What should I pack for Las Vegas?

Walking shoes matter more than anything else you'll pack for Las Vegas. The Strip runs 4.2 miles from Mandalay Bay to the STRAT. Pedestrian bridge detours double what Google Maps shows. A '15-minute walk' from your hotel to a dinner reservation at the Wynn is likely 35 minutes on foot. In summer, pavement along Las Vegas Boulevard hits 65°C by 2 PM, and that heat radiates straight through thin soles. You need cushioned rubber outsoles at least 10mm thick to handle both the distance and the hot concrete. Casino floors at the Bellagio and Caesars Palace are polished marble, slippery without good grip. Pack two pairs and alternate daily. Your feet will swell a half-size in the dry desert air, so bring shoes with room to spare. Fashion sneakers and fresh-out-of-the-box leather shoes will blister you by the second casino.

The temperature swing between Strip sidewalks and casino floors is the real packing problem. Las Vegas in June sits at 38-43°C outdoors. The Bellagio lobby runs at 18°C. The Venetian's Grand Canal Shoppes feel like a walk-in cooler after 10 minutes on the sidewalk. Cotton absorbs sweat and drops several degrees against your skin the moment you step indoors. You'll be clammy and cold through a 90-minute Cirque du Soleil show at the MGM Grand. Pack 3-4 moisture-wicking synthetic or merino wool shirts instead. A light hoodie saves you, even in July. Restaurants, theaters, and casinos along the Strip keep thermostats at 18-20°C year-round. Winter visitors need a real jacket from December through February. Nighttime temperatures drop to 2-5°C, and wind funnels between the high-rises along the Strip at 15-25 km/h.

SPF 50 sunscreen goes on before you leave the hotel, even for a short walk from Caesars Palace to The Venetian. Las Vegas sits at 610 meters elevation in the Mojave Desert, and the UV index hits 11 in summer months. At 14% humidity, sweat evaporates on contact. You won't feel yourself burning until the damage is done. A wide-brim hat matters more here than in tropical destinations because shade is scarce on the Strip's open pedestrian bridges. Saline nasal spray and lip balm with SPF belong in your day bag. The dry air cracks lips and irritates sinuses within 24 hours of arrival. A reusable water bottle saves $6-8 per purchase at casino gift shops. A 500ml Dasani runs $5-7 at the Bellagio or Aria minibars.

One collared shirt and closed-toe dress shoes handle every nightlife dress code on the Strip. Hakkasan at MGM Grand, XS at Encore, and Omnia at Caesars Palace all turn away guests in athletic wear, sandals, or baseball caps after 10 PM. Women have more flexibility, but open-toed heels catch on the Strip's pedestrian bridge grates. For pool clubs like Wet Republic at MGM Grand or Encore Beach Club, bring your own swimwear. No Strip pool club rents it. The hotel gift shop charges $70-90 for basic trunks. Pack a portable phone charger too. GPS navigation, Uber and Lyft, and mobile show tickets drain batteries fast. You won't find a single wall outlet on the gaming floor at Caesars, Aria, or the Bellagio.