Show tickets: Buy in advance or wait?

If there's a particular show you know you want to see, especially if it's a popular show -- a Cirque du Soleil production, for example, or a short-run act like Cher or Garth Brooks -- it's always a good idea to purchase tickets in advance. If you wait until arrival there's always the possibility of finding a discount, but you have to go to make time out of the day to hunt down a ticket kiosk and hope they're offering what you want. In my experience the typical discount isn't large enough to offset the very real chance of missing a show you really want to see.

On the other hand, if you just want to see A show and aren't picky about what it is, then same-day tickets sales can be a good option, just be aware that the selection pretty much comes down to luck. Sometimes you can score nice discounts for big-name shows, but often what's available are just passes to mid- to lower-level acts -- think comedy hypnotists and second-rate musical imitators. Even those shows can be a good time, though.

If you decide to try the same-day sales route, look for one of the Tix4Tonight kiosks and try to arrive early. Your best chance is to show up at 10am.

Keep an eye on our Show Calendar and Bargains pages for recommendations and any discounts or upgrades that may be currently available.

As for tours, there won't be any big difference in price whether you book in advance or wait until you're in Vegas. I almost always think it's a good idea to buy in advance, though, because some trip -- Grand Canyon outings, especially -- will take up most of your day. By booking in advance you'll be able to plan accordingly, since you know when you'll be gone.