Plan your own Las Vegas vacation!

It is rather easy to plan your own Las Vegas vacation and to make all of your own reservations on the Internet. You can create the vacation you want and save a bunch of money. Here are some basic instructions on how to do it.

Pick the dates!

Summers can be unbelievably hot in the desert, but that won't matter if you just go to gamble in the air-conditioned casinos with a few intermissions at the hotel pool. On the other hand, if you plan to see a bit of the southwest, you might want to avoid June, July and August. Winter months in Las Vegas can be a bit cool for swimming, but bargain prices are more plentiful. I prefer Spring or Fall. You get nice warm swimming and tanning weather without the oppressive heat.
Book your airline tickets!
World Choice offers some great prices on consolidator tickets out of Europe and the Far East. You can also check the airfare prices at any travel web site in your own part of the world. Shop around! There are some amazing bargains to be found on the Internet if you search for them.
Reserve a rental car!
If you are going to spend your time in the casinos or merely sightseeing along the strip, you won't even need a car. If you want to travel around and see a bit of the southwest, you should rent a car. Our affiliate, World Choice, gives you the opportunity to compare the prices from every major rental agency in Las Vegas. Just click on this link and find the best price, then make your own reservation. Remember: Cars in the USA tend to be a bit larger than in most other countries. They all come equipped with air conditioning and automatic transmissions.

Choose a hotel!
If you prefer to stay in one of the new luxurious hotel casinos right in the middle of the nightlife, choose one of the casino hotels on the strip. Click here to check out the prices and availability of rooms. Some of the prices can be high, but you can often find some real bargains. I recently stayed in a large room at the Monte Carlo Casino right on the strip at a winter bargain rate of $60 per night.
If you want a more affordable room, try a downtown hotel casino or one of the off-the-strip casinos. They may not be as new or as spectacular, but they usually offer luxurious rooms in a traditional Las Vegas setting at more affordable prices. Click here to check the availability and prices of off-strip hotels. You can also click here and compare the prices, check availability or make reservations at All Las Vegas Hotels.
See a Las Vegas show!
Las Vegas has long been famous for its spectacular adult-oriented variety shows with beautiful dancing girls and ribald comedians. You can still see such shows at several casinos. You can also see the newer family-oriented shows at many casinos. These include the long-running Sigfried and Roy magic show at Mirage, the Circe Soliel at Treasure Island, King Arthur's medieval feast at Excalibur and many other entertainments. You can even attend Broadway-type productions or you can see famous entertainers at one of the many venues in town.
Reserve a tour!
If you have never seen the Grand Canyon, be sure to see this spectacular natural wonder. Grand Canyon Tour companies can pick you up at your hotel, fly you to the canyon, show the scenery and return you to your hotel the same day.
If you have the time, you can drive down to Boulder Dam, cruise along a section of historic route 66 and visit the south rim of the Grand Canyon. Plan on spending a night at the Canyon so you can see the sunset and sunrise before returning to Las Vegas. Check this page for suggested explorations in the Las Vegas area.
The Cost
I won't guess at the airfare. That depends on where you are coming from and what season you choose to travel. As for accommodations, you can usually find a nice double room for $50 to $100 per night. You can rent a car for $150 to $250 per week unless you decide to splurge on a Corvette or luxury convertible. Las Vegas show tickets sell for $25 -$75 each, but there are some really nice free shows in town. A one-day air tour of the Grand Canyon costs about $150 per person. Food is available in all price ranges. You can eat well for as little as $25 per day or you can spend exorbitant amounts in world-class gourmet restaurants.

Add it all up and you see that a week-long vacation for two, complete with car rental, show tickets and air tour of the canyon will cost about $1500. ($750 for each person) This does not include airfare to and from Las Vegas. If you find a package deal that provides all of these features for less money, it may be a good bargain.