Vegas for 40 year olds

I'd like opinions from others around our age...

My wife and I, who are from the east coast go once a year since we got married there in 2004. I got my start when I went with friends in 1996. I was immediately hooked.

We stay at mostly strip hotels, at the nicest place we can get good rates. We have stayed at most mid to higher tier hotels. From the MGM to the Wynn in a few months (and everywhere in between) We are not high rollers so don't get comped rooms. We bounce around too much to put enough play in anywhere for good comps. We play $5 - $15 tables and some slots.

During the day we love our pool time so a good pool is a must at any place we stay. When not at pool we walk the strip and sight see while stopping to gamble here or there. During some trips we rent a car and go sight seeing. We've been to the damn three times, Red Rock three times and Valley of Fire once. This year (since we are going an extra day) we may golf in Vegas for the first time.

At night we see shows (been to 3 Cirques, Jersey Boys, EFX, Danny Gans, Gordie Brown) or make going to dinner an event. We don't go to the super high end restaurants. We like a tier lower. Our favorites are Joe's Prime, Grand Luxe Cafe, Emerils Fish House, Mon Abi Gomi (sp?) We go downtown almost every trip too.

So my question: While she likes it, my wife says I am burning her out going every year. What things do you like to do to keep it fresh if your significant other feels the same way.

 

If she's sick of Vegas only going once a year, it may be time to have "the talk".

 

Offer alternatives and compromise. Example; go to Vegas together every other year. On the "off" year she goes on a girl's trip of her own while you're in Vegas or maybe a different week while you do a solo trip or guy's Vegas trip. I did a girl's Vegas trip because my husband didn't want to go. He didn't like the idea of me going alone (because he's cheap) but I dangled a guy's motorcycle trip in front of him and he went for it. We were both happy.

 

I'd say you guys have done a very good job of mixing it up, with nice hotels and day trips, shows, pool and other fun, some good food; you get diversity and certainly aren't stuck in a one-way rut.

There's no way to force her to change, nor should you expect her to change. You can do what Lola says and do his/her separate getaways every other year, Vegas together the next year, which gets you to Vegas every year. Or just plan to go every other year and then alternating going other fun places together.

(I'm 53, my wife is 46, and almost all of our Vegas trips were done when I was in my 40s, fyi.)

 

Oh, she gets an island trip every year too. We tend to do two (4-5 day) vacations per year. We keep them short because of our dogs. She doesn't hate Vegas by any means. It's just that I love it and she likes it. We always travel as a couple. The solo side trips have never been our thing. All of our friends travel as couples too. So a solo guy's trip probably would never happen. I bet suddenly she would LOVE Vegas too if I ever suggested that. LOL
If I only disliked our island trips, I'd use that as leverage to say "no Vegas trip, no island trip."
The funny thing is, early every year she will see something on tv about Vegas and say ok, when are we going. She usually brings it up first, but then when we are close to pulling the trigger and booking she gives me the burnout comment. Ugh!

 

We started following a 4 day Vegas trip with a couple days somewhere else. San Fran one time, South Dakota once. Places we wanted to see, but didn't want to spend too many days there. We get a bed and breakfast or a nice hotel and see the sites for a couple days.

 

My wife and I are both 69, and started out going once a year, eventually going twice a year, and after retirement started going 3 times per year ... and we have never tired of it. My wife would be upset if we did not keep going out to Vegas.

We have done a lot of the things that you & others do, but we don't eat fancy ... all diners & buffets ... and spend most of our time playing video poker, and chasing around town doing lots of coupons.

 

Go for a longer period of time and take off for several days at National Parks, San Diego, LA, etc. There is so much to do and see within driving distance of LV. This way you get your Vegas time and she gets something different.

 

Do you two go on other similar vacations during the year?

If you go on other trips annually, are those burning her out?

Are there other trips she wants to go on that are being pushed off due to this annual trip?


I know no matter what I did in Vegas, I couldn't make it the only vacations I took each year.

I don't really feel you can keep Vegas fresh. You can do somewhat different things, but the core aspects of the city remain the same. Making her love it just isn't going to happen I feel. I feel she either has something else on her mind that she would prefer or just something about her experience in Vegas the last few years has not been very enjoyable.

I can't imagine being burned out by something I do once a year unless it is something I didn't enjoy. Once a week, or month, sure, but not once a year.

 

Break it up.

I'd recommend staying a couple days on the strip, then getting up early and heading to LA or phoenix for a night, then staying a night or 2 downtown, since you're not big gamblers I'd recommend The Downtown Grand especially if the "picnic" pool space is open by then.

 

It sounds like a solo trip is in your future!

 

Easiest way to change it up is to go during a different time of year.

 

Spend half a day at Hoover Dam. Really worth it and it's only about a 45 minute drive. On the way back stop off at Casinos you never been to before.

 

You're not going to like this. Do Vegas every other year. Do something else every other year.

We are trying to do Vegas every 3rd year, but the new Vegas is getting expensive when you include airfare from the east. We live in Cruise Port Heaven Florida, so cruising is cheaper for us.

Year 1 = Vegas
Year 2 = Cruise with later in year side trip to Biloxi
Year 3 = Cruise again with later side trip in year to Tunica.
Year 4 = Vegas.
Year 5 = Repeat.

It is nice to see the changes in Vegas from the last time we visit and keeps it NEW.

Like I said, you're not going to like it, and it is blasphemy here, but She will appreciate Vegas more, by going less often.

If you two start doing solo trips, you run the risk of drifting apart, so be careful with your decisions.

 

I get where both of you are coming from.

It takes several visits to check our everything in Vegas thoroughly. The first couple trips, you just walk the Strip, then you add in downtown, then shows, then off-Strip hotels and side trips, and now that you've stayed pretty much everywhere you wanted and there are no new hotels to check out, nothing is really new anymore.

And now you are still more thrilled about it than her. It's reasonable. Vegas is geared more toward men than women. And frankly, you can change her, just as easily as she can change you. In other words, it will be tough to increase her affection for Las Vegas.

"So my question: While she likes it, my wife says I am burning her out going every year. What things do you like to do to keep it fresh if your significant other feels the same way. "

We spend our time there similar to you: pool time, a show or two, a trip downtown, and gambling at night. What things do I do to keep it fresh? We are still trying new hotels. Also, we found another couple to go with. We vacation well with them because the girls like the pool better than me and my bro, and me and my Lady like to gamble more. We all like good grub and a luxury meal. So we get time together, and we get time apart.

While we started to go for four- or five- or six-day vacations, we have mixed in a few long weekends. We have gone to Reno with friends. We have gone to Lake Tahoe for four or five days. Although these trips satify the itch, they always leave us wanting more. More Vegas.

And I'll say it again: More Vegas.

 

to change it up,

ive assume you have done the strip stuff

lions at mgm
tigers at mirage
habitat at mirage
birds at flamingo

try one or 2 fancy meals and cut out some the mid tier meals.

things I recommend off strip

exotic racing, chosing to drive a fancy car around a race track
cheaper alternative is gocart racing
in door sky diving,
took a charter out of lake mead for stripe bass fishing
hiking mt Charles
shooting machine guns (battle field vegas)
dig this

i can see the burn out issue, but theres no where else that has gambling quite like vegas. All other aspects you can find in other large cities.

fk

 

One together, one solo....

My g/f likes Vegas once a year, and I like it more than that. So we do one trip together, where we focus a bit more on what she wants to do, and then I do one solo trip (at least) a year. This has worked pretty well.

 

I agree.

You won't be happy giving up Vegas and she is going to try (eventually) to take it away.

I recommend getting her more involved. A big part of vacation "fun" is actually the planning. Get her more involved.
Why not have her plan the "day" off strip and you plan the night on strip.
Even have her pick a show or two or even a dinner or two.
Make it "her" trip but at "your" location.

If you take the time, you will find a limitless number of things to do even if you have to drive an hour or two away from the strip.

 

Be more creative

I'm with FirstKill...look at those ideas to mix things up. My hubs loved Exotic Racing and Dig This that last few times we went!! We also really like some of the Club Crawls -- fun for 40YO's and a good way to meet people.

Also, make an effort to really explore the new things that are coming out in Vegas: Linq, High Roller, new restaurants and/or new hotels (Cromwell, SLS later this year). Concerts or events are also a great way to make the trip special -- center the trip around a concert or UFC fight.

Lastly, pamper or romance her. Book a couples massage at Canyon Ranch maybe, and then hang out by the Pallazzo pool afterward. Set up a romantic surprise in the room.

 

Take her to Disney World. As a 20 year obsessive Disney person, I love the planning, the amount of activities, and how nice everyone is! I was starting to max out on Disney when I discovered Las Vegas, my new obsession There are so many parallels, and I think there is a personality that love both.