Elaine Chosen
When people want to have wild experiences, they usually visit the city of Las Vegas; and that really isn’t surprising at all. Las Vegas is famous for its gambling, exquisite restaurants, and glamorous nightlife. And of course, the Las Vegas Valley is the center of culture, finance, and commerce for Southern Nevada.
The so-called Las Vegas Strip is the hotspot of entertainment and the gambling industry. It is located in Clark County, where most of the reputable casinos and hotels are.
Even though a lot of things are allowed in this city that never sleeps, you will still find some things that are not acceptable. We will provide you with a list of things you shouldn’t do if you decide to visit this magnificent place in the United States.
There are seven laws that we will talk about in this article. So let’s start.
1. Having Exotic Animals as Pets
Many people have dogs and cats as pets, and those have been the usual kind of pet for many, many years. Apart from dogs and cats, people also love to have lizards, spiders, or snakes, and those are not as uncommon as you might think. Over the years, Nevada laws became less strict about what exotic animals lovers are allowed to keep at home.
Cat lovers were thrilled when the Nevada Supreme Court allowed them to keep animals that were just that little bit bigger; such as tigers for instance. Who wouldn’t want to have a tiger as a pet? And apart from tigers, citizens of Las Vegas can legally keep elephants and monkeys.
When it comes to dog lovers, they are also excited about this law. Since dogs are the descendants of wolves, many have dreamed of having a wolf in their backyard; and now this is actually possible! Wolves are very friendly if they grow up around humans, and this is their chance to prove that to everyone.
Interestingly, for all those exotic pets we’ve just mentioned above, you don’t need to have any permit. But some pets are completely prohibited: such as crocodiles, alligators, coyotes, raccoons, and foxes. After all, it’s wise to keep some species at a certain distance!
2. Going Topless
The laws related to being topless are a bit puzzling: law enforcement officers are definitely going to bother you if you are topless in areas where that isn’t allowed. Yes, this is not allowed everywhere in Las Vegas.
But there are places where it is allowed. These include adult-only pools such as Mandalay Bay Resort, Tropicana Las Vegas, and Venus Pools at the Caesars Palace. At these places, women are encouraged to go topless; or if they are a bit uncomfortable, they can get some pasties free of charge instead.
Don’t get carried away with this custom: because if you leave areas where it is allowed to go topless and go to a place where it isn’t, you will probably pay an enormous fine if a police officer spots you.
3. You Can’t Pay for ‘Fun’
In comparison to other parts of America, in Nevada, prostitution laws are somehow different. That is to say, prostitution is illegal in the whole country except Nevada. In other words, in counties with a population smaller than 700,000, it is legal.
In Clark County, where Las Vegas is located, prostitution is illegal since this area has more than 700,000 people.
4. Don’t Give Food to Homeless People
It is not surprising that Las Vegas has a lot of homeless people; all big cities are bound to have that problem. The problem arises when people give food to the homeless; believe it or not, this can cause a lot of problems for people living on the streets. We know that this is usually done with good intentions; but sometimes, it can be harmful.
After taking the food, homeless people don’t have a place to store the food safely, and that can lead to health hazards. Other people just assume the homeless don’t have enough food for themselves, but this is not necessarily true. There are agencies and nonprofit organizations that help these people.
Furthermore, there are laws which aim to prevent people from feeding the homeless. Shockingly, fines for offering food are higher than for parking in a restricted area.
If you have a desire to help the unfortunate, find another way. Maybe you can join one of the many nonprofit organizations out there, or try something similar.
5. In Las Vegas, You Cannot Use Bath Salts
Well, we’ll have to explain in detail why this law is necessary. In the past, hotel guests have misused bath salts; yes, you read that correctly. Unbelievably, guests who came to Vegas to party went to great lengths to have new experiences. That included using bath salts in many unusual ways such as snorting them, injecting them, etc. So now you can see why bath salts are forbidden.
6. You Cannot Catch a Taxi so Easily
In the majority of big cities, you can walk to the side of the street and simply raise your thumb in order to catch a taxi. Finding a taxi in Las Vegas is a bit different. Taxi drivers can only pick you up if you come to specific spots in the city.
Having in mind that traffic is very hectic, this can actually make it easier. So, next time you are walking down the street, and you want to catch a taxi the old-fashioned way, remember to find a marked spot for taxis.
When it comes to Uber and Lyft, these services have definitely changed how taxis work in many parts of the world. Despite this, those companies still need to follow local rules, especially those about picking up customers in the middle of the street.
7. Drinking Alcohol
Even during Prohibition, law enforcement looked the other way when it came to consuming alcohol, and that has influenced today’s laws as well. The 24/7 lifestyle has contributed to it as well. Because of all of that, drinking is allowed; and walking down the street while drinking is legal now.
People must pay attention to some things though, like using plastic cups instead of glass bottles. Also, drinking and driving is not allowed! It would probably be wiser for you to throw away your drink before fastening your seat belt.
