Las Vegas sees a huge influx of tourists from across the country and around the globe each year – and with nearly thirty-five million folks flock to Vegas annually, there’s bound to be some good practices and bad practices for Vegas trips. Whether you are a first-timer to beautiful Las Vegas, Nevada, or you are an old pro on the Vegas circuit, these tips and tricks can make your Las Vegas vacation as easy to plan and enjoyable as possible.
First and foremost, the one mistake that many travelers to Las Vegas make it booking their trip with a company that advertises the cheapest airfare and cheapest hotel packages available anywhere, bar none. There are so many scams out there when it comes to the travel industry, and because Las Vegas is a hot spot for travel, there are tons of them that target Vegas visitors. A cheap Vegas vacation is a good thing, absolutely, but you want to make sure that you’re dealing with a legitimate company if you purchase a bundled Vegas trip package.
And keep in mind that just because it is the cheapest (even for legitimate offers) doesn’t mean that it will be the best or even nice as far as accommodations go. You may be stuck with flying economy, not sitting next to your travel companion on the plane, and stuck in a low quality room that has a great view of a broken air conditioner while you wait for your tickets to see Joe Nobody that were included in your “deal”. You certainly don’t want a substandard room that has older, frumpy mattresses, long walks to the casino, no restaurant, or even taxi service. Make sure you check a company’s reputation before committing to a “deal”.
Another tip is to book your hotel before booking your airfare. Most hotels in Vegas are booked up over 90% of the time, every day of the year – so planning ahead by at least thirty days is highly recommended in order to reserve the days that you want, the hotel that you want and the quality of room or suite that you want. Booking early has other advantages as well – with the best one being that you can get the best rates on your room when you pay in advance or book in advance. Typically, booking Sunday through Wednesday is the cheapest time of the week to book your Vegas trip in order to take advantage of savings. Once you have booked your Las Vegas hotel, you can then move in to book your Vegas airfare and flight.
Once you have all of your travel arrangements for your Vegas trip under wraps, you can start thinking about booking some shows that you have been itching to see in Vegas. Keep in mind that many shows book up fast as well, and just as you booked your hotel early, so should you book the shows that you want to see in advance. You might also consider scheduling a Las Vegas tour for your Las Vegas vacation; a great one to try is a helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon and Boulder Dam during the daytime or an after-dark ride over Glitter Gulch and downtown Vegas to view the spectacular lights. There are also walking tours and tour buses that will transport you around to area attractions at minimal charge.
Another thing that tourists must be on alert for in Las Vegas on vacation is the pickpockets. Unfortunately, because of the huge number of out-of-towners, Vegas tourists have become prime pickings to would-be thieves who are looking to snag wallets, purses, and other valuables. Many pickpockets work in pairs, and while one distracts you with a question (is that your chip on the floor?) the other will grab your purse. Or they may bump into you and cause a commotion long enough to pull your wallet out of your back pocket without you knowing it.
To avoid this, buy a fanny pack or waist pouch that you can keep in front of you on a belt at all times, even if you are a man (although men can fold their bills and keep them and their credit cards in their front pockets). Don’t worry, however – security at all of the hotels and casinos in Vegas is great – and there are literally thousands of cameras watching everything that goes on. Hopefully these tips and tricks will help make your Las Vegas vacation a memorable and profitable one!
