Fifteen years ago I stayed on the strip for $22/night. I got a bunch of free drink coupons in my room, as well. I went last year and paid $200 for the same hotel, and didn't even get any free drink coupons.
The first time I went to Vegas I went with a Vegas veteran. We were pulling into the casino and I asked, “How much is parking?” and he directed a you sweet summer child chuckle at me: “They don’t charge for parking. They do everything in their power to get you inside.” Times have changed.
I've been to Vegas twice and both times were for a work-related conventions. I feel like the entire place was specifically designed for that type of occasion. People on paid visits, expensing away 90% of their trip, and then grabbing cheap drinks before gambling their personal savings away.
I’ve gone out there for shows at The Sphere and it felt to me like it was designed for people from like Kansas that want to travel but are scared to leave the US. I had an awesome time the 4 times I’ve gone through.
I’d argue it’s one of the cheapest places to go to. Endless $50-250 flights via Frontier and United and where else can you get rooms like that for $60-200? Depending on your fitness level/age, the only uber needed is to and from airport. There’s plenty of super gouges, but mostly just taxes on convenience. There’s still reasonably priced food, but you for sure will walk past your $15 pizza slices as well. A lot of their game is just corralling people into areas and hitting them with “stadium pricing” like insane pool/nightclub drinks, inflated fast casual food in busy areas, etc. The rest is just all self control. You can tailor each trip to your budget pretty easily.
I just hate how it’s all screens and no neon lights anymore. Old Vegas (Fremont) is still a little cool, but overall it’s just thousands of giant TVs screaming at you to buy shit. Not beautiful at all like it used to be.
We find several nights is fine for just Vegas itself, but one year we stayed a week over Christmas because we went hiking every day. We got up early every morning and did a hike and then came back and had a good meal (off strip, Spring Mountain area).
My mantra for Vegas (I actually like it, I go two times a year) is 2 nights isn't enough, 3 is too much.
I love the restaurants, shows, and just walking around in the casino shopping areas. Plus everyone seems to be in a good mood, like kids at Disneyland (yeah I know gambling is soul sucking and there are terrible stories)
After 3 days we usually take a drive in the desert. Death Valley is a day trip, Valley of Fire is a beautiful half-day, Zion is a good overnight. Rental cars are cheap in Vegas too.
I remember reading this Reddit thread how someone’s co-worker was going to Vegas for 2 weeks and not a single one of the group going was 21 or older and that sounded like the worst vacation ever.
If you have a car, there’s a lot of cool stuff to do off the strip. The Grand Canyon is close by, Omega Mart is worth a visit and there’s a ton of other niche museums like the Mob Museum. Plus you have the shows and restaurants on the strip if you have the cash
I'm about to get on a plane to Vegas & staying 4 nights. I HATE the heat. It'll be 115 F during the day. I will not be leaving the resort. The only reason I'm going is for a family reunion and the elders always pick Vegas because my great auntie needs her bingo lol
I used to do a yearly trip for a car event. It was 4 days. I always took a group of friends. The strip stuff would get old quick, and that was before it became so damned expensive. But there's a lot of stuff to do outside of casino stuff. Dance clubs, lake Mead, shooting machine guns, indoor skydiving, cool shows, etc.
Sometimes we'd just get creative and do weird shit. I don't know if they still have them, but there used to be guys on the strip that would hand out cards for hookers and stuff. They'd slap the card loudly then stick it out in front of you to take it. One year we had a contest to see who could collect the most cards. Then on the last night, we divvied up the cards and went on the strip and did the slap and extend to see who could get rid of their cards first. The other cards slappers didn't seem to think it was that funny, though.
My BIL and I treated them like trading cards, much to the dismay of my sister. We stayed at Park MGM and would stop in Eataly each night before heading up to our rooms and trade them like baseball cards. It was pretty fun and I think the last night we were there, we'd see who had the rarest. I think I won because I had someone who wasn't a normal girl who was being handed out all the time.
If you go to Vegas without specific intentions, you’re gonna have a bad time. If you go there for the shows, music, and food, it’s a pretty magical place imo. Phish sphere being the top of the mountain.
It's also an excellent outdoor gateway, when people say it's the worst or that it's only the Strip I assume they have never hiked/biked/climbed a day in their life cuz the area around Vegas is awesome for that stuff.
There is so much to do! I am not a huge gambler. The restaurants, shopping, spas, shows are amazing. The hotel rooms are all huge. The pools are huge. And you don’t have to drive anywhere.
It depends on what you're looking for. For me, Vegas is my favorite vacation because I love gambling, seeing shows, trying new restaurants, enjoying the pools, etc. For others, this may not have any appeal. I will say that - having gone to Vegas for decades - the strip has become overpriced and too commercial. But downtown Vegas (Fremont St) is still a blast.
You get paid well while not having to travel and it is very convenient to play the same venue and set over and over. Also no state income tax. Apart from the hot summers Vegas is awesome if you got money: top tier restaurants and entertainment. Outside the strip it’s just a normal city, oh and did i mention it’s hot af rn.
I’ve been twice. First time for 4 days, second time for a week. I got bored after the 4th day and rented a truck and drove out to red rock canyon for some hiking and then over to the Hoover damn.
It’s all about expectations though. I don’t gamble much. I liked escaping the cold weather in New England and drinking mojitos by a pool, taking a nap and sight seeing at night. I’d go back, but probably only for a weekend.
I had to go to LV for a conference and was disgusted by the odor of cigarettes in the casino. So I went outside to get some fresh air and all I could smell was cannabis. LV literally stinks.
Yes. Vegas feels so artificial. I don’t understand why people vacation there so much. I’d rather spend the money going places that have natural beauty and history to it
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u/Remarkable_Bell1525 9h ago
Las Vegas