To give you a little context of how this adventure came to be… our 2019 kicked off to an interesting start… I rang in the new year in the hospital and was quarantined for about 10 days after being discharged. At home.. no leaving the house.. no travel.. no events.. no work.. This was a change of pace for us to say the least.
Happy New Year!
After 3 weeks of being at home taking it easy, I was itching to go on an epic adventure to make up for my lost time. However, I knew I wasn’t up to my normal stamina, so I decided to jump in the car and enjoy the scenic views Arizona has to offer.
For my first adventure of 2019, I wanted to be spontaneous and go where the road took me but I needed somewhat of a goal. I looked up free events near me and found one near Superstition Mountains that looked enticing – with free food and hot air balloons, what’s not to like?! Tip: People often ask how I hear about these free events. I actually use Facebook to see smaller local events going on near me!
Morning – Scenic drive from Scottsdale to the Superstition Mountains
I started the morning by packing my CamelBak, some Rx bars, and clementines for my adventure ahead. You never want to be stuck out on the road without water and snacks, especially in Arizona! I didn’t know what was ahead, so I packed a little of everything for the day.
You can get to the Superstition Mountains area two ways from Scottsdale – through Fountain Hills and south on the 87 or drive through the city via the 101 & 60 highways.
Tip: When two routes have close estimated travel times, we opt for the scenic route because you never know what will catch your eye on the way. I highly recommend going through Fountain Hills to get to the Superstition Mountains. Shea Blvd. and the 87 have breathtaking views the entire drive.
Click here for the location of this Fountain Hills viewpoint.
Afternoon – New Development Announcement – Lunch & Hot Air Balloons
After going way more east than I’d ever been in the Phoenix area, I finally pulled up to the Gold Canyon community hosting the free event. I grabbed some delicious (and free) street tacos and churros, toured the property, and headed up towards the highlight of the event – complimentary hot air balloon rides. The community bordered beautiful landscapes that were even more beautiful from the sky.
Imagine this as your backyard!
Tip for these free events: be honest if you’re not going to buy anything. It saves everyone time. You won’t be turned away from the event, and you’ll still get everything that they advertise. If you’ve read our Cabo blog, you know that attending seminars or promo events is a great strategy for experiencing unique, free activities.
Touring this community and its views was a great perk of the event.
After I checked off all the free activities at the community, I headed on the road deeper into the Superstition Mountains via the Peralta Trails.
This was at the beginning of the Peralta Trails. These roads are amazing because there were never-ending views with nobody around!
Afternoon – The Wave Cave
I decided to drive towards the Wave Cave. This looked like a cool way to jump back into adventuring! On the way (and down a dusty, dirt road towards Wave Cave), I realized that my lungs were simply not up for a hike yet.
I followed that dirt road which seemed like it would never end. Along the way, ATVers were zooming from campsite to campsite exploring the terrain. I figured, hey… maybe I can’t hike, but I can still enjoy the views.
At some point, I lost service, but it was nice to just unplug and enjoy FINALLY being able to be outdoors. I made it to the Wave Cave trailhead before hopping back in the car and heading back to Fountain Hills.
If you’re looking for a picturesque landscape that truly captures what Arizona is all about, this is the dirt road you want to end up on. Although I couldn’t do the Wave Cave on this particular day, I’ll definitely be back.
Taking a final look along the Superstition MountainsSo excited to be out adventuring again!
So… I decided since I ended my day early by skipping my hike, the day wasn’t over yet!
The drive back to Fountain Hills was equally as beautiful (and much more peaceful than taking the 101). Since the day was already full of awesome firsts (first hot air balloon, first time seeing the Superstition Mountains, first time in Gold Canyon…), I decided to add one more and see the famous Fountain Hills Fountain!
This Fountain Hills Fountain reaches up to 384 feet and goes off every hour on the hour for 15 minutes. Sitting along the water’s edge watching the fountain blast off was the perfect end to a free day of low key adventure!
There are a lot of fun things to do at the park like Frisbee golf and Pokemon Go Hunting (you’ll know from our San Diego blog that’s how we find hot spots within walking distance)!
Whether you live in Arizona or you want to visit soon, I highly recommend taking a day to explore the Superstition Mountains and all the views they offer. This is the perfect Arizona experience for those that may not be able to physically hike or have lack of mobility but want those amazing desert mountain views.
Until next time…
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It’s that time of the year again – expensive travel time! We know most people travel around the holiday season to maximize their time off. Unfortunately, that typically means you’re also maximizing the cost of your vacation… getting way less bang for your buck! But… it doesn’t always have to be that way. This blog focuses on one of our favorite (and slightly cheaper) holiday-time destinations, Ruidoso, New Mexico.
Ruidoso is a small New Mexican town with a population of about 8,000 and elevation of 6,920 ft. It’s the perfect mountain town for a holiday getaway. We’ve celebrated both Thanksgiving and Christmas there for many years. The air is crisp and cool, the stars light up the night sky as you walk off the turkey you just ate, the warm fires keep everyone nice and cozy, and there are a TON of adventurous things to do in the area. If your family has both people who just enjoy relaxing and people who want to go go go, Ruidoso is the holiday destination for you
Getting to Ruidoso:
Ruidoso is driving distance from both Arizona and Texas, making it the perfect meet-in-the-middle spot for our family. It’s about an 8-hour drive from Phoenix and 6-hour drive from West Texas. If you don’t feel like driving, Roswell Airport (ROW) is a little over an hour away (second smallest airport I’ve been to). Flights are relatively inexpensive considering the size of the airport. TIP: There is a small, free Air Force museum located inside the Roswell Airport – I highly recommend checking it out if you fly here. Roswell is also one of the most famous alien-spotting sights in the US.
We often fly into/out of Albuquerque (ABQ) – about 3 hours from Ruidoso to save on our drive time. There is a lot to see, do, and eat in Albuquerque as well!
Regardless of how you get there, you’ll definitely want to have a car in Ruidoso. Plan on driving or renting a car.
Where to stay in Ruidoso:
AirBnb/VRBO: We highly recommend going this route. We usually stay just north of Ruidoso’s town center. We’ve had great experiences at this AirBnb in particular. Most of the surrounding houses are great for packing people in and having enough space to eat Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. You can find places that sleep more than 5 people at $150-$250/night! Click here to get $40 off your first AirBnb stay.
Making snow angels in the driveway one Christmas
Inn of the Mountain Gods: This is a very nice hotel and casino. We visit it every time to do a little gambling and look at the holiday decorations. Each time we’ve been, we came out as winners! It’s the luckiest casino I’ve ever been to, and we go to Vegas A LOT.
Other hotel options: This hotel is located near the cute town center of Ruidoso filled with unique shops and boutiques. If you’re looking to minimize your driving, this is the place to stay.
Things to do during the cold season! What to do in Ruidoso:
If you read anything in the blog, this should be it!
Snowboarding
I’ve been snowboarding a lot throughout the US since starting the sport almost 15 years ago – including Arizona (see our Snowbowl blog here), California, Colorado, Minnesota, and New Mexico. Ski Apache in Ruidoso is hands down my favorite place to go when they get good snowfall. Why? It’s not crowded at all, they have awesome long runs, and the off-trail snowboarding is super fun…not that I’m saying you should go off trail… it’s just how I personally judge a mountain. And of course, the reason we really like it is prices are very reasonable. We typically do half days, which are $52/person (full day is $74).
My favorite Ski Apache adventure was when we snowboarded through clouds while it was snowing.
One thing I dislike about the well-known snowboarding spots is when you end up waiting in line for the chairlift for so long that you sit or stand more than you’re on the mountain. This has never been the case for me at Ski Apache. TIP: If you’re renting gear, rent at the base of the mountain instead of at the mountain itself. Try Ski Ruidoso Ski Shop for starters!
Zip Lining at Ski Apache
This was the highest elevation zip line I’ve ever been on (11,489 ft)! I’m not afraid of heights at all, but this one did get a little scary as you saw just how high above the forest floor you were. It’s a great activity to do when the mountain doesn’t have snow. Prices start at $84/person (totally worth the splurge… shout out to my step-mom who treated me to this for my birthday one year). TIP: bring warmer clothes than you think you need! The elevation change and high speeds of over 65 mph make your zip line adventure pretty cold. The zip line totals 8,890 ft long… so if you’re cold, you’ll be cold for a while.
View from the top of the zip lineView from the bottom of the zip line (after several stops in between)!
Go Carts & Mini Golf
My dad loves mini golf almost as much as Mike loves real golf, so Pillow’s Funtrackers is a must for our family every time we visit when there’s no snow. Tip: If you have a large group buy the bigger ticket package and split the cost instead of each person buying a couple tickets at a more expensive price. Mini golf is also way more bang for your buck than go-carts, but how can you say no to a quick race with your friends/family?
My sister won the prize for worst mini golfer last year 🙂 . We cut her off after 10 attempts. Maybe she will win most improved this year!
Bike Rides & Walks
Part of the beauty of being Ruidoso is the fresh air and nature everywhere you go. There are deer, turkey, and bears (be careful!) right outside. Walking and biking along the streets when there isn’t snow is one of the best ways to enjoy the mountain air and sights.
Make Your Own Sled Trail
A few years ago, we got snowed in at the house in Ruidoso. Flights were canceled, we couldn’t drive, and the snow was up to our waists. Obviously, the best thing to do is build your own sled trail. We did this all the time growing up in Minnesota. We took over the backside of the house into the street. Neighbors came out to join! It was like reliving our childhood all over again… but with faster trails.
Snowed in for New Years!
Boutique Shopping & Window Shopping
This is probably the only time that you’ll see a Rich Living, Less Spending post talk about shopping as an activity! Ruidoso has the cutest little shops that people flood to for the holidays (located on Sudderth Drive). My personal favorites are:
The candy shop, Sweet Retreat, where we always get fudge and caramel apples.
The local soap shop, All Lathered Up, for good smells and unique soap combinations. It’s like Lush before Lush was cool.
I got these huge bath bombs for $15 total!
The Cool Stuff store (that’s its actual name). This is my dad’s personal favorite because you really never know what you’ll find in it. From candles to tiaras to figurines… it’s totally random and just has cool stuff. There is even an adult-only section in the back of the store.
What I do see a lot of people do is shop just to shop since they are there. This can be a total waste of money! So, start with window shopping… if you like what you see, go back and buy it.
Where to Eat in Ruidoso:
Sacred Grounds Coffee and Tea House: We highly recommend this coffee shop to warm up over a cup of hot cocoa or coffee while looking out over the forest views.
Farley’s Food, Fun & Pub: This restaurant has great pizza and good pub food for reasonable prices. It’s a fun place to stop at, have a beer, and play pool after visiting Ruidoso’s town square.
Vinny & Val’s: We usually come to this Italian restaurant to celebrate birthdays. It has great lunch deals compared to other Ruidoso restaurants. I recommend calling in advance to see if you can get a reservation because it does get busy around holiday times.
Grocery Stores: Like we say in most of our blogs, the easiest way to cut down on your costs is to eat in more than you eat out. Buying most of your food and alcohol at a grocery store, will save you $100s (or $1000s with a big group)! This Albertson’s is our go-to grocery store in Ruidoso. There is also a Walmart a little farther out that has more of a selection (I once forgot to pack a swimsuit and a couple other essentials and had to go out to the local Walmart).
The holiday season is about spending more quality time with the people you care about – not about spending more money. Keep up with the Joneses without spending like the Joneses by taking your vacation in Ruidoso, New Mexico.
Ruidoso in the winter during sunset
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With summer fading away into fall, I started thinking of all the crazy back-to-back trips and red-eyes we accomplished this season, but there was one that definitely stood out and would make a perfect Fall Break (since we can’t wait to go back) – Boulder, Colorado. We were totally blown away by how fun, beautiful, and unique Boulder was.
View from Colorado University in Boulder
This trip all started in January when Mike announced his 30th birthday present would be seeing back-to-back Dead & Company shows in Boulder, CO. From January to July, we planned this trip to make it the best ever. Partly because it was his birthday but also because we knew we’d need to plan in advance to have a relatively cheap Boulder experience in the middle of summer during one of the busiest weekends (the shows bring in more than 50,000 fans, making transportation and lodging pricy).
The crowd at the concerts
Getting There:
We wanted to save as much as we could on the travel portion of the trip, so we took the latest flight out of Phoenix.
Having some fun at PHX – Sky Harbor
We got in at about 1:00 am to Denver after a full day of work. Boulder is about 45 minutes from Denver, so we booked a SuperShuttle in advance to guarantee that we had a ride that late at night.
Good thing we did – wait times for Uber & Lyft were about 1 hour and cost more than the SuperShuttle. Cost: $100 each way. We offset the cost of the transportation by booking Mike’s flights with points, and my flight was about $75 each way.
Staying There:
Where we stayed in Boulder was key. We wanted a place that was close enough that we didn’t have to rent a car, so we needed to be within walking distance to the venue (CU’s Folsom Field), grocery stores, bars, and we were visiting my brother, so close to him as well. BUT, we didn’t want to break the bank.
Since we knew that there was going to be a huge amount of people coming in for the concert, we booked our AirBnb right away! People were posting in groups that their hotel prices were more than $500/night. We snagged a private AirBnb for $120/night within a mile of everything we needed. As we stumbled in the first night at 3:00 am, we didn’t get to see much. But, waking up to see that this location was right along walking trails with a great patio was the best treat you could get after a red-eye!
What to do in Boulder:
Before we left for Boulder, I reached out to a couple locals to see where the hot spots of town are. Unanimously… Pearl Street. So, our first stop was breakfast along Pearl St. They gave us some specific recommendations, but the first day we just walked to Pearl St. from our AirBnb and let our noses lead the way.
Foolish Craig’s roped us in with their diner-style food and claim of having the best Bloody Marys in town. And I will say, they were pretty good!
Foolish Craig’s for Breakfast
A couple of bloody marys in and with full stomachs, we decided we should probably get some of the necessities before the day got away from us. We Ubered* back to our house (cost $6) to drop off our leftovers and started the walk along the nature trails to Sprouts.
TIP: bring water bottles with you if you plan on walking places. You never know how long it’ll take you when you’re in high elevation and going straight uphill.
Walking to Sprouts
At Sprouts, we got some fruit, protein snacks, and grab-n-go style food to take with us when we were out walking. Liquor and beer aren’t sold in the grocery stores, so we went next door to the liquor store for some local beer. We ended up Ubering back since we had quite a lot to carry. Cost of groceries: $25. Cost of beer: $20. We always shop for local beer at a grocery store instead of eating out for everything. This cuts our costs by at least 1/2…. probably even more.
Beer tasting on the patio
After we got home, we set up our own beer tasting station while we relaxed on the patio. It was so peaceful and the perfect thing to do before we headed into the masses that were there for the concert. After filling up on beer, snacks, and our leftovers, we headed towards CU.
We Ubered 1/2 way to the concert since a lot of it was blocked off and walked the rest of the way (cost $5). Once in the venue, we already had a nice buzz from our beer tasting, so we filled up our hydration packs with water for free!
TIP: a lot of large events allow single-pouch Camelbak-style backpacks. This saves you time constantly buying water and keeps you alive if you’re out in the heat for long periods of time. We saved about $100 by buying this non-Camelbak brand:
Looking so cool with our single-pouch hydration packsYou can see the excitement on Mike’s face
After the concerts each night, there were after parties along Pearl St. going until the bars closed down. We usually just walked everywhere after the concert due to crazy surge pricing and the chaos of tens of thousands of people trying to leave the venue.
Exploring Boulder:
The next day, we visited my younger brother who had just moved to Boulder. We Ubered to his place ($8) and walked along University Hill, stopping at parks along the way to our breakfast spot.
Stopped at the park before getting my brother
We decided to take him to the most highly recommended brunch spot by our friends, River and Woods. You really need to make a reservation if you want to eat here, especially for brunch on the weekends. River and Woods in Boulder serves everything from Cap’n Crunch to community-sourced menu options with very generous bottomless mimosas ($15/person). You get even more bang for your buck with the mimosas since you’re at high elevation…
Gold Miner’s BreakfastCap’n Crunch – still my little brother even though he’s 19!Community-sourced Baked Challah French Toast
Again with full stomachs and a little buzz, we headed back to University Hill to experience the new-age mode of transportation, electric longboarding. Boulder is very hilly, so this is the fastest way to go uphill if you’re just walking around. They are kind of scary with speeds at about 25 mph…
Electric longboard
This time on the way to the concert, we took some trails to get a peak of Boulder Creek along the way. There are so many places to explore within Boulder!
Although we didn’t have the time this trip, we highly recommend doing a thirteener or fourteener (a hike that reaches above 13,000 or 14,000 feet in elevation). The views are AMAZING. Here’s a picture of my brother on a hike he did the week before we arrived:
Our top travel tips for Boulder, Colorado are:
Walk everywhere that you can… you’ll find so many great hidden spots
Skip renting a car if you’re staying in the city. Our Uber drivers were extremely nice and told us so many great local tips that we wouldn’t have known otherwise.
Don’t over-plan – leave yourself plenty of time for exploring. You will definitely want to!
Do you have any more Boulder tips? We’d love to hear your Colorado experiences! Make sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter for even more travel tips and discounts. We’re here to help, so if you ever have questions, feel free to email us at hi@RichLivingLessSpending.com.
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*Note: I refer to ridesharing throughout this article as Ubering, but I always check Uber, Lyft, and zTrip to make sure we get the BEST prices. One ridesharing app can be 2x as much as the other depending on surge pricing.
We usually travel together, but sometimes we have our own adventures as well. But one summer weekend, we both set off on our own adventures – Taylor headed south of the border to Puerto Peñasco, Mexico (blog to come soon), while I headed north towards Flagstaff, Arizona for a weekend of golf with some friends. While a lot of locals know about Munds Park, it’s not as common of a destination for out-of-staters… This blog is to let you know why this small town should be on your radar.
If you follow us on Instagram or Facebook, you know by now that golf is key to our lifestyle. Taylor chooses our travel destinations for the best snorkel spots, and I choose them based on which golf courses are nearby. So, when my father-in-law asked if I would want to spend the weekend golfing with 7 of our friends… the answer was an obvious yes.
Had to beat the monsoon with the storm rolling in
Munds Park, Arizona is about 30 minutes south of Flagstaff and 2 hours north of Scottsdale. It’s an easy drive that flies by when you’re ready to escape the heat. With a population of less than 14,000, it has a great small town feel. More importantly, due to its elevation of 6,500 ft, it stays nice and cool in the summer. This makes golfing in Munds Park way better than the 100+ degree weather down in the Valley.
The local golf course, Pinewood Country Club, is a semi-private course that is fun to play at for all levels (we’ve taken everyone from Taylor’s 11-year-old sister to competitive golfers). Make sure to check out their twilight pricing because you’ll pay a hefty fee for a morning tee time during the summer months. For this weekend in particular, planning in advance was critical since we had a group of 8 of us coming up.
After the first golf day, our group took it easy at the cabin with some grilling, poker, and scotch tasting. We prefer to stay in a VRBO with a lake view to have easy access to hiking and other non-golf outdoor activities (even if the lake is dried up right now). When there is water in the lake, you can paddleboard, canoe, kayak, and fish. Make sure to pick a vacation rental that will comfortably fit your group size. This is the VRBO that we used for the weekend.
The cabin in summerThe cabin in the winter timeThe view from the cabin at sunsetCanoeing when the lake has waterMountain biking on nearby trails
For day 2, we checked out Oak Creek Canyon Country Club in Sedona, Arizona to golf under the famous red rocks. This course is about 30-40 minutes away from Munds Park and has amazing views.
Munds Park is a great way to escape the heat during Arizona summers or just to enjoy the outdoors – whether that’s golf, mountain biking, or just sitting on the deck drinking some beer. Have you been to Munds Park? What are your favorite things to do while you’re there?
As you know from our previous posts, we love to travel for events – concerts, golf, festivals, and more. It gives us a reason to explore somewhere new.
One weekend, Mike decided to buy some Dead & Company tickets for a show in Sunrise, Florida. Neither one of us is very familiar with the area… Mike enjoyed his fair share of Panama City Beach spring breaks during his college days, and I had only been to Fort Lauderdale for cruise departures. So, we decided to just book a hotel close to the venue. It was an ok price and refundable, so we figured good enough…
I love the ocean… I grew up in it since I was born in California (as was Mike). About two weeks before the concert, I started searching for nearby beaches that we could visit for a day since we were only there for a short time. I crowdsourced some knowledge via Girls Love Travel to see what is going on in Sunrise. And thank goodness I did… because the answer was not much! I immediately told Mike that we should rent a car so that we can visit the beach. I needed to get my ocean fill!
A couple days went by with more and more research… I looked at everything from gator excursions to events at the local mall (not our sort of scene). As I was sitting in the office, I got an email for a hotel confirmation. It turned out Mike had surprised me by changing our hotel from the mall front in Sunrise to beachfront in Hollywood Beach! The surprise kept on giving because our beachfront hotel, St. Maurice Inn, was also $100/night CHEAPER than the Sunrise hotel and this meant that we would just Uber to and from the concert rather than renting a car to visit the beach.
Location of hotel’s proximity to the beach
Once we arrived on Sunday late afternoon, we hopped in a Lyft ($20) and headed straight to the hotel. We had no idea that Hollywood Beach was its own boardwalk area! We quickly checked into the hotel and dumped our stuff in the hotel room before heading out to the beach, which was a short 30-second walk from our room! We caught the beach sunset right as we sat down on the ocean shore.
After watching the sunset on the beach, we headed down the boardwalk for dinner. People were dancing in the streets, singing, and having an awesome time… and keep in mind this was a Sunday night! It was one of the most energizing scenes to walk into right after a 6-hour travel day. Of course, we decided to join the party by having some drinks with an ocean view.
As luck would have it, there was a free concert going on right outside our hotel. We didn’t even notice the stage when we checked in. We were blown away by this awesome rock band we stumbled upon. They kept us dancing until they closed down.
The next morning, we walked along the beach boardwalk to see where we should eat breakfast. Most of the restaurants had breakfast specials posted outside that were very reasonable. We walked until we found a full breakfast platter for $4 each that had an ocean view.
Did it really matter what the food was like with this view?
On the way back, we stopped at a convenience store for some snacks, lunch food, and alcohol. One of the biggest money saving tips we have is to eat in for at least half of your meals and make your own drinks! This will cut down a lot on your expenses.
View along the boardwalk
Getting a fast workout in and representing Cabo San Lucas
Now that we had our snacks and drinks, we grabbed some of the complimentary beach chairs and towels from the hotel and headed to the beach.
The beach was picture-perfect from the second we arrivedMike’s photo-taking skills do not improve with rum and cokes…
After a full day on the beach, we realized we still had the Dead & Company concert to prepare for! Luckily, our room had a microwave and fridge, so we heated up some leftovers, threw on some clothes, and called another Lyft to head out to Sunrise ($27).
To save money, we ate some grilled cheese sandwiches and got some drinks on Shakedown Street in the parking lot of the venue. Make sure to bring cash if you head to a Dead & Company concert so you can check out the famous Shakedown Street, a vendor/tailgate experience like nothing you’ll see anywhere else. The concert itself was amazing as usual! We had a great time, met some new people, and danced the night away with pit passes.
After the concert, we hit our only hiccup of the whole trip… getting a ride back to Hollywood Beach. Remember how I said we decided not to stay in Sunrise because there wasn’t much going on there? Well, that was too true!
We walked a while away from the venue before ordering an Uber/Lyft. This is something we almost always do for events… we walk outside of the event area to reduce the surge pricing on longer rides. I pulled up Uber and saw the estimated cost was $100 to get back home. I couldn’t justify $100, so I suggested we just hang out a while and talk about the concert… that ended up being a poor decision on my part… I pulled up Uber and Lyft again to check prices, Lyft was now $125 and Uber was $77 (another tip... make sure to check both apps each time to get the lowest prices – there is also the lesser-known zTrip app for cabs (yes, they still exist…)).
Obviously, I quickly ordered the Uber to save money without even looking at the estimated arrival time. You know the saying time is money? In this case, I should’ve stuck with the $100 because the Uber’s estimated arrival to us was over an hour. Apparently, there was nobody around because I chose to wait so long to order it!
In the end, it was still way cheaper than renting a car and staying in Sunrise, so all was good… especially after our driver took us through some fast food 🙂
I woke up early the next morning because I was excited to get as much beach and boardwalk time in before checkout. St. Maurice Inn is located right next door to Margaritaville, so I decided to check out their breakfast options. I grabbed two not-so-cheap fresh OJs and a scone while I walked around. It was such a good walk that we ended up having lunch in Margaritaville (one of our splurge meals). We loved the views and beach vibes.
It’s always 5 o’clock in MargaritavilleThe walk through MargaritavilleIt was definitely hard to leave Hollywood Beach, Florida
After one more quick walk along the boardwalk, we packed up our things (didn’t take long since we pack light now) and headed back to Arizona.
The view from outside our hotel room – the beach/boardwalk starts at the crosswalk sign
Overall, the inn was less than $100/night, the flights were free with points (Sunday-Tuesday flights made that possible), we only ate out at restaurants for 3 meals, and we had an amazing time on a budget (we actually saved $230 by switching hotels) – the true Rich Living, Less Spending way!
St. Maurice Inn is a very basic inn with everything you need and nothing that you don’t. This isn’t the place you’d stay if you’re looking for a 5-star experience (check out Margaritaville for that). This is the place you stay to get that local beach feel for ridiculously good pricing. The staff was so amazing and provided us with anything that we needed. You can book your stay by clicking here.
Exploring more than Hollywood Beach
If you have a couple more days in Florida, you should definitely take a trip down to Miami for even more fun times. Check out this Miami Travel Guide for ideas on what to do and where to stay!
I’ve been attending Coachella since 2006, which makes me makes me sort of an expert. People always ask me for advice before they go to the festival. But, the one thing everyone seems to forget about is what they’re going to do when they’re not actually at the festival. This where I’m even more of an expert. I was born and raised in Palm Desert, CA only a few miles from the Polo Fields. Most of my family still lives there, so we visit often.
With my years of Coachella wisdom in mind, here is a list of my favorite places to go when not at the festival.
–Date Shields: One of the coolest and best-priced places you can have breakfast or lunch! We love the convenience of how close it is to the festival, the quality of food is outstanding, and this truly is a best-kept secret. Not many people know you can even eat here! Make sure to try the date shake!
Look out for this sign – you can’t miss it!
–Keedy’s: A great little diner with amazing breakfast. One of the oldest and best restaurants with a great menu and history to boot. This is a great place to get a solid base of food for all the adult beverages you plan on having at the festival. It does tend to get a little crowded during this time of year, so be early if you can or try one of the other recommend spots on our blog!
–Teddy’s Donuts: If you love a delicious treat for breakfast, you gotta go to Teddy’s donuts! I’ve been coming here since I was 5, and my wife said I can only keep going there if I continue to work out. They are the best donuts in the WORLD… ok Valley! Sorry, I got a little excited thinking about it. Try the glazed twists!
–Goodies Cafe: Another staple in the Valley; this place has THE BEST BREAKFAST BURRITO EVER! Packed with all the necessary ingredients to cure that Coachella hangover. Did I mention it’s also across the street from Teddy’s (see above)?!
-Del Taco: Cheap, delicious, but most importantly open 24/7! Need I say more? There are a few in the Valley, but the most convenient one is located in La Quinta off of Washington St. and Hwy 111.
-Groceries at Ralph’s or Stater Bros: Go to one of these grocery stores all of your hydration and grocery needs without having to break the bank. They can be found on Washington St. by Palm Desert Country Club and the I-10 off Washington St. *TIP* Buy groceries to save A LOT of money! We load up on red bull, fruit, snacks, and alcohol to get the party started.
–Old Town La Quinta: This is a row of great Mexican restaurants that have amazing margaritas and a fun atmosphere. If you want authentic Mexican food in a cool part of town, this is where to find it!
–Hot Yoga & Sound Baths: This is a great way to get up in the morning and sweat out all of the toxins from the night before! Bliss Chakra Spa is one of the best spots in the Valley but remember to plan ahead because it’s by appointment only. You won’t regret it as long as you can wake up in time!
– All Tressed Up: For the ladies that love getting into the Coachella spirit, All Tressed Up is the number one spot to get your hair looking Instagram ready when taking pictures at the festival. It’s conveniently located at one of the hottest spots in the Coachella Valley — El Paseo in Palm Desert.
–El Paseo Shops: Speaking of El Paseo… this string of shops starts at the intersection of Hwy 111 and El Paseo Dr. This is the Rodeo Dr. of the Coachella Valley. A bit on the pricey side because there is every designer shop you could fathom all in one row… just in case you need to upgrade your wardrobe for the concerts. Also, you’ll notice all of the great art with fun places to eat and people watch while you decide on your Coachella setlist plans with your crew.
I hope this has been helpful. Remember, Coachella and Stagecoach are marathon festivals… not sprints. Have fun; be safe; don’t forget to hydrate.
Check out our Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for more tips and tricks to planning your Coachella & Stagecoach days!
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Country Thunder has a pretty subpar FAQ page, so we created this for all your Country Thunder questions. We want to give you tips and tricks to Country Thunder that you want! Submit your questions by commenting on this page, tweeting us, commenting on Facebook, messaging us on Instagram, or emailing us at hi@RichLivingLessSpending.com.
Check out our Facebook event page for daily answers to your questions. Use the find function of your computer to search keywords to find your answer faster!
PARKING
“Can I bring my car to Country Thunder? What parking pass should I buy?”
You need to have a parking pass to drive your car to Country Thunder. You can either buy an overnight parking pass or a day pass (both GA and VIP).
If you buy a day pass, your car MUST be gone by 2:30 am of the following day. So, if you buy a Friday pass, you must move your car by Saturday morning at 2:30 am. Price (including fees): $30 for a single day, $58 for GA non-overnight parking valid all weekend, $113 for VIP non-overnight parking valid all weekend.
There are two types of overnight parking passes: extra vehicle passes for campsites and general overnight weekend passes. Keep in mind that just because someone has space on their campsite does not mean that you are allowed to park on it! Campsites are limited to 2 cars/site. You can either buy an extra campsite vehicle pass or a weekend overnight pass. Be prepared to walk to your campsite with the weekend overnight pass! Price: $113 for Weekend overnight. $97 for Extra Vehicle Pass
NOTE: These passes sold out last year! Make sure to get them ahead of time!
GETTING THERE
“What’s the easiest way to get to Country Thunder?”
A common question we see on Facebook all the time is, “Is anyone going to Country Thunder after work? Can I hitch a ride???”
It’s definitely worth crowdsourcing your ride to Country Thunder Arizona 2019 if you know enough people going. The problem is people often have different schedules, different campsites, or no room in their car since they are hauling everything for the weekend.
There are a few options to help you get to Country Thunder:
1. Drive & Buy a Parking Pass: You can buy an overnight parking pass. Just because someone has space on their campsite does not mean that you are allowed to park on it! Campsites are limited to 2 cars/site. You can either buy an extra campsite vehicle pass or a weekend overnight pass. Be prepared to walk to your campsite with the weekend overnight pass! Cost: $113 (see above for more details)
2. Shuttle: You can shuttle to Country Thunder from Tucson, Mesa, or Apache Junction. This is actually a pretty affordable rate and can be booked in advance! We recommend this to anyone getting there on their own or that only needs a one-way ride. It’s the cheaper roundtrip than a weekend pass! Last year prices: $39-45 each way. The shuttle service will be posted here in 2019: https://stagecoachexpressshuttle.com/ct.php
3. Uber/Lyft: This is an option if you are desperate. This definitely works TO Country Thunder, but be careful about getting back! We’ve had friends that planned on doing this since they had single-day passes, but they ended up needing to hitch a ride back to Phoenix. Cost: $80 each way without surge pricing.
SINGLE-DAY PASSES & CAMPSITES
“Can I access the Country Thunder campgrounds with only a single-day pass? I’m only going one day, but I want to hang out with my friends at their campsite.”
Answer: Nope!
Unfortunately, you need a 4-day wristband to access the Country Thunder campground. Of course, there are ways you can try to get around it. In previous years, the way that they were able to enforce this was by having a separate entrance for single-day pass holders. In 2018, single-day pass holders received a wristband that looked similar to the 4-day GA. There is security that watches to make sure you have the correct wristband exiting the venue to the campgrounds.
That being said…. I do have a few friends that were able to walk around the venue to the campsites and got back into the festival (totally by luck) without anyone checking their wristbands closely. You can risk it and hope for the best, but just know you might be wasting your money!
ICE
A question we get a lot is, “Can you buy ice at Country Thunder?”
The answer is yes, but it will cost you.
A lot of people go with groups that arrive at different times of the festival. Use these arrival times as ice delivery opportunities! Wednesday/Thursday campers bring the most ice, and Friday arrivals help you load up again. Make sure to have a plan on how to get the ice to your site if you aren’t parking on the campsite. (see Parking above)
Keep one cooler for ice ONLY so that it’s not being opened and closed throughout the week. When your other food/drink coolers need to be topped off, take a bag out of your ice-only cooler.
If you have one, bring a kid’s wagon as a food/gear/ice transport!
I’m all about saving money, but Walmart’s cheapest cooler will just not get you through the weekend. Let’s be honest.. they barely get through an afternoon BBQ. Invest in a Yeti or an Orion. You’ll use it for years! Here are some Yeti-alternatives if you want to save a couple bucks: Best Yeti-Alternative Cooler Review
“Is there good phone service at Country Thunder?”“Is there good phone service at Country Thunder?”
The answer: “It depends.”
Some years it’s impossible to even send a text; others years, you can FaceTime. Plan on having no cell service, and be surprised if you do! You also have the added twist of people not having fully-charged phones, not being able to describe where they are after a few beers, and just enjoying their time at CT not looking at their phones.
We’ve had the same campsite for years, so that is our meeting spot. Some campsites are easier to find than others, so maybe the Electric Thunder tent would be a better place to meet.
We recommend printing out a map ahead of time so you can find your friends, get to the campsites, and know where you are going. After that, plan on meeting for certain bands. That’s the easiest way to keep track of everyone. 🎶
For example, “Everyone, meet at the Copperhead Stage before Chris Stapleton. If you’re not there by the time he starts, you’re on your own!”
Some people also bring portable hotspots to connect to WiFi. Devices from companies like Skyroam allow you to pay for internet by the day and connect multiple devices. Code RLLS gets you 10% off!
Code RLLS for discounts!
SINGLE-DAY VS. GA VS. VIP / RSVD vs. PLATINUM
“What is the difference between a single-day pass and GA pass at Country Thunder? What is the difference between a GA pass and VIP / RSVD pass at Country Thunder?”
Single-day passes only give you access to the concert for one day. You choose the day, but you only get access to the venue. You will NOT be able to access the campgrounds (see Single-Day Passes & Campsites above).
A GA 4-day wristband at Country Thunder gets you access to the music festival venue Thursday-Sunday and the campgrounds Wednesday-Monday. Inside the venue, you will only have standing/lawn area seating. Contact us at RichLivingLessSpending@gmail.com for discounted GA 4-day wristbands!
A RSVD 4-day wristband (previously VIP) at Country Thunder gets you access to the music festival venue seating area for your specifically reserved seat Thursday-Sunday and the campgrounds Wednesday-Monday.
There is RSVD, RSVD Bronze, RSVD Silver, and RSVD Gold (listed by increasing order of price). RSVD Gold is closest to the stage, and RSVD is farthest from the stage. These wristbands sell out almost immediately, so it’s unlikely you can get one now unless you find one on Craigslist or some other online marketplace.
4-Day Platinum Experience
This is a new ticket option for 2019, so we don’t know exactly what it will be like!
According to Country Thunder’s website, it includes tickets with exclusive elevated lounge area and upgraded viewing area, executive flushable restrooms, and private food/beverage options (for purchase – not included). You’ll also get chances to win opportunities to get closer to your favorite artist! You get 1 reserved parking pass for every 1-2 tickets purchased.
Note: these tickets come with a hefty price tag of $600/ticket.
FOOD
“Are there enough food options to just eat at Country Thunder? Can I go without packing food for Country Thunder?”
Answer: NO! There are food options at Country Thunder, but they are expensive, have long lines, and offer a limited variety.
Pack your own food… and pack some food with substance! During my cousin’s first year, she and her 6 friends only packed tortilla chips and salsa for the whole weekend. They figured they loved it so much, that was all they needed!
Please help yourself and read this blog for the BEST music festival food. Music Festival Essentials: Food. The Spicy Apron has a lot of other great camping food options as well, but really plan on bringing things that you can eat straight from the cooler or cook up with a portable grill. There are no campfires allowed, so do not plan on using these to cook the 100 hotdogs that you bring. Hard-boiled eggs are a much better option!
In the festival, you can buy fair food. Outside of the festival, there is an expensive food tent. These lines take HOURS after the concert. Plan your munchies ahead of time!
“What do you do about the dust at Country Thunder? My allergies suck!”
We haven’t had very consistent rain this year in Arizona, so we think Country Thunder will be just as dusty as ever. We attend several music festivals in addition to CT, and the most common things we see people use to avoid inhaling dust is a bandana. If you’ve been to CT or Coachella, you know what we mean! They are cheap, easy to get, and a great starting point.
However, bandanas are kind of uncomfortable to wear. They are scratchy and always get tied up in my hair (am I alone in this?).
They are super soft material and aren’t a hassle to take on/off. They have become a total must-have for us at any music festival.
PERSONAL HYGIENE
“Will there be showers at Country Thunder? What are the bathrooms like at Country Thunder? How do I get clean at Country Thunder?”
Yes, there are showers that you can pay for. It usually costs a couple bucks to use and is only ok. Bring a swimsuit if you plan on using this option. Bring travel shampoo/conditioner/body wash if you want to use your own. There are often sponsors handing out free samples as well.
The bathrooms get NASTY towards the end of each night and will make you feel dirty. The later in the day, the worse the port-a-potty situation. They are cleaned each day and actually are decent in the mornings… most of the time. By the end of the night, most of them are out of toilet paper and/or overflowing! We always recommend getting your own for your campsite. It is now too late to order a port-a-potty for Country Thunder Arizona 2019.
If you don’t want your own port-o-potty, time to practice squatting or invest in a SheWee! Yes, I have one… No, I can’t use it well.
“What is the weather like at Country Thunder? What clothes should I pack for Country Thunder?”
You should pack for very hot and very cold weather. Country Thunder temps can range from the 100s to the 40s! It’s usually hot in the day to where many girls just wear a swimsuit top and cut-offs. But it gets so cold at night, that I often wear a hoodie, sweatpants, wool socks, and long sleeves underneath (especially when I tent camp). I also recommend bringing a very light wind/water resistant jacket in case it does rain. It happened two years ago!
Bring your cowboy boots, a hat, sunscreen, swimsuit (both for showering and to stay cool), shorts and tanks, warm clothes, sporty clothes for when you just want to be comfy, tennis shoes (for when you get blisters from your boots/cute shoes). For general packing tips, check out this blog.
“What is the difference between the main stage and Copperhead stage at Country Thunder? What is Electric Thunder?”
The main stage hosts the headliners of Country Thunder. Copperhead stage (formerly side stage) is much smaller and hosts typically lesser-known artists (not always!). You can often catch artists at both stages. If you really liked someone, see if they are playing again on the other stage. The set times usually overlap so that you can listen to music all the time! See the previous lineups here. See 2019’s lineup here!
Electric Thunder is the tent located towards the entrance of the venue. It is a very unique combination of EDM and country music that has more of a club vibe than the rest of Country Thunder.
Last year, they had line dance lessons! Let’s just say that’s not my strong point…
Each year, they add more and more to this tent. Can’t wait to see what 2019 has in store.
FINDING MY FRIENDS
“What’s a good meeting spot at Country Thunder for when I get separated from my friends”
Here are some great meeting spots if you need to meet up and don’t want to get lost in the crowd:
Bathrooms outside of Electric Thunder Tent. These are usually not as crowded as the other bathroom locations because they are at the back of the venue. It also lets everyone have the chance to empty their bladders before the next adventure.
Your campsite. This is actually only an OK meeting place depending on where your campsite is… If you are out in the boondocks of Desperado, you probably don’t want to make this your go-to.
Left side of Copperhead stage. This stage can get pretty busy, but the left side (when you are facing the stage) is usually less crowded and you get to watch music while you wait.
The campground showers. These are located between Starlight Preferred and Roadrunner. They’re usually pretty easy to find and would be a good spot if you’re meeting people from other campground locations.
Country Thunder hasn’t made a new 2019 campsite map, but if you’re in Sunset, you’re to the right of Wild Horse!
COUNTRY THUNDER KIDS
“Is Country Thunder kid friendly?”
Answer: Not really, but some people do bring their kids.
The first year we went, my little siblings/cousins came along (ages 11-13). Country Thunder is a party everywhere you go. There are so many mostly-naked drunk people around that it probably is not a great place for your little ones. As you walk through the campgrounds, you WILL see stripper poles, inflatable anatomically correct dolls, drinking contests, men in patriotic banana hammocks, and more. Sure… if they are young enough, they might not remember. But… it’s WAY more fun without them. Trust me, this is a great time of the year to just be as crazy as you want without any worry of what your little ones are up to! 🙂
GENERAL ADMISSION SEATING
“Can I bring a lawn chair into the general admission area at Country Thunder?”
Answer: Yes! With some requirements…
Lawn chairs are actually the best way to enjoy the GA area! However, the chairs need to be soft lawn chairs (the folding kind). You are not allowed to bring in chairs with canopies/umbrellas built into the chair. You will need to remove the bag that holds the chair to be checked. The website says that the chair bags are allowed. However, be warned that their new bag policy might prevent you from bringing in certain bags depending on the size of the bag and the person checking you.
“What happens if I put my wristband on too tight or I damage my wristband? Will Country Thunder give me a new one?”
Answer: Yes, for $20.
You will only be allowed one replacement per wristband. The replacement cost $20 at the show. Make sure not to make them too tight! The wristbands do tighten naturally while you sleep and if they get wet. Your wrists also swell! Side note: put the wristband on your RIGHT HAND! This is according to festival guidelines.
FIRE
“Are fires allowed at Country Thunder?”
Answer: It depends.
There are no open flames allowed at Country Thunder. However, gas and charcoal grills are allowed. According to the website, “Bonfires and any fire of any kind, including tiki torches, are PROHIBITED in the campgrounds. Gas and charcoal burning grills are permitted.”
Many people have contained propane firepits that seem to be ok with the Country Thunder crew!
BICYCLES
“Are bikes allowed at Country Thunder?”
Answer: Yes!
This has been debated on so many Country Thunder forums, so I reached out directly to Country Thunder. They confirmed that bicycles are definitely allowed. They are a great way to get around on the campsite. Seasoned bike-bringers say to bring an extra tire tube if you really plan on using bikes since tires might pop on the dirt roads.
SECURITY LINES
What is security like to get into the venue at Country Thunder?
In 2018, Country Thunder security lines to get into the venue were longer than they’ve ever been. This is no surprise, and it’s only there to keep us all safe. However, it means that you need to plan for this if you want to make sure to see your favorite artist. We only caught the tail end of a couple people because the lines took 45 minutes!
*TIP* If you have RSVD tickets, there is a separate entrance near the Glamping section. This entrance is ONLY for RSVD and you will be turned back if you try to enter with a GA or Single Day ticket
GLAMPING
What is glamping at Country Thunder?
Glamping started at Country Thunder Arizona in 2018. Essentially, they take care of everything for you. It includes your tent, 2 Platinum Experience tickets (see above), showers and flushable toilets, and all the bedding you need. There is security to make sure no other Country Thunder guests go into the Glamping section. This cuts both ways… it means even if you want your friends to visit, they can’t come see your campsite! Click here for a little promo video from CT to show you more.
A different alternative to glamping if you are hesitant to camp tent on your own is to rent an RV! Many people do this for Country Thunder since it’s the only time of year they camp.
DISCOUNTED TICKETS
We have discounted tickets for GA 4-day passes! Let us know how many you need by emailing us at hi@RichLivingLessSpending.com.
Sometimes, we don’t have the best deals… We know that and share the best of the best deals with you on our Facebook Event Page. Check it out for the best discounts.
Country Thunder is so special to us because it’s where Mike proposed to me 7 years ago! We go each year for our anniversary and just want to help people have as much fun as we do. It takes a lot of planning, but it’s totally worth it! Full disclosure: my mom and aunt do most of the planning. I help spread the word about what matters most. 🙂
Snow… in Arizona?? Most people don’t think of skiing and snowboarding when they think of Arizona. How is it possible to have snow in the desert? I get that question a lot! Well, one of the reasons our home base is in Arizona is because of how easily we can get to the beach, hiking, lakes, and snow! We are able to drive to almost any climate in about 5 hours, making it the perfect place to lay roots if you’re an adventurer.
So, back to the snow… Flagstaff, Arizona is only about 3 hours from the Phoenix area. It is home to NAU, craft breweries, and Arizona’s most popular snowboarding destination – Arizona Snowbowl. Snowbowl is definitely not the best mountain for skiing and snowboarding, but it’s close and scratches that snowboarding itch we get a couple times a year. You can see how much the snow conditions vary from our pictures over the last couple years. We love Snowbowl, however, hotels in Flagstaff are typically way overpriced for what you get, which made us reluctant to stay overnight in the past.
This was the year with the best snow we’ve experienced at Snowbowl.
We used to do Snowbowl day trips – drive 3 hours, snowboard for 6 hours, and drive home 3 hours (it was actually our first date!). Luckily, this changed with Snowbowl’s Stay Free package! Most people I know in the Valley have no idea that this package even exists. With the purchase of two full price lift tickets, you get a free night at one of Flagstaff’s participating hotels.
So, instead of doing the trip in one day, we now rent gear on Friday in Scottsdale at Ski Pro, drive up Friday after work, spend the night in the hotel, and head up to the mountain bright and early with a full night’s sleep and complimentary breakfast!
I use this package each year – either with my sisters or with Mike. It’s great for a romantic couple’s getaway or with a small group. Since we already have gear and lift tickets, we just need to hop on the first lift we see! Then, we choose whichever unlucky person gets to drive the 3 hours back to Phoenix.
Girls Trip!
Couples Getaway
There are several hotels that participate in this Stay Free package, and the list has grown each year. The whole point of this blog is to share our top three hotels to take advantage of this Stay Free package.
This is the BEST place to use the Stay Free package. It is located right at the base of the mountain, and it’s about 30 minutes closer than any other hotel. It’s not your typical hotel – you actually get a cute log-style cabin with a fireplace. It’s super cozy and romantic. Perfect for a couple’s getaway (ironically, this was the time I went with my sister). The on-site restaurant has great service, food, and ice cold beer.
To book just a regular, non-ski weekend, click here.
We choose this as our second favorite Stay Free package option not because of the location (it’s about 30 minutes from Snowbowl) but because of how nice the hotel is! It is clearly newly renovated and very modern. The complimentary breakfast was really good and had several options for a continental breakfast. The staff was extremely friendly and provided us with anything we needed.
One drawback is that the only place available to eat later at night is Oregano’s, which is in the same parking lot as the hotel. We still had a great time here, but it is the only food option. It was definitely a perk that we could just walk back to the hotel after splitting a few pitchers of beer. There is also a gas station/corner market next to the hotel. We stocked up on snacks and drinks before heading up the mountain. This saves a couple bucks since the gas stations close to Snowbowl are usually overpriced.
We love this hotel because of the staff. Everyone we spoke to was nice and fun. The rooms are pretty big, which was one of the reasons we chose it since I went with two of my sisters to this one. The restaurant on site was really good and upscale, but pretty pricey. It takes a little bit longer to get to Snowbowl from here, but it’s similar in distance as Hampton Inn. Unfortunately, the time we used this hotel for the Stay Free package ended a little short after my sister broke her arm on the slopes!
We hope this helps motivate you to hit up Arizona’s slopes! It really is the perfect weekend getaway! Make sure to book Stay Free packages FAR in advance. They book up quickly, especially when it recently snows in Flagstaff. We had to call about 8 different hotels to find one with an available room this year. Some of the hotels didn’t really know what package we were referring to when we asked about the Stay Free package. I often find that the package has a different name in their system, so if you just keep describing it in different ways, eventually they find it.
Snowbowl has some pretty nice terrain parks.This was the most difficult year for snowboarding – pretty icy but still fun!
Which hotel is your favorite when you’re in Flagstaff? We’d love to hear from you! Comment or email us at hi@RichLivingLessSpending.com.
As you should know by now from our previous blogs, we love adventuring around the country whenever we can. Often, we let Mike’s love for music lead our adventures… whether we go to a music festival or see live performers in a local bar, we are always keeping our eyes open for the best musical events near or afar.
Earlier this summer, we shared LiveNation’s $20 ticket deals on our Facebook page. We ended up buying two lawn tickets for Dead & Company in Phoenix. That was the true beginning of this story… the day Mike became a millennial Dead Head 😉 The music was already amazing, and John Mayer finally found his calling when he joined the group that has been blessing people with its music for over 50 years. We highly recommend watching the Grateful Dead documentary, Long Strange Trip (available for free on Amazon Video).
All the way from the lawn, Mike knew he had to see Dead & Company again, so he looked around. There is a festival in Tulum, Mexico that would be perfect! But, at $5k/person, it’s not really the Rich Living, Less Spending way. Knowing that would be awesome, yet unrealistic, he subscribed to the band’s email listserve to be the first to hear when more tour dates would be announced. *TIP* If you love a band, we highly recommend doing this. Pre-sale often truly is the best way to buy tickets, and you’ll find out why as you keep reading.
Finally, the Fall 2017 tour was announced, and they were stopping in Dallas, Texas! This was perfect for us… we have tons of family and friends in Dallas thanks to my time at SMU Law. It also meant we already knew where to look for the best deals!
Mike super excited once we arrived at American Airlines Center for the Fall Tour
So, while I was seeing just how cheap Spirit Airlines could get, Mike found some great Southwest tickets for a Thursday-Saturday flight. *TIP* If you can travel, Thus-Sat, it is typically way cheaper than Fri-Sun. Because the concert was Friday night, we figured we would fly in Thursday, work remotely for a full day Friday, go to the concert, and leave Saturday morning. Meaning only two nights of hotel/VRBO stay.
We spent a long time looking for hotels that were cheap and close to the American Airlines Center. We ended up staying in Crowne Plaza Downtown and booking a non-refundable stay to save some money. The good news: it was right next to a light rail stop, so we would save money on Ubers. The bad news: there was no changing the dates of our stay!
As we started looking more into our stay, we realized we really wanted to spend more time with friends while we were there. The problem was, even though Southwest is free to change flights, flying out Sunday increased our ticket prices by $150/person. Not worth it…. So, Mike decided to watch concert ticket prices instead.
During pre-sale, Mike bought our nosebleed seats for about $120/ticket. We both loved them when we saw them in lawn seats before, so why wouldn’t we like them in nosebleed seats?! BUT…. Wouldn’t it be so much better if we saw them just a little closer??
So, we found out about this awesome app called Gametime from one of our friends (thanks, Rose! Use code TAYLOR763 for $5 credit). It’s an app designed to easily buy and sell last-second tickets without having to go through some of the long processes that you go through with websites like Stub Hub. Mike hit the jackpot! Seats in the lower level of American Airline Center for the EXACT same price that our nosebleeds were in… so, he used Gametime’s trade in feature to trade in our nosebleeds for Gametime credit. He then used that credit to buy the lower level seats. AWESOME!
Just to see if he could keep trading up, he listed those lower level tickets on both Gametime and Stub Hub. A little time went on, and he ended up selling those lower level tickets for a huge profit through Stub Hub.All the stars must’ve aligned that night because the profit he made on those tickets covered the cost of VIP pit passes on Stub Hub. So, all-in-all we ended up spending $150 each for VIP pit passes to Dead & Company!
Excited for the show to start
What did this mean?? As Mike explained to my sister, “We will be able to see John Mayer’s nut sack if we tried hard enough.” Not only were we super close, we also got separate line entrance and a private lounge with unlimited food and water. Maybe best of all, bathrooms for only VIP… meaning no hour-long lines in front of the women’s bathroom.
Dead & Company playing their hearts out
Entrance to the VIP Lounge!
Seriously, this was a night to remember. If this was the only thing we did in Dallas, we would have been ecstatic. 12.1.17 was a night to go down in the history books for us.
However, right after we bought the pit passes, Cyber Monday hit and BAM Southwest had weekly sales on flights. The Sunday extension that would originally have cost us $300 to change, ended up actually being cheaper than our original flights, so we extended our trip and walked away with $100 in future Southwest credit $$$. Hotels were about$100/night, but we ended up staying with a friend for free (thanks, Annabel).
Thanks for hosting us ❤
Yeah… so what started as a Thurs-Sat flight with nosebleed Dead & Company tickets ended up being a long weekend trip with pit passes one night and great company with friends the next night.
We are so GRATEFUL for our Grateful Dead adventure and all our friends that made this weekend just that much more memorable.
Our favorite Dallas spots this past weekend:
Buzzbrews – where we worked remotely on Friday. Good food and great WiFi.
Pecan Lodge – I had a 1.55 lb beef rib. Awesome BBQ in Deep Ellum, which has a lot of other bars within walking distance.
This was a monster rib
Lower Greenville – fun place to barhop and have brunch
NOTE: We ended up taking the light rail everywhere! We took it to the concert at the American Airlines Center. It was great because we skipped all rush hour traffic by doing this 🙂 . We also went to visit our friend in the suburbs and took it up north to go see her. We recommend not going to the West End stop!
P.S. Right after the concert, John Mayer came down with appendicitis. Mike said he not only played his heart out, he also played his appendix out… We hope he has a speedy recovery!
Most people love fall… the cooler weather, the fall festivities, Halloween (my favorite holiday), and the influx of pumpkin flavored treats. But, my favorite season is still SUMMER! Why else would we live in Arizona where it feels like summer all year long? I love the lake days, the warm weather, hanging out by the pool, BBQs, boating, and everything summer has to offer. That’s why even after school starts and fall festivities begin, I still act like it’s summer by visiting Lake Havasu, Arizona.
Lake Havasu is known as a popular spring break hot spot for Arizona and California college students. But thanks to our family members living there, we see it as so much more. It’s a great place to getaway and enjoy the more laid back, outdoorsy lake life. So, when one of our best out-of-town friends wanted to see THE London Bridge in Havasu, we all three hopped in our car and headed out to the Lake… in September! One of the best parts of celebrating fall days with a lake day is the beginning of off-season pricing!
Overall, Havasu is a pretty inexpensive place to stay. There are several campgrounds, cheaper hotels, and AirBnBs… many of them right on the water! Finding a place to stay off-season is not difficult, but it’s worth looking into different places depending on what you want to do while in Havasu.
So, what IS there to do in Havasu? We visit throughout the year, and there are always different events and fun activities going on. Our favorite activities are on the water and usually do involve drinking.
When it’s just the two of us, we love renting a jet ski and visiting our favorite places along the water. With a bigger crowd, boating is the way to go. Here are some of our favorite spots on the water:
Copper Canyon – many people risk their luck by jumping off the tall rocks here. Would you do it?
Steamboat Cove – a fun, less crowded area to party the day away
And, of course, The Channel – an awesome water channel under the Longdon Bridge close to shops, restaurants, bars, and more! This is where the crazy goes down in Havasu.
Little tip: If you are wanting a long boat ride, try checking out Topack 66. It brings in a fun crowd that usually rides their Harleys in from Route 66 or park along the dock right on the water. It can get crazy, but it’s definitely fun. It’s a ways away though, so you better have a DD on hand!
If you don’t want to rent a boat or jet ski, don’t worry. The Channel is easy to access from the London Bridge area of Havasu and you can just party the day away on the water without a boat. If you want a little more space for your crew, there are several floating cabanas for rent along the Channel.
One of the risks of going offseason is that it might get a little cold – deterring you from wanting to jump in the lake. What most people don’t realize about Havasu is just how much there is to do there off the water!
Our go-to sites and restaurants are:
The Red Onion – They have the best Bloody Mary in the city. It’s the main reason we go here. Trust me, after a day in Havasu, you’ll be craving them the next morning.
The London Bridge (of course!) – Brought in brick by brick from London to the U.S. to drive tourism for Lake Havasu, this is the city’s most unique feature. It is definitely worth taking a walk across and seeing all the detail. It’s pretty amazing.
Shugrue’s Restaurant and Brewery – This is a fun restaurant where you can sample local beer from Lake Havasu and other places around Arizona. It has a great courtyard area and an awesome view.
Kokomo – Whether you want a day or night club, Kokomo’s is the place to be. It has a fun surfer vibe, and it gets pretty crazy at night.
All of these places are pretty close to each other (the last three are all within walking distance).
Besides just eating and drinking, there are so many fun events throughout the year in Havasu! If you are looking for a romantic weekend that will blow your socks off (literally), try going during Valentine’s Day weekend. The annual Western Winter Blast Pyrotechnics Show is where the BEST of the BEST fireworks are displayed. Many prospective buyers come here to see what the newest and greatest fireworks are for the year, so they put on quite a show. We usually hike to get a view from the top of a mountain instead of fighting for parking in the typical viewing arena.
That same weekend is the annual Rockabilly Reunion with vintage cars, pin up gals, and live music. It’s pretty fun and unique! You definitely feel like you are back in the 50s.
Havasu Balloon Festival – This January event kicks off the year in Lake Havasu. Even though you likely won’t be swimming in the lake, it’s cool to see hot air balloons floating across the mountains and water.
Along many of the campsites are informational parks with cool cacti gardens and hiking trails. Fall marks the start of great camping weather, so go check it out!
There is so much more to Lake Havasu than most people realize. We hope that you enjoyed your summer and can prolong it a little more with a weekend getaway to our favorite Arizona lake! Email us for help planning your Lake Havasu weekend at hi@RichLivingLessSpending.com.
Most husbands find it a little tricky to pick out a gift for their wives. They think about getting jewelry, realize she probably won’t like it anyway. They might get roses, but those only last so long. Maybe a spa day or massage membership, but finding the time to use it becomes an issue. So, I have to say… my mom and I are very lucky that our husbands buy us adventures for our gifts!
One Sunday, as Mike and my stepdad, Paul, were golfing, they started talking about Christmas gift ideas for their wives. Mike was still really up in the air about what to get me, but he knew I preferred experiences over things. Paul started telling Mike about how cool it is to rent out yachts for a weekend. It’s romantic, adventurous, and quite an experience. Mike realized just how perfect that would be for me, so both my mom and I opened the same gift that Christmas – a yacht vacation in San Diego (thanks, Paul, for Mike’s inspiration).
We are all about experiences but also all about doing them inexpensively. So, I HAD to know the cost of my gift! It turns out, yachting in San Diego is totally affordable and much more memorable than a hotel stay.
So, what does it cost to stay on a yacht in the San Diego Bay? For a three bedroom yacht from Zolna Yachts, we paid $250/night (including taxes and fees). Just one room in a nearby hotel comes out to around $200/night and usually doesn’t even include parking! Ok, we rented a three bedroom for just the two of us, so you could definitely bring the price down even more with another couple or two!
Cost aside, the yacht was beautiful. It reminded us of a very upscale RV in that space was efficiently used and each detail was perfected to give it a luxurious feel. The owners of Zolna Yachts, Amos and Shari, gave a detailed tour and orientation of the yacht so we felt extremely comfortable using everything right away. There is a surprising amount of cooking space inside the yacht and seating both in the yacht and on the deck of the yacht.
Champagne kick off on the yacht
Since we are the exploring type, so we didn’t stay on the yacht the whole time. And because the marina is located in such a central area, we didn’t have to worry about transportation. It was cheaper to Uber wherever we went than it was to rent a car for the weekend (not to mention we avoided the parking nightmare of Southern California). Each Uber we took was less than $10, even when we went out at night.
We visited all of our favorite places in San Diego: Point Loma, Liberty Station, Little Italy, Downtown San Diego, Pacific Beach, and a waterfront San Diego Bay walk. Typically, going to each of these locations is super expensive, but we let the discounts lead the way. We saved money by going to the grocery store upon our arrival to pick up the necessities (champagne, easy-to-prepare snacks, fruits, and some munchies for our nights out). *Shout out to The Spicy Apron for helping us come up with easy recipes with minimal cleanup!*
Overall, this was a 5/5 trip. It was exciting, relaxing, luxurious, and relatively inexpensive. If you ever want to experience the yacht life in San Diego, Zolna Yachts is a must! Although we didn’t charter a yacht this trip, there are many different options available if you want to truly experience the yacht life. Check out our pictures below for more details on each of our favorite places and email us at hi@RichLivingLessSpending.com for exclusive discounts for your very own yacht vacation. 🙂
Point Loma
Ordered: amazing seafood special of the day for lunch
Price: $20-25 for both of us with plenty of leftovers
Ordered: two big ass beers (that’s what they are really called)
Price: $8/ 32 oz. beer with $6 refills
We ended up spending the whole night here. It’s a fun dueling piano bar. We met up with one of my best friends who was doing travel nursing in San Diego at the time. She ended up taking her boyfriend the week after and her visiting friends the week after that! It is so fun and inexpensive. Mike’s aunt used to work here back in the day, so it has become a go-to spot for us each time we visit.
TIP: Get there super early to get a table. (Dinner time or earlier). Get there early just to get a spot to stand! We didn’t mind standing the whole time because it was fun to dance and sing along with the pianists.
Little Italy – walked to and from here from Shout House
Make sure to wear comfortable shoes – you could spend hours walking around
Price: free
The marina is located so close to some of the best sights in San Diego, so it’s a short walk to see whatever you want to along the boardwalk. We got to listen to live music, explore iconic San Diego sights, and see cool vendors along the way.
TIP: you don’t need to buy anything along the way if you don’t want to. This is a fun, cheap way to see a ton of cool stuff. I highly recommend doing this walk regardless of where you stay in San Diego!
Confession: We still play Pokémon Go. Yes, all my siblings think we are lame because that is SOOOO last year. Oh well! Pokéstops are a great way to find unique sites you would otherwise just walk past without even a second glimpse.
Pokéstops include statutes, murals, fountains, landmarks, and other random interesting sites. Mike is from San Diego, so he never really did the touristy stuff. While we played Pokémon Go, we found so many little bonus artistic sites that we wouldn’t normally even notice. I recommend playing Pokémon Go while on vacation to find cool, unique places. I don’t mean walk with your head down and ignore your surroundings, but I do think it’s worth opening the app to see what’s around you.
Yacht life
Ordered: a romantic Italian dinner through Postmates
Price: $30 and so nice to have a quiet evening on the water watching the sunset
TIP: I highly recommend staying on the yacht for breakfast to watch all the boats come in as well as having a few meals on board to enjoy the company of whoever you are with. Postmates was perfect since we didn’t have a car and wanted to have great food while on the water.
Pacific Beach vs. Mission Beach
Most Arizonans have heard of Mission Beach, San Diego. It’s a hot spot for spring breakers at U of A and ASU as well as high school students with forgiving parents. I had only experienced Mission in the typical “Go Wildcats” way until I met Mike. I had no idea that Pacific Beach, which is right next to Mission Beach, even existed (I was born in Manhattan Beach area and never ventured south of Orange County until college).
I totally wanted a relaxing beach trip and was not too excited about heading to that area because I imagined swarms of underage college and high school students everywhere. Well, Mike showed me that Pacific Beach is a calmer, less crowded alternative to Mission Beach. Don’t get me wrong, Mission is awesome! There are rides and shops on the beach, making it fun for families. I just wanted a calmer time on this trip after being in our relaxing yacht all weekend.
So, we walked along the less crowded Pacific Beach with ice cream cones and smiles on our faces. There is still a lot to do at Pacific Beach -just with a little less craziness. I’m sure some San Diego locals/frequent visitors may disagree, but I recommend visiting both for yourself. You could easily spend an entire day at each 🙂
Our next San Diego adventure will be renting a mansion for 15 people in Mission Bay! Stay tuned by following us on Facebook,Instagram, and Twitter. Email us at hi@RichLivingLessSpending.com for exclusive discounts for your very own yacht vacation.
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There are only 52 weekends in a year, so go live: Concerts, Golf, Travel, Family, Friends, Vacation.
My husband and I are able to go on as many vacations as we do by taking several weekend trips in between our annual week-long vacations. We are able to live our 52 weekends per year to the maximum adventure level because we are constantly on the prowl for good deals. When we notice that we have a month coming up with not too much going on, we start checking our go-to sites for quick and easy trips, and because we live in Scottsdale, Arizona, those short getaways usually include snowboarding trips to the mountains, beach weekends in California, a short escape to Mexico, and the crazy fun weekends in VEGAS!
Las Vegas is only a 4 1/2 hour drive from our house, so we don’t have to worry about booking flights, making it an easy last minute trip. Mike and I love going to Vegas as long as we experience:
Shows
Buffets
Daytime Activities
Gambling
Dancing
This post will focus on the weekend that, for only $50 per person, we hit everything on our list and more! That being said, this weekend getaway took quite a bit of planning and a little bit of luck.
We are constantly checking our go-to sites for great deals, so, what are our go-to websites for Vegas deals?? Groupon, myVEGAS, and M life!
Most of you have used or heard of Groupon, which is essentially an online coupon store, but myVEGAS is a lesser-known tool. myVEGAS is actually an app, not a standalone website, that syncs to the player’s Facebook and can be played on a mobile device or a computer. Through the Facebook app or mobile app, the user plays free slots and earns rewards, hence its slogan, “Play Free Slots. Get Real Rewards.” The longer playtime, the bigger the rewards.
This is a legitimate game that is partnered with M life Rewards and MGM Resorts that Mike and I use ALL the time for our Vegas travels. I don’t recommend spending actual money on this game because it’s not necessary to earn rewards!
The myVEGAS rewards include anything from a buy-one-get-one-free beer coupon to comped buffet passes to a five day Royal Caribbean cruise, with the most expensive reward being a Facetime interview with the one and only Shaquille O’Neal! I really don’t think it’s likely to receive enough loyalty coins during Shaq’s lifetime to actually purchase that reward… Which brings me to my next tip on myVEGAS, you earn loyalty coins by playing free slots. These loyalty coins are used to purchase the myVEGAS rewards.
Here are a couple screenshots from the myVEGAS app:
Because myVEGAS is partnered through M life, which is the rewards program for MGM Resorts, we also recommend signing up for a free M life account. We don’t often use the M life site for booking hotels or shows, but it is necessary to have an account to redeem myVEGAS rewards. In addition, M life members have several benefits, such as restaurant discounts, VIP access to certain events, and exclusive rewards.
When we are looking through the websites listed above for deals, Mike and I always check myVEGAS before Groupon or M life because the rewards are free, while Groupon and M life usually require spending money. We also check for weeks or months in advance to see if a comped room reward becomes available on myVEGAS before booking a room elsewhere.
Now that you know what we use to get our deals, here is how we used those sites to have our $100 Vegas weekend! I organized our expenses by category below and explained in detail what we spent for each category. Scroll down for the details!
1. The room – FREE
As we were checking the available myVEGAS rewards, we saw a comped room at Circus Circus for 6,000 loyalty coins. This is a SMOKIN’ deal for a free room. First of all, free rooms rarely are available through myVEGAS. Second, this deal was available during the weekends (many myVEGAS rewards are only available during the weekdays). Third, to put this deal in perspective, a 2-for-1 Starbucks drink costs 2,500 loyalty coins. So, we got a free room for slightly more loyalty coins than two free Starbucks drinks… We each purchased one comped night at Circus Circus for 6,000 loyalty coins and booked the room about two months in advance. This left us plenty of time to continue racking up loyalty coins on myVEGAS and keep an eye out for other potential deals.
2. The shows/entertainment – $100
LOVE – $100: During this trip, we used myVEGAS to purchase a companion ticket, which is a buy-one-get-one-free ticket, to the Cirque de Solei Show, The Beatles – LOVE, at the Mirage. LOVE is our favorite show that we have seen in Vegas so far, and we were so happy that we got amazing tickets for the two of us for only $100 total.
Siegfried and Roy’s Secret Garden & Dolphin Habitat – FREE: Again, we used myVEGAS to purchase two free tickets to the Secret Garden at the Mirage. This was such a fun and unique experience! I never would have thought of seeing dolphins and tigers during our stay, but it was definitely worth it (worth the time, since it was free!)
We purchased this reward while we were already at the Mirage scheduling our dinner reservations and looking for something different to do. Spending part of the day outside in the Secret Garden fit perfectly. I highly recommend this experience if you have kids or if you want to enjoy the outdoors on a beautiful day!
Adventure Dome in Circus Circus – FREE: We used myVEGAS to purchase two free ride tickets at Circus Circus since we were staying there. We played laser tag right before we went home for the weekend and Mike came out the champion! We had fierce competition even though the next oldest opponent was about 15 years younger than we were. We also had so much fun playing in the adult only area of Circus Circus, and it’s safe to say my luck with pool did not improve while we were in Vegas…
Clubs – Hyde in Bellagio – FREE: Vegas can be overwhelming the first time you visit thanks to the numerous vendors on the strip trying to “sell” free entry into bars or clubs. As long as you aren’t set on seeing a specific performer or going to a specific location, you usually don’t need to pay to get into a club if you go before the rush. I usually use Twitter to gain entrance into clubs.
I tweet as I am on my way to Vegas something like “So excited! Vegas bound for the weekend!! #Bellagio #Mirage #Vegas #LasVegas #VivaVegas #VegasBound.” It takes only a couple hours for a few different club promoters to tweet me back with their phone numbers and an offer for free entrance into a club. I text a few of the promoters to see what they have to offer, but I only follow up with the free offers!
During our $100 weekend, this was exactly how I got free entrance into Hyde for me, Mike, and another couple with unlimited champagne and vodka for the ladies! We had to show up before 12:00 a.m. to be on the list, and it was the perfect end to the night. We danced and drank champagne while overlooking the Bellagio fountains and Paris’s beautiful Eiffel Tower!
View from inside Hyde
Sometimes, my Twitter connections don’t have the best offers, so the other way I get free club entrance is by wandering around hotels during the day. There are several club promoters inside the hotels that work specifically for the clubs for that hotel location. So, if you want to go to Hyde but don’t want to publicly tweet about it, you can try wandering around the Bellagio and waiting for someone to approach you with free club entrance! One more tip… it is MUCH easier to get entrance if you have a minimum of a 50/50 girl to guy ratio!
3. Food and Drink – $63
Breakfast – Circus Circus breakfast buffet – FREE: We used myVEGAS to redeem two breakfast buffet passes to Circus Circus. It isn’t the most extravagant buffet on the strip, but we had an amazing and free breakfast to start the day.
Lunch – Ketchup Premium Burger Bar – $13: We used Groupon to spend $11 for a $20 voucher to Ketchup Premium Burger Bar, which is located in the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort. This was a fun, casual burger bar with spiked milkshakes and a wide variety of burgers and ketchup flavors! We weren’t that hungry since we had a buffet that morning, so we split a meal and ordered a spiked milkshake, which made it easy to stay close to the $20 voucher price!
Dinner – Le Village Buffet at Paris – $50 This is by far our favorite buffet in Vegas. The prime rib is truly the best we’ve ever had and the crepes are amazing. The buffet looks like you’re eating in a little cafe on the streets of Paris. We’ve now been here at least 5 times, and it’s great each time! It typically has a Groupon available to make it about $50 for two people. TIP: Use Ebates and wait until Groupon has a promo code for restaurants to save even more!
The Paris Buffet
Drinking – FREE!: Not only did we get free champagne and vodka from Hyde at the Bellagio, but we also got as much alcohol as we wanted by gambling since the casinos in Vegas provide free alcohol for you while you are gambling (this is not the case for casinos in many other states)!
Mike is not a gambler, but he enjoys the occasional penny slots, so we hang out at penny slots until we get a free cocktail or two. The servers are much more attentive if you are gambling at the tables rather than the penny slots, but we don’t mind the wait! It’s cheap entertainment! You should tip your server at least a dollar when you get your drink – don’t be too cheap when it comes to human kindness! 😊
You never know.. you could win big like I did last time on the penny slots!
4. Gambling – $100 in winnings! (this is where the luck came in)
Circus Circus – $100 winnings!!! When we arrived at Circus Circus, we quickly realized the reason we got such an amazing deal on our hotel was that it was the grand reopening of the main tower in Circus Circus… meaning the hotel had a ton of promotions and newly renovated rooms!
One of the promotions included free gambling tutorials and Freeplay casino chips when you sign up for the Circus Circus rewards program. This was the best thing that could have happened to us since, as you know from my last blog, Mike is in finance, so gambling really isn’t something he’d advise, but even he can’t resist gambling with Freeplay money! Circus Circus gave us each $60 in Freeplay money when we arrived at the hotel. The catch is that the Freeplay money can’t be redeemed for cash, however, the winnings from the Freeplay money can be redeemed!
We spent the morning after breakfast partaking in a craps tutorial. The craps dealer taught a group of eight of us how to play the game and how to bet to maximize your chances of winning. Craps is a pretty confusing game if you’ve never played, so this was educational and fun for us! We ended up playing craps and blackjack for most of the day with our Freeplay money.
In the end, we ended up winning $100 in real money after spending all our Freeplay money!
4. Transportation – $60
Las Vegas Monorail – $20: We used myVEGAS to redeem a buy-one-get-one-free 48-hour unlimited Monorail pass. This was necessary since we stayed in Circus Circus (at the end of the strip), but we spent our time everywhere else around the strip.
We love taking the monorail… it is the fastest and cheapest way to explore the strip. I took a cab in Vegas one time when I was 18 and didn’t know any better… it cost $50 and took more than 45 minutes to go halfway down the strip. I’m sure it would be cheaper now with Uber and Lyft, but it would still take just as long! The Monorail skips the traffic and you can take it as much as you want without worrying about spending money on transportation. We have also seen the most beautiful sunsets while riding on the monorail!
Gas – $40: It only cost us $40 worth of gas to drive round trip from Scottsdale, Arizona to Las Vegas, Arizona!
Now you know how we did Vegas for $100! Our weekends aren’t always that cheap in Vegas, but we got a little lucky this trip. We planned carefully and were always on the lookout for great deals.
Do you think you can experience Vegas for only $100?? Challenge yourself to experience Rich Living with Less Spending by using our helpful tips. Let us know if you have any unique tips of your own that you use in Vegas 😊 ! We love finding new ways to save money. Keep an eye out for our next blog, which will focus on our Rich Living, Less Spending vacation to Roatán, Honduras!
Rich Living, Less Spending 