Hey there, fellow travelers! Today, we visit Las Vegas, Nevada! It’s a unique city that everyone should visit at least once in their life. As you know, here at Wolters World, we like to prepare travelers with the good, and the bad, of visiting a new travel destination. So these are the five things you’ll love, and the five things you’ll when you visit Las Vegas.
Hate #1: Las Vegas Taxis
Taxi prices in Las Vegas are astronomical. You can expect to pay at least $40 to get from the airport to the Strip. It’s also about $20 to go from the Strip to downtown Las Vegas. If you do take a taxi in Las Vegas, ask them to take the local route from the airport, not the highway. It will save you time and money. The airport is practically at the end of the Strip, yet most taxi drivers will take you the long (expensive) way to your hotel. Uber and Lyft are also available in Vegas, so check those prices as well.
Hate #2: Prices in Vegas
Las Vegas used to be a cheap destination, with low hotel rates to lure gamblers in. That’s not the case anymore, as it’s become an international destination. Hotels and restaurants are expensive. If you aren’t gambling and you order drinks, they are pretty expensive as well. Sure, there are budget-friendly options in Vegas, but be careful when choosing a budget hotel and make sure you carefully check the location and traveler reviews. It won’t do you any good to save money on a hotel if you then have to take a taxi to the Strip every day. (Also: watch out for those resort fees that are mandatory but not shown in your hotel rate!)
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Hate #3: People in Vegas
This can be a love or hate, but there are some crazy people in Las Vegas. There’s just crazy/eccentric and then there are the crazy/drunk people in Vegas. The whole atmosphere is unlike any other destination in the world. You can drink on the street, so you see a LOT of drunk people running around. It’s a popular bachelor/bachelorette destination and there’s a lot of people trying to relive the Hangover movies. If you are visiting Vegas with kids, beware of the peddlers on the street handing out cards – they’re for escort services, and the photos are most definitely not family-friendly!
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Hate #4: Smoking in Las Vegas
Smoking has been banned practically everywhere in the United States, so most of us are not used to dealing with cigarette smoke indoors. Vegas is the lone holdout and still allows smoking in casinos, strip clubs, brothels, and bars. If you don’t like smoking, you have to seek out a non-smoking area. Don’t bother to complain about it as that’s a good way to get into a fight. When you book your Las Vegas hotel, be sure to ask for a non-smoking hotel room.
Hate #5: Summer in Las Vegas
Vegas may have a “dry heat” since it’s in the desert, but even a dry heat can be oppressive when temperatures go over 100-degrees. You have to really stay hydrated, especially if you visit Las Vegas in the summer. The nights still cool down considerably, so you’ll need layers if you plan to go out at night. Summer is probably the worst time to visit Vegas, but you can also score some hotel deals if you do visit in the summer.
Love #1: People Watching Along the Strip
One of the best things to do in Vegas is to sit back and watch all of the interesting people along the Strip. You’ll see a lot of street performers and people dressed up as characters. If you want a photo of them or with them, you’ll be expected to pay them. Then there are the different tourists to watch and the local “street workers.” It’s just a really interesting environment.
Love #2: Vegas Never Sleeps
There is no last call in Las Vegas; it’s really a 24/7 city. You’ll see grandmas at the slot machine at 4 am and people knocking back shots at 8 am. You can do almost anything you want in Las Vegas: hang out with Elvis, rent a luxury sports car, have steak for breakfast or waffles for dinner! There are no clocks or windows in the casinos, so they make it very hard to know what time it is. Make sure you don’t get burned out and build some downtime into your Las Vegas itinerary. (Or at least plan a recovery day at home before you go back to work!)
Love #3: Las Vegas Restaurants
Food is such an essential experience of traveling and Vegas is no exception! The food in Vegas is amazing. You can hit a dozen all-you-can-eat buffets or one of 12 Michelin-star restaurants in Las Vegas. You can get fabulous food in Las Vegas at all hours of the day and night. Skip the fast food in Vegas, take advantage of the amazing dining opportunities and try something new.
Love #4: Free Drinks!
No, it’s not an urban legend. You really can drink for free in Las Vegas…if you’re gambling. Now, if you’re at a nightclub or a bar or restaurant, you will have to pay (a lot) for your drinks. But once you are in the casino, if you are gambling, you can get free alcoholic beverages. You can even be at the penny slots, but make sure you are tipping the waitress, which will ensure she comes back around quickly.
Love #5: Other Things to Do in Vegas
Besides gambling, there are so many cool things to do in Vegas. There are museums in Vegas, like the Mob Museum or the Neon Sign Museum. The Fremont Street Experience is a cool light show. There’s awesome hiking right outside Vegas at Mt Charleston and Red Rock Canyon. You can even take day trips from Las Vegas to see the Grand Canyon or Hoover Dam. Then there are the shows in Vegas: Circus Circus is always popular, and many performers like Britney Spears, Celine Dion and Cher have ongoing residencies in Las Vegas. When you are planning your Las Vegas itinerary, make sure you leave room for some of the cool day trips from Las Vegas!
Las Vegas is a really interesting city, no matter what kind of travel you prefer. The “hates” are really just things to have a heads up on rather than a reason not to plan a Las Vegas vacation. Want more tips for traveling in the United States? Check out these other blog posts: