Been there twice…with a group, unfortunately, which meant I didn’t have a lot of freedom. I don’t have a whole lot to offer, but here it is.
Don’t be too particular when it comes to hotel accomodations. Downtown is fine; we stayed there for our first trip and none of us found it the least bit dangerous. If there’s a “bad part” of Vegas, I’m unaware of it (or it exists well outside of where you’ll be spending most of your vacation).
The best time to go is in the spring or late fall. Nevada is like an oven in summertime, so never go then. Oh, and there’s never any rain, so you can leave all the umbrellas and rain gear behind.
You will have to do a certain amount walking out of necessity. I actually found walking around and going to places one of the most fun things about the second trip. Some have reported that walking is “almost as bad as in New York”, but I never had any problems; the sidewalks are clean and I never encountered any particularly aggressive or reckless drivers (more than I can say for Hawaii, that’s for sure). Don’t worry about street crime, either; I never even heard of a single crime in all the time I was there (probably due to the clear visibility day and night and the tremendous amount of security in and out of the buildings). If distance is a problem, obviously, pick a hotel that’s right in the middle of things. (I’m sorry I can’t recommend any shows or attractions…of the ones I saw, I either thought they were mediocre at best or I was too distracted thinking of what I’d rather be doing to enjoy them.)
Do not gamble in the casinos at all unless you really, really know what you’re doing. In particular, I’d avoid the one-armed total wastes (better known as slot machines) and roulette tables entirely. And play keno only if it’s a slow night. (And I mean real keno, not the abomination known as video keno…sheesh, talk about completely missing the point.) Smart gamblers know that the best games are the ones they make themselves, not the stacked-in-favor-of-the-house casino ones.
Unless you’re an amazing people person and an absolute whiz at creating and synchronizing schedules on the fly, the maximum size of any group should be two. There’s a ton of things to see and do here, and with a big group conflicts can spring up like strange pamphlet givers on the Strip. (What I wouldn’t have given to spend one whole day uninterrupted in New York New York’s arcade…) Plus there’s the matter of, ahem, the inevitable one member of the group who takes absolutely freaking forever to get ready for anything…this alone nearly ruined our second trip. Even if you’re only going as a couple, it’s a good idea to write out some kind of itinerary beforehand.
Finally, take the time, when you can, to leave the glitz and glamor of the casinos and take a look at the rest of the city. There are more than a few tourist attractions (I recommend the Hoover Dam just for the historical value), not to mention plenty of great places to shop. Believe me, the things we paid honest money for (which included some very nice clothes and a pair of shoes for me) far outweighed the value of whatever we won in those money traps.
That’s about it. Good luck, and have a great time.
