What's the real reason you go to Vegas?

I love the "you're going to Vegas...again?!" replies I get. The girl in my office knows nothing about gambling and has never been to Vegas so when I talk about any gambling related topic or Vegas or even Fantasy football she chimes in with the "do you have a gambling problem?"....I just laugh

 

lol, that is good!

 

Tell her "the only problem I have with gambling is I don't win often enough".

 

I've been questioning it more and more lately. I like New Orleans much better and it's half the flight from my town with an equivalent or better CET comp. When I was in Vegas a couple weeks back, I thought, "Eh I could live with being here every two years". Whereas with NOLA, I can't live with more than six months between trips.

 

About 100%? All of the places on the strip I went to my last trip in Oct. there was no problem getting a 3:2 game at a $25 table.

 

1. Round trip on Southwest was $171 in December nonstop from KC for me, that is cheap.

2. With resort fees I paid less than $60 a night to stay at Harrah's center strip, the rooms were clean, and the hotel was nice.

3. You can find many good food deals. Earl of Sandwich was less than $10 per person for lunch.

4. Hit the Tix4Tonight booth, or try out myvegas, plenty of lower cost tickets out there

5. Harrah's had $25 double deck blackjack that paid 3:2 the entire time we were there. Also several $10 shoe games at 3:2

6. If you don't want to party at the clubs, don't. If you are there to gamble then gamble, I promise the casinos will allow you to gamble at any hour you would like.

I guess to me Vegas is a cheap as it was 10 years ago the first time I went.

 

1. I go there because hotel rooms are very inexpensive compared to other destinations.
2. Airfare to LV is no more/less expensive that traveling a similar distance for me in the US.
3. I only gamble in LV, even though Biloxi is very close.
4. The live entertainment there is about as good as it gets. Even though prices are sky high there are a lot of lounge acts that are very good. Lots of great music for free on Fremont Street.
5. I absolutely love the fact that I can do almost anything I want 24/7.
6. There's always something new to check out and experience.
7. Most importantly, I visit LV twice a year because I look forward to my week long trips so much. Even at 52, and very nostalgic about LV of days gone by, I am always amazed at how good of a time I have while I'm there and can't wait to return.

Sure there are things that have evolved in LV that I certainly dislike. However, the good still outweighs the bad, by leaps and bounds, IMHO. I suppose if I chose to let the negative changes get me down they would. Instead I concern myself with all the great things that are simply not available anywhere else and will gladly return twice a year until I am physically unable to travel. Viva Las Vegas!!!

 

I'm fairly certain my staff thinks I have a problem. Every time I'm gone for more then a day for any reason, its 'how was vegas?'.
Interestingly they are actually starting to be more and more correct as I divest myself from work and 'party' a whole lot more!
Used to do 4 weeks of vegas a year, but looking back this year it was 6 weeks!

 

We love to go to Vegas mostly because we can do pretty much anything we want 24/7 without worrying that someone we know is going to see/hear what we are doing. Not that we do anything really bad, but it is just a real sense of freedom there. If the air fare was cheaper we would be there a lot more often than once a year, once we get there everything is a lot cheaper.
I work next door to our local casino and only go in a couple of times a year, it just can't compete, it just makes me want to be in Vegas even more.
I like that Vegas is ever changing. Every time we go there is something different to see or do but it still feels comfortable because a lot of the old stuff is still there.

 

Haha nice...I think I will. My boss and I were just discussing going over to Louisiana this week and she piped in...

That is funny! Being the boss has its perks - wake up on a Thursday and feel the desire to hit the tables? Boom! Book it and head on out.

I would be right there with ya if I had that much time to use for vacation. But then again my boss is a craps nut too so he'll look the other way and not charge me off days as long as I send him copious amounts of pics from Vegas.

 

Where do you usually go for vacation and what is your budget? I ask because I'm sure you could have a great time in Vegas on almost any budget.

 

Vegas was and still is my favorite place to visit. I live in a small town and work constraints prevent me from traveling there during the week so consequently I have to pay more for air and hotel weekend rates. Las Vegas was more of "win-win" place in the past. In other words, you could enjoy a relatively cheap vacation and still gamble and party all night if you wanted to. I'm no spring chicken anymore so staying up all night is out anyways. You also have the chance of paying for all/part of the trip if you win big. Realistically that does not happen very often but sometimes I at least break even which is nice. It used to be more about the gambling and the casinos tried harder to get you there, which they still do to a point.. Not so much anymore. I realize things change and the casinos cater to what makes them money. Hence, the upswing in day/night clubs, trendy restaurants etc. Anyways, just my .02 cents.

 

My main reason for going to Vegas is getting away from the stress of real life. It's the adult playground where fantasies are bundled up in one location. I can be another person while I'm there and not have to worry about what other people think of me (at least for the most part). I can be casual when I want to be, and I can dress to impress if I want. Restaurants, shows, gambling, shopping, lounging, ambiance, etc. are all within walking distance.

One of the things I really like now is that they got away from the family theme they were trying to instill over a decade ago, and brought back the adult theme.

 

1. To bet sports legally.
2. To play live poker.
3. When shopped, hotel rates are often more attractive than other parts of the country.
4. To eat, eat, and eat.

 

To the OP, it seems like you may want to spend some time downtown on your next trip. Much closer to the "old" Vegas than the Strip.

And you can find $10 or $15 3:2 BJ at 3/4 of the Strip casinos still.

 

I agree 100% think THE OP will like Downtown more.

 

1. Gambling
2. Meet friends/family
3. Buffets
4. Drinking

I don't go to Vegas to have a cheap time although I'm sure some do. I go there to have a fun time and relax. If you don't gamble (or if you gamble, break even/win), the prices are really no different than any major city except the hotel rooms are better quality and cheaper (assuming you pay for them). Meals and choices are much better as far as quality, selection and cost. It's also nice that whatever I want to do is really within a 2 mile radius so walking everywhere is reasonable for me; I enjoy not having to drive at all.

If you want cheap, I'd suggest downtown or to go to an all-inclusive resort somewhere.

 

Good point on the not driving...I drive so much here in Houston that when I go to Vegas i LOVE not having to drive anywhere. Its great to have everything in close proximity or a cab ride away.

 

I have to agree with the op a little

My main reason for going is the Shows

Major raise in Airfare, the resorts fees at CET and in buffet prices are making me think more and more about ever going again

 

But where else would you go?
If you like shows then New York is the best city in the US, but have you priced their hotel rooms? And airfare plus cab fare will also set you back in NYC.
Another great city for shows is London, but it's even pricier than NYC!