Las Vegas—What a Place!

by Cary and Patty ~ My Simply Sage

A couple of older travelers, a few lessons learned, and one thing we can tell you for sure: Vegas is not cheap.

We recently made a short trip to Las Vegas, and this time we tried to apply some of our own My Simply Sage thinking.

Keep it simple.
Plan what matters.
Don’t try to do everything.
And be willing to change the plan when your body tells you it’s time.

So, how did that work?

Pretty well, actually.

First of All, Vegas Is Quite a Place. Las Vegas is a world destination, and if you’ve never been there and get the opportunity to go, I think it’s worth seeing at least once.
Along the Las Vegas Strip, there is beautiful architecture everywhere, along with more lights, signs, fountains, restaurants, entertainment, glitz and glamour than you can possibly take in during a short visit.
But it all comes at a price. And I’m not just talking about money.

Vegas is spread out.

The hotels themselves can be enormous. Getting from Point A to Point B can involve considerably more walking than you might expect. We stayed at one of the premier hotels, and it was huge—three towers.
Our accommodations were very nice and there was plenty of room, but simply getting around the property became a factor. By the end of the trip, we were ready to get someplace where we didn’t have to walk quite so much. That’s something older travelers might want to think about when choosing a hotel. The nicest room in the world doesn’t help much if it feels like a half-mile expedition every time you want to get back to it.

And About That Hotel Room…

Yes, you can have sodas, water, beer and various types of liquor sitting right there in your room. How convenient! Until you look at the price. A little “shot” bottle of liquor was around $10.
Ten bucks!
Maybe that’s normal Vegas pricing these days, but it certainly got our attention. The same general rule applies throughout the big hotels and resorts: convenience is readily available, but you’re probably going to pay for it.

The Architecture Is Something to See

I found myself looking at the buildings almost as much as anything else. It seems as though everybody in Las Vegas is trying to outdo everybody else. The architecture, lights, signs, fountains and sheer complexity of these structures can be mind-boggling. I kept trying to imagine how some of it was built in the first place. Then I started thinking about what it must cost to maintain it all. No wonder Vegas isn’t cheap. The initial construction must have cost a fortune, and keeping everything looking spectacular certainly can’t be inexpensive either.

Fountains, Pools—and 105 Degrees

Our hotel had beautiful fountains and several pools. They weren’t necessarily “shows” like some of the famous Vegas attractions, but they were beautiful nonetheless. We were there during the summer, and temperatures were over 105 degrees. That helped us make one decision rather easily. We skipped the pool. Plenty of other people were enjoying the pools and their beautiful surroundings, but on this particular trip we decided we’d had enough heat.

What About the Crowds?

We visited during the week in summertime. There were certainly plenty of people, but it never felt unbearably crowded to us. And something worth mentioning: people in general were very nice. The hotel staff we encountered were helpful and pleasant. For a place handling that many visitors every day, we thought that deserved some credit.

Driving to Vegas? Think About Parking

If you’re driving to Las Vegas—and many people do—parking is something worth considering before you arrive. You can save money by parking farther away and walking or using transportation to get back and forth. Or you can pay more for convenience. We chose convenience. Valet parking at our hotel was $50 a day. Not horrible by today’s standards I guess, but expensive, nonetheless.

Less expensive parking was available—perhaps $10 to $30 cheaper depending on the option—but then you’re dealing with luggage and additional walking. For us, pulling up to the front door, handing over the keys and having the car brought back when we were ready to leave was worth the extra money. Especially at our age. Sometimes spending a little more isn’t about luxury. It’s about making the trip easier.

Did We Have Everything Planned? Nope.

We had a couple of things planned ahead of time, but much of the trip was simply going with the flow. And Vegas is a pretty good place to do that. There seems to be something interesting around every corner. One afternoon we deliberately spent some time in our room because we knew we’d be out late that evening. Was that wasting precious Vegas time? We didn’t think so. We were there to enjoy ourselves—not to see how many miles we could put on our shoes.
That’s another lesson we’ve learned about traveling as we’ve gotten older:

You don’t have to do everything.

A little rest can make the things you do choose to do a lot more enjoyable. That said, if you really want to see a lot of Las Vegas, you’re going to have to plan your time.
Two days won’t get you very far.

Food and Drink—Bring Your Wallet

Food and drink prices at the major hotels aren’t what most people would call inexpensive. In our opinion, much of it was definitely in the higher price range.

Was it worth it?

Sometimes. The food we had was delicious, and some of the upscale restaurants and lounges offer dishes and experiences you’re probably not going to find at the neighborhood restaurant back home. So, if part of your Vegas experience is trying more unusual or upscale food, enjoy it. Just be prepared to pay more for it. Maybe it’s our age showing, but quite a few things today seem expensive to us. Vegas didn’t do much to change that opinion.

We’re Not Really Gamblers, But…

You can’t go to Las Vegas without at least feeding a few machines, can you? Well, apparently we couldn’t. We’re not serious gamblers, but we did play a little. Surprisingly, one of the things we enjoyed most was sitting one evening at one of the bars with the gaming machines built right into the counter. We played roulette for quite a while. We could sit, talk, play a little and enjoy being “out on the town” without putting more strain on the body after an already busy day, or the pocketbook for that matter.
And we discovered that if you play long enough, an occasional drink may get comped. Now there’s a little Vegas bargain.

So, How Did Our Plan Work?

Preplanning:
Yes, do some—but stay flexible. Vegas has a way of changing your plans for you.

Parking:
For us, valet parking was worth the extra cost. Older travelers may find the convenience particularly worthwhile.

Choosing a room:
Don’t think only about the room itself. Think about where it is located and how far you’ll have to walk to restaurants, the casino, parking and the hotel entrance.
If you have mobility issues, ask about accessible accommodations before booking. We also saw people using mobility scooters, and that may be worth investigating ahead of time if walking long distances is difficult.

Rest:
Don’t feel guilty about taking a break. An hour or two off your feet may make the rest of the day much more enjoyable.

Cost:
This one is simple.

Prepare to spend more. Possibly a lot more.

Would We Go Again?

This was my first trip back to Las Vegas in a lot of years. It has certainly grown. It’s more sophisticated, more glamorous and, in many ways, even more impressive than I remembered. Is it worth the trip?
Yes, by all means. Especially if you’ve never been there before. See the buildings. Look at the lights. Wander through the hotels. Have a nice meal. Sit down when your feet tell you to. And maybe put a few bucks in a machine if that’s your thing.
Yes, go ahead and do it. And don’t worry about seeing everything. You can’t.
Enjoy the part of Vegas that you want to enjoy.

Just remember one final piece of My Simply Sage advice before you leave home:
Vegas is quite a place.
But remember, Vegas ain’t cheap.


Simple is not where you start, simple is where you arrive!