Worst Las Vegas Tourist Traps Exposed, Information Is Critically Important

What’s a great way to get ripped off in Las Vegas?

As OutKick’s loyal and faithful readers know, I’m a big fan of Las Vegas (read about my last chaotic and insane trip here). I love Sin City, and I’d like to think Sin City loves me too.

It’s a place full of fun times, cold beers, hot blackjack tables and memories waiting to be made. However, there are also some downsides.

Worst Las Vegas tourist traps exposed.

While a Vegas veteran like myself is able to quickly identify tourist traps and move on, many first time people can’t say the same.

They find themselves roped into something they quickly realize they want no part of. Fortunately, people on Reddit and I are here to help.

Check out some suggestions of things to avoid below, and hit me with your thoughts at David.Hookstead@outkick.com:

• Timeshare presentations
• This is the one. Disguised as helpful information kiosks.
• The fake weed stores on the strip. It’s all synthetic garbage.
• I don’t know how you call what those places are doing anything other than straight up fraud.
• I’m mostly price independent but Nightclubs are really something else. I’ll happily drop like $300-$400 for a really nice meal in Vegas, pay $10 for a bottle of water etc. But a place like XS charging $4k for a table + 10% service charges and 20% gratuity AND you’re expected to tip security, your host, the bus-boy. You’re walking away with a $6k bill all in for like 7 vodka cranberries. Can’t do it.
• The mark up on Fiji Water bottles
• I just got back from Vegas. I went four times this year for concerts and various things all pleasure and not work on my own dime. I guess since I’ve went over 30 times I wouldn’t consider many things a trap because I know better. But people definitely need to do research and not be lazy in order to overpay from many things. I would not say that the strip is a tourist trap. It is a one of a kind area in the world I think maybe in Macau or slightly in Atlantic City you see similar. But the strip itself is not a tourist trap. It’s free to walk from end to end and see thousands of things that are super cool and take the vibe and the energy. Also many fairly reasonable priced things to eat and shows and attractions to do.paying $50 to see Piff or Matt Franco or carrot top is a great deal and fun. Sure a $25 Johnny rocket meal is overpriced, but it’s not the worst thing in the world.
• This reminds me, those “showgirls” taking pictures with visitors on the strip will try and get $60+ from you for a few photos. They are not part of any casino properties. They can get aggressive real quick.
• Celebrity chef restaurants and some of the nightclubs. Don’t get me wrong, some restaurants are quite good but most of them are garbage and people tell themselves it’s great because they have been had.
• Pretty much anything in Vegas. Its all one big tourist trap. We all go knowing that and freely leave our money there
• The nightclubs in my opinion. They do a real good job of promoting and advertising like the people are having the time of their life and give you fear of missing out. The reality is people wait in a long line outside often an hour or more and pay a cover charge to get in. The drinks are very overpriced coming in at about $20 or more a piece. The music is so loud you have to yell as loud as you can at the person standing right next to you for them to understand you. The lights are so distracting with the strobe lights and confetti that pours down. The floor is all wet from people spilling their drinks. The tables cost thousands of dollars if you want a place to sit. And most people leave the club with who they come with. So all in all it’s not a very enjoyable experience. Another one I think is the celebrity restaurants. The quality of food is no better or worse then any other restaurant on the strip but they charge a premium price because of the famous persons name. Go somewhere else for cheaper food but same quality. The gambling on the strip sucks. The odds aren’t good anymore with triple zero roulette and 6:5 blackjack. If you wanna gamble go somewhere else besides the strip.
• 6/5 blackjack and triple 0 roulette should be illegal
• Strip clubs
• Fake weed stores.
• 000 Roulette
• The whole strip is one giant scam once you look at all the prices.
• Do. Not. Do. A. Timeshare. Don’t even go to presentation. Just say no. It’ll waste an entire day of your time. Buying your own show ticket is worth the entire day back, I promise you. That doesn’t even get that timeshare are a TERRIBLE idea, but that’s a different post altogether. I’m assuming you’d just go for the free stuff.

Lots of great advice in that thread. I’ve never gone anywhere near a timeshare presentation. Just tell them you’re a local or leaving in a few hours and they’ll leave you alone. Also, stay away from people on the strip trying to hand stuff out. It always turns into a disaster and the people can get wildly aggressive.

Now, here’s two tourist traps that I suggest you avoid at all costs. First, don’t buy alcohol at a hotel’s gift store. It’s always insanely expensive. Instead, go to a CVS, Walgreens or corner store and get it there. Will it be a shade more expensive than it would be outside of Las Vegas? Yes, but it’s not going to be quadruple the price for a single can of beer.

Second major suggestion is to avoid 6:5 blackjack like the virus it is. Many tourists don’t even realize there are different payouts at different places. You want to only play 3:2 and it’s worth playing a higher limit to get the deck count down to two. I was playing double deck high limit at Treasure Island, and it’s the best blackjack on the strip. Also, check out high limit at The Wynn if you want a really classy experience.

Other than that, use common sense and you should be fine. Have great advice for Las Vegas? Let me know at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.