Cheap trip to Las Vegas

When is the best time to go?

Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are by far the best seasons. Temperatures range from 20 to 32 degrees Celsius during the day, nights are cool and pleasant, and hotel prices are 30 to 50 percent lower than in the summer peak. October is a favourite for Dutch travellers: 25 to 30 degrees during the day, quieter than summer, and the cheapest flight fares of the year.

Avoid summer (June to August): temperatures can reach 40 to 45 degrees Celsius and outdoor activities are barely doable. Christmas, New Year and CES (Consumer Electronics Show, January) are the most expensive and crowded periods. Never book Friday and Saturday nights without comparing: weekends cost 30 to 60 percent more than midweek.

The best areas to stay

• The Strip The epicentre of Las Vegas: enormous casino resorts, top restaurants, nightclubs and shows. Everything within walking distance, active 24 hours a day. More expensive but ideal for a first visit. Top addresses: Wynn, Bellagio, Encore.
• Downtown / Fremont Street The historic heart of Las Vegas. Lower stakes, legendary old casinos and the Fremont Street Experience (free LED light show over 5 blocks). More budget-friendly than the Strip, lively in the evenings.
• Arts District Creative neighbourhood with craft breweries, vintage shops and galleries. Popular with locals, great for those not coming purely to gamble. Liveliest on weekends.
• Henderson Quiet, safe suburb 20 to 30 minutes south-east of the Strip. One of the safest large cities in the US. Ideal for families. Car needed.
• Summerlin Upscale residential area right next to Red Rock Canyon. Perfect for combining nature with luxury shopping and dining. Car absolutely essential.

Top 5 things to do in Las Vegas

• Bellagio Fountains (free) The famous water show in front of the Bellagio hotel performs every half hour during the day and every 15 minutes in the evening. Most impressive after dark. Free and accessible to everyone on the Las Vegas Boulevard sidewalk.
• High Roller Observation Wheel (about 28 to 30 dollars) The world's largest Ferris wheel at 167 metres high. Day ticket about 28 to 30 dollars. The "Happy Half Hour" with open bar is popular. Views over the entire Strip, spectacular at night too.
• Red Rock Canyon (20 dollars per vehicle) Spectacular red rock landscape 20 minutes from the Strip. Entry 20 dollars per vehicle (valid 7 days). Timed entry reservation required from October to May. Hikes for all levels; ideal as a half-day trip.
• Grand Canyon day trip (about 80 to 150 dollars) An organised bus tour is the cheapest option (about 80 to 150 dollars per person). By helicopter about 450 dollars. Grand Canyon West (Skywalk) is closest to Las Vegas, about 2 hours by road. The South Rim is 4.5 hours but more impressive.
• Fremont Street Experience + Mob Museum (free / 32 dollars) The Fremont Street Experience offers a daily free LED light show and live performances above historic Glitter Gulch. The nearby Mob Museum costs 32 dollars per person and tells the history of organised crime in Vegas.

Flights and transport from the Netherlands to Las Vegas

KLM flies non-stop from Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) to Las Vegas (LAS) as flight KL635 on a Boeing 777-200. Flight time about 10 hours 56 minutes. Together with partner Delta, there are about 5 flights per week. Return tickets start around 640 to 689 euro when booked early; September is historically the cheapest month. Book at least 6 to 10 weeks in advance.

Eindhoven Airport has no intercontinental flights to the US. Drive to Schiphol (about 1.5 hours) for the non-stop connection. Alternatives via a European hub (London, Dublin, Frankfurt) increase total travel time to 14 to 17 hours and are usually more expensive.

Local transport on the Strip: the Deuce double-decker bus runs the full Strip and Downtown 24 hours a day; a day pass costs 8 dollars. On the west side of the Strip, free trams run (Mandalay Bay to Excalibur and the Aria Express between Bellagio, Aria and Park MGM).

The Las Vegas Monorail runs on the east side of the Strip at 5 dollars per ride. Uber and Lyft are available for about 17 dollars per Strip ride, but can cost 5 to 8 times more during peak periods.

What does a Las Vegas trip cost?

Hostel dorms on or near the Strip start at about 9 to 15 dollars per person. Budget hotels on the Strip (such as The LINQ) start from about 49 dollars per night midweek; weekends are 30 to 60 percent higher. Watch out for the mandatory resort fee of 30 to 60 dollars per night on top of the room rate at virtually all Strip hotels. Mid-range rooms cost 100 to 200 dollars midweek.

Food: fast food and food courts cost 10 to 15 dollars per meal. Buffets start at 20 to 30 dollars (breakfast) and 35 to 50 dollars (evening). A mid-range restaurant costs 40 to 80 dollars per person including drinks and tip. Supermarkets (Smith's, Walgreens) are a good option for breakfast and snacks.