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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Las Vegas
Stay 3 nights on the Strip for shows and food, or 2 nights Downtown for cheaper beds; skip July–August unless you stay indoors.
Las Vegas is a desert resort city built around a 4-mile Strip of casino hotels, plus a smaller Downtown with older casinos and the Fremont Street canopy. Most visitors come for shows, food, pools and gambling, not sightseeing. Three nights covers the Strip and one day trip; two nights is enough if you only want the highlights. Summer heat above 40°C makes daytime walking hard, so plan indoor blocks.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (extreme heat), major convention weeks
- Stay
- 3 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget US$90–150 excl. bed · Mid US$150–300 excl. bed · High US$300+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | US$4–7 |
| Casino food-court meal | US$12–20 |
| Buffet dinner | US$35–80 |
| Beer: casino bar / can at a convenience store | US$8–14 / US$2–4 |
| 5 km (3.1 mi) taxi or rideshare3.1 mi (5 km) taxi or rideshare | US$15–25 |
| Deuce bus ride | US$4 (24-hour pass US$8, check) |
| Show tickets | US$60–250 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- LAS · Harry Reid International Airport
- Terminal 1 for most domestic flights, Terminal 3 for international; about 10–20 min to the Strip by taxi or rideshare.
- HSH · Henderson Executive Airport
- Private and charter flights only.
Typical fares
- LAS airport → Strip, taxi
- about US$20–30 plus tip, 10–20 min (check)
- LAS airport → Strip, rideshare
- about US$15–25, 10–20 min (check)
- Deuce bus, Strip and Downtown
- US$4 single, US$8 for 24 hours (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk the Strip core, but distances are longer than they look. The Deuce bus runs the Strip and to Downtown 24 hours; the monorail links the east side of the Strip. Taxis and rideshares are the fast option for short hops. A car helps only for Red Rock Canyon, Hoover Dam and other day trips.
See and do
Known for
- The Strip casino hotels
- Fremont Street Experience
- Shows and residencies
- Buffets and fine dining
- Red Rock Canyon day trips
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Hoover Dam | Car or guided tour via US 93, about 45 min from the Strip | About 1 h each way |
| Red Rock Canyon | Car via Charleston Blvd, about 30 min from the Strip | About 45 min |
| Boulder City | Car via US 93, about 35 min | About 45 min |
| Primm | Car via I-15 south, about 45 min | About 1 h |
Sleep
- The Strip
- Casino hotels from Mandalay Bay to the Stratosphere; walkable core but blocks are long. Best for first trips and shows.
- Downtown / Fremont Street
- Older casinos and cheaper rooms; 15–20 min by bus or rideshare to the Strip.
- West of I-15
- Suburban and quieter; good for Red Rock Canyon access and free parking.
- Henderson and east Las Vegas
- Cheaper beds away from the Strip; you need a car or long bus rides.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Thank youthank you |
| Where is the toilet? | Where is the restroom?where is the restroom |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card?can I pay by card |
| How much is it? | How much is it?how much is it |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Summer heat: 40°C+ days are common in July and August; carry water and limit daytime walking.
- Resort fees are added to most Strip hotel bills and are not in the advertised rate.
- Drinks are free while gambling, but tipping is expected; US$1–2 a drink.
- Ignore street sellers offering show tickets or club passes on the Strip; buy from the venue or an official seller.
- Alcohol is legal on the Strip and Fremont Street, but open containers are not allowed elsewhere in the city.
The Strip and Fremont Street are busy and well patrolled; the real risks are summer heat, dehydration while drinking, and petty theft in crowds. Avoid walking alone at night away from the resort core.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Las Vegas yet. Suggested stay: 3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- The Strip casino hotels
- Fremont Street Experience
- Shows and residencies
- Buffets and fine dining
- Red Rock Canyon day trips
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- City of Las Vegas: www.lasvegasnevada.gov
- Harry Reid International Airport: www.harryreidairport.com
- Wikivoyage: Las Vegas, revision 5331166 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5331166
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Las Vegas
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
Most countries have consulates in Los Angeles or San Francisco; check your embassy's site for the nearest office.
Tipping is expected: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, US$1–2 a drink, 15–20% for taxis.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/las-vegas). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.