Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! What we learned in Vegas

I usually travel for work, which is why after every trip, I am forced to review it and think about "key learnings". After spending the past weekend in Las Vegas, I think it's fair to say that we definitely all came away a little wiser (this can likely be said of any visit to Vegas EVER). Some of these learnings are better left unsaid... But in the spirit of "strategic objectives", "tasking", "best practices" and other corporate words you never see in travel blogs, here are my key learnings from Las Vegas:

1. You CAN get a good cheap meal: The trick is to choose a casino that is not a filthy hell hole. After a very disappointing $6.99 prime rib at the ol' Barbary Coast on our last visit (really, what were we thinking?), I really wasn't sure that you could get a decent deal on cheap meat in Vegas. But we were very happy with the $11.99 steak and shrimp special at the cafe in Bally's. It even came with vegetables. Vegetables that were firm enough to cause problems for denture wearers. You can't pay for that kind of thing!

2. Staying off the Strip is not a bad thing: We used points to stay at the Hilton for free, and were initially a little bummed that it was off the Strip. But it was actually pretty awesome. First of all, it was right by the monorail so it was easy to get everywhere. Second, being off the strip meant that the awesome pool was not a meat market like some of the other places I've stayed. And finally, if you raise a little hell on the Strip the night before, you don't have to face the same hotel staff the next day. Your secret is safe.

3. Penny slots are worth playing. You're probably not going to win the big bucks, but if you really take your time, you'll get a high entertainment-to-dollar ratio and lots of free drinks. Seriously, it must be the economy or something, but I was always offered free drinks on the penny slots.

4. Book your flight back for the middle of the day. You'll likely be too hung over for an early flight to be "comfortable", and a late flight means having to stay up all day without a hotel room for a midday hangover nap. And importantly, as we found out, the later the flight, the better chance it will be delayed.

5. Do not waste your money on giant novelty drinks. They are expensive and gross. Instead, spend the money on penny slots and get a decent (free) gin and tonic, people.

Photo by Brie79 via Flickr