Photo credit: By Lasvegaslover (Own work) [CC-BY-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Las Vegas. Glitzy. Glamorous. Over-stimulating. VEGAS BABY!
Seriously, I love me some Vegas. It is like Disney World for adults. The only thing that captures the sights, sounds, and smells of Las Vegas is actually being there. Of course, if you’ve never been to Sin City, you may not be sure of what to you’re getting yourself into. Never fear! Here are 7 Las Vegas tips that will help make your trip to The Strip more comfortable.
1) Bring your walking shoes
There is an overwhelming amount of things to see and do on the Las Vegas Strip. Unless you want to spend a fortune in taxi rides, you need to bring some comfortable shoes. The Strip itself is about 4.2 miles long. However, we are not talking about a straight, flat walking mile. You will need to go up and down escalators (and occasionally stairs), back and forth to the main road, and through miles and miles of casinos. While that giant sign inviting you into Mandalay Bay only looks a few blocks away, it is feasible that you are still in for a half-hour walk. On a positive note, there are trams that run between some sister casinos. However, you may have to walk through the entire casino just to get to the tram station. So, leave the 6-inch stilettos at home and bring a comfortable pair of tennis shoes instead.
2) Look for deals
Las Vegas is a town that runs on excitement, and to create excitement you need to get people in the door. From hotel rooms to restaurants, stage shows to nightclubs, there are deals to be had everywhere in Las Vegas. All you have to do is look for them and be flexible. If you’re looking to see a Vegas show, try stopping by one of the many Tix4Tonight booths in town. There, you’ll find tickets for many of the Las Vegas shows at half-price. Need free food or rooms? Try playing the free MLife Facebook game “myVegas Slots” before you leave and earn passes for free buffets, drinks, and rooms at the MLife family of hotels. With very little work at all, my wife and I recently earned 4 free buffet meals for our recent trip. Score!
3) Stay Mid-Strip
If you are going to be staying on The Strip, try to book your room somewhere near the middle. Not only does it make for quicker commutes, it cuts down immensely on the amount of walking that you are going to be doing. Of course, some of the hotels in this area are a little pricier. Yet, you can find some cheaper options by doing a little digging. Try staying during the week instead of over the weekend. Better yet, get a really cheap room like we did and save your money for other things…like gambling!!!
4) Set a limit
Speaking of gambling, be sure to set a firm limit on what you are willing to lose each day. I recently learned this one the hard way. Had I stuck to my daily limit, I would have went home several hundred dollars ahead…instead of a couple hundred down…over my last three hours. Fail.
5) See the free stuff
After you hit your loss limit for the day (and at some point you will), go out and see all the free stuff that Las Vegas has to offer. From the fountain show and conservatory at the Bellagio to the Fremont Street Experience, there is plenty to do even after you’ve gone broke. Heck, the checking out all the lights and simple people watching are entertainment enough!
6) Don’t pay for drinks
If you forget the rest of these Las Vegas tips, this may be the most important. Don’t buy drinks from the bar. I repeat. DO NOT buy drinks from the bar. Buying a drink at a Vegas casino bar is like shredding your money…and then burning it just to make sure you’ve destroyed it. On my way through one casino, I stopped at the casino bar to get a Long Island Ice Tea. I paid $21 for an 8 oz. drink. Oy! So, in case you didn’t know, the drinks are free when you are gambling. Yep, the drinks F-R-E-E!!! That drink may have cost you a heck of a lot of coin if you lose, but who’s counting? If you don’t plan to play or have gone broke, bring your own booze. There are no open container laws on The Strip, so you can mix your drink in the room and carry it with you.
7) Bring your camera
Las Vegas is filled with all kinds of interesting sights and people. Pay a dollar to get your picture taken with a street performer. Take a romantic photo by the fountains at the Bellagio. Click some selfies of you and your crew getting popped. Enjoy yourself! And, remember, “What happens in Vegas…ends up on Facebook!”
What are your Las Vegas tips? Fire away in the comments below!
Great tips! I agree-definitely choose a central hotel if you want to wander the whole strip. Also, you can stock up on snacks and drinks at Walgreens to avoid dining out for breakfast and lunch.
Heck yeah Lauren! The last time we went to Vegas, our hotel actually included a continental breakfast. It wasn’t much, but there was fruit, coffee, juice, cereal, toast, bagels, etc. That saved us from having to pay for an extra meal each day. That’s probably $40 extra to play with!
First off, I’m ridiculously jealous of your trip. I’ve never been to Vegas. Also, last time Ana and I went to a big city, we learned how important bringing walking shoes was. We met Jeremy and Wendy in Seattle. There was a ton of walking and we ended up overpaying for shoes for Ana because the toe thongs weren’t going to cut it!
It is crazy how much walking you do while you are there! We stayed all the way down at Mandalay Bay the first time we were there, and that was a pretty long haul to get anywhere.
Las Vega sounds so exciting! Would love the visit one day. Very good tip about not buying drinks, I would have definitely fallen for that mistake of buying a drink!
It is a fun place. It is hard not to have a good time there 🙂
There are some great tips here!! I was ill when I went a few years ago but I still enjoyed it, though it would be great to go back and do it properly! I completely agree about staying mid week – we noticed what a huge price saving that made to us and if I do return, I’ll be working on my photograph skills to capture those night light shots as best as possible!
Mid-week is the way to go. The weekend is fun, but so is every other night of the week. I hope you enjoy your next trip there, and I can’t wait to see those photos!
whatever is the month of the year in Las Vegas, do not forget to bring a light sweater. all casino’s are freezing cold.