Tips for Enjoying Vegas on a Budget

If you have been planning to head to Las Vegas for years to enjoy a romantic weekend with a partner or a fun weekend bash with your friends, you might think you have to save up every spare penny you can first. After all, Sin City is known for its over-the-top experiences, luxury hotels, glamorous shops, rock-star-worthy clubs, and more.

However, happily it is definitely possible to have a great time, and make plenty of memories that “stay in Vegas,” without needing to blow your budget for the whole year or beyond. Read on for some top tips you can follow today to enjoy Vegas on the cheap.

CC:  James Marvin Phelps

Head to Fremont Street

If you’re looking for some fun, free entertainment in Vegas, apart from wandering around the Strip and checking out the bells and whistles of all the casinos, you should head to Fremont Street in the Downtown area. Located near the Plaza hotel and casino, the Fremont Street Experience has a top “block party” feel and is the place to see live entertainment in all its glory. Over 25,000 people enjoy its charms on a daily basis, particularly at night.

On Fremont Street you will find free live concerts being performed across three different stages, with everyone from musicians and dancers to artists and contortionists showing off their skills (or often, giving viewers some laughs because of their lack of abilities!). You will find plenty of people-watching opportunities as well, particularly later at night when the crowd, lubricated by lots of alcohol, gets more and more wild.

In addition, the four-block radius of the Fremont Street Experience features vintage hotels, specialty stores and kiosks, and many different bars and restaurants. One of the coolest things to look at though is the Viva Vision canopy, a massive digital screen that covers roughly the size of five football fields.

The screen is the largest projection type in the world, has more than 12 million LED modules and a top sound system, and sits at 90 feet above the ground. Visitors can be wowed by an incredible light show that is put on every hour.

Eat Up for Cheap

Las Vegas is known for many things, including, of course, its gambling, party atmosphere, themed hotels, and luxury shops and restaurants. However, while you’re in the city, you should keep in mind that there are plenty of places to have a fantastic meal that won’t set you back much.

For starters, check out the buffets at the hotels along the Strip (and elsewhere), where you can typically find all-you-can-eat meals for a low price, particularly if you go outside the most popular dining hours. As well, many of the restaurants inside hotels which feature a nightly show offer a pre-theater, prix-fixe menu that provides customers with excellent food at a cheap price. You don’t have to be going to the show to enjoy this special though, so you can dine at a low price every day.

Another area to check out is the Fremont East bar district in Downtown Vegas. One of the hottest food scenes in the city, this area features many hipster bars with eateries that won’t break the bank. In addition, if you need a sweet treat to end your meal or keep your energy up while in Vegas, you should also head to Hershey’s Chocolate World. This impressive sweet store is located within the New York-New York Hotel & Casino, and covers a huge 13,000 square feet. Within the chocolate and candy shop, which is Hershey’s flagship retail store for the West Coast, you will find over 800 products to choose from, spread across a two-story space.

CC: ADTeasdale

Check out the Neon Museum and Boneyard

Have you always been a fan of the many neon signs found in Las Vegas, particularly the iconic “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada” display that has greeted people entering the city since 1959? If so, you should add a visit to the Neon Museum and Boneyard to your must-do list.

Located just north of the Downtown region, on the east side of Las Vegas Boulevard, the attraction is the place where many of the city’s old neon signs go to “live out their days” after being taken down. (While the neon products were all the rage from the 1930s to the 1980s, in recent times LED and LCD screens have taken over.) At the museum you will find over 150 signs gathered together for preservation, with new signs continually being added. Guided tours are available, and tickets cost from $19 for adults.