5 Tips for New Year’s in Vegas

by Emily Sims

Vegas is a popular tourist and party destination year round, but never more so than on New Year’s Eve. Every hotel, club, and casino on the famous Las Vegas Strip offers visitors a place to party, and savvy travelers will find the very best the Strip has to offer. The line-up of celebrities and musicians at each location changes each year, but no matter where you go you, on the Strip you can expect top-notch entertainment and plenty of people, alcohol, and excitement to keep the party going.

Book early.

New Year’s Eve is the busiest time on the Strip, and flights will be expensive if you book too late. Hotel rooms may be hard to come by. Make sure you book months in advance to get a room on the Strip without paying an arm and a leg. New Year’s in Vegas isn’t as much fun is your hotel is miles away from the parties.

Keep a budget.

The New Year’s Eve club parties are expensive, so choose only one or two clubs and stick to the plan. Club hopping on New Year’s Eve will wreck your bank account. Going into the casinos is free, but unless you are gambling, the drinks aren’t. Once you are in the party spirit, it will be difficult to limit your spending. Do it ahead of time and avoid buyer’s remorse on New Year’s Day.

Order tickets in advance.

Access to many clubs and bars on the Strip is restricted to ticket-holders only. In the fall, casinos will release their entertainment line up and tickets will go on sale. Once the casinos and clubs release this information, buy your tickets as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the less chance you will have to get into a club party on New Year’s.

Don’t stay in one place.

Enjoy the clubs and bars, but get out and meet people—that’s what New Year’s in Vegas is all about. Walk around the casinos, hang out at the Bellagio fountain, play a few hands of Blackjack. In Vegas, it is legal to take alcohol outside, so you can bring the party wherever you go.

Party outside.

The Strip closes to traffic on New Year’s, and thousands of revelers join in on “America’s Party” in the street all night long. At midnight, there is always a fantastic fireworks show, visible from anywhere you stand on the Strip.

As editor, Emily looks for the best in travel writing to feature on Travelated. She is an ex-teacher, ex-obituary writer, and ex-yuppie. In her free time, she volunteers for Wings of Hope and is a writer and amateur photographer. She currently resides in Las Vegas and blogs at emilycsims.com.