stephen_ross

Planning a trip to Las vegas/San Diego in July. Is there anyone out there that has been to Vegas for July 4th? Is it too crowded & too hot? Is there a good fireworks show?

doc_

My first and only trip ever to Vegas was on the fourth two years ago. It was hot,about 110+. We spent alot of time indoors and in the pool when outdoors. Even at night it was about 90. There is plenty of indoor things to do,keep that in mind.

J_Correa

I haven't been to Las Vegas specifically in July, but I've been to Nevada at that time and it is definitely hot. I wouldn't choose it if I were planning to spend a lot of time outdoors, but for indoor activity - who cares what the weather is like, right?

jbee

Is it hot in July? Is that a rhetorical question? It ranges from 100-120 during the summer months. Doc is right, it also stays hot during the night. There will be stretches where the temp won't drop below 90 for days. The good news is there's AC in every building, just like Mother Nature intended. Sometimes they crank it up so high, it actually gets cold.

Vegas is not as crowded around the 4th vs. other holidays. There's multiple fireworks shows around town and the strip usually does one, as well. We went to see Mystere the night of the 4th last year and watched the fireworks from the top level of the parking garage- it was awesome!

placeu2

One of my favorite cliches is: "it's a dry heat." Yea right...I have been there at that time...it takes your breath away. Stick your head in the oven, take your blow dryer on High, aim it at your head and throw in a few handfuls of sand...get the picture? If it is breezy, it feels like a blast furnace. Your skin will dry out and you need to carry lip balm with you at all times. Carrying water is a virtual must.

All that said, the other posters are right. The AC in Vegas may be the best in the world.

Take my comments with a grain of salt (or sand), I am a Chicago guy who spent 1/2 my life in WI. I love winter.

antmaril

I went to a wedding in Las Vegas a couple of years ago in July. It was so hot I couldn't believe it. The thing is it NEVER cools off. At midnight it was still 90 degrees. It was 116 degrees the day of the wedding. We were all dressed up and my feet were burning through the soles of my dressy sandals. My husband and son were wearing long sleeved shirts (with ties) and we looked like nuts walking on the strip. However, we still had a great time and I would do it again, especially if I couldn't go any other time.

However, don't believe the "dry heat" line. It's HOT, HOT, HOT!!!!

jbee

The most ironic part of the heat is that after a few years, it soaks in. Now, anything less than 90 is cold to me!

Another thing is that 90 at night somehow doesn't feel as hot as 90 during the day. You can even get a nice (cooler) breeze on some nights. If the wind isn't blowing too much, it's not so bad on your skin. But bring a good moisturizer and don't forget the sunblock. You can burn in 10 minutes in the sun. Don't let the heat scare you away, though. There's nothing like Vegas in the summer!

J_Correa

There definitely is something to the cliche about the dry heat. 90? with low humidity is a heck of a lot different than 90? with high humidity. I'm not saying desert summers aren't hot - they definitely are. I'm just saying that it's a lot different than summers in the south.

For me, 90? in the desert is quite nice - the heat soaks into your body, warms you up and just feels good. Also, sitting in the shade is wonderful. 90? in the south - say New Orleans - is sticky and not very comfortable. The shade gives no relief from the heat. Your body sweats but the sweat doesn't evaporate because there is too much moisture in the air already so you walk around drenched and hot.

mrsbu

We were in Vegas for 4th of July yes it was hot.. When we walked out of the hotel it felt as if we had walked into a clothes dryer set on high heat. That said it was great, best A/C in the world and lot's to do indoors. Also great pools and wet and wild water park can cool you off.

clairelong

Wow...is it hot....unbelievably YES. I remember the first time i went it was mid July...the heat beats up all around from the cement. The only way we could stand it was early in the morning and the degree was in the 90's and late at night (still very very hot). I have to laugh at the people who told me it wasn't as bad as some other state...I kept a water bottle with me and any time i passed a fountain i would splash it on me...it wasn't going to keep me from seeing Vegas!

Linda0515

We were there on July 4 and, yes, it was over 100 degrees (I think it was 110), but remember that it's bone dry, so it's much more tolerable than 100 degrees on, say, the East Coast. But there's not much need to spend time outside, except by a pool; the hotels all have free parking, so you can drive from one place to the next. Also, some of the sidewalks in front of the hotels have misting machines that are really refreshing. We found that the temps dropped to tolerable levels after sunset.

We had a really hard time finding out when/where the fireworks were and ended up not seeing any. Couldn't find any info in local papers. Our hotel didn't have a concierge to help us; maybe you'll have better luck.

Attendance in LV definitely spikes over the 4th and crowds and prices rise accordingly. Hotel prices were significantly higher than the week before, and some hotels (e.g. MGM) were sold out a few months before. We arrived on the 2nd and saw the hotels raise their buffet prices on the 3rd. And don't plan on driving quickly down the Strip; it will be bumper-to-bumper traffic.

All in all, I wouldn't go back on the 4th but more because of the crowds and higher prices than the heat. I'd definitely go back the week before or after the 4th.