Visiting Las Vegas: 5 budget travel tips

Putting together a plan and trip itinerary for your long-awaited vacation can be stressful and overwhelming at times. Should you plan for a Euro trip, a homecoming with family and friends, or just stay local? Obviously, some of the key considerations would be the length of the trip, your interests, and yes, your budget. 

My wife (Ana) and I decided to go to the neon-laden paradise in the US, Las Vegas, from mid-December 2016 to early January 2017, for our Christmas and New Year’s vacation. We also visited nearby areas and natural wonders, along with our relatives and friends. Our two-week stay was full of fun, adventure, and truly a worthwhile one. We also ended up celebrating our wedding anniversary during this trip. 

 

If you’re a budget traveler, and is considering traveling to Las Vegas on your next trip this year, here are some of our tips:

Plan and book your trip ahead

If you’re traveling from the Philippines, booking the flight way ahead is a must if you’d like to get the best deals. For instance, if you decide to travel in December 2017, the cost of the flight if you book it now could be as low as $775 (around P38,000), whereas if you book your trip 2 to 3 months beforehand, the cost could be almost double. Also, as much as possible, avoid traveling to Las Vegas during the summertime (around June through September), as it is hot as blazes!

Knowing when to travel and buy the tickets makes the difference. If your trip plan is flexible, traveling off-season is a smart choice. 

In our case, since we live in Los Angeles, our transportation expense was a lot cheaper. Some also opt to travel by land (i.e., by own car or by bus). Ana monitored the flight cost online for a period of time before picking the right schedule. After her analysis, she was able to identify the bottom line price, which is almost the same as that of a car trip (that could take as long as 5 hours’ drive, compared to an hour trip by plane). We certainly chose the shorter one. 

Bonus tip: If you decide to search for a flight online and do your own price monitoring, use private window in your browser, such as Google Chrome’s Incognito. You probably notice that prices spike just a few hours or days after your search for the same trip itinerary; it’s potentially due to airlines monitoring your search history. Try to outsmart them! 

Don’t overspend on accommodations

Las Vegas is home to some of the biggest and luxurious hotel-casino players in the world. Trying one of them might be considered a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but could drastically drain your wallet. 

What is your goal? If you are just looking for a place to stay for the nights, since you’d be on the go for the most part, perhaps a simpler, cheaper hotel or hostel could do the trick. However, either way, nothing beats booking your accommodations early on. Some of the big hotels also offer promotional discounts and good deals for early booking, so do your research accordingly. If you are traveling with family or a group of friends, consider renting a suite.

Fortunately, Ana has relatives in Las Vegas, so we stayed there during our entire trip. If you know a long-lost friend, or relatives living close to the area, try to see if you can crash at their place for a night or two.

Bonus tip: Many Las Vegas hotels charge a fee if you book via phone, so do it online instead, if possible. Try to check the hotel’s policy on its website to make sure. 

Also, don’t be afraid to bargain for hotel prices, and beware of hidden fees. People also resort to Airbnb nowadays due to low prices and flexibility, but exercise caution as necessary.

The Strip: Know the best deals available

The Strip is approximately 4 miles of hotels, restaurants, malls, and casinos in Las Vegas. It is not dubbed the Entertainment Capital of the World for nothing. 

Depending on your interests, you can go to shows, such as Cirque du Soleil (price starts at $59 or around P2,950, depending on the show type and seat locations), rides (roller coasters, ferris wheels, etc.), exhibits (Real Bodies at Bally’s, Madame Tussauds, etc.) and hotel hopping. Please also don’t forget to visit the Fremont Street, which is along downtown Las Vegas. The LED canopy, bright lights and busy streets would welcome the visitors. 

We used the GO Las Vegas Card, which helped us save up to 55% versus paying at the gate. This pass lets you choose at least 3, 5 or 7 Las Vegas attractions to visit for a lower price. For example, we chose 3 attractions for $75 (around P3,750), which if we had paid separately, would have cost us around $200 (around P10,000). 

If you want to try the slot machines at a casino or play poker for fun, be sure to set a bet limit before you even start to avoid being hooked and losing a lot of money. 

Bonus tip: If you enjoy watching movies, Las Vegas (and nearby areas) offers $5 (around P250) movie tickets on Tuesdays, which is approximately $3 cheaper than other days. 

If you enjoy “bargain” shopping, then this is THE place

Your trip to Las Vegas will not be complete without going to premium outlets. During the holidays, most of the shops have up to 80% off sales on designer products, such as bags, shoes, and clothes. Most of the outlet malls have best deals before, during, and after major US holidays, such as Christmas and the New Year. Some of the well-known outlet malls include Las Vegas North Premium Outlets and Las Vegas South Premium Outlets. 

However, if you prefer high-end shops, you can visit The Forum Shops at Caesars, Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood, the Shops at Crystals, among others. Most of them offer the same discounts as outlet malls.  

We took advantage of the steep price discount and shopped for a few necessary items. 

Bonus tip: Make sure you bring sizable luggage with enough space to house your souvenirs and purchased items. Exceeding your luggage allowance could cost you more money. 

Visit nearby attractions for free

Las Vegas, or Southern Nevada in general, has a lot to offer to budget travelers, other than the glitz and glamor of the Strip.

For example, if you enjoy hiking and seeing natural wonders, try to go to Mount Charleston, which is about 40 miles from the Strip. During winter, the mountainous area features breathtaking views – trees and plants covered by snow. The drive up the mountain is an adventure by itself. Fog reduces visibility so one must be very careful when driving. Up in the mountain, you can enjoy different activities with family and friends, such as skiing and snowboarding, among others.

Another majestic place to visit is the Death Valley National Park, the hottest, driest, and lowest national park in the US. While it is largely part of California, it is also accessible from Las Vegas. It will take around 3 hours to reach parts of the Death Valley. Exploring the below-sea-level basin is an astonishing experience. Moreover, there are no words to capture the picturesque hills, canyons, dunes, and oases. 

 

In addition, other places popular for Las Vegas visitors include the Hoover Dam, Seven Magic Mountains, Lake Mead, Zion (in Utah) and Grand Canyon (in Arizona).

Bonus tip: If you’re visiting in wintertime, make sure to bring enough winter clothes and accessories. Las Vegas has incredibly chilly weather during this season, so don’t be fooled by its nearby deserts and dry appearance. 

More than the entertainment and luxury that Las Vegas has to offer, it is important to have fun and stay on track with your budget during this trip of a lifetime. For sure, the welcoming and lively vibe will make you come back again sooner than you’d expect. – Rappler.com

Mark and Ana are joyfully married for 2 years now and currently live in Los Angeles, California. Mark works as Senior Manager with a Big 4 professional services firm. Ana joined him in 2016, and are now ready to continue traveling together, across the world and beyond.