How to Do Vegas as an Introvert
Just because we’re introverts doesn’t mean we don’t want to experience any excitement or adventure.
My extended family and I, all of us introverts, took a road trip to Las Vegas recently and it was one of our best trips ever. But why in the world would a family of introverts ever want to go there in the first place?
Because — despite the sensory overload and the potential for way too much family fun time — it’s an incredible place to visit if you know how to make it work for you. Over many Vegas road trips, I think I’ve finally figured out what works well for me and my family. Read on for my tips on how we introverts can truly enjoy being in the heart of the action — but on our terms, of course.
7 Ways to Do Vegas as an Introvert
1. Book your stay for off-peak days, like Sunday through Wednesday.
Booking rooms Sunday through Wednesday is my number one tip for us introverts. Vegas is totally doable for us during the first half of the week, because the hardcore party animals (and crowds) have mostly gone home. (Just be sure to avoid booking during large conventions or Spring Break.)
And, bonus, the rates on rooms are much lower Sunday through Wednesday. Just keep in mind that if you want to go to the pool or a specific show or restaurant, some are closed during the week, so check their hours before booking your stay.
2. It’s all about location, location, location, so stay at a resort with a calm vibe.
Believe it or not, there are actually some calmer, more relaxing resorts right on The Strip. With this in mind, I recommend the Wynn/Encore, Vdara, Elara by Hilton, Park MGM/NoMad, and Delano. While all of them have a quieter vibe (some because they don’t have casinos), their prime locations also put them just short walks away from some of the biggest (and most popular) resort casinos in Vegas.
So you can check out the action at a busier resort casino nearby and then easily dip back to your chosen resort when you need some downtime. Check out various YouTube videos for reviews on these properties to see which ones match your vacation style and budget.
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3. To avoid overwhelm, plan just one activity per day.
Overplanning and Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) are real in Vegas. The city is constantly adding new things, updating resorts, and has an ever-changing lineup of entertainment options. It would be impossible to see and do everything in one trip, so don’t feel like you need to try.
As the introvert planner that I am, what I’ve found works best for a multi-generational vacation is organizing one activity we all want to do together each day — either in the morning or in the evening — and then leaving the other half of the day open for individuals to decide how they’d like to spend it.
This automatically builds in large blocks of time for some R&R or time to go exploring on our own if we’re up for more. We also don’t have to spend every single moment together socializing if we don’t want to.
Going to Vegas with other introverts means we’re all on the same page about needing downtime or alone time, so no one feels guilty about taking it.
4. Avoid walking on The Strip (unless you want a sea of people around you).
Dodging the masses while walking on The Strip can be exhausting for us introverts. By staying at the resorts I mentioned above, you won’t have to spend too much time walking on The Strip to get to other casinos because of their prime locations. There’s even a YouTube video by vlogger The Vegas Paradise showing all the routes to walk through the casinos to avoid walking on The Strip.
Another way to avoid walking on The Strip is to take advantage of the monorail and trams that run behind the casinos and best utilize them during your stay.
5. Vegas is heaven for introvert foodies, so be prepared to eat (a lot!).
Vegas has arguably evolved into one of the great food cities. The sheer density of delicious places to eat means there’s a ton of awesome, yet uncrowded, food options because they’re all competing with each other.
So if one restaurant is crowded, there’s an equally yummy (and uncrowded) one to go to close by. But if you’re dying to go to a specific hotspot, get a reservation for when they first open, as far in advance as possible. If you can’t get a reservation, you can call the concierge at the property you’re staying at as soon as you book your stay to ask for help. If anyone might be able to get you a table at a hot restaurant, it would be them.
Vegas is also becoming a haven for fine dining since almost every resort has at least one, if not several, serene and stylish fine dining restaurants. Posh restaurants can be intimidating and exclusive in other parts of the world. But in Vegas, they’re much more welcoming and accessible because hospitality is king. This makes fine dining there a truly enjoyable experience for us introverts, or anyone for that matter.
Are you a fan of a fancy cocktail or craft beer, too? Every casino also has at least one chill lounge and/or gastropub these days. It’s easy to find a laid-back place to get an Instagram-worthy drink and a bite to eat just about any time of day. Even the extremely busy Cosmopolitan has slow periods during the week called “Cocktail Hour,” when various bars and restaurants throughout the property have specials on select food and drinks.
As the introvert in my family who does all the vacation planning, sometimes I want to turn off my brain and let an expert take over. That’s where Lip Smacking Foodie Tours and Finger Licking Foodie Tours come in. They will get you easy access to three hot restaurants, where you are served specially curated collections of three to four dishes at each stop (with optional specialty cocktails).
Lip Smacking tours are small group tours with a guide, while Finger Licking tours are self-guided, so no group interaction is involved. Although pricey, these award-winning tours can be a low-hassle, introvert-friendly way to enjoy a bountiful amount of excellent food and cocktails at some of the top restaurants all over Vegas.
6. Get outside, like visiting the parks or pools.
There’s lots of research on why getting outside promotes relaxation. Casinos want to keep you inside, spending money as long as possible. But getting outside can make a huge difference to us introverts when visiting Vegas. Weather-permitting, Vegas has some really cool stuff to see and do outside, so there’s no need to stay in your room to get some relaxation time.
The pools at different resorts during “pool season” can be insanely busy, but there are much more chill pool experiences at the resorts I mentioned earlier. If it’s especially important to you to carve out a space poolside for several hours, consider spending the extra money to rent a daybed, or go all-out on a cabana and split the cost with the rest of your group. These reserved spots have some nice amenities that could make them worth the splurge — and privacy we introverts so crave.
Right next to Park MGM is an outdoor dining and entertainment district simply called “The Park.” It’s a little oasis of calm that meanders back away from the craziness of Las Vegas Boulevard and ends at the T-Mobile Arena. Modern water features are sprinkled throughout the area, with mature trees, desert landscaping, and atmospheric lighting at night. This hidden-in-plain-sight area would be a kickback place to unwind with a casual lunch or dinner since the restaurants there have open-air seating to take advantage of the park-like setting.
Vegas might be in the middle of the desert, but this town loves a picturesque outdoor water feature. The Mirage, the Flamingo Las Vegas, and Mandalay Bay each have their own version of a mini tropical paradise with lush landscaping, waterfalls, meandering streams, and even live animals. The Wynn has a charming “Dancing Fountain” that plays music and runs continuously, too.
But no Vegas trip would be complete without making time to watch one of the spectacular and iconic Bellagio fountain shows. Best of all, all of these attractions are completely free to visit.
If you don’t mind leaving The Strip, there are a few specific outdoor experiences that I think are worth the trip. Hiking around Red Rock Canyon is great for nature lovers, with its striking rock formations and interactive visitors center. Art lovers might enjoy a stroll around the Arts District, known for its wall murals and graffiti art, small art galleries, independent restaurants, and antique and boutique shopping. And, finally, for lovers of old-school Las Vegas, The Neon Museum has a nighttime tour showcasing some of the classic neon art that helped make Las Vegas legendary. For the ultimate experience, there’s a package that includes a nighttime helicopter tour of The Strip, and a guided tour of the outdoor museum, and ends with their one-of-kind light show, Brilliant.
7. Find your vibe, as there are a countless number of things to do.
Full disclosure, I’ve had kind of a love/hate relationship with Vegas in the past. I absorb the energy of whatever place I’m at — and the casino floor can often give off a weird energy of frustration and anxiety mixed with mild boredom. Some casinos are so massive and packed with brightly-lit machines and over-the-top decor that it becomes sensory overload within minutes (even though I’m captivated by the twinkling opulence of it all).
For those reasons, you’re going to find me and my family doing mostly non-gambling activities in Vegas. Fortunately, it’s quickly becoming an impressive center for all kinds of unique entertainment experiences, so there’s more to see and do there than ever.
But just because we’re introverts doesn’t mean we’re hermits who don’t want to experience any excitement or adventure. Contrary to how we’re often portrayed, we introverts have an adventurous side. I highly encourage fellow introverts to push outside of their comfort zones — and Vegas is made for doing exactly that.
For instance, have you wanted to experience the excitement of table games, like Craps, but feel intimidated to walk up and start playing with a bunch of random strangers? A number of casinos offer daily gaming classes for free. Not only do they teach you how to play and strategize, but they’ll teach you important gaming etiquette so you can feel more comfortable interacting with others when you’re at the tables for real. Just be sure to get to class early to guarantee you’ll have a spot at a table.
Speaking of outside an introvert’s comfort zone, on our most recent trip, we went to an amazing, artsy, “immersive playground” called Area15. You’ll see from videos online that it’s a lot to process, but we got there in the morning before the crowds showed up so we could take our time, as we introverts often need to do.
We also saw the Michael Jackson ONE show, because we’re huge fans of Cirque du Soleil. The show was rock-concert loud and intense, but we just embraced the awe and overwhelm. We also channeled the joyful enthusiasm of the people around us, who were super-hyped to be there. If the energy of a place is good, even if it’s a lot for us introverts to take in, it can still be a super fun ride.
All that being said, every place you go in Vegas has a different energy that can change throughout the day. So if the energy of a place you really want to visit doesn’t work for you at a certain time, don’t give up on it. Go back at a different time or ask someone that works there when it’s the least crowded or more low-key.
Just because we’re introverts doesn’t mean we should shy away from the excitement and fun of Vegas. We just have to plan our trip in such a way as to give us the time and space to process all the sensory information, restore our energy levels, and seek out places that match the vibe that we want to experience. 
