Length of Trip do you take/prefer?

[Pea]

I guess this could be 2 questions -- how long do you want to be in Vegas, and how long do you usually go for :D Just wondering what people's MOs are.

I've settled on Sunday-Friday I think. Rates are too expensive over a weekend, plus needing a recovery day after returning, I end up taking 4 days of vacation to go Thurs.-Sun. so I may as well use 5, and have 9 days in a row off of work.

Current trip is Sunday p.m. to Saturday a.m., but I think next time I'll go Sunday a.m. to Friday a.m. Can get better deals without that killer Friday night $$$.

Takes me a day or so to get in the Vegas Groove, so I like to have 4-5 full days there rather than a quickie trip.

How about you?

[Jacqui, Duskette8]

I go for 15 days but I wish it was longer. It's too far for me to travel for anything less than that, but I'm not complaining LOL... One of these days I'll visit and never leave!

[Boston_Bill]

For me its only a couple of days. I usually only have two full days and two days for travel. As much as I love Las Vegas I get burned out quick. I try to get a morning flight out so I can enjoy a full evening in Las Vegas.

[marmirdc]

I usually have an average of 4 days..seems just about right..one time I took 6 days and it was just too long( the budget really got stretched~!)...I only have about a 3 hr flight..so four days is perfect!!

marmirdc

[Sherry]

We usually go for 5 days. We have stayed 7 days but find that's a bit too long. Usually our house sitter is ready to go after having 4 kitties staring at him "get out of bed, we are hungry". Sherry

[Nancy from Indiana]

We go for 9 or 10 days & the time really flies.

[smmoo]

Always go Wed-Tues to get the cheap SW $99 coast-to-coast flights. We have family there so a lot of the time is spent at Little League games, bowling and hanging by the pool. Our family is in the process of looking for jobs in Maine so they can move here. When that happens hubby and I will probably only go to Vegas once a year(instead of 3 trips a year) and length of trip will shrink to 4 nights which is probably all I can handle if all the time is spent gambling.:rolleyes:

[jolo777]

5 nights is usually perfect for us. We drive up on Sunday watching all the traffic coming back from Vegas, hoping they left some money for us. Then leave for home Friday around noon watching the next group of suckers drive in. Of course with an offer I can't refuse like a good tournament we will, and have, stayed the weekend too.

[sonntex]

The longest I have stayed is 6 nights on a trek with my daughter, but that was a one time shot. Most of the time it's a lot less. When we go now it is usually for only 2 or 3 nights because of her nursing school schedule.

I go solo quite often. Hubby is big on me taking advantage of slot tournaments - "go, girl, book it, get that flight booked, hurry, you haven't booked it yet? - you gonna go, or what?", then he practically pushes me out the door. Those trips are usually 3 nights and can be during the week or on weekends.

When he and I go together we usually leave late on Thursday night and come back on Sunday. AND those are usually slot tournaments, too. That man. :rolleyes:

[LamontJoe]

The last time we stayed for 5 days. We had a total of 6 nights, but it was too long. A poster said it best, your $ gets streatched to the limit on such a long trip. I love Vegas, but after a few days of eating the buffets, my stomach starts hurting, so I have to cure myself by drinking 2-3 beers her hour. Hahahahaha

I think that 3-4 days is plenty.

[Hockey53]

We only stay for a couple of nights a year in Vegas. Wish we could stay a couple days longer,but anytime you can go to Vegas is a relaxing experience.:D

[Tweeets]

I guess this could be 2 questions -- how long do you want to be in Vegas, and how long do you usually go for :D Just wondering what people's MOs are.

I've settled on Sunday-Friday I think. Rates are too expensive over a weekend, plus needing a recovery day after returning, I end up taking 4 days of vacation to go Thurs.-Sun. so I may as well use 5, and have 9 days in a row off of work.

Current trip is Sunday p.m. to Saturday a.m., but I think next time I'll go Sunday a.m. to Friday a.m. Can get better deals without that killer Friday night $$$.

Takes me a day or so to get in the Vegas Groove, so I like to have 4-5 full days there rather than a quickie trip.

How about you?

We usually go 2-3 times each year and stay for 5 or 6 days, including the weekend. We always get Friday and Saturday nights comped up front. Occasionally I'll go out by myself and stay 10 days or so and stay at my son's home and play "mom". If it were up to me. I'd stay exactly 365 days every year. <sigh>

[MHIROTSU]

3 nights is the max I can take and is about as long as my money will last. Then I need to go home to get some sleep. Actually, if I'm by myself, I sleep well in Las Vegas, but I don't get out of bed until after noon (maybe 2-3 PM). If Suzy is with me, she drags me out of bed in the morning because she's hungry, thus I go home to get some sleep.

Mike

[MikeinChi]

Four nights is perfect for me. I've done a few trips where I was there for 3 but it didn't seem like enough. I'm usually pretty tired after 4 (because I never seem to get enough sleep while in Vegas!) but it's always hard to pull myself away and get back to reality. I've contemplated going for 5 or 6 one of these trips but I'm afraid it might be too long.

[Nonna]

In the past we have always stayed 4 nights (arriving Sunday and leaving Thurs) but this year we are staying 5 nights. I think 4 is plenty but we are using the last night just to relax before we head back to the "real world". :rolleyes:

[sdreamin]

We usually go for 5 to 7 nights once a year and we still haven't seen/done everything we want or plan to do! This year we will be in LV for 3 nights only ( not long enough, but want to do our second ever slot tournament but the first annual? Everything LV slot tournament at Hilton!). This to follow after staying 3 nights in Laughlin over the 4th of July. We are driving out this year instead of flying because there are plans to stop in Tunica, Arkansas and New Mexico along the way with a stop in Branson, MO on the way back. Can't believe we decided to do this with gas prices the way they are!!!!!!

[MTClancy]

Sunday through Friday night, leaving early Saturday morning. I always drive down straight through from Montana, takes about 12 hours so by the time I hit Vegas, am ready for a good meal, a couple hours at the Crap tables, read the Sunday paper and then to bed.

Rest of the trip, since I have my own car, hit most of the 'local' casinos for Craps and video poker. I hardly ever go on the Strip anymore (machines are too tight and getting worse, table limits too high and I've seen it all before) unless I meet up with friends or relatives who want to see the sights.

Two trips a year, late April and mid-late October - weather seems just right - snows don't impede driving from Montana and heat isn't oppressive in Las Vegas during those times.

6 days and counting!!!!!!!!

[krisfarnsworth]

we usually stay 4 nights thurs-sun. but in july we are getting an extra night i am counting the time till we get to go back. july 23-25 for sure staying wed and thurs at the silverton got a great deal with a $50 food credit and havent decided on the other 3 may hotel hop for the best deals. thank you mr bush for the extra bank roll to afford this trip.:p

[Steve]

I have never stayed less than 5 nights. The most was 9 nights and that was just a bit too much.

I like to arrive in tha AM and depart about 10am-2pm so I get back to NY at a reasonable hour.

Steve

[rkelley007]

I usually stay about 4 days, many times wed night to sunday am. I am going
this year over Memorial day weekend from Wed night until Tuesday AM. It
may be long. Staying off the strip over the weekend, much cheaper rates
when using hotel points for Friday/Sat.

[beach3993]

I like 3 full days 2 nights that means I arrive around 8am and leave around 9 pm. I only stay 4 days if I am in a Slot Tournament as most Tournament are 3 days. I prefer Sunday through Tuesday but my April trip is Wed through Friday so should be interesting it has been a while since I have done Wed- Fri.

[kidgarfield]

If I have my say it's a Monday - Friday trip. no less than 5 days, but I like to avoid the weekend hotel prices and the flood of crowds at the buffet line and at the gaming tables. I'd really like to go October to August!!!:D

[Marc]

Well, my trip next week I am going from Monday thru Friday with checkout on Saturday.. I got such good rates from Bill's Gamblin' Hall that is was possible to stay that Friday.

5 days is a little longer than my usual 4 days, but I have lots of events and things to do on this next trip so I needed an extra day..

Good topic by the way.. :)

[jslocke52]

Driving from the San Francisco area, I find Sunday through Friday best, avoiding the high priced Friday and Saturday nights. The drive is split over 2 days. There are usually good deals on hotel rooms the week after Memorial Day, so Monday through Friday that week. Week after Thanksgiving is also good. Check rate calendars posted on the resorts' web sites.

[akper]

Usually I stay 5 nights... this trip only 4. Usually go Wednesday (get to Vegas about 5pm) and leave Monday on the 11:30am flight, home by 5ish and have plenty of time to unwind and make it to work the next day.

[nancyrodeo]

I go for a week - usually Thursday to Thursday, sometimes add an extra day and go Thursday to Friday,

Nancy from Ontario

[iam4nd]

Been going for many years usually 2 or 3 times a year. We have pretty much settled into a Sunday through Friday routine, sometimes at one place, sometimes two, depending on the room deals. Have found that Sun-Fri will usually get us better flights, better room rates, and lighter crowds than Th-Sun. Generally we arrive early (6 to 7) Sunday evening and depart Friday afternoon. With the time difference a late afternoon departure will get us into Chicago Midway around 10 to 11 p.m., which is much better traffic wise for the drive back to Indiana.

[kend1016]

I stay Sunday threw Friday. Wish I can stay longer.

[kreeves2]

I agree with others. It is much cheaper if you are there during the week. Friday, Saturday and Sunday are very crowded too! You will see the place double over the weekend with people. It seems busy but not overly crowded during any weekday. I usually go for 4 days and 3 nights. Unless you are going for the first time, this is plenty of time to site see, shop and gamble. I went for 7 nights one time and it was way too long!:)

[charlotter]

I only live an hour away by air so getting there is no big thing time-wise but with the price of airfare these days it just makes sense to stay a little longer if possible. I like a four night stay. I have a couple of things I always like to do in Vegas at night...the Chippendale show one night and an evening at Olympic Garden (upstairs where the guys are) so that takes up two nights and leaves a couple for off the wall stuff or doing something not planned or maybe just walking around enjoying the atmosphere. I want to see the new Criss Angel show at the Luxor when it opens so that will be one of my four night stays.

[tcbraden]

Almost always 3 nights, Fri to Monday.. flights seem to work out the best that way. We've stayed 5 and 6 nights, but that seems a little too much of a good thing. 3 nights, 3 or 4 times a years is perfect!!!

[acolton]

The first time we went to Vegas we were there for 6 days, way to long. It was in June and the day time temp was 109+ every day. Not fun at all way to hot.

Now when we go to Vegas we like to get there late in the morning about 10-11am and stay for 3 nights and leave around 1 or 2 pm and fly home. That is plenty of time to see shows and eat and get cocktailed for 72 hours. The summer heat in Vegas is no joke. March or April is our favorite time of the year to visit Vegas.

[fskovacs]

from Sunday thru Friday evening, taking the red-eye back to the East coast for a Saturday return. However, that's a little long, so the next trip, in June, will be Sunday thru Thursday returning on the red-eye.

Rates are much cheaper during the week and airfares are lower also. This works out well for us.

[Turnip579]

We have gone for 4 days before ( Sunday thru Thrusday ) as most of my work happens on the weekend. I like going for at least 7 days tho. Seems that I just start to unwind then it's time ot get back on the plane. 7 - 8 days is perfect.

[bevierose]

Seriously, if I didn't have to worry about getting back for obligations, I would stay about 2 weeks for sure. There are so many places to see and so many casinos to play in that I always never get to everything.
I usually stay from a Thursday evening until the red eye on Sunday night and arrive in Florida early morning Monday. I spend a certain amount each on gambling, for meals and entertainment and enjoy every moment of it!
Bevierose:)

[ksucidlo]

This time we're doing Wed to Wed (best flights and prices), but usually we're Sunday - Friday. We're planning some down time (Red Rock Canyon, the dam, etc) so that we don't have to mortgage the house to stay...
Ideal state...probably a couple of weeks...but only if I had unlimited funds to blow. Otherwise, the 5-day stay works best for me. k

[Hbaseballfan]

We have stayed for 9 days (to long) ans as short as 3 days (to short). The best is 6 days, Sunday early and leaving Friday late.
I don't like the high weekend prices but will be in LV Friday 5-16-Thursay 5-22 as my son graduates UNLV on 5-17.
Have 2 nights comped so it kind of offsets the higher weekend rates.

[vegasbabe]

when I vacationed, it ranged from 2 to 6 days. You can't stay in Vegas too long on a limited budget.

now that I live here, I spend hours at the strip, maybe once every 2 weeks. More often if there are great show deals available.

[vegasbabe]

if you love the craziness of Vega$ weekends, you have to be here on fri. and sat. nights. If you want to avoid th craziness and the crowds, do Sun. through thurs. However, weekends are much more expensive!

[wiley]

For the last 4 years we've arrived around noon on Sunday and left Friday afternoon, and that works well for us. We avoid the weekend rates, and still have enough time to see shows, eat well, gamble, sightsee. We have a day off from work on each end, and always go home anxious to plan the next trip. T-193!

[Sue]

We live in Mesa, AZ so are about a 5 1/2 hour drive away. Therefore, we prefer to stay 2-3 nights with more frequent trips as opposed to just a couple trips per year at longer lengths of time. The longest we stay is for 4 nights in May for an annual trip that we take with my sister and brother-in-law who fly in from Iowa. That still never seems like enough time for us, as the days just seem to fly by in that magical accelerated speed that only occurs in Vegas!:p

At some point, we'd like to stay for at least a full 7 nights, but in the meantime we'll just make do with our frequent, shorter trips!

We actually prefer to go in the summer, as we LOVE the hot weather...guess that explains why we moved to Arizona from Iowa!

[alsports2000]

I am retired and love to gamble on the slots. I live in Texas, six miles from the Mexican border and I have not gone to Las Vegas for about ten years or longer. If it were up to me I would move to Vegas or move to a place close to it. The times we've been to Vegas in the past we've only stayed for a couple of days and we never have the time to enjoy our stay or have to rush to see a show or anything else. Personally, I would like to stay for about six months and see and do everything I have'nt done in sixty. There are a lot of places to visit near Las Vegas, for example Lake Tahoe, LA, San Fran, The Redwoods, etc. The thing is to just get out and visit other places. Sorry if I got of the subject but thats my two cents worth.

[Laurah213]

well, since I live here now, I always am here...LOL

When I visited here before I moved, it was for short 2 or 3 days. My sister got married here on a trip and we stayed closer to 5 days. When I came out to job hunt (which became party hunting instead) I was here for like 9 nights... I came home so sick... I had such a blast.

When my parents come visit they come on the night before my off days and stay til the day I go back to work. Usually Thursday night to Sunday morning or even Friday day til Sunday or Monday, depending on my days off. That's all they can handle.

When my sister comes they usually come for anywhere from a night to just a weekend, since they live in Phoenix and it's only an hour flight.

[judyqu]

We normally fly from FL on a Tuesday and return the following week on a Wednesday, so 8 nights in Vegas and it's never enough time for us. We visit Vegas 3 or 4 times a year; second visit coming up next week.

[Jewels]

Since its somewhere between 19 and 20 hours door to door, we don't visit for less than a week if it's a stand alone trip, but sometimes for 2-3-4 days when it's tacked onto another vacation.

This time (leaving next saturday--whoohoo!) its a full week 19-25th, but staying off strip 1st night since Paris doesn't have saturday checkin.

Then moving to the Paris on Sunday 20th-25th, then back to Newark on Friday and staying there with a little cheap (£1=$2) shopping at Jersey Gardens Mall before flying home overnight on Saturday 26th.

Can't wait...

[chips]

usually 7 days. can stay a bit shorter but i think any longer will burn us out.

[1940GMC]

We always go from Sunday to Friday.....get in Sunday before noon, hoipefully, then leave in the afternoon on Friday.

[foedad]

Usually 4 nights. We like to fly early from the eastern time zone to get to Vegas so you have almost a full day on arrival. We just returned from an "arrive Friday depart Tuesday" vacation that worked out very well. We got a great rate at Palace Station, our first time there. Ideally I would arrive Sunday and depart Thursday for the best rates.

[Nevada]

I'm Staying From Tue Around Noon Tillfri. At 4pm Sofour Days And Three Nights Will Have To Do For This Trip. April 29 To May 2.;)

[vegasgirl]

The most I've stayed is five days, thought I'd be sick of it and want to leave, no such luck. My ideal for having enough gambling money and time to relax by the pool and have a few good dinners is 3 nights, arriving early as possible the first day. Can anyone explain the first day of vacation phenom. where the first day lasts FOREVER and all the days in between race by and suddenly it's time to go home? ( It's a true fact,take note next time you're on vacation in Vegas or elsewhere). Can't wait for my next trip!!!!!

[unclemikey]

I go by my self, so I stay for 6 nights and 5 days. Arrive on a Sunday leave on Friday.

[Nakedmel]

As I am from the United Kingdom when I am visting Las Vegas on a single trip, I usually go for 12 - 14 days. If I am visiting another city on my trip, I will only go to Las Vegas for upto 7 days. I always make sure that on the itinery Las Vegas is my last stop before home, otherwise if I go to Vegas first I might overspend. LOL

[tryon4]

We have stayed for as many as 9 days (a wee bit long) to 3 days (way to short.
If we can get an early AM flight on Sinday and a red eye on Friday,Saturday it is just about perfect. We have a Saturday to prepare and a Sunday to recuperate:)

[Tooley]

Five nights seems to work out best. Arrive on a Sunday afternoon and catch a flight back on Friday afternoon. Have stayed longer, but five nights seems just right.


Tooley

[sean]

I guess this could be 2 questions -- how long do you want to be in Vegas, and how long do you usually go for :D Just wondering what people's MOs are.



To answer the first question Permanently! As for the second question I usually go for 5 days.

[vegaschic]

We usually try to go on Sun or Mon and stay til Thurs or Fri. We always go out early so we can have most of that first day. That's about all we can take before we get burned out.

[Ishkhan]

To me, nothing beats the relative calm of a weekday in Vegas. My ideal trip starts on Monday morning after a crisp drive from Los Angeles and ends on Wednesday noonish. I just love hitting the casino floor very early in the morning or late at night during weekdays, taking in that soothing sense of promise in the air as I get a cup of coffee or a nice drink and lose myself in a video poker machine. The bustle of tourist and convention hordes can be fun for people-watching, I guess, but I'm there to recharge my batteries and leave my worries behind, and fighting my way through the crowds isn't something I look forward to. So, definitely, a good Vegas trip would be on weekdays, and last no more than two nights/three days, as I'm far from being a millionaire.
I.J.
Glendale, California

[Rosa Elliott]

I usually go for four nights, just came back from a 4 night stay, arrived around noon on a Saturday and left Wed evening at 11:30 p.m. Stayed 6 nights in November, first I was worried it would be too long, but it went by fast, you just have to budget your gambling money, its no fun going home broke. Actually did okay the last few trips but have come back broke many a time. No fun!

Try to get in some shopping at the local malls and see a few shows to put in time, taking the bus can also kill a few hours every day.

Once you get home from Vegas it takes about 2 days to get your life back to normal. Looking forward to the next trip in November.

Once your in Vegas its hard to back to the normal boring life most of us live.

Cheers!:D

[garyfranklen]

I Got To Vegas Twice A Year---i Go In Oct & April The Weather Is Just Right Then 80's----the Length Of Stay I Do Is A Friday To Friday-my Wife & Myself Go To About Four Shows---and Save Two Full Days For By The Pool Side And Traveling Around---like Down Town And North Las Vegas And Malls & Gambling For Two Days--so The Bottom Line Is We Stay 8 Days And 7 Night Total---fall & Spring---thank You Winky From Duluth,mn

[GILUV2Gamble]

When I do my me, myself and I yearly trip I always go from Tuesday real early to late Thursday night. The only killer is the four hour flight out. Way tooo long
When I go with a friend we'll go for a longer period time. Same time of the week. It's cheaper to fly and stay. Well, staying is alway FREEEEEEE:)

[hhs27]

We usually go 5 nights if Fri. & Sat. are comped we go Thur.-Tues. When weekend isn't comped we go Sun.-Fri. Keep in mind Tues., Wed., & Thur. are the most cost effective days to fly out of Philadelphia.

[turkeyfish]

Summer Trips 8 to 9 days, Spring and Fall trips anywhere from to 2 to 5 days
would love more if we could hit the lottery or megabucks. WE LOVE VEGAS!!!!

[spcrc]

I've stayed as little as 24 hours and as long as 10 days - trust me, 24 hours is NOT long enough to do much - if anything. I stayed 10 days to play in a tournament then waited the weekend for friends to arrive. It was fun, but I knew work was piling up at home. Three to four days seems perfect if you make three or four trips per year - usually arrive Sunday evening and return Wed or Thursday.

[bill the cat]

First - Las Vegas is on my short list of retirement destinations. So -- I guess I would like to stay there forever.

Second -- We try for a 6 night/7 day trip. we had been going out on A Sunday and usually on one of the three day weekends (Memorial Day and Labor Day). I usually got good airfares on the Sunday since it was the "middle" day of the three day weekend. We have come back on Fridays and more recently Saturdays (usually on a red-eye to Philadelphia) since we were getting "casino" rate for the Friday Night at Sam's Town. This year we are scheduled on both trips for the Wednesday to Tuesday deal due to the price of flights. (Also, we want to be in Las Vegas for the 4th of July and Steve's Slot Tournament on the following Monday). Yes, we are usually wiped=out (physically and mentally) with that type of schedule but we have to work hard at vacationing.

[Blackjack]

:cool: Usually six days - although the last day is a travel day. Getting ready to head out this Sunday, and will stay until Friday morning. Adding another day would be nice, but it is the cost that stands in the way; both for the room and the flight. No one seems to be giving "breaks" any more.:(

[nthumphrey]

Over the past few years we have locked into 8-10 day trips. This seems to be the perfect stay for us. I also need a couple days back to recoup and get back into my own timezone.

It is funny though, the trips never get here fast enough and even at 10 days they end to quick.:cool:

Also, during the NFL season I like to act like I am 25 again........fly in early in Sunday Morning and leave about midnight 0 2am. However, I never work on the Monday.

Next trip: April 25th YooooHooooo !!!!

David

[Souette]

My main Vegas trip of the year is in July.
I fly in on a Tues (cheaper fares) and stay in Vegas 3 nights until Friday (weekends too expensive) and then head out of town for a road trip for about a week.
I roll back into Vegas on a Sunday afternoon and stay about 4 days and head home on Thursday.
I have stayed 6 or 7 days but that was a strain on the budget gambling wise. Days lounging around the pool help stretch my money. That Bellagio pool area can make a poor person FEEL rich.

[rlombardi2000]

When we go on our own, we like to go Sunday - Friday to avoid the weekend crowds. If we go on the comped trips run by our host, they are from Sat. - Wed. but for uhhum "free" we will suffer!

[kjwawb]

for those of us who can't go every other month, we go march and october. fly in on thursday around noon from boston. stay 9 days and depart saturday morning. lose the day traveling and recovering. laundry on sunday. icky work on monday! make plane reservations by following day for next trip!

[lovevegas]

We go twice a year from Minnesota, once in October from Wed. night to Monday and in March. This year it was Friday night to Friday. We got all but one night comped and got a cheap rate for the other night. We love to stay that long and I love the warm weather at that time, so pool time is my thing!! I'd go more often and stay longer if work didn't interfere!! :rolleyes:

[cory]

Either friday through monday or sunday through friday. It seems to cost the same three weekend nights plus food or five weekday nights plus food.

Seems like slots are looser during the week than on the weekends.

Shows are better on the weekends.

[susie1701]

Twenty years ago we went Thursday to Sunday but now it's Sunday to Friday. It doesn't seem as crowded through the week and we like it that way. :rolleyes:

[LamontJoe]

We only live 4 1/2 hours from Vegas and we always drive. We went in December for our winter break for 5 days (I teach), and then we went in March for another 5 days during my spring break. But usually we do a Friday night to Sunday morning and then drag ass at work on Monday.

[stones2007d]

We went the first year we were together and bought a timeshare. We used to go Saturday to Saturday, but have noticed that the airports are a lot more crowded over the weekend, so we have started going from Thursday and taking a week and several days. This year however, we are going for 2 whole weeks to get married. Hope to see you all there.
David

[legalois]

Three nights/four days (with the last day a traveling day), twice a year - late April and late October. Any longer not only cuts into the budget, but perilously threatens to violate my Five Day Rule of Travel.*

We usually fly out of Philly on a very early (6-7 a.m.) Sunday flight, and return on Thursday morning - 10 a.m. is desirable - to get us back home at a decent hour without having to deal with the rush hour traffic. I immediately do our trip laundry and the next morning it's back to the mounds of work that managed to accumulate on my desk.

We're counting down to our next trip - April 28 - May 1 - 2 free nights at Harrah's and FF miles on Southwest.

- - - - - -

* Five days closely confined, with the same person(s), traveling together, eating together and sleeping together, has been known to end friendships, and could result in violence. My husband and I came home from six days together barely speaking to each other and almost headed to divorce court. :o

[Rnkathys]

We are going end of may/beginning of June and we are arriving on a Wednesday, spending 2 nights in Vegas, driving to Colorado over the weekend, spending time in the Rockies, driving back to Vegas and spending Tuesday through Saturday morning. We avoid most of the expensive weekend. We have done this with side trips to Bryce Canyon, Zion, took a $49 flight to San Francisco, Death Valley etc.

[clanknj]

Try to squeeze in at least 9-10 days....any less is just getting started...
no such thing as too long of a trip

[kokopelli]

What I like to do is leave early Sunday from Boston and have some of the afternoon left for the 1st night and stay 6 nights, split it between two nice resorts. Some trips I only stay 3, to short. Going May 11 staying at the Luxor and the Flamingo for the first time. Have some second thoughts about the Flamingo.. Has any one stayed there and enjoyed?

[sonntex]

* Five days closely confined, with the same person(s), traveling together, eating together and sleeping together, has been known to end friendships, and could result in violence. My husband and I came home from six days together barely speaking to each other and almost headed to divorce court. :o

That's why when hubby and I go we sometimes don't even stay in the same hotel. LOL

[sweets107]

We really try to stay for 6 days minimum. Our optimal time is usually about 10 days. We just got back last week. We flew out on a Thursday evening & came back the following Wednesday night. If you shop around a little, you can get some good deals even for those weekend nights at the hotels. We just did a package deal for 2 from Chicago for $865. That included round trip air, 3*** hotel for 6 nights, & an intermediate rental car for 7 days. Our thinking on the hotel is that we're really only there to sleep, so why spend big bucks to stay right on the strip. So long as it's clean & the beds are comfy, it works for us. Another bonus of staying off the strip is that most of the hotel pools along the strip close early, usually about dusk. We just stayed at the Palace Station & they were open until midnight. Another bonus...if you can upgrade just a tad, they have suites in the courtyard rooms. The suites are exceptionally nice & have sliding doors right onto the pool & hot tub. No locked doors or gates to get in a late night dip!

[pateboo]

How long would I LIKE to go for? I'd like to go long enough that I could hit all the restaurants I want to in one trip. How long do I ACTUALLY go for? Four nights is the longest. Anything shorter isn't worth the effort to me. I go on Mondays late in the day so I don't have to wake up early the first day of my vacation, and I come home on Friday late in the afternoon. This way I have the weekend before to get ready to go, and the weekend after to recover before having to go back to work.

[Dshort2727]

We always stay a full time share week usually Saturday to Saturday, but the Air Canada flight arrives about 10 AM and we get our car rental so the next Saturday we have to return it by 11 but the flight doesn't leave until 3:30 so we wait at the terminal 2 for 4 and a half hours which is a drag.

SO, this year we have rented the car for an extra day so we don't need to be at the airport till 1:30 or even 2 so it gives us an extra half day cause there always seems to be something we need to do on the last day.

Dan

[Big Bad Bob]

We're fortunate enough to be able to drive to Vegas in four hours.
Generally, we stay three nights and four days in Vegas. This allows us to do most of the things we want to but not everything and therefore gives us something to look forward to our next trip. We once stayed six days but we ran out of funds early in the trip and regretted it later. We go mid-week usually but if there's a good headliner we may go on Saturday and find an inexpensive off-strip hotel. We've even stayed in Primm on a Saturday just to see Sarah Brightman at the MGM a few years ago.

If things are going well, we'll stay a full day on the fourth day and spend the night at Primm on the way home and leave early (before breakfast) on the fifth day.

When we don't have a lot of time or are making a quick trip, we'll stay at Primm Friday and Saturday night, and drive into Vegas on Saturday, coming home early on Sunday before the traffic starts.

[vegasgirl14]

Since I have a long journey from Germany to the USA, I usually stay 9 nights, but I wish it would be longer, because at the end of your trip the time flies away and you don´t have done everything from your to-do-list. I think it is hard to leave no matter how long you are staying.

[rbobst]

5 days 4 nights seems to be the right amount. We leave Sat late AM and return on Wed late afternoon. We go twice a year out of Phila Pa and early in our travels we tried longer stays but as someone noted earlier the budget can get a little thin. Airfares seem to be less expensive on Sat and definitely cheaper coming home on a Wed. Next trip May 17 with tickets to see Cher.
Rick

[oldfart47]

We like to stay for 5 or 6 days. It seems like a bit much money to fly for only 3 days. We get a car and see the sights, so we dont gamble all the time there.

[cindyinnj]

We usually fly out from Newark, NJ on a Sunday morning, and leave on Friday afternoon. That's more than enough time to lose our money...:rolleyes:

[SandyA]

Normal stay is 5 nights, flying in from the east coast makes for a long first day. I usually get comped for all nights so it doesn't make much difference what days I get there; I try to do Thursday-Tuesday, or Saturday-Thursday to take advantage of the cheaper air. Last year I had 4 Vegas trips and 1 Reno trip....this year I think I'm cutting one of the Vegas trips out; I'm heading to New Orleans in a couple of weeks instead.

Sandy

[vpugno@aol.com]

We Love Vegas. When we go we are there from Friday AM to Thursday PM. We try to get the most of our trip. The time seems to just fly by. We do a lot of sight seeing especially at Red Rock Canyon. We love it there. It is so peaceful. Hopefuly we will be going in October again. The weekend accomodations are extremely high, but there is 3 of us to split the charges.

[bostonkev]

Coming from Boston we usually go for 7nights. Have done 9nights once but I was ready to go home after 7nights. Like others have said have to stretch out the finances. We usually go Friday-Friday (yep sucking it up on those weekend rates) We usually go when we get a bonus offer from the Casinos but now with the price of airfare.......the day of a cheap vacation are going going...... Anyways we dont spend all our time gambling. We will rent a car for a day or two and get out of the city for some daytrips. Also we take advantage of some other stuff like a baseball game or a show or two. Also we enjoy eating out so it is always nice to be able to try different restaurants besides gorging on the occasional buffet.

[talanhart]

I go to Vegas for 3 nights 2-3 times a year.

[YSinAppleton]

We go twice a year, April and October (best weather of the year). We stay from Saturday to Saturday so eight days seven nights. That gives us Sunday to recuperate before going back to work, and enough time in Vegas to see a couple shows, try a few different restaurants etc.

[zman14]

We usually go for 5 nights/6 days. We've gone over the weekend, Saturday thru Friday. Stayed in Primm, NV on Saturday and Sunday night (a lot less $) and then moved onto the strip on Monday thru Thursday. We now go on early Sunday morning (9:00 am EST) and leave on Friday (4:45 pm PST). This has seemed to work out real well. Don't think we'd like to stay for more than 6 days, unless of course one of us is winning.

[DannyOcean]

We used to go for 5 nights when we were flying out of Chicago.

Now that we drive from Phoenix, we find 2 or 3 nights to be good, as it's easier to go more often.

[starvegasgirl]

It is so nice to live so close to Vegas!!! 4 hours by car and 1 hour by plane!!! The perfect trip for me is Thursday AM to Sunday AM/early PM! I can get in everything I want to do and I still have time to relax and unwind when I get home.

It is the perfect length! I am afraid that the thrill of being there would wear off after 4 days! If I lived further away and didn't get there as often as I do then a week would be perfect!

[beat]

I usually go for 1 to 4 months at a time.....drive down in motorhome...stay for free in casino parking lots...rent a car for the full time....it's like living there...i love it...wish i could stay there year round

[vegasclub]

It's never long enough. We only get there about once a year, coming from Maryland. We try to make the best of it and stay a couple of weeks. This year we go in July for 19 days. We never seem to get bored because we do the "locals" blackjack and video poker tournaments. We try to find anything we haven't seen in the past and do some sightseeing. We always stay in the downtown area and rent a car to get us around. The best vacation anyone could think of having!!

[shock2020]

I have always done the Sun-midweek for years. Usually in the winter and fall I'll stay 3-4 days, but during the summer it is usually Sun-Friday. During the summer I take advantage of the pool and try to pace my gambling (nothing till after 6:00pm) which stretches the budget. Have never done the weekend though, curious if it is as packed as they say?

[flamingofun]

We go from Sun-Fri in April or Oct. It's never enough nights! as the nights are everything on the Strip. To post kokopelli--we've stayed at Flamingo last decade, very satisified with everything there, it's home. But now is gearing to the young crowd a bit. Enjoy, Viva

[LadySkinArt]

Personally I would love to go to Las Vegas and STAY in Vegas permanently, but alas until that happens I usually try to spend 5 or so days.
Besides the time factor of course, I never really understood why anyone would want to stay on the weekends for the same price I'd be paying for an entire week.
This time I'll be going the longest, early AM flight out Monday and red eye flight back the following Monday so I can pack in all the fun until I drop, especially since I'm going with my bf who's never been there.

[ASTIDIXIE]

:DI usually stay for 11 nights, the first night being my collapse after the long day and flight so I really don't think of myself being there yet.......lol
I work a 10 hour over night shift, do errands, wait for a ride to the bus which takes me to the airport and then travel all day.
I would LOVE to stay a month.............:D
But flights being pricey and rooms not being all that cheap since Harrah's took over...................I doubt this would EVER happen........lol

[Haze]

Our usual stay these days is 5 or 6 nights and we go 3 times a year. Years ago when the air fares were more reasonable we went for 3 or 4 days and would go 5 or 6 times a year. Our rooms are always comped so day of the week depends on what we're there for (tournament, etc.).

Next trip in a week is Wednesday to Tuesday.

[gerryg6]

We just returned from 16 days in Las Vegas and it wasn't long enough. It takes a lot of planning and we stay at several hotels. Weekends can be quite expensive, so we keep checking the rates before we leave and try to get the best rate. When you are there for that length of time you go at a more leisurely pace.

[rambler]

Which is usually 7 days/8 nights. Tue.to Tue. Fly out early AM. fly back afternoons. Always rent a car and stay in more than one casino.Change of scenery makes time go even faster and you wish your trip was even longer.
One of my goals is to vacation in L.V. for at least one week in every month.
8 down/4 to go May and Oct. seem to have the best weather.:)

[wildpitcher]

We do the Sunday to Friday or sometimes Monday to Friday. The rooms are cheaper, the crowds are smaller, and the airfares are often a bit better. So 4 to 5 nights is typical for us.

We've driven down from Seattle area a couple of times. To do that we leave Friday night, arrive in Vegas Sunday and stay through Saturday morning, then drive back.

[JUDY316]

We've been going to Vegas for 30 years - started out just staying for a few days and we've worked our way up to 2 weeks!!! There is no way we could stay for just a few days - there is so much to see and do !!! Every year there is something new. We're not rich - we save up all year and just pace ourselves. Can't afford to stay on the strip anymore though, especially for two weeks!! Now we stay at Palace Station or Gold Coast and several days at Harrah's (comped of course!).
We don't gamble all the time - there's plenty of sightseeing like Red Rock, Valley of Fire, etc. and we have friends there too. We always rent a car so we can go to the locals casinos too.

[dmacw]

We usually go for 7 days. This time we are flying out of NY on Wed morning (early) and leaving Vegas on the following Wed at 12:40 pm. We don't gamble all the time. We rent a car and do other things also.

[westie]

We do (3) 14-night trips per year and that is exactly the right amount of time for us.

[harold]

I can't believe how many people do 5+ nights in Vegas. We usually do 2, and for the first time in years, we are going for three. Of course, we spend our time partying, hard. So I guess anymore than 2-3 nights, would be a mess. By the end of those 3 days, we are so smoky, tired and dried out, we look forward to leaving.

We always do Sun-Tues. Great rates, less crowded, your pick of games. It's win-win with all the vacation time I get at work.

We take our 50 min. flight from OC on the first available slot around 8a. By 11a, we are already checked in and unpacked. It gives us lots of time to do what needs to be done.

Can't wait for the weekend and Vegas.

[LINDABO]

I have been going to Vegas for almost 40 years. At first two or three days were enough. Then it was four or five days. Now it is seven days and no where near enough. If I had the money I would stay for a month or two (of course that would be renting a condo or something - not a hotel). I love it there! I live in upstate NY where the winters are long, but I love the other seasons so it would be hard to move there permanently.

[jrrestoule]

First time was 3 nights... too short.
Second time was 4 nights... too short.
Third time was 5 nights... almost just right.
I am going for my fourth time in a couple weeks and it is for 7 nights. I think this will be perfect.

[TexasPam]

Noticed most people come in Sunday and leave Thursday. Gosh! That chews up 4 vacation days..... so I go in Friday and leave the following Sunday, and I use 5 vacation days and get an 8 day trip! If I left Sunday, I twittle my thumbs on Friday and Saturday waiting and waiting for Sunday to come already!

Good trips are any trips... but I like the longer trips better.

Realistically, I take a few days from work and tack it on to a long holiday weekend. Stretches my vacation days from work.

Retirement -- I won't have to worry about this, and based on all my comped rooms and food and free play, I could spend a month, easily!!:)

[alan4175]

I typically go 3 times a year, used to be 4 but found that to be a bit much. Started with the Thurs-Sun, Fri-Mon type schedule to minimize vacation days but found those trips too quick particularly if travel issues on way to Vegas. Evolved to 4 nights then 5 and it seems to work the best for me. Seems to allow the best balance with budget and gambling, pool, restaurants, shows, clubs, and shopping. As others have mentioned I typically will head out Sunday and back on Friday, avoiding the pricey Fri-Sat nights. This allows a leisurely day Saturday for packing and wrapping things up and recovery time the following weekend before heading into work (ugh).

An exception to this is when I go for Super Bowl weekend, where I do Sat-Thurs. That often requires me to stay at a cheaper property for a couple of days then shift to one of my favorites. My perception is that Vegas hotels are more amenable to Saturday arrivals than years ago when they typically weren't allowed. I will also be doing Sat-Thurs for my next trip on May 10. That weekend and week appear to be slow for some reason (reference the rate calendars for Mandalay Bay and Hard Rock as examples).

[ajcarl]

I'd love to live there but would be broke all the time.
I find that about all I can usually handle is 3-5 days. That gives me a chance to actually get ahead and I can leave on house money!
The longer I stay, the more I lose usually. However, there are a lot of shows that I'd like to see that are only on specific nights so I need to be there on those days.
For me a good trip usually starts on Sunday when everyone else is leaving. You get better rates during the week and smaller crowds. BUT I have to go to work, so weekends are where I usually end up going. If I am ever able to retire, I'd go whenever. Perhaps I'd move to the area--maybe Laughlin or Bullhead as I like the casinos there a bit better. They have to compete and prices are better on meals, etc.

[LamontJoe]

Reading about the length of trips to Vegas really makes me long to go back. For us, we always drive, since it is only a 4 1/2 hour trip. Talk about excitement! Driving through the high desert is just grand, knowing you're like 2 hours away from gambling. I understand the Sunday arrival mentality, but my wife and I like to leave on Saturday and stay until Thursday and then head back, that way we have all of Friday and the rest of the weekend to recover to be ready for work on Monday.

I used to head to Vegas on a Friday night after work, drive into rush hour traffic and get tangled up in the getaway traffic. Finally make it in at 11pm. Then it was gamble, sleep, eat, gamble, eat, gamble, sleep, gamble, eat, gamble eat, gamble, and sleep. All the way through Sunday, when I would head home at 11am. Hell, I had to go back to work just to get some rest! So those quick weekend turn around trips are hard. I can see why a lot of you take a 5-7 days just to relax and have fun.

I love this site and the trip reports make me feel a little closer to Vegas.

[bostonkev]

Noticed most people come in Sunday and leave Thursday. Gosh! That chews up 4 vacation days..... so I go in Friday and leave the following Sunday, and I use 5 vacation days and get an 8 day trip! If I left Sunday, I twittle my thumbs on Friday and Saturday waiting and waiting for Sunday to come already!

Good trips are any trips... but I like the longer trips better.

Realistically, I take a few days from work and tack it on to a long holiday weekend. Stretches my vacation days from work.

Retirement -- I won't have to worry about this, and based on all my comped rooms and food and free play, I could spend a month, easily!!:)

************************************************** ******
Hi Pam,

I have to travel during the week because it is cheaper for rooms and airfare. Not enough of a player to be comped rooms (actually not loyal enough to any casino or players card)