by Martin Stein

Created on: December 08, 2009

Hitting the clubs in Vegas for the first time is a daunting task, at best. Nowhere else in the world is there such an array of options all squeezed into a single street that only runs for five miles.

Before leaving your hotel room-ideally, before even getting to town-do some poking around online. The vast majority of visitors to Vegas don't have anything more planned than their hotel room and maybe a show. Every nightclub and ultralounge has a website or page, and doing a bit of homework first will save you hours, literally, in lines or traipsing from one property to the next.

As well, be sure to dress the part. Men, for you that means dress shoes, slacks or nice jeans, and a button-down shirt. You might see some guys walking in wearing T-shirts but odds are they know somebody. Besides, do you really want to take the chance of getting turned away at the door because your vintage tee is oh-so-cool? The dress code is somewhat looser for the ladies. Just remember: in Vegas, there is no such thing as too much cleavage.

Clubs in Vegas basically break down into three categories: megaclubs, regular ones and ultralounges. What follows is a quick summary of the major megaclubs and what you can expect past the velvet rope.

Pure

This is the one that started it all for Vegas megaclubs. Situated at Caesars Palace, it has three rooms over two floors, and that's not counting the Pussycat Dolls lounge. The main White Room is massive and holds the VIP section, decked out with beds for optimal celebrity lounging. The Red Room features more of a rock soundtrack and a deeper vibe. Upstairs is an outdoor patio with a fire feature and a view of the Strip spectacular enough to make you forget you're only one flight up. Unless you have a table, expect to spend most of your night standing or crab-walking around with your drink held over your head. If you're not ready to drop $1,000 or so on bottles and a table, your best bet is to get there early and head upstairs to stake out a spot along the side of the bar for the least amount of jostling.

Tryst and XS

These sister clubs at Wynn and Encore, respectively, both possess a luxurious, decadent atmosphere with water features as the focal point. At Wynn, the dance floor opens up onto a large, secluded lagoon, complete with a waterfall. At Encore, guests can wander out into the pool area where there awaits another bar under a stunning, pillared canopy. Best of all, both nightclubs have the best seating policy in town. All of the tables are free for customers to sit at until they're sold. And if you spot any celebrities nearby, rest assured that they're there because they want to be, since the clubs' owners refuse to pay stars to make appearances.

Tao

Located at the Venetian, this Asian-themed nightclub boasts a rooftop pool party during the summer season, a second-floor dance club with strategically placed bars, and a main floor that holds a lounge and an award-winning restaurant dominated by a massive Buddha. On the way in, guests pass half-naked girls in bathtubs and pairs of scantily clad young ladies giving each other massages, setting the tone for the rest of your night. A great spot to hang out and watch the crowd is the upper bar overlooking what the locals call Celebrity Island. You'll get fast service and it's one of the last nooks to fill up. And ladies, be sure to firmly lock the restroom doors upstairs: the doors are transparent and will stay that way until the lock is fastened.

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