Tips for Las Vegas: What NOT To Do
Hey there, fellow travelers! Today, we’re talking about what NOT to do when you visit Las Vegas, Nevada. While many travel blogs will tell you what to do in Las Vegas, we want to be sure you know about the things you should NOT do on your trip to Vegas.
Don’t Think Vegas is Just Gambling
There’s a lot more to do in Vegas besides gamble. We don’t gamble and we always have a great time in Vegas. There’s a ton of cool things to do in Vegas that don’t involve gambling. There’s the huge High Roller ferris wheel, ziplining, and then some cool museums and of course, all of the shows and performances. If you can, make sure you take in some Vegas day trips, too. There’s lot of cool things to see just outside of Vegas. Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, Valley of Fire State Park and Red Rock Conservation Area are some of the best day trips from Vegas.
Ten Things That Will Shock You in Vegas
Don’t Do the Bus Tour to Hoover Dam
Hoover Dam is a great day trip from Vegas; but don’t do the bus tour, without getting the full details ahead of time. We learned this the hard way. One bus picks you up at your hotel and then brings you to a central meeting spot where more buses converge and eventually make their way to Hoover Dam. It’s way better to rent your own car for the day and drive. Then you’re not wasting time waiting on other tourists and you can stop along the way wherever you want.
Five Things You’ll Love & Hate About Group Tours
Don’t Think All Hotels and Casinos are the Same
If you’ve never been to Vegas, it’s easy to think all hotels and casinos are the same. But that’s not the case. You really should do some research before choosing your Las Vegas hotel. There are a lot of things to consider, like amenities, clientele, dining choices and location! Have a map of the strip open when you are browsing hotels so you can be sure you’re staying in a good area for you.
Don’t Trust Online Hotel Prices
When you book your Las Vegas hotel, don’t think the number you see is what you’re going to pay. You’ll find some great deals for Vegas hotels, but what you don’t see are all the hidden fees that will be added on top of that base price. Resort fees can add up to $45 a night to your room price. Plus valet parking and all kinds of taxes, and that low price you saw online could easily double by the time you check out. Don’t even get me started on the minibar in your hotel; don’t even touch anything or you’ll get charged. They even increase the prices on weekends and holidays!
Don’t Forget to Sign up For Loyalty Programs
When you visit Vegas, make sure you are signing up for the loyalty programs where you are staging and gambling. Even if you’re only visiting Vegas the one time, you can still reap the benefits of the loyalty programs. You might get extra gambling credits, or better dining reservations, room upgrades or other discounts.
Don’t Use Casino ATMs
Casino ATMs will rip you off. Bring cash from home. This will keep you from spending more than you planned, as well as helping you avoid huge ATM fees. I recommend to bring a lot of singles and five dollar bills for tipping, too.
Visit the Las Vegas Visitors and Convention Authority website: www.lvcva.com
Don’t Expect to See Celebrity Chefs at Their Restaurants
Besides gambling and shows, Vegas is known for amazing restaurants. Tons of celebrity chefs have opened up Las Vegas restaurants. Just don’t expect to run into the celebrity chef at their restaurant and definitely don’t expect them to be cooking your food!
Don’t Forget to Tip the Casino Servers
One perk of gambling is that you get free drinks while you’re actively gambling. But just because the drinks are free doesn’t mean you shouldn’t tip your server. The better you tip them, the more likely they’ll come by often to check on you and you might just notice the quality of your drinks improves the more you tip. If you don’t tip, you may never see that server again.
Five Things You’ll Love & Hate About Vegas
Don’t Jaywalk
It sounds funny that you can get in trouble in “Sin City” for jaywalking, but it’s true! There are so many tourists and so many bad drivers that it’s just not safe to cross the street and jaywalk. There are crosswalks and elevated overpasses for pedestrians, so make sure you use them. (Don’t expect the escalators to always be working, though!)
Don’t Forget Good Walking Shoes
We walked about ten miles in just one day of exploring the Las Vegas strip. It’s a lot of walking! Make sure you have comfortable shoes that you can easily walk around in. This is not the place for high heels or even flip flops. No matter what you have planned in Vegas, you will be walking a lot!
Learn more about visiting Las Vegas from Tanya & Dave from Turn It Up World: www.turnitupworld.com
Don’t Overdo It on Your First Day
People get to Vegas and they want to go crazy. Whether it’s gambling too much, drinking too much, or getting too much sun, don’t ruin the rest of your trip by going too hard on the first day. Remember, you are in the desert! Sun protection and hydration are super important during your Vegas trip. Dehydration is not something to mess with; it can really ruin your trip if you’re not careful!
Don’t Drive on the Strip
You might think it’s going to be cool to drive on the strip. But it’s not. It’s a huge pain! Take the roads running parallel to the strip if you want to get anywhere fast. There’s really no novelty in driving on the Strip; it’s really just a big headache. Take in the sights on foot; you’ll appreciate more and won’t have the frustration of sitting in traffic.
Don’t Think Vegas Has to Be Expensive
Vegas can be an expensive destination, but it doesn’t have to be. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to have a great time in Vegas. There is a ton of free entertainment and you can eat and drink pretty cheaply if you look hard enough.
Don’t Believe What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas
This phrase predates the internet and cell phones. Once upon a time, it was possible to do some crazy stuff in Vegas and get away with it. Now, with social media and cell phones, what happens in Vegas can go viral before you catch a flight home.
Don’t Underestimate Distances
These casino hotels are huge. Just because one is located next to another one, doesn’t mean it’s easy to get between the two. It can take forever just to get through one floor of a casino. Some have entire shopping malls inside, in addition to casinos and restaurants, so it’s easy to get lost. Don’t be afraid to ask for directions!
Don’t Try to Hail a Cab on the Street
In Vegas, taxis can only pick you up from a designated taxi stand. It’s not like New York or Chicago where you can step out in the street and flag down a cab. Pretty much every hotel in Vegas has a taxi stand, and you can also call an Uber.
Don’t Fall For These Las Vegas Scams
- Vegas Street Performers: it’s not necessarily a scam, but know that if you interact with the street performers, they will expect you to tip them. Especially if you take photos with them. Some are more aggressive than others. If you don’t want to tip them, don’t make eye contact and just keep walking.
- Free Tickets & VIP Access: people will be handing out flyers for clubs and shows and claim to offer “free tickets” but you have to read the fine print. Sometimes that “free” access comes with a drink minimum that you have to spend.
- Las Vegas Taxi Scams: this one is pretty well-known, especially before we had other options like Uber and Lyft. Las Vegas taxis are notorious for taking the long way to charge you more. Taxi drivers can often get kickbacks from local spots, too, so take their recommendations with a grain of salt.
- “Official” Photographers: this is a common one at the Vegas sign; people will offer to take your photo for you, but then they’re going to expect a tip.
- Street sales: don’t buy stuff from random vendors on the street. Whether it’s bottled water, CDs or tickets to shows, there’s usually a scam involved. It’s better to just pop into CVS for what you need, or go to an official ticket booth for events.
- Gambling: when it comes down to it, gambling is a scam to separate you from your money; don’t come to Vegas and expect to win big; the odds are against you! Enjoy it for what it is, but don’t expect to go home rich.
Grab Some Wolters World Travel Gear!
Don’t let these “don’ts” keep you from planning a trip to Las Vegas. If anything, I hope these tips for Las Vegas encourage you to go. It’s really a unique city with lots of fun things to do besides gambling! Want more tips for traveling through the Southwest US? Check out some of our other blog posts: