Las Vegas Strip, Photo Credit: Mark Damon/ Las Vegas News Bureau
Glowing neon in the middle of the Mojave Desert, Las Vegas dazzles like no other city.
More than 42 million people visit Sin City each year, according to the Las Vegas Convention And Visitors Authority. They come for the impressive shows, celebrity-chef-helmed restaurants, up-all-night clubs, the whirring casinos but more importantly, the hedonistic, “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” vibe.
Before you book your own hedonistic getaway, here are some tips.
The best time to visit Las Vegas
The best time to visit Las Vegas depends on how well you can handle the heat. From May to October, Sin City’s weather can be summed up in one word: scorching. Temperatures average around 100 degrees and can get as high as 117 degrees in late July and August.
The rest of the year is mild, with temperatures rarely getting below the 40 to 60 Fahrenheit range in the winter and hovering at a comfortable 70 to 85 degrees in the spring. The city boasts more than 300 sunny days a year and very little precipitation.
Since the casinos, hotels, malls, restaurants, nightclubs and entertainment venues are heavily air-conditioned, you’ll easily forget the desert heat outside. Just be sure to have another layer ready indoors, where temps are kept in the 60s.
What to pack for a trip to Las Vegas
During the day, you will need to wear beat-the-heat clothes (remember: you’re in the Mojave Desert) such as tanks, tees and shorts and — even more important — comfortable shoes, if you plan on doing a lot of walking around the Strip or downtown areas.
If you want to check out Sin City’s hot daytime pool scene, be sure to pack a swimsuit. Don’t be afraid to bring along some flashy attire; Las Vegas is one of the few places where a little glitz goes over well.
In general, people dress up more at night in the restaurants, clubs and shows — although, really, anything goes. Just remember that if it’s more than 100 Fahrenheit outside, it’ll be heavily air-conditioned inside. You will probably want to pack some extra layers.
Should visitors rent a car in Las Vegas?
If you’re staying on the Strip, there is really no need to rent a car unless you are planning on going to explore some off-Strip sites. A lot of tourists choose to walk from hotel to hotel, but in the summer the heat can be a bit much.
We recommend jumping in a cab (there are cab stands at every hotel) and asking the driver to take the back roads to avoid the bumper-to-bumper traffic on Las Vegas Boulevard. Uber and Lyft also are options in the city, and most resorts have a dedicated area for pick-up and drop-off.
For VIP transport, check with your hotel concierge to see if he can arrange a car or limousine service.
If you prefer to avoid traffic altogether, hop on the high-tech Las Vegas Monorail. The eco-friendly electric monorail can zip you through the Strip in less than 15 minutes.
