Whether you’ve been to Vegas a dozen times or are thinking of taking the plunge for the first time ever, planning a trip to Vegas can be an overwhelming experience. When should you go? How do you get the best deals? Where are the best rooms and how do you get them? What’s the best way to choose a show or attractions or restaurant?

With so many choices – hundreds of hotels and restaurants, dozens of airlines, shows, and attractions – it’s easy to see why many people just take the first thing they can find and wind up not having the best Vegas vacation they could.

So, over the next few weeks I’m going to be giving you some real-world, practical advice on planning and executing the perfect trip to Las Vegas. This week we’ll start at the beginning: choosing the best time to go.

Okay, you’ve decided you want to go to Vegas, but now you’re wondering if it makes a difference in what it will cost, what you can do, and what the city is like depending on when you go. Of course it does!

I understand that many of you might not have the luxury of going at any time of the week or year, but it’s important to understand that in Vegas, a week in one direction or another can make a huge difference. Flexibility is the key to getting the best deals since a room that may cost you $200 one weekend may only cost half that a week later.

As far as the time of year that you go, it depends on what is most important to you: getting the cheapest vacation possible or having really nice weather. The reason is that they seem to be inversely proportional to one another, meaning that when the weather is nice, more people go and therefore it is more expensive. When the weather isn’t so great, fewer people go and you can often get better rates.

Late November through Christmas and then early January through February are traditionally slow times for Vegas. There are exceptions in there when some big conventions or events hit but generally speaking those are pretty safe bets to get some bargains. The problem is that you’re not going to get much pool time during those months. Daytime temps average in the 50s and 60s, which may sound tropical for those of you in snow-country, but it isn’t terribly warm and most hotels close their pool areas during those months. Nighttime temps can dip down into the 30s, so if you choose this time of year be sure to bring a jacket or coat.

The summer months – late June through August – are also traditionally off-season in Vegas. The downside here of course is the heat, with daytime temperatures averaging in the upper 90s or 100s. If you don’t mind being hot, these are really good times to go for cheap room rates – but be sure to bring plenty of sunscreen!

If you’re looking for really nice weather, mid-March through May and September through early October are usually the most moderate, with daytime temps in the 70s and 80s and usually plenty of sunshine. But as mentioned, these are also traditionally the busiest times of the year, with lots of vacationers and business travelers so expect higher rates and a lot more crowds.

Try to avoid holidays – even relatively minor ones like President’s Day – unless you want to pay higher room rates and fight major crowds.

Once you choose a time of year, try and pick two or three periods when you could take your vacation. For instance, if you want to go for four days in July, you’re going to have much more luck getting a good rate if you have several different choices when those four days can happen.

Generally speaking, weekends are more expensive than weekdays (unless there is a major convention in town). But the downside on going weekdays is that there are fewer big name headliner concerts in town, most of which happen on the weekends. Lots of the ongoing shows and even restaurants are also closed on certain days of the week.

So now you’ve got some options and you’re ready to pick up the phone and make your reservations, right? Well, not quite. There’s more research to do before you start making those calls, like choosing the best hotel for you. That’ll be Part 2 of this series and it’ll be in this column next week.

Until then…

Part 2: Choosing the Best Hotel

Everyone is always asking me, “What’s the best hotel in Vegas?” and I always tell them that it depends on what is most important to you.

Many people are primarily concerned with the price. Of course that doesn’t mean that they’re willing to stay in a roach-infested dump just to get a $19 room rate, but it does often mean that people will sacrifice some of the frills, luxuries, and location advantages that the bigger, more expensive resorts in the heart of The Strip have to offer.

If this is you, one of the first things you should consider is location. Generally speaking, the hotels directly on The Strip are the most expensive, followed by the hotels just off The Strip (Paradise Road for example), then those Downtown, and finally the neighborhood casino/hotels scattered about the Las Vegas valley.

If you’re a first time visitor, you might want to just bite the bullet and stay on The Strip, since that’s where most of what you’re going to want to see and do is located. But if you’ve been to Vegas before and you’re looking for a low-cost trip to see it again, staying away from the main drag will usually save you a ton of money. Even if you factor in the cost of the rental car that you will need to get yourself around, it’s still usually cheaper to stay at a neighborhood hotel than it is at even moderately priced hotels directly on The Strip.

Here’s an example. I checked the rate at a very nice Boulder Highway hotel and the price of a small rental car for a Thursday through Sunday stay in June. The total for the car for three days and that room for three nights was $310. Then I checked the same three nights at one of the Strip hotels – and not one of the most expensive – and the total without the rental car was more than double – almost $700!

To save $400 I’ll give up a view of The Strip and sit in a little bit of traffic.

Of course, not everyone is as concerned with cost as they are with what the hotel has to offer and where they will feel most comfortable. For instance, some people want a relaxing getaway with lots of time around the pool, maybe a visit to a really nice spa, and plenty of room service. Others may be looking for the party set and may want a hotel with some hip nightclubs and the kind of younger clientele that will make them feel comfortable. Of course there are those that want to avoid those party places with every fiber of their being and prefer a more mature crowd.

Are you traveling with kids or friends? Are you more inclined to eat at a fancy restaurant or a cheap buffet? Are you planning to do a lot of gambling or do you just want to see shows, shopping, and attractions?

All of these are very important questions to ask yourself before you choose your hotel. And then once you know what you’re looking to get out of your trip, the heavy lifting happens. You have to do some research. Read reviews of all the hotels on Vegas4Visitors.com and other websites and/or in travel guides like Frommer’s and Fodor’s. Don’t trust one opinion – not even mine!

The only thing to be careful about when trolling the web for information is that most other Vegas websites don’t offer true reviews of the hotels. Unlike Vegas4Visitors.com, they often accept advertising from the very hotels they are reviewing so most of the “opinion” you see is pretty glowing. Frankly, I’ve been shocked at some of the stuff I’ve seen on competing websites. One “review” called a hotel that almost everyone agrees is a dump “quirky in an old-school Vegas way.” Um, yeah.

Once you’ve done your homework, pick the top five hotels that you think suit you best and start calling to check rates on the dates you want to travel. Best rate wins in my opinion.

In the next segment of this series, we’re going to look at planning what to see and do while visiting Las Vegas.

Part 3: What To See & Do

Obviously how long you’re going to be in town will affect your plans since you may have to eliminate some really good stuff to be able to get all the really, really good stuff on your schedule. How long it’s been since you’ve been to Vegas also makes a difference because you’ll obviously want to focus on the stuff that you haven’t seen instead of going back to the things you’ve already hit.

And finally your budget is important because that will help steer you in one direction or another. If you don’t have a lot of money to blow, you can still fill up your time with the free or low-cost attractions and shows. If you’re not much of a gambler, you can spend the money that most people pump into the slot machines on one of the big-ticket productions.

On Vegas4Visitors.com and other websites like it you’ll be able to find information on all of the stuff you can see and do while you’re in Vegas. Go through the Attractions section, the Shows section, the Nightlife section, the Shopping section, and the Recreation section and make a little list of the things that sound appealing to you – maybe you want to see all the big shows or maybe you’re a thrill junkie and have to hit all the roller coasters and thrill rides. Perhaps you’re an animal lover or a shop-a-holic. Whatever your taste, you’re sure to find a lot to suit it.

But my recommendation is to be well-rounded in your Vegas trip. If you have the time and budget, try a little bit of everything – maybe a trip to see the Dolphin Habitat in the morning followed by a roller coaster and a museum in the afternoon with a show and a trip up the Eiffel Tower at night. Don’t book yourself up with a lot of the same types of stuff – and be sure not to overdo it – you’re on vacation after all!

Once you have your list of things that sound interesting, rank them in order from the “things you absolutely cannot miss” to the “things you’ll get to if you have time.” Then apply your budget to eliminate the things you can’t afford, working up from the bottom. Next, apply your time constraints, getting rid of the things you just won’t have the room for in your schedule.

That will leave you with a sure fire list of things you want to see and do, and hopefully a picture perfect Vegas experience.

In the next part of this series, we’re going to take a look at traveling to Vegas from flying and airport advice to the best ways to get around town.

Part 4: Getting Here & Getting Around

Traveling by plane these days is a bit more difficult than it used to be, owing to the current realities of airport security. But there are things you can do to make sure that you don’t get delayed any more than you have to. First, put everything that could even be thought of as sharp in your checked bags and only bring what you absolutely have to have with you in your carry-on. This includes everything from nail files to tweezers. Trust me, you don’t have to do your nails on the plane!

McCarran airport is one of the most modern and well-planned airports I’ve ever visited. As usual it can be a bit of a hike from the gate to the baggage claim or taxi line but for most terminals they have either motorized walkways or trains that will whisk you to your destination a little more quickly.

The baggage claim area is adjacent to the rental car counters, and this brings me to my most important bit of advice. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… if you are planning on spending any significant amount of time in Vegas (more than 1 or 2 days) then you absolutely should rent a car. Yes, traffic in this city is a pain, but that’s no different than in any other major city, and the advantages are legion.

If you’re planning on doing any exploring of the city, you’ll have a much easier time with a rental car and in the long run will probably save yourself some money over taking cabs everywhere. Parking, both self and valet, is free and plentiful at every major hotel and attraction that you’ll want to visit.

In our Frequently Asked Questions section on Vegas4Visitors.com, you can get some info about shortcuts in and around Vegas that will help you with the commute.

But if you are dead set against renting a car, there are other ways to get around. Just outside the baggage claim area is where you can grab a cab or a shuttle bus to The Strip. Don’t worry about calling in advance – they are always there, although at peak times there may be a line to get transportation. Unfortunately there’s no way around that.

Cabs are also usually in plentiful supply no matter where you go - certainly at every hotel and near most off-Strip restaurants and major attractions. Hailing a cab here is easier than it is in New York City, land of a million cabs.

Getting around The Strip is a bit easier these days. There are currently free monorails or trams connecting Mandalay Bay, Luxor, and Excalibur; Monte Carlo and Bellagio; and Mirage and Treasure Island. The Las Vegas Monorail connects MGM Grand with Sahara and stops at Paris & Bally's, The Flamingo, Harrah's & the Imperial Palace, the Convention Center, and the Las Vegas Hilton in between.

You can also take advantage of the indoor walkways that connect several Strip properties including Mandalay Bay to Luxor; Luxor to Excalibur; and Bally’s to Paris. These are especially helpful on those hot summer days when walking from one hotel to the next can be an unpleasant adventure.

There are, of course, city buses. But even when the bus drivers aren’t on strike (as they are at this writing), the bus service in this city is among the worst I’ve ever seen. Buses are notoriously late and overcrowded and I heartily recommend avoiding them unless you have absolutely no other choice in the matter.

You can also try the Strip Trolley, a bus-like conveyance that isn’t much better than the city’s system, only they are dressed up to look like old-time street trolleys. Whether that’s worth the aggravation is totally up to you.

Several off-Strip hotels also have shuttle buses that run to their properties. If you’re interested in visiting a specific place, check their website or call to see if they have shuttle service.

In the next part of this series, we’ll talk about staying safe in Vegas.

Part 5: Staying Safe in Vegas

Although Las Vegas is, by and large, a relatively safe place it is still a large American city with all of the usual pitfalls and perils associated with them. In addition, the fact that this is primarily a tourist driven economy that delights in moving huge amounts of money around means there are additional risks that you should be aware of.

In terms of general crime safety – meaning trying to avoid getting yourself killed, mugged, etc. – you’re usually okay if you stick to the high-profile tourist areas. The Strip, Fremont Street in the Downtown area, and the individual casinos and attractions scattered throughout the rest of the city are, for the most part, very safe places. Police and security presence is high and the number of cameras recording every inch of the major hotels seems to be effective in keeping all but the most brazen of criminals at bay.

However, most of those tourist areas are surrounded by neighborhoods that are questionable at best and downright scary at worst. Just as you probably wouldn’t go wandering around the dark streets of your nearest major city at night, you should never wander too far away from the bright lights of The Strip or Downtown when you are in Vegas.

If you’re driving and have to pass through some of these questionable neighborhoods, always be sure you know where you’re going before you start the car and keep your doors locked, especially at night. I know this is common-sense stuff but it bears repeating here. If you’re getting a rental car, make a request ahead of time for one that does not bear any stickers or placards declaring it as such. Although I haven’t heard of this being a major issue in Vegas, there have been incidents in other cities of criminals targeting people in rented cars so it can’t hurt to take this simple precaution.

The most common safety issue that Vegas visitors wind up facing is one of simple theft – usually at the hands of pickpockets lured by those wallets bulging with ill-gotten casino gains. But there are ways to reduce this risk as well.

First, and most obvious, is to not carry huge amounts of cash on you. Of course sometimes it can be unavoidable – say, you’re lucky enough to win several hundred dollars while out in the casinos for instance. But whether you’ve got $20 or $2,000 on you, there are ways of keeping it a little safer.

For example, men should carry their wallets in front pockets whenever possible, eliminating the possibility of someone sneaking up behind you and lifting your hard earned cash while you’re walking through the casino. Men and women can also reduce risk by carrying your money in a separate pocket from your wallet or outside of your pocketbook or purse. That way if someone goes for the obvious target, you’ve still got your dough.

Be extra vigilant while visiting the city’s eye-catching attractions. While you’re standing there agog over the Pirate Battle or the Bellagio Fountains for example, it’s much easier for a thief to rob you while you’re not paying attention.

Theft can also be an issue for items in your room. If your accommodations come with a safe, use it. When you’re not around, store cash, cameras, jewelry, or other tempting goodies away in your suitcase, preferably locked up. Incidents of housekeeping or other staff taking things from guests are virtually non-existent but why take a chance by leaving an expensive Rolex on the nightstand?

Never open your door to anyone you aren’t expecting, even if they identify themselves as hotel staff. It’ll only take a second to call the front desk and verify that the guy standing outside your door really is just there to put a mint on your pillow.

Last, but not least, let’s address the issue of staying safe while you’re walking up and down The Strip. I can’t tell you how many stories I have read of pedestrians in crosswalks or on the sidewalks being injured or even killed by errant automobiles. While some of these have been tragic accidents that the pedestrians couldn’t have done anything to avoid, many of them result from people not abiding by walk/don’t walk signs or the flow of traffic.

I understand that walk/don’t walk signs don’t mean much in many major cities (hello New York) but in Vegas you should pay attention to them because the cab drivers and unfamiliar tourist drivers probably aren’t paying attention to you. Waiting that extra three minutes for the next legal walk sign isn’t going to kill you – but not waiting for it could.

In the next part of this series we’ll be covering money issues – how to make sure you don’t spend more than you should in the casinos.

Part 6: Managing Your Money

We all know how easy it is to spend entirely too much money in Las Vegas. What with the skyrocketing hotel rates, expensive restaurants, and high show-ticket prices it’s not surprising that people wind up spending more money in Vegas than they planned to.

Oh yeah, there are the casinos also. Almost forgot about that.

Now many of you who have never been to Vegas before may be thinking that you have the self-determination and good sense not to blow junior’s college fund at the craps table, and that may be true for some people. But I guarantee you that Vegas doesn’t rake in billions of dollars every year from people with self-determination and good sense.

So how do you make sure to keep your life savings intact if you’re worried that you can’t keep your willpower intact? Here’s a few rules that I try to live by – and often, admittedly fail – but it doesn’t mean they aren’t good ideas:

1) Gambling is entertainment – you should not view it as a way to make money, but rather as an expense. Before your trip, budget only the amount you’re willing to lose and consider that money gone. Think of it this way: you’re heading to New York and you budget $500 to see a bunch of Broadway shows. You wouldn’t expect to have any of that money left when you return, would you? The same goes for gambling. And if you’re lucky enough to have any left when your trip is over, you’re ahead of the game – literally.

2) Budget your entertainment, food, and hotel money in one column and use a credit card to cover it, then put your gambling budget in another column and bring cash or traveler's check to cover that.

3) Only bring the one credit card and leave your ATM card, all other traveler checks, your checkbook, and all but maybe a small store of emergency cash at home. This will keep you from running back to the ATM when you’re just sure that double-diamond slot machine is going to hit. In Las Vegas you can use a credit card for almost everything, including emergencies, so as long as you have that one card you should be covered for anything unexpected that may happen (provided you have enough credit available on that card!)

4) Try to use a credit card that doesn’t have or allow cash advances. It’s very easy to take cash from your credit card and it’s another temptation you don’t need.

5) Keep the money in your gambling budget separate from everything else – that way it’ll be a lot easier to keep track of exactly how much money you're losing in the casino. Plus, if you have the fortitude to do so, you can stand by the mantra that once your gambling budget is gone, you stop gambling.

6) Get out of the casinos! Gambling is very seductive but there are so many things to see and do in Las Vegas to distract you from the lure of the bells and whistles that all you have to do is step outside, get a breath of fresh air, and take in the scenery. It’ll help you to clear your head and realize that you’ve just blown through half of your gambling budget in ten minutes and maybe you should go see a white tiger or something instead.

In the next segment of this series, we’ll be looking at basic gambling “do’s and don’ts.”

Part 7: Gambling Basics

Did you know it’s legal to gamble in Las Vegas? It’s true! Along with the showgirls, fine dining, roller coasters, white tigers, magicians, nightclubs, Elvis impersonators, wedding chapels, spas, shopping, golfing, and all of the other stuff Vegas has to offer, they also have a couple of slot machines and blackjack tables around just in case you get bored.

What follows are some Vegas casino basics. If you’ve been to Vegas, or any casino for that matter, you’ll probably know this stuff but you’d be surprised how many people don’t. Most of this is specific to Las Vegas but a lot of it applies to casino gambling anywhere in the US.

Las Vegas casinos are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a week.

You must be 21 to even enter the gaming area much less play the games. If you look young, be sure to carry some form of identification such as a driver's license or passport because casino personnel may ask you to prove you're old enough to be there. If you’re traveling with someone under 21 and have to pass through the casino to get to the room, restaurants, or other attractions, stick to the main walkways and don’t stop near the slots or table games to play or even watch.

There are cameras, security personnel, and undercover operatives that watch every square inch of the casino at all times. Don't even think about trying to cheat - you'll get caught and you will go to jail.

Be sure to pay attention to limits on table games, slots, and video poker. If you mess up and wind up betting more or less than you could've or should've the casino isn't going to listen to a "but I didn't mean to..."

Most casinos offer free or heavily discounted drinks to people playing the games including slot machines. Cocktail waitresses abound in most casinos but remember, they live off your tips so be generous, especially if the drink is free.

Most casinos offer free gaming lessons on the various card and table games. Check with the main casino cage or the guest services counter of any casino/hotel for schedules. These gaming lessons can be valuable in more ways than one. In addition to the knowledge you’ll acquire, many casinos offer discount coupon books to people who take the time to learn how to play the games.

Most casinos make it really easy to get money. Again, laws vary from state to state, but most have automated teller machines (ATM), check cashing, and systems to take cash advances from your credit cards. Our recommendation is to leave your bank cards, credit cards, and check books at home and only bring as much money as you're willing to lose – most of the time, you will.

There are several ways to get change and chips in a casino. Most have attendants wheeling change carts around so you can get coins for the slots, or there are change booths sprinkled throughout. Gaming chips can be purchased at any table or the main cashier cage (ask an attendant where it is) and usually redeemed at the cashier cage only.

Always remember that gambling should not be looked at as a way to make money! Most of the time, you won't. If you view the slots and table games as a form of entertainment you'll have a much better time (and will probably lose less money).

Most casinos have gaming (slot/player) clubs where you earn points toward meals, shows, or rooms by gambling in their casino. You have to give away some of your personal information (like address and perhaps e-mail) but that junk mail you get can get you some deep discounts on future visits.

Most casinos will offer perks if you're dropping a lot of money at their tables or slots. Make sure somebody sees you spending money and then casually ask if their show is any good or which restaurant is best. It's not a guarantee but often they'll give you discount coupons or freebies just to keep you happy and gambling.

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