Preparing For Your Las Vegas Trip (17 Things to Know!)

Bryan Mullennix Updated on

Vegas, Sin City, the “Entertainment Capital of the World”, no matter what you call it, Las Vegas, Nevada is known worldwide for its ability to awe and excite tourists on every level! If you’re planning a trip to this amazing city for vacation (or even a workcation), there are some things you should know ahead of time so that you’re prepared to make the most of your time in Vegas.

Las Vegas offers a wide variety of experiences, so preparing in advance for a Vegas trip will ensure you make the most of your limited time. Things like: Booking ahead, packing appropriately, understanding transportation options, and choosing the right hotel will ensure your Vegas trip is the best.

To help you plan your perfect trip, I’ve got some tips and information about visiting Las Vegas that will save you both time and money. Understanding just a few things, and taking some action beforehand will elevate your trip from good, to extraordinary! Keep on reading so you don’t miss a thing.

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Choose Your Las Vegas Hotel Wisely

Your choice of hotel can have a big impact on your Vegas experience. Las Vegas has well-over 150,000 hotel rooms throughout the city, so finding one that meets your style and budget shouldn’t be a problem. It’s about finding a hotel room that’s in the best location to match your vacation desires.

Whether you’re visiting for a weekend or a week, a hotel that’s located close to the majority of shows, attractions, and other resorts you want to visit will save an enormous amount of your limited vacation time, and keep you from spending too much of you vacation in the car traveling to and from different locations.

There is no one perfect location, it will depend on your trip goals. Here are a few articles that will help you to choose the perfect Las Vegas hotel:

Also, you will want to be sure to download our free map of the Las Vegas Strip. It will show you where all the major hotels are located, and what’s near each property.

Make a List of Your Top Vegas Attractions

Welcome to Las Vegas sign.

Las Vegas has a ton of attractions! There is no way that you can experience everything that this city has to offer in a single trip. So in order to make the most of your time, you’ll want to have at least an idea of the top things you want to do and see while you’re here.

Doing this will not only provide you with a basic Las Vegas itinerary, it will also help you to pinpoint the best area of the Strip or city to look for your hotel. Here’s a short list of some of the top attractions in Las Vegas:

This is just a start, for a more complete list of attractions, you’ll want to visit our article: 35+ Super Fun Things to Do In Las Vegas For A Weekend

Figure Out How You’re Going to Get Around Las Vegas

One of my favorite things about Las Vegas is how much fun and excitement is packed into just a couple main areas of town (The Strip and Downtown Las Vegas), making everything relatively close by. Having said that, you’re still going to need to know how to get from place to place. Figuring out how you’re going to get around Las Vegas should be something you consider well before arriving.

Fortunately there are several ways to get around Las Vegas, including:

  • Taxi/Uber – There are plentiful taxi’s and Ubers available in the city. Something you should know, however, is that you cannot hail a taxi or request an Uber on Las Vegas Blvd. (the Strip) itself. You will need to go up to a hotel entrance or shopping center. There you will find marked Uber and taxi pickup areas.
  • Las Vegas Monorail – The Las Vegas Monorail is a fun way to get up and down the Strip. Unfortunately, however, it only covers part of the east side of the Strip. It will still save you a bunch of walking.
  • Rental Car – If you’re planning to have some adventures outside of town (Red Rock Canyon, Hoover Dam, etc.), you may want to consider renting a car in Vegas for at least part of your stay.
  • Free Trams – Several of the hotels on the west side of the Strip have free trams that run between their hotel and their sister properties nearby. The three free trams include routes from the Mirage to Treasure Island, ARIA to Bellagio & Park MGM, and Mandalay Bay to Luxor & Excalibur).
  • Hop-on-Hop-off Bus – Also known as the Big Bus Tour, this big, red, double-decker bus runs a route along the Las Vegas Strip all the way to Fremont Street, with plenty of stops for you to hop-on or off along the way.
  • The Deuce – The Deuce is the city bus, and you can use it to get all over town, including up and down the Strip. It runs regularly and is inexpensive, however, it will take a lot of extra time.

Recommended Reading: How to Get Around Las Vegas Without a Car [Ultimate Guide]

Book Ahead For Vegas Shows & Attractions

Las Vegas is famous for our shows and attractions! If there are specific shows or attractions you absolutely know you want to experience while you’re here, you should plan on booking tickets before you arrive.

Not only will buying tickets beforehand ensure that these shows and attractions aren’t sold out on the day you want to attend but booking ahead will save you a TON of time spent standing in line.

Would you rather be standing in a line to purchase tickets for a Cirque du Soleil show, or would you prefer to be lounging by one of our fabulous pools, knowing you already have your tickets? That’s what I thought!

You can browse discount tickets for the top Las Vegas shows and attractions here.

Be Prepared To Walk….A Lot! (Las Vegas)

Tourists walking on the Las Vegas Strip.

If it’s your first time visiting Las Vegas, it’s hard to picture just how long the Strip is, and how spread out it can be in some areas, not to mention the size of the major casinos themselves. When visiting Vegas, you must be prepared to walk…a lot!

If you’re looking at a map of the Strip, know that the perceived distances can be deceiving. Things can be much further apart than they look on a map. Even hotels that are located next to each other can prove to be a long walk (especially if it’s summer).

Even if you take full advantage of the trams, monorail, ubers, etc. you should plan to walk several miles each day.

The casinos themselves are huge, and often you will need to walk the full length of the property to grab a ride, find a restaurant, etc, so wear comfortable shoes.

One thing that always gives me a laugh when we’re hanging out down on the Strip are the women visitors attempting to walk up and down Las Vegas Boulevard in stiletto heels! Save the high heels for the nightclubs, and grab some comfy walking shoes for sightseeing!

Pack Right (Clothing For Vegas)

In addition to bringing the right shoes for walking, you’ll want to make sure that you’ve packed the right clothing for Vegas. Las Vegas is a pretty casual place during the day, but a lot of visitors like to get dressed up for a night out on the town.

The clothes you’ll want to pack will also be dependent on the weather. While Las Vegas gets blisteringly hot during the summer, it can also get quite cold in the winter. Also, being in a high desert environment, a nice warm day can turn pretty chilly in the evening once the sun goes down.

Even in the crazy hot summer months you’ll want to pack a light jacket as the air conditioning in many places can be a bit extreme. Here are a few packing suggestions for your Las Vegas trip:

  • Casual wear: T-shirts, shorts, flip-flops, jeans & walking shoes are a must.
  • Jacket: Bring at least a light sweater or jacket, no matter the time of year.
  • Hat, Sunglasses & Sunscreen: The sun here is strong and bright year-round.
  • Backpack: A lightweight day bag or backpack will keep your hands free while you’re exploring the city.
  • Bathing suit: Make sure to pack one, or better yet several.
  • Evening wear: Fancy outfits, dresses, suits, heels, dress sandals or dress shoes.

Also, check out our article: Do Las Vegas Casinos Have Dress Codes: Mistakes to Avoid

Determine Your Daily Spending Budget (Las Vegas)

If you’ve already booked your hotel and paid for your flight, the next step is to figure out your daily Vegas spending budget. The average daily budget for visitors to Las Vegas is $243 per day, per person.

Of course this is just an average, you can spend less or a whole lot more depending on your personal preferences and interests.

Most people can figure out a basic budget for spending money in Las Vegas when it comes to food, attractions, and shows, but the one wildcard is when it comes to playing in the casinos. Without a daily spending budget, things can get out of hand real quick in a casino!

Check out our article: Here’s How Much Money You Should Take to Las Vegas to help you decide how much money you should plan on spending each day in Vegas.

Groupon Is Your New Las Vegas Best Friend

Axe throwing is a fun thing to do in Vegas!

If you’re heading to Sin City and looking to have fun while saving some money, then Groupon Las Vegas is your new best friend!

Whenever Wendy and I are looking for something fun to do, we hop on over to groupon and take our pick of the substantial discounts available for hundreds of Las Vegas activities, attractions, and restaurants.

This works great if you’re looking for something exciting to do, and are open to the possibilities. Even if there is something in particular you want to do while you’re in town, it’s worth taking a look because there just might be a Las Vegas Groupon discount available.

Here are some of our top Groupon discount recommendations:

Fun Things To Do

Food, Drinks & Treats

Shows

Las Vegas Groupon discounts come and go, so if you see one you like…grab it!

Sign Up For Vegas Player’s Clubs

Every casino property in Las Vegas has its own version of a player’s club, and you’ll want to be sure to sign up for them if you’re spending any money in the casino. The players club cards are free to sign up for and will accrue points when gaming at any of the properties slot or video machines.

The player’s card will give you discounts at various shows, restaurants, and attractions found on the company’s properties. Even if you’re not gaming in the casino, just having a player’s loyalty card will often get you discounts at the hotel’s restaurants and buffets.

Signing up for a player’s club card usually just takes a few minutes, and is well worth it. Just look for the player’s club desk inside the casino. Also, be aware that the day you sign up for the card, you generally receive perks such as earning double points or something similar.

10 Things to Know Vegas

Tweak Your Schedule to Avoid Las Vegas Crowds

I’ve learned from my travels that people are creatures of habit, particularly when it comes to mealtimes, and if you can shift your schedule just a bit, you’ll be rewarded with some great opportunities!

For instance, between 6-8pm is when the crowds in Las Vegas head to dinner, and if you move with the crowd you’ll find yourself waiting in long lines at buffets and restaurants.

If you can plan to eat your meal a little earlier, or a little later, you can put the traditional dinner hours to good use by sightseeing, and visiting attractions with far smaller crowds (because everyone else is waiting in line to eat)!

Expect The Unexpected, and Be Open To It!

While having a plan of the things you want to do, see, and experience in Vegas will help you make the most of your trip, it’s a good idea to not be too rigidly fixed to your planned schedule. Las Vegas