With the economy slumping, are you thinking of canceling that long-planned vacation to Las Vegas? The average cost for a room at one of the Las Vegas Strip hotels hovers between $200 to $400 a night. And with occupancy rates of more than 90 percent, the hotels have little incentive to bargain.

But wait -- how does $59 a night sound?

Most visitors to Las Vegas don't know that neighborhoods outside of the city (yes, there is life beyond the Strip) are home to 16 major "locals' " hotel/casinos. These cater mostly to local residents and their guests but are perfect for budget-minded travelers who want to save on accommodations. Room rates at these modern hotel/casinos run from $59 a night up to an average of $90. These prices leave more in your wallet for shows, restaurants and, yes, gambling.

One of the newest of these properties, Red Rock Station Casino, about 15 miles northwest of downtown, opened last April. With a construction cost of $925 million, Red Rock Casino is giving the Bellagio/Wynn territories a run for their money in terms of luxury appointments. However, expect to pay less than half the price of those Strip properties.

There are two major locals' casino chains: Station Casinos and Coast Casinos. Station has 10 properties scattered around the neighborhoods: Green Valley Ranch, Santa Fe Station, Palace Station, Texas Station, Sunset Station, Boulder Station, Fiesta Rancho, Fiesta Henderson, Wild Wild West, and the newly constructed Red Rock Station Resort and Casino.

The Coast Chain has four off-Strip properties: Gold Coast, Sun Coast, Sam's Town and The Orleans. The Barbary Coast Hotel and Casino recently was sold to Harrah's Entertainment and doesn't count for our budget planning.

The newest off-Strip hotel is the independently owned South Coast Hotel and Casino. It is on Las Vegas Boulevard, about six miles south of Tropicana Avenue. A big attraction, in addition to the spa, movie theaters and 64-lane bowling center, is its world-class equestrian arena. The hotel provides free shuttle service to and from McCarran Airport and the Mandalay Bay Casino on the Strip.

Another independently owned property worth checking out is the Silverton Hotel and Casino three miles south of the Strip. It has 300 newly remodeled rooms and suites. One of the fun things at the Silverton is its 117,000 gallon salt water aquarium, complete with weekend mermaid performances. Hey, it's Vegas, baby!

Next door is Pro Bass Shops' Outdoor World, a sporting goods superstore that's an attraction all its own, with indoor waterfalls, wildlife mounts, aquariums, food offerings and more.

Traditionally, travelers seeking budget rates had two options: stay at an off-Strip motel or consider one of the older hotel/casinos at the north end of the Strip. But times change, and, sadly, many of these properties have not been maintained. The older casinos on the Strip are mostly in a holding pattern, waiting for a new owner to tear them down and rebuild grander, themed properties such as the Paris, Venetian, Bellagio or Caesars Palace. As a result, carpeting and drapes can be faded; flooring scuffed and scraped; bathroom fixtures cracked and moldy.

Then there's Freemont Street -- the "old Las Vegas." The casinos there are certainly cost-competitive with the locals' casinos; but the downtown renewal is still a work in progress. Sorry, Oscar (our esteemed Mayor Oscar Goodman), we know this is one of your pet projects -- and someday, it will come to fruition.

In contrast, the casinos in the outlying neighborhoods are relatively new to the Las Vegas scene. Most are fewer than five years old. Rooms are spacious and grand, in part because of generous subsidies from the casino operations side of the house.

Las Vegas has the usual abundance of national chain hotels also, such as Marriott Courtyard and Doubletree. These are certainly another option for the weary traveler. They provide consistent quality from one city to another. Their rates, however, are mostly higher than the neighborhood casinos, and they lack many of the amenities of casino properties. Yes, you can get a free breakfast with your room at chain hotels; but, at the casinos, you'll never go hungry -- not with a $5.95 all-you-can-eat buffet breakfast, $7.95 buffet lunch, topped off with a $12.95 buffet dinner. These are the prices, for example, at the South Point.

Tip: Be sure to pick up a free "players rewards card" at any of these properties. This card gets you various free stuff and $1 off per person at the buffets.

If buffets are not your style, there are three or four "sit-down restaurants" in each of these neighborhood casino properties. Oh, you prefer breakfast in bed? No problem.

Entertainment is another reason to stay at the neighborhood casinos. Most have free nightly lounge acts, inexpensive comedy, pop and country concert performances, movie theaters, swimming, bowling, and even ice skating (at the Fiesta Rancho). Oh, and gambling. Every neighborhood casino has the usual assortment of table and slot games -- most with lower limits than on the Strip.

Of course all this doesn't preclude you from visiting the Strip, which is required to "do" Vegas properly. You should check out the Strip during the day and night. When the sun goes down, the Strip transforms. Some hotels, like the Rio, become neon-colored art forms; others are flooded with bright lights that show off their many features, such as the Eiffel Tower and the Bellagio fountains. The shows, outdoor entertainment and shopping are there 24/7.

I live here, but I still never get bored of casino hopping. So for out-of-towners, rent a car for a week and drive to the Strip whenever you like. You can rent cars at most neighborhood casinos or at the airport. A mid-size sedan for a week will cost about $140 -- less than half the cost of a weekend night's stay on the Strip. Oh, yes -- parking is free just about everywhere in Vegas. And navigation is a breeze since Las Vegas is laid out in a grid. (Do take note, however -- as much as I love this town -- I have never lived in a city with so many terrible drivers; I suspect the day and night serving of alcohol is likely the reason.)

Some of the nearer neighborhood casinos provide free shuttle service to the Strip. Just make sure that their last pickup time in the evening doesn't cramp your style. Taxis in Vegas are expensive, and that ride home could cost $40 to $50.

So, here's the bottom line: You can expect everything in the outlying neighborhoods to be a third to half the cost of the same activities on the Strip. A week at a popular Strip hotel runs about $220 a night or $1,540 a week. Seven nights at a neighborhood casino averages $90 or $630 a week.

Take the free shuttle to the Strip properties when you feel the call, and you've saved a cool $910.

Buena suerte!

There's much more to Vegas than casinos. That's where having your own transportation has its advantages.

From the Strip, you're only 40 minutes from the beautiful Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. This 197,000-acre park within Mojave Desert is a favorite for hiking, rock climbing, horseback riding or just general sightseeing. The 7,600-square-foot Visitors' Center has just been remodeled and contains a museum, gift shop and bookstore. Maps are available for all of the popular trails. 1-702-515-5350; www.redrockcanyonlv.org.

North of the Strip -- also about 40 minutes away -- is the 11,000-foot Mount Charleston in the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. Snow-capped for more than half of the year, Mount Charleston is a great place for ice skating and skiing. Even during the summer it's 30 degrees cooler than Vegas. The beautiful, rustic Mount Charleston Hotel is a favorite spot for Sunday brunch. 1-702-872-5500; www.mtcharlestonhotel.com.

Drive 30 miles southeast of the Strip and you'll find Lake Mead National Recreation Area and Hoover Dam. Lake Mead is the largest reservoir in the United States. It is 115 miles long and anywhere from one to eight miles wide. Think boating and fishing. Hoover Dam is one of the largest dams in the world, 726 feet high and 1,244 feet across. There is a visitors' center with guided tours to the bottom, where the 12 massive turbo generators reside. This is where all the electricity is generated to light up the neon canyons of Las Vegas Boulevard. 1-702-494-2517; www.usbr.gov/lc/hooverdam.