Money Saving Tips For First Time Visitors to Las Vegas

This was our second trip to Las Vegas and it did not disappoint. There were more hotels than last time and more being built. A visit to downtown is a must to see the light show in the roof area. A technological marvel. We heard it cost $400 million. To say we wandered around hotels every day seems a strange thing to do but anyone who has visited Las Vegas will understand how facinating that is. Even in February the sun shines and we were able to sunbath around one of the MGM swimming pools.

Five things you should do. Walk into and around every hotel. Take a roller coaster ride at New York New York. Visit the lions and dolphins at the Mirage hotel. Take a helicopter trip over the Grand Canon. And finally take an elevator ride to the top of the Stratosphere hotel to see the fabulous night time view of the Las Vegas strip and surrounding city.

I was not sure if anyone would read an article on money saving tips when visiting Las Vegas. This is the city for gamblers so who is looking to save money? But then I though that, I am not a gambler and I have now visited Las Vegas twice.

Back in 2000 my daughter and I bought my wife a surprise 50th birthday present of a four day trip to Las Vegas. The bonus being it was for four people, which included my wife, myself, my daughter and her husband.

You can fly direct to Las Vegas but this four day visit was an indirect flight stopping at Chicago for four hours then flying on to Las Vegas after four hours stop over. The return flight was the same. So our actual stay in Las Vegas was two full days and three nights. It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience especially as I arrange a room upgrade to a suite which looked out over the 'Strip'. We did not gamble much as there was too much to see and do.

Our second visit to Las Vegas was a complete surprise. This Christmas we as a family decided to keep our present buying to a small token gift as we had started two new businesses and money was tight.

Our son who had not come on our first visit to Las Vegas has since had two holidays in Las Vegas with his wife and in-laws. He told us a few months before Christmas that he was taking another holiday to Las Vegas in February with the in-laws and did we want to go as well. Unfortunately we had booked our summer holiday and another holiday before that was not in our budget.

Anyway on Christmas day after all the small gifts were opened our son and his wife gave us a final gift. When my wife opened it we found a 'not new' roulette game, which we thought was a joke gift. He insisted we open the box and we found inside a picture of the MGM hotel in Las Vegas and a lovely short note inviting my wife and I to join them on the visit to Las Vegas, at their expense. We only had to find our spending money. How could we refuse? We had always wanted to go to Las Vegas with him and knew that this year they wanted to start a family and if they did we probably would never get to go to Las Vega with him for many years to come, if ever.

This time we flew direct with Virgin. I must tell you that I have flown with Virgin in the early days and thought them one of the best. But over the years I found the service from Virgin had dropped. This time the service from Virgin was top rate and I would recommend them to anyone.

On this visit to Las Vegas we were staying for a whole week, flying out on an 11am flight from Gatwick on a Friday, which meant leaving home at 5.30am, and returning a week later on a 4pm flight from Las Vegas, landing Saturday morning. Las Vegas airport is a five minute drive from the MGM Hotel.

When we arrived in Las Vegas it was decided to catch a bus to the MGM hotel. They charge $7 per person one way. On our trip back to the Airport at the end of our holiday we caught a taxi. Taxi's charge $9 per trip from the MGM hotel.

Tip 1. If you are staying at the MGM, Luxor, Excalibur, Mandalay Bay, New York New York hotels, it is cheaper to use a taxi than the shuttle bus if there is more than one of you. But if you are staying further down the 'Strip' then the taxi fare goes up and the shuttle bus may be more cost effective.

On this one week trip my wife and I took to Las Vegas £1000, which converted to $1360 at Feb 09 exchange rates. We converted a further £180 towards the end of the week and paid to see a show on a credit card $160. We returned from Las Vegas with $180.

With an eight hour time difference it was mid afternoon on the Friday even though we had left the UK at 11am and had a 10 hour flight. It's really UK bedtime especially for people of my age.

Tip 2. If it's your first visit you are probably very excited and want to hit the town or hit the gambling but what ever you do try not to go to bed until it's late evening. If you go to bed too early your body clock will take longer to adjust to the time difference.

Our first impressions when we 'hit the town' after we had unpacked was that the place seemed busy as if the 'credit crunch' had not affected Las Vegas. The second thing we noticed was it was not cheap. Having had a number of 'all inclusive holidays' over the last few years we found having to pay for everything quite difficult. For people that are used to spending time in hotels the prices are probably quite normal but for us the prices such as a bottle of Budwisser at $6 seemed expensive.

We visited the New York New York hotel the first evening and the first round of drinks at a bar in the hotel was $35 for 4 bottle beers, one coke and one glass of wine. We decided to have a meal in the same hotel and five had steaks and one had pizza. Very good food. The bill came to $153 + $27 (18% tip) + $11 (15% tax) = $191. we understand from past visits to the US that it is expected to tip 12-15%, which is normally a voluntary option. To find it on the bill at 18% is a bit much, we believe.

Tip 3. We found that the 18% tip included on the bill was normally for groups of 6 or more. Therefore if you ask for your bill in groups of two the 18% tip is omitted from the bill and left to your discretion. We found that 'Dennys' do not add a tip to any bill no matter what size your group is.

The major disappointment we found on this second visit to Las Vegas was that all the 'slot' machines in all the Hotels do not dispense coins as winnings anymore. You feed in dollar bills and if you are lucky to win you will get a slip of paper dispensed as your winning. The tinkering of coins when you win was sadly missing. This slip of paper can be fed into any other slot machine in the same hotel to continue gambling.

Tip 4. If you want to hear the sound of coins dropping with your winning the only place that still uses coins is next to the hotel Circus Circus.

Not being much of a gambler I tended to watch the others but found I wanted a beer while I watched. My son had found on past visits that if you gambled, either on the slots or on the tables, you will be offered complementary drinks from waitresses or barmen at the bar. These drinks are free of charge other than a tip of a couple of dollars to the waitress or barman. The more you gamble the more drinks you are offered.

Every chair in the gambling halls is in front of a slot machine. Even at the bar each seat is in front of a gambling machine embedded in the bar.

Tip 5. It was recommended to me at a number of bars by the barmen that so long as I feed the slot machine with $20 he could feed me complementary drinks. If you win you could be drinking for free all night.

On the first evening of our stay we were advised by my son to join the 'Players' club, which meant queuing with passports to receive individual swipe cards. These cards gave you points when you inserted them in the slot machines before you gambled. If you achieved 1500 points during your stay then you may receive complementary gifts like free buffet meals etc.

Just by signing up to get a 'Players' club card mean we were entitled to a two for one deal on any of the MGM shows. This option only allowed you to buy the expensive seats at $160, not the cheaper seats at $80. We choose to go to see the Circus du Soliel which was great and cost $160 for two of the bests seats.

Tip 6. Join the 'Players' club at any hotel, as soon as you arrive, to ensure you get any complementary deals or freebies going. You can also use your 'Player' card in any other hotel in the MGM group which are:

MGM Grand, Bellagio, City Center, Mandalay Bay, Mirage, Luxor, Excalibur, New York New York, Monte Carlo, Treasure Island, Cirus Circus and Railroad Pass.

There are plenty of places to eat within the hotels and along the 'strip'. A good steak will cost you $17 upwards and a bottle of wine start around $28. There are always deals around and the MGM hotel was offering their buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner for $29 + tax, which taken individually would cost $60.

Tip 7. Before you go to Las Vegas search the books and guides that are in the shops and online for any deals and discounts that are on offer. You could save enough for your gambling.

If you live north of London as we do, then getting to Gatwick in the early hours of the morning is not some thing you can get a friend to do, especially when there is six of you. There are three options, drive down and leave your car in a long stay car park. Stay over night at a local to Gatwick hotel, which provide long stay parking, within the price of the over night stay price. Or get a taxi to take you and pick you up on your return.

Over the years we have tried all three options and when we drove down for the first four day visit to Las Vegas we stayed at the Worth Hotel near to Gatwick. Another time we have driven down on the day of our flight and left our car in a long stay car park. I would recommend using http://www.bargain-breaks.org if you want to book a Hotel or Car Park. They provide a very good and competitive service.

Cheap But Good Steaks in Las Vegas

I am fairly young so when I hear Las Vegas old timers talking about the great deals that Las Vegas used to have on food it makes my mouth water. Unfortunately, with the corporate takeover of most of the Las Vegas Casinos a lot of those great deals have gone away and even the buffet prices in some major casinos can start at $25.00 plus. Now don't let that stop you from looking for some great deals in Las Vegas when it comes to food. I personally love steak, so lets go over a few good steak deals I have found in Las Vegas.

Terrible's Casino
Located a few blocks off the Las Vegas Strip on East Flamingo, Terrible's has a $9.99 steak special that runs twenty-four hours a day. It is a great deal and you get a 16 oz. New York strip steak, your choice of potato, rolls, and a draft beer for one price. I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the steak, it was cooked to perfection, and tasted great! It is a steak special that I will be taking advantage of more than once.

Arizona Charlie's on Boulder Highway
If you are looking for a cheap steak on Boulder Highway, look no further than the Sourdough Café located at Arizona Charlie's Boulder. They have a twenty-four hour breakfast special of a New York Steak, two eggs, hash browns, and toast and jelly for only $3.29. You can also get the bone-in ham steak with the same sides for the same price. The steak is good and I would estimate it is 8 oz., it was cooked right and enjoyable at a great price. The only catch here is that you have to show your players club card to get the special, so when you walk through the front door get your players club card, it will only take a minute, and take advantage of the special.

Ellis Island Brewery and Casino
Located a few blocks off the strip Ellis Island has a $7.00 steak special that comes with an 8 oz. steak, salad, potato, and a free beer that they brew themselves or their own brewed root beer if you prefer. Be aware that this steak is not on the menu, you have to ask for it. If you are a beer drinker this is the place for you, they brew their own beer that is excellent and cheap. They also have a king cut prime rib on the menu for $10.99 and it is also good.

There are plenty of great deals on cheap food in Las Vegas, just not as many as there used to be. So you have to look a little harder and keep your eye out for a great deal.

For more great values and cheap deals in Las Vegas check out Best Vegas Value. You can also check out their sister site My Guy In Vegas which offers free and premium sports picks. http://myguyinvegas.com.

Golf Vacations in Las Vegas

If you're looking for a vacation that provides you with all the relaxation and rest you need, as well as getting in some exercise, then golf vacations in Las Vegas are just the ticket. For those who are golf fanatics wanting to relax and unwind from the stresses of day to day existence, this is probably the ideal vacation.

Vacations for golfers, particularly in Las Vegas are considered to be right up there with the best the world has to offer. With its magnificent hotels and spectacular golf courses, Las Vegas is the ideal place for you and a few fellow golf-tragics to enjoy a vacation.

They are also a perfect choice for the whole family. With so much to see and do in Vegas, no-one will get bored, even golf haters. Family golf vacations are a growing trend, where the whole family goes along, including the family pets in some cases. The golfers get the opportunity to play golf on some of the world's best courses, while the rest of the family get to enjoy the tourist attractions of Las Vegas.

Golf vacations in Las Vegas are an ideal way to practice your golf game, at the same time as wining and dining at some of the world's best resorts. What could be better for golfers of all levels, beginners to professionals? A lot of the Las Vegas golf resorts are situated close to popular vacation spots that offer a lot more than just golf. So even if you aren't a golfer, there are plenty of activities for the whole family on these vacations.

They are also a good idea for couples, where only one, or neither partner is a golf fanatic. Even if both partners have never even picked up a golf club, a golf vacation is a great way to enjoy some quality time together whilst doing something new, and getting in some exercise.

Lake Las Vegas, located just seventeen miles from the Las Vegas airport and the main tourist strip is one of the most popular resorts. You are near enough to Las Vegas to take advantage of the world class shopping and entertainment it has to offer, as well as staying at a magnificent resort away from the main strip and its hustle and bustle. For this reason, and more, Lake Las Vegas is one of the most popular choices for your golfing vacation.

Search online or use a travel agent to help you decide exactly which resort you want to stay at for your golf vacation in Las Vegas, There are several to choose from. No doubt one of these many world class hotels and resorts will be perfect for you. The thrill of playing a round of golf on a five star course at one the golf resorts will provide you with memories that will stay with you long after your vacation is finished. After all, isn't that what vacations are all about, the good memories.

There are more articles on Golf vacations In Las Vegas and many other places on golferpedia, the site where too much golf is nowhere near enough.

Finding Cheap Flights to Las Vegas

Las Vegas is a city of many facets. The most distinct feature of the city is its casino culture. Gambling is the regional sports of Las Vegas. It is also known as the best center for dessert golf courses in the United States. Also, for some people, it is the wedding capital of the world, because of the number of marriage chapels and the relaxed legislation regarding marriages. Some other sets of people visit the city for its world famous light shows such as barrel vault canopy and Neon Museum. All these make Las Vegas a wonderful destination for all kinds of tourists. Wherever tourists flock, airline companies will not be far behind from there.

The airport in Las Vegas, the McCarran International Airport, is pretty close to the heart of the city, a boulevard known as the Strip. A lot of good hotels are located on the Strip. So it is convenient for both businesspersons and vacation tourists. The prominent airline companies operating out of this airport include US Airways, Allegiant Air, and Southeast Airlines.

One can reserve airline tickets on the Internet. By typing a simple keyword such as "airline tickets to Las Vegas" on Google, a person can find a number of Web sites that offer online ticket reservation facility. Some Web sites are run directly by the travel agencies, while some other Web sites are specialized for providing airline tickets. The Web sites belong to the latter category offer comparison of prices of various airline companies. Before booking tickets online and paying money for it, one has to check the terms and conditions for cancellation. Knowing such details will help a person, if he or she has to cancel the ticket for some reason.

The airline companies use a dynamic ticket reservation system. That means the earlier you book, the cheaper will be the tickets. So getting the best out of the system, one has to book as early as possible. One should try to book at least 20 days before the scheduled date of journey. There will be fewer people visiting Las Vegas during weekdays. During weekends and other peak days like New Year Eve, there will be a mad rush of tourists to the city. What that means to a person who looks for cheap air tickets to Las Vegas is that the charge of the ticket will be considerably less during weekdays, particularly on the mid-week, when compared to the charge on weekends and other peak tourist days. In addition, some airline companies offer discounts for special occasions. One should always conduct a thorough check on the Internet for such special offers and discounts from airline companies, before purchasing an airline ticket.

How Las Vegas, Nevada Grew Into the Gaming Capital of the World

Las Vegas, Nevada is one of the hottest cities in the United States. It has been dubbed "Sin City" and for good reasons. It is full of casinos and hotels that are classy and make you feel like a whole new person. The air of excitement is all around you and everywhere you go you are ready to become someone new. So how did it all begin?

In 1829 members of the French of the Antonio Armijo party gave it its name and used the water around the area while they made their way along the Old Spanish Trail from New Mexico. During this time there were small parts of the Las Vegas Valley that had artesian wells that were able to support large green areas. That is where the name Las Vegas came from. It is Spanish for 'The Meadows'.

On May 10th, 1855 after Las Vegas had by taken and incorporated into the United States - Brigham Young was ordered to take 30 Mormon missionaries to help convert the Paiute Indians in the area. They built a fort in what is now the downtown area. But over the years there would be problems that stirred between Brigham and new people in the area. The new people that came had more liberal views and questioned Brigham's practices. This tension caused the Mormons to leave in 1857.

Over the coming years ownership of the Las Vegas Valley and the fort built within its borders would pass between the divided parts of the United States. It was not until 1881 that Archibald Stewart and his wife Helen J. Stewart would gain ownership of the land and would become the new Las Vegas Postmaster.

In 1884 the Stewart family would face tragedy when Archibald was murdered - but this did not stop the plans that were in motion to expand the property. The Stewarts were able to expand it to 1,800 acres and kept the land until it was acquired in 1902 by the San Pedro, Los Angeles, and Salt Lake Railroad. The building of the railroad would bring in many people to Las Vegas helping it to grow in population. Many of these people were farmers.

Another boost in population would come in 1930 when President Herbert Hoover would sign the appropriation bill for the Boulder Dam. The population jumped from 5,000 to 25,000 in hopes that they would be given the job of helping to build the dam. When completed the dam would help to give Las Vegas electricity. The city became the first customer for Southern Nevada Power company and the dam's name was changed to the Hoover Dam.

By now Las Vegas had made a name for itself because of the erection of the dam. But the year 1931 would forever stick in people's mind and it became the time when it would start to grow to new heights. Heights that no city had ever reached.

In 1931 gambling was legalized and Las Vegas started its upward climb to becoming the gaming capital of the world. The city was issued its first gambling license in 1931 - which was given to the Northern Club. Soon other casinos opened their doors to those who wanted to test fate and gamble with their money. Fremont Street, the Las Vegas Club, and the Apache Hotel were some of the first.

In order to attract people to their casinos they wanted to emit excitement and fun. Fremont Street became known as Glitter Gulch because of all the lights that were powered by the Hoover Dam. Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam helped to bring in the tourists - which called for more hotels. These hotels were high class that would be proper enough to accommodate the high class people that came. The city has evolved over the years and hotels and casinos have evolved into something great and an exciting place for those looking to let their inhibitions down.

Choosing a place to vacation at is not always an easy thing to do - but there are ways to choose. All you need is someone to help give you information on some of the hottest or even rarest places to visit like Las Vegas.

Las Vegas Hotel Wedding Chapels

A wedding day is one of the most significant and special days in one’s life. While some like to celebrate this day amidst their loved ones, others consider this occasion a very personal one, and hence get married in the most private and convenient way possible. A hotel wedding chapel is useful for this very purpose.

Moving away from the wacky culture of Las Vegas, some prefer holding a very quiet wedding, with only their loved ones around. This is a wonderful way of getting married, as the privacy of the couple is kept in mind, and the wedding is not very costly either.

There are lots of hotels in Las Vegas that provide couples with beautiful and unique wedding chapels. Different hotels have different things to offer in terms of wedding chapels. For example, at the Alexis Resort the couple can choose from an elegantly decorated ceremony room or a beautiful gazebo set amid lush landscaping. The prices vary depending on the services offered.

There are more than 9 packages to choose from at the Hotel Bellagio wedding chapel, such as the Millennium, which includes the features of a normal package along with champagne, Belgian chocolates, two Waterford toasting flutes, limousine service, and one-day spa passes for two. The wedding chapel at the Sahara hotel offers packages like a Celebrity Wedding Suite, Legendary Wedding Suite and Presidential Wedding Suite.

Most of the hotel wedding chapels can accommodate around 100 to 300 guests.

The cost generally fluctuates depending on services of the hotel wedding chapel. It can start from $300, while the upper limit cannot be defined. For couples looking for a quiet yet romantic wedding, a Las Vegas hotel wedding chapel is the most sought-after option.

Las Vegas Wedding Chapels provides detailed information on Las Vegas Wedding Chapels, Wedding Chapels In Las Vegas, Las Vegas Hotel Wedding Chapels, Wedding Chapels in Las Vegas Casinos and more. Las Vegas Wedding Chapels is affiliated with Las Vegas Wedding Packages.

Las Vegas Hotel Casinos

Las Vegas can rightfully boast of a number of high-class hotels, but those on the famous Las Vegas Strip are the most well known among them. Among the most popular are The Bellagio, The Luxor, The Venetian, Caesars Palace, New York New York and Treasure Island. The Westin and Hilton hotels are also located in this area.

As the hotels on the Strip mainly cater to the wealthy, it is difficult to find discount hotels in this locality. During off-seasons (usually December and January), however, many Strip hotels offer lower rates and discount deals. Some of the other most popular hotels in the city are Monte Carlo Resort and Casino, Excalibur Hotel and Casino, Stratosphere Casino Hotel and Tower, MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, Circus Circus Hotel and Casino, Tropicana Resort and Casino, Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. It is wise to avoid weekends while staying at a hotel unless you want to burn a deep hole in your pocket or like to melt yourself in a wild party crowd.

For the not-so-rich, Las Vegas has a host of cheap hotels to offer. Some of them are Riviera, Villager-Flami, Orleans, Cancun Resort, La Quinta Las Vegas Convention Center, Sahara Hotel and Casino, Desert Paradise Resort, Hawthorn Suites, Boulder Station Hotel and Casino, Hampton Inn, Hampton Inn Nellis AFB, Royal Hotel and Casino, Golden Gate Hotel and Casino.

Let us now look at some of the leading hotel-casinos in Las Vegas, and when they opened for business: 1) El Rancho (April 3, 1941), 2) The New Frontier (October 30, 1942) first opening as the Pair O?Dice nightclub in 1930, 3) Flamingo Las Vegas (December 26, 1946) first opening as Flamingo, 4) Sahara (October 7, 1952) first opening as Club Bingo (July 24, 1947), 5) Thunderbird (September 2, 1948). 6) Desert Inn (April 24, 1950), 7) Venetian (May 3, 1999) first opening as the Sands (December 15, 1952), 8) Royal Nevada (April 19, 1955), 9) Riviera (April 20, 1955), 10) Bellagio (October 15, 1998) first opening as Dunes (May 23, 1955), 11) Mandalay Bay (March 2, 1999) first opening as Hacienda (June 1956), 12) Tropicana (April 4, 1957), 13) Stardust ( July 2, 1958), 14) The Mirage (November 22, 1989), 15) Aladdin (April 1, 1966), 16) Caesars Palace (August 15, 1966), 17) MGM Grand (December 18, 1993) first opening as Marina (1975) and 18) Harrah?s Las Vegas (April 1992) first opening as Holiday Casino (July 2, 1973).