Ok everyone... So you want to go on a vacation without a lot of money and you don't know where to go. You want relaxation but you are kinda wanting
pizazz of Vegas as well. Do you have kids? No problem!!! I can give you some fun ideas for a kick-back
Vegas influences (of-course) vacation with a lot less out of your pocket!
To me, there are actually 3 real main parts to
Laughlin. There is main
Laughlin, The
Avi, and then there is the Arizona side that there is a lot of fun that can be explored.
My suggestion when you first get in town, plan your days, down to your meals, where they will be and how much you will be paying for each. Set a gambling budget and if you have kids, set a budget for them at the kid play areas if you intend to have any alone time....
In the main part of
Laughlin, you find the bright lights and big casinos kind of like Vegas with one little twist, the river. The river has boat rides offered up and down at reasonable rates and you can rent sea-
doos to ride hourly or even for the day. But don't jump right into renting there, they are pricey! If you go over to the Arizona side to rent the skis, you can rent for 1/3 the price as the
Laughlin side leaving you more money to gamble, eat or just plain keep in your pocket for souvenirs.
Then there are some free activities over in Arizona that you can do. There is an Old Ghost Town in
Oatman where you can shop, see an wild west show put on by the locals and also pet some burros (wild donkeys), even feed the burros. If you plan on heading out to do this, plan on spending half a day
at least out there and bring
plenty of snacks and water so you keep hydrated and fed. In the summer, it is extremely hot and easy to overheat quickly!
If you are in the Old Ghost Town and want to head over to The
Avi, it's just a quick drive, maybe half an hour to the
Avi. Follow the signs! This is an all inclusive hotel, including a beach for the river, a beautiful pool, a nice buffet, a nice casino and a Kid's Quest. You can drop the kid's off at the kid's Quest to play for an hourly rate while you gamble. The price is usually $6-$8 per hour, per child. The Riverside in main
Laughlin also has a Kid's Castle which is the same thing.
We stayed at The
Avi this summer and a couple weeks later we received a complimentary night stay for our next visit! This will
definitely bring us back since we really enjoyed the hotel in the first place!!!
For a family of 4 on a budget doing all the extra activities I described plus rooms, you can do this vacation for 4 or 5 days on a budget of around $700 with the rooms included. Just be careful with your gambling and be creative and remember to pack waters and snacks from home and a travel cooler you can take with you wherever you go.
I hope this helps and you enjoy your vacation in Mini Vegas!!! Remember, a vacation is about relaxing, not stressing! When in doubt, the pool is free, kids love it and naps rejuvenate you!!! :)
Oh and one more thing... If you have any friends or relatives that go to
Laughlin like we do, they might have comp rooms they might not need that they could gift you. So check around, I'm sure they wouldn't mind parting with them! ;)
I'd love feedback if anyone has any... Please give me some if you do go and let me know how your trip was and what your budget was....
Thanks and good Luck! Win Big!!!