I just got back from a short but sweet trip to lovely Las Vegas, Nevada and let me say... I LOVED IT! What an awesome, entertaining place. My original flight was cancelled due to snow, so I didn't get to do half the stuff I thought I would, but I still had a fabulous time. Even though I was there for a work conference, there was still plenty of time to enjoy the nightlife and the strip. MGM, Aria, Bellagio, the Venetian - all the hotel/casinos are really a sight to see. Without further ado... here's my two cents about how to make the most out of Las Vegas! |
1. Las Vegas doesn’t have strict open container laws, so you can walk around the street with your drink.
2. Bring Airplane Bottles! Food and drinks are pricey in Vegas, especially on the strip. See my $18 frozen drink for reference. Dump an airplane bottle in your $3 bottled Orange Juice. Done. A delicious screwdriver.
2. Bring Airplane Bottles! Food and drinks are pricey in Vegas, especially on the strip. See my $18 frozen drink for reference. Dump an airplane bottle in your $3 bottled Orange Juice. Done. A delicious screwdriver.
3. Penny slots are cheap gambling, but the payout is not as good as a $1+ slot machine. And yes, you can win money on them! I won $160 on a slot machine in the MGM.
4. Don’t be afraid to gamble for a game you don’t know how to play! Sit next to a friendly old man and he will be more than happy to show you how to play (as long as it doesn’t hurt his odds!)
5. Customer Service in Las Vegas is stellar. Everyone from the taxi drivers to the hotel staff is so friendly. Our original flight was cancelled, so we thought we’d have to forfeit our non-refundable tickets. A simple call to customer service and we got our money back (minus the service fees – but a small price to pay).
6. If you want to drink for free in the casino, go where it is busy. The waitresses come by more often.
7. Stay on the strip in a nice hotel. It is so much more convenient to have a casino, restaurants, entertainment, etc in your hotel rather than having to leave.
8. If you want to roam the strip, I recommend getting a monorail pass, especially if it stops at your hotel. Just looking at everything is an event itself! The Venetian has a beautiful indoor courtyard where the ceiling is painted like the sky. It is so beautiful, and the perfect ambience for a nice ‘outdoor” dinner (without having to worry about the elements).
4. Don’t be afraid to gamble for a game you don’t know how to play! Sit next to a friendly old man and he will be more than happy to show you how to play (as long as it doesn’t hurt his odds!)
5. Customer Service in Las Vegas is stellar. Everyone from the taxi drivers to the hotel staff is so friendly. Our original flight was cancelled, so we thought we’d have to forfeit our non-refundable tickets. A simple call to customer service and we got our money back (minus the service fees – but a small price to pay).
6. If you want to drink for free in the casino, go where it is busy. The waitresses come by more often.
7. Stay on the strip in a nice hotel. It is so much more convenient to have a casino, restaurants, entertainment, etc in your hotel rather than having to leave.
8. If you want to roam the strip, I recommend getting a monorail pass, especially if it stops at your hotel. Just looking at everything is an event itself! The Venetian has a beautiful indoor courtyard where the ceiling is painted like the sky. It is so beautiful, and the perfect ambience for a nice ‘outdoor” dinner (without having to worry about the elements).
9. Unless you’re walking on the same side of the street on the strip and your destination is the next hotel over, you’ll probably want a cab. Good thing is all the hotels have taxi lines which is awesome because they hail the cab for you. One thing to know: bring cash. It’s an extra $3 per transaction to use their credit card machine.
10. You’ll walk miles just trying to navigate inside the casinos, let alone walking the strip. Bring comfortable shoes! I made the mistake of wearing adorable, but brand new heels. Blisters will kind of ruin walking in general, so leave your cute but uncomfortable shoes for nighttime.
11. Be flexible! This tip is really for females only (sorry guys) - Club promoters will walk up to you and invite you to a party with free open bar for an hour, free entry, etc. It’s an easy way to avoid paying a cover charge.
12. Splurge on at least one nice dinner. There are so many amazing restaurants - it's worth it for at least one meal!
13. Make sure to check out groupon/living social/travel zoo for deals. I paid $20 for a $40 credit to a restaurant - a great value! No shame in couponing when you can :)
14.Last but not least - remember the mantra "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas." Have some fun! Stay out late. Indulge. We all need a little break from the ordinary :)
10. You’ll walk miles just trying to navigate inside the casinos, let alone walking the strip. Bring comfortable shoes! I made the mistake of wearing adorable, but brand new heels. Blisters will kind of ruin walking in general, so leave your cute but uncomfortable shoes for nighttime.
11. Be flexible! This tip is really for females only (sorry guys) - Club promoters will walk up to you and invite you to a party with free open bar for an hour, free entry, etc. It’s an easy way to avoid paying a cover charge.
12. Splurge on at least one nice dinner. There are so many amazing restaurants - it's worth it for at least one meal!
13. Make sure to check out groupon/living social/travel zoo for deals. I paid $20 for a $40 credit to a restaurant - a great value! No shame in couponing when you can :)
14.Last but not least - remember the mantra "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas." Have some fun! Stay out late. Indulge. We all need a little break from the ordinary :)