Packing for Vegas used to be so simple when you were single. Usually a change of clothes would do, and maybe not even that if you weren’t planning to ever leave the craps table. Not for nothing did the paramedics coin the phrase “Vegas Syndrome”* with you in mind.
But those days are over. You’re respectable now, which means you’ve probably procreated. And become a taxi. Life in its present iteration is a series of take-me-tos and pick-me-ups – from dance classes, from soccer games, from youth orchestra rehearsal.
And yet you still make time for Vegas. If this summer marks your first trip with the kids to Sin City, you may be wondering what you should pack. Trust us, you’ll need more than bail money.
Suitcases
How many to bring? This question has bedeviled travelers making their first trip to Las Vegas with children since the early `90s, when it officially became a family destination. Don’t sweat it: We’ve devised a foolproof formula to help you determine how many bags to pack.
First, subtract the number of children you’re bringing from the number of days you’re staying. Do the reverse if the number of children exceeds the number of days. (This applies mainly to our LDS visitors.)
Next, divide the difference by the number of numbers on a roulette wheel, multiply the result by the number of seats at a blackjack table, then add by the number of times you’ve left Vegas in the red instead of the black.
Now take that number and subtract it by Las Vegas’ daily average July temperature and you’ll have the answer.
Or to put it simply – one suitcase per child.
Clothing
Yes, bring it. Las Vegas, believe it or not, has the same mandatory clothing expectations as your own hometown. Use the length-of-stay metric as a barometer for determining how much to pack, but be sure to include two extra shirts per child in the event of profuse sweating, sleepwear, an extra pair of shoes per child if you’re planning on walking a lot – not recommended in 100-plus degree temperatures during the day – and of course bathing suits for our tropical beach pool and Lazy Rivere here at Tahiti Village!
Toiletries
Whatever products contribute to your kids’ personal hygiene at home will also suffice in Las Vegas. See? We’re not that different after all..
Gadgets
We stressed in a previous article the importance of keeping kids occupied on vacation and suggested that nothing does that better than gadgets.
Sunscreen
Think of this as extra clothing. Unlike regular clothing, you’ll want to wear more of it in summer.
Travel Toys
Click here for a handy guide to age-appropriate transportable toys. You’ll need `em.
Things For Baby
If you’re planning on making your children lifelong Vegas visitors, you have to start them young. We recommend no later than two weeks postpartum just to get their little lungs acclimated to smoky casinos. Here’s what you should bring with you:
Five diapers per day per child
One full package of wipes
A sling
Sippy cups and microwave sterilizing bags
Formula
Baby food
Transportable toddler snacks
Disposable diaper sacks
Now that you know what to pack, just remember to bring the kids.
*When you gamble and drink for several days straight with minimal sleep and food. It culminates in passing out on the casino floor and waking up with a four-day hangover.