Even in the city that never sleeps, where restaurants, bars, clubs and supermarkets hardly close. In Las Vegas, even 24 hours is sometimes not enough time. With so much to do and until dawn to do it, why waste time in Las Vegas figuring out what to do? If you’ve been to Las Vegas before and are interested in trying something new or perhaps you’re more interested in seeing behind the scenes of Sin City, you’ve come to the right place. Here are some tips and tricks EACH local knows.
CLUB-HOP
If there is one club in Las Vegas that you cannot miss, it is the XS Nightclub located in the Wynn Casino. If you’re not from Vegas, you’ll be paying a pretty penny for not just admission to XS nightclub, but probably every club in Vegas. The best thing to do is connect with a nightclub promoter. You can find many promoters soliciting along the streets of the Las Vegas Strip. You’ll recognize them by their three-piece suits, handing out cards and wrist bands, shouting to the crowd about their free bottle service and limo rides. If you’ve been to Las Vegas, you know exactly who I’m talking about. Sure, they may seem a little shady, but as a local, I can tell you: these workers are legit. Club promoters are not the street hustlers and hustlers they appear to be. They are actually hired by casinos to attract people to their clubs. You see, soliciting on the Strip is illegal in Las Vegas and so how do these promoters get away with it? Well, who do you think runs the city? Las Vegas strip casinos! Talk to these promoters, bargain a little, hook them up with a nice tip, and you’ll get discounts on just about anything. If you are looking for a special VIP service, all you have to do is ask.
It’s starting to become common knowledge: 2:1 is the rule. If you are going to the club with a group of people, there should be a ratio of at least 2 men to 1 woman to increase your chances of getting in. Use this information to your advantage. Also, club promoters can hook you up even better if your group can abide by this rule.
WHAT TO DO BESIDES THE CLUB?
You are not limited to only night clubs while you are in Las Vegas. The activities available to you in the city of lights are limitless. Why not check out a Las Vegas Strip pool party like the Encore Beach Club? home of DeadMau5, AVICII and other amazing electronic music DJs. Again, club promoters are the people you want to talk to for discounted entry and bottle service.
But why not take a two-hour helicopter ride to the Grand Canyon and walk the Grand Canyon SkyWalk? Experience the illusion of floating above the canyon as you tiptoe across a transparent floor suspended 500 feet above the canyon floor. If you don’t feel like flying all the way to Arizona, you can always fly over the Las Vegas Strip in a helicopter while toasting with bottles of champagne. And, you can find all of this, on Las Vegas Boulevard.
If you like to “support the economy” or go shopping but are on a budget, visit a local favorite: The Premium Outlets located in downtown Las Vegas. They are known for having the best selection in stores and ridiculously low prices on items you won’t find anywhere else. I once bought 2 pairs of shoes, 3 pairs of jeans, and 2 shirts all under $100, all name brand stuff too! Plus, the Premium Outlets mall sits directly on the edge of classic downtown Las Vegas, where cocktails are cheap and table games have a $5 minimum.
Las Vegas strip clubs are said by many to be the best in the world. Looking for the most beautiful girls, then Spearmint Rhino is where you want to be. Directly across the street is the Deja Vu club, an 18+ strip club, the only one in Las Vegas. All discounts on free tickets and free drinks at the Strip Club will be provided by the promoters of the club on the corner of the street. Oh yeah, think of these club promoters as the gateway to discounts and the underground. Whatever you’re looking for, chances are they know about it.
GET THE MUNCHIES?
Las Vegas is known for some of the best food in the world and don’t forget, the Casino cafes are open 24 hours a day. Buffets like the unknown Rio Seafood Buffet are guaranteed top-notch. Here’s a quick tip: sign up for a player card every time you visit a new casino. Sometimes just by signing up you can get a free buffet dinner, like at the Silverton Casino. Plus, with these players’ cards, you can accumulate points that can then be used for free games, free meals, and other perks. You’re going to have to spend a few bucks gambling to earn points, but if you’re going to bet anyway, why not rack up points on your card and win something every time?
One place you may also want to check out is the secret pizzeria at the Cosmopolitan. It’s on the third floor, next to the pool tables, through a hallway you’d never imagine leads to probably the best pizza in Vegas. Find a hallway with a marked floor that looks like it’s for employees only.
A Las Vegas winter can be freezing cold, and sometimes a bowl of authentic Japanese noodle soup will keep you level. Try Monta Noodle Restaurant in Spring Mountain and Decatur. If you want mom and dad, this is it. Delicious noodle soup with pork, duck or chicken served hot and fresh.
DOWNTOWN LAS VEGAS LIVE
The Fremont Experience has become the icon of downtown Las Vegas. Here, you can catch free live music shows, enjoy a delicious cocktail, a deep-fried twinkie, you can try your luck at a $3 BlackJack table, and if you have nothing to lose, slide down Fremont Street. What many people don’t know is that Downtown Las Vegas received a massive $17 million facelift aimed at reviving the classic Downtown Las Vegas. So you will be pleasantly surprised by the views, the remodeled old casinos like the Golden Nugget waterslide through a shark tank, and definitely the low low prices.
If you’re trying to find something to do in the afternoon, check out the Arts District, also located downtown. Here you will find beautiful street graffiti painted on historic buildings and art intertwined with the architecture of the city.
On First Friday, the Arts District becomes a sidewalk show packed with street performers and artists creating live art for sale. Bargain for an original piece made by one of Las Vegas’ very own. You might also want to check out the Cornerstone Art Gallery, a low key modern street art gallery with amazing pieces.
At night, The Griffin Club, The Beauty Bar, and the latest installment of what’s happening in downtown Las Vegas, Insert Coins, fill hundreds of dedicated partiers and drown them in alcohol as they rattle the pictures on the wall with live music from local DJs.
CASINO JUMP
Hopping from casino to casino is the game we like to play. But, if you do, you obviously want to make sure you have plenty of cash with you. And, if gambling is your thing, make sure you know that the odds on the Strip will always be in the house’s favor. Of course, all casinos have the odds in their favor, but according to local Las Vegas players, you’ll have more luck trying your luck at off-the-strip casinos like The Orleans, The Gold Coast, and any of the casinos. in the downtown area. It is true that these external casinos will not be as glamorous, but if you are here to win, they are the place to be.
Las Vegas is and always will be the entertainment capital of the world. If you really want it, you’ll find it in Las Vegas. Just be sure to take care of industry workers, hosts, waitresses, card dealers, etc. because the way to get VIP status here in Las Vegas is not always through your wallet. If you show off Las Vegas and its people love it, you’ll get special access to the city’s riches: free tables in clubs, free drinks, free limo rides, free food, and free admission to just about anywhere you can imagine. Sometimes you can even have fun with VIP perks that even most Las Vegas locals can’t access. Just play your cards right. Make sure the people in Las Vegas remember you so they can take care of you forever.