Roger Green writes to ask the following…
I have never been to Las Vegas (or the state of Nevada). But a friend and I decided we could go this fall for three or four days in September or October. I have no preconceived notion of what to do except that gambling doesn't interest me. I ask you, as someone who has been there a lot: what would you consider are the must-sees (if any) and avoid that like the plagues in 2023?
Well, I haven't been there for several years and have very little interest in returning to a city that for many years was like a second home to me. I actually don't have much desire to travel at all but Vegas is not what it used to be. It used to be possible to get a cheap room, eat cheap (but good) food and see cheap shows. A few years ago — and especially after the town reopened after the worst of The Pandemic — the casinos and other businesses discovered that if they raised prices, they didn't lose enough customers to regret the increase.
So they raised prices and raised prices and raised prices and they're still raising them. They've also changed the payoff rates on many of their games so you stand less chance of winning than you once did. Apparently, it hasn't enough people to cause them to change the rules back.
Some things in this world are worth paying big for but there are times you just feel like you're being treated like a rube; like they saw you coming and said, "Hey! That guy looks stupid! Let's triple the price of a tuna salad sandwich!" I've come to feel that way too often about Vegas.
That said, it's still a place full of amazing things to see and do. I think the best thing about the city is just to walk around, look at all the amazing architecture and exhibits that are offered to lure people in, and to be around so many people that are enjoying themselves. As with Comic-Con and Disneyland, I like being around happy human beings and in Vegas, even the big losers are usually happy.
But I have some tips: Don't go on a weekend. Everything's more expensive with longer lines. Don't go when there's a big convention or other citywide event. In mid-November, there's a Formula One Grand Prix in the streets there that has sent room rates into the ionosphere. If you like to walk, it's a great city to not rent a car. (Most hotels have also discovered that charging for parking doesn't drive guests away.)
When you book your room online, as you probably will, watch out for mandatory resort fees. That $20-a-night room may come with a $39.95 per night resort fee.
For a first time visitor, I'd suggest staying in one of the hotels that's amidst a cluster of big hotels — like the area around Caesars Palace — and you can probably walk to enough interesting places to fill your days. Perhaps take a cab downtown some evening to experience the partying and The Fremont Street Experience.
Perhaps take in a show. They've gotten way outta hand price-wise but in many of those hotel clusters, you'll find booths with names like Tix 4 Tonight that sell same-day tickets for reduced prices. You can also sometimes find deals through Groupon. Unfortunately, the real superstars who play the city usually only play on the weekend…when I told you not to go.
There are zillions of homemade Vegas Tour Videos on YouTube. My favorites are the ones made by Norma Geli but almost any of them can give you valuable info. And since I started going to the town, I've been a subscriber to The Las Vegas Advisor, a newsletter that owes no allegiance to any casino or business there so it reviews them honestly. I've also long recommended their website as a great source of free info but apparently, most of it's going behind a paywall soon.
But not everything costs money. Walking around and sightseeing doesn't…yet. So you can have a good time…and one final tip: Avoid (1) street performers who want you to pay them to pose for a photo, (2) prostitutes and (3) the folks who are trying to sell you time-share deal. Actually, (2) and (3) aren't are all that different except that with (3), the screwing is way more expensive and goes on forever.
