Viva Las Vegas: Making the Trip to Sin City on Budget

A trip to Las Vegas is something most everyone should do at least once. Before you go, there are some things you can do to make your trip fun and not put you in too much debt. It can be as easy as picking the right hotel to planning doing some research before you go.

For Vegas first timers, there is so much for you to see and do. A full three days should be sufficient to see it all. You can spend more days if you think you will need more time. However, you could save your hotel and steep food and beverages costs and save it for another trip or tack a trip to Hoover Dam in instead. Three full days is probably the magic number for days in Vegas. Anything more than that can be a little over kill. Be ready to do some walking though. The strip does not seem that long until you have walked about half of it on a nice 109 degree day. Things that look really close, in reality may be quite the haul.

Before you even book your hotel, you need to assess what things you would prefer. Each hotel has different amenities, perks, and bonuses. Maybe you would like something in middle of the strip for its accessibility. Maybe you want a hotel that has a 24 hour restaurant. If you plan on spending your days by the pool, you need to find a hotel with a decent pool area. Do you want something on the strip, off strips or on the old strip? The old strip is fun and the hotels tend to be cheaper. However, unless you plan on spending the bulk of your time there, it will not be cost effective. A cab ride one way from downtown to the strip is about $20.00. Do that round trip more than once or twice and you have made up the difference in what you saved. Some off strip hotels have free shuttles to the strip, but not all of them do. Make sure you know this before you book. Other people like to be in the middle of the action on the strip. Do your homework. When you are looking for the best deal, check the usual online vendors first, but also check with the hotel directly. They may have similar or better deals, and these reservations (unlike some other online sites like Priceline or Hotwire) are refundable.

What do you want to do once you get there. If you go the Las Vegas Official website, they have lists of must does and sees. They also have suggestions for any kind of traveler you can imagine including the budget traveler. Find out what attractions there are and how much each of them costs. Many of the attractions are free, but it is good to know which ones are before you plot out your day. If you want to see shows while you are in Vegas, check out the site for possible discounts and specials. If you want to go to the clubs, the site offers a link to a legit site that offers VIP passes. Some clubs have special nights where they offer their passes for free, or you can buy packages that will save you money on cover charges. The earlier you check into these discounts the better your chances are of finding a great deal.

If you gamble, plan ahead. Set aside a certain amount of money that is designated for gambling. If it is built into your budget, you do not have to worry about over spending and not being able to afford the taxi back to the airport...or food for that matter.

Speaking of food, meals do not have to kill your budget. If you look in the right places, you can find reasonable (well for Vegas) prices. My usual plan of attack is to get something cheaper for lunch so if I choose to go to a buffet or a nicer place for dinner I'm not spending $40+ dollars a day on food. There is a Chipolte, Panda Express, McDonalds and a Denny's on the strip. There are also more hidden gems like the food court in O'Shea's Casino (located right next to the Flamingo). Yes, the prices may be steeper than you are used to back home, but you can still get a slice of pizza a drink for $3.50.

Now here is a bit on alcohol. If you go to the clubs, plan on it being at least $10 for a drink. Drink prices are more than more of us are used to. You can still find deals here and there. If you are hard pressed for cash, Sanctuary, a club held at the Krave lounge on Friday nights (next to Planet Hollywood) has $2 drink specials on well drinks before midnight and $5 specials after that. Also there are some liquor stores in the area. You can always mix up your own drinks!

Las Vegas is a great place to vacation, even if you do not have a huge budget! It just takes some planning and preparation.