I’ve been to Las Vegas approximately 20 times, and I’ll be honest: after so many trips, it’s no longer a top destination for me. But after finding an airfare hack that would allow us to have an overnight Las Vegas layover (for all of 16 hours) before flying on to Buenos Aires, Argentina, I welcomed the opportunity to experience the city I hadn’t visited recently. I challenged myself to have the best experience in Vegas in the most financially savvy way.
Vegas is constantly changing, and it seems like there is always something new and exciting to explore every time I visit. Whether you have 6 hours to kill or an overnight layover like I did, this guide should help make the most of your Las Vegas layover.
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Las Vegas Layover Tips & Tricks
Airport Transportation
If you are planning to leave the airport on your Las Vegas layover, the quickest, easiest, and cheapest way to the Strip is via ridesharing apps. In general, I try to exclusively use ridesharing apps (Lyft, Uber, etc.) over taxis, and anyone who has ever stood in the never-ending taxi line at LAS understands why.
I recommend requesting a ride when leaving baggage claim since there will probably be a 5-10 minute wait time for a driver and that will give you enough time to get to the ridesharing pickup area outside of the airport. While there are signs directing travelers to the ridesharing pickup area, they do not make it easy on you; you have to take an elevator from baggage claim up to level two, cross a sky bridge to the parking lot, then take another elevator up to level 2M.
Upon reaching the pickup area, the vehicles pull into numbered parking spots and alert you with which spot to find them in. From there, it’s smooth sailing to the Las Vegas Strip!
For reference, if considering a ridesharing option for travel between the airport and the Strip, plan on your ride taking approximately 15 minutes.
Layover Hotel Review – The LINQ Hotel and Casino
If you happen to have an overnight layover in Las Vegas, finding a budget-friendly hotel for one-night is a must. All you need is a clean hotel with a great location, preferably in the middle of the Strip, and I was able to find this in The LINQ Hotel and Casino. If you’ve been to Las Vegas before, maybe you remember Imperial Palace, the total dive hotel in between the Flamingo and Harrah’s? It no longer exists. A few years ago it got a facelift and rebranded itself as The LINQ.
When looking for the most affordable on-strip hotel option for a one-night stay (which also happened to be a Wednesday in early October—not exactly peak Vegas), I found The Linq for under $100. That would’ve been a great price to pay for a one-night stay in Las Vegas, but most hotels in Las Vegas charge a “resort fee,” which includes things like wifi and concierge service. But even with the resort fee and tax, our total per night was totally reasonable. And it ended up being completely worth it!
Between the efficient check-in process, using a QR code I was emailed for the express check-in/out kiosks, updated rooms with a modern vibe that showed no resemblance to its former Imperial Palace days, and its central location on the strip, I was thoroughly impressed with The LINQ. They did a great job with the renovation and modern design and built out an incredible area adjacent to the hotel, the Linq Promenade, which features The High Roller, the world’s largest observation wheel. The area also includes a large variety of restaurants, drinking establishments, shops and even a bowling alley. Stay here and enjoy!
Where to Eat on The Strip
Gordan Ramsey’s Burger
My husband and I are big fans of a burger done right and we know where to find one in Vegas. We have eaten at Gordan Ramsey’s Burger in the Planet Hollywood hotel on the Strip a few times and consider it one of our favorite places to eat when visiting Vegas.
Gordan Ramsey split with his business partner which forced the restaurant to make some changes (and kill some much-loved menu items like the delicious jalapeño poppers – RIP) to avoid getting sued. It also explains the restaurant’s name change (formerly burgr).
While it appears that this restaurant has gone through a lot of changes since Gordon split with his partner, the burgers are still amazing, and I continue to highly recommend it!
Secret Pizza
For a quicker and more affordable dining option during your Las Vegas layover, check out Secret Pizza in the Cosmopolitan. There is no signage for this pizza-by-a-slice joint, which makes it truly a hidden gem.
To find Secret Pizza, head to the third floor of the restaurant level in the Cosmopolitan. After getting off the escalators, follow the hallway that is to the left of Jaleo.
Cheapest Blackjack Tables on the Strip
So I will let you in on a little secret… I like to play blackjack. My accountant husband does not like to gamble (the idea of losing money on purpose doesn’t seem to sit well with him), but he will play blackjack with me if the opportunity arises. We are very low-budget blackjack players as I refuse to bet more than $5 on a hand (ok, so maybe the idea of losing money on purpose doesn’t sit well with me either) and really only play because it’s entertaining, not because I think I am going to win a bunch of money.
Anyway, if you have as Las Vegas layover, chances are you are going to want to find a casino. Below are my recommendations of where you can find the cheapest blackjack tables on the Strip.
Casino Royale
$5 Blackjack tables in Vegas are difficult to find on the Strip (but can be easily found in Fremont), except at Casino Royale, located next to Harrah’s. Casino Royale is probably the most divey casino left on the Strip (since they tore down the original O’Sheas), and while it appears as though Casino Royale has reduced the number of card tables available and replaced them with slot machines, there are still plenty of $5 tables available.
O’Sheas and The LINQ
And while Casino Royale is our go-to casino for $5 tables, we did discover a little after midnight that O’Sheas (the rebuilt, smaller version of the original) and The LINQ both had $5 tables too! Now, I think you can usually find some $5 tables at O’Sheas, but I am unsure if The LINQ only had $5 tables because it was after midnight on a Wednesday in October, or if they regularly offer $5 table options. Regardless, there are options for budget-savvy gamblers like me!
