1. Vegas Traveler tips for NMX Live and CES Vegas -
Updated for January 2013
Two major conferences are happening back to back in Las Vegas Nevada this January, the
New Media Expo (the conference formerly known as Blog World) and the 2013 International
Consumer Electronics show/
NMX is from the 6th to the 8th at the Rio All Suite hotel, about a mile off the strip, and CES will
be held in several hotels from the 8th to the 10th.
Whether you're headed to NMX Live or CES this January, or going to Vegas for the umpteenth
conference some other time this year, you're surely aware that advance planning of your trip
makes all the difference.
In fact, if you plan well enough, you will find yourself some free time if you're not actually
speaking at a business gathering in Las Vegas. It's possible that you'll spend a good deal of
time networking, catching up with friends and taking in a couple of tourist attractions, perhaps all
at the same time.
I put together a brief document on a few things you should be aware of for a happier stay if
you're a business person traveling to Vegas who wants to have fun or entertain new prospects
and clients. I lived in Las Vegas from 2002 - 2007, started a business there in 2004, and visit at

2. least twice a year.
Some of these things are just what I wish I'd known when Vegas was new to me, others are just
things you might not think to ask about.
For example, I found it Very helpful to know which venues were appropriate for what crowd. You
never can tell, in Vegas, if a place that might be family-friendly in your home town is located
adjacent to a place that's... not.
Fun surprise if you're just hanging out with friends. Not so much if you take the wrong new
contact to a spot that is next to something potentially embarrassing.
Las Vegas weather - plan to dress in layers.
The weather is going to be mid-50s - 60 degrees, and is about 40 at night. This is chillier than
expected this time of year for Las Vegas.
Vegas also has pretty low humidity. If you type "89109 weather" into Google on your mobile
device, you'll have a pretty good idea of what the temperature will be like walking the Strip, or
Las Vegas Boulevard, the main stretch of road that most major casinos and hotels are on or
near.
Accessibility in Las Vegas
Vegas is extremely disability-accessible. Whether you rock a cane or are on wheels, just ask.
Most hotels are equipped to do everything from take you to your hotel room by wheelchair to
sharing secret shortcuts to the meeting rooms or through the casino floor.
Vegas is not for walking - Except on the Strip & In Casinos
If you'll be traveling a lot in Vegas, especially off Strip, you need to add a car rental or plan on
taking cabs. Limos are often cheaper here than most other cities I've been too - I supposed
they must be to remain competitive. The key is to do a little research when booking and check
reviews.
A whole lot of the more fun activities, business related or not, take place off the Strip than on
it. There's a bus line that runs down the Strip, but remember if you're staying at the NMX 2013
venue, the Rio is about a mile off the Strip.

3. If you have to catch a cab, the extra walk to a hotel, even a small one, is much smarter than
trying to hail one. They'll basically ignore you. If there's no hotel nearby, call for a cab. Ask for
an Elite fleet cab - they may give you the special Elite fleet number. Same price, better service.
You'll see a black E in a white circle on the back of the cab.
Unless you have money to burn OR are staying at a casino where the station is located in the
lobby of your hotel, forget the monorail. It's a longer walk from the station to the place you want
to go in the casino than from the lobby and the cost is comparable. Cabs will get you there
faster.
Saving on Shows and Attractions
There's nearly always a better deal than the one you got. I'm normally not a bargain hunter,
but being able to get the same quality or better at half the price is important if you want to go to
several shows at $50 - $200 a seat.
Typically I find deals in one of five ways:
1. I find coupon booklets at a hotel front desk or in the Strip cabs
2. Players club cards - each group of casinos has one that can be used on sister properties
3. The web - look on Twitter, Facebook, the venue's website or in Yelp reviews
4. Foursquare check-ins - Vegas is a very Foursquare friendly town.
5. At a major casino hotel - ask the concierge, cruise the casino floor looking for promoters,
check the items given to you with your hotel key, as well as the hotel's channel in your
room.
Speaking of the Las Vegas Strip - plus a tip for ladies
If you ignore everything else I say in this section besides this first thing, you can still have a
great time on the Strip.
Find. A. Map. Print it Out. Take it with you.
It always seems like you can get all the attractions done in one day, but even the free attractions
in any one casino could take up a whole day, between walking back and forth, breaking for
meals, and pausing to enjoy things.
Add to that the fact that casinos are designed to keep you in, and help you lose all sense of
time? That's a recipe for getting caught up in the moment. Which is not a bad thing.

4. But if you have a map, glancing down at it will remind you that you have 16 other attractions you
want to see, or a lunch meeting, so maybe you should leave the slots and go to the next place.
Walking the Strip can be fun in groups, especially if you aren't stopping at every single hotel.
If you're looking up a location on the Strip, remember that it's technically called Las Vegas
Boulevard.
If you're going to walk the Strip, the entire thing is about four miles, so wear athletic shoes.
The more touristy and friendly part of the Strip starts at Tropicana Avenue, near the Excalibur
and New York, New York, and extends North to Desert Inn road, where you'll be able to see the
Wynn just a block or so off to the east..
The rest of that map is still technically the Strip, but before Excalibur isn't as exciting or foot
traffic friendly, and after Desert Inn gets seedier for a while, until you get downtown. Then after
a while it gets a little grimy again..
Even in winter you can get dehydrated. Vegas is a desert. Drink more water than you usually
do.
So if you want to do Vegas like you see in the movies, stay within those lines unless you're with
a group. And make sure you find a map.
In addition to walking the Strip, you can take a CAT bus, Vegas' public transportation,, a tour
bus or even a limo ride. The 24 hour bus that runs along the Strip is called The Deuce. There's
another bus line that will take you up or down Las Vegas Boulevard, but it isn't 24 hours.
Just make sure whatever option you choose gives you the chance for the photo opp of your
choosing, as each hotel property has a specialized experience - even the lower end hotels have
hidden attractions, a lobby that transports you to another part of the world, or daily shows of
some sort.
A tip for my fellow women: It's safe enough walking on the Strip by yourself, even at night,
unless you're downtown. But be aware that there are... advertisers handing out pamphlets for
certain... services.
They are trained to slap the flyers and booklets into the palm of their hand when a lady passes.
The entire experience is 1000 times more annoying than it sounds. You won't want to insist that
they treat you the same as any other passer-by.
Trust me.
They really shouldn't be doing this on the street at all, but on the rare occasions that they get
run off the Strip they just move to another location and come back.

5. Gorgeous mountains
Even among locals, when people talk about Vegas, they rarely talk about the mountains that
frame the town. Locals tak it for granted. Visitors are usually more mesmerized by the Strip.
If you're getting a hotel room that is right on the Strip or within a mile of it and you're offered
Strip or Mountain view, take either Partial Strip, which gives you a little of both, or Mountain
view.
Unless this is your very first time in Vegas, you'll probably find mountain view nicer, and the
sunset or sunrise more dramatic. Besides, there are plenty of tourist spots where you can get a
clear shot of the Strip, day or night, that won't be crowded this time of year.
Try the Mix Lounge at theHotel at Mandalay Bay - the elevators even give you a view as you're
traveling up. There's the free view at the Eiffel Tower, complete with spots in the protective
gates that allow you to take clear photos.
You can also get a 270 degree view of the Strip view by going up to the VooDoo Lounge in the
evenings until at least 3 a.m. most nights. (Look for a promoter on the Casino door during the
day and you can get in for half off the $20 cover charge.)
Vegas Nightlife
There is gambling everywhere, with the occasional exception of all-suite hotels. There are
machines in the airport, in gas stations, everywhere. And it's true that if you gamble, even in the
slots, cocktail wait staff will bring you free drinks all night in most Strip hotels. Just remember to
tip the staff, and that free drinks mean variable quality and inconsistent service.
Should you decide to casino-hop in the central part of the main Strip, near the Flamingo, you
can normally take your drink with you on the street, as you can in the area near the Freemont
experience.
But if you're out of those areas and soemone tries to stop you, take heed. Contrary to myth, the
open container laws are the Strip are loosely enforced, not universal.
If you're looking for places to party, there's a place in Vegas for everyone, that caters to every
type of crowd. Go to the hotel for where you're staying and check their nightlife scene against
the Yelp reviews, even if you were just in Vegas a couple of years ago.

6. Every few years the landscape and nightlife of Vegas changes, and is seasonal as well. That
spot that was jumping when it was too hot to be outside in the summer might not be as crowded
during the winter.
So how do you know what's hot? How do you find places tame enough to have drinks with new
contacts - or spicy enough for a "this stays in Vegas" reunion with old friends?
Go to the Las Vegas Weekly's Nightlife section. The second level navigation has a menu with
guides according to what kind of adventure you're looking for - cocktails, pool, clubs, DJs.
For easy comparison, turn to page 40 of the PDF digital edition (or search for the word nightlife
if the page number changes on Sunday with the updated release) for the grid of area hotspots.
PRO TIP: Whether you're taking family members out to a show, or colleagues out for drinks,
view Every place on Google maps street view before you go. The place you're actually going to
may be perfectly innocent and well chosen, but occasionally the place across the street or next
door is very much not so.
Finding Things to Do In Las Vegas That Aren't Part of the Nightlife
There was a short, weird period of time when Vegas attempted to rebrand itself as
a family friendly destination. The campaign thankfully failed miserably for the most
part.
A happy side effect of the venture was the exposure of G and PG rated activities to
do in Vegas, and other non-touristy fun for adults.
Here are a few recommendations, and links to places to find things on your own.
Suggestions
I like Mexican food, and always try to hit up Willy and Jose's Cantina at Sam's Town
at least once a year. Fantastic guacamole, still fresh made when I went there in
2012.
Italian is a favorite too. If you're with friends or family, an inexpensive place with
generous family-style portions and a fun atmosphere is Buca di Beppo on East
Flamingo Road.

7. You haven't done Vegas if you didn't watch the Bellagio fountains at some point.
But there are other fountain shows in Vegas too. In fact there are a lot of free
casino shows that are considered staples of the Vegas experience.
If you're from the East coast, and get a craving for fast food, try In and Out Burger.
They only have burgers and fries, but they're pretty much awesome. Try one
Animal style or Protein Style for a new experience.
Links
Free Things to Do in Vegas - not the most beautiful site ever. Still a good list with things to do
that locals enjoy.
Vegas.com list of free tihngs to do.
Tips from About.com's Vegas guide
Foursquare's 69 Vegas Suggestions
Several Must-Do suggestions for Vegas
Avoid that " you went to Vegas and you didn't blah-blah?" conversation
ABC News on the top things to do in Vegas (with video)
http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/las-vegas-attractions-free-things-cheap/story?
id=11689616#.UOVCOm_gDGA
A User generated list from Vegas Chatter
http://www.vegaschatter.com/story/2011/3/9/17202/35561/vegas-travel/
OpenThread%3A+Top+Must+Do's+For+Vegas+Virgins
Virtual Tourist has both to-dos and not-to-dos
http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/North_America/United_States_of_America/Nevada/
Las_Vegas-836630/TravelGuide-Las_Vegas.html
Vegas.com's list
http://blog.vegas.com/more-las-vegas-news/top-10-vegas-must-dos-12120/
A best-of list from the Vegas Aboutcom guide
http://govegas.about.com/od/attractions/tp/Must-Do-Things-In-Las-Vegas.htm

8. If you have more questions for a former Vegas local like myself, you can ask me on Twitter, on
my @Tinu handle.
Image courtesty of Flickr user Vanessa Chettleburg