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Essential Tips

1. Prepare to Walk a Lot

Las Vegas might look compact, but distances can be deceiving. You’ll find yourself walking much more than anticipated, so bring comfortable shoes and be ready to explore! Depending on when you visit, you might want to take advantage of some of the indoor walkways to get from casino to casino. A good example is you can walk from Mandalay Bay to Excaliber all indoors. There are many restaurants and shops along the way. Another indoor walkway with shops and restaurants if from the Bellagio to Caesar’s Palace. There are a few more places you can do this, so ask at your hotel if you are wondering about specific casinos and they will help you out.

2. Budget for Transportation

While walking will be part of your trip, don’t underestimate how much you’ll need to rely on transportation. Whether it’s taxis, Ubers, or rideshares, plan for those extra costs in your budget. Renting a car is another option, especially if you plan on exploring off the Strip, but be mindful of parking fees. Unless you are going to do exploring off the strip, it usually is most cost effective to do a combination of walking and taxi or rideshare. If you decide you want to rent a car, you are better getting one at one of the casinos that offer rentals than at the airport. Trust me, the airport car rental is not a lot of fun between having to take a shuttle to where the car rental is and the amount of people who are renting cars it can become a hassle, we learned the hard way.

3. Stock Up on Drinks at CVS or Walgreens

Rather than paying steep prices for drinks at the hotel or casino, grab your beverages from nearby CVS or Walgreens. You’ll save money by stocking up for your room. Even just grabbing a case of water will save you lots of money.

4. Be Cautious of Timeshare Offers

People approaching you on the street or in casinos are often trying to sell timeshares. If you’re not interested, it’s best to avoid them altogether. Same for the people who are offering tickets to shows or attractions. It’s best to get them at the box office or hotel website. Luckily for me, Greg knew what they were doing or I probably would have gotten stuck listening to their sales pitches.

5. Taking Pictures with Performers

If you want to take photos with performers dressed as showgirls or other iconic characters, be aware that even if they don’t charge for the photo, they expect tips. Have a few dollars ready for a quick pic. The pictures are great for your memories and a good laugh, but don’t go overboard or you will wonder where all that extra spending money you had went.

6. Free Drinks in Casinos

Yes, you can enjoy free drinks while gambling in casinos, but don’t overdo it. Free doesn’t mean you should go overboard—know your alcohol limit, and drink responsibly. One of the best tips I got was when you order a drink, order a water also and drink both of them before you get another drink. Not only does it keep you hydrated but it slows down consumption.

7. Cash Out When You Leave

Before leaving any casino, make sure to cash out your winnings or chips. You may not make it back, and it’s better to have your money in hand than to leave it behind. Casino vouchers are not interchangeable between casinos even if it is the same company, so don’t get stuck with a ticket instead of cash.

8. Always Carry Your ID

Not only might you be carded when entering certain casinos or bars, but if you’re lucky enough to win a handpay at a slot machine, you’ll need your ID to claim your winnings, especially your social security card.

9. Explore Multiple Casinos

Each casino in Las Vegas offers something unique, from stunning artwork to themed displays. Make it a point to visit several casinos for a full Vegas experience. If you are here for a few days, try to get to all of them so on your next visit you can plan to stay near the ones you like best.

10. Visit Mid-Week for Better Deals

If you can, plan your trip for the middle of the week. Hotels are cheaper, and the crowds are more manageable compared to weekends.

11. Get a Player’s Card at Each Casino

Sign up for a player’s card at every casino group you visit. For example, a player’s card from Flamingo works at all Caesars Entertainment properties. Even if you don’t return to Vegas, these cards are valid at any casino owned by that corporation nationwide. Player’s cards earn you points that you can use for food and at some stores in the casinos. Using these will usually get you offers for discounted or free rooms depending on how much you play.

12. Must-Do Vegas Attractions

There are some iconic attractions that should be on everyone’s Las Vegas bucket list:

• Bellagio Fountains
• Bellagio Conservatory
• The Welcome to Las Vegas Sign
• Flamingo Habitat
• Fremont Street Experience
• The Strip at night
• Top of the STRAT Observation Deck
• Eiffel Tower Experience at Paris Las Vegas
• Gondola rides at The Venetian
• Catching a live show

Conclusion

With these tips in mind, you’ll be better prepared to navigate Las Vegas like a pro, enjoying the sights, sounds, and excitement “Sin City” has to offer without any unnecessary stress. Las Vegas offers some of the best shows, restaurants and entertainment, so be sure to take it all in. My best advice is to investigate and plan your itinerary before you get to Las Vegas and try to stick to that. Leave yourself plenty of time to explore all the attractions in the casinos and if you enjoy gambling don’t forget to include plenty of time for that!

We love to tell people not only about our experiences but tips that we have learned along the way, to help make their vacations easier and less stressful. We hope to inspire people to find their adventures and make memories. Even if you do a day trip near your home, there are always new things to discover and enjoy. Have fun and enjoy your travels!

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Hotels

The first of two hotels here is the Hilton Lake Las Vegas Resort & Spa. This is a mediterranean-style resort. The rooms are available in both King and Double beds, lake view or not and they do have rooms for mobility/hearing access. All rooms come with a mini refrigerator, separate bath and toilet areas, coffee maker, 37″ TV, hairdryer and iron/ironing board. The suites are king size beds only with all the amenities of the other rooms but with the addition of a seating area with sofa. Other amenities available for all rooms are digital key, free Wi-Fi and concierge service. All rooms are non-smoking, and pets are not permitted. There is an outdoor pool and a fitness center. If you really want to relax, there is a spa with typical services, including 24-hour treatment rooms. You can also get golf packages for the courses here. There is one restaurant, Medici Cafe, that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. There is a gift shop here that serves Starbucks coffee.

The second hotel here is the Westin Lake Las Vegas Resort & Spa. This too is a mediterranean style hotel which goes with the theme of Lake Las Vegas resort. The guest rooms come in both King and Double with options of pool or lake views. They have the following amenities: desk with chair, hair dryer, iron/ironing board, mini fridge, coffee/tea maker, TV, clock radio with alarm clock. The junior suite comes with all the same amenities but with a sofa couch. The one-bedroom suite also comes with a sofa couch and separate bedroom. It also has a wet bar. All rooms are non-smoking and a no pet policy. There is a pool and fitness center in the hotel along with packages for the golf courses. The spa is not open at the time of writing this. There are 3 restaurants along with a grill at the pool that serve quick snacks and cocktails. The 3 restaurants are: Rick’s Cafe, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Marssa Steak & Sushi, with Japanese cuisine and Marrakesh Express which is only open 6 AM to 10 AM. There is a bridge structure that crosses the lake from here to the Hilton and to shopping at The Village.

The Village

There’s not a lot to say about the village shopping area, it used to have a lot of shops, but now only 3 are open and there is a Mexican restaurant. If you are interested in treating yourself to a spa service, there is a nail salon, hair salon and spa here. It was actually kind of sad to see all of the closed shops and art galleries that looked so empty on the walking bridge across the lake. It’s still nice to take a stroll across the bridge. It is covered and has some great views of the lake, but when the shops and galleries in this area were open it was much more inviting.

Water Activities

The lake itself and all the water activities is what makes this area so unique. The lake is 320 acres of water with many activities. There are different types of packages for entertainment on the lake including, renting flyboards or jetpacks. You can also rent standup paddleboards, kayaks or pedal boats. Something I didn’t know existed are electric surfboards! You can get a package that gives you lessons and time surfing around the shores of Lake Las Vegas. You can also rent electric boats or take a cruise on the lake if you have a special event you want to celebrate. You can also swim, fish, water ski (if you have your own boat) or go hiking in the area around the lake. There is also a stage on the lakeshore near The Village which holds concerts on most weekends. And of course, the golfing, it is supposed to be great here.

Conclusion

As you can probably tell, if you are looking for a vacation involving water, sports and outdoor activities, then Lake Las Vegas might just be the place for you. However, if you are looking for a true “Las Vegas” experience, then this is not the place to come. It is a good 40 minutes to the strip from here with no taxi or bus service. And I’m sure an Uber or Lyft would not be cheap. I had never been here and from things I had read over the years, I really thought it was going to be a really nice place to shop, browse and eat but it was really a disappointment to me. But it may be somewhere that you really enjoy. I try to point out everything I can that I think will help people find a destination that is great for them. I try to show both pros and cons so you can make an informed decision. We hope to get people excited about going on their own adventure, even if it’s just close to home on a day trip. Wherever you decide to stay on your vacation, don’t forget your camera so you can keep your memories alive. There is always something new out there to discover! Enjoy! If interested in our video of Lake Las Vegas, click here:

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