I am getting married at the end of July, and the two of us have decided that we would like to go to Las Vegas for our honeymoon. In an effort to keep as much of our savings account intact as possible, we have also decided to be a little bit thrifty on this trip. Our thinking is that it would be better to spend a moderate amount on a honeymoon and have a rather nice chunk of money in savings, rather than to go all out on the honeymoon and start our married life off broke.
After doing a lot of looking online, we have booked a room in what appears to be a reasonably nice hotel for only $35 per night. This hotel is downtown, rather than on The Strip. It is my understanding that we can pay $1 and take a short bus ride to the strip to bask in the opulence there.
Many of the shows and attractions in Vegas have high price tags associated with them, and we don’t really feel like spending $50 to watch some cheesy show. So, what I am looking for here are suggestions of things to do and see in Vegas that will not break the bank. Things like cheap steak buffets after 1 a.m., shows that are cheap because the dancers aren’t particularly attractive, etc…
Sure, we could spend a lot more money and have the typical Vegas experience, but we don’t really feel like doing that. So, any and all suggestions about what to do and see when a couple wants to experience Vegas on the cheap would be appreciated.
I almost forgot to mention - we are driving to Vegas, so we will have a car available to drive anywhere that may not be within walking/bus distance.
Downtown can be very nice, just not opulent. What hotel?
There are all sorts of bargains available if you look for them. Several brokers offer unsold tickets for that night’s performance at quite a discount…ask the front desk at your hotel for tips in that area.
Get a monorail pass. That way you can park at the Sahara and ride the entire strip, without having to buck the godawful traffic. (If the monorail isn’t busted again, that is.)
Just wear comfortable shoes. There is so much to see, and so many places to go, that any plans you make in advance are going to go right out the window after you get here.
You don’t have to spend a lot of money, although personally I would splurge for the buffet at the Paris hotel…worth every penny and you won’t need to eat much for a few days afterwards.
Lots of free stuff to see and do. Look at the freebie magazines they provide in your room when you arrive.
I personally would have suggested paying a few extra bucks and getting a room on The Strip (Imperial Palace, Westward Ho, Frontiers or Stardust are usually pretty good cheap deals) as 90% of what you want to see is on The Strip.
But go and have a good time…and I think it is a safe bet to say you will have a good time!
Oh, and try www.lasvegas.com to see what shows are on, and what deals there are on hotel rooms…hope you don’t hit a convention because then the prices skyrocket!
Also, there is a HUGE COKE BOTTLE near the MGM Grand (don’t ask, just trust me) and right next to it is a place that offers 1/2 price tickets for shows that night. I think they go on sale after 2:00 PM the day of the show. So you might luck out and get some good tickets there.
If I were in Vegas, staying downtown, and had a car, I’d drive to the strip. It’s not far, but that strip bus sucks IMHO (although I’ve never taken the bus from the strip to downtown or vice versa).
I’ve also never ridden the monorail, but you could park at the Sahara or the Hilton and use that and you’d still have a car if you wanted to get around.
Casino hopping is cheap if you like to people watch and window shop. Even then I’d drive, the entrance to the parking garages are in the rear of the casinos, so you can jump from casino to casino and not have to drive down the strip. Those casinos are big. What looks like a little jaunt is a marathon. I’ve walked from the Sahara to the Luxor (with side trips into many of the casinos) and man it was a haul. You can just make a couple of stops like say the Venetian and walk to Treasure Island and the Mirage, even Caesars. Park at Ballys and walk to Paris, Bellagio, etc. all the way down the back side of the strip.
Note that this is just about the route that the monorail takes, so you might be better off using that, especially if you are drinking. I’ve just never taken the monorail so I can’t really recommend it.
Ask around for specials, that place changes so often that I’m not sure what to recommend. And like DMark says, you might splurge on at least one gourmet buffet. The Bellagio is another good one.
Still plenty of time to get input, lots of Dopers do Vegas!
One of my favorite things to see is at the Barbary Coast (next to the Flamingo).
You can see a free show of Big Elvis. He’s an oversize Elvis impersonater who sounds pretty good, does every song by request, and even gets audience participation. It’s free and really fun.
I second cheapovegas.com. The monorail is a kick when it is up and running. Very smooth. Also try the buffett at Luxor.
Fitzgerald’s is nice. Wander downtown and check out the Fremont Street Experience. Main Street Station has a pretty good brewpub, and the food is first-rate.
If you can get half-price tickets like DMark suggests, I recommend Rita Rudner at New York, New York, Penn & Teller at The Rio, and Danny Gans at the Mirage(?).
OK, really. Cheap, entertaining things to do. Let’s see:
Go bowling at 3-4am. Yeah, I know…maybe you aren’t into bowling. But there aren’t many 24-hour bowling alleys left, and that’s ALL there is in Vegas. All the alleys are 60+ lanes. (Unfortunately, the 106-lane Castaways is no longer there for you to see.)
Walk the Fremont Experience at night. You’re going to do this anyway, since your hotel is right on top of it, but it reminds me of a miniature Venice Beach, with gambling.
By the way, ask the folks at Fitzgerald’s if you can have a room facing away from the Fremont Street Experience if one is available. I had the misfortune once of staying there on a Friday night and trying to go to bed at a decent hour (a silly thing to do in Vegas, I realize). It is LOUD.
See the Bellagio fountains at day and at night. Different experience each way, in my opinion.
Head to the top of the Stratosphere or the Eiffel Tower at night. I don’t think you need to do both. But it’s very, very pretty. I think it’s about $9 per person.
See the free parades at The Rio. Cheesy fun entertainment.
Have fun! My wife and I honeymooned in Vegas six years ago and had a blast. Unfortunately, the Marshmallow Factory in Henderson isn’t there anymore, or that have been the first thing I’d suggested. We also saw Forever Plaid (if you’re into funny musicals) which is now playing at the Gold Coast, next door to the Rio, for about $30.
If you’re the drinking type, Westward Ho on the strip has dollar margaritas, and I think they should still have dollar Heinekins. (sp?) The food there is also cheap. You can get a giant hot dog for a couple of bucks. My wife and I honeymooned there in April, and Westward Ho saved our lives and our savings.
I think you mean right next door to the Westward Ho at the ever popular Slots 'O Fun…cheap beers, cheap eats, and actually a pretty fun cheap crowd!
But maybe not. Westward Ho also has a little snack area in the back with a great cheap strawberry shortcake that will easily stuff two people. But otherwise their prices have gone up a tad - though still decent for the size of the portions.
But Slots 'O Fun is the cheap drink winner hands down!
You gotta go to Lotus of Siam, which is quite possibly the best Thai restaurant in the country. It’s in Commercial Center (a dingy strip mall a ways off the strip–you’ll need to take a cab if you aren’t getting a rental car). It doesn’t look like anything special, but the food and wine are fabulous. I’ve eaten at some very pricey places in various casinos, and LoS beats them hands-down. It’s cheap, too.
For an appetizer, you must get the nam kao tod. Otherwise, ask for Bill, tell him what you like and don’t like, and order what he recommends.
I found it to be a “reset the bar” dining experience.
I’ve never been to Vegas myself, but recall a college friend of mine going there quite a few years ago telling me that some casino hotels will let you stay for free if you gamble at their casino.
