Las Vegas

Do take the time to find the right hotel.Start by thinking about what you want to get out of your trip. Which casinos and sights do you want to be near? How important for you is it to stay in one of big names? How far can you really afford to stretch your budget?

Don’t spend your whole trip on the Strip.Make sure you venture further at least once, whether it’s to see a show at an off-Strip casino like the Rio or Hard Rock, or to indulge in one of the city’s more ridiculous attractions – try glow-in-the-dark, KISS-themed Monster Mini Golf for starters. Fremont Street is one of the best places to head for a full day out.

Do TipTipping goes without saying, but being a generous tipper in Vegas could be the key to a memorable night out. If there's a show you're dying to see, and it's sold out, there's always someone who can get you in. After all, Vegas is a relatively small place, and its 300,000 hospitality workers tend to keep their ears to the ground. Make sure you're tipping the valets, bartenders, and cocktail servers. They always have a pretty good idea of what's out there. If you need tickets to a concert or something, they might be able to point you in the right direction.

Don’t bet on games you've never played.It's tempting to pull up a chair at the poker table and try to coast on beginner's luck. But odds are, you won't get far. The best game to play is the one you already understand. But also pick the one you're going to have the most fun with. Slot machines are great for beginners, since they're less intimidating and allow you to experience the fun of winning and losing. And since this is Vegas, you will lose. But then again, you might win.

Do set yourself a gambling budget.If you choose to gamble – not everyone does – set yourself a budget. Drinks are on the house while you’re at the tables, and a couple of margaritas can quickly lead to spending more than you intended.

Don’t miss out on the shows.Vegas shows are simply some of the world’s best. Tickets might be pricey, but seeing at least one is well worth it, whether you want to be awed by Penn and Teller’s magic tricks or catch the inimitable Cirque du Soleil in action.

Do blow your budget on a buffet brunch.
Where else in the world can you pick from hundreds of dishes and wash them down with limitless mimosas? Vegas does all-you-can-eat buffets like no other city, with highlights ranging from fresh seafood and dim sum to made-to-order pancakes and indulgent dessert bars.

Don’t rent a car.Free drinks and driving do not mix – just don’t do it. Not only is the Strip generally safe and walkable (this is, after all, the city that installed escalators over intersections), but you’ll rarely need to wait more than a few minutes for an Uber or a cab. Vegas is a cinch to get around. Between the monorail, trams, taxis, and rideshares, travelers are bombarded with transportation options.

Do embrace the weird and wonderful.
Take a ride in a Venetian gondola on the second-floor of the eponymous casino. Zip through the Manhattan skyline on New York–New York’s famous rollercoaster. Watch a volcano erupt at the Mirage. See “Elvis” in action in one of the Strip’s late-night bars.

Don’t expect to go to bed early,
Even if you’re not here to hit the clubs, don’t expect to make it back to your room before the early hours. This is a city that really doesn’t sleep – and if the bars don’t tempt you in, the artificial light will have you convinced it’s barely past sundown.

Do get high.
No, not that kind of high. Vegas is best seen from above, and there are plenty of places from where you can take in the view. If your budget won’t stretch to a helicopter tour, hop into a capsule on the High Roller ferris wheel or head to the observation deck at the Stratosphere, the tallest building in the city.

Don’t just visit in summer.Pool parties and palm trees might be quintessential Las Vegas, but there are plenty of reasons to visit in winter – not least the bearable temperatures. New Year is, unsurprisingly, a party like no other, while Christmas sees lights, festive shows and ice-rinks pop up across town.

Do get outside. The hotels do their best to keep you indoors, spiriting you between casino floors and shopping arcades via a bewildering network of corridors and walkways. Break out once in awhile, whether it’s to eat a cafe-style breakfast beneath the Eiffel Tower in front of Paris Las Vegas or watch the Bellagio fountains perform their impressive display.

Don’t leave without taking a day-trip.Most people find around three consecutive days in Las Vegas is enough. More than that and you’ll start to become overwhelmed by the constant onslaught of sound, activity and colour. It would be a shame to leave your trip at that when some of the Southwest’s most epic landscapes are just a short journey away.

Daily tours run to Red Rock Canyon, the Hoover Dam, Valley of the Fire and the Skywalk at Grand Canyon West. If you’ve got a night or two to spare, you can reach the more remote Grand Canyon South Rim, glorious Zion National Park or Bryce Canyon’s fascinating hoodoos.