So you're planning to attend the Pharmacy Purchasing Outlook's 13th Annual  Networking Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. You've heard good things about the Conference and you want the opportunity to network with your fellow Pharmacy Purchasing Professionals. And let's not forget about fulfilling all your CE requirements for the year at one meeting. You want to bring the family, catch a show, maybe try your hand at the blackjack table.

But it's so far away, it's in the middle of nowhere and you really know nothing about Las Vegas. This writer has been to the Atlantic City casino hotels, as well as the Indian casinos.  At least Atlantic City has the beach to keep my family happy, but the reservation casinos, well, if you don't gamble, there's not much else to do.  But is what they say about Vegas true? Can I bring my family and be assured that they will not be in danger from The Mob AND have enough activities to keep them entertained? Will they (or myself, for that matter) be tempted by the many lurid distractions in this so-called Sin City? Are there really slot machines in the bathrooms?

Fortunately, the hype surrounding Las Vegas is in this day and age Urban Legend. You won't see black-shirted, white-necktied, tommy-gun toting mobsters or half-naked showgirls in feathers and sequins walking the streets.  These things are tales of the Old Las Vegas, and if it is still around, it is not that obvious.   And, sorry, in the the eleven years of going to the Conference, this writer has yet to see a spectaular CSI crime scene, though many episodes were shot in our former Conference location.  You will, however, find a delightful and dazzling array of sights and distractions that has earned Las Vegas the description 'Fabulous'. What this writer will attempt to accomplish will be to give a brief primer on what to expect to see, what you can do as a family, or a group after the daily Conference sessions, and what your family can do to keep them busy and entertained during the day while you're at the Conference.

Transportation: Getting to Las Vegas

For those of us in the East, the only method to get to Las Vegas is by air. All modes of ground transportation will take far too long unless you have all the time in the world. For attendees in the Mid-West and the Coast, there are the options of land, rail or air travel, depending on your distance from Las Vegas. This writer has done the drive to Las Vegas from San Diego.  It's a five-to-six hour drive, depending on your driving style, and it is for the most part eventless.  Once you leave the Los Angeles area, be prepared to drive virtually non-stop to 'Vegas, barring food, gas and rest stops.  Also, for those driving, turn off the air conditioning and open the windows.  Though at the speed you're driving, it is not the most optimal way to drive in terms of gas comsumption, it puts less of a strain on your electrical system in the merciless heat.  And getting stuck on I-15 with a dead battery and being literally a hundred miles from nowhere, that's no way to start a vacation.

 For those who never or rarely travel by plane, here are a few general tips to make your travel less traumatic:

For the best airfares, book your flight as far in advance as possible. The further you book your flight from your actual departure date, the cheaper your flight will likely be. Booking your flight early also eases your expense load as you're spreading out your expenses over a longer period of time.  If you are really brave, you can try to book a flight on standby status. Standby status means you book your flight with the understanding that if the plane is not full, you get a seat. If the flight is full, you have to wait for the next flight. Or the next. Or the next. It's the cheapest mode of air travel, but it is the most risky in terms of actually getting a flight, and in today's economy, it may not be worth the aggravation. You may not want to try this if you are travelling with your family.

You can make all the travel arrangements yourself. By making all the arrangements yourself, you have the most control over your options (flight, times, etc.), but if you have little or no experience in doing so, you may not get the best price or arrangements. If you do opt to make your own flight arrangements, try to book a flight on an airline that has a hub in your city. An airline with a hub in your city means that airline has one of their main offices in your home city. Delta Airlines has a hub in Atlanta, GA, while USAirways has a hub in Philadelphia, PA, for example. Hub city airlines usually have the most flights from your city and usually have better rates.

You can also check the Internet for booking flights. There are many sites that offer everything from airfares to car rentals, often offering rates on hotels and tours. Most airlines have their own web sites also, where you can shop flights and prices. One of the more popular general travel sites is travelocity.com, but there are others, such as cheapairfares.com and cheapair.com. A word of caution: make sure you are comfortable with any site you use as you will be submitting your credit card and other sensitive information online.  Another hint is to check the rates on the travel Internet sites, find the cheapest airline, then go to that airline's web site. 

Another option is to use priceline.com or hotwire.com for airfares. Their claim to name your own price is true, however you are subject to whatever airline, airport, flight time and even the date they decide you fly, which is risky since you must pay in advance and then you're told how you get there. I am not sure of their refund policy, either.  As with standby, if you are not picky how, when and where you land in Las Vegas, this is the best bet.

In the past few years, the airlines themselves, tired of losing a peice of their action to the online services, have initiated their own "Best Price" policies.  This can work in your favor, because once you get a good price for your flight from one of the online travel services, go to the airline itself that had the best prices and put them head-to-head.  If the airline's price is better, and it sometimes is, you book with the airline.  If their price is not the best, you can negotiate with the airline to lower their price.  By booking with the airline instead of the online travel service, you sometimes save a bit on the administrative fees charged by the online travel service.

For the best and least route of resistance, try a travel agent. They traditionally charge no more than if you were to do it yourself, and they can find the best deals for your requirements as they do this for a living.

One more thing:  you can take advantage of the MGM Grand  hotel check-in service in the airport itself.  At their kiosk you can check-in to the hotel and arrange shuttle transportation without the hassle of wandering around the outside of the airport looking for a shuttle or being accosted by gypsy cabbies.  Another perk provided for this year's Conference!

WEATHER

The average temperature in Las Vegas usually hovers around the 100 degree mark.  Although many claim it is a dry heat, it is still VERY HOT with very little relief, even at night (check the current weather for Las Vegas at the bottom of the Conference Attendee page).  You are, after all, in the middle of a desert.  Do not venture outside for any lengthy periods of time if you are susceptible to the heat.  The weather fools you at night, however.  At times it can become very windy, and therefore feel chilly.  You should dress accordingly. 

Inside the hotels are a different story.  The hotels, the casinos, and even hotel exteriors are usually wonderfully air-conditioned.  Some of the fancier hotels have misting sprays lining their exteriors.  You should prepare yourself for the drastic weather changes as you go from unrelenting heat to air-conditioned comfort and vice-versa. 

Transportation Land

Once you get there, you'll want to get around. If you drove yourself, the option is obvious;  use your own car.  Parking is usually free in most casinos, but read the cautions regarding driving in Las Vegas a little further down in this article.  Depending on your budget and your needs, there are three options:

CAR RENTAL

Car rental is the most expensive, but the most versatile mode of travel. Las Vegas is a huge, sprawling city in regards to land mass, and if you are staying for any time longer than the Conference, you may want to see the other sites Las Vegas has to offer. A second word of caution: driving on the Strip may be intimidating to one who is not experienced in driving in a city that is literally on a 24/7 rush hour. Traffic is fast, furious and congested, and the later in the day you drive, the more intense the traffic gets.

TAXI

Taxis offer almost as much versatility but without the financial commitment of a car rental nor the nerve-shattering intensity of actually driving. The cabs are usually clean and well-maintained, and the drivers will be glad to give you tips on what to see and do while in the city, while also telling you their own life story. Cab fares can get pricey, so choose carefully your itinerary if you are sightseeing by taxi cab. One other caution:  If a driver solicits you to skip the regular lines and use their cab DON'T DO IT!!!!  These "gypsy" cab drivers usually pay off their partner at the hotel, then literally take you for a ride.  They say they will charge you less than a regular cab, but the fares usually comes out to more than a regular, licensed cab.  As a second note, not all gypsies are unscrupulous, and every doorman is not in cahoots with them, but it's just safer to use a licensed cab and driver.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

Las Vegas boasts a very efficient and reliable public transportation service that runs the length of the Strip and beyond. Day Passes can be purchased that will allow one passenger each to get off and on the bus all day long, and it will take you from near the airport to the Fremont area of Las Vegas, the Original Las Vegas Strip. The city recently updated their buses so that most of them are now double-decker buses, alleviating the congestion of the older buses and allowing tourists to view the city from a better vantage point.  In addition, the Las Vegas Strip now has a monorail system that covers most of the major casinos on the Strip, and the monorail begins at the MGM Grand.   All the usual precautions for public transportation travel should be observed (watch your purse, wallet, etc.).

FREE TRANSPORTATION

There is another option to taxis and buses. There are several modes of free transportation that are offered by the casinos themselves:
Shuttles - All the chain casinos offer their own free shuttle service to their other locations in Las Vegas. Several casino chains offer free shuttles. They all have stops on the Strip. It is the cheapest and easiest method to visit the casinos off the Strip. Its just a matter of where you want to go.
Monorails - Another mode of free transportation are the inter-casino monorails, not to be confused with the Las Vegas Monorail. These are featured in the newer casinos, such as the Mirage. Again, they connect to their own casinos so you don't have to walk, and there are several of these monorails accessible on the Strip.

There is a fourth option - walking. This is not advisable unless you intend to cover the only the centermost and most densely packed section of the city. With Caesars Palace alone covering the equivalent of nearly two and one-half city blocks, it is a formidable task to visit to many casinos in one evening, as many casinos are further away than they look. Even with walking, you still need a way to get to that section of town, and that is usually by monorail, since, although we will be practically in the center of town, it is still enough of a distance between groups of casinos to make it daunting.  A monorail Day Pass, or even a Day Pass for their Strip Bus system is a surefire solution to tired feet.

LODGINGS

Of course the lodgings of choice is MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, where the Conference will be held. With a ridiculously low room rate of $69 PER ROOM, the lowest room rate we've had in years, it is the only sure bet in Las Vegas.  For the first time, the Conference will not only be on The Strip, but it will be in the heart of The Strip.  Flanked by other hotels on all sides and serviced by both the Las Vegas monorail and the new double-decker public Strip bus system, it will truly look like all that Las Vegas has to offer has been prepared exclusively for you.

ATTIRE

Attire at the Conference is Business Casual.  Women should wear skirts or slacks with blouses, or dresses; whatever you would feel most comfortable wearing in a business/social environment.  Men should be in slacks and shirts; jackets are optional, polo shirts are acceptable.  You should stay away from wife-beaters, tank tops, Daisy Dukes and ripped jeans; scrubs are a bad idea also.  Shorts and sandals are acceptable; the general Rule of Thumb would be to dress as though you were going to dinner or a casual social event. One important note: the meeting rooms in most hotels in Vegas are VERY COLD in contast to the oppressive heat outside the hotel! It's not something we have a lot of control over, so it's best to be prepared.  It is a very good idea to bring a sweater or jacket, despite the sweltering heat once you venture outside. It's better to have a sweater and not need it, than need one and not have one.