10 Life Hacks For Vegas Visitors
Life hacks are amazing little nuggets of wisdom that you'll usually find circulating Pinterest or in conversation around the water cooler. But what about life hacks for vacations to the City of Sin? Who's looking out for the Vegas visitor searching for life hacks? I'll tell you who: Galavantier is. We wouldn't leave you high and dry to scrounge the vast interwebz for secret industry knowledge. What kind of people would do that? We'd rather collect them and pop them up on the blog as incentive for our continued friendship.
1. Vacation Boobs
Usually, when women plan a Vegas vacation, they think about which outfits they'll pack, which shoes, how this necklace looks with that, etc. Welcome to the future, dear readers, where we can now add "Which cup size boobs should I wear?" to that packing list. Doctors have developed an intriguing, albeit controversial, method of temporarily increasing breast size for a week period known as "vacation breasts." What started out as a simple test drive for permanent breast implant patients will soon become an upgrade option for those willing to shell out somewhere in the $1000 range for a reinforced rack. Still, vacation boobs aren't readily available and may not pass the FDA until two years from now. Until then, small tatas can fall back on some crafty illusions like this one to make their boobs seem larger and to disappoint the poor souls they lure back to their hotel room once those tube socks come out and the contouring makeup shatters the illusion.
Timeless Life Hack: Shake what your mama gave you.
2. The Power of Dryer Sheets
We hit on this a little bit when we discussed how to Avoid Nightlife Beauty Disasters on the blog a few months back, but the power of dryer sheets extends to both sexes and for many uses. When you encounter the super smoky casino syndrome and can't get the smell of cigarettes to leave your hair, simply swipe the dryer sheet in, through, and around your locks to soak it up. Removes static, too, which is helpful in this dry desert air. They're also perfect for removing deodorant marks from clothing, if you end up shouting "F*CK YOU DEODORANT, I'm trying to be on my A Game here, ya jerkface inanimate object!" whilst getting ready for your night out. What about stinky feet from walking the Strip all day? You don't need any fancy Dr. Scholls here, folks, put those heavenly, linen-scented leaves in your tourist clogs and you'll be set.
3. Stay Charged
I can't stress the awesomeness of owning an external battery in today's tech-driven gadget society. I dream of the day when we harness the power of Iron Man's arc reactor and put clean energy towards the most humanitarian cause (cell phone batteries for increased tweeting) but since today is not that day, you should own an external power pack. iPhones can get a cool Mophie case that charges simultaneously, or up your game with a charger like mine that holds up to 2 days worth of battery. And seconds as a flashlight. "Thirds" as a mirror with that reflective side. "Fourths" as a bludgeoning weapon if things get sticky. The list goes on. Buy one and you won't be up a river (The Strip) without a paddle (Google). Forget your wall charger adapter at home? Plug that USB end into your hotel room's TV, since most have a USB input you can use these days.
4. Cheap Booze
Only chumps get all their alcohol kicks from the appointed hotel delegates in the food & beverage department. You're a smart cookie, so take a taxi to an off-strip liquor store to get your swill for cheap. After pre-gaming in your room with those goods you won't feel as bad paying $14 per drink at the restaurant or $500 per bottle at the club. Swing by ATM at the liquor store too so you can avoid the casino ATM's $4-7 fees per transaction. That shit cray.
5. Tip for Customer Service Love
We're an entire city full of hospitality professionals, entertainers, and regular human beings trying to make a living. Think of it like Oz when Dorothy and Co. arrive, and tipping the citizens of Oz will increase your likelihood of having a good time getting your mane braided and ruby slippers shined. Metaphorically speaking. (Please consult Urban Dictionary if someone on the street asks if you want your ruby slippers shined, I don't know what the kids of Oz are saying these days beyond "fleek.") The power of an extra $5, $10, $20 bill can go far in Las Vegas, so it's no wonder that the "$20 Trick" is a popular one when checking into your hotel for an upgrade. This goes beyond the front desk, though. A "Lot Full" sign at Valet might not mean exactly that, so try pulling up with a Jackson in hand to see if there's any possible way there is room or if someone's car has moved *insert eyelash batting here*. Same goes for your bartenders, dealers, cocktail waitresses, players club reps, and the general gatekeepers of anywhere you want to go and experience something more.
6. Same Day Shows
Of course you want to see a great show in Las Vegas, we've got some of the best in the world! Tickets bought ahead of time are still a good idea if you want to ensure you see the show you want when you want, or to get the deal on a promotion you saw. If you're a leaf-in-the-wind kind of person, however, and prefer to wait it out, then you'll enjoy the experience of grabbing your show tickets the day-of. These tix are usually cheaper since the theater is trying to fill up empty seats and they'd rather see them go cheaply than not at all. Plus, no one wants to sit in a theater that's half empty and think thoughts like, "Did I pick the wrong entertainment option?" or "Dear God, please don't let them choose heckle me out of the dozen people here during the show." We're here to get you into the best shows for great deals, so let's chalk this one up to a Galavantier win. Click here for Show info.
7. Transportation Hookup
The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. The best way to spend that distance is in a party bus. Plain and simple. When selecting how you're going to get somewhere during your Vegas visit, you have no shortage of options. We're talking run-of-the-mill taxi service all the way up to your own Rolls Royce Phantom chauffeuring you around. Let's answer this FAQ right off the bat: A taxi from McCarran Airport to your hotel should cost no more than $20-25 unless you're schlepping all the way out to Red Rock Casino or something. Shuttles are cheap, around $7 one-way, but you'll have to wait for all the other passengers staying at hotels on the south end of the Strip to disembark first. Instead, try treating yourself to the endless possibilities on wheels. You can do a party bus, hummers of all shades, Pink Jeeps, limousines, and all kinds of luxury sedans and sweet rides that you normally just dream about. To see if your dream can come true, give us a call at 1-877-425-2826.
8. Social Media Prevails
As you may or may not know, Las Vegas is a very tech-friendly and forward-thinking city. As far as urban developments go, The Strip is littered with touchscreen, WiFi, interactive displays, social perks, and many more digital surprises waiting around the corner. Make sure you familiarize yourself with all the cool gadgets you're walking past inside and outside of the hotels and shops because they're often helpful resources for the average traveller or a method for delivering "surprise and delight" moments. Snapchat geofilters are available on certain locations on the Strip if you want to put a "Vegas-y" stamp on your snaps. Plus, although declining in use, you can still find a lot of great free hookups for cocktails, appetizers, and discounts when you go around checking in on Foursquare/Swarm. Lastly, never be shy to tweet with hotels, celebrities, and shows based in Las Vegas. We have an extremely active social media community and most can help you answer any questions you might have, or just give you back a shout out, which is always fun. I don't care who you are, you'll still get excited when @Bellagio gives you a digital "Cheers." Of course @Galavantier is always around for you, too!
9. Skip Lines at Clubs with an App
Ah, God bless technology. Now even those with macrophobia (fear of long waits) can enjoy a night out in Vegas without having to stand behind a velvet rope for hours. Even those without any serious phobia and just a general irritation of standing in a queue can enjoy the benefits of this Vegas life hack. Simply download an iPhone app called Marko's Guest List to get on the list and skip the general admission line. (Non iPhone users can just go here.) You'll be set up with a nightlife host who will simply parade you and your group inside when everyone is there. Basically: There's an app for that.
10. Split Bottle Service with Friends
It's no secret that if you want to go hard and do Vegas the way the best of them do, you need to get reservations for some bottle service at your favorite club. When bottle service is on your mind, you might be daunted when thinking about all the logistics, especially if you're the designated plan-maker in the group and all you want to do is relax on your vacation too. Honestly, the hack here is to leave it to us. The team at Galavantier is chock full of nightlife experts and we've got hookups at the best clubs. We'll score the best deal for your crew, set it up, and simply let you use our Split The Bill technology to share the cost of the night evenly between your friends easily on our website. Boom. Baller status and shot caller ease. You're welcome.
There you have it - 10 Sin-City themed life hacks for a stellar Las Vegas visit, no matter what kind of trip you're looking to have. Have more thoughts on these? Hit us up on Twitter @Galavantier to let us know what you'd add, how we screwed up, and the way you like your ruby slippers shined.
