5 Big Las Vegas Mistakes You Can Avoid

1. Let your taxi drive 'long-haul' you through the tunnel. Once you arrive at McCarran Airport and wait in the annoyingly long taxi queue, you're probably not going to pay attention to how your taxi driver gets you to your hotel. But be sure to stay awake and conscious long enough to tell your driver not to take the I-15 connector tunnel if you're staying on or near the Strip. It'll add significantly to your taxi fare and surface streets are faster. (Tip: If you don't want to wait in the airport taxi line, tweet @Hacking Vegas in advance for a stealth pick-up at McCarran.)
2. Not take advantage of valet parking. I'm a diehard self-parker, even on the streets of Los Angeles, where valet parking is treated like a civic duty. But in Las Vegas, valet parking is free at almost every casino hotel and shopping mall. All you need to do is tip when the valet hands you back the car keys (a few bucks is fine, unless they leave your Maserati out front, in which case give 'em a $20). That tip costs less than what you're going to drop in the slot machines, and it saves you having to walk for 15 minutes to and from the self-parking garage. For quick, easy in/out valet parking on the Strip and downtown, I like the Tropicana, Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood, Bally's, Main Street Station, the Golden Gate and the Golden Nugget's Rush Tower.

4. Buy full-price tickets for a bad show. When you're on the Strip, you may feel like you have to see a show, as if leaving Vegas without having done so means you'll have missed out. Not true! If you're not a fan of stage shows to begin with, nothing in Vegas is likely to change your mind. If you do want to see a show and you don't have your heart set on Celine Dion or Garth Brooks, head over to the nearest branch of Tix 4 Tonight and get a same-day, steeply discounted ticket for anything that sounds like fun, whether that's Absinthe comedy burlesque, Penn & Teller's magic show or Legends in Concert celebrity impersonators. Even if you don't love the show, at least you won't have spent too much money on it. Bonus tip: If you do want to see Cirque du Soleil, line up before the Tix 4 Tonight booth opens for the day or sign up online for the Cirque Club to buy discount tickets in advance. Also check for promo ticket deals on the Cirque website and the websites of the casinos hotels where the shows are playing.

Looking for more expert insider Vegas travel info? Download our Viva Las Vegas, Baby! mobile app or Amazon Kindle ebook. Got your own tips for avoiding tourist traps in Las Vegas? Let us know by leaving a comment below. Thanks!
Related links:
Viva Las Vegas, Baby! mobile app (iTunes / Android)
Viva Las Vegas, Baby! Amazon Kindle ebook
Stacking Up the Strip's Best Burgers
Photo credits: Michael Connolly, Jr. & Sara Benson
Published on July 03, 2012 14:34
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