Things to Splurge On In Vegas

As you know, I'll be heading back to Vegas in September after two years of absence and I'm looking forward to not just visiting family, but doing some new things that I've been waiting to travel for and trying some new food places. I'll talk about those things later, but for now, let's look at some of the things I've done and are worth the splurge.

Great food

There's nothing like great food and Vegas is full of it. They are also full of meh food, but reading reviews can usually help you root out what's worth the money and what's not. I have tried lots of restaurants in the city and can highly recommend the following:

• Any Gordon Ramsay restaurant. I especially enjoy Pub & Grill inside Caesar's Palace. 
• JJ's Boulangerie inside the Paris. The Paris's buffet is also worth the money, though I suggest looking for a Groupon, as they are usually available.
• Wicked Spoon buffet brunch at the Cosmopolitan. You can get every breakfast thing you want here. It's spendy, but super worth it. Everything comes in bite-size portions, so you aren't putting a ton on your plate and wishing you saved room for something else or wasting a bunch of food if you don't like it.
• Bardot Brasserie at the Aria. I've only been here for breakfast, but it was certainly delicious, so if you are a fan of French cuisine, I recommend checking it out for other meals.
• Hash House A Go Go inside The Linq, where 2-3 people can split one entrée, making it actually a great deal. We ordered chicken and waffles for the two of us and still took leftovers away.
• NoMAD at The Park MGM. Right now it's closed due to Covid, but it's gorgeous. If you aren't open to spend that much, go to NoMAD Bar and get a drink and a couple appetizers.
• Where to save and still eat well:
• Northside Café & Chinese Kitchen at the SLS. They're open 24/7 and have some of the best breakfasts I've had in Vegas. I highly recommend the banana pancakes.
• Bruxie Waffles at The Park outside New York New York. They have BOGO deals once a week if you follow them on Instagram.
• Gordon Ramsay's Fish & Chips, Maxie's, Virgil's BBQ on the Linq Promenade. 
• Hard Rock Café. Yes, maybe this is bougie, but you always know what you're getting, are served large portions, and each location has a "local eats" menu. 
• Happy Hour at House of Blues, where you can try a bunch of foods for the same price as two entrees.

Wayne Newton's mansion

Even if you aren't a big fan of Wayne Newton, Casa Shenandoah is an awesome, sprawling estate that's worth the visit. I learned quite a lot about him and his good works. We only chose to do the museum and plane, but you can also choose just the house or the entire estate. We were the only ones on our tour, so the guide took us over to see some of the animals. If I go back, which I probably will, I'd choose to do the entire tour. It may take half a day, but I honestly think it's worth it. This is another one where you should look for a Groupon.

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Monorail tickets

While not that expensive, the LV Monorail is one of my favorite ways to get around. I generally buy a multi-day pass when I am in town for the Travel Goods Show, but I also spring for a pass when we are in town for the NBA Summer League and I don't want to pay to park in any of the garages that charge, which is almost all of them now. It's a quick way to get down the Strip and it's air conditioned. 

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The Neon Museum

When hotels/casinos decommission their signs or close down, the Neon Museum tries their best to obtain the sign and then work with a volunteer group to get them refurbished. Some of their signs are positioned downtown on the street to see, but bigger signs like for the Stardust, Treasure Island, and more are held outside at the museum. At night, the ones that can be lit up (there are usually between 6 and 8), are, giving it a different vibe altogether than the daytime tour. There's not much shade, so if it's hot, try to get in on the earliest tour of the day. I've been to the museum twice, once for the daytime tour and once for the nighttime tour. Both had their pros and cons, but I recommend doing both if you can. If you can only do one, do the daytime tour, so you can see all the signs clearly.

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The High Roller at The Linq

This giant ferris wheel has large cabins that can accommodate quite a few people at a time. You get awesome views of both The Strip and the mountains. A full rotation takes 30 minutes and the narrator is amusing and gives you some really cool history and facts. You can choose the daytime or nighttime ride and there's also an option to ride in a cabin with an open bar. That seems excessive to me, because not only is it more expensive, but you pay for all your drinks in there. This is another thing I'd suggest trying to do both during the day and night. Look for Groupons, some of which give you the option of two rides in a day.

Hop-On, Hop-Off Tour Bus

This is one of my favorite things to do in a new city. Las Vegas offers two different routes for their buses: The Strip and Downtown. I have taken both, and I highly suggest you take one full rotation if you like your guide. We see everything there is to see first (usually takes about an hour or so) and then we get off at stops on the second go-round. Your ticket is usually good for 24 hours, though they may break between day and night in Las Vegas. If you've already seen a lot of The Strip, do the Downtown route. It's really cool and informative. Not that The Strip one isn't. I learned a lot on that one, too. If you can afford both, it's worth it. If you can only afford one, I would do Downtown, as it's a whole different side of Vegas and there are more interesting stops. (This might be another to watch out for Groupons for.)

Springs Preserve

Though not actually that expensive, you do have to either drive or get a ride outside Vegas proper. You can easily spend half a day here and it's especially great if you have kids. Plus, if you're a member of a your local garden and it is on the Reciprocal Admissions Program, or you're a member of the American Horticultural Society, you can use your membership here. You'll learn about the Hoover Dam construction, the animals native to the area, general fun science activities, plus their are hiking trails and a tram. I really enjoyed this, even though it was a billion degrees out. I also highly suggest grabbing lunch at their café, because it was one of the best meals we had on that trip. Their gift shop has great items, too, so we brought home some awesome things for ourselves and others.

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Mob Museum

Located downtown, the Mob Museum tells you the history of Las Vegas and the role the mob played in it. Spoiler, it's all of it. Through artifacts, videos, history and interactive exhibits, you'll know more about Las Vegas and Paradise than you ever knew possible. There's a speakeasy in the basement that has awesome food and really creative drinks. Plan to spend at least 4 hours here. 

Things not on this list, but I'm planning to splurge on:

Because all trips to Vegas are unique, I look for new things to do each time I visit. 

OmegaMart: This interactive museum has been on my list since before it even opened in Las Vegas. I've followed the original MeowWolf museum in New Mexico and have been dying to visit for years. Now I don't have to make a special trip, though OmegaMart is totally different.

Museum of Dream Space: Another new interactive museum that uses light to create gorgeous artscapes that you you can be part of.

Lunch or dinner at Hells Kitchen: Yes, it's a Gordon Ramsay restaurant, which I covered above, but it's new-ish and I'm excited to try it.

If you're looking for money-saving ideas, check out my other posts on budget Vegas On The Strip and Off The Strip.

Is there something you have wanted to do in Vegas but aren't sure if it's worth it? Ask me in the comments!

Looking at Travel Trends for the Rest of 2021

With travel restrictions easing in the U.S. and some other destinations, you're probably in the process of planning a trip or thinking of actually taking a trip. Many people are looking to stay close to home this year, but if you're like me, you like to know what people are doing and talking about when it comes to traveling. 

What are you looking for when it comes to your next trip away from home?

Easy Ways to Save Money for Travel

What's your number one problem with traveling more? Well, I'm going to guess that it's money, otherwise you probably wouldn't be here. I'm just like you guys. I have to pay for most of my own travel. We don't have unlimited funds. I rarely get "paid" to travel, though I know people think that, because I get asked about it a lot. I wish I got paid to travel, but then again, you probably wouldn't trust anything I said if I did, right? I know I wouldn't. So, how can you save for travel when it seems like you don't have any money to spare?

Believe it or not, it can be easy to save, even when you think you can't. I have a lot of ways I've used, with much success. I've lived paycheck-to-paycheck most of my life, too, so don't think you can't do it. You might also remember my best friend who has six children and live on one income (because they'd need 5 incomes to pay for childcare, so instead her husband stays home), they pay two mortgages, and vacation at least a couple times a year. When I last wrote about how they did a Disney vacation they only had four kids, which is still more than most people I know. They haven't slowed down their traveling and they are creative in how they do it. In fact, they have also done a 2-week trip to Hong Kong and a 1-week all-inclusive trip to Mexico. If they can do it, then you can do it!

Here are some easy ways you can save for your travel dreams:

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Pay yourself first

You know how when you invest in something like a 401-K and it gets taken out of your paycheck before you even see it? And you never miss it? Do this with your vacation fund. You know when you get paid, so set up an automatic deposit, either through work or on your own online, to go to that separate account. Even just $50 per paycheck can quickly add up and it's not so much that you'll notice it's gone. If you can afford more, change the dollar amount that goes, even if this is a one-time occurrence or permanent. A few dollars more is better than no dollars more.

Tip: Having a separate account is key. Don't make it the same as your regular savings account or checking account. Make it harder for you (and everyone else contributing) to spend it!

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Open a high-yield checking or savings account

Just like I say above, make sure it's separate from your everyday account. While your money is just sitting there, you could be earning more each month for doing nothing more but keeping it in the bank. Free money is good!

Use a fantastic saving app

I just started using Qapital when they were brand new. It's really changed the way I spend and save. You set up a goal, or multiple goals, and then set up rules in order to save for them. I've saved for multiple things, including our trip to Edinburgh and London. I have two rules set up usually: One is the $2 round-up rule, so any time I use one of the cards on file, they round up to the nearest $2. That means if I spend $4.50, $1.50 will go into my Qapital account, to make up $6, which is the next denomination of $2 after $4.50. I also have an IFTTT rule that says anytime I check into a place and use the hashtag "coffeetour", it transfers another $1 to my account. I haven't used this in a while, because coffee shops have basically been closed to indoor seating for a year and a half.

You can change your rules at any time (and there are a lot of them to choose from), the app starts at just $3/month for the basic account (but will save you much more than that to make it worthwhile) and super secure, you can take your savings out whenever you want/need, so you can use it at will, and if your balance on your connected bank account dips below $100, your savings are paused in order to avoid overdraft. You can use it on both Android and iOS. Start saving now! (and you'll get $25 free for using my link!)

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Make a list and stick to it

When I go grocery shopping, I make a list. I try to plan my meals around the same ingredients with some variety. Chicken, noodles, potatoes, carrots, beef and beans are all great staples, because you can make a ton of things with them. Buy enough to make twice as much as you plan to eat and freeze so you have dinners for future nights and can save money in the coming weeks, or have easy food to make when you return from vacation. 

Don't forget coupons and store rewards programs. Use those apps and coupons to guide your shopping for the week or month to save even more. Tally up how much you saved and put that money in your vacation fund!

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Keep the change

If you're like everyone, you have a ton of change just sitting in your car or the bottom of your purse. Make a jar or container at home to throw all that change in at the end of each day. You wouldn't know it, but all those cents can add up over the months and you might find you have a spare $100 or so that you can use as spending money!

Fill your free time

Do you find yourself sitting in front of the TV for an hour or two? Earn points through Swagbucks. You can use these points to earn money and gift cards. It's easy to accrue a lot of points in an hour or so and you can trade them in for travel cards, Amazon gift codes and even Paypal cash. Download the app on your phone to earn even more. It's super easy and totally mindless. 

Get cash back

You're going to buy stuff. You just are. Rakuten lets you save money on your online purchases by offering you a set amount of cash back on participating retailers, including a lot of travel sites. If you're going to spend money, you might as well save as much as possible. Rakuten (formerly Ebates) sends you cash back payments four times a year, either by check or deposited to your Paypal account. It's super easy, and those payments can be used as spending money on your trips. Use my link to sign up and get $30 deposited to your account when you make your first eligible purchase.

Drive past the coffee shop

Getting your morning coffee can set you back $3-5, which easily adds up to $60-100 over the course of a month. I love a professionally-made cup of Joe as much as the next person, but I know they can really be expensive. If you want a fancy cup of coffee, think about investing in an espresso maker or French press and frothing whisk. You'll work the cost off by the end of the year and might even find you like your own coffee better. You'll definitely save calories. 

Don't worry, I think it's perfectly acceptable to break out once in a while and splurge on a grande triple macchiato with whip. (We spend most of our extra money going out to eat, but since the pandemic, we've cut way back on that. We do delivery now once a week.) Maybe your weakness is fast food or going out to lunch. Plan your meals ahead of time and/or bring your lunch to work instead. You'll be surprised by how much you spend.

You don't have to totally turn your whole life upside down to save money for your travels. Once you do a few of these things, you'll find it easier to incorporate other ways to save without feeling like you're missing out on anything or being too restrictive. Maybe instead of going to the movies one night, you pick up a Redbox or find something old that's streamable on Netflix. Soon you'll have a little pile of money that grows into a bigger pile of money that will surprise you.

I'd love to know what destinations are on your travel wish list! What trip are you saving for next? 

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