The holidays are right around the corner: do you have any money left to spend?
I don’t know about you, but I could use some free or less costly things to do before the shopping season hits my wallet for the December holidays. So, I scouted around The Strip area first to see what’s going on.
There are 3 sets of trams available on the west side of The Strip. You should take them for the fun of it and to save a few footsteps. You will hear time and again how far it is to walk from one hotel to the next. It is true that it can seem like you are walking forever, especially if it’s 100+ outside. Of course, our winter weather is gorgeous and the outdoors feels really nice, but you still have a lot of walking to do in and out of hotels and down The Strip.
If you are here for 3-4 days you should split up your visit and do a section of The Strip each day. For the trams I usually park at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino to start my riding.
A tram will take you from Mandalay Bay to Luxor Hotel & Casino to Excalibur Hotel & Casino and back. Pay attention to your route on this tram. If you are boarding at Mandalay Bay it will stop at the Luxor and then go to Excalibur. But if you are going from the Excalibur it bypasses Luxor and goes straight to Mandalay Bay. This tram is free, no matter which way you go!
Onward to the next free tram! Once I get to the Excalibur I walk across the footbridge to New York-New York Hotel & Casino, walk through the casino and exit out the door at the far 
Once you are in the Bellagio, don’t forget to go through the current fall or holiday display in the Conservatory & Botanical Gardens and view the glass art by Dale Chihuly in the lobby ceiling located right next to it.
Now, it’s a little — okay, a long — hike from Bellagio down to The Mirage. Unless you just want to get all of the free tram rides out of the way in one day, you should do it the next day and park at either the Mirage or T.I. (Treasure Island) Hotel & Casino.
Or if you are in the area visiting The Venetian Resort you can cross the street and get this free tram ride from the Mirage to T.I. or T.I. to the Mirage. The Mirage tram entrance is outside of the Mirage. This tram reminds me of a cable car and the ride is pretty short. This is not a go-out-of-your-way freebie to enjoy; just do it if you are in this vicinity of The Strip.
The Venetian also has street performers throughout their location to entertain the visitors. You could see stilt-walkers in St. Mark’s Square or magicians, jugglers and even living statues and might experience their free Streetmosphere show with performances by opera singers running on the hour, starting at noon.
If you are in need of a place to sit for a while and craving some entertainment you should hit Harrah’s Hotel & Casino for their Piano Bar. Harrah’s is the next hotel south of the Venetian (remember, “next hotel” is relative in distances here!). While Harrah’s has several bars, this bar/lounge has lots of entertainment going on from early afternoon throughout the evening, and it’s free.
Down the street, on the same side of The Strip is Paris Hotel and Casino. If you walk 
As much as I would like you to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower at Paris, it is really not cost effective during this visit if you are trying to save money. While you can stay at the top for as long as you like, you still have to pay a minimum of $18 between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. for an adult. Yes, you could buy a $50 package for 2 adults and 2 children, but that is strictly up to you and your budget. There is a discount of $10 off for Military and Seniors during this time period, and Nevada residents and students can receive 50% off the standard prices.
Circus Circus Hotel & Resort has an actual circus and carnival midway inside their building. The circus performers begin at 11:30 daily and run until 11 p.m., Monday through Thursday, 12:30 a.m. on Friday, 1 a.m. on Saturday, and 12:15 a.m. on Sunday. The performances are all free to attend. Don’t get hooked on the midway because that defeats the free and less costly theme for this month!
Gold & Silver Pawn Shop on Las Vegas Blvd., north of The Strat, has free entry. You might get lucky and see one or more of the stars from the hit TV show during your visit. They are 
— Pauline Cimoch
Diamond Jack had an opportunity to meet Tim Burton at the opening of his “Lost Vegas: Tim Burton @ The Neon Museum.” Burton is widely regarded as one of cinema’s most 
Mrs. Goldberg was slowly ambling down the street when she met Dr. Cohen, her physician. Dr. Cohen greeted her and asked, “How are you feeling?”
For a moment the woman gave the doctor a terrible stare and then said, “You ask me how I’m feeling? I’ll tell you how I’m feeling. My legs hurt, my chest is sore, my heart is beating too fast, and I can’t sleep. I also have horrible headaches and stomach pains.”
The doctor looked at the 85-years-old Mrs. Goldberg and asked, “If you’re feeling so awful, why don’t you come and see me right away?”
Mrs. Goldberg sighed and said, “I was just waiting until I felt a little better.”
— Diamond Jack Bulavsky
Celestia at the Strat Adds New Acts and Close Up Look
Since opening last June, the international production “Celestia” celebrated 160 shows in thee state-of-the-art theatrical black-and-white tent next to The STRAT with tickets now on sale through June 2020. In August, the tour de force of acrobatics, technology, artistry and imagination dazzled television viewers when it performed on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent.”
Beginning Friday, Nov. 1, “Celestia” will offer a rare behind-the-scenes look at the one-of-a-kind immersive production with a complimentary 30-minute open house every Friday and Sunday at 4 p.m. Audiences will have the opportunity to witness the magic of this award-winning show up close and personal, where cast members will demonstrate their jaw-dropping talents and training techniques within the 30,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art theatrical tent.
“Celestia” has eight performances weekly, with 7 p.m. shows on Wednesdays and Thursdays and 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets range in price from $29 – $99.
Ian Bagg Offers Late Show at Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club
Bagg is a touring comedian flying more than 100,000 air miles annually, and the host of the weekly podcast, “Ian Bagg Bought a House.” His quick wit, off-the-cuff antics, playful conversation and fast-paced crowd work has earned him spots on some of the best stages in the world. He earned a top-five finish on NBC’s “Last Comic Standing,” where he performed a national tour. Bagg has appeared on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” “The Tonight Show,” “Adam Corolla Show,” “WTF with Marc Maron,” and “The Wrap Up Show” on Howard Stern.
The LINQ Promenade Adds New Features
As an addition to their entertainment and ongoing street art demonstrations the open-air district has also added a blacklight-mural created by the extraordinarily talented artist, Gear Duran. Also known as Gearboxxx, Duran is the owner of GBX3 Studios, where he creates one-of-a-kind art pieces and murals.