Welcome to Las Vegas!
You booked your flight, hotel, and you've just arrived at the airport in Las Vegas. Now what? Well, after a long walk/tram ride to the baggage claim, you may have to wait a minute for your luggage to show up. While you wait, you might be able to check into your hotel room. That's right! Check to see if your hotel has a booth at the airport. Some larger hotels can check you in and even give you your room keys at booths near the baggage claim before you bags even come up on the carrousel. So, now you're off to your hotel.
Do Not pay for a shuttle from the airport to your hotel.This is a common first timers mistake. The taxi line, which can be over an hour long, is so daunting that some tourists look for any alternative they can. This leads them into buying round-trip tickets on these shuttles for $10 per person. First of all, a taxi ride from the airport to a strip hotel is less than $20 and can fit five people. Secondly, you have to realize that the shuttle isn't going to leave until it is full and then, it will have to stop by Everyone's hotel which can take a long time. Lastly, you have to call when you are ready to return to the airport and hope the shuttle shows up on time (which it never will) and then hope it gets to your flight on time (good luck!). One option that may work is taking a limo. Limo drivers also line up near the cabs and offer rides to your hotel. It will be a little more expensive, but you won't have to wait for a taxi. I usually just wait in the cab line. OK, so now you're all checked into your hotel room and ready to go exploring. Here are a couple of things to watch out for. Adult Advertising Pornography. Lots of it. And I'm not talking about the tasteful billboards and topless reviews. Lining the sidewalks of The Strip are legions of 'Advertisers'. They stand side by side and pass out business cards with very graphic pictures, advertising escort services and dancers. While these advertisers are not aggressive (usually very timid, low paid people), the pornography blankets the streets and walls making it impossible to ignore. Be aware of this if you are sensitive to this material or traveling with children. |
Time Shares
This seems to be Las Vegas' latest and greatest craze. They are in the casinos, on the street, everywhere and, unlike the adult advertisers, are very aggressive. These are sales people to the extreme. They try to reel you in with great offers including free dinners, shows, and attractions. It's best just to say 'no thanks' and keep on walking. They will claim that the presentation only takes one hour and you will get the prize whether you buy a timeshare or not. I have heard of a couple of people successfully get a free dinner and show after an hour presentation with no hassle, while I have heard others say they had to walk out of the presentation after hours and hours without any gift. It's a gamble, so if you have extra time and feelin' lucky, you may want to give it a try. As for me, no thanks. I'm on vacation.
Getting Around
There are other options besides using cabs to get around. Free shuttles are readily available and can be used to get around very easily, if you know where to find them. Here is a list to help you get around. You may want to print out the map on the previous page and make some notes. It will come in handy to have a map of the strip, shuttles, and other info in your pocket when you are strolling down The Strip.
Free shuttle every 15 minutes from the Rio to/from Harrah's, Bally's/Paris, and Caesar's Palace.
Free shuttle every hour from Hard Rock to/from Caesar's, Harley Davidson Cafe, Marriott's Grand Chateau, and Marriott's Fairfield Inn.
Free tram running constantly from Excalibur to Mandalay Bay.
By using these shuttles, you can really get to a lot of Vegas for free. Other options include the trolley (cheap, runs on the strip, but very slow) and the monorail (moderate price, but the walk to the monorail, which is in the back of the casinos, is way too far.), but a combination of cabs and free shuttles should be enough.
Eating and Drinking
Sorry to have to break this to you, but the days of the $2 lobster buffet and free drinks is over. In fact, you might be a little shocked to find out that eating and drinking on The Strip is quite expensive. You might be able to get a free drink while playing the slots, but you are going to wait 30 minutes for it and when you get it, it is going to be a watered down 6 ounce drink. That being said, here are some suggestions to help keep the bill down.
Drinking in Vegas is legal Everywhere. In the casinos, on the street, in the cabs, by the pools, everywhere. So, you can easily pick up a 24 ounce beer at one of the many liquor stores on the strip for $2 and walk right into Caesars Palace. Make sure to say high to the guy at the bar that just bought a can of Bud Light for $7. This method works great for the budget traveler. For the majority of us though, we will be looking for the best bars and restaurants to blow our hard earned money at. So, here are some recommendations that are sure to please.
Harrah's Center Bar: A must see. In front of Harrah's, outdoors, great live music and dancing, the best juggling bartenders in Vegas, and great drinks. Tip: Instead of ordering a $6 Coors Light, go for the 2 foot tall drink (dog bone). They charge about $18 for it, but you only need one because they let you have whatever you want in it (make it a Long Island).
Margaritaville: Just south of the Center Bar on The Strip. Great food, Great drinks, live music and dancing (no cover charge), and a giant blender full of 'Margaritas'. Plus, every hour a bikini-clad young lady slides down a volcano into the blender and is rescued by a giant hook. Good times and a great place to unwind and still be a part of the action. Tip: Order the nachos. You can feed an army with them.
Seafood Buffet at the Rio: Best seafood buffet ever.
Palazzo Casino: Great 'diner' inside (Diner prices, Bellagio atmosphere). Good prices, especially for lunch, and fantastic food.
Gold Coast Casino: Next to the Rio. Great steak and eggs specials for about $3. Not worth a cab ride, but if you're in the area, stop in for a pretty good and extremely cheap meal.
I think that's enough suggestions. You can find a deal to eat and drink anywhere, but just remember, the smaller casinos want your business and are willing to give good deals on food and drinks.
Clubs
Once again, I'm not going to give you a review on every club in Vegas. Some of my personal favorites are Pure in Caesars Palace, Studio 54 in the MGM, and the VooDoo Lounge at the Rio. What I will tell you is that these clubs are elite, so don't think you're going to walk in wearing your Nike Jordans. Plus, you need to show up early. The earlier the better. Pure starts to get a line around 9:00 in the evening. By 11:00, the line is longer than you'd ever imagine. Plus the cover charge is going to be around $30 per person. For some money saving info, see the 'Other Secret Deals' page.
If you'd like to drink and dance in a more casual setting, visit the Circle bar at Harrah's or Margaritaville just down the street.
Sights
There is so much to see and do in Las Vegas that you would need two life times to get it all in, but here is a short list of things you can't go home without seeing. Oh, and did I mention they're all free?
The Fountains at the Bellagio:
Spectacular water show in front of the Bellagio, every 15 minutes during the weekend and every 30 minutes on the weekdays. While you're there, visit the Atrium inside of the Bellagio for a display of flowers and other features that change with the seasons. |  |
 | The Show in the Sky at the Rio: Dancing, floats, and beads in true Rio De Janeiro style, all while suspended high above the casino floor. |
The Sirens at Treasure Island: Life size pirate ships fight right next to The Strip complete with fire, cannons, and stunts. Kinda corny since they changed the story line to include a bunch of bikini-clad 'Sirens', but still very fun. |  |
You can get a great view if you go to the Rio and go up to the VooDoo lounge. It's an outside club on the top floor of the casino. If you aren't into clubs, go on an off night or early on a weekend night and you can go up for free (just leave before the crowd gets there). The top of the Stratosphere offers one of the best views, especially if you get on the ride that shoots you up to the top of the needle! Talk about breathtaking. There is a charge to visit the top of the Stratosphere and an additional fee to ride the rides.
Swimming Pools
Beautiful pools full of beautiful people at almost all of the casinos. Some noteworthy ones include the wave pool at Mandalay Bay complete with sandy beaches and the fabulous pool at the Hard Rock Hotel which features swim up black jack tables. Be warned though, while some hotels allow access to most everyone, the nicer pools are only available for hotel guests. See the 'Advanced Secret Deals' page for tips on how to get into these pools, even if you're not staying at the hotel.
Other Sites
Other sites worth seeing include the erupting volcano in front of the Mirage, the tiger exhibit at the MGM, and the statues that come to life inside of Caesars Palace. The Freemont Street Experience is a huge light show in Down Town Las Vegas.
You will have a great time exploring and finding your own adventures in Las Vegas. Now that you know the basics, check out the Secret Deal pages that contain information you won't find anywhere else.
 | Aerial View of Las Vegas: The night time view of the Las Vegas strip is a breathtaking experience. |
