Before any trip, you need to do a bit of planning. In the pages that follow, you'll find everything you need to know to handle the practical details of planning your trip in advance: airlines and area airports, a calendar of events, a list of major conventions you may want to avoid, resources for those with special needs, and more.

For international visitors, the pervasiveness of American culture around the world may make you feel that you know the United States pretty well, but leaving your own country still requires an additional degree of planning. This chapter will help prepare you for the most common issues you may encounter in Las Vegas.

If you want to see the most popular shows, it's a good idea to call ahead and order tickets well in advance to avoid disappointment. Ditto if you want to dine in one of the city's top restaurants.

Las Vegas Advisor

Professional gambler and longtime Las Vegas resident Anthony Curtis, author of Bargain City: Booking, Betting, and Beating the New Las Vegas, knows all the angles for stretching your hotel, restaurant, and, most importantly, gaming dollar. His 12-page monthly newsletter, the Las Vegas Advisor, is chock-full of insider tips on how to maximize your odds on every game, which slot tournaments to enter, casino promotions that represent money-making opportunities for the bettor, where to obtain the best Fun Books (coupon books full of freebies and discounts), which hotel offers a 12-ounce margarita for 99¢ or a steak dinner for $3, what the best buffet and show values in town are, and much, much more.

Subscribers get more than $3,400 worth of coupons for discounts on rooms, meals, show tickets, and car rentals, along with free slot plays, two-for-one bets, and other perks. A subscription is $50 a year, a single issue $5. To subscribe, call tel. 800/244-2224 or send a check to Las Vegas Advisor, 3687 S. Procyon St., Las Vegas, NV 89103. You can also go to www.lasvegasadvisor.com and get the full membership or a special online membership that features everything except the mailed newsletters and reference guide for $37 per year.

Surfing for Hotels

Because Las Vegas hotels operate at greater than 90% occupancy (compared to about 60% in the rest of the country), it is harder to find competitive pricing or serious discounts online -- or anywhere, for that matter. The major resorts don't need to do deep discounting since they are usually full (or close to it). These days, the best deals seem to be found on the websites for the individual hotels, many of which offer "lowest rate" guarantees.