Las Vegas for Budget Visitors

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After moving to Las Vegas in the fall of 2011, I had a series of visitors throughout the following months. But with multiple people coming into town, I didn’t want to become bored showing the same things over and over again. So I spiced it up a little with each group.



Casinos and Sights on the Strip for Mostly Free

When my guests come into town, they’re not looking to blow their budget on the stereotypical Vegas experiences. They are mostly looking for low-key and inexpensive entertainment. One of the places I like to bring visitors is the Shops at the Venetian. There are live entertainers throughout the day, a variety of shops to suit everyone’s fancy, and gelato.

For people watching in a casual setting, I brought my guests to the courtyard area at Serendipity outside of Caesars Palace. They have heaters in the winter and misters in the summer, so guests will be comfortable regardless of the season. No seating assignments, just grab your drink from the bar, pick a table, and watch the carnival of tourists pass by. It cost $100 for four people to have two drinks each, which is about average. While you cannot see the Bellagio Fountains from Serendipity, you can take your drink and move across the street to watch the show.

And what trip could be complete without a photo op at the famous “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign? It’s located just south of Mandalay Bay, but too far if you want to walk there (also no crosswalks past If you go in the later afternoon or evening, be prepared to wrestle your way into the parking lot. Usually someone will offer to take your group’s photo for a tip.



Casinos off the Strip

For cheaper table games and thrifty dining, off-Strip casinos offer a lot of entertainment value as well. My friend and I discovered a hole-in-the-wall casino with $2 black jack tables. I took my family to the Silverton Casino, a short cab ride south of the main Strip area. Our main interest was to see the mermaids in the giant aquarium. It’s a giant aquarium as opposed to your gold fish bowl at home, but it is not giant; it’s an average size for a casino display piece. We waited around for about an hour and finally asked when the mermaids would be out. Not for another two hours, we were told. Sightseeing fail.



Red Rock Canyon

I took everyone who visited this winter to Red Rock Canyon, a national preserve just west of town. All my visitors were from the Northwest, and red sandstone is not a common feature in that region. It’s free with a National Parks Pass. The scenic byway is enjoyable for those who do not want to spend much time exploring away from the car. There’s plenty of hiking trails and rock scrambling for more active people. I would only hike here in the colder seasons; it just gets too hot in the summer. The prettiest time of day is just before the Sun dips below the hills and an orange light shines on the red rocks.



Shows on the Strip

A great benefit of working for a casino enterprise is getting free show tickets. I took my friend to see “Chippendales” at the Rio. I’ve seen the show twice, and I find a great amount of entertainment cat calling at naked men. My sister and I went to see “Divas” at the Imperial Palace (since renamed The Quad). It is a drag show of female celebrity impersonators lip syncing to various songs. I spent the entire show wondering how those guys tucked it back so well. Bally’s “Jubilee” is for the adult crowd only; I’ve never seen so many boobs at one time in my life. The classic feather and sequin show has been going on for over 30 years, and has a lot of song and dance, and an endless parade of bare breasts.

My more conservative grandmother enjoyed the “Tournament of Kings” at the Excalibur hotel. This is a great show regardless of your age level. On a week night, it’s not crowded at all, and all seats are good seats. We watched a show of jousting and sword fighting, and booed the menacing villains. Dinner comes with the show, but without utensils. Yes, you have to eat your dinner like the barbarian kings of the middle ages.

My more expensive evenings were seeing the Cirque du Soleil shows. I prefer “Mystere” for those who have never seen a Cirque show; it’s the most traditional version on the Strip, and the cheapest. The theater is fairly small and all seats afford a good view of the stage. The first time I saw it, I was several rows back from the stage, which afforded a good panorama of the various acts going on at once. For my grandmother’s visit, I got us front row seats and the thrill of a tiny bit of character interaction. I took my parents and sister to see the more expensive show “O” at the Bellagio. The theater is huge, and it pays to get a good seat. We were front row balcony, which was still a long way from the stage. Unlike the traveling shows or “Mystere,” this show has wildly impressive water acrobatics.



Hoover Dam

This massive concrete structure is just a half hour south of Las Vegas, completely free, and affords visitors the bragging right of crossing into another state. The visitor’s center and parking on the Nevada side requires a fee, but parking on the Arizona side of the dam is free. My friend and I walked across the damn, marveled at the size of the structure and of the new bypass bridge built just ten years ago.

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Photos

Red Rock Canyon
Get out and see more than just neon lights!

Shops at the Venetian
Live entertainment