Vacation ideas

If your idea of a vacation involves sleeping in a hostel room with 20 other people, eating 99 cent buffets, scoring free casino game plays and outdoor people-watching, then Vegas travel is for you! Sure, some couples, high-rollers, celebrities and families come to Las Vegas Nevada without a budget, staying at the most luxurious resorts, eating only the finest cuisine and paying upwards of $300 for front row Vegas shows, but for the easily appeased there is a whole other side that others may miss. After all, everyone feels like a big-shot on the Las Vegas strip, whether they’re paying out like a slot machine or not!

To find cheap Las Vegas travel airfare, your best bet is to check out the discount sites online, some of which are, www.hotwire.com, www.expedia.com, www.cheaptickets.com, www.priceline.com, www.kayak.com, www.travelocity.com, www.smartertravel.com, www.cheapoair.com and www.orbitz.com. The cheapest Las Vegas Nevada fares leave on Sunday and return on Wednesday or Thursday. By being flexible and checking your departure/arrival dates a few days forward and a few days afterward may save you as much as $400. If you want to leave during a popular time of year, then booking early will save you lots! Try to avoid early morning and early evening flights if you can. Flying overnight can save you a ton if you can handle it. Unlike most vacation destinations, Las Vegas doesn’t have an “off season,” since the weather is so agreeable all year round. However, be careful to avoid the occasional, major Las Vegas convention, sporting event, college Spring break or poker tournament! You may also save big by booking an all-inclusive package at www.vegasall.com.

The beauty of traveling to Vegas is the amount of free attractions and Las Vegas shows that are available. At The Bellagio Hotel, there is a magnificent indoor conservatory and an impressive outdoor “dancing fountain” show that is choreographed to music every 15-30 minutes. Similarly, the 54-foot-high volcano erupts at The Mirage every night, which is an impressive sight. The Sirens Battle at Treasure Island is good eye-candy for guys and may be cool for little ones, but will undoubtedly disappoint your “Pirates of the Caribbean” loving teen.

You can check out the lion display at MGM Grand and the flamingos at The Flamingo Hotel at no cost. Twelve million lights shine on Fremont Street, with a special display every 30 minutes. Circus Circus has acts every half hour as well, with hire wire walkers, clowns and magicians touring the building. Perhaps the best free Vegas strip show is the Masquerade in the Sky at The Rio, where sky-high dancers and pulsating music meet. Sci-fi loving, techno music fans will love that there’s no cover to get into Mandalay Bay’s Eyecandy Sound Lounge & Bar.

For most travelers, a big part of Vegas travel is gambling. We all like to think of ourselves as hotshots who can double up at a Texas Hold’ em game or drop $100 on a round of blackjack no problem, but often our pride outweighs our wallets. Therefore, finding some low-limit cheap games is a good way to keep the Vegas fun lasting longer, especially as we get a feel for the various casinos and tables on the Las Vegas Strip. Downtown, The Western has $2-3 blackjack and 25-cent roulette. El Cortez has $5 Pai Gow, mini baccarat and single-deck blackjack that plays 3:2 odds, as well as $3-5 craps and 25-cent roulette. Off-the-strip, Boulder Station has $3 tables and 50-cent roulette. Arizona Charlie’s Boulder Highway has $3 craps playing at 10x odds, $5 blackjack, $5 Let It Ride and 50-cent roulette. On the Las Vegas strip, your best bet is Circus Circus with $5 tables and the occasional $3 (but beware of the 6:5 blackjack odds and even worse craps table odds). For poker, you can play as low as $1-$5 at The Mirage, Caesars Palace and MGM Grand.