Las Vegas isn’t like any other city on the planet.

You might have heard that before, but it’ll become very real the moment you step off the plane at McCarran airport and the heat hits you.

“The first time I stepped out of the plane,” Kara Scott, a very experienced visitor and ambassador of the WSOP’s main sponsor 888poker, says.

“I literally thought I was standing under a blast furnace vent. And then the air conditioning inside can be very intense, too.”

If you’re on your way to the WSOP first time, be forewarned it can all be a little overwhelming.

“Add to that the lights and the sounds and the bells and the food and the poker and the pressure,” says Scott. “and a few survival tips are not a bad idea. So here we go.”

1. Pick a Smoke-Free Hotel

That means a hotel that advertises itself as “smoke-free,” not just a hotel with smoking areas.

“Otherwise,” Scott says, “all the nicotine you’re inhaling will make it really hard to sleep at night. There are a bunch of these hotels, and they come in different price ranges, so that’s fine.

“You can also find casino-free hotels, and take it from me; it can be like paradise to walk through the lobby at night after a long day without the lights and the noise hitting you in the face.”

2. Find Good, Cheap Food Options

“You can ask the hotel to empty your mini-bar,” says Scott, “so you can use it to store your food.

“Make sure to ask them first because some hotels will charge you for anything you take out of the fridge even if you don’t consume it.”

“There are plenty of shops around, so you can stock up on cereals, crackers and fruit – anything that keeps you going, and you can stay away from the room service menu, which will save you some money.”

“Also, if you’re there for more than a week, buy a cheap humidifier for your room. They really help you to deal with the extreme dryness of Vegas.”

Watch yourself at the pool.

3. Be Very Careful by the Pool

“You might think it’d be great to get a tan,” Scott adds, “but the sun is a lot stronger than you think.

“You must wear sunscreen or you’ll end up boiled.”

4. Rent a House

“If you’re spending the whole summer in Vegas for the World Series, renting a house is a great idea.

“You can cook your own food, do your own laundry, which believe me, it will save you a fortune.”

5. Stay Away from Hotel Cleaning Services

“They’re super-expensive. There are several pick-up and delivery service in Vegas, and it’s no problem to quickly Google them.

“They even have hypo-allergenic soaps for those of us who have weird allergies.”

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