Attending Your First Las Vegas Convention

Hey Noobs - Welcome to Las Vegas! I’m your host Kevin, but you can call me the Vegas Nerd. I’m celebrating my 15th year living in Vegas and now sharing useful tips to help you plan your first trip to Sin City.

Today we are discussing attending your first conference, convention or trade show. Let's get started...

Planning ahead can prepare you for a more relaxed and enjoyable Vegas experience. Planning ahead can also help you stay in a nicer (or more convenient) hotel and give you more time (and money) to enjoy the unique entertainment options that Vegas has to offer after your day at the convention or trade show.

Let's look at some of the info you need to develop your Vegas plan...

Step 1: Using the Vegas Events Calendar

This useful calendar is provided by Vegas Means Business and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority - find the details, the dates and location of your event. Let's use CES 2025 as our example:

You can see that CES is held January 7-10 at the Las Vegas Convention Center with an estimated 138,000 attendees!

The Las Vegas Strip is currently down to around 140,000 hotel rooms... See a problem? CES (Consumer Electronics Show) is one of the largest annual events in Las Vegas and EVERY hotel room will be occupied and rooms will be very expensive > Las Vegas is the perfect practical example of supply and demand and room rates change every day!

Here is an example of a mid-range or moderately priced hotel near the Convention Center.

My screenshot of Room Rates was taken early December and includes Mid December 2024 thru Mid January 2025. Notice the wide fluctuation in prices...

Note: Room rates are PLUS RESORT FEES, PLUS TAXES and PLUS PARKING! My example Sunday December 22nd 31$ room would be easily 100$ and your CES room for the night of January 7th would be WELL OVER $500 > For the SAME room!

Step 2: Shop for your hotel room.

If your event (conference, convention, etc.) is held in one hotel, consider that “Host Hotel” as your first option for convenience. USEFUL TIP: If I were planning a business trip to Las Vegas and my event was being held in the Convention Center, I would use this map to find a nice, clean, affordable hotel with direct access to the Monorail!

Why? A 3 day unlimited Monorail pass is 30$ and means NO WAITING for cabs, ride share, or event buses and NO traffic. Available from 7am. to 2am. The red structures are the most easily accessible monorail stops.

New Option: Resorts World has direct access to Elon Musk’s Vegas Loop tunnel system which can provide fast, $5 Tesla rides to the convention center!

LAS Airport Transportation

The biggest challenge for your first trip to Vegas (aside from finding and booking your room) is how to get from the airport to your hotel.

Choices depend on your budget and the number of people in your party. Are you a high roller or low roller?

Taxis (once notorious for overcharging tourists and first time visitors) are now a better option and the rates are set by zone. The price is per ride (not per passenger) and ranges from $21 to $29 PLUS $3 to use a credit card PLUS a tip.

Shuttle Buses are fun if you have extra time - the bus will stop at EVERY hotel between the airport and YOUR hotel. It’s like a mini-tour of the strip but price is per person, so if your have friends, family or coworkers with you, a taxi is a better option.

Rideshare (Uber or Lyft) MAY be a good option unless surge pricing is in effect. Check your APP while you are waiting for your luggage.

I DO NOT recommend the city bus for a trip to or from the airport for first time visitors! You will get lost and have to walk - dragging your suitcase until the little wheels fall off.

I DO NOT recommend renting a car! In addition to the rental fee and INSURANCE and TRAFFIC you will pay for parking at YOUR hotel PLUS each time you travel from hotel to hotel or from your hotel to the venue!

Helpful Links:

Las Vegas Business Events Calendar - https://www.vegasmeansbusiness.com/de... Note: You must enter a date range!

Vegas Loop - https://www.lvcva.com/vegas-loop/ 

Las Vegas Monorail - https://www.lvmonorail.com/ 

LAS Airport Ground Transportation Links - https://harryreidairport.com/Transpor...

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I'm the Vegas Nerd - Have a safe trip!