Las Vegas Q&A
Real questions from people planning a trip, answered by the Vegas Guide team and by travelers who have been.
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| Question | Participants | Answers | Activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| What is the gambling age in Las Vegas? Can you gamble at 18? Rules & safety 21, for everything, and 18 is not enough for any of it. Slots, table games, the sportsbook, poker, keno, the betting apps: all 21 and over in Nevada, with no exceptions. 1 answer 6h | 1 | 6h | |
| Is Las Vegas tap water safe to drink? Rules & safety Safe, and regulated as tightly as any big-city supply in the US. It is hard water and can taste of chlorine, which is a matter of flavor, not safety. 1 answer 6h | 1 | 6h | |
| Is Las Vegas safe to visit right now? Rules & safety By any practical measure, yes. The tourist corridor is among the most heavily policed and camera-covered places in the country, and we know of no advisory against travel here. What touches visitors is petty, opportunistic crime, plus summer heat. 1 answer 6h | 1 | 6h | |
| Can you still smoke inside Las Vegas casinos? Rules & safety On most gaming floors, yes, and vaping too. Nevada's indoor smoking ban exempts the gaming areas, and most Strip casinos use the exemption. Park MGM is the one Strip resort that is smoke-free throughout. 1 answer 6h | 1 | 6h | |
| Can you walk around the Strip or Fremont Street with an alcoholic drink? Rules & safety On the Strip, yes, in a plastic or paper cup or an aluminum can, never glass. Under the Fremont Street canopy, only if a bar or casino in the district poured it, in plastic. 1 answer 6h | 1 | 6h | |
| Is Las Vegas safe for solo travelers, including women traveling alone? Rules & safety Safe enough that solo trips are common, including for women traveling alone. The city suits one person well: you can eat at any bar, see any show and sit at any table without anyone noticing. 1 answer 6h | 1 | 6h | |
| Is it safe to walk the Las Vegas Strip at night? Rules & safety Generally, yes, on the main stretch: the center Strip is crowded, lit and patrolled until well past midnight. The real risks are petty ones, plus the quieter ends of the Boulevard and the side streets. 1 answer 6h | 1 | 6h | |
| How many days do you need in Las Vegas? Planning & itineraries Three nights for a first visit. Two is plenty for a party weekend; four if you want the Grand Canyon or any other full day trip. 1 answer 6h | 1 | 6h | |
| How do you get married in Las Vegas (license, documents, same day)? Planning & itineraries Same day is normal here. Get the license Downtown (open 8 a.m. to midnight, about 15 minutes at the counter, $102), then hold the ceremony at a chapel or with any licensed officiant the same afternoon. 1 answer 6h | 1 | 6h | |
| What are the best things to do in Las Vegas today or tonight? Planning & itineraries Check Las Vegas today for what is on this evening, then fill the gaps from the list below. The fountains, the Conservatory and the Fremont canopy show cost nothing and run every day. 1 answer 6h | 1 | 6h | |
| What is Fremont Street, and is it worth visiting? Planning & itineraries Five blocks of old Downtown Las Vegas closed to cars and roofed by a 1,375-foot LED canopy, with a free light show every hour after dark. Worth an evening on a first visit, as long as you expect a loud street party rather than a stroll. 1 answer 6h | 1 | 6h | |
| How much does a Las Vegas wedding cost? Planning & itineraries The legal part costs about $125: the $102 license plus a certified copy of the certificate. A simple chapel wedding usually comes to $300 to $500 all in; Elvis, a limo and real photos take it to $1,500 to $3,000. 1 answer 6h | 1 | 6h | |
| Is a Las Vegas wedding legally binding, including for foreigners? Planning & itineraries Binding everywhere in the United States, and in most other countries once you register it at home. A Nevada license, a licensed officiant and one witness make a real marriage; there is no Vegas loophole for undoing it. 1 answer 6h | 1 | 6h | |
| When does Las Vegas decorate for Christmas, and where are the best lights? Holidays & events The lights go up in the first week of November, well before Thanksgiving, and most stay up through January 3. The best free displays are on the Strip; the best paid ones are in Henderson and at the Speedway. 1 answer 6h | 1 | 6h | |
| Where is the best place to watch the New Year's Eve fireworks in Las Vegas? Holidays & events On the Strip itself, for free: the center stretch near the Bellagio fountains faces three launch rooftops at once. Get there by 8 or 9 p.m.; by then the Boulevard is closed to cars and filling up. 1 answer 6h | 1 | 6h | |
| What is open on Christmas Day in Las Vegas? Does the city close down? Holidays & events The city does not close. December 25, 2026 is a Friday and an ordinary operating day on the Strip: casinos run around the clock and most restaurants serve. The malls, a few light shows and some shows take the day off. 1 answer 6h | 1 | 6h | |
| What is open on Thanksgiving in Las Vegas, and is there a parade? Holidays & events Nearly everything on the Strip is open on Thursday, November 26, 2026: casinos, most restaurants, the casino malls and most shows. There is no big Thanksgiving parade in Las Vegas. 1 answer 6h | 1 | 6h | |
| When is the Las Vegas Grand Prix, and what time does the race start? Holidays & events Thursday to Saturday, November 19 to 21, 2026. The race starts at 8 p.m. Pacific on Saturday the 21st, which is 4 a.m. Sunday in the UK and 5 a.m. in central Europe. 1 answer 6h | 1 | 6h | |
| When is the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, and where is it held? Holidays & events December 3 to 12, 2026: ten straight nights at the Thomas and Mack Center on the UNLV campus, every performance at 5:45 p.m. NFR stands for National Finals Rodeo, the Wrangler NFR in full. 1 answer 6h | 1 | 6h | |
| Which pro sports teams play in Las Vegas, and how can you catch a game? Holidays & events Three major-league teams: the Raiders (NFL) at Allegiant Stadium, the Golden Knights (NHL) at T-Mobile Arena and the Aces (WNBA) at Michelob Ultra Arena. The Athletics (MLB) arrive when their Strip ballpark opens for the 2028 season. 1 answer 6h | 1 | 6h | |
| How much are Las Vegas Grand Prix tickets, and is it worth going? Holidays & events From $81 for a Thursday practice day up to about $2,000 for three days in the main grandstand. The cheapest seat is the best value: Thursday practice puts the same cars past the same fence for a fraction of race-night prices. 1 answer 6h | 1 | 6h | |
| How much does dinner at a top Las Vegas restaurant cost (omakase, tasting menus)? Food, nightlife & pools Plan on $150 to $250 a head at the big-name rooms with a couple of drinks, and $250 to $400 for omakase and tasting menus at the top. Tax, tip and wine pairings come on top. 1 answer 6h | 1 | 6h | |
| Which casino resort is each famous Las Vegas restaurant in (Nobu, Carbone, Momofuku, Bazaar Meats)? Food, nightlife & pools Nobu is at Caesars Palace, Carbone at Aria, Momofuku at The Cosmopolitan and Bazaar Meat at The Palazzo. Two of those have a sibling elsewhere, which is where people get mixed up. 1 answer 6h | 1 | 6h | |
| How do Las Vegas dayclubs and pool parties work for first-timers? Food, nightlife & pools A dayclub is a nightclub moved to a pool: a DJ, bottle service and a door policy, from late morning to sunset, Thursday or Friday through Sunday from March to mid-October. You pay a cover to get in; chairs and shade cost much more. 1 answer 6h | 1 | 6h | |
| What is the "CNF" or service fee added to some Las Vegas restaurant bills? Food, nightlife & pools CNF means Concession and Franchise Fee: a 3% to 5% surcharge some Strip restaurants add to cover what the casino charges them to operate there. It is not a tip, and none of it goes to your server. 1 answer 6h | 1 | 6h |