Family Travel Forum

Summer Travel To Las Vegas On A Budget

Las Vegas is the perfect summer vacation destination for families and singles on a budget. This guide will help you plan all aspects of your summer vacation to Las Vegas.

You will find out where to get the best bargains on flights, and hotels. There are endless activities ranging from gaming to enjoying outlet shopping that will keep everyone entertained.

When planning a vacation, the first thing you must do is buying your plane tickets. I would highly recommend www.mobissimo.com, a travel comparison-shopping site which will find you the best bargains for all U.S. and international destinations.

Hotels in Las Vegas

Finding hotel bargains can be more time consuming than finding bargain airfares because you will have to research and compare on your own. In the past I have used Expedia.com, AAA.com, and individual hotel sites to find the best bargain. There are a few options hotels are giving to reduce prices, they will offer a reduced nightly rate and they will give you cash credit towards gaming or spa treatments. If you take the time to comparison shop, it will really pay off to stay at some of the top rated hotels. Below is a list of recommended hotels and casinos.

The Venetian The Palms MGM Grand New York New York Paris Bellagio

Shopping in Las Vegas

There are several places to shop in Las Vegas on and off the Las Vegas Strip. Shopping on the Las Vegas Strip can be rather expensive but there are some nice places to buy souvenirs and go window-shopping. Below is list with a brief description of some "brag-worthy" shopping areas.

Shops on the Las Vegas Strip

Encore Esplanade (Located inside the Encore Las Vegas) 3131 S. Las Vegas Blvd. Las Vegas, NV 89109

This is the perfect place to go if you're a window shopper. The high-end shop at this center includes: Chanel, Ensemble, Hermes, Homestore, and Rock & Republic,

Fashion Show 3200 S. Las Vegas Blvd. Las Vegas, NV 89109

This shopping mall is comparable to many that you see across country with typical stores such as Nordstrom, Macys, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Dillard's, Bloomingdale's, Abercrombie, Sanrio, Gymboree, Limited Too, and more. The mall is complete with familiar restaurants and cafes such as Auntie Anne's, California Pizza Kitchen, Cinnabon, Starbucks, and many more.

Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood 3667 S. Las Vegas Blvd. Las Vegas, NV 89109

This shopping mall is very "tourist friendly" complete with over 170 stores and 15 restaurants. This mall is wonderful because it breaks a taste of Hollywood glamour to Vegas. You can enjoy shopping at some of your favorite stores in the mall and dine on cuisine from Koi, a favorite hotspot of many A-listers in Los Angeles.

Forum Shops at Caesars Palace 3500 S. Las Vegas Blvd. Las Vegas, NV 89109

The Forum Shops are a must see if you're vacationing in Las Vegas. More than likely you will not dare open your wallet there but you will see some of the most amazing items in some of the top designer stores such as Versace, Hugo Boss, Diesel, Lalique, Stuart Weitzman, Juicy Couture, Brighton Collectibles, and many more. If you traveling with kids you must take them to FAO Schwartz to see larger than life sized stuffed animals. The Rules of Gaming in Las Vegas

Shopping Off the Strip

Most people come home talking about the fantastic deals they got at the outlet shops in Las Vegas, so I will feature one of the best outlet shops in Vegas.

Las Vegas Premium Outlets

If you're looking for deals on high-end designers, this would be the perfect place for you to go. Stores such as BCBG Max Azria, Ed Hardy, bebe, Burberry, Diesel, Kate Spade, Ted Baker, J. Crew and Marciano offer fabulous bargains.

If you're a first time visitor, you must understand that no one actually gambles at the same casino the entire time. You may start off in your hotel, but it is good to get out and enjoy other themed hotels.

Locals have the tendency to gamble off the strip, if you stay on the strip you will be along with other tourists gambling more than likely. Below is a list of themed casinos on the strip that you may enjoy gambling at:

Paris Las Vegas Bellagio Planet Hollywood MGM Grand The Venetian Treasure Island New York, New York Mandalay Bay THE HOTEL @ Mandalay Bay

Below is a List of Family Friendly Attractions:

Adventure Canyon Circus Circus Adventuredome/ Circus Circus Arcada The Aquirium at the Silverton Big Shot Chaos Desperado Ethel M Chocolate Factory Tour and Cactus Garden Dondola Grand Canyon GameWorks M&M World MGM Garden Lion Habitat Pinball Hall of Fame Stratosphere Tower

In addition to the destinations below city tours and attraction tickets are available through Expedia.com.

Below is a List of Shows Recommended for Adults:

La Reve KA Cirque du Soleil Zumanity Danny Gans Blue Man Group Love V The Ultimate Variety Show Mystere Cirque du Soleil Jubilee Crazy Horse Paris Jersey Boys Penn & Teller

There are several good nightclubs in casinos on the strip, the main complaint is that lines are extremely long and you can be waiting to enter for several hours while celebrity VIPs enter before you. The best advice I can give is to dress really nice and try to make connections with people who are Las Vegas insiders. Below is a list of all of the clubs you can enjoy, if you go keep your eyes open for celebrities.

Nightclubs:

Blush @ The Wynn Hotel & Casino Cathouse @ Luxor Hotel & Casino Coyote Ugly @ New York, New York Hotel & Casino Foundation Room @ Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino Ghostbar @ the 55th Floor of the Palms Hotel & Casino Jet @ The Mirage Hotel & Casino House of Blues @ Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino Rain @ The Palms Hotel & Casino Tabu @ MGM Grand Hotel & Casino Studio 54 @ MGM Grand Hotel & Casino Pure @ Caesars Palace Hotel & Casino LAX @ Luxor Hotel & Casino