Hello, Hope this information is helpful. My husband and I traveled to Vegas 8/17-8/22. We are a healthy, kind of hip, late 30's (When did that happen?). Here is the run down:
Airline: Northwest-cheap, long stop over both ways in Detroit. not very clean planes, you have to buy any snacks that you want, drinks still free. First flight our seats were near the garbage which smelled. I will definately spend more on a better flight next time.
Hotel/Casino-Bally's-The price is good. It is centrally located. It even directly connects with the Paris (very cool casino you have to get a souvenier drink in a ceramic not the plastic cup). It is, however, a little 'tired'. We were offered an upgrade for $20.00 a night. I am still torn as to wether we should have taken it. Our room certainly hasn't been renovated in years and had not been thoroughly cleaned in a while (corners, behind nghtstands etc) We also had a long, long walk to the pool. The pool is not the biggest and again a little 'tired'. The mango daquairis however were YUMMY!(large $16-enough for 2 at 10 am). Because of the price/value ratio I may even stay here again. If I decide I can afford a little more I would definately stay someplace else. We did have a coupon for $20 Hooter's that we didn't use and free lunch at the Pampass Grill at the Aladdin that we did use.Also the room service was good, quick and a good value if you split the sandwiches which were very large.
Food-Big Kitchen Buffet-Bally's. Lunch $16 p.p.-Wonderful, especially the greenbeans, carrots, steak, desserts. Sterling Buffet-Bally's-$65 p.p.-WORTH EVERY PENNY!!!!The worst part of the buffet was the all you could eat lobster. I had fresh sweet figs, raspberries, gourmet cheeses, cavier, sweet-perfectly shucked oysters, grilled baby vegetables, tender juicy duck. There were two ladies making fresh sushi, somebody making omelettes. All you can drink champagne and the dessert buffet!!!!! The Salsa Grill-the Luxor-very good mexican food-SPLIT the meal. The portions are huge. The Pampass Grill-the Aladdin-Middleastern food. we had a free coupon but for lunch with drinks it would have been about$37. It was wonderful. You fill your plate from a small buffet of salads-(wonderful calamari salad in a citrus dressing)They bring you a basket of interesting 'Bread' items-including a small portion of fried banana. Then when you are ready you turn over a card they left at the table and waiters start bringing large skewers of meat to your table and carving as much as you want. I had the best chicken ever there. The decor is lovely, especially the bathrooms-seriously.we ate at other places, snacks etc but these were the best.
Gambling-Blackjack-I was going to try it for the first time. I had been practicing. When I got to Vegas however all I found for the most part were $15 min. and higher tables, a few $10 and scary $5 tables at some of the small places you can dart into. The payout on a natural was 6-5 and I never saw any better. Slots-never saw or heard anybody getting excited about the payout. The new(?) S&H GREENSTAMP slots were cute but what the heck was I thinking. With the penny slots you still have to bet max. on max lines to try for anything big. Save your money -go shopping or drinking. Promotions-Slots/gambling "clubs" at the casinos-join them. We joined the one for the Harrah's chain of which Bally's is part, so is Paris, Flamingo, Caesar's, Rio. They were having a contest. you had to run around to three each day between 12:30 and 5:30(?) get a card stamped then you were entered to win one million dollars, you also got free things at the third casino you visited-T-shirts at one place, very cute stuffed turtles at another.-Hey, you are going to be walking around anyway.
Shows- "O" and "Zumanity" - This was the big reason I went to Vegas. I have been a big "Cirque" freak for years. "O" was one of the most amazing shows I have ever seen. I was in tears at the end. This was not my first Cirque show and I go to NYC on a regular basis. Zumanity was also amazing but maybe not for everyone. We had front row seats. If you don't like being the center of attention this is not the show to be upfront. You can't be a prude or be expecting a 'typical' Cirque show.
Attractions-SHARK REEF-Mandalay Bay- Very interesting worth the visit and the long walk to get to it ($17 p.p. ?) M&M/Coke stores. Lots of fun even for adults. We did the world of Coke taste test for $7(?) 18 flavors from around the world-watermelon flavor-YUK. Gameworks-okay if you have kids, alot of the games were broken, use one of the coupons that are in almost every book. Guggenheim-Rubens exhibit- loved it
Shopping-Hands down the Aladdin. Cool stores I could actually afford. Also loved the Everything $10 stores-there was one at Bally's. I didn't feel too bad when I ruined my new watch ($10) when I stuck my hand in a tank to pet a baby shark at the Shark Reef. The $20 gemstone store also at Bally's was loads of fun as was Crazy Shirts at Aladdin.
Transportation-WALK-you are going to eat and drink like a pig! In a pinch the tram is nice only if you are going to one of the resorts that has a stop, otherwise you end up walking forever anyway. Cabs would be my choice. We took the bus once. We waited forever, it took forever, was crowded and hot.
Coupons-I never did see any of the buy one get one free buffet coupons of the old days and I picked up or took any book handed to me. Other lesser coupons are readily available. As for shows if a Cirque ticket can go for $125 and another show is buy one get one for app $45-you get what you pay for.
Tropicana had a good list of coupons. We got a free deck of cards.Weeeee!!I had printed outa voucher for a coupon book for Ceasar's shops before leaving but at the Venetian all I had to do was ask for a voucher and then go get my coupon book at another location. It was a lot of walking and time for coupons for people who don't need coupons.
Best tip-Research, research, research before going and then you can be flexible when you get there and still be on budget. Take your coupons with you but don't be held hostage. If there is a show you want to see all is not lost we saw people get tickets to Phantom, Penn and Teller and standby for "O" for that night.
Hope this helps overall I give my Vegas trip a 10 out of 10. Have fun

I'll have to stay a week to see it all! Cool!