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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Primm
Stop for one night on the I-15 between Las Vegas and California, or skip: 3 casinos, a free monorail and cheap Nevada gas; no town beyond that.
Primm is a casino cluster on the Nevada–California state line, 40 mi (64 km) south of Las Vegas on I-15. Three hotel-casinos, an outlet mall and a free monorail between them fill a few hours; most travellers use it as a cheap bed on the drive to or from California, or as a fuel stop before California prices.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Jun–Aug (over 38°C (100°F) most afternoons)Jun–Aug (over 100°F (38°C) most afternoons)
- Stay
- 1 night
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 $60–110 excl. bed · Mid $110–200 excl. bed · High $200+ 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 | $3–6 |
| Casino coffee-shop breakfast | $10–18 |
| Food-court meal at Prizm Outlets | $9–16 |
| Draft beer at a casino bar | $6–10 |
| Gallon of petrol (Nevada side) | $4–5 |
| Rideshare or taxi to Las Vegas | $70–100 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | $10–25 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- LAS · Harry Reid International (Las Vegas)
- About 64 km (40 mi) north on I-15; the only practical commercial airport.About 40 mi (64 km) north on I-15; the only practical commercial airport.
- HSH · Henderson Executive
- General aviation, about 72 km (45 mi) north.General aviation, about 45 mi (72 km) north.
Typical fares
- I-15 Las Vegas → Primm
- about 64 km (40 mi), 45 min–1 habout 40 mi (64 km), 45 min–1 h
- Taxi Primm → Las Vegas
- about $100 one way; rideshare often cheaper
- Free monorail between the three casinos
- no ticket needed
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
The three casinos sit within about 1.6 km (1 mi) of each other and a free monorail links them. Walking between properties is fine outside summer afternoons. A car is needed for anything off the strip — Goodsprings, Jean and the golf course.The three casinos sit within about 1 mi (1.6 km) of each other and a free monorail links them. Walking between properties is fine outside summer afternoons. A car is needed for anything off the strip — Goodsprings, Jean and the golf course.
See and do
Known for
- Bonnie & Clyde 'Death Car' at Whiskey Pete's
- Buffalo Bill's and the closed Desperado coaster
- Prizm Outlets mall
- Cheap Nevada gas before the California line
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Seven Magic Mountains | Drive north on I-15 to Exit 12 (Jean), then 11 km (7 mi) east on Las Vegas BlvdDrive north on I-15 to Exit 12 (Jean), then 7 mi (11 km) east on Las Vegas Blvd | About 1 h each way |
| Goodsprings and the Pioneer Saloon | Drive north on I-15, then west through Jean on NV-161 | About 45 min each way |
| Las Vegas | Drive I-15 north, about 64 km (40 mi)Drive I-15 north, about 40 mi (64 km) | 45 min–1 h |
| Searchlight | I-15 south, then SR-164 southeast | About 1 h |
| Baker, California | I-15 south, about 80 km (50 mi)I-15 south, about 50 mi (80 km) | About 1 h |
Sleep
- Buffalo Bill's
- Largest of the three, 1,242 rooms; north end of the strip, closest to the free monorail.
- Primm Valley Resort
- Middle property, 624 rooms, attached to the Prizm Outlets mall.
- Whiskey Pete's
- South end, 777 rooms; the Bonnie & Clyde car is here.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Where is the monorail? | Where's the monorail? |
| Is there a resort fee? | Is there a resort fee? |
| Fill it up, please | Fill it up, please |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| Where is the restroom? | Where's the restroom? |
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: 38–40°C afternoons; carry water and don't walk between casinos at midday.
- The Desperado coaster closed in October 2019 and has not reopened: check before you plan around it.
- Casino floors are the only indoor space for miles; there is no real town centre.
- Non-US residents: big casino wins can face a 30% IRS withholding — keep the 1042-S form.
- Cell coverage is patchy on the desert stretches either side of town.
Low street crime in a place built around three casinos and a car park. The real risks are summer heat, long empty desert drives and gambling losses: set a limit before you sit down.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Primm yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Bonnie & Clyde 'Death Car' at Whiskey Pete's
- Buffalo Bill's and the closed Desperado coaster
- Prizm Outlets mall
- Cheap Nevada gas before the California line
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Primm Valley Resorts (official): www.primmvalleyresorts.com/
- Prizm Outlets (official): prizmoutlets.com/
- Goodsprings Historical Society: www.goodspringsnv.org/
- Wikivoyage: Primm, revision 5281773 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5281773
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Primm
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
No consulates in Primm. Nearest: consulates-general in Las Vegas; embassies in Washington, DC.
Primm is a fuel and bed stop, not a destination. Keep cash for tips and small purchases.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/primm). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.