How To Leave a Casino

There’s no doubt about it: Las Vegas resorts and casinos are huge. So big, in fact, that they seem to go on for miles and miles. You’ll walk past gaming areas and slot machines, around the nightclubs and restaurants, through shopping areas, past attractions and exhibits … and still not be any closer to getting where you need to be.

Designers of casinos don’t want you to leave the building, and for good reason. The longer you stay on the premises, the more likely you’ll be to drop a few bucks in the casino. Because there are no windows and no clocks, it can be hard to tell what time of day it is, and the maze-like design of most casinos doesn’t make it any easier to find your way out of them.

Are you stuck inside? Here are tips on how to find your way out of a Las Vegas casino:

Make note of where you came in. You had to get into your Las Vegas hotel somehow. If you know where at least one entrance to the building is, you can always default to that one. From there you may have to walk around the building from the outside, but at least you’ll have external landmarks to help you.

Look for the lobby. Though the lobbies and reception areas for hotels in Las Vegas are often tucked off down a side walkway or far off the casino floor, they are almost always located by an exit. The lobbies are usually situated on the side or front of the building near the valet and taxi station. Look for signs located throughout the casino for the lobby. Alternatively, ask employees where the lobby is. They’re more likely to point you directly toward the reception area than they are to an actual exit.

Follow the signs. Some casinos have better signage than others, but most have some sort of signage hanging throughout the building to direct you toward restaurants, clubs and showrooms. On some, there is also mention of which direction to go to reach Las Vegas Boulevard, other neighboring streets, skywalks to other casinos and the reception area.

Get off the carpet. For the most part, the gaming parts of the casino are in the middle of the building, and this part of the casino is carpeted. Getting off the carpet and following the outer edges of the floor will get you closer to the exits you’re looking for.

Ask an employee that isn’t invested in having you stay. It’s no surprise that most of the people in the casino are invested in having you stay there. Don’t ask the poker dealer or cocktail waitress how to leave because they’re just going to send you in circles so that you come right back to where you are now. Instead, ask someone who isn’t invested in your gaming, such as the barista at the coffee shop or one of the people at the timeshare booth.

Look for a map. When you check into your hotel, ask for a floor map. Also, some of the resorts also post floor maps near elevators or where several walkways join each other. Both of these will help you orient yourself.

Photo credit: tom.arthur