Nestled in the Nevada desert is Las Vegas. Hotels, casinos, nightclubs, and restaurants all vie for space among the neon and glitz in this city of sin. But those people focus on the negatives of Vegas. I am constantly blown away by the city — the amazing mix of restaurants, diners, people, concerts, shows, and events. There is much more to Las Vegas than the Strip. Free drinks, meals, show tickets, and reduced accommodation can all be easily had — if you know where to look! Tix 4 Tonight has booths at Fashion Show Mall, Circus Circus, Town Square, Four Queens downtown, and various other locations around town. There you can find tickets for shows that night for 50 percent off. Las Vegas has some of the best food in the world. With all that money flowing in, it is easy to see why. My favorite restaurants are Yellowfish Bellagio , Sirio Aria , American fish Aria , Lemongrass Aria The Peppermill, Firefly, Aureole Mandalay Bay , and Otto Palazzo. This outdoor lot is loaded with the huge signs that once beckoned you into casinos like the Silver Slipper, Stardust, and El Cortez. The museum recently expanded and now features more signs, a park, and guided tours of their collection. Make reservations in advance. Other Things to See and Do Click the title to expand the text 1. Since they are over 250 miles away, a tour of the Canyon and Hoover Dam can easily take up to 14 hours. While I think the Grand Canyon deserves its own trip, if this is the closest you can get to it, a rushed visit is better than no visit. Explore Shark Reef As one of the most prestigious sea-life centers in the world, Shark Reef Aquarium is a must see. Shark Reef tunnel, which is designed to look like a sunken ancient shipwreck allows you to come face to face with all kinds of sharks, sawfish, giant rays, endangered green sea turtles and rare golden crocodiles. See Vegas from Stratosphere Offering the best views of Vegas, Stratosphere is the tallest free-standing observation tower in the US. The aptly named X-Scream propels you headfirst 27ft over the edge of the tower and leaves you hanging over 850 ft in the air. The canyon is ringed by a road and each trailhead has a parking lot where you can leave your car to go hike before driving to the next trailhead. Make sure to come early in the morning before it gets too hot, and bring a lot of water. The visitor center is open daily from 8am-4:30pm. Check out the Mob Museum Las Vegas started with the mafia. With the rise of the mega resorts, they have had less influence, however. Still, the mob and Vegas are tied together and a wonderful and very detailed museum has opened to discuss the history of the two. Fun fact: my family used to be involved with the mob out in Vegas. See the Mirage Volcano Set to its own soundtrack, the volcano erupts finely choreographed fireballs and smoke 100ft into the air from the waters below, turning the waterfall to molten lava. Stay at Aria This my favorite hotel. I love everything about Aria. I love the high tech rooms, the pool area, outdoor club, delicious restaurants, and modern look and feel to the hotel and casino. But my favorite thing? The whole place is scented with vanilla. I would recommend staying here but if you choose somewhere else, make sure you come and visit and at least enjoy one of the great restaurants. Visit the Venetian While gondola rides are super cheesy, overpriced, and touristy just like in Venice! If anything, just walk through here. Watch the Bellagio Fountain Show Soaring as high as 460 ft, The Bellagio has a fountain show that performs a magnificent light and water display set to music. It happens every fifteen minutes and crowds form about five minutes before the light show starts. The biggest ones are Lavo, Tao, Marquee, and Haze. Hang out in Boulder City Along the way to the Hoover Dam, this suburb can give you a taste of local life in the area. Milos is the hot restaurant in this town. Go Golfing There are many golf courses in Vegas, including Shadow Creek, one of the best in the world. Even at the airport, you find slot machines. There is every type of game in Las Vegas. Get artistic at First Friday On the first Friday of every month, the downtown area fills up with exhibits and displays from local artists during First Friday. Be sure to also check out Arts District 18B, the arts center of Las Vegas, which is home to cool bars, shops, galleries, and more. Hostel prices — You can find 6-bed dorms in hostels about 1. The best around is called Hostel Cat. These hostels include free linens, free WiFi, free parking, and laundry facilities. You can book your hostel with. However, casinos offer tons of cheap room rates to get you into their casinos. There is always a deal being offered online so be sure to check before you book. Use as they consistently return the cheapest rates. You can find some of these in the casinos too but they are more expensive. If you want to save money, get off the Strip! Transportation costs — In Las Vegas, you have a lot of options for getting around. A free option is taking a casino shuttle. Las Vegas does have a monorail system that will take you down the Strip and stop at various hotels. By visiting the city during the week you can avail of the significantly reduced room rates and restaurant prices. Only gamble what you can comfortably afford to lose, because chances are, the house will win. Make sure to ask about these! Avoid the charge by paying cash. With all the money flowing in, it should be no surprise but if you really want to save money on food, stick to the all-you-can-eat buffets. And in Vegas, the best ones come with unlimited food and drinks on the weekends. Sit down at a penny slot machine, play slow, and drink fast. You can have 10 drinks for the price of one at the club! Just make sure you tip the waitress. Tix4Tonight has booths at Fashion Show Mall, Circus Circus, Town Square, Four Queens downtown, and various other locations around town. There you can find tickets for shows that night for 50 percent off. The booths open at 10am and accept both major credit cards and cash. It offers rotating deals on various shows. Some of the things you can enjoy with this pass are a free tour of the Hoover Dam, free entrance to the Divas Las Vegas show, and free entry to the Eiffel Tower experience.
