Las Vegas: The Dos & Don'ts!
[ 16 June 2010 ]
Las Vegas is sometimes presented as the land of all that is tacky & unholy, or simply as a place that wayward couples elope to in order to get hitched by a pudgy Elvis impersonator. However, I think this representation is a little unfair & definitely untrue. I have been to the city three times now, each time better than the last, & every time I’ve been, I was with a girlfriend! I think Las Vegas is a FANTASTIC place to go with your best friend for a girl’s weekend. It’s the perfect getaway. It’s so ridiculous & over-the-top & opulent that all your “real world” stresses will melt away in a swirl of hallucinatory wallpaper & sparkling chandeliers!
It’s also a great place to go for a girl feeling a bit low on self-esteem. If your best friend just got dumped by a stinker, take her to Las Vegas! Men in Las Vegas are REALLY friendly & actually, quite charming. (Shocking but true!) I always thought that men would ignore me in Las Vegas since I am not an “enhanced” type, but actually, the opposite is true! It is quite refreshing. (Plus, most people are wearing shorts with flip-flops, so if you dress up even a little bit, you will be noticed!)
Here’s my list of dos & don’ts for a rad girl’s getaway!
DO: Stay somewhere in the middle of the Strip if you can!
Jess & I stayed at Caesars Palace, & it was fantastic. I have previously stayed at the Sahara & Hard Rock Hotel, but Caesars Palace is my favourite by a mile! The Sahara is not very fancy & Hard Rock, while cool, is a long way from the action!
Caesars Palace was great for us because it’s in the middle of the Strip, they have lots of great shopping right in the complex, the pools are a scene unto themselves & the price was definitely right. Our room was fabulous, too.
Give some serious thought to where you want to stay, & spend some time finding the best deal. Where you rest your head will depend on your budget, obviously, but you should think about what you want to do while you’re in Vegas, & let that determine your decision too.
DO: Secure a reservation package which works for you.
Jess & I booked a deal which included two 24-hour buffet passes, & while at first the idea made us cringe (the buffets in Las Vegas can be terrifying), it actually turned out to be a wonderful thing. Food can be expensive in Vegas, especially on the Strip, because they know they can charge a premium for it.
There are lots of amazing deals to be had & a huge selection of packages available. There will definitely be something which suits you & your interests — you just need to invest a little time & look around for it. Make friends with Google & it will reward you!
DO: Be smart when you book!
There are a lot of websites that you can use to get a great deal on a room! I don’t think I have ever booked a hotel (or a flight) through that hotel or airline’s direct website. You will rarely get the best deal, & who wants to spend more money than they need to? I would rather spend it on SHOES or something!
Whenever I travel, I always, always, always start at Kayak, which has been my saving grace more times than I can count. (They should sponsor me, for real!) It brings up all the available prices on flights & hotels & automatically checks & compares Orbitz, Priceline, Expedia, Travelocity & Hotwire, too, which is brilliant.
Shop around a little. It doesn’t cost anything to do so, & could save you a bundle!
DO: Go with someone who has a similar agenda to you.
My idea of a great holiday is one with lots of shopping, some time in the sun, a couple of spa treatments, & getting dressed up at night. Not everyone thinks like this, however! There’s nothing worse than going on a trip with someone who wants to do something completely different — it can kind of ruin the whole thing. The idea is to spend time together, after all, & if you can’t agree on activities, or one of you is being dragged around against their will, it’s not going to be a holiday worth savouring.
A lot of people want to go to Vegas to booze it up & gamble, & I can’t think of anything worse! Make sure you & your travel buddy agree on what you want to do before you get there!
DO: Expect to spend some time exploring the Strip!
One of the essential things you must do when you go to Las Vegas is spend some time wandering back & forth between the casinos. While this doesn’t sound totally thrilling at first blush (especially if you’ve never been there), it is fantastic fun. All the casinos have different themes. New York New York has a miniature NYC skyline & a roller coaster. The Venetian has gondoliers who will paddle you around & sing to you, the MGM Grand is themed like the Wizard Of Oz & has a lion exhibit, & the Luxor is shaped like a pyramid & has a laser in the top of it which costs $51/hour to run — & can be seen from space.
Every hotel is totally tricked out with restaurants, entertainment, & unusual things to see & do, all in the efforts of getting you to stick around & gamble a little bit. They are like miniature amusement parks & will blow your mind. Wandering the Strip is one of the most fun things to do… EVER.
DON’T: Only pack high heels!
Yes, it is totally acceptable to stumble around Las Vegas in sequins at 7 in the morning. Seriously, don’t worry about it. But if you forget to pack good shoes, you will be in so much anguish you won’t know what to do with yourself. The Strip is IMMENSE, & it always takes longer to get from A to B than you initially anticipate. Expect to do much, much walking.
Jess wore flip flops everywhere (smart girl), & I took sandals with a wedge heel, but after a little while, I was in complete agony. It’s impossible to be happy if you have sore feet, so please see me as a cautionary tale! I ended up buying really ugly flip flops which I hate wearing, but at least I wasn’t in pain any more.
Heed my warning! Take shoes you really can walk MILES in! (Perhaps a pair of jolly good insoles, too.)
DO: Psych yourself up before you get there!
I vote that you watch The Hangover or National Lampoon’s Vegas Vacation before arrival. You could go for Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas too if you’re planning on having a messy time. It’ll all help get you into the right mindset, & excite you about what’s coming next!
DO: Ask for what you want!
I had a tremendous string of good fortune in Las Vegas & I know a huge part of that can be attributed to the fact that I approached people & asked them for what I wanted!
Tell the concierge what you’d like to do while you’re in town, or ask the person who checks you in for activity suggestions. Approach the staff in retail stores & enquire about their favourite things to do. Use Twitter to reach out to your social network & see if anyone can hook you up with something or someone fantastic.
The way I see it, if you don’t ask for what you want, you end up with an average experience. Sure, it might be okay, but wouldn’t it be GREAT if you actually got what you REALLY wanted? Just like with the previous point, it doesn’t cost anything to ask! The worst thing that can happen is someone will turn you down, but you will be surprised how often you’ll receive exactly the information or help you want!
DO: Dress up!
In the land of psychedelic carpets & continually blinking lights, “too much” is never enough. Bring your sequins, your rhinestones & your highest heels! Don’t forget your eyelash glue either, like I did! (Why, God, why?!)
Las Vegas can be exhausting, & if you’re in the midst of a shopping frenzy (like Jess & I were), plan ahead of time that you’ll do it up for one night. Our last night in the city was the one where we got really dressed up, had an amazing meal, walked around, gambled a little & went to Pure. It was fantastic!
DO: Cast aside modesty & spend some time poolside.
Don’t be shy! Las Vegas is not all waifs with breast implants — not by a long shot. It is full of all kinds of body shapes & sizes, & no one seems to give a fig (which is as it should be!). I usually loathe being seen in public in a swimsuit, but in Las Vegas, it is really so laid back that your neuroses are a waste of time. Men go to dinner wearing Speedos here!
The pools in Las Vegas are phenomenal, too, & if you skip them, you really will be missing out! My favourite pool scenes are at the Hard Rock Hotel & Caesars Palace. Neither of them are intimidating & they’re both expansive & fabulous.
Anyway, you’re on HOLIDAY. Catch some rays for crying out loud, but don’t forget the sunblock! You don’t want to turn into a lizard person.
DO: Have your makeup done for a night out!
There’s a MAC Cosmetics inside Caesar’s Palace, & multiple Sephora locations. If you’re planning a big, wonderful night, why not have a pro do your makeup for you? They do an amazing job, & your makeup won’t slide down your face in the 100° heat by the time you’re done eating dinner. Bonus!
Even better, makeup application at MAC only costs $50 & usually includes a free tube of mascara! Nice one. Do it!
DON’T: Skip your skincare routine!
Going from the extreme heat outside to the frigidity of the casinos, passing through momentous plumes of smoke & eating insane combinations of food (oh, buffet) will play havoc with your skin!
Please remember to remove your makeup every night, no matter how boozed you may be! Use a washcloth to exfoliate, remember to apply your usual gamut of creams & lotions, & again, drink plenty of water. I didn’t, & I paid dearly for it!
DO: Embrace being a tourist!
The first time we left our hotel room, Jess insisted we stop & get enormous glasses of frozen strawberry daiquiri. They are so tacky, but it was hilarious, & you only live once!
Look, if you’re on the Strip, you’re clearly a tourist (unless you’re one of those guys who hands out cards with girls pictures on them). You might as well relish the fact. Just go with it!
DO: Use social media to your advantage.
Follow the hotel you’re staying at on Twitter. They often tweet special events, last minute deals & other juicy tidbits which are totally worth knowing about!
You can almost think of Twitter as a digital concierge. Good hotels will help you out as much as they can. Whoever mans Caesar’s Palace’s Twitter page was great to us — they hooked us up with email addresses for PR contacts, retweeted pictures we took & put us on the guestlist for Pure.
Definitely worth doing.
DO: Watch the Bellagio fountain show.
It really is beautiful & quite incredible. I had only walked past it on the way to other things the last two times I was in town, but this time, I stopped to watch the entire show. It’s amazing.
DO: Be charming at all times!
People in Las Vegas love to please, but if you act like a surly brat, they will be less inclined to give you a helping hand! If, on the other hand, you go out of your way as much as THEY do to be pleasant, charming & friendly, they will treat you better than you could possibly imagine.
I used my charm skills in Las Vegas to upgrade our suite, obtain contacts for multiple clubs, get discounts & complimentary spa treatments. Just smile & make conversation! It will take you a long way.
DON’T: Substitute alcohol for water!
Even though you are being encouraged to drink alcohol at every turn, & even though you are allowed to carry alcohol everywhere, Las Vegas is a desert! Please keep this in mind! Alcohol will affect you really quickly, so you need to be extra-careful to look after yourself. Vegas might seem like a playground, but it still has hazards (like cars, pickpockets & ungentlemen).
Additionally, even though you’ll probably be spending most of your time inside, they have the air conditioning cranked up so high that it will dehydrate you in no time flat. If you don’t drink enough water, you will feel dizzy, sick, headachey & exhausted. None of those things equate to a good time in Vegas!
DON’T: Forget to carry cash!
Many of the cabs to & from the airport don’t have credit card machines — shocking, I know — so if you don’t have any cash, you’re going to have an issue when it comes time to pay! This is not to mention the fact that you will need to tip housekeeping, people who bring your suitcases to the room, room service, et al.
Vegas runs on the green stuff, so keep it on you at all times.
DO: Take your good camera!
If you have a camera which is good in low light, take it to Las Vegas with you! Las Vegas is exceptionally photogenic & utterly unlike anywhere else.
The light can be really tricky there & a cheap camera won’t be able to do what you want it to. If your camera is flailing around trying to focus, & everything is coming out grainy or blurry, you’ll be totally frustrated. You know you’re going to want a good photo of you with the Strip behind you, so don’t leave your camera at home!
DON’T: Get so distracted you forget to take photos!
Las Vegas is full of strange sights & unbelievable ensembles, but don’t let it dissuade you from getting some snaps of your holiday! You’ll treasure the pictures forever, so remember to take some — & don’t be shy about asking your friend to get a shot of your outfit, either!
DO: Take the monorail if you can!
There’s a monorail which runs between several of the major hotels, & if you’re staying in one of the hotels along the route, it is absolutely the best way to get around. Especially if you’re wearing heels or are otherwise tuckered out!
It can be quite hilarious, too. Nubby & I had an amazing experience on the monorail when a fellow passenger starting pole-dancing for us!
DO: Throw some Band-Aids in your purse.
Just in case you get a blister from walking too much. Nothing will throw a spanner in the works like feet which are suddenly out of commission!
DON’T: Worry if you’re not interested in gambling!
Gambling is totally not necessary to have a good time in Las Vegas. In all my visits, I only gambled on this last one, & I spent $2 in a slot machine before giving up. Haha! My lack of interest in gambling has never affected my time there, so don’t worry about that!
DO: Read up on Las Vegas before you go!
It’s a really incredible place, & one of the most fabulous things about it is that it is constantly evolving. Most of the hotels used to be something else, & they were something else before that, too. You’d never know when you walk through them, though.
Need somewhere to start? Wikipedia is a great resource. Check out the list of Las Vegas casinos that never opened. This is totally fascinating to me, especially because as Jess & I walked around, we discussed what kind of casino we would open if we had land on the Strip. All the ideas are so amazing — a Titanic resort? A lunar-themed hotel called Moon? A country music or Harley-Davidson themed casino? Amazing!
Look up where you intend on staying, too. You will probably discover something incredible about the property that you would otherwise never have known!
About The Venetian:
The resort opened on May 3, 1999 with flutter of white doves, sounding trumpets and singing gondoliers, with actress Sophia Loren joining The Venetian Chairman and Owner, Sheldon G. Adelson, in christening the first motorized gondola. Built at a cost of $1.5 billion, it was one of the most expensive resorts of its kind when it opened.
About Wynn Las Vegas:
XS is the new flagship of Encore’s nightlife scene and one of the most extravagant in the United States. Bottle service includes a $15,000 cocktail.
I mean, really.
DO: Take a moment to appreciate the incredible architecture & madness of the whole thing!
...‘Cause there’s nowhere else like it.
DO: Realise that Vegas is Vegas!
The trick to enjoying Vegas is to take it as it comes. Some people dislike Las Vegas, but I think this is because they want it to be something else.
Vegas is Vegas! You have to accept it as it is. Don’t expect it to be anything else. Take it at face value, & drink it all in. If you do, you will have an incredible time!
RADICAL self-love & stardust,
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When it comes to psyched-up Las Vegas viewing material, i think i’d have to return the old faithful- The OC. you know, just so i know how to deal with a potential pimp/hooker/indoor-bowling-alley/life-threatening-poker-game situation.
i’d love to see a New York version of this from a seasoned pro like you! xo
i have never been to vegas, and i don’t plan on going soon, but i still really enjoyed this article! i am going on a 7 day cruise this summer, so a lot of this info was still relevant to vacationing in general. plus there are casinos on cruise ships-so it’s kinda like a mini las vegas on a ship! it would be nice if you did a guide to vacationing in general since you seem to be traveling a lot!
Haha, I never watched The OC!!! Am I missing out? ! ? !
sara ladybug — I am going to be doing lots of travel stuff here over the summer, since it’s the time most people leave home & I have some tips, for sure! Your cruise sounds rad, where will it take you? I have never done a cruise but it sounds fantastic, I want to! I’d like to do a cruise around the Greek Islands or something, how good would that be?!
I’m loving this Las Vegas articles! And there will be more travel-related stuff? I was actually thinking of going to New York for a bit this summer – I’ve got your Guide to NYC bookmarked, but it’s from 2 years ago… Any chance you would do a quick update in the future?
Jessica — Dude, I have so much to say about NYC, it is kind of overwhelming. I don’t even know where to begin. Maybe I should start doing features on shops, restaurants, etc. here. I always am hesitant to do that though because I know that 95% of my audience is NOT in NYC & I don’t want to bore them with stuff that is totally irrelevant! Let me know what you all think.
it’s my grandparents 50th wedding anniversary (aww) so they’re taking my WHOLE family on a cruise! we’re going to jamaica, cozumel, and montego bay! i’m pretty excited! i’ve been on 2 cruises before-one when i was 13 and one when i was 19 so this is the first time i’ll be able to drink and really do things on my own (my mom was still iffy about me when i was 19)! i’m super excited! lots of amazingly delicious food, and they have a super amazing gym on board (to counteract all that delicious food) and spa treatments and i’m thinking about going parasailing too, over the white gorgeous beaches in mexico! i’m really excited!
hah obviously i’m excited i said some variation of “i’m ___ excited” several times in there!
sara ladybug — That sounds AMAZING! I am super-jealous! Have the best time!
i highly recommend it! they really do treat you like royalty on board, leaving mints on your pillow and making towel animals for your pleasure, and free room service, and really anything you want theres someone on the ship who can make it happen! it’s like being an ocean queen! and thanks for your well wishes! i know it’ll be a blast :D
Wow… now my feet are burning, I want to travel!!!!
Anywhere, now, with a good friend, pack my suitcase and go take picture, eat something new and have a great time!
i am also loving the Vegas posts this week! i have been only once, and did not have such a great time, all attributed to not having a similar agenda with the friends i was traveling with. the trip was nothing short of a disaster bc i don’t gamble and nonstop drink, so i spent a few hours each day solo at the pool. BUT, i am returning there next year with my best friend and this article is very helpful, and will be bookmarked to bring up when we begin planning.
i agree with Jessica, PLEASE PLEASE post about NYC. i’m 2 hours away, and i travel there at least twice a year for day trips and fun. we’re travelers trying not to do the tourist stuff… and it’s so hard to really plan in advance a day trip when there isn’t much online other than your typical tourist visits, so half the time we end up wandering randomly (although fun, not always practical).
plus, i think we all enjoy living vicariously through your travels… so even though we may or may not get to visit some of the places you recommend, we LOVE hearing about it all regardless. so YES YES to the NYC posts!
Dear Gala!
Thank you for this awesome post. I’m a girl from the Netherlands and flew 21 hours with stopovers in Londen and Dallas to meet my friend in Las Vegas. It was amazing, like a crazy little wonderland. You are so right about the pools, I especially loved the pool at the Palms!
You are wonderful. xoxo
I’ve always wanted to go to Vegas, was going to visit for a few days when I was on holiday in LA a few years back but we didnt have enough time.
This little list is absolutely fantastic, all I have to do now is find a girlfriend to go with so we can pamper ourselves. x
How fun! My husband and I have been saying that we need to go to Vegas, maybe for our next wedding anniversary?
Wow, i had never been interested in going to Vegas… really, i dismissed it as tacky and saturated with alcohol ( i don’t drink ) , but your guide really made me look at it in a new light. Perhaps it’s not the crossroads of culture and intelligentia, but it looks like a LOT of fun.
Thank you so much for helping change people’s perspectives and showing them how to let go!!
Anne — Yay, I’m glad you’re enjoying the posts! Yeah, going with people who want to do something different to you can be really tricky. If you’re on a long trip in Europe, for example, it’s not so bad to spend a little time apart. But when you’re in Vegas you want a buddy, especially because usually people are only in town for a few nights. I think you’ll have a great time with your best friend!
Girl abroad — I haven’t made it to the Palms yet! Such a longgggg way from everything else, but I will go next time for sure!
Dulce — Haha! Thanks love! No, it’s not an intellectual mecca by any standards, but it’s a GREAT place to go, turn your brain off & enjoy! (Which is what I usually want out of a holiday!)
I’m a Vegas local and this is some darn good advice! I do have one DON’T to add though. Don’t jay walk on the strip, or at all for that matter! It drives the locals and taxis insane. Ridiculous amounts of tourists completely ignore the cross walk signs, and cross whenever they please! One person does it, then everyone else waiting follows. I have witnessed several accidents because of it. It happens all the time, and what an awful way to spend your vacation!
Thanks for this! But pleeeease do a NYC one! – How difficult is really is to move there, apartments, cost of living, good areas/bad areas. Nyc the real deal!! :D xxx
Vegas just moved up a few steps on my travel priority list! Thanks, Gala!
Great tips! Especially the one about cabs in Vegas not accepting credit cards. That was a real shocker for me the first time I encountered it there.
Vegas will always be special to me. I married the most amazing man on our trip to Vegas about 10 years – and love him even more today. ;)
XO Piper
I would love it if you featured your NYC favorites. Even though most of us don’t live there, it’s still good to soak in – for future traveling itinerary purposes, or just for the general vicarious thrill of it all.
On a similar note, I would love it if you published little travel guides! Sort of like the “(Insert City Here) Moleskine” things, but more glamorous. Or some sort of themed travel pamphlets… Like “Glamorous” “Bizarre” “Chic” guides to travel (with a list with little boxes you can tick off as you go). Just a thought!
And now you’ve made me absolutely anxious to go to Las Vegas! But being completely underage, I’m not sure I would enjoy myself as much as you and your girls have on your trips. Well, one more for the bucket list!
Gala, you are so right about going with people with a similar agenda. I would’ve had a much better time there if I was with people who were willing to do something other than drink & gamble! I still had fun, though.
...Also, I cannot believe you never saw the cheesetastic awesomeness that was The OC! It was so terrible in the best way possible. You really need to check it out! :)
This is the perfect post for me, I’m coming to the US for 3 weeks over summer and we’re considering Vegas, this is a huge help!
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x
Interesting article! I’d love to go to Vegas (and NYC! An article on NYC would be awesome too) but living all the way in the UK and being up to my eyes in student debt makes holidays like this nothing more than fantasies right now, so I’m just living vicariously through your travel guides for the moment … so keep them up! Even though I’m unlikely to be in Vegas anytime soon, this was still a great read!
Las Vegas is one of my favorite places to be. I went with my mother for her 49th birthday, right after I had turned 21, and we stayed at the Bellagio. It smells SO GOOD in that resort. Oh, I need to go again!
Great advice— glad you mentioned comfy shoes! Amen to that, sister!
I spent 8 days in march split between vegas and LA, both are the most craziest places ever. We stayed at the hard rock hotel…..i want to live there – FACT. Great post :)
Ahhh….I’ve always felt like Las Vegas is a rated-R Coney Island (Coney’s only PG-13), and I’m fascinated with Coney Island history. Now I’m all sparked up to read into what went up and down in the life of Las Vegas! You know, there was a moon-themed amusement park at Coney, called Luna Park. There was also an elephant-shaped hotel, a park called Dreamland, and a whole world populated by midgets who went about daily lives whilst the onlookers “were amused” by them.
I’m going to the US at the end of next year with my best friend (like so close, she’s family best friend), to stay with my cousin, who works at the Australian Embassy in Washington D.C.
And we’re hitting Las Vegas! My cousin is taking us for a weekend in New York, then a week in Vegas! So this article is definitely being saved for future reference. She’s stayed at Caesar’s too, and said it was one of the most fabulous things she’s ever decided to do. I’d like to stay there and would be so tempted to pull an Alan and ask, “Did Caesar actually live here?”
Oh, and just check out those pools! You have me ridiculously excited now!
Look’s like an absolute wonderland— perfect place for a holiday.
This guide was pretty helpful as I am in no way a gambler either, so I’m glad to see that there’s plenty more there to do!
Thank you Gala!
gala thank you so much for this lovely entry! my aunt lives in vegas and i would love to plan a visit some day. you have no idea how psyched i am now :) much luv – mimi
I love this post. Great tips. I went to Vegas last year & totally get what you’re saying.
I completely agree that there is so much more than gambling—I’ve had friends who won’t go because they don’t gamble. I’m not a big gambler but I always have a blast in Vegas. There’s so much to see and do. The people watching alone makes up for it! I love the pawn shops, the thrift stores, the tacky souvenirs, etc.
Gala, you are spot on about Vegas – it’s one huge amusement park and the food is amazing (lots of famous chefs have restaurants there). I didn’t gamble but I had the best time with my fiance there.
You forgot to add that people should definitely, definitely check out ‘old Vegas’ or Fremont Street. It is just a couple of miles away from the strip, but boy is it ever different. Gambling is half as cheap, as are drinks and the whole vibe is more of a fair than a ritzy spectacle. Rooms are about 1/5 of the price, as well. My friend stayed in a suite in Old Vegas for $35/night on a weekend!
I forgot to add that the entire ‘old Vegas’ strip is covered by a big canopy where an immense light and music show is blasted every 20 mins. It really is something.
Thanks Gala!!!
I am going to Vegas in Jan 2011. So I am glad you wrote an article about Vegas! I sent you an email ages about about traveling as a girl and alone, in particular America. So thanks for the article on Vegas! I can’t wait to go! :D
YAY! I have been forcing your Vegas articles upon everyone; we’re going there at the end of July for a roller derby conference! Vegas + my crazy friends + roller derby to the power of 1000 rollergirls = OH MY GOD. Unfortunately finances forced us to stay somewhere just off the strip…I really hope that doesn’t bite us in the ass!
First order of business in Vegas: Find absurdly big daquiris…
I just went to Vegas last month and my biggest tip to give people? GET OUT OF LAS VEGAS. For at least one day. I took a four-wheeler tour of the Mojave and saw the Grand Canyon from three different points, visited a working cattle ranch, ate lunch with a bunch of real live hottie cowboys, stopped at a roadside chocolate factory, saw a family of wild horses (with a baby horse!!), and got scratched up by a cactus.
The bright lights and big city are great, but going out to see the sun set over the desert really puts it all in perspective.
Glad you had fun. :)
That’s not true , i don’t deserve this at all.
Um, that video of the pole dancing dude just made me bust a gut!!! HILARIOUS!!!
I’m DYING to go to Las Vegas. DYING!! It’s like the only place in the USA I’m really dying to visit (I live in NYC). It just looks super fun.
Oh yes the WALKING. Distances are so deceptive in vegas. I blew out my leg, I was limping so much of the time I was there. I agree there is so much to do other than gambling in vegas, I went to see a Cirque show, shopping of course!!, indoor sky diving, and the liberace museum (love the costumes!!!)
I’m a Las Vegas local and love what you had to say in this article. Thanks for the love you gave to our city!
Anyway… I have to second what the other local said: DON’T jaywalk. The taxi drivers especially can be evil. My friend and someone else I know had a cab clip them (as in – hit them! lightly.) while they were jaywalking on the strip. Just… don’t jaywalk, please. For everyone’s safety and sanity. ;)
ALSO! If you’re not into gambling and will be there for more than just a 2 day weekend, DO GET OFF THE STRIP! There is a ton of other awesome stuff to do in this city off the strip. ESPECIALLY look into taking a drive up West Charleston until you hit Red Rock Canyon. It’s BEAUTIFUL! More tourists should see and know about this little treasure just outside our city. It’s about 45 minutes off the strip, a super easy drive. You won’t regret it. Admission is like seven dollars per car. My favorite place in the city.