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Las Vegas hosts more major conventions than any other city in the world. When a large convention is in town, the city changes significantly — hotel rates spike, traffic worsens, and certain areas become dramatically more crowded. Here's how to navigate it.
Major Convention Dates to Know
- CES (Consumer Electronics Show) — First week of January. 150,000+ attendees. Worst time to visit casually.
- SEMA (auto aftermarket) — Late October/early November. 100,000+ attendees.
- CONEXPO-CON/AGG (construction) — Every 3 years, March. 130,000+ attendees.
- NAB Show (broadcasting) — April. 90,000+ attendees.
- World of Concrete — January.
How to Survive Convention Week
- Book hotel at least 3 months ahead — convention dates fill fast
- Uber prices double or triple during peak convention hours (morning and evening rush)
- Restaurant reservations become essential rather than optional
- Convention Center monorail station becomes actually useful
- Stay Downtown to avoid the Convention Center-adjacent crowd entirely