Circus Circus....is it worth it?

Circus Circus Las Vegas…this is the one place that I can mention that always sparks a reaction with people…and it’s never a good one. People remember going here as a kid, or hear their family talking about it and just don’t have wildly positive things to say about it. Well, with the Riviera off the map, Circus Circus Las Vegas is now unrivaled for the cheapest rooms you can find on The Strip with the Luxor, Excalibur and Stratosphere not too far behind in prices but far ahead in ratings. I rarely get bookings or inquiries for CCLV and I wanted to figure out why…So let’s talk about it.  

From the outside, it is exactly what you would expect hearing the name. There are clowns, bright pink and red, the main entrance looks just like walking into a circus tent and the Adventure Dome all huge and pink really set’s the “Circus” theme. Inside you will find all kinds of cute little shops where you can pick up anything from cotton candy, clown noses, and toys for the kids to designer purses, jewelry and vodka bottles for the rest of us. The entire casino floor has a circus style vibe complete with a carousel that spins round with slot machines instead of horses. This is one of the few if not only places in the city that is made to cater to the entire family.

The Adventure Dome is a mini theme park accessed on the second deck of CCLV near the lobby. It’s got a roller coaster, thrill rides, carnival games, concession stands…the works. Depending on the time of the year, there may be free shows, or decked out for Halloween when it becomes the Fright Dome. It can be fun for adults too, and there are a couple quick bars and who doesn’t like rides? But it is really taken over and directed towards the kids. This is a perfect place to go if you need a fun day with the kids; you can stay busy in here for hours. Check with them directly, or comment below if you need more info on entry fee's or ticket prices.

There is a free circus show up on the second deck (not by the Adventure Dome), stop by their website or the stage for times as they change regularly. It’s actually an amazing show, think of what you would see at a regular circus but on a bit of a smaller scale. Its super entertaining and the kids love it for sure.

The rooms are very budget style. Depending on what building you are in, you could expect anything from Super 8 style rooms in the Manor to exceptional in the main tower.

They have quick easy food and amazing sit down restaurants. Their Steak house is low key one of the best and under rated on the strip. Vince Neil’s Eat Drink Party is in here and they usually have live rock shows with 80s and 90s cover bands, and an interesting menu. Price to quality ratio is a little exaggerated but the vibe on a show night is way worth it.

So over all…is it worth it? This will all depend on your budget, if you have kids with you, and how much time you plan to actually spend here. If you are like me vacationing, where I’m sleeping is irrelevant. I’m going to spend the day exploring the city, dance the night away, sleep and repeat so this would be an excellent cost effective place to stay. With that said it’s a little far from the rest of the strip, like a mile to Fashion Show Mall where the rest of the strip meets CCLV and about a half of a mile to the SLS so if you are thinking of walking to the sights and sounds and you haven’t trained for a marathon…think again and take a cab. With friends this is a good way to save, but if you are traveling alone you might as well stay somewhere closer to save on cab fare.

If you are coming with kids and don’t plan on spending too much time away from your hotel, I totally suggest staying here, but pay a little more and stay in the main building instead of the Manor for quality reasons. By a little more I mean $36 a night instead of $29 it’s not that big of a difference (right now). You can enjoy the casino, the bars and the entertainment, while your kids can enjoy the adventure dome, arcades,  the shows and the fun. Win Win Win.

If you want to stay in the fanciest place, but don’t want to spend the fanciest prices. Don’t stay here, you will be disappointed. The staff is amazing and as helpful as they can be, but this is an older hotel/casino and you can tell. We can find a much better place to stay if you are looking for something…more luxury if you are willing to move your budget around.

Worth it? YES! Depending on what you are looking for. But for me, no kids, and not planning on being here for more than eat sleep repeat…it’s perfect and saves money for more activities. 6 out of 10 on my scale but a go for so many reasons.

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Have you stayed or visited the Circus Circus? Tell me all about your experience and tag me (@nikkionvegas) in your social media posts and share this post with your friends so they can know what's up.