Las Vegas welcomed over 42 million visitors in alone and usually makes the top five most-visited U. Much of the city was designed to keep tourists happy and spending cash , and it is, indeed, a great place to party, eat, shop, gamble and gawk at the neon lights.
But it's also a sprawling desert metropolis with lots of layers and a few pitfalls to avoid. Before you book your first -- or fifth -- visit to Las Vegas, read our tips for what not to do in Sin City.
Even though Las Vegas technically translates to The Meadows in Spanish, the city is most definitely built in the Mojave Desert -- a far cry from any images of babbling brooks or green hills that the word meadow might conjure. Summer months bring intensely hot days with temperatures that regularly soar into the triple digits, so sunblock and a hat are required even for short jaunts down the Strip.
In fact, the temps can be so unbearable that our iPhone once shut down with a heat advisory by the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino's pool. Pro tip: Even when it's scorching outdoors, bring a lightweight sweater for the icy cool casinos and restaurants that use strong air-conditioning to lure customers. Las Vegas's pool parties, nightclubs, luxe bars and free-flowing casino booze are sure to lure the not-quite-legal-to-drink age bracket.
However, if you haven't turned 21 yet, don't even think about showing up with a fake ID. Las Vegas has some of the toughest security checks in the country to ensure anyone who has a sip of alcohol is legal to do so. It's all too easy for a drinking establishment to lose its coveted liquor license for serving alcohol to minors, so be prepared to have your ID checked and double-checked.
