Las Vegas Vacation Guide From A Local

As I was born and raised in Las Vegas, that makes me an expert on all things about this fun vacation spot. At least, it does as far as my friends are concerned. Whenever friends of mine want to go on a Las Vegas vacation, I get asked for advice and tips for first-timers. I may not live there anymore, but I go back at least once a year. Since Dan gave you tips on visiting his childhood home town, I’ve decided to compile all of the information that I share in one place to make everyone’s lives easier.

When to Take Your Las Vegas Vacation

My first and best piece of advice is to avoid Las Vegas in the summer.

Mid-October through mid-November and April through the end of May are the best times to go to Vegas for ideal weather that is warm enough for the pool but not hot enough to scorch you. If you don’t care about the pool, December and January are good, too; but it does get much cooler at night in those months. During the summer months, it’s way too hot. August can get up to 120 degrees during the day, and it doesn’t cool down that much at night. That said, Thanksgiving, New Year’s, and Christmas are all extremely busy times for tourists. So, you may want to avoid taking your Las Vegas vacation around the holidays.

Getting Around

My second piece of advice is that if your Las Vegas vacation is longer than a weekend, rent a car. There are plenty of things to do off of the Strip, so driving is your best bet for getting around town. Taxis are expensive and public transportation is unreliable at best and downright scary at worst. You can usually use the Internet to search for car rental deals. Parking is free in many areas of Las Vegas off of the strip. Most casinos now have fees for parking, but there are a few that don’t. You can make use of shuttles and walkways to navigate the Strip. The Strip is only about 3 miles in length, but all of the casinos are huge, and there will be a lot of walking. Not to mention that not everything worth seeing in Las Vegas is right on the Strip!

Where to Stay in Las Vegas

If this is your first Las Vegas vacation, you may want to stay in a hotel on the Strip. Two of my favorites are the Bellagio and the Venetian. I haven’t stayed in newer hotels like the Aria or Mandarin Oriental (which opened after I moved away). So I couldn’t tell you how their rooms are. If you are renting a car, you will likely find cheaper hotels away from the Strip. I suggest using a website like hotels.com or Travelocity to search for the best deals. Just make sure you use the map to see how far away from the Strip you’re really staying. You don’t want to have to drive half an hour or get stuck in Vegas’ horrible, unpredictable traffic.

What to Do Off the Strip

I don’t gamble, so I can’t give you the best advice about anything like that. But I can suggest some cool things to see/do during your Las Vegas vacation that don’t involve the Strip.

Red Rock Canyon: Red Rock Canyon has lots of hiking trails and a scenic drive. It’s just southwest of Las Vegas, about a 30-45 minute drive. Or, if you’re staying at the Red Rock Casino Resort, it’s about a 10-15 minute drive.

Springs Preserve: Springs Preserve is a 180-acre historic and nature preserve that includes the Nevada State Museum, botanical gardens, hiking and biking trails, traveling exhibits, an animal habitat, and more. Springs Preserve is open daily from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. It is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The Neon Museum: The Neon Museum, fondly known as “The Boneyard,” is where all of the old neon signs from the hotels of Vegas’ past go to rest. The museum is filled with signs of legendary hotels such as the Stardust and the Sahara. The museum features great guides. It also gives visitors a fantastic understanding and appreciation for the history, culture, and art of Sin City.

Freemont Street: While you’re downtown visiting the Neon Museum, take some time to head over to Freemont Street. Along with the dazzling Freemont Street Experience, this rapidly-gentrifying area of Las Vegas features a variety of things. There are older casinos ( some that predate the Strip), the Mob Museum, a video-game themed bar called Insert Coin(s), and a variety of other small businesses.

First Friday: If you happen to be in Las Vegas during the first Friday of the month, check out this awesome local festival that takes place monthly. It features art exhibitions and displays, local performers, food, and is a great way to experience local culture.

The Pinball Hall of Fame: About 150 pinball machines (and a few arcade games as well) of all ages, old and new can be found in the Pinball Hall of Fame. Some as little as a quarter to play. They have change machines there, but everything is cash-only (for obvious reasons).

Hoover Dam: A remarkable piece of history, the Hoover Dam is an architectural feat that you simply have to see. Hoover Dam impounds Lake Mead, which is the largest reservoir in the United States. It was built in between 1931 and 1936, during the Great Depression. Lake Mead is a man-made lake created by the dam and the Colorado River.

If you’re renting a car, you can drive there yourself. Otherwise, there are tour companies that can come pick you up from your hotel. Even cooler, you can take a helicopter ride over the dam and see it from above, which is very cool. (You can also take a helicopter tour of the Strip at night, which is worth it to see the lights.) If you drive up to Boulder City to get to Hoover Dam yourself, stop by a little mom and pop restaurant called Pit Stop that offers tasty burgers and fries, and something called fry sauce, which is 1) delicious, and 2) something that you’ll pretty much only find in the Las Vegas area and Utah.

Where to Eat in Las Vegas

There are plenty of great restaurants in Las Vegas. Many of the casinos on the strip boast some of the best restaurants in the country, though these can often be a little pricy. Here are some alternatives that are off the Strip.

Downtown Las Vegas: This shopping area has a great variety of restaurants. Crave, Casa Del Matador, Wolfgang Puck Bar and Grill are three I’ve been to that are good. There are a ton more, though. Also, Cream, the ice cream sandwich place I mentioned to you. Also lots of shopping.

Town Square Las Vegas: Another shopping area. Kabuki Japanese Restaurant, McFadden’s, and Lazy Dog are a few favorites there. There’s also plenty of familiar places like Yard House and Bonefish Grill.

Lotus of Siam: This is, hands down, my absolute favorite Thai restaurant.

India Palace Restaurant: A hole in the wall Indian restaurant that was a favorite of ours when we lived there.

Pink Box Doughnuts: Gourmet donuts for a very reasonable price. Extremely tasty.

Café Zupas: This is a chain, but they are mostly in the Midwest. Really yummy soups, salads, and sandwiches, and desserts. Good place for a light meal between doing other things.

Plan Ahead

My final piece of advice is to do research. I don’t know how much casinos cost, which ones are the cheapest, the best for gambling, have the best buffets, etc. Why? Because I was born and raised in Las Vegas; locals don’t really do touristy things. In fact, I only ever went to the Strip if I had friends visiting from out of town that wanted to go — or if I was able to get cheap show tickets. Different shows and attractions offer different specials at different times. A good place to research these things would be Vegas.com or LasVegas.com, the latter of which has a great planning tools section to help plan your vacation.

Wherever you go in Las Vegas, and whatever you do, I hope you enjoy my home town and all it has to offer!