Save money by eating at Paris Las Vegas's buffet;
you might not want to eat the next day.
(Photo: Zach Everson)

After driving from Louisville to Las Vegas in three days, my brother and I spent the next three days in Las Vegas.

It was my first trip to Vegas, and I was expecting to be depressed: either it'd be the epitome of American soullessness or I'd have to cope with having been wrong.

Las Vegas turned out to be neither though.

Not a gambler nor a fan of shows, Sin City underwhelmed. My last night there, sitting in the MGM Grand's sports book, drinking $7 Guinness, and reading The Economist on my iPhone, I was more bored than anything else.

While I was enjoying my time with my brother, something I expect to have much less of with his moving to California, I found myself wishing we'd spent the last few days of our trip elsewhere.

Despite my low opinion of Las Vegas, we did have some worthwhile experiences:

• Hoover Dam: Yes, my favorite part of Las Vegas was a 40-minute drive south. Sure, you'll take grief from your friends for choosing turbines over slots, but even for those of us who aren't Modern Marvels buffs, it's worth the trip.
• Restaurants: It's easy to find a good meal in Vegas (although it's difficult to find one that's not overpriced). Highlights included The Grand Wok & Sushi Restaurant, StripSteak, Tacos & Tequila, and the MGM Grand Buffet, where I bonded with the lady doling out the crabs' legs (note: my recommendation of the buffet might be tinted as result of several glasses of Crown Royal consumed beforehand).

And as this article is supposed to be about budget travel, here are some ways to save money should my less-than-glowing review not convince you that there are better destinations than Las Vegas.

• Don't gamble. You're not going to leave Las Vegas ahead; casino developer Steve Wynn is worth $3.9 billion for a reason.
• Search the Internet for hotel deals. As I mentioned earlier, my wife helped us with our reservations on this trip (thank you sweetheart). Before booking us at the MGM Grand, she searched the Internet for promotional codes. When she called the reservations desk, she just rattled them off in order of savings until she found one that worked. Because of her diligence, we got the third night of our stay for free.
• Park your own car. At the MGM Grand anyway, self-parking was free and abundant. Don't valet.
• Stay off the Internet. The MGM Grand charges $14.95 per computer per 24 hours for Internet access. So get your Internet browsing done ahead of time. And don't rely on Starbucks for a more affordable option; the only one with Wi-Fi is in the Fashion Show Mall.
• Eat at Paris Las Vegas's buffet. While I didn't eat there, a friend encourage me to do so. He said if I ate there, I wouldn't want to eat anything for the next few days, which would save me a few bucks.

Check back in the next few days as I report on the last leg of my trip: Washington, DC, my former city of residence, which I'm visiting for a week of inauguration activities.