Safety in Las Vegas: A Guide to Staying Safe in Sin City

Quite rightly termed by American novelist Joan Didion as the Sin City, this place records the highest influx of tourists round the year and safety in Las Vegas is definitely a concern. Be it for solo travellers, couples, or for a family vacation - Nevada’s Las Vegas offers you a thrilling journey throughout. Gliding through the busy Las Vegas streets, you should however be careful of rampant misinformation,  street gangs, misleading ‘VIP passes’, and much more. 

Here is our handy guide to Safety in Las Vegas!

1. Drinking in Public

Las Vegas is one of the very few cities in the United States to legally allow you to walk with a glass of tempting cocktail in hand and enjoy it without the fear of arrest. While drinking is legal above the age of 21 in the city, you should be a responsible drinker, otherwise, the wandering cops can catch you in no time.

It is also illegal to carry glass containers while drinking alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages in public. Definitely keep in mind to maintain a distance of 1,000 feet from the church, school, hospital, homeless shelter, and synagogue while drinking in public.

2. Sketchy Neighbourhoods

Like most cities in the world, Las Vegas has its own dark and gloomy corners with considerably higher rates of crimes. Being a tourist, be extremely vigilant to not stop by Downtown Las Vegas unless you are accompanied by a local resident to guide you through. West to the Strat tall tower starts the Naked City, where no cab drives by the night, making it one of the most unsafe places in Las Vegas. Meadow’s village and Huntridge in Las Vegas also earn a name due to their increased crime rate, further harming the reputation of safety in Las Vegas.

3. Sleazy Casinos

Betting on sports has been legal in Las Vegas for quite a long time. The very famous casino culture of Las Vegas invites gamblers from around the world to invest money and time. However, once you take a dig into poker or blackjack, remember you are under surveillance on the casino floor. If any action of yours tends to breach the rules leading to cheating or even bending the card, you can be straight thrown out of the casino without ifs and buts.

4. Con-Artist Street Vendors

While street vendors of Las Vegas can help you navigate safely through the city, be aware of street vendors who can pass off rampant misinformation guiding you through further trouble. Try to avoid buying water from unlicensed sellers and street vendors as it is one of the most common Las Vegas scams. Avoid getting lured by free VIP passes as in most cases you will end up being fooled. Buy VIP passes and tickets only from authorized agencies.

5. Be Wary of the Vegas Cabbies

As far as the safety in Las Vegas while travelling in the city is concerned, tourists can avail of monorail services and public bus transport to avoid any hassle. You can also hire cabs through apps like Uber and Lyft. You should also keep in mind that it is illegal in this Sin City to hail a taxi in the middle of the street at pick-up points. You need to wait patiently in the queue or pay extra money to serve your interest. When it comes to cabs, be careful of long hauling short routes and the obligatory diversions which drivers will pursue you to accept. 

6. Drugs

The air of freedom might confuse tourists and travellers with the law of the land in Las Vegas. While it is legal in Las Vegas to have simple possession of cannabis and cannabis products on private property, still you can get arrested for misuse and get entangled in the intricacies of crime. Avoid dealing with drugs to stay away from any kind of unwanted hassle.

We hope you found our handy guide to safety in Las Vegas helpful while planning a trip to Sin City. Have we missed out on any important points regarding safety in Las Vegas? Let us know in the comments below!