Once of our Staffers wanted to share this travel advice!
TRAVEL INFORMATION REGARDING LAS VEGAS, NV, USA.
Author: Marina Polachek aka @CHEKs_Mix; @reenihutjunior on IG, Discord, other socials including Nintendo Switch Online
Briefing Basis: Travel Information for getting to the Las Vegas, Nevada Metroplex area [Henderson, Summerlin, Paiute Reservation] based on a traveler from East Coast USA. Information will also pertain to parties traveling from West Coast USA and potentially international [details enclosed]
PART ONE: PACKING, LUGGAGE AND TRAVEL BACKPACK, OTHER EFFECTS
Packing: I shall attempt my best delineation, based on author being a 27yr female short-in-height, and has traveled to many places in world via cruises at this point in time.
PACKING:
Alright my friends, as we all know by now, we are all traveling to a Desert Region Climate, meaning Dry & Arid & HOT & sometimes humidity but not very often. Las Vegas is somewhere you do NOT need to dress “to the nines” all the time. Yes, there are five-star restaurants, hotels, bars, lounges, nightclubs, etc. BUT KEEP IN MIND MOST OF YOUR DAY WILL BE SPENT IN CONFERENCE SALONS if attending Diana Initiative, and BSides, and BlackHat, and DEFCON. Yes, there are happy hour and meet-n-greet events put on by companies during “Hacker Summer Camp”- that is an opportune moment to bring out the “nice clothes” if one is so inclined. Not necessarily required, but I would not go in a running shirt and shorts hahahah!
DAYTIME: This is a nice T-Shirt and Shorts, or casual pants/capris/chinos. For Diana Initiative, this is casual; BSides is also rather casual! That means, you can dress like you’re running evening or weekend errands to the local Target or ShopRite.
For BlackHat you could enhance the T-Shirt up to a button-down shirt or a Polo-style/Golf-style shirt, according to friends who’ve gone prior. BH is a slightly more “dressy” conference, so maybe think if you were having dinner with family at a Country Club? One could also wear a sundress to that. I myself will probably go “golf course chic”, considering I’m not stellar at fashion or dressing-up outside of cruises or fancy family events. Shoewear is the attendees’ choice. I’m sure no one judges outfits at any of these events, but people are entirely different when out-of-sight and behind closed doors in the same breath.
EVENING: This is usually when happy hours and other activities put on by attending companies occur. This is THE opportune moment to play dress-up if one is inclined to do so, and get out of the usual T-Shirt and Shorts combination. Some of these locations the events occur in are nice/cool/fancy/upscale locations as well, consider Instagram moments or professional LinkedIn photos [for a storyline post] perhaps? Sandals [not flip-flops], sneakers [clean them maybe? You CAN in fact, dress up Jordans!!!], dressy shoes [Sperry-type shoes] are all healthy options. The author intends on bringing Merrell active sandals that can double as “cruise chic black sandals” for some events.
LUGGAGE:
Look, we are going to a week filled with TECH & CYBER-SECURITY CONFERENCES, NOT a cruise, NOT an all-inclusive somewhere in Mexico, The Caribbean, or The Bahamas, and certainly NOT a cruise either. Pack appropriately! If you think you can pack a week’s worth of clothes in an international-sized carry-on for the overhead bin on airplane, more power to you! Bypass those pesky bag fees! If you do not think you can be a carry-on warrior, then consider a 21, 23, or 25-inch check-in suitcase. That way, you can also bring home goodies bought in Las Vegas, i.e. Liquor and Cigars, and the infamous “swag surf” of these conferences.
Small Backpack note: These are incredibly useful for bringing to the conference during the daytime, especially for picking up and storing swag, water, electronic chargers, etc. This is also something you could put prescriptions one may need to take during the day, in. Like if one is affected by High-blood pressure, thyroid, etc. For anyone who uses makeup: a touch-up won’t be far away in this case!
OTHER EFFECTS:
There are three major items, and that is it!!! Bring a valid, legitimate photo ID with you on your travels, if you are 21 and older, or are older and look young, you may in fact get carded for a drink! Everyone will be asked for identification at the airport anyway. This means if you are from The United States, this is either your State Photo Identification card [if no license], a Drivers’ License, Military ID, U.S.A. Passport, or USA Passport Card [license size passport]. If not from the United States, it is recommended you have a photo-copy of your passport or identification cards, etc while in Las Vegas. It is truly never recommended anywhere to carry your actual passport.
Cell Phone. We all know by now, your phone is your lifeline to the world, and singular method of communication that is not on a landline phone or laptop or tablet computer. Most times, you have irreplaceable data on this device, like airline tickets, photos of ID cards, memorable photos, emails, you get the idea. Be sure to allow “find my phone” on iPhone or Android before leaving for Las Vegas, in the event you mis-place the phone and need a conference buddy or friend to assist you in a hectic moment.
Wallet. Have a photo ID with you, credit cards, debit cards if/as needed, know where this is on your person at all times. If carried in a bag, place it in a very secure or secret area. Keep monetary instruments secure at all times, keep wits about you, watch out for people who may try to take your items, the usual travel and tourism advice you get from friends and family.
PART TWO: TRAVELING TO LAS VEGAS AND LAST-MILE TO HOTEL
Be sure to check local and not so local airports for the best price – don’t forget to factor in the trip there and back, parking, bag fees, etc.
Here we go, first off if you have to drive and park at the airport, give yourself an allocation of time to drive in traffic, find parking, and get into the airport terminal. For someone driving from Scranton, PA to Newark, NJ, this is a two-hour allotment for the drive, THEN another Two-and-a-half to three-hour allotment for check-in & terminal security. Five hours right there. Then, a five-hour flight to Las Vegas, half the day is travel alone. Plan accordingly. For anyone leaving out of EWR/JFK/LGA specifically, you will encounter NYC-metro pricing for EVERYTHING, higher than Las Vegas. Ensure you have funds to cover a snack, any kind of drink, or whatever else you may need while waiting for boarding.
For those in the DMV [DC, Maryland, Virginia] or DelMarVa [Delaware, Maryland, Virginia], your airport choices may entail BWI in Baltimore, DCA in DC, or IAD near Reston, Virginia, even perhaps PHL in Philadelphia PA. Consider ALL POTENTIAL PUBLIC TRANSPORT OPTIONS, EVEN UBER/LYFT TO THE AIRPORT. Parking may be expensive or non-existent, IAD and DCA have direct DC Metro Lines servicing the Airport, SEPTA services PHL in Philadelphia, unknown intel on BWI but presumably ride-share or light-rail or MARC may be an option there.
On arrival at Las Vegas Harry Reid Airport, formerly and commonly referred to as McCarran, the ride-share area is actually over in the connecting parking garage, in a dedicated zone. This was very foreign to an East Coast traveler who was not in Vegas since 2002, last Summer. Consider walking distance and overhead signs.
Departing From West Coast Airports:
It is highly likely that this contingent of humans will be arriving from: Phoenix, Albuquerque, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland Oregon, even Texas state airports. These flights for you people will be much shorter in duration, and probably be less than three-hours tops. Again, take into consideration long security lines, what you are taking aboard with you, and the Vegas climate on arrival.
PART THREE: WHAT TO BRING TO THE CONFERENCES
Yourself, first and foremost. Secondly, bring your small bag/purse/backpack to put swag and other items in, such as water and snacks to have throughout the day. It is recommended to bring a phone charger. Optional to bring is touch-up for any makeup if you wear it during the day. If you experience menstruation, bring some extra ibuprofen, tampons and/or pads, it is unknown what/if/any bathrooms carry these au gratis. Something else if you’re into it, custom stickers or business cards are always fun to bring, you never know who you will distribute those to. PART FOUR: EATING IN LAS VEGAS, NEVADA
Let me get my Northeastern USA persona on for a moment: honey, food and drinks will be very expensive and reaching New York City prices, there are almost no cheap options remaining in Las Vegas, NV. Las Vegas is home to celebrity-chain or celebrity-concept restaurants and bars, expensive chain restaurants, and normal chain restaurants with prices that match the cost-of-living index for the city. While there are some cheap options that exist off-strip and getting into Henderson & Summerlin and potentially up by Fremont street, those options will be more like Olive Garden, Panera Bread, the restaurants at Tuscany Inn & Suites, and possibly Food Courts at hotels, or going to either Fashion Mall or the Las Vegas Palms mall. Again, if you watch your cash-flow like the author does, plan meals accordingly. Some companies have late night happy hours or events during Hacker Summer Camp that offer free drinks [alcoholic, and presumably/I would hope non-alcoholic as well for non-drinkers out there]. If you are not a foodie or someone who is used to a high-standard of living, you will have many options! PART FIVE: CONCLUSIONS AND OTHER NOTES
Remember to use the buddy system, or at least post people whether it be in a group chat or private message where you are at, going to, and locations. Las Vegas is the city of fast-life, high-cost, and metropolitan night-life, and there are always unsavory character types who prey on others or seek to sow chaos. Keep your wits about you, attend your drink regardless of whether it has alcohol in it or not, keep an eye on your bags you take with you, etc. Of course we also have general tips from TDI
First Time Attendee Tips & Tricks
and Food Guide