Everything YOU need to know about Las Vegas’s reopening this summer. As of June 1 Las Vegas officially ends COVID social distancing restrictions and occupancy limits. This applies to all businesses including bars, restaurants, casinos, night clubs, adult entertainment, shows, concerts, and big events.
Although everything is permitted to open at 100%.. That doesn’t mean everything is reopened, or back to the way things were in 2019.
Masks: Nevada is following the latest CDC guidance which says that vaccinated people don’t have to wear masks in most situations (indoors and outdoors). But unvaccinated people should still wear masks inside. The enforcement of this is purely on the honor system. You’ll still need to wear you mask (regardless of vaccination status) on public transportation, the bus, the monorail, the airport. Your taxi or rideshare may ask you to mask up too.
Restaurants: All tables and chairs available, seat any party size. No advanced reservations required… but I highly recommend them!
Buffets: Everyone who predicted the death of buffets is dead wrong. Reopening… South Point, Cosmopolitan, MGM, Caesars Palace ($65 – reservations via open table instead of a long line… 90 minute time limit).. And yes… even Circus Circus has reopened their buffet…. Cheapest on the strip at $25 for dinner. South point is the cheapest at $20 for club members.
Monorail: Is back! Regular hours opens at 7am until midnight or later on weekends. Tickets are $5 for a single ride or $13 for a 24 hour pass. The monorails days are numbered… the LVCA announced they intend to dismantle it within 8-10 years. Ride it while it’s still here! Because the future is the Vegas Loop (Elon Musk’s underground transportation system)
Parking Fees are back: Caesars already brought them back, MGM and Cosmo bring theirs back on June 1. Free parking — Casino Royale, Circus Circus, Planet Hollywood, TI, Tropicana, Venetian, Wynn
We’re seeing even more bogus fees as hotels try to recoup lost costs. The off-strip “Artisan” hotel in addition to their $19.95 resort fee is now charging a $3.95 “utility surcharge”. Yeah… they’re seriously charging us separately for the electricity in our room now.
Casinos: Some casinos have already been operating at full capacity because they’ve vaccinated a significant portion of their employees.
Tables back to full capacity, plexi-glass coming down. Slot machines and seats coming back.
Expect less “lounge” type performances that don’t bring in any direct revenue.
Hotels:: Expected to be back to “full occupancy” on the weekends soon. Which means weekend prices will being going up! Expect weekdays to still be cheap.
One neat thing MGM is doing now is mobile app ordering for food and drink at their pools. Each seat location is assigned a chair tag and number, along with a unique QR code that, once scanned, opens a familiar mobile ordering platform where the food and beverage selection process begin… and your server will bring your food right to your seat.
Live Entertainment: Coming back to the fremont street experience nightly. June 1 at midnight they’ll be kicking off until 4am.
