Countdown to NamesCon: 3 Tips for Surviving 3 Days in Vegas

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In less than 48 hours I will be heading to SFO, getting on a plane, and flying to Vegas for NamesCon. Like most Domainers, I will be spending three days in Vegas, and since I’ve been coming to conferences in Vegas for almost 20 years now, I thought I’d share some tips for surviving.

I first started coming to Vegas when I worked for Sonos back when I was in my early 20’s. Back then, not only did I not have any grey hairs in my beard, I didn’t have a beard. As time has passed I’d like to think I’ve learned my lesson(s) enough times in Vegas to figure out how to make a three day trip enjoyable so that I’m not a zombie on the last day.

Whether you’re a Vegas veteran or you’re still getting started with the joys of going to a conference in Vegas, I have three tips that will (hopefully) help make your trip more enjoyable. Ready to rock? Let’s dive in.

  1. Don’t gamble your first night in Vegas – I enjoy playing craps when I’m in Vegas. My first NamesCon me and Domain Shane had a blast playing craps and yes, on Monday night, I’ll be playing craps. That being said, I’ve learned that gambling on my first night in Vegas is never a great idea. Here’s the thing, gambling usually means you’re staying out later, breathing in more cigarette smoke, and losing money. It’s better to wake up after your first night in Vegas not smelling like an ashtray with less money than you started with.
  2. Water is your friend – whether you drink alcohol or not, you’re in the desert and you’re spending all day every day talking to people. The result is that you can get dehydrated very easily. Drink lots of water. Yes – it sounds simple but it’s actually harder to do than you might think. Too many people wake up in the morning, drink coffee, then have a soda at lunch, go to an evening event, have a beer or two, and then – poof, it’s midnight and you haven’t had a single glass of water. I try to drink water almost every hour when I’m in Vegas, and if you do the same, you’ll be a happy camper.
  3. Don’t be afraid to take a nap – it’s easy to push yourself to be “on” all day, morning until night at a conference. You wake up, go to some talk, then talk to some people, go to more talks, go to an event, go to another event, and before you know it, it’s 1:30AM and you’re at a party in some Domainer’s hotel room, and you’re exhausted and literally wilting. Try to take a 15 – 20 minute power nap at some point during the day. I like to take my nap at the end of the day before dinner. You don’t need to plan a full hour, honestly just giving yourself 15 – 20 minutes to rest can set you up for a much better evening.

Have some tips of your own to share? I want to hear them, comment and let your voice be heard!

Morgan Linton

Morgan Linton