Miss Weary Shoes

“Too much to do too less time” is a near universal problem for all travelers no matter where we go. Of course, same is the case with Vegas, because it has a lot to offer. But trust me on your first trip to Vegas even if you end up doing 2 things out of that 20 items list, its going to be crazy fun! It’s Vegas baby and the vibe of this place is just amazing.

I am listing down many of the possible things to do. Don’t try to do all of it especially if you have 2-3 days but pickup what excites you the most.

Free or low budget things to do

1. Las Vegas Strip – Just pick a tumbler, pour in your drink from the 24 hour store and walk on the strip. Las Vegas Strip is exploded with extravagant hotels/casinos where you can spend a few hours just walking and getting awed. Every hotel has a different theme and its all too beautiful. Some of the must sees are:
   • Bellagio fountain show – Bellagio is located at the heart of the strip and every 15 minutes there is an amazing fountain show right in front of it which is free to watch. Check the video here.
   • Flamingo garden – Flamingo has a small garden with lots of flamingos and some other birds including a black swan. Amidst all the gambling and lights and showbiz this little place gives a nice feeling.
     

     
   • Venetian Gondolas – Its a nice walk along the Venice – themed waterways with lots of fancy shops alongside. Hop on to one of the gondolas if you like, its a little pricey though.
   • Mirage Volcano show – This happens around 2 3 times a day mostly at 8pm, 9pm and 10pm. These timings keep changing so check before you plan.
   • Other than these check out some brilliantly themed casinos. Caesar palace is a must one. Eiffel tower at Paris is beautiful.
2. Drink cheap – Do not drink at the clubs. Just go sit in one of the casinos. Pick a slot machine and keep tipping the waitress to enjoy the free drinks before hitting the party. Also you can pick up drinks from any 24 hours store and pre game.

   

3. Roadside artists – Catch some of the talented artists performing on the roadside. But be sure if you stand and watch , you should tip them 🙂 Check the video here.
4. Eat at white castle – Now its no big deal and white castle is all over United States, but if you are from outside and want to tick mark the ‘Harold & Kumar’ place from your check list then do eat at one of the joints on the strip. Plus the mini burgers are ahhmazinggg and super cheap too. Btw the one shown in movie is somewhere in Ontario.

   

Time to pay up

Other things to do while in Vegas that will need you to shed out your pockets. Now there are always ways to save up on these too.

1. Gamble – There is really no limit on this one and you have to keep a check on yourself. Decide the maximum you want to spend before you sit on one of the tables. Black jack tables usually have a minimum bet from 10$ so that might be a good place to start. For beginners, picking any one of the casinos on the strip should be fine.
2. Las Vegas shows – They say that one of the Vegas shows is a must watch. Cirque de sal shows are one of the most popular ones but for first timers even less popular ones should be good e.g. variety show is one you can try which has a mix of all forms. Read up tripadvisor reviews of the one you are planning to watch. NEVER pay for the full ticket price for the show. Tix4Tonight have counters at multiple places on the strip and they give discounts on the tickets as high as 50%. Their counters open at 10am for that nights shows. So go stand in that queue and grab your discount.
3. Buffets – Las vegas gets better day by day in its food. If you are in for it try out one of the buffets. Keep your stomach empty through the day to make the most out of it 😉 Buffet prices may start from minimum 50$. Some of them have discounts on Tix4Tonight too.
4. Clubbing – Pre load and hit one of the popular clubs. Remember some of them have very strict dress code and long queues. So put up your smartest attire and be patient. Many of them will have entry charges starting from 20$ and conditions to buy minimum of 2 drinks. Ladies don’t ignore those guys standing on the streets and handing out flyers because they want more and more ladies in these clubs. So you might be lucky and get a free entry. Boys, not so much.

Other basic & hidden expenses

• Stay – There are plenty of options to stay stating from as low as 15$ but those will be far from the strip. Strip rooms will usually start from 50$ minimum. I personally feel its worth paying for a room on the strip especially if you are there for a short trip. If you book in advance you might get some good discounts. When staying on the strip, for me it doesn’t really matter if I am staying in Caesar or some other place. Because you are hardly going to be in the room. But that’s again a personal choice.

  

• Resort fees – don’t be surprised when the receptionist asks you to pay up a resort fee when you are checking in. This is a ‘Vegas hotels’ thing and they charge you upfront for facilities like Wi-Fi, pool, spa etc. which is not included in the hotel fees. It might be around 30$ per day. So save the shock and disappointment and factor this amount in your stay budget.
• Rental car – Unless you are planning to visit any locations outside like canyon, lake mead, red rock, you do not need a car.

In the end whatever you decide to do, Vegas is not going to disappoint you. So don’t stress it out and have loads of fun!

Happy travelling

xoxo