I previously spent some time urging people to explore the adventurous side of Las Vegas, and to check out a lot of the cool, less-known things you can do in that city besides gamble. Today, I thought I’d focus on getting around the city itself.
As an Angeleno who has spent many a weekend in Las Vegas, let me debunk the first misconception I hear (a lot) right off the bat.
Repeat after me: Las Vegas DOES NOT have to be expensive.
When you hear of Las Vegas, you probably have images of grand casinos, luxurious pools, and dressed-up high rollers drinking away the night at the city’s clubs. Because of that image, many travelers tend to think that it’s a city that can really only be enjoyed if you splurge. Of course, you certainly can spend a lot of money, if you want to go all out and book a table with Grey Goose at XS, or bet $3,000 in a Texas Hold ‘Em Tournament. But if you’re low on cash, you can still have a great time in Las Vegas and keep your costs down.
Here are the tips and tricks for cheap travel in Las Vegas:
Photo by Nathan Mays via Trover.com
Check in On a Weekday
Try to plan your trip so you arrive in Las Vegas on a weekday, preferably mid-week like Wednesday or Thursday. Not only will your flight be cheaper, as the most expensive airline tickets of the week are usually on Friday, but the first couple of nights in your hotel will probably be cheaper. Las Vegas hotels usually keep their prices low ($30-$40 in some places ) during the week and raise them on the weekend when most tourists arrive.
Book One of the Older Hotels
Photo by Wheretwonext via Trover.com
While rooms at the Wynn and the Cosmo will probably set you back more than $200 a night, a room at one of the older hotels will run between $50 and $80 a night. So when you’re booking your trip, check out some of the cheap hotels in Las Vegas such as Harrah’s, Treasure Island, the Luxor, and the Stratosphere. Since most of the casinos are right next to each other, you can still easily enjoy the shops, restaurants, and casinos of the more luxurious hotels, which are just a few steps away from your much more affordable lodging.
Get Around on the Free Shuttle
Although you can probably walk to most of the attractions, shows, and casinos you want to visit, sometimes the distance is a little too long or the day is a little too hot for you to make the trip on foot. If the Las Vegas monorail can’t get you to where you want to go, take advantage of the casinos’ free shuttle service. There is a slight catch, because the shuttles only run between sister casinos, but you can still use it as your own bus service. Just walk to the nearest hotel, wait for the next shuttle, and check which sister casino is closest to your destination.
Find the Show Ticket Booths
Photo by Geoff Stephen via Trover.com
If you don’t mind waiting until the last minute to book a show, you can find half-price or even cheaper tickets to most Las Vegas shows. Six ticket booths, scattered throughout the city, sell tickets to same-day shows. Find the booths at the Fashion Show Mall, Hawaiian Marketplace, south of the Riviera hotel, Four Queens hotel, the Showcase Mall and Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall & Saloon. Before you head to the booths, check the event you want tickets for at TiqIQ to make sure that you’re actually getting a better price in person than online.
Hope this helps you plan your next Sin City trip! Thanks to the wonderful folks over at Hipmunk for providing the links to cheap hotels and cheap tickets as part of the Hipmunk City Love Project!
Do you have any tips and tricks to save money in Vegas? Comment below!