Las Vegas, Nev. is the most glorious American adult playground, and is merely a state away from Tucsonans. If UA students are tempted to make a weekend of it in Sin City, here are a few tips.
If you have the time, take a road trip.

If you’ve got the weekend and money to burn, the hour flight from Sky Harbor to McCarran International Airport is easy to take and gets you there quickly. If you’ve got a bit more time, however, make it a road trip. It’s about eight hours from Tucson to Vegas, and there is some absolutely beautiful territory to cross in the meantime. Stop in Flagstaff, the Grand Canyon or Hoover Dam if you can afford to be leisurely. If you pile up the car with friends and split the cost of gas, you’ll save your cash for Vegas.

Get a good hotel

It’s tempting to find a little hole in the wall to save the money, but the hotel you’re staying at makes or breaks the Las Vegas trip. There are plenty of classy places right on the Las Vegas Strip that you can afford, if you can afford a hotel in general. Places like the Bellagio and the Mirage, the cream of the Vegas crop, are surprisingly affordable, especially if you are willing to share the bill (and the beds) with friends. Even if you blow pretty much every cent on your room, there’s enough to do in most Vegas hotels that you’ll have a decent couple of days even if you never set foot outside.

See a show

It may be tempting (and admittedly fun) to spend all your money on booze and gambling, but squirrel away a little bit of money for at least one show. Las Vegas is all about spectacle, and almost every show in town is nothing short of spectacular. There are shows for all tastes, from family-friendly to exceedingly titillating, and everything in between. Even if you absolutely can’t afford it, there are a few shows that are absolutely free. Tramp down to the Circus Circus for free circus acts on the casino floor, and the aforementioned Bellagio has one of the coolest water shows right outside for all to see.

If you gamble, be prepared to lose it all

This may be more than obvious, but it bears mentioning that when in Vegas, you shouldn’t bet anything you aren’t prepared to lose. Las Vegas makes such a good profit because gambling is incredibly addictive, so if you indulge in that most famous of Sin City pleasures, be careful. Essentially, consider the money you pay into slot machines or at tables the fee for playing a fun game for a few minutes, because you are unlikely to keep any of it if you play it out. If you do happen to get ahead, even by a small amount, cash out and buy yourself a little memento with it for the memory. If you choose to continue, it won’t be long before you’re down again.

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