How to Spend the Ultimate Weekend in Las Vegas
Let’s face it. Whether you are traveling to Las Vegas for your first or your 100th time, there is always something new to do. Venues feature live performances on a nightly basis with an ever-changing list of performers. New casinos are frequently being built while current casinos undergo massive renovations to offer fresh entertainment and food options.
Think about the transformation Las Vegas has seen in the past decade alone. Three major professional teams have moved to town since 2017, including an NHL and NFL franchise. The downtown area around Fremont Street has seen multiple casinos complete major renovations, and the brand-new Circa Resort that opened in 2020 may be the best casino in the country.
With so many options, you don’t want Las Vegas billboards to dictate what you do while you are in town. You need a plan before you arrive. As someone who has been to Las Vegas for bachelor parties, major sporting events, golfing trips, and family vacations, I still remember my first time. The Las Vegas billboards and neon signs had my head spinning with a surplus of choices. If you want to avoid that, here are some strategies for how to spend the ultimate weekend in Las Vegas.
Know What Major Events Are Happening That Weekend
Typically, this refers to the sports calendar, and the events do not need to occur in Las Vegas. When the NCAA men’s basketball tournament begins in March each year, tens of thousands of bettors and fans descend upon the city for the first two rounds. If you are not traveling to Las Vegas specifically for this opening weekend of games, you’ll be wise to choose another weekend because prices skyrocket and customer service is stretched thin with the increased demand. Other major sporting weekends to avoid are the Super Bowl and whenever Las Vegas is hosting a NASCAR race.
Aside from the sports calendar, the city hosts more than 20,000 conventions annually. Some of them draw over 50,000 attendees. Similar to major sporting events, these conventions can force you to pay higher prices unnecessarily due to a surge in hotel guests. Even worse, if you are there to gamble, you might have a tougher time if all of the attendees have claimed the tables and machines. Some of the largest conventions to note are the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and the Star Trek Convention.
Stay Downtown
Once you have determined your optimal weekend to visit, book your hotel. You can find some sizable discounts if you book a couple of months in advance. Prices almost always rise as you book closer to your arrival date. If you want another cost-saving strategy, look at places downtown near the Fremont Street Experience. Circa Resort and Casino features state-of-the-art amenities and has the world’s largest sportsbook with a 1,000-person capacity.
Another downtown option is The D Hotel and Casino. If you stay here or at Circa, you receive free passes to Stadium Swim, which is a rooftop pool bar above Circa that includes a 143-foot television screen. Other hotels in the area have their own perks and benefits. Unless you are using a promotional offer, downtown usually provides significant amenities for a reasonable price compared to hotels on the Las Vegas Strip.
With the money you save per night, you can easily afford an Uber ride or some other form of transportation to go to the casinos on The Strip during the day. If you are enjoying your time in Vegas, you won’t be in your hotel room except to sleep. For that reason, don’t overpay for a fancy room with outrageous features you’ll never use.
Sign Up for the Rewards Programs
Some people are hesitant to sign up for rewards programs while they are in town because they assume there’s a catch. However, the casinos are not trying to trick you. They want to track your play and incentivize you to return to their casino when you are back in town. Because of that, if you sign up for the rewards card and play at a casino for an extended amount of time, you can qualify for free rooms and other perks on ensuing visits.
Conclusion
Las Vegas requires planning if you want to maximize your time. Don’t leave it up to Las Vegas billboards and neon signs to figure out who is in town or what you want to see. Do your research to avoid surge weekends when the headlining event doesn’t interest you. The casinos and experiences will all be the same on a different weekend, but you’ll save money and find it easier to gamble or see shows. Above all, have fun! That’s what any weekend in Las Vegas is all about.
