Las Vegas is known worldwide as a holiday destination that guarantees an exciting night out, a dream location for a bachelorette party or weekend away with the girls. With an electric energy that’s almost palpable, it doesn’t matter whether you’re sauntering down the strip, perusing flashy casinos or dancing the night away in insane clubs. Here no one really knows you! What happens in Vegas can truly stay in Vegas.
Vegas
With that anonymity though comes a lack of familiarity, making it possible for a fun holiday away to turn into a disaster. Here are a few tips and tricks in order to avoid leaving Las Vegas with a bad taste in your mouth and empty pockets.
Stick with your group
There is strength and security in numbers. Keeping your gal pals around you is important for everyone’s safety and of course for having fun! You likely didn’t go to Las Vegas alone so, why not spend time with the very people you came with. No one else is going to keep you in check better. Diverse opinions on situations lowers the potential risk factor for falling for scams. We all have a “mum friend” that’s going to veto the really risky ideas.
Staying with your group is also going to allow you to split transport fees, make sure someone has your back in case of emergency and ultimately keep things fun and interesting!
Picking your accommodation
While in Vegas it’s undeniable that you’ll want to stop at some of the more Instagram worthy hotels. Places like the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino or Encore at Wynn are just two places frequented by party goers. Gorgeous pools, great music and bottle service come at a cost though. Easily hitting the several hundred-dollar mark for basic rooms. So, while it may be tempting to stay close to the action a cheaper hotel a little farther away isn’t a bad idea.
Many budget places will offer price matches or have coupon codes listed online. It’s easy with sites like Booking.com and Trivago to find places in great areas for significantly less. Additionally, a large number of hotels also have hidden fees called “resort fees” or “facility fees”. It’s important to inquire about these costs as they may not surface until you go to check out.
Practice your play
Before you head out to the casino, make sure that you know exactly what goes on at the casino. How can you check this out before you step in the door? It’s easy to head on over to many of the online casinos where you can play table games and slots to your heart’s content.
Online casino guides such as nodepositdaily.com are able to negotiate exclusive deals, so you can try out some real money gambling before you hit the town and realise you’ve spent all your money in two seconds flat.
Look for drink deals
You’re on holiday. You’re ready to unwind. And as you’ve probably heard, many places in Las Vegas offer free drinks. Typically, casinos will offer free drinks if you’re playing a machine or sitting at a table. Sometimes all you have to do is be watching someone else play or even just be standing around when the servers go past.
Many places down the Strip have amazing happy hour specials, discounting beers that are usually seven dollars down to as low as fifty cents. Additionally, some bars have all you can drink deals for set prices (usually between $20-$30).
Las Vegas Then and Now has a great and newly updated list on several places offering fantastic specials.
Don’t get too drunk
Saying no to one more Margarita is never the easiest thing to do, especially in a place that is also known as Sin City. But, as many of us have learned the hard way, excess alcohol often leads to poor decision making. Being too intoxicated may make it more likely that you throw down an extra bill in the casino or fall victim to scammers.
Vegas is well known for people trying to take advantage of you. A group of drunk girls with excess cash in an unfamiliar place makes for a perfect target. So even though it’s happy hour, maybe skip that sixth cocktail.
Avoid taxi scams
Yes, some people still take taxis and unfortunately Las Vegas taxis are notorious for trying to rip you off. It’s common for them to take you on much longer journeys in order to rack prices up. Sometimes, they will drop you off at the wrong location because they receive a commission from that particular bar or club. Others will say that their card machines are broken or flat out refuse card and insist you pay cash while offering incorrect or short-change.
One way to avoid this is by avoiding taxis altogether; take an Uber or Lyft. They’re widely available, tell you your fees upfront and often take payment straight off your card. It’s as simple as taking five minutes to set up the app before you head out for the night. If you feel like being extra prepared and want to spend even less then learn the bus or shuttle route and take them out instead. It will likely be longer but, ultimately the cheapest option.
If you absolutely must take a taxi then split the bill with all your friends and make sure you know the quickest route so that you can call out the taxi driver if they try to cheat you.
Don’t take out too much money at the casino
Casino ATMs are often rented out by money grabbers and have insanely large transaction fees. ATM’s on casino floors have fees averaging around $10. Plan ahead and take cash out at your own bank’s ATM and even opt to leave the cards at home, eliminating the temptation entirely. Bringing out a set amount of cash will also allow you to keep within a budget and help with not overspending on table games or slot machines.