You’ve probably heard the news: not many people are in Las Vegas these days.
You know the drill—what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.
What’s the subtext there? There are no rules, or if there are you can break them.
You get to come have fun, and you don’t have to tell anybody what you did last night or who you did it with.
That worked well until the economy took a nosedive, and then we’re not talking about a trip to Vegas, but about a guilt trip to Vegas.
It’s like the AIG syndrome: Nobody wants to get a pedicure when Rome is burning.
So here we are in this staggering buyer’s market of unprecedented proportions. In fact, some analysts have actually called it a buyer’s market that they haven’t seen in over 33 years, and Vegas is certainly the poster child for buyer’s markets.
Well here’s the bottom line: I give you permission. I actually give you permission to go to Vegas without feeling guilty, and you don’t have to gamble the house or the mortgage payments.
For more the woes of Vegas, check out Fountainebleau Las Vegas Bankruptcy Another Sign of Travel Industry Woes?
Remember that before the economic meltdown, Las Vegas was earning more from entertainment and dining than it was from gaming.
Well, that whole business model had changed. So you can actually come here and have a great time, and I guarantee you, you won’t have to wait in any long lines.
Five Ways to Save in Las Vegas
All-Day Buffet
Several resorts have taken the all-you-can-eat buffet to another level … to all-day buffets. MGM Grand’s all-day buffet pass is $29.99 per person, Monday through Thursday, and $39.999 Friday through Sunday. The Excalibur’s deal allows all-day buffet access for $25, and the Luxor’s pass is $29.99 per adult. Sign up for the Stratosphere’s Ultimate Rewards Club Card, and you’ll get an all-day pass for $19.99 ($24.99 on Friday evening and Sunday morning).
For more great dining options in Las Vegas, check out Three Days, Nine Meals: Las Vegas.
Get Connected
Las Vegas has some exceptional resources that list up-to-date deals and hotel/show packages. Check out Web sites like Vegas.com and VisitLasVegas.com. Also, sign up for email alerts from specific resorts; that way if they have rooms to unload at deeply discounted prices, you’ll be among the first to know.
For destination information, check out Ask the Locals Travel Guide: Las Vegas.
Get Off the Strip
Although Strip resorts are dropping their rates to unprecedented levels, travelers can veer off Las Vegas Boulevard for even more dramatic savings. At the somewhat seedy Binion’s Gambling Hall & Hotel, mid-week rates are as low as $17 a night, while Fremont Hotel and Casino has rates from $36 a night through August. Both are located smack in the middle of the Fremont Street Experience, which offers plenty of free attractions from the nightly sound and light show, to the Neon Museum, to outdoor concerts.
For more information, check out Staying Off the Strip in Las Vegas.
Get On the Strip
Once you choose a resort, they want you to stay there and not wander off to spend money in competing venues.
So look for experiences that interest you—whether it’s a show, an exhibit or a restaurant, and then figure out which resort has the best packaged deal. At Caesars Palace, for example, you can book one night’s accommodation and two mezzanine tickets to see Bette Midler from $189.
Á la carte tickets for the Divine Miss M start from $95 per person and don’t include accommodations.
Interested in doing some shopping in Las Vegas? Shopper extraordinaire Suzy Gershman has the scoop: Suzy Gershman’s Postcard from Las Vegas.
Low Season is Go Season
The best (and cheapest) time to travel is when everyone else isn’t. That means traveling mid-week and in the middle of summer … which is right now! Sure, it’s a sweltering 105 degrees, but stay inside during the day and venture out at night, when temperatures cool off to a manageable 85 degrees.
Bonus Round: Bet on It (and Pray)
Even in a recession Las Vegas is betting big. Watch the developments on CityCenter, a massive “urban community” project that will cover 76 acres on the Strip. Upon completion, CityCenter will feature a 61-story, 4,004-room gaming resort; two non-gaming hotels; a boutique hotel; residential apartments, and a 500,000-square-foot retail and entertainment zone.
Will this $11 billion project result in a very expensive ghost town or represent an economic turnaround for the city? Stay tuned.
By Peter Greenberg for PeterGreenberg.com.
Peter recently broadcast his radio show from Las Vegas. Listen to the show here:
