Time it right and save big on vacation travel |
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"If you have flexible dates, you can save a lot," says Lynn Goya, author of "Fun with the Family in Las Vegas." "Go
to the Wynn Resorts Web sites and look at the calendar. A room at an off time, when they know there's no convention, can be a great deal."
Just how great is great?
"You can get a room for $119 or $129 a night that can be $1,100 at another time," Goya says.
"Pick two or three resorts, even the top ones, and start scrolling through the booking dates on their Web sites," Goya
says. "You'll see huge changes.
"Most of the main casino hotels will vary their rates on occupancy and expected occupancy. If you can be flexible, book
early and check around a lot."
Don't think you're selling yourself short, either.
An off time "is a nicer time to come, because when we're booked, everything's so crowded," Goya says. "This way it's more
accessible -- there are more openings in our shows and in our top restaurants."
A day before or after a convention, Goya says, is one way to go, and you can figure that out from the online calendars.
Between Christmas and New Year's
If convention avoidance doesn't work for you, try the traditionally cheapest week of the year.
Goya says that apart from odd convention-less times, in Las Vegas, "the only other time that's typically a lot cheaper is
the week after Christmas and before New Year's.
"The only problem with that is that a lot of our shows go dark that week, so you might want to check on entertainment before
you book," she says.
You can snag a deal on major city hotels that week, too, if you're willing to deal with some typically cold winter weather.
A downtown Chicago hotel room, for instance, will usually be more reasonable in the last week of the year, and you can
still enjoy the same great museums as any other time.
The Magnificent Mile is just as magnificent during the year's cheapest travel week.
Go midweek, and eat in midafternoon
If you're traveling with children, the cheapest time may also be the most convenient time.
"Typically, midweek or weekends when there are no conventions are better times to bring kids, because it's less crowded,"
says Goya.
"Think of eating midafternoon meals, or hors d'oeuvres at happy hours," says Goya, who recommends that strategy for visiting
Las Vegas. "We have great happy hours that can be really inexpensive.
"One place was doing a one-pound lobster for $12 during happy hour," Goya says. "Often the happy hour includes a lot of
food, and you can save money that way.
"Take advantage of those off times during the day, because a lot of places have bargains," she says.
That's true in other cities, too. If you can eat a late lunch in New York, it will be a lot cheaper than dinner. Of course,
the biggest saver of all is a big breakfast.
Even better is booking a hotel where a filling morning meal is free.
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