Some people hate Las Vegas, some can’t live without it. Count me somewhere in between. I’ve visited many times over the last 20 years, both for work and pleasure, and never fail to enjoy myself.
Here are eight reasons to visit right now.
1. They’re practically giving away luxury hotel rooms.
You no longer need to go into debt to do Vegas right. Published weekday rates of $169 at Wynn Las Vegas, $129 at Bellagio. Where else can you stay at a Four Seasons Resort for $200 per night plus tax and get a $100 resort credit?
2. You deserve some pampering.
The home of the groaning buffet also is a major spa capital. Sophisticated facilities such as the Qua Baths at Caesars and the Bathhouse at Mandalay Bay’s THEhotel are a must. Many resorts are discounting spa experiences.
3. Retail therapy.
Although Vegas is supposedly all about “gaming,” for many visitors it’s really all about shopping. Six Louis Vuitton stores within a few blocks of each other? Only in Vegas. Leave room in your suitcase.
4. It’s cheaper than living at home.
Say you hail from New York. Or Boston. Washington, maybe? San Francisco? Say you want to cut back on your living expenses. Did you know that it may be cheaper to move into a Las Vegas hotel than continue paying rent? Based on published rates that start at $24.95 at the Tropicana or $23 per night at Circus Circus (found via hotels.com recently), you’re looking at a bill for, say, the month of June, of about $1,350 before taxes.
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5. Asia without flying to Asia.
It seems weird calling Spring Mountain Road, just off the Strip, “Chinatown,” seeing as it’s really “Asiatown.” Name a country or a type of cooking and you should be able to find it. Warning: Do not be tempted by the bad lunch buffet (953 E. Sahara Ave.)
6. 99-cent ‘ritas.
The Vegas so many of us grew up loving is back in full force, with the craziest drink deals and some pretty terrific happy hours. At Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall & Saloon, at the corner of Flamingo & Las Vegas Boulevard, happy hour runs all day, and the margaritas are 99 cents. Need something slightly more high-brow? Hit Las Horas Loca at Agave, a classy Mexican restaurant. Daily from precisely 4:05 p.m. to 6:27 p.m., they have 25-cent tacos and $1 Coronitas (10820 W. Charleston Ave.).
7. Natural beauty.
Maybe not Vegas itself, but minutes from town, you can be hiking in Red Rock Canyon, which certainly hasn’t cut back on its beauty in these tough times, while just north of the city, there’s cool, green Mount Charleston, towering 12,000 feet above the valley floor. Don’t forget Death Valley. Or the Grand Canyon. In fact, Vegas is the perfect jumping off point for a tour of the Southwest’s most memorable natural attractions.
8. Don’t gamble? See some museums!
Such as the Atomic Testing museum, the Erotic Heritage Museum (where you can “behold and explore the vast array of sociocultural perspectives depicting our erotic heritage, including a special emphasis on the unfolding of the American Sexual Revolution of the 20th Century”), the Neon Museum, and the recently opened Mob Museum. More ideas at vegas.com/attractions/indoor.html.