Las Vegas has a reputation for bringing out the best and worst in people.
For many, it’s the ultimate destination to let loose and have fun.
While Las Vegas has a reputation for being a place to gamble, it has several other activities that people can enjoy that don’t lead to huge gambling losses.
There are even family-friendly activities.
Whether it’s attending a show from one of the celebrities who has made Las Vegas their home or visiting a pool, there are tons of things to do in Las Vegas.
Like any other vacation spot, tourism is high.
You may want to know when the best time to visit Las Vegas is, and that largely depends on the kind of experience that you want to have.
Here are the best times to visit Las Vegas.
When Is The Cheapest Time To Visit Las Vegas?
The cheapest time to visit Las Vegas is between September and November and between January and April.
There are a few reasons these are the cheapest times to visit Las Vegas.
The first is airfare.
For many visitors, the cost to get to Las Vegas might be too high.
Since Las Vegas is in Nevada, few tourists want to drive through the desert to get to paradise.
Most end up flying.
The good thing about flying to Las Vegas is that it’s usually cheap.
Las Vegas encourages tourists to visit.
They do what they can to make it affordable to fly there.
Because it’s a major destination, you can even often find direct flights from across the country.
Even international visitors can sometimes find a direct flight to Las Vegas.
As with flying in general, the cheapest time to fly is going to be outside of major flying times.
That means the holidays are going to be more expensive since more people are flying.
The second aspect that makes those months cheaper is the cost of a hotel.
Besides airfare, your hotel costs are going to be a major part of your vacation budget.
While there are cheap hotels on the fringe of the city or outside of the city, most people want to stay in the most popular hotels that double as casinos.
The months listed above are when the city is at its slowest.
The best time to book is on a Sunday when most people visiting on the weekend have left.
You’ll also want to watch out for hidden fees like parking costs.
Look for hotels that offer fee-free parking and other benefits.
When Is The Best Time To Visit Las Vegas For The Weather?
The weather that you experience in Las Vegas can make or break your vacation.
Because Las Vegas is in Nevada, the summers can become incredibly hot.
Because of the excess water and vibrant city, it’s easy to forget that it’s located in the middle of a desert.
If you want to avoid extremely hot temperatures, then you shouldn’t visit Las Vegas from July to August.
By September, it starts to cool off again.
The latter weeks of June can also become quite hot, but you can usually find relief.
Not everyone chooses to skip visiting the city during its hottest times, however.
Las Vegas knows that tourists are going to come and enjoy themselves no matter the weather.
To prepare for them, many of the buildings use a lot of air conditioning to help keep everyone cool.
Without it, you can be sure tempers would start flaring.
They also do a lot of work on their pools to ensure they’re ready and clean for their visitors.
During the summer, tourists tend to hang out around pool areas and inside buildings.
If you’re planning to be outside and think you can take the heat, then you may find that the summer months are ideal for you.
There won’t be that many people on the sidewalk with you.
While Las Vegas experiences hot summers, they also can experience pretty cold winters, too.
In the dead of winter, their temperatures can drop below freezing.
This makes walking around in shorts and a t-shirt extremely uncomfortable.
Most people tend to stick around hot tubs, spas, and buildings during the winter.
It’s not the best weather to experience Las Vegas in, but it is a way to beat some of the crowds if you plan on doing outdoor activities.
Just be aware that some outdoor activities may end up being canceled if the temperature becomes too extreme.
If you want the best weather, then you should visit outside of July through August and December.
When Is The Best Time To Visit Las Vegas To Avoid Crowds?
When going on vacation, no one likes to find themselves in a crowd.
It can completely spoil a moment since you’re caught in the buzz of activity or witnessing someone’s attack of ego.
Visiting Las Vegas makes it difficult to avoid the crowd since you’re visiting both a city and a tourist trap.
You have to deal with the crowd that lives there and the crowd that’s come to party and have a vacation.
However, there are certain times of the year when the crowds are a little less intense.
The best time to visit is at the end of winter and just before spring.
There’s a sweet spot between the holidays and before schools start taking their spring breaks when Las Vegas is a bit quieter.
Most visitors who come to Las Vegas tend to do so during major holidays because Las Vegas puts on special events.
Christmas and the New Year have a slew of special performances and events.
Most people are off from work during that time, too, so they use their vacation days to spend some time in Las Vegas.
Another popular time that people visit is during spring break.
Whether it’s primary school or college, when the kids no longer have to attend school, families will take them to Las Vegas.
That’s because there are tons of activities for families, too.
Since school keeps parents from being able to travel, they have to wait for an extended break.
Spring break is that time.
It’s also when Las Vegas is starting to become warmer, so spring break often has ideal weather.
Because of that, avoiding the spring months is usually a good idea if you’re looking to avoid crowds.
A final time that’s busy is during a major holiday like Halloween or the Fourth of July.
People come from all over to celebrate the major holidays.
Even though the weather may be unpleasant, you can expect the city to be full and busy.
The best time to visit for those who dislike crowds is outside of major holiday times and just before spring begins.
When Is The Best Time To Visit Las Vegas For Festivals And Events?
If crowds don’t bother you, then you need to visit Las Vegas when they’re hosting one of their famous festivals or events.
No one puts on a show quite like Las Vegas.
Here are some of the festivals and events you can see during each season.
1. Spring
The spring season has a few events.
Two of the biggest are the Billboard Music Awards and the Country Music Awards.
The awards shows bring in celebrities from all over who gather to see who gets recognized for the year in music.
Some of the celebrities even stay and mingle with fans or hit up the casinos.
It’s a great time to celebrate music and possibly see one of your favorite celebrities.
Another big event that takes place during spring is Bon Appétit’s Uncork’d festival.
The festival brings together a bunch of celebrity chefs who offer master classes and even wine tastings.
You can often find them in their own restaurants in Las Vegas, but they’ll be around for the festival as well.
It’s one of the best festivals to go to if you love food and want to see your favorite celebrity chef.
2. Summer
There are two main events during the summer season.
The first is the World Series of Poker that Las Vegas hosts every year.
It brings together newbies and top talent who compete to win a multimillion-dollar reward.
Anyone can join, so if you want to give the game a shot, then you can sign up.
The series runs for three months, however, so if you find yourself winning, you may need to stick around to keep competing.
You’re also able to watch the games if you want to learn how to play.
The other big event in summer is the Independence Day festival.
There are parties held throughout the city at each casino and hotel.
Many of them require a reservation for the actual party, but you can also find people celebrating in the numerous clubs, too.
At night, each casino and hotel launches its own fireworks display.
It’s a celebration of Independence Day like no other.
3. Fall
Several festivals and events occur in the fall, too.
Even with the temperatures dropping, it makes the city more comfortable to walk around in.
One of the big festivals in fall is the iHeart Radio Music Festival.
It brings together several different musical artists who all perform at the festival.
Another big event is the Rock ‘n Roll Las Vegas Marathon.
Traditionally, it’s hosted by Ke$ha who performs before it kicks off.
The marathon is as much a race as it is a test of stamina and endurance.
Food lovers will also want to visit Las Vegas during the fall.
There’s a Greek Food Festival that features the very best of Greek culture and food.
4. Winter
Although winter brings with it freezing temperatures, it also has some of the biggest events in the city.
One of the biggest events is the Las Vegas Bowl.
Whoever battles it out in the season will end up playing for the football championship at the Las Vegas Bowl.
Sports fans will have the unique opportunity of rooting for their team at the large Las Vegas arena.
You can expect fireworks and other great performances at the game.
The city itself boosts the bowl, too.
While Christmas is another big holiday that sees a lot of festivals and events involving it, the real celebration is New Year’s Eve.
Almost every hotel fills up on New Year’s Eve.
Everyone comes together to watch the Las Vegas ball drop to bring in the new year.
The city also puts on several, special, performances from top talent.
You can expect expensive hotel rooms and packed streets if you’re visiting Las Vegas for New Year’s Eve.
What Are Some Things To Do Outside Of Las Vegas?
While the city has plenty to offer, you may find yourself wanting to get out of the crowded area for a time.
Although the city may be in the middle of a desert, there are still things to do and see outside of it.
One of the best places to go if you want to stretch your legs is the Red Rock National Conservation Area.
You can drive along a 13-mile scenic driving loop or take on the challenge of hiking and rock climbing through the area yourself.
The area has a visitor’s center, so you can get information about the area.
In the summer, it’s suggested that you don’t hike unless you have experience hiking in extremely hot temperatures.
You can also ride a horse through some trails in the area by visiting Cowboy Trail Rides.
You’ll ride a horse and follow a tour guide who will lead you down the trail.
If you prefer to spend your time on the beach or swimming, then you’ll need to visit Lake Las Vegas.
This is a manmade lake that allows you to rent kayaks and paddleboards for a bit of adventuring.
There are also lots of restaurants along the lake’s shores to help you refuel after you’re done swimming.
Finally, you can rent a bike and ride through the River Mountains Loop.
The loop follows the shore of Lake Mead and takes you through some old railroad tunnels.
The loop, as a whole, stretches 32 miles.
What Kinds Of Shows Are There In Las Vegas?
Besides gambling, one of the things that Las Vegas has a reputation for is bringing together incredible talent.
Back in the day, celebrities would add Las Vegas to their stops when they were touring.
These days, some big-name celebrities have decided to call Las Vegas their home.
Lady Gaga and Celine Dion have put on some of the most popular stage shows that people have seen.
Depending on the night, visitors can book their tickets and watch the artist perform live as if they had bought a ticket to a concert.
The performance is a lot more intimate, however, and certainly more organized than a concert.
Besides music, you can catch comedians performing in the city, too.
One of the most frequent performers is Jerry Seinfeld.
The city also has its share of theatrical performances.
Cirque du Soleil has seven different shows that you can watch in the city.
Each one covers a different theme, plays different music, and shows different incredible acts of artistic acrobats and storytelling.
