Are you planning a trip to Las Vegas but need to make sure it’s on a budget and as sustainably as possible? Discover the most common travel expenses for a weekend trip to the city of entertainment!
Are you planning a weekend trip to Las Vegas but need it to be frugal and as eco-conscious as possible? Spending a weekend in Sin City can be a fun and exciting thing for you and the rest of your family or friends. However, the city can be very costly especially if you plan to enjoy some of the popular activities in the place.
A typical weekend trip to Las Vegas includes expenses like transportation, hotel, food, entertainment, tours, and shopping. The first three expenses are required, while the other three can make the trip a more memorable experience. After all, why would you want to miss out on the world-class entertainment that Las Vegas has to offer?
Here is a breakdown of the money you need for a sustainable & frugal weekend trip to Las Vegas:
1. Transportation
Will you fly or drive to Las Vegas for your weekend trip? The choice will depend on how close you live to Las Vegas. However choosing more sustainable transport options such as buses or a train to the closest to the city – if you make it to The Kingman Amtrak Station in Arizona, you’ll need to rent a car there and drive about 1.5 hours.
If you choose to get to Las Vegas by flight, the cost of a round-trip airplane ticket depends on your starting destination in the United States or worldwide. Assuming you’re in the United States, you can expect a round-trip ticket to cost between $350 and $800. That may be a lot of money for a weekend trip, so if you book enough time it advance you may be able to get a better deal.
When you arrive at the international airport in Las Vegas, you must consider other transportation expenses for traveling around the city and possibly outside the city. These expenses may include any of the following:
- “The Deuce” Public Bus Ride – $6 for 2 hours
- Taxi Cab Rides – $20+ per local ride
- Ridesharing (Uber) – $15+ per local ride
To travel on a budget, check if your hotel reservation includes a complimentary shuttle ride from the airport to the hotel. If it does, you can eliminate your transportation expenses to the hotel making this a more frugal trip.
2. Hotel Accommodations
Las Vegas has everything from two-star budget-friendly hotels to five-star luxury resort hotels.Â
If you stay at an upscale hotel like the MGM Grand or The Mirage, you can expect to pay at least $100 to $200+ per night. But if you don’t care about deluxe accommodations, you can pay $25 to $50 per night at the Super 8 or Mardi Gras Hotel.
Therefore, a weekend trip with two hotel nights would cost you between $50 and $400+. Take the cheapest lodging options if you are on a tight budget.Â
If your priority is sustainable over frugal or traveling on a budget, some of the most sustainable hotels in Las Vegas are: Waldorf Astoria, Aria Resort and Casino, and Vdara Hotel & Spa.
3. Entertainment
How many Las Vegas shows can you afford to see? The price range for Las Vegas show tickets is between $20 and $200+, so there is something for everybody’s budget. In addition, you can visit websites like Vegas Lens to find exclusive discount opportunities and promo codes on show tickets. Once you learn how to score cheap tickets to Las Vegas shows, you may be able to see more shows on a tighter budget.Â
Some of the best budget-friendly shows in Las Vegas include Nathan Burton Comedy Magic, Terry Fator, Paranormal Mind Reading Magic, Piff the Magic Dragon, The Laugh Factory, and The Comedy Cellar. Ticket prices are often under $50 for tickets to see these excellent budget-friendly shows.
4. Tours
Tours provide an optional service for tourists to take guided tours around Las Vegas and learn about its most historical locations, such as Fremont Street and the Hoover Dam. You can choose between a bus tour throughout the city or a helicopter tour of the city, mountains, and the Grand Canyon on the city’s outskirts.Â
On average, a one-day bus tour with live guides costs about $50 to $75. But if you want to take a more exciting helicopter tour, it’ll cost you between $100 and $500+. Tourists with extra money may want to choose one of these services, but they are not required. You can save on expenses by sightseeing without a guided tour.Â
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5. Food
No matter how frugal or sustainable, everyone has to eat! When you smell the aroma of delicious food from the many luxury restaurants throughout Las Vegas, you’ll want to eat at them. A weekend trip may include at least two stops at your favorite restaurants.Â
One stop at a Las Vegas restaurant will cost about $25 to $90 per person. So assuming you eat three meals per day for two days at restaurants, you could pay between $150 and $540 per person on food for one weekend trip to Vegas.Â
On the other hand, tourists on tight budgets can bring their own food and avoid restaurants altogether. You could also shop at local Las Vegas grocery stores and prepare basic cheap meals for no more than what you would pay at home.Â
6. Shopping
Shopping is another optional expense for people who wish to purchase souvenirs and items at upscale retail shops and stores in Las Vegas, such as Grand Canal Shoppes and Forum Shops.Â
You decide how much you want to spend on retail goods and items during your Las Vegas trip. The average tourist spends about $100 to $300 shopping, but they usually spend longer than a weekend in Las Vegas. But really, it depends on what you want to buy and your overall budget.
If you want to organise a truly frugal and sustainable trip to Las Vegas, then we’d suggest you skip the shopping.
Conclusion
Overall, a two-day weekend trip to Las Vegas could cost anywhere from $500 to over $1,000. The airplane ticket is the most significant expense for a two-day trip, so consider driving to Las Vegas to save money if possible. Besides that, you could have a decent time in Las Vegas while only spending $200 to $400 per day.Â
Remember that restaurants, tours, and shopping are all optional expenses you don’t need if you have a limited travel budget.
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