Q's Top Ten Vegas Tips

[jamesq]

Turns out lots of people I know are going to Las Vegas. Some are going in two weeks and some are going in three. I'm going in four - which means my intentions are good, but my aim is awful.

I was asked if I had any tips. In fact I do! I'm not a Vegas expert by any means, but I've been there twice now and I've chatted with people who have been there more, so here's what I've learned:

1. The Las Vegas Strip is much larger than you think. If someone says, "It's two blocks away" consider taking a cab.
   
   
2. Read through a travel guide at least a week before you get there. They will guide you toward the better shows/restaurants/attractions. Additionally, http://vegasmessageboard.com/ has been invaluable (and damned entertaining) to me.
   
   
3. Don't be afraid to take some "me" time. Some people like shows, some people like to gamble. Some people like high-end restaurants, others like cheap buffets. Not everyone likes to do the same thing all the time. You don't need to do everything together.
   
   
4. If there is an expensive show/restaurant/attraction that you want to go to, figure out where it is and join that casino's players club (they're all free, they just want to track your gambling). Typically you can get 2-for-1 tickets when you do this. This is how we saw Penn & Teller (Harrahs Group) and Cirque's Ka (MGM/Mirage group). Given the number of discount websites around, you shouldn't have to pay full price for anything. Just do some mouse-work before you go.
   
   
5. That girl who sat next to you at the slot machine asking how to play the slots doesn't actually care about slot machines. Similarly, the cards the young men on the street corner are handing out are not free samples for a new Collectible Card Game.
   
   
6. Remember that nobody headlines in Vegas unless they're supremely entertaining, so if a companion suggests "Carrot Top" or "Barry Manilow", don't immediately poo-poo the idea - you'll probably still have a good time. The only exception is Chris Angel's "Believe" show.
   
   
7. It's not all about Vegas headliners - see if there are any concerts playing. That's how I found out about Roger Water's "The Wall 30th Anniversary" tour hitting my hotel the Saturday I'm out there. I haven't gotten tickets for that, but I'm going to try for some last minute ones when I'm there.
   
   
8. A polite request for free room upgrades at the hotel check-in might yield positive results, especially if you discretely slip them $20. If nothing else, a strip view on a high floor near the elevator will improve even the worst class of room. There's no guarantee that it will work though - think of it as the first of many gambles over the weekend.
   
   
9. Don't gamble more then you can afford to lose. Roulette is easy to play but has poor odds. Blackjack is harder, but the odds for good players approach 50/50. Only poker players make money in Vegas (because they're not playing against the house), and that's only if you're very very good.
   
   
10. The exception to "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" is criminal charges and STDs - they won't stay in Vegas. Make sure that all of your debauchery is safe.

Comments

[wendy-licious.livejournal.com]

Re: #1
It is a very loooooong street. If you want to save money, there is a bus that runs up and down the strip every few minutes. You can buy a day pass and ride whenever/wherever you need for 24 hours from when you purchase it.

[zera82.livejournal.com]

And my visit in August, we were going to George Wallace on a Tuesday night on the strip. It took us 30 minutes to drive 3 blocks trying to get to the Flamingo (Where he is)