seen a ton of the variety shows.

With only a weekend, you will stay busy just looking around. The Venetian is my favorite hotel, not only to stay there, but to visit there. Even if you don't like to shop, you should walk through the Grand Canal Shop area (grab a gelato on St Mark's Square and watch the living statue) , the Forum at Caesar's (animatronic type of statues) and the Conservatory at the Bellagio (will have fall decorations in October). These you can do during the day when the lights aren't on outside.

Have fun.

We miss you

 

[momoflizandains]

Thanks for all of the great info. I have also been contemplating a trip with the kids and would like to do so on a budget. Keep the tips coming.

 

[ready123go]

I've been thinking about Vegas, too. I noticed on Restaurant.com that there are tons of Vegas restaurant certificates. Have any of you Vegas veterans used those? How well did it work out?

 

[peteg87]

I love Las Vegas. Hubby and I go every year.

It really can be done on the cheap. Especially if you don't gamble. We always book air and hotel separate. We always book directly with the hotel. Usually with a code from FatWallet or Cheaper Vegas. I always make sure it is a deal that can be cancelled and keep checking back for a better deal. We are going in July and have the Mirage for $54, $104 and $104 for a Thur,Fri and Sat. - So far.

You don't need a car in Vegas but we always rent one. The rental rates are so cheap ($16-$18 a day for full size) by the time we'd pay for a cab to and from the hotel it is not much more to have a car for our entire time.

If you do decide to do the Grand Canyon I'd rent your own car for at least that part of the trip and drive yourselves instead of a tour bus. It is an easy drive. We took the kids a few years ago and drove over and stayed the night at the Grand Canyon Park.

October is a little more expensive than the summer months but I'm sure there is good deals to be found. Good luck with your planning. Just watch out - You might get hooked!!!

Agree with 'RyJMom' that rental cars are not that expensive and one can have a great fun by hiring a rental car. You don't need to hire it for all the days you stay there. Just hire a car for two days or so and explore this wonderful place. There are many reputed firms that offer quite decently priced cars. If you want to book a car then i will suggest you to check out the rates at usacarsrental.com. They have a good variety of cars at quite cheaper rates.

 

[malibuconlee]

Check out Fat Elvis at Bill's Gambling Hall for something you can only see if Vegas. I still haven't managed to see his show yet.

Your first visit you'll be busy just checking out all the hotels. Do make sure you hit downtown one night and see The Freemont Experience.

Oh and yeah, like everyone else says, everything is much further away than it appears!

As for deals, for a first timer who isn't planning on gambling much, a package might be a better deal for you. I book everything separate, but have my players club rates for rooms. Not as many good offers as in years past tho. I'm heading out for St. Paddy's day/ opening weekend of March Madness with friends, it's our semi-annual trip! Spring and fall for the last few years. LOVE IT!

 

[Dominus]

I'd first recommend you stay in Old Vegas, somewhere like the El Cortez. You'll save a ton of money by not staying on the strip. If you gamble, gamble downtown, not on the strip. The table limits are always lower Downtown vs. the Strip. Go to the strip via the bus line, you can get an unlimited pass for however many days you'll be staying. Go see all the sights and sounds of the strip, but sleep and gamble downtown. If you're wanting cheap drinks and food, I'd also recommend downtown. Now remember, you do get what you pay for. There are no 5 star restaurants downtown. But there are great values to be found.

 

[WendyLovesPeter]

go to Fremont street (downtown old vegas). There are smaller, more quaint casinos with much lower table limits ($1.00 blackjack as compared to $10.00 on the strip). This is where Golden Nugget is and Binions. There is an overhead light show to music that changes through the night. It is very cool. We love this area

 

[Happy vacationer]

Be sure to check out the Las Vegas board within disboards.com I have found a lot of useful information there as well as the budget board.

 

[chalee94]

We think it might be a fun, short, budget weekend for our anniversary in October.

"budget" and "weekend" don't belong in the same sentence with the word "vegas."

you would save a ton by staying sunday-thursday...that is the best budget advice for vegas.

Any must see's, must do's and advice for keeping it budget? Not big gamblers, but would take a small amount just to say we participated! Think $50 or less,lol.

lots of free stuff to do. lots of crazy stuff to see - indoor rainstorms at the planet hollywood mall...lions at MGM...indoor canals with gondolas at the venetian with singing gondoliers. for a great vegas style show, i'd recommend "love" as a good starter cirque du soleil if you like the beatles at all.

We would fly in and hope to not have to have a rental car...or maybe rental car, add extra day and drive to Grand Canyon for a day that includes a Canyon tour?

just my opinion but the canyon is a long way from vegas. i would just hang out on the strip - if you stay at a centrally located strip hotel and enjoy walking a lot, you won't need a rental car. i'd just plan to do a grand canyon vacation separately.

 

[lukenick1]

Subbing....we are planning a trip this July with kids.

 

[cepmom]

DH and I just went to Vegas in January and had a great time. I don't gamble,but he does enough for both of us . he did gamble maybe 2 hours a day or so and we did a lot of walking aorund checking out the other hotels etc during the day.

Sign up for tavelzoo newsletters; they often have great deals on hotels and shows for Vegas.

We stayed at Harrahs for $35 a night. Nothing fancy, but it was clean, the room was quiet and the location was fantastic.

We did not rent a car; took a cab to and from the airport and I think we paid less than $20 each way.

We did go on a Pink Jeep tour to the Grand Canyon, South Rim, which was not cheap but totally worth it. I actually wish we could have stayed overnight at the south rim; it was just awesome. We didn't have enough time this trip, but maybe another trip!

They also have 1/2 price ticket booths up and down the strip(one at Casino Royale and one at Bill's Gamblin Hall) There's a sign up in the window that will list the tickets available for that night. You can get some pretty good deals there.

We got stuck there an extra night due to bad weather at home, so we decided to get the Buffet of Buffets at the last minute; for Total Rewards members (free to join) you could get unlimited buffet access for 24 hours at like 7 different buffets. It costs $39.99 per person. We timed it so we got 4 meals out of it; a late lunch the first day, dinner that night, breakfast the next day and lunch before we left for the airport. Well worth the money if you can squeeze in the 4 meals!

 

[usnuzuloose]

I've been thinking about Vegas, too. I noticed on Restaurant.com that there are tons of Vegas restaurant certificates. Have any of you Vegas veterans used those? How well did it work out?

I used one for a Mario Balttali resturant in The Venetian. It worked out great and the food was fantastic. I am sorry I forgot the name of it. It was towards the center of the court to the right of the gelato stand. Hmm.. Should see if I can get another sneek eat there before everyone else arrives. But yes the certificates do work. Enjoy!

 

[usnuzuloose]

I've been thinking about Vegas, too. I noticed on Restaurant.com that there are tons of Vegas restaurant certificates. Have any of you Vegas veterans used those? How well did it work out?

I used one for a Mario Balttali resturant in The Venetian. It worked out great and the food was fantastic. I am sorry I forgot the name of it. It was towards the center of the court to the right of the gelato stand. Hmm.. Should see if I can get another sneek eat there before everyone else arrives. But yes the certificates do work. Enjoy!