Las Vegas Leisure Guide receives hundreds of emailed questions a month from people planning their visit to Las Vegas. Here are a few of the more common ones. Yes, some may appear to be overly detailed, but this is due to the myriad of actual detailed questions we have received over the years. If after reading this page you find you still have an inquiry, please click on the link at the bottom for a personal reply.

• What is the legal age for gambling?

At the current time the legal age for gambling or gaming in the State of Nevada is 21 years of age. There have been rumors that local goverment officials are considering reducing it to 18. If that happens this is the first place you will read about it, but until then assume it is still 21. Casinos are expected to adhere to very strict rules to maintain their gaming licenses. No one under the age of 21 is allowed in the casino area nor allowed to linger in the casino area while a parent is gambling. If under 21, passing through gaming areas to access other facilities should be done only via the designated paths often indicated by a lack of carpeting and/or along outer walls away from gambling devices.
Any person under 21 who plays and wins a hand-payable jackpot will routinely be asked for ID for tax purposes and if discovered as underage the jackpot is automatically forfeited. Don't try to switch places with an older friend as it is also routine to check the overhead camera recordings on most jackpots to see who was actually playing the machine when it hit.
Most casinos do not allow photography of any type in the gaming machine or table areas. A few expressly permit it. Another strictly enforced rule is no use of cellular telephones in the sports book betting areas.

• Can my spouse / child / friend who is under 21 gamble with me if I'm over 21?


• Under what obscure circumstances can someone under the age of 21 legally gamble in Las Vegas?

Since this STILL seems to be our most commonly asked question we would like to reiterate: First, RE-READ PREVIOUS ANSWER! It says NO ONE under the age of 21 is legally permitted to gamble or to loiter in or about ANY gambling area under ANY circumstances. They WILL be asked for picture ID and likely escorted out of the area or off the property, or in some circumstances conceivably even arrested and fined, if caught.
• It does NOT matter if an over 21 spouse, parent, concubine or nursemaid constantly accompanies them, holds their hand, pushes, drags or carries them.
• It does NOT matter if your 21st birthday is coming up next week.
• It does NOT matter if you were just married, divorced, or neutered.
• It does NOT matter if you are over 21 in "dog years".
• It does NOT matter if you have only days left to live and will likely never make it to your 21st birthday.
• It does NOT matter if you're from another state, country or planet where gambling is permitted under the age of 21.
• It does NOT matter if your father is ruler of his own country or your mother is a famous actress.
• It does NOT even matter if you plan to gamble an amount equivalent to the Gross National Product of a small country.
The law is the law. We do hope this finally serves to answer this question completely.
(See also "legal drinking age" and how to determine your birthday below.) Under 21 Clubs in Las Vegas.

• What is the legal drinking age? Other liquor laws?
• Can I get into Clubs and Lounges if I am under drinking age?
• Are you allowed to drink alcohol on the Las Vegas Strip?

Not surprisingly, this is our second most asked series of questions. The legal age to consume alcohol in Las Vegas is 21 years of age. Before you ask: This means you can legally drink AND/OR purchase alcoholic drinks if your accepted photo ID (Drivers license, military ID or passport) confirms you were born 21 years or more prior to the current date (please see also answer to prior question above concerning legal gambling age exceptions).
YES, you may legally start drinking at the stroke of midnight in Las Vegas (Pacific Time Zone) (regardless of your location of birth or current home residence) initiating the date matching your birthdate stated on your accepted photo ID; whether or not you will be able to enter the drinking establishment to start your birthday party BEFORE midnight will rely on the particular situation (see below) or integrity of the door person or bartender.
NO, you may NOT legally purchase alcohol and give it to your friends or family under the age of 21 - this is called, amongst other things, 'corrupting a minor' and can result in immediate arrest and a lengthy trial.
YES, with very few exceptions, most restaurants which serve food as well as alcohol DO permit underage persons inside to EAT (NOT TO DRINK ALCOHOL) especially when accompanied by a guardian of legal drinking age, but only in the dining areas of the establishment and only during times that food is being served, but never in the bar area when there is a separate bar area defined (often designated by a full or partial wall or railing); inquire in advance, when making reservations or upon entry to be sure. In nearly all cases your under 21 friends and family will NOT be permitted in nightclubs or bars unless they are specifically indicated as "Under 21" clubs, where NO alcohol is served.
NO, if you are under 21, you may NOT drink alcohol at casino production shows and concerts even when drinks are included in the price of the show ticket and persons under 21 are admitted. Soft drinks and bottled water are almost always available in such cases.
Las Vegas, Nevada does have very liberal liquor laws, and we certainly don't want to discourage anyone having a good time, but you should be forewarned that there are stiff penalties for DRIVING under the influence, and disorderly conduct STARTING from a minimum mandatory 24-72 hours in jail, $1000's in fines AND 6 months revocation of your drivers license (which is typically notified to your home state as well). Driving with any tested Blood Alcohol Content of .08 or above (which is conceivably as little as 2-3 average drinks, pints or shots! Far lower limits apply if you're under 21) or evidence of any of a LONG list of controlled substances without a prescription, can be prosecuted as DUI or DWI. Second offenses, or any offense involving death or serious injury, command exponentially higher penalties. You and passengers can also be fined or arrested for the mere presence of an UNSEALED container of alcohol in the passenger compartment of a private vehicle unless it is ENTIRELY empty... in which case it is generally considered recycling or a souvenir - YOU figure it out. Limos and buses are generally excluded from this rule, so check with the professional driver to be sure. Police operated "Sobriety Checkpoints" are common near special events and on busy holidays. Nearly identical laws apply when operating any powered watercraft, such as on Lake Mead, regarding driving and drinking and are enthusiastically enforced by park police. Our sincere recommendation is, if you intend to drink assign a Designated Driver (DD), walk, take a taxi, hire a limousine or use public transportation for the evening. If you should ever find yourself charged with a Nevada DUI or DWI offense DO contact a Nevada based attorney ASAP through the local yellow pages or bar association, preferably before you leave town, as Nevada DUI laws can be substantially different from many other states.
Although it is offically NOT allowed per the lawbooks, drinking on public sidewalks and other areas on the Strip and Downtown is rarely if ever enforced. Thus it is entirely common to consume alcohol in public areas, including the public sidewalks within the Las Vegas city limits which includes all of Downtown, The Strip and close-by areas. Again, as previously mentioned, over-intoxication and dirorderly conduct is frowned upon, so stay within your own limits. On special occasions (New Years Eve and Independence Day for example) there may be bans on glass bottles and/or aluminum cans for the Strip and the Downtown area. Plastic cups and sports bottles are allowed at these times and either provided at purchase or often available at hotel/casino exit doors. When inside a casino or hotel there is seldom any restrictions on carrying drinks from one bar, restaurant or playing location to another with the exception of some showrooms and theaters where it will be clearly posted. Individual shops may also have rules about carrying in food and drink of any kind.
The town of North Las Vegas, Henderson and other outlying areas have very DIFFERENT regulations forbidding removal of alcohol from bars, etc. so check with your host or doorman if in doubt. Many bars and liquor stores are open 24 hours a day. There are also special posted laws for convenience stores, grocery stores and other retail liquor outlets restricting consumption in the immediate vacinity. Most of all, always remember to drink responsibly and realize that the hot, dry desert air in the summer months can have very adverse health affects on people consuming alcohol such as rapid dehydration and deadly heat stroke, even after dark. Drink plenty of water as well!

• What is the current law about smoking in Las Vegas Casinos, Bars, Restaurants?

Due to new laws voted into existence by the residents in Jan 2007, the following smoking rules currently apply. All floor spaces inside ALL large casino (generally those casinos exceeding 15 slot machines), strip clubs and standalone bars not serving food are exempt from the law and smoking is permitted. Restaurants inside casinos are non-smoking. Nightclubs and lounges are not required to ban smoking as long as they do not serve food. For all other stand alone restaurants, bars, convenience stores, grocery stores and airport facilities smoking is banned (by penalty of a $100-$600 ticket if caught) in all establishments which sell food other than prepackaged snacks. This should be obvious in most places by the absence of ashtrays and the required clearly posted signs. In most cases smoking areas may be provided outdoors, always ask your server as various options are usually available. Smoking IS still permitted in any standalone bar or club (with or without gambling machines) which do NOT SERVE food other than pre-packaged snacks (i.e. chips, pretzels, candybars). Although a gray area, many smoking-permitted bars which do not serve food will not "object" to you "carrying" food in from adjacent non-smoking restaurants. Ask.

• What's the weather like in Las Vegas?

Las Vegas is located in the high Mohave Desert. Deserts are renown for their extreme daily temperatures and Las Vegas is no exception to that rule. Summer temperatures soar over 110F / 43C in the day to 68F / 20C in the evenings. Winter temperatures 60F / 16C in the day to 34F / 1C in the evenings. Humidity is low, producing what people call "a dry heat". Less than 4 inches of rain fall annually in Las Vegas which makes this a perfect spot for sightseeing and picture taking. Fall and spring are generally breezy and mild, but are also prone to 'flash flooding' where an inch or more of rain can blanket the valley in less than an hour and run-off to the lower areas causing major traffic tie-ups in the process. When driving under these conditions NEVER enter a large puddle or fast flowing water on a roadway or parking area unless you can see the bottom or other comparable vehicles making it through safely. Standing water is often far deeper than it appears. Even many locals who mistakenly think they can make it, need to be rescued annually from water stranded vehicles. Also see Las Vegas Weather Central for more detailed tables.

• I'm looking for a listing of hotels, where can I find one?

You can find a listing of all hotels, motels and RV Parks by clicking on our Las Vegas Hotels category from here or our home page. Room brokers and featured properties are listed on the first page of this section with every hotel listed by location on linked pages. They offer the best prices in town. Many offer complimentary coupons which will save you big bucks during your visit or additional discounts for booking online. We also maintain complete listings of Laughlin Hotels, Mesquite Hotels and other outlying areas.

• What should I pack for clothing, is there a dress code in the show rooms?

Las Vegas is hot in the summer and cool in the winter but the dress is normally casual. Casual means shorts, t-shirts, golf shirts, sundresses and jeans. Las Vegas receives less than 4 inches of rain all year. Rain is very unlikely during your visit. We may get a once-a-winter dusting of snow sometime in January but it melts within minutes. You'll find a select few show rooms and gourmet dining establishments require a more dressy attire like a cocktail dress or a dinner jacket and of course don't forget your clubbing attire if you plan on hitting the plentiful Vegas nightlife locations later in the evening. Most dance clubs have a dress code which can vary widely by the time of day and by how busy they are at the time and which may or may not exclude sneakers or athletic shoes, shorts, T-shirts, torn clothing, bras, too much or too little clothing in general and often depends on the whim of the particular door person and how quickly you want to get promoted through the line and which line you're in. Elsewhere, it is always a good idea to bring a sweater or light coat because even though it is warm outside, the air conditioning inside the casinos can be chilly. Just before you leave you can check on the weather from our Las Vegas Weather page. Good walking shoes are appropriate if you plan on doing any sightseeing. Be sure to pack plenty of sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat to keep the desert sunrays at bay!

• I want to bring my pet, do any hotels accept pets?

Yes, several properties do accept small pets. You will notice the hotels which allow pets by the small dog icon next to their listing found on our Hotel Rooms category. There are also many very cooperative, short-term pet boarding facilities around town.

• I'm looking for inexpensive transportation while visiting, is there a city bus?

The Citizens Area Transit (CAT) bus is our local bus transporation. They offer rides from the airport, down the Las Vegas Strip and into Downtown. The CAT bus costs $1.50 along the Strip and $0.50 around other parts of the town. The buses run from Downtown along the Strip every 10 minutes.
We also have the Las Vegas Strip Trolley which travels from Downtown to the Strip and back. It stops at each major hotel / casino every 15 minutes. You must have the exact fare of $1.40, though.
The Monorail which is now running follows the Strip corridor and costs $5 to ride one way (on at any station and off at any station), $9 for two boardings (2 people or 1 round trip) or $15 for an unlimited 24-hour pass. Children under 5 are free. At the time of this writing, it winds from The MGM Hotel to the Sahara Hotel (From Tropicana to Sahara Ave) in about 13 minutes with 7 stations along the way including the LV Convention Center, and operates approximately every 5-10 minutes from 7am - 2am (3am on weekends). There are plans to someday extend to downtown and McCarran Airport but the monorail does NOT currently go to either location at this time.
Taxi fare is $2.20 for the first mile plus $1.50 for each additional mile and $0.35 a minute for waiting regardless of the number of passengers. As a rough guide, each major Las Vegas strip street (Tropicana, Flamingo, Desert Inn, Sahara and Charleston) is about a mile from the next, so on a low traffic day a trip for 4, the length of the main strip, from Tropicana to Sahara Ave, should run about $5-6. Taxi pickups at the airport incur an additional airport fee.
For information on renting a car, hiring a limo or something cool to drive, check out our Rental Vehicles category.

• We're bringing the kids, is there anything for the children to do while we're on vacation?

YES! Although the casinos would prefer you stayed indoors without children, Las Vegas and the surrounding area is alive with many activities for the whole family. Over a half dozen National Parks are just a short drive from the Strip, we also have incredible parks, race themed attractions, river rafting, factory tours, hiking, horseback riding, snow sports, water sports, petting zoos, and much much more. Check out our Attractions category, our Tour Reservations category and our Recreation category for complete listings. There are also a very limited number of Under 21 Dance Clubs around. Be aware there is a curfew for children on the Strip; from 10pm Sunday thru Thursday and midnight on Fridays & Saturdays all children age 18 and under must be accompanied by an adult.

• I heard that Las Vegas has legal brothels, is that true?

Las Vegas is located in Clark County. Clark County does not have legal prostitution therefore there are no brothels in Las Vegas. As of this update in February 2009 there is "discussion" of legalizing it in the city of Las Vegas, but don't hold your breath. Other Nevada counties do allow legal prostitution. Nye County being the closest to Las Vegas (45 minute drive) provides many legal and strictly licensed brothels. A complete listing of the nearest ones may be found on our Las Vegas Nightlife Page under Brothels

• I'm interested in seeing a Las Vegas show when I visit, what's playing?

Las Vegas has so many entertainment venues, that we are called the "Entertainment Capitol of the World". You can find an up-to-date listing of ALL production shows, concerts, headliners (top name stars) and special events by clicking on our Las Vegas Shows category. Also check out our Las Vegas News for tourists section which exposes breaking Vegas celebrity news and reviews current shows!

• We're heading to Las Vegas next month, where can we find some coupons or discounts to save some money?

You came to the right place, many coupons can be found right on our site. (Note: You MUST have a printer attached to your computer to print them - we can NOT send them). First, be sure to bookmark our ever-popular section of totally free Las Vegas coupons which you can print out and bring with you. Also check out the Deals, Steals & Free Stuff on our site that you can get by making your travel plans online. You can find lots more sources of free informational stuff as well as some excellent coupon books for purchase which will save you hundreds of dollars on a visit in our Free Stuff category.

• How do I get a divorce in Las Vegas?

Las Vegas, Nevada is home to thousands of weddings each year, but many years ago we were also renown for the quickie divorce. Laws have changed a bit and you must now be a Clark County resident for at least 6 weeks prior to filing for a divorce. Wait another 6 weeks after filing and the divorce will become final barring any complications. The process is far simpler and cheaper when both spouses agree and there are no children involved. Keep in mind however that Nevada is considered a 'community property' state. This means most prenuptial contracts are void, and spouses are expected to share equally in joint assets. Therefore, half of that lottery you won last week, half of the ancestrial mansion you inherited while married and half that Maserati you splurged on with your recent gambling winnings (as well as half of any debts acquired while married), automatically belongs to your spouse!
An annulment, recently popularized by a certain well-known singing star, on the other hand, dissolves the marriage as though it never occured and requires only that you were married in Nevada or one spouse or the other currently resides here. An annulment takes only about 6 weeks, but requires detailed reasons and qualifications and is NOT guaranteed. In this case time is of the essence and generally the sooner after the marriage it is persued the more likely it is to be granted. Acceptable grounds include underage, intoxication, insanity, blood relatedness and significant material misrepresentation. Neither process ABSOLUTELY REQUIRES the participation of an attorney and in fact kits may be purchased with all the forms and instructions needed to accomplish this, however, especially if you are not intimately familiar with all the ramifications and terms mentioned above, it is STRONGLY recommended that you contact one before persuing either process to discuss your particular situation. The Nevada Bar Association will be happy to refer you to a qualified lawyer.

• How did Las Vegas get its name and how many people live there?

The Las Vegas oasis was first noticed in 1829 by Spanish explorers. They named this valley "Las Vegas" which means "the meadows." Mormon settlers arrived shortly thereafter and made this area home. The town itself was founded in 1905 but did not begin its incredible growth spurt until Nevada legalized gambling in 1931. Since that time Nevada has been one of the fastest growing states in the Union. At over 1.4 million residents in the 2000 census and 1.8 millionn estimated in 2007, Las Vegas area is intent on being the #1 vacation destination and entertainment mecca in the world.

• I heard you get a better seat in the showroom with a good tip, can you explain tipping policies in Las Vegas?

A few showrooms still use maitre d's for seating and a tip of $5-$20 will improve your seating position ONLY if seating is not pre-assigned on your ticket. Most showrooms now offer reserved seating where tipping is not necessary, although it is in good taste to give the usher a tip if your tickets are complimentary. You should tip your showroom waitstaff $5-$10 for cocktail shows or $10-$20 for dinner shows on a party of four. Other tipping suggestions are:
Restaurants: 15% Standard Service; 20% Good Service
Bars: .50-$1 per drink per round for cocktail servers or bartenders. As would be expected, a higher tip, brings quicker service on the next round. Some venues require bartenders and servers pool (share) tips, while most casino cocktail waitresses do not. And now, the what-WAS-I-thinking Tip: for best service, pay up and tip well as each round is delivered rather than waiting and saving it up until you leave. This tactic also ensures that the current helpful server actually gets their well-earned tip instead of, possibly, a shift-change replacement.
Hotels: Bellmen $1-$2 per bag; Maid Service $1-$2 per day; Pool Attendants $1-$2.
Casinos: Tip a few chips to your dealer if you win or a couple dollars to the change person or up to 7% to the Keno Runner, if you win big.
Taxis & Limos: 15%-20% depending on how helpful they are and how they handle your luggage.
Valet: $1-$2 for getting your car quickly.

• What time zone is Las Vegas in?

Las Vegas is located in the Pacific time zone which is eight hours behind Greenwich Mean Time, is always the same as California and 3 hours behind New York or EST. Nevada participates in Daylight Savings Time which occurs from the second Sunday in March to the First Sunday in November (these dates changed beginning in 2007 - previously they were the first Sunday in April to the last Sunday in October). Time comes to a halt in Las Vegas, as you will not find a single clock or window in the casinos to tell the time of day. Don't fall prey to the "Las Vegas Syndrome" where the inexperienced loose all track of time and wind up starved and passed out in front of a slot machine. Be sure to eat regular meals, drink in moderation, and get some sleep...we know it isn't easy... in the town that never closes!

I still have a question... click here. We'd love to hear from you!
Be sure to double check your return email address to ensure a reply.

---

Created by PCAP;© Copyright 2000-2009
Contents may not be reproduced without express permission.