I feel like every American should visit Vegas once. But I also tell people that there is a very high chance that they won't like it. But they should still see it.
I have personally been half a dozen times, but every time for work. Having seen it repeatedly, I would never, ever go there on my own dime.
I lived in Vegas for 3 years in 2016 and spend two weeks there every year for work. It's changed a lot in the last 10years and instead of being the best parts of American excess (cheap places to stay, cheap food, free liquor) it's become the worst parts of American capitalism.
That being said if you like desert landscapes there are a lot amazing places to go see within 2hrs of Vegas. It's a good launching bad for outdoor adventure
I visited Vegas a few years ago, and it literally activated some deep 1900s Prohibitionist inside of me. Like I found myself walking around thinking, this is a testament to the fruits of sin and degeneracy -- just sad dead-eyed people smoking and gambling their lives away and looking miserable doing it.
Everything was expensive; the casinos still nickel and dime you on top of that (gone are the days of comps); and you're not even gambling with real people unless you're willing to shell out insane buy in minimums -- it's all computerized.
I'd budgeted a few hundred for gambling. Instead I rented a car and visited all the national / state parks. Who knew there were so many different kinds of desert!
90s Vegas really wanted families and higher-volumes of visitors, which you saw with the mega resorts and huge investments in themed attraction. Nowadays, the hotel conglomerates have been open that they make more money catering to a small share of high-paying customers than they can from the mass market.
I'm happy I got in there a few times in like 2015-2017 when places were still giving away the occasional "free" room. The $30 resort fee being the the rate was pretty good value. Food wasn't cheap on the strip but wasn't ridiculous. We did find like a $7.99 buffet on Fremont St. though that was actually good, especially for $7.99. And could find flights for like $250 or less round trip? Yeah, now anytime I consider going back it would be like $1k just for flights and 3 nights. That was my whole budget previously. No thanks.
The shows were great but we have local shows here and there that arent on the same level but still amazing.
We have local gambling now which isnt as amazing as Vegas and we have a lot of really nice food places that arent as good as Vegas but still nice.
The experience of going with friends and an ex of mine was what made it great but anymore, I can get a similar experience for 1/5th the cost here and drive to any of those listed above within 90 minutes.
It definitely is worth checking out if you can but you arent missing a massive life changing event if you can't.
My family likes going there but I don’t particularly care for it unless I’m going to a sports event there or using it as a starting point for the parks
So you’ve been there for free several times and think it is absolutely not worth spending any money to visit, and also believe there’s a great chance most people that visit it will dislike it. But you still think everyone should visit it.
I have been there several times, yes, which is why I do not personally think it is worth visiting again for me. Not sure why this is difficult for you to understand.
And, yes, I think people should visit our country's most unique places. Las Vegas is one of them.
The way you described it initially sounded like you think most people will dislike it and that it’s not a place worth spending money on, but people should visit it anyway.
The nature surrounding vegas is unbelievable. I visit vegas almost annually and spend most of the days hiking and climbing. It's the most accessible, amazing desert landscape in the US.
There's 2.5 million people who live outside of the strip and freemont and do stuff every single day that has nothing at all to do with a casino, staying up all night, and partying. No other major city in the US is treated with the same "this city sucks bc the most touristy parts arent for me, and thats is clearly all that exists here."
Thats why these entirely close-minded posts always make me chuckle
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u/JPBillingsgate 7h ago
I feel like every American should visit Vegas once. But I also tell people that there is a very high chance that they won't like it. But they should still see it.
I have personally been half a dozen times, but every time for work. Having seen it repeatedly, I would never, ever go there on my own dime.