10 Cheap Vacations For Expensive Times

 

Las Vegas
Fewer people flew into McCarran Airport last year than the year before, housing prices are beneath the sand, hotels are hurting and even the guys from The Hangover aren't coming back for the sequel.

As a result, Travelocity says Vegas is its top destination this summer because it's the cheapest. The Tropicana is letting rooms go at $30 a night, Bally's is giving them away at $39 and the Stratosphere's rates aren't living up the the name at $32 a night. And those are among the high rollers, as Travelocity has $20 rates for the Hooters hotel and casino, $13 for the Golden Spike in Fremont and $9 -- yes, $9 -- for the Texas Station Gambling Hall and Hotel.

Even at those rates, what's the incentive for a penny pincher to go to a gambling town in the middle of a blistering summer? That's when the hotel and casino pools are at their best and most raucous -- which likely explains why The Palms and Mandalay Bay are holding the line at $80 and $90 a night respectively. However, even luxury hotels the Wynn and Encore are giving away $100 in resort credit to travelers who book a three-night hotel or flight and hotel package.