Strip/downtown or Downtown/Strip should I do?

So after x amount of trips to Vegas I've decided to stay two days downtown in my November trip. I plan to go to Vegas for five nights and will stay three nights on the strip and two downtown.

So my question is....which is better to stay at first. Downtown or Strip?

Would like anyone's opinion who's split their locations on the same trip.

 

We've done this a few times...

For us we would do the first two nights Downtown and then move to The Strip for the remaining nights. Why:

- Downtown is great for some cheap gambling and doing it at the start of the trip lets us allocate more of our gambling budget for when we are on The Strip.
IE: if i had a budget of $2000 for gambling on a five night trip I could just allocate it evenly like $400 per day... but instead with Downtown as the first two days I would probably actually break it up like $200 for each of the first two nights and then that would leave me $535 for each of the three days on The Strip.

- We almost always arrive on a Tuesday or Wednesday. Getting three nights comped on The Strip is easier for us than it is Downtown and that usually doesn't matter if its weekend or weeknight... so by spending two weeknights Downtown we get cheaper rates down there and then take free nights on The Strip over the weekend.

- Also, because we arrive on a Tuesday or Wednesday that means our two nights Downtown would be week nights. I don't have a problem with the crowds Downtown on the weekends but there is definitely less people on weeknights. Since we go Downtown for cheap table games and some power gambling on slots and video poker with less people it makes it more likely to find a seat at a cheap table or the slot/VP games we want will be more likely to be available.

- Generally we get better rooms when we stay on The Strip (last trip we stayed at Fremont and then switched to Aria). The general consensus for switching hotels is going to be that your rooms should get progressively better. IE: if you stayed in an amazing 10 out of 10 quality room and then switched to a room that was maybe a 4 or 5 out of 10... you might have a little bit of disappointment compared to if you stayed in a 4 or 5 out of 10 room and then switched to an amazing 10 out of 10 quality room.

- I also just prefer the vibe on The Strip on weekends than I do the vibe of Downtown on weekends. Thats not a knock against Downtown, just that The Strip is much more exciting and alive on weekends that I prefer that.

 

I'd stay at the two-nighter first to maximize the time until you go home.

If money is a factor then stay DT on the weekend days for cheaper rates.

 

Always save the best room for last not to be bummed out by a crappy room after staying in a nice place

Its easy to go from el cortez to the wynn but the opposite is pretty depressing

 

Last year I spent two nights at Flamingo and one night at the Golden Nugget Rush tower, the Rush tower was a much nicer room, only regret was that I fell asleep way to early on the last night due to no sleep the first two nights. If I could do it agian, I would stay the whole time downtown, or do a 2 nights on Strip and 2 nights downtown. Whatever you do, make the last nights of your trip in the nicer room, for me Rush Tower was nicer, but I had no real clue if I would even like downtown, but I found love downtown. For me though I am nearly disabled due to two bad ankles and can hardly walk at times, with everything close together downtown, i feel I can move more freely.

 

Downtown first and then the Strip; works great! We have done the Strip, then Dowtown and finishing with the Strip and that works too.

I agree to end your trip in a nicer place; feels much better that way.

 

Strip first, downtown last.

you will be tired by that time from all the partying and will enjoy the shorter distances between casinos.

 

When I think of Downtown Vegas in 2012, I think of it as an excursion during my Vegas trips. Almost like a 'It's a nice place to visit but I don't wanna live there' type thing.(I know many on these boards do not share my opinion) So I would say start Downtown for cheap and easy... then go enjoy all the Strip has to offer. We have only been to Vegas 1x where we haven't finished our trip on the strip.(And that time, we even had a strip view from our hotel)

 

Not sure why you want to go through all the hassle of switching places if you're only going to be in town for 5 days, let alone, ones so far apart. Downtown is nothing more than a 2 hour visit at night.

 

That all depends on the person and what they want out of their trip... some people actually stay their whole trip downtown.

We usually break up our trips amongst different hotels: last trip we did one night Downtown, two at Aria and then three at Harrah's and it wasn't any hassle at all.

One thing I find is that switching hotels actually seems to make the trip feel longer or even like moving to the next property is the start of a whole new trip.

And for spending time Downtown: we usually try to do two nights Downtown because then we'll have our arrival day where we can pretty much relax and settle in. Then we have a full day to explore and play Downtown: get up early in the morning, hit a bunch of casinos, maybe go back to room for a short nap, go out and about at night and come back to the room at 1-2AM. Then the next day we get up at 9AM, wife starts packing while I run down and get something for us for breakfast, back up to room, eat and then we go check out.

And we really need more than just two hours Downtown: if all you go for is to hit a cheap souvenir shop or two and see a Fremont Street Experience show then that is probably all you need... but we also like to get in a lot of gambling on that part of our trip: there are cheap table limits, there are games that might normally be 5c or 25c per credit on The Strip that you can find for pennies and there are lots and lots of old games that haven't been on The Strip in 5-10+ years.

 

Without reading any posts above --
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I am an experienced "Downtown/Strip Trip Splitter"
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ALWAYS......ALWAYS !!!!
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Start Downtown.........But finish on The Strip !!
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Do i need to explain the reasons ?
If you ask -- i will answer.

 

I can spend two hours just watching the free shows downtown, not counting the light show or the gambeling. I never thought much of downtown until I stayed a night there last year, now I want my next trip to include a second night downtown, which gives an excuse to extend my trip. The cheapness of it is nice, cheap gambeling, cheap food, lots of free entertainment, cannot beat it.

 

To each their own, I guess. We are perfectly satisfied with the "old-style" Vegas downtown ... as we never pay for a room, get most of our meals free, and get to play full-pay video poker for quarters.

So ... stay on the Strip all you want, and fight the crowds and high prices. That way, you're happy, and we're happy.

 

Start downtown and finish on the strip.

Sort of like doing the ugly girl first and spending quality time with the pretty one.

 

Downtown is a must for me. I love almost everything about it. August we are staying 2 nights at MSS (first time there) and we finish the next 5 nights at our timeshare. I don't mind the timeshare as the free shuttle every hour to mid strip lets me get all the strip time I could ask for. My main reason for the timeshare is because "free" is a very good price. Plus it's a really nice place with 3 pools and a lazy river. We always get a car so that makes it easy to go wherever including the requisite trip to the double down saloon and if we decide to stay out all night on the strip. Our trips always includes one non-drinker for the driving.

 

For me when I'm considering a stay downtown it's usually DT first then strip. Partially because my room is typically nicer and I'd rather have that at the end of the trip and I spend more days on the trip, so I like them to be on the back end. As others have pointed out, running through your early budget slower isn't a detriment either.

 

I think this thread has given me an answer to my "where to stay?" I will be in Las Vegas 5 nights in October. I had a host give me all 5 nights comped at the new remodeled Plaza and another give me 3 nights comped up front at the newly remodeled Tropicana. Both are in mini-suites. The host said he would review my play to see if he would do the other 2 nights at the Tropicana as well. I have never stayed downtown and was tempted to give it a try this October. (I have always been on the strip since my first visit in 1965.) I never thought of a split stay. I guess that was way to obvious. So the first two nights at the Plaza and then three at the Tropicana would be the way to go. I will probably be not pushing my bankroll as hard either. (Nor getting to the airport on departure morning.) Great alternative....Thanks to all of you.