World Traveler

Travel to Las Vegas can be a great vacation. You can head in, stay in a great hotel, see the sights, do a little gambling, take in a show and do some shopping. Plus, great free attractions like the fountain at the Bellagio, the volcano at the Mirage (not to mention the tigers) and the pirate show at Treasure Island make for some fun entertainment. And, if you play your cards right, you can stay for less in a Las Vegas Strip hotel. And I mean a nice one. Here are some tips:

• Off-times are best. Going during the off-season is a good idea. The end of February and the beginning of March are good times, as are the end of September and October. You can also go during the week. Planning a stay between Sunday night and Thursday can knock as much as $50 or more off your Las Vegas Strip hotel prices.
• Internet specials can get you the best price. Many of the hotels on the Las Vegas Strip offer Internet deals. I’m not talking about going to some travel Web site; I’m talking about visiting the hotel Web site directly. Not only can you find great Internet-only travel deals on the hotels’ Web sites, but many of them offer meal discounts and discounts to shows. Some Las Vegas Strip hotels, like Excalibur, offer a price guaranty. If you find a lower price on a different Web site, they will refund the difference.
• Go “family friendly”. You don’t normally think of the Las Vegas Strip as a family friendly place, but there are plenty of appropriate and fun activities for kids of all ages. And you will pay less if you stay in a Las Vegas Strip hotel that caters to families. Circus Circus, Excalibur and Mirage all cost less than the Bellagio, Luxor or MGM Grand. And even you still aren’t staying in a more “adult” hotel, you can still visit the free flower garden at the Bellagio and take a gondola ride at the Venetian.

For more on Las Vegas, visit this Las Vegas Web site.

More on family friendly travel here.

Tags: Las Vegas, Las Vegas Strip hotels, family friendly Las Vegas, Las Vegas Strip for less,
Las Vegas hotel deals