What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.
Almost everyone knows this saying. Personally, I’ve never done anything bad there—but I definitely have more than enough experiences, stories, and moments worth talking about. I’ve been to Vegas about six times, and every time something happened that I still remember to this day.
When we went on a several-week road trip through the western USA last year, we started in Las Vegas. And that was no coincidence—Vegas is, in my opinion, by far the best starting point for traveling around the American West Coast. Why? I’ll explain.
Why start in Las Vegas?
Even when I lived in the USA a few years ago on an E2 investor visa, I regularly flew to Vegas. Whether I needed to travel to Santa Barbara, or rather Napa Valley in California, Los Angeles, or San Francisco—I always started right here.
The reason is simple: Las Vegas is simply cheap. You can find hotels on Booking.com for ridiculously low prices. Rooms are commonly available for as little as $50 a night, even in hotels that normally cost around $150–200. I personally once stayed in a hotel for $18 a night—and that room normally costs several times as much. Of course, you need to book in advance; in my experience, deals like that are usually no longer available at the last minute.
And it’s not just the hotels. Car rentals, for example through Enterprise, are significantly cheaper there than in Los Angeles or San Francisco. Gas is cheaper. Even flights—whether from Atlanta or Europe—are often more affordable to Vegas than to other cities in the western United States.
LA may be a 4–5-hour drive from Vegas, but there is plenty to see along the way—beautiful mountains, Calico Ghost Town (I’ll write a separate article about it), and other places worth stopping at. And if you’re planning to visit Arizona, Utah, the Grand Canyon, or Monument Valley, all of them are within easy reach of Vegas. You can even get to Area 51 from there—it’s about a two-hour drive.
A little history: How the desert became the entertainment capital
Las Vegas—Spanish for “the meadows”—was named by Spanish explorers who discovered springs here in the 19th century, surrounded by an otherwise arid desert. The city was officially founded in 1905, when a railroad connecting Salt Lake City and Los Angeles began passing through the area.
The turning point came in 1931, when Nevada became the first U.S. state to legalize gambling. At the same time, construction began nearby on the famous Hoover Dam, attracting thousands of workers to the area—and local business owners quickly realized that these men would want to spend their money. That marked the beginning of the casino era.
In 1941, Thomas Hull opened the first true hotel resort on what would later become the Strip—El Rancho Vegas, complete with a swimming pool and air conditioning, which was the height of luxury at the time. But the real revolution came in 1946, when gangster Bugsy Siegel opened the legendary Flamingo hotel. He financed it with organized crime money, setting the standard for all future casino resorts.
From the 1950s to the 1980s, the mob had a powerful influence over Vegas—skimming money from casinos, secret ownership, and organized crime were part of everyday life. It was not until the 1980s that the federal government began pushing the mob out and corporations entered the city. Billionaire Howard Hughes had already bought several resorts in the 1960s, foreshadowing the era of corporate Las Vegas.
Another wave arrived in the 1990s—Vegas transformed from a gambling city into a luxury vacation destination. Steve Wynn built the Mirage, brought in Cirque du Soleil, and launched the mega-resort trend. Iconic hotels gradually appeared, including the Bellagio (the world’s most expensive hotel in 1998, costing $1.7 billion), the Venetian, the Luxor with its famous pyramid, New York-New York, and many others.
In 2023, the Sphere opened—a massive spherical concert venue that is now one of the most photographed landmarks in Vegas and a technological marvel of modern architecture.
Arriving in Las Vegas
We flew to Vegas from Dallas, where we had spent just under a week. More specifically, we flew from the airport in Fort Worth, which I personally really like—it has a pleasant atmosphere, it’s clean and newly renovated, immigration is hassle-free, and on top of that, the staff were absolutely wonderful with our little daughter. She received a coloring book and was thrilled by everything.
When you land in Las Vegas at Harry Reid International Airport (formerly McCarran), you are greeted by the typical Nevada landscape—an arid plain stretching as far as the eye can see.
But as soon as you enter the terminal, you immediately feel the atmosphere. Huge “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” signs glow everywhere, and there are slot machines right inside the airport—so you can literally start playing as soon as you arrive. And just before departure too, but more about that later.
From the airport, we took a bus to Car Rentals, where we picked up our car from Enterprise. Enterprise is clearly number one for me—I’ve never had a problem with them, not even with an international driver’s license and a debit card. But that deserves a separate article.
Excalibur: Our first night in a casino hotel castle
We got into the car and drove along the freeway directly to the Las Vegas Strip.
We had booked our first night at the Excalibur hotel—that white castle that looks as if it came straight out of a King Arthur fairy tale.
It looked great from the outside. Inside, of course, there was a sprawling casino—slot machines, tables, everything associated with Vegas. It was a little complicated with our young daughter, however, because children are not allowed in the casino areas (you must be 21 or older), so we were always asked to leave the gaming areas.
Finding our way around the hotel was quite a challenge. There were directional signs everywhere for the Resort, Tower, Pool, Lounge, Casino, Restrooms, Shops—it’s easy to get a little lost at first.
We waited at reception for a good half hour because only one desk was open and the line moved slowly. We reached our room about an hour after arriving.
The room? I’ll be direct and honest. In my opinion, the glory days of these casino hotels are over. The room was clean, but you could tell it had seen better days—dust behind the cabinets and television, and generally battered furniture. It wasn’t anything terrible, and for the price it was understandable, but anyone expecting catalog-style luxury might be slightly disappointed. Maybe it was also because we booked through Booking—sometimes Booking reservations are given worse rooms, and it has happened to me more than once.
A view of the hotel pool—our daughter enjoyed herself absolutely everywhere :)
The Luxor pyramid and our first dinner
Right next to Excalibur stands the Luxor—the famous hotel shaped like an Egyptian pyramid. As someone who loves Egypt and has been there about eight times, I had to visit. The interior was truly impressive—Egyptian theming, enormous spaces, a casino, restaurants, and a food court.
We had pizza there and walked through the entire complex.
Interesting fact: The Luxor opened in 1993, and the beam of light shining from the top of the pyramid into the sky is supposedly the strongest beam of light in the world—it is said to be visible even from space. The hotel has 4,407 rooms, and its elevators travel diagonally along the pyramid’s walls rather than vertically, which is an experience in itself.
Las Vegas Strip: A walk along one of the world’s most famous streets
And then we headed out onto the Las Vegas Strip—the iconic street that is approximately 6.5 kilometers long and ranks among the most visited places on the planet.
Interestingly, the Strip is not technically located within the city of Las Vegas at all—it lies in an unincorporated part of Clark County, specifically in the community of Paradise. The famous “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign stands exactly 7.2 km from downtown and was erected in 1959. Today, it is one of the most photographed places in America.
What makes the Strip fascinating is that you can find a piece of every part of the world there. The Eiffel Tower at the Paris hotel, Venetian gondolas at the Venetian, New York skyscrapers at New York-New York, and an Egyptian pyramid at the Luxor—all within a few kilometers of desert road. There are palm trees, colorful neon lights, enormous LED screens, and a permanent show that never ends.
It was a complete adventure for our daughter—she excitedly pointed at the roller coasters, illuminated signs, and all the colorful madness around us. We took photos at the New York-New York hotel, whose facade features replicas of the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, and the Brooklyn Bridge.
M&M's World: A chocolate paradise (and a trap for your wallet)
Of course, our daughter immediately noticed the enormous M&M's World—one of the largest chocolate stores on the Strip. I try not to give her too much chocolate, but forbidden fruit tastes the sweetest, so we went inside.
It was really impressive inside—huge dispensers full of colorful M&M’s, where you take a bag and pour in as many as you want. It looks innocent enough, but be careful—the price is per ounce (about 28 grams), and it costs $1.49 per ounce. How are we supposed to know how much an ounce is, right? Our little girl enthusiastically filled the bag, and then came the shock at the register—I paid about $50 for a bag of candy. But the look in her eyes was worth it.
But she was thrilled—she even slept with her M&Ms that evening :)
Besides M&M's, there are plenty of other shopping options on the Strip—the Coca-Cola Store, Marshalls, various fashion boutiques, and souvenir shops. You can walk around for hours and still keep discovering something new.
Watch out for the “angels” on the Strip
There is one thing I’d like to warn you about. When we were returning to the hotel, we met a group of girls dressed as angels who were very eager to take a photo with us. I thought, why not? We’d take a picture and it would be great for a story.
But after the photos came the catch—they wanted $200 in tips. They immediately pulled out a payment terminal and showed us the amount. For one minute of taking photos? In my opinion, that’s completely absurd. In the end, I changed it to $20 on the terminal myself and paid, and they were happy even with that. But if they had told me $200 in advance, we would not have taken the photos at all and I would have refused immediately.
This is quite common on the Strip—various street performers and “characters” are happy to take photos with you, but then expect a generous tip. Be prepared and agree on the price in advance so you aren’t caught by surprise.
Another interesting thing was that people all along the Strip handed us business cards and flyers offering various “private services.” Vegas has the reputation it has, and advertisements for a certain kind of entertainment are waiting for you on every corner.
Alcohol in casinos is free (but there’s a catch)
Here I have to mention a story from my first visit to Vegas a few years ago. I was sitting at a Simpsons slot machine in the Luxor hotel, spinning Homer and enjoying the atmosphere. A waitress came over and asked what I wanted. I ordered a beer. I guessed it would cost around $8, so I gave her $10, including the tip.
She left. She didn’t come back with a check or bring me any bill—nothing. Fifteen minutes later, she returned and asked whether I wanted another beer. I said yes. And again, I paid $10. This happened about two more times.
I wondered why she wasn’t bringing me a bill and why she kept coming back. So I Googled how much a beer costs in a Vegas casino, and lo and behold—alcohol is free in Las Vegas casinos. That’s right. Casinos serve you drinks for free because they want you to drink, play longer, and leave more money behind. The $10 I gave her each time was actually just a tip—and she must have thought she had struck gold with me.
So over the course of the evening, I gave her several dozen dollars in tips for beers that were free. But after four beers, I didn’t really care anymore.
A tip for you: In casinos on the Strip, waitresses will bring you free drinks as long as you are playing. Just tip them $1–2 per drink. Keep in mind, however, that this is intentional—a drunk gambler spends more.
MGM Grand: This was a whole different league
On our way back from the Grand Canyon, we spent one more night in Vegas, this time at the MGM Grand. In my opinion, it was on a completely different level from Excalibur.
Everything was much more pleasant from the moment we arrived—a modern self check-in, a stylish lobby, and everything clean and elegant. We received our cards, found our assigned room, and it was genuinely very nice. It was spacious and dark with the curtains closed, and in the morning, when I drew them back, I was greeted by a beautiful view of the whole of Las Vegas.
Incidentally, the MGM Grand is one of the largest hotels in the world—it has more than 6,800 rooms, and the entire complex covers almost 30 acres. It opened in 1993 and has undergone several renovations since then.
How I won the jackpot
And now for the best part. I had a work call in the morning, so I sat on the floor in the hotel hallway because the girls were sleeping in the room and I didn’t want to wake or disturb them.
After the call, I decided to go to the casino and put a few dollars into one of the slot machines.
I put in twenty dollars—and won $327. Maxi Jackpot!
And then it happened one more time. So I turned a few dollars into a pretty decent amount of money.
With the winnings, I treated the girls to a good breakfast and then dinner at Olive Garden, and we had a fantastic day.
And it didn’t end there. When we were at the airport waiting for our departure, I had my last twenty-dollar bill in cash. A friend who had been in Vegas with us wanted to play one more time, so I gave her the twenty—and she won about a hundred dollars. So even just before leaving, you can make money in Vegas. Or, of course, lose it—that happened to me too.
The Mandalay Bay shooting: A story that affected me personally
I have to mention one event that left an indelible mark on Vegas history. On October 1, 2017, the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history took place from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel. The gunman, Stephen Paddock, fired numerous rounds at attendees of the Route 91 Harvest music festival below the hotel. 60 people were killed, and more than 850 others were injured. The gunman then took his own life. The motive for the attack was never conclusively established.
And I was in Vegas at the time. It was 2017, and I was on a trip, driving back to Vegas from the Grand Canyon. On the way back, I was delayed first at Horseshoe Bend and then at the Grand Canyon for sunset, so I was returning late at night, completely exhausted. Shortly before Vegas, I was so tired that I stopped and slept for a while in a Walmart parking lot.
When I finally reached Vegas, everything was suddenly different. The six- to seven-lane freeways that are normally alive at night were completely empty. There was no one anywhere. I headed toward the Strip and encountered police roadblocks. A policewoman turned me around and told me to leave because I couldn’t go there.
I parked again by some fast-food restaurant, lay in the car, and wondered what was happening. Then a friend from the Czech Republic messaged me to ask whether I was okay—and sent me a link to an article on Novinky. Someone had fired from Mandalay Bay into a crowd of people.
Fortunately, I had all my belongings with me in the car—I had originally booked a hotel on the Strip, but because I didn’t know whether I would make it back from the Grand Canyon in time, I had taken everything with me. So I let the reservation go unused and slept in the car. In the morning, I drove straight to the airport.
Looking back, I realize that if I hadn’t gone to the Grand Canyon that day, I would have been walking around the Strip, in the area where the shooting took place. That trip essentially saved me. I don’t think anything would necessarily have happened to me, but you know how it is—there was utter panic.
My flight was supposed to depart at 11 a.m., but of course it was delayed by several hours, so I waited at the airport for about five hours. I played a few slot machines (and lost everything), and then finally flew back to Atlanta.
After the shooting, security measures at hotels on the Strip were tightened—some hotels introduced X-ray baggage checks and changed their rules regarding “do not disturb” signs on room doors.
Practical tips for visiting Las Vegas
Accommodation: Search on Booking.com well in advance. You can find rooms in casino hotels for $30–50 a night, and sometimes much less, but the best deals disappear quickly. Outside the main season (summer is extremely hot, so paradoxically it is the off-season), you can stay even more cheaply. Of the hotels on the Strip, I can recommend the MGM Grand as a better choice than the older resorts.
Transportation: Rent a car through Enterprise—it is significantly cheaper than in other cities. Free shuttle buses run between Car Rentals and the airport. If you are not planning trips outside the city, you can get around the Strip on foot or by monorail.
Food and drink: Restaurants in casinos tend to be more expensive, but food courts offer reasonable prices. Look for happy hour deals at bars away from the main Strip. And remember—alcohol is free while you gamble in a casino; just tip the waitress a dollar or two.
Photos with “performers”: On the Strip, you will encounter people dressed as superheroes, showgirls, or other characters. Taking photos with them is not free—always agree on the price in advance. A reasonable amount is $5–10, definitely not hundreds.
Gambling: If you want to try the slot machines, set a budget in advance and do not exceed it. Casinos are designed to make you lose track of time—there are no windows or clocks. And the free alcohol is part of the strategy to keep you gambling.
Trips from Vegas: Vegas is an ideal base for exploring the surrounding area. From there, you can reach the Grand Canyon (about 4.5 hours), Bryce Canyon (4 hours), Hoover Dam (45 minutes), Death Valley (2 hours), Los Angeles (4 hours), Route 66, and even Area 51 (2 hours). On the way to LA, Calico Ghost Town is worth a stop—an abandoned town from the gold rush era.
Best time to visit: Spring (March–May) and fall (September–November) are ideal. In summer, temperatures exceed 40°C, and the sidewalks on the Strip become so hot that you could literally fry eggs on them. Winters, on the other hand, are pleasant, but evenings tend to be cold.
In conclusion, would I recommend visiting Las Vegas?
For me, Las Vegas is not just about gambling and partying. It is a great starting point for traveling around the West Coast and the southwestern USA. Accommodation is cheap, car rentals are cheap, gas is cheap, and it offers amazing access in every direction.
And even if you spend only a day or two there, the Las Vegas Strip will give you an experience you won’t find anywhere else. The energy, the colors, that crazy contrast between the desert and billion-dollar hotels—that is simply Vegas. And I know for sure that I’ll be back.
