Money-saving tips for Las Vegas
There are more ways than one to lose your shirt in Las Vegas. Even if you don’t gamble, you can still empty your wallet on pricey hotels, shows and meals. But a few strategies can cut costs dramatically, and the cardinal rule here is to never pay full price for anything. Here are some tips:
1. Keep a watch on discounted tickets. The “half-price ticket booth” company Tix4Tonight has actually caused something of a rebound effect. These booths are so ubiquitous now that popular shows that formerly didn’t sell tickets there found they had to discount as well. Nowadays, not all shows at Tix4Tonight are half-price. Sometimes they’re only one-third off. But it’s still worth checking what’s on offer. www.tix4tonight.com.
2. Check the websites. For example, the Cirque du Soleil website offers hefty discounts during nonpeak periods for most of the group’s shows. The advantage to buying directly from Cirque is you can pick your seat through the online software. Click on the “offers” tab to see what’s up. www.cirquedusoleil.com.
3. Look for package deals. The Mob Museum (which I recommend, by the way) charges $21.95 for adult admission, $19.95 if you buy online. But you can buy a combo ticket for the museum and “CSI: The Experience” (regularly $31.50) for a total of $45. Or combine the Mob Museum and the Neon Museum for $30. That’s really a deal, because the Neon Museum alone costs $18-$25. The Vegas Attraction Passport for $79.95 is a good value. It includes four attractions — Madame Tussauds wax museum, the Mob Museum, “CSI: The Experience” and the outdoor gondola ride at The Venetian — as well as one day of unlimited daytime rides on Big Bus Tours. Click on “Vegas Attraction Passport” at the bottom of the home page, www.madametussauds.com/lasvegas.
4. Consider a Las Vegas Power Pass. Now you really have to consider whether it’s going to be worth buying this pass, because you’ll invariably find you can’t get to as many attractions as you expect. This pass costs $84.99 for one day and now up to $165.74 for five days, and includes admission to 26 Las Vegas attractions such as the Stratosphere Tower Observation Deck, Madame Tussauds, a driving tour of Hoover Dam, the roller coaster at New York New York and lots more. Some things I loved, though, like the Mob Museum, are not included. www.lasvegaspass.com.
5. Ride the Deuce. This metro bus route specializes in the Las Vegas Strip and downtown Vegas, and it beats the heck out of the price of the monorail and taxicabs. It also means you don’t have to take your car out of the parking garage every time you want to go somewhere, or rent a car to get around. The buses are nice, clean two-story coaches and they pick up and drop off in front of the casinos, which is much more convenient than hunting for parking for the monorail in the back. You can buy a $6 pass for two hours, but I suggest spending $8 for an all-day pass or $20 for three days. Multiday passes must be bought from kiosks or online; day passes can be purchased with exact change from drivers. www.rtcsnv.com.
6. Check Yipit.com. This new website shows all the offerings at a glance from the major Groupon and Living Social-type discounters. At this writing, they were offering admission to the new National Atomic Testing Museum, regularly $22, for $12. (Most of these sites do require you to buy at least 24 hours in advance.) You have to give your email address to access the deals. http://yipit.com/las-vegas.
This story was originally published October 7, 2015 at 10:23 AM with the headline "Money-saving tips for Las Vegas."