Frugal Senior Budget Vegas-Thanksgiving

I chose to stay at Bill's Gamblin Hall & Saloon Hotel for the first time. I wanted to have the experience of staying at the Victorian style hotel room.

I loved the room located on the fourth floor #407. I thought it was very pretty and bright with lots of lamps and lights in the room. It had a great view of the Flamingo Hotel.
The bed was soooo comfortable with feather pillows. The bathroom was cutsy and tiny for solo senior me.
The air-conditioner blasted very cold air when it was turned on. I had to try
to keep it at a cool level to keep from getting too cold for me.

The weather was perfect in Vegas. It was sunny and cool every day.

My new senior male friend who lives in Vegas brought me a cute basket filled with goodies for my hotel room for me to snack on. It had bananas, apples, muffins, orange juice and a large coke. It was what I wanted as snacks.
He also bought me a Senior 5 day bus pass to use on the Strip. He had paid $10. for it at Albertsons. I had asked him to buy it for me because he was only planning to see me for dinner time only every day since he is a workaholic. He loves to work and has his own business. Work was more important than spending time with me I am guessing.lol. I don't really know him that well to ask him such personal questions since we just met on a cruise ship a few weeks ago.

I had fun walking around early in the morning around the Strip. I then went to go eat breakfast at the South Outlet Mall. I like to go eat Mexican breakfast at their food court for $8.00. It was a great breakfast.
I bought me some donuts to take back to my hotel room for a snack.
I shopped around and bought some cups at CorningWare store. I love that store. I bought some other cheapy things too.

I enjoyed talking with the bums who have their favorite spots to sit at on the Bridges. I notice that lots of people give them their left-over foods and also buy them Subway sandwiches which is really nice of the tourists.
Their was a bum who would share his food with the other bums.

I did talk with a bum who had a sign that he needed money to buy BEER.
I asked him about the places for them to go eat free food. He said the locations were too far for them to get there. They preferred the free food from the tourists. He also said they all had to get enough money to pay for a motel room for night time.

I saw three cops talking with a bum who had a small dog with him in a cart.
They told him to leave since his dog didn't have the doggie shots.

Later on.... I saw a bum with two large pit bull dogs sitting in front of the Flamingo Hotel. One dog was sleeping and the other dog looked at me with
a stare that scared me so I walked away because the dogs were not on a leash. Dogs are unpredictable.... especially without a leash to keep them away from biting someone. I think he was told to move on because I didn't
see him or the dogs from my hotel window later on.

On Monday night my new senior friend and I went to Johnny Rockets to eat some burgers for dinner. He went home after dinner because he had a bad cough and was feeling tired. We seniors get tired real easy.lol. "DUH".....
I went back to my hotel to watch t.v. and enjoyed my happy vibe room.

On Tuesday evening.... my senior friend took me to a buffet for dinner.
He had a coupon so my dinner was free.lol. I just love those coupons.lol.

My friend owns a house on the west side of Vegas far away from the Strip.
I decided to meet him at the Stratosphere Hotel so he wouldn't have to
drive to the heart of the Strip because it seemed to be a hardship for him
to drive in slow traffic. He is a crazy senior driver.lol. He drives a super large
white long car. I had him drop me off at the Stratosphere so I could take the
bus back to my hotel. He had a senior moment where he forgot how to unlock the car door to let me out of the car. He had to shut down the motor
in order to unlock the door.lol. He told me he is 72ys.old but I think he must
be older and forgets how his car works.lol. He is a real gentleman and a very
kind sweet man. I have no idea what his financial situation is but since he is just a friend I don't really care since I do have my own money to spend and buy whatever I want. I just happen to be very frugal at times.lol.

I told him I wanted for him to rest on Wednesday and not see me for dinner.
He agreed to rest because he was coming down with a cold.

I had fun on Wednesday. I met a tourist on the bus and we had fun walking around the hotels shopping and eating. We ate at the RED VELVET CAFE located at the Fashion Mall. I ate a chicken panini sandwich and salad that was super delicious and spicy. I also drank a fantastic cappuchino. It was a great meal. I paid $17.00. I plan to go back next time.

On Thursday morning, I felt like eating a bagel with cream cheese and a Cappuchino for breakfast. I went to the Venetian Hotel food court. There was
supposed to be a Jewish deli there at their food court. It turned out to be a
Tourist trap place because the bagel was not a real bagel and the cream cheese was just a tiny container of one tablespoon to spread on the bagel.
I then went to the Italian place and bought me a great cappuchino.
Frugal me.... just spent $7.00.

I found a newspaper on a table to read. I sat down and read the sales of
Black Friday sales. I enjoyed watching the people walking by at the hotel.
I then walked back to my hotel to take a senior nap.lol.

When I woke up for lunch time my senior friend called me that he was real
sick with a cold. I told him to stay home because I didn't want to catch his cold. I told him I plan to go back to Vegas in a few weeks in Dec. and will see
him again then. I told him I would call him later.

I wasn't really hungry for lunch but I decided to eat at the Victorian restaurant for their Thanksgiving dinner that was pre-set with all the fixings.
The ButterNut Squash soup was delicious but the ham dinner was too salty.
I didn't complain because I wasn't really hungry and didn't care.
It cost $15.99 for the dinner. No big deal.

I did return to eat a late night breakfast at the Victorian Restuarant. I met
a single gal and we ate together and had lots of fun talking until late at
night. Breakfast was $5.99. It had three eggs, bacon, potatoes and toast.
It was good.

Friday morning, I flew home on Southwest to Burbank airport. We were on the air for 50 minutes which was great since the sky was real blue and no winds. Great flight.

I want to add that everyday is Thanksgiving Day for me because I was born in America where we have lots of food. One of the bum's in Vegas wanted to
share his Subway sandwich with me. That is how great Americans can be with eachother. I don't think I will ever go hungry as long as there are people in the world who are willing to share their food.
I thank God everyday for what I have and everyday is also Christmas for me too because I am able to buy me whatever I need in my life.
I am not a high maintenance person and I am happy with what I have in life.
I am a very sociable person who loves to meet people and I am never lonely
where ever I go in my travels.
I will be going on another cruise on Dec. 3rd... and then return to Vegas on
Dec. 17th and staying at the Flamingo and seeing my senior friend again.
Happy Holidays! LucyR.

 

Lucy, what were the temperatures during the day?

Thanks for writing. Hope your cruise and Vegas trip in December are just as fun.

 

Absolutely loved reading your trip report. I tried to talk with a bum one time, she was mentally ill and scared me to death. I do not do it anymore.

 

Great trip report...

I loved the snippets about you and your senior friend. I also enjoyed the description of Bill's room! Moreover, I find it cool that you make senior jokes: "take a senior nap". lol

Can't wait to hear more in December.

 

Great TR. good to hear nice things about Bill's. I have always like that place going back to the Barbary Coast days.

 

Hi Candy

The sky was always real blue and beautiful. The temps were mostly in the
high 70's. It would be cool in the shade and warm in the sunny areas of the streets. At night time it would get cool enough to wear a warm sweather.

I had packed a super warm jacket that I never got to use. I also had packed a super warm sweather that was just too warm so I bought me a light sweather at Ross Dept. store that was just right for me.

The polar bear people from the snow countries and cities were super happy running around in their shorts and tops on the Vegas strip.

I always have fun walking around Vegas. I saw a man advertising foot massage so I asked him if he could give me a back massage. We walked
into the massage parlor that was located in some section of a store.
I closed my eyes while getting the massage and made believe I was in Hong Hong China. The workers were all American Chinese massaging the customers. I paid $30. plus a $5. Tip for my 30 min. massage. It was great.

I then took the bus back to my hotel. There was lots of traffic at 7p.m. and the bus was going very slow. Some of the tourists said they could have walked back faster to their hotels. But they were seniors and they looked like they were better off sitting on the bus.lol.

At one stop a bum male wanted to get on the bus with his girlfriend who had a beer on her hand. The bus driver said she had to throw her beer away if she wanted to get on the bus. She got off the bus and the bum boyfriend kept begging her to throw the beer away. He got off the bus to talk her into throwing away the beer. We all yelled at the bus driver, ''CLOSE THE DOOR"!
The driver closed the door and we took off as we watched the girlfriend drinking her can of beer.lol. We all laughed as we took off.
It is a lot of fun riding on the buses in Vegas.

Hey Candy, that night I watched the Survivor show in my hotel room. I wrote a report about it. Go read it if you have time. LucyR.

 

Lucy, I read your Survivor summary the other day.

I'm from Cleveland and yes, if we vacationed where it was in the 70's this time of year, we would be in shorts. I would be comfortable in jeans but other Clevelanders wear shorts in the 70's and even 60's.

Where was this massage parlor on the strip? Near the stratosphere? That's not a good area for a solo lady to walk around.

I enjoy reading your stories.

 

I don't like the Stratophere Hotel area

Candy, I don't walk around the Stratosphere area because it is a seedy area day and night.

There are several massage places near the Monte Carlo Hotel area across the street on L.V. Blvd. They are little tiny places. They are easy to find.

 

Great TR, thanks for sharing, like the perspective, made me think a bit...

 

I will be staying at the Paris Hotel on Dec.17th

Last night I noticed that the Paris Hotel had a great deal for Dec. 17th.
I called them up and I was informed that I could get a small hotel room
for $43.00 per night so I booked it for 3 nights. I have never stayed there
so it will be a new experience for me. I don't need a lot of space for solo
single me.

I was booked at the Flamingo Hotel for those dates but when I went to visit the Flamingo it had a closed up entrance near the buffet area. I had to walk
around to the other side to leave the hotel.
Plus, I noticed that the Front desk has eliminated the Gold card members
check in line. I am a Gold card member it used to be easy to check in.
I did notice that the Platinum members had a special check-in line but that
line does get long. I do hate waiting in long lines to check-in.

I was informed that the Paris Hotel does have a special check-in line for
Handicapped clients. I am a special needs client so I will have an easy check-in hopefully at the Paris Hotel.
I don't plan to hang out with my senior friend who lives in Vegas because he
doesn't like hanging out on the Vegas Strip. He has limited walking and doesn't like to drive his car on the strip so there goes the friendship.lol.
I have more walking energy than he does and he gets too many senior moments.lol. I need younger friends to hang out with.lol. LucyR.

 

Lucy Do you gamble when you are in Vegas?

I hope i get to travel alot when I'm your age. That's pretty awesome you met a man on your cruise and he lives in Vegas.

 

Lucy...

Nice report. Always nice to know there are other "frugal" travelers on these boards.

I don't interface with the "bums" at all, though on this trip I was fascinated by the guy with the sign "kick me in the balls for $20." I hung around for a few minutes to see if anyone took him up on his offer before moving on.

John

 

I don't enjoy Gambling

I used to gamble years ago when the coin machines used to have lots of music and were fun to play them. But now times have changed the coin machines and they are not any fun for me.
It isn't any fun for me to put money in the machine and the game is over
in 2 minutes.
I was born into a family of gambling addicts so I don't dare invite my gambling addict relatives to go to VEGAS with me because they will spend
their last $20. They spend thousands of dollars and go broke. I hate to see them throw their money away like that.

I go to Vegas for the entertainment, food, hotel, shopping, being a Looky Loo and social experiences. I meet lots of people to talk with in Vegas.

I have two more VEGAS trips planned out for the next few months.

I love to travel so I am planning an Alaska trip for the month of June with some friends. I am also planning to branch out and visit other states. Lucy

 

Thanks for trip report! love it!

 

Great tr. Good for you that you are able to travel so much and meet new people. Safe and wonderful travels to you.

 

Great trip report Lucy! Im glad to hear you had a nice trip and enjoyed yourself!

Thats a great lifestyle you have! I too hope to have that much energy at your age

 

Great TR. it's always great to read about these kind of trips.

 

I liked your story Lucy. You should visit the Fremont area next time. I think you would like all the smaller friendlier older hotels. My wife and I love that part of town. Main street station casino is full of antiques and looks like a Victorian era train station. They also have a delicious buffet which only runs you $6.99 for breakfast.

 

Thanks Lucy! Loved your report. I love that you go to Vegas for the "social experiences". I am a people watcher too and this is my favorite place in the world to do that.

 

I love your TR and how frugal you are. I'm a frugal one too and someday when I'm a senior I'm still planning to take a frugal Vegas trip.