With more than 2,700 exhibitors across two major venues, the SHOT Show® merits a multi-day visit for attendees. The convenience of staying onsite at The Venetian or Palazzo isn’t feasible for everyone — however, there are plenty of hotels located right next to The Venetian Expo and Caesars Forum offering both great value and convenience to help you maximize your investment while in Las Vegas. Here are some tips to save on lodging during SHOT Week.
(Looking for more budget-saving tips? Bookmark shotshow.org/blog for insights on travel and more arriving soon.)
Budget Hotels within Walking Distance
When booking hotel accommodations, there are two key things to consider: the nightly rate you’ve budgeted for and the hotel’s proximity to The Venetian Expo and Caesars Forum.
There are several official SHOT Show hotels available through onPeak offering both good value and a walkable distance to the convention halls. For the purposes of our evaluation, we’ll consider hotels in the onPeak block of rooms under $250 per night.
Hotels with availability through onPeak as of this writing at less than $250 per night and within walking distance of The Venetian Expo and Caesars Forum include: Flamingo, Harrah’s, The LINQ Hotel and Horseshoe.
The prices for each of these properties are comparable. The difference of a four-night stay is $120 total at current prices — so a lot depends on your personal preference.
For a more “old-school” Las Vegas atmosphere, it’s hard to beat the Flamingo, while the LINQ has a more contemporary, youthful vibe. (Both of these properties are highlighted in the “Entertainment on a Budget” post, further adding value to your stay.) Harrah’s completed a major $200 million renovation in 2021, resulting in significantly upgraded rooms. Horseshoe offers a traditional, lively atmosphere. It received widespread updates (other than its hotel rooms) throughout its casino and other public areas in 2023.
Each of these hotels is located less than a 10-minute walk away from Caesars Forum, which connects to The Venetian Expo via the SHOT Bridge. If you choose to stay at the LINQ or Harrah’s, you don’t even have to step outside, as both are accessible to Caesars Forum via skybridge.
A Word on “Sold Out” Hotels
For those booking through onPeak, note if a hotel appears as “unavailable” it only means the discounted SHOT Show block is sold out. In most cases, you can still book direct through the hotel — it will just be at a higher rate, include the current resort fee instead of a discounted resort fee and without the protections and flexibility offered through onPeak.
Something to be aware of: Many exhibitors book extra rooms a year in advance, as they don’t know how many team members they will send to the next year’s show, and will reduce their own room block closer to the December 13 reservation deadline as they lock in their show plans.
For instance, some popular hotels — like Treasure Island — are currently unavailable via onPeak because the block is sold out, but it may change as the December deadline approaches. Depending on how exhibitors and attendees adjust their room selections, availability in the onPeak block may open back up in hotels near the show — but it’s not something to bank on, however.
Farther Out, on a Budget
There are additional official SHOT Show hotels available through onPeak at budget-friendly prices but are more than a short walk away.
The farther distance results in additional savings, with several hotel options available at less than $200 per night under current prices, including Sahara, Palace Station, Plaza Hotel and Circus Circus. Each of these hotels have varying attributes, and like the above section, your selection will be based on personal preference. Although it’s the farthest away from the other hotels evaluated in this article, the Plaza Hotel is located right on historic Fremont Street (featured prominently in the “Entertainment on a Budget” post.)
Given all the footsteps you’ll take to peruse products at The Venetian Expo and Caesars Forum, it’s not advisable to walk to the show from any of these hotels. There are four methods to consider, with varying degrees of savings and convenience potential:
- Free Option: Each of these four hotels are served by a free shuttle bus service during SHOT week, which runs every 25–30 minutes 7:00 a.m.–10:30 a.m. Tuesday–Friday (and in the late afternoon/evening). This is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Convenient Option: Hailing a taxi or using ride-share services like Uber and Lyft can get you to the show floor at your convenience — but you’ll pay for it. Surge pricing will be in effect during the morning rush for the ride-share apps, making taxis a potentially more reasonable option.
- Monorail Option: Recommended for Circus Circus and Sahara guests, the Las Vegas Monorail is a reliable solution. The Las Vegas Monorail operates seven stations, from the MGM Grand to the Sahara. Those staying in the Sahara would use the Sahara Station, while Circus Circus guests would depart from the Westgate Station — getting off at the Harrah’s/The LINQ Station for direct access to Caesars Forum. Trains run every 5–6 minutes beginning at 7:00 a.m. (Discounts on the Monorail are available to SHOT Show attendees, which can be purchased during SHOT Show registration. More information is available here.)
- Personal Vehicle Option: If you elect to rent a vehicle or drive to Las Vegas, driving from the hotel to The Venetian Expo and Caesars Forum is another option available to you, it just may not be the most convenient. Free parking along the Strip is becoming harder to come by, and traffic near the show will be at a standstill around opening and closing times.
There are, of course, additional hotel options throughout Las Vegas that have budget-friendly pricing outside of the onPeak room block. Some are closer to the action than others, with varying degrees of convenience to do business in the convention hall.
A Hotel for Every Budget, Preference
The benefit of attending a trade show in Las Vegas is — pun intended — there are multiple games in town when it comes to lodging. In fact, there are nearly 300 hotels in Las Vegas, and the city lays claim to having more hotel rooms (150,000+) than any other in the world.
So, there are dozens of budget options within close walking distance of The Venetian Expo and Caesars Forum from national chains such as the Best Western Plus Casino Royale, Las Vegas Marriott, Residence Inn, Renaissance Las Vegas Hotel, Embassy Suites and more.
Independent hotels, like Tuscany Suites and Ellis Island, are additional budget-friendly options with close access to the show.
Remember, the week of SHOT Show is one of the busiest weeks of the trade show calendar in Las Vegas with World of Concrete and the International Roofing Expo taking place concurrently. Together, these three shows bring in well over 120,000 attendees — so it is simple supply and demand when it comes to elevated prices during the week compared to just prior and after the SHOT Show.
Short-Term Rentals
Short-term rentals, through providers like Airbnb and Vrbo, are available throughout Las Vegas, and represent another budget-conscious lodging option. An appeal of these properties is multiple members of a team could stay together — having the ability to cook meals and travel to/from to the show by either personal vehicle or ride-share/taxi.
There are still many short-term rental options available through both Airbnb and Vrbo during the week of the SHOT Show. Like booking a hotel, doing so well in advance will help lock in a better rate for you and your team. Be aware of scams: Keep all communication and payments on the Airbnb/Vrbo platforms and verify profiles and listings if details sound too good to be true.
A “Can’t-Miss” Event
The SHOT Show is a “can’t-miss” event — serving as a launchpad to jumpstart business success in the new year. Attending the show for multiple days represents a substantial investment, but there are plenty of other ways to stretch your budget throughout the week.
To help you further experience SHOT Show on a budget, make sure you bookmark the first story in this series — budget-saving travel — and keep an eye out for additional articles on entertainment and dining.
