Bringing a First-Timer to Las Vegas? Here’s What I Learned the Hard Way

Bringing somebody to Las Vegas for the first time sounds easy when you have been there a bunch of times.

You already know the casinos. You know Fremont. You know where you like to eat, where you like to gamble, what attractions are worth it, and which ones you can skip.

So when my wife Nikki and I brought my sister Sam to Las Vegas for her first trip, I figured I pretty much knew what we needed to do.

I was wrong about one thing.

Showing somebody Vegas is easy.

Trying to make them do Vegas exactly the way you do Vegas is where things start to go sideways.

Sam had always wanted to go to Las Vegas, so I was excited to finally take her. I figured we would show her the Strip, Fremont, some casinos, some good food, a couple attractions, and basically give her the full Vegas experience.

What I learned pretty quickly is that Sam vacations completely differently than Nikki and me.

And honestly, that ended up making the trip better.

MGM Grand worked really well for this trip, and if you want the full breakdown of the rooms, casino, pool, and overall experience, check out my MGM Grand Las Vegas review.

Your First-Timer Does Not Have to Vacation Like You

Nikki and I do not relax very well in Las Vegas.

If we are there, I want to be doing something.

I want to walk somewhere. Gamble somewhere. See something. Go downtown. Hit another casino. Find another blackjack table. Grab some food. Walk another mile for absolutely no reason.

Sam is not like that.

She likes sleeping in.

She likes hanging out in the room.

She likes quiet.

She actually treats vacation like a vacation.

What a weird concept.

There were days where Nikki and I would already be out doing something and Sam would stay back at the hotel, relax, sleep in, and meet up with us later.

At first, part of me absolutely thought she was wasting Vegas time.

Honestly, I still kind of think that.

But I also realized something important.

It is her vacation too.

You do not have to squeeze every possible minute out of Las Vegas to enjoy being there.

Some people are perfectly happy sleeping until noon, hanging out in the room for a while, and meeting everybody later.

Meanwhile, Nikki and I are apparently trying to set a world record for hours spent outside of a hotel room.

Do Stuff They Want to Do Too — Even If You Think It Sounds Lame

One of the better lessons came from Topgolf.

Sam wanted to go because she had done Topgolf back home and thought it was fun.

My immediate reaction was basically:

Why the hell would I go to Topgolf in Las Vegas when I can go to Topgolf at home?

In my head, Vegas time should be spent doing Vegas things.

Nikki eventually pulled me aside and basically told me, dude, you have to do some stuff she wants to do too.

She was right.

So we went.

And you know what?

Topgolf Las Vegas was actually fun.

The view was awesome, we had a good time, and it ended up being something I was glad we did.

That was probably one of the first moments where I realized I needed to stop trying to curate Sam’s perfect Vegas trip based entirely on what I think is fun.

Sometimes the first-timer knows what they want to do.

Let them do it.

Apparently Walking the Strip at 2 PM in 100-Degree Heat Is a Bad Idea

Now, I love walking the Las Vegas Strip.

Nikki and I have gone on some ridiculous Vegas walks over the years.

So naturally I decided my sister should experience this too.

The problem?

We decided to do one of those walks at about 2 PM on a day when it was around 100 degrees outside.

We started from our room at MGM Grand, walked over toward New York-New York, then continued through Park MGM.

My eventual goal was Bellagio.

I love the Bellagio fountains.

I wanted Sam to see them.

In my mind, this was completely reasonable.

Walk through MGM Grand.

Over to NYNY.

Through Park MGM.

Catch the free tram.

Go see the fountains.

Easy.

By the time we got toward the back of Park MGM, I could see the hate in her face.

She did not even really have to say anything.

You know that look.

That look where somebody is technically still participating, but mentally they have already murdered you.

I noticed it.

I just acted like I didn’t.

I was on a mission.

Eventually it became pretty obvious that she was not feeling this adventure, and the Bellagio fountains never happened.

Of all the things I wanted her to see, that was probably the one she cared about the least.

Which also taught me something.

Just because something is one of my favorite Vegas things does not automatically mean everybody else gives a shit.

Dragging my sister through the Strip in brutal heat definitely belongs on the list of Las Vegas mistakes I keep making, and somehow I still keep learning these lessons the hard way.

Not Every Vegas “Must-Do” Is Actually a Must-Do

The Bellagio fountains are a perfect example.

I love them.

I could probably stop and watch them every Vegas trip.

Sam?

Not really interested enough to march across half the Strip in the heat to see them.

And that’s fine.

There are a million Vegas articles telling first-timers they HAVE to see this, HAVE to eat here, HAVE to visit this hotel, HAVE to stand in this exact spot and take this exact picture.

I think that can make a first trip worse.

You start treating the vacation like a checklist.

Bellagio fountains.

Check.

Welcome to Las Vegas sign.

Check.

Fremont.

Check.

Famous restaurant.

Check.

Then suddenly you have spent five days running around trying to complete Vegas instead of actually enjoying it.

If somebody wants to see something, take them.

If they don’t care, move on.

Vegas will survive.

Fremont Was the Surprise Winner

The biggest surprise for me was Fremont Street.

Sam does not drink.

So before the trip, I honestly was not sure how much she would like Fremont.

Because let’s be honest.

Fremont Street at night can look like somebody dumped a casino, a concert, a bachelor party, ten street performers, and several questionable life decisions into a blender.

I love it.

Nikki loves it.

But if you are not drinking and partying, I wasn’t sure how Sam would feel about it.

Turns out, she loved it.

She said she liked the Strip, but Fremont was the spot.

And I get it.

Even if you do not drink, Fremont is incredible people-watching.

There is always something happening.

Something weird.

Something funny.

Somebody doing something that makes you turn to the person next to you and say, “What the fuck is going on?”

One day Nikki and I got downtown around noon.

Sam stayed at the hotel and met us down there around dinner.

We went to Binion’s Steakhouse, which she really liked.

Sam likes steakhouses anyway, and she thought the whole experience was great.

Then we hung around Fremont afterward.

She stayed until around 11 PM and eventually Ubered back to the hotel.

Nikki and I stayed until after 3 AM.

That pretty much explains the difference between how Sam does Vegas and how we do Vegas.

She had a great time, decided she had enough, and went back to the room.

Nikki and I apparently needed another four hours of poor decision-making.

If you are thinking about staying downtown instead of just visiting, I also wrote a full Fremont Hotel & Casino review with what I liked, what I didn’t, and who I think it is best for.

Sam Gambles Like a Normal Human Being

Sam has been to casinos before.

She gambles.

But she is not a gambler.

And she is definitely not a degen.

The biggest difference is how she reacts to winning.

Sam can hit something, get up $50, and think:

Awesome. I’m up $50.

This is how a normal human being processes gambling.

Nikki and I have degen tendencies.

We can sit at a machine forever waiting for a bonus, finally trigger one, win $50, and somehow be pissed off.

Like:

That’s it?

I waited all this time and THAT is what you’re giving me?

Meanwhile Sam is ready to cash out because she made fifty bucks.

Watching somebody gamble like a normal person is kind of fascinating when your own brain has been poisoned by casino logic.

It also reminded me that if you bring somebody to Vegas who isn’t a huge gambler, do not assume casino time is going to be the centerpiece of their trip.

Let them play when they want.

Let them stop when they want.

And if they are happy being up $50, maybe don’t explain why they should obviously put it all back into the machine.

Sometimes the Best Stuff Wasn’t Even on the Original Plan

We originally talked about doing places like Area15.

We never went.

Instead, we went to Planet 13.

And somehow that turned into tattoo day.

This was completely Nikki’s doing.

Nikki is always looking for another cheap Koolsville tattoo, and there is a Koolsville location inside Planet 13.

So naturally she wanted another tattoo.

Sam basically said, yeah, I’ll get one too.

And there we were.

That is one of the things I love about Vegas.

You can spend weeks planning everything and then some random thing you never really planned becomes part of the story.

Those moments are usually better than forcing an attraction because it appeared on some “Top 10 Things You Must Do in Las Vegas” list.

The NYNY Roller Coaster Was Worth Doing

I had a free ride pass for the Big Apple Coaster at New York-New York through MyVegas.

Sam was immediately like, yeah, let’s do that.

So she and I rode it while Nikki hung out and waited for us.

That’s another good example of how the trip worked.

Not everybody had to do everything.

Sam and I rode the coaster.

Nikki skipped it.

Nobody’s vacation was ruined.

Simple.

That sounds obvious, but I think people screw this up on group trips all the time.

You do not have to move through Vegas as one giant unit every second of every day.

If two people want to do something, go do it.

If somebody wants to hang back, let them.

Meet up later.

Use Deals When You Can

We also used a coupon from the Las Vegas Advisor coupon book for Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club.

I’ve used the Las Vegas Advisor book enough to know it can save you some real money if you actually use the coupons, and I broke down whether the Las Vegas Advisor coupon book is worth it.

Sam liked the show, and using the coupon made it even better.

I am always looking for ways to stretch Vegas money.

Comped rooms.

MyVegas rewards.

Coupon books.

Free attraction passes.

Anything that gives me more Vegas without giving Vegas more of my money.

Well, more of my money than I’m already willingly handing over in the casino.

We will do a full review of Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club separately, but as part of a first-timer trip, it worked.

It was another experience that was not just sitting in a casino.

Let Them Go Back to the Room

This might be the biggest thing I learned.

If your first-timer wants to go back to the room, let them.

If they want to sleep in, let them.

If they want an afternoon alone, let them.

If they have had enough Fremont at 11 PM and you plan on staying until 3 AM, let them catch an Uber.

Vegas does not have to be an endurance competition.

Again, I am saying this as somebody who absolutely treats Vegas like an endurance competition.

I still look at somebody sleeping until noon and think about all the Vegas they are missing.

I can’t help it.

But I also understand now that some people need downtime.

And if giving them that downtime means they have more fun when they do come out, then it is worth it.

Also, Get Separate Rooms

Here is the most practical advice in this entire article.

If you can afford it, get separate rooms.

We had a two-queen room.

Nikki and I were in one bed.

Sam was in the other.

Sounds fine.

It was not fine.

Apparently I snore so loud that I can wake Sam from a dead sleep.

I did not need to learn this about myself on vacation.

Sam also joined me in discovering that Nikki has absolutely no reasonable concept of hotel room temperature.

Nikki keeps the room freezing.

Not cool.

Not comfortable.

Freezing.

Sam and I spent a good portion of the trip bitching about the thermostat while Nikki apparently slept comfortably inside what felt like a meat locker.

So yes.

Next time?

Separate room.

Everybody gets their own thermostat.

Nobody listens to me snore.

Marriage and sibling relationships preserved.

Don’t Make Eye Contact With Everybody

Another small first-timer lesson:

Do not make eye contact with the timeshare people.

Or every street performer.

Or everybody trying to get your attention on the Strip.

Experienced Vegas people develop a certain ability to stare straight ahead and keep moving.

First-timers don’t always have that yet.

One second you are walking somewhere.

The next second somebody is asking where you’re from, how long you’re staying, whether you’re married, and if you would like two free show tickets in exchange for losing four hours of your life.

Keep moving.

The Goal Is Not to Make Them Love Vegas the Same Way You Do

Sam had fun.

She liked MGM Grand.

She liked Paris.

She liked New York-New York.

She loved Fremont.

She enjoyed Topgolf.

She liked Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club.

She had a great dinner at Binion’s.

She gambled a little.

She got a tattoo.

She rode the NYNY coaster with me.

She got the Vegas experience.

Would she go back?

Yeah, I think she would.

Especially if there was something happening that gave her a reason to go.

But Vegas is not a must for her the way it is for Nikki and me.

Nikki and I can lose all our money, barely sleep, come home exhausted, and somehow start talking about booking another trip.

Sam is more normal than that.

And that’s completely fine.

I think that was the biggest thing I learned bringing somebody to Las Vegas for the first time.

Your job is not to turn them into you.

You do not have to make them love your favorite casino.

You do not have to drag them across the Strip to see something they clearly do not care about.

You do not have to make them gamble for six hours.

You do not have to convince them that sleeping until noon is a personal attack on the city of Las Vegas.

Show them the places you love.

Let them pick some things too.

Split up when you need to.

Leave room for random Vegas shit to happen.

And if you see pure hatred forming in their eyes while you’re dragging them through Park MGM in 100-degree heat because you are determined to see the Bellagio fountains?

Maybe turn around.

Or at the very least get them their own room afterward.

Final Thoughts

Bringing my sister to Las Vegas for the first time taught me something I probably should have already known.

You cannot make somebody love Vegas the exact same way you do.

I love the Bellagio fountains. Sam did not care enough to keep walking through Park MGM in 100-degree heat to see them.

I can stay on Fremont until after 3 AM. She had a great time, hit her limit around 11, and went back to the room.

She can win $50 gambling and feel like she won. Nikki and I can finally hit a bonus after waiting forever, win $50, and somehow be annoyed about it.

She wanted to go to Topgolf and I thought it was lame because we can do that at home. Then I went, saw the view, had fun, and realized maybe I should stop acting like I am the official authority on what counts as a Vegas activity.

That was probably the biggest lesson of the trip.

If you are bringing someone to Las Vegas for the first time, show them the stuff you love. Take them to your favorite casinos. Show them Fremont. Show them the Strip. Take them somewhere you think they have to see.

But also let them pick some things.

Let them sleep in.

Let them go back to the room.

Let them gamble like a normal person.

And if they do not care about something you think is amazing, do not force it.

The goal is not to create another version of yourself.

The goal is to help them find the version of Vegas they enjoy.

Sam had a great time. She would go back if there was something happening that gave her a reason to go. Vegas is not a must for her the way it is for Nikki and me, and that is completely fine.

She found the parts she liked.

Fremont. MGM Grand. Paris. New York-New York. Topgolf. A comedy show. Getting a tattoo at Planet 13. A little gambling without feeling the need to donate every dollar back to the casino.

That was her Vegas.

And honestly, if I ever bring another first-timer, I would probably worry a little less about creating the perfect itinerary and spend more time letting them figure out what they actually like.

I would also get them their own hotel room.

Because apparently I snore like a chainsaw and Nikki keeps the thermostat set somewhere around meat-locker temperature.

And if you are trying to budget your own trip, I also broke down exactly how much money five days in Las Vegas cost us so you can see what a real trip can look like without pretending Vegas is cheap.

Frequently Asked Questions Bringing a First-Timer to Las Vegas

What should you do when bringing someone to Las Vegas for the first time?

Do not try to show them everything. Give them a mix of the Strip, Fremont Street, casino time, food, attractions, and some downtime. The biggest thing I learned is that their version of Vegas might be completely different from yours.

Should a first-time Vegas visitor stay on the Strip?

I think the Strip is a great place to start because it immediately gives you that huge Las Vegas feeling. MGM Grand worked really well for my sister because she liked the casino, the location, and being in the middle of the action.

Is Fremont Street worth visiting for a first-time Vegas trip?

Absolutely. My sister actually liked Fremont more than the Strip, and she does not even drink. The people-watching, live music, casinos, and overall craziness make it one of the best places to show someone a completely different side of Vegas.

How much should you plan for someone’s first Vegas trip?

Plan a few things you really want to do, but do not schedule every hour. Some people want to sleep in, relax in the room, or go back early. Leaving room for spontaneous stuff usually makes the trip better.

Is walking the Las Vegas Strip worth it?

Yes, but do not underestimate the distance or the heat. Walking the Strip sounds easy until you are halfway through Park MGM at 2 PM in 100-degree weather and your first-timer looks like they hate you.

Should everyone on a Vegas trip do everything together?

No. That was one of the biggest lessons from our trip. My sister would sometimes sleep in or head back to the room earlier while Nikki and I stayed out. Everyone had more fun once we stopped treating the trip like we had to move around as one group all day.

Is gambling a must for a first-time trip to Las Vegas?

No. My sister gambles, but she is not a degen. She can win $50 and be perfectly happy cashing out. Nikki and I have degen tendencies and somehow get annoyed when a bonus only pays $50. Let people gamble however much, or however little, they want.

Should you get separate hotel rooms when traveling to Vegas with family?

If you can afford it, yes. Sharing a room sounds fine until someone snores, someone else keeps the thermostat freezing, and everyone has different sleep schedules. Separate rooms can make a Vegas trip a lot easier.

What was the biggest thing I learned bringing a first-timer to Las Vegas?

Do not try to make them love Vegas the exact same way you do. Show them the places you love, but let them choose some things too. The goal is to help them find their own version of Vegas.