Warmer weather is finally upon us, which means Sin City is entering partying prime time. That desert heat is sweeping the Strip, pool season is underway, and the city is aglow with neon marquees and champagne showers. All this means one thing: time to hit the clubs!

Never gone clubbing in Vegas before, or looking for a little refresher? Here's what you gotta know before you go.

Pssst! First trip to Vegas in general? Check out my guide for first-time visitors here!

1. Plan in advance.

Sure, you can have a phenomenal time in Vegas no matter how spontaneous it is.

That being said, from my experience partying in Sin City, you can't underestimate the power of planning ahead.

Knowing in advance where you want to go, how much you're willing to spend, and what the process is to get your group into the clubs can greatly improve your overall experience. You'll spend a lot less time trying to figure it all out once you're there - and a lot more time indulging in the debauchery Vegas is known for.

Unsure of which clubs you should visit? Check out my guide to the best nightlife Vegas has to offer here.

2. Do. Not. Pay. To. Get. Into. Clubs.

Seriously. It is a rookie mistake to do so. Save your money for the over-priced drinks instead.

There are a few exceptions to this:

It’s New Year’s Eve. (Sorry, all bets are off.)
You’re buying a table/bottle service.
You’re a group of all guys (sorry boys!)

So…how exactly do you get into places in Vegas without…you know…paying for them?

3. Promoters are your friend.

For the average clubgoer, you’ll have three options on how to enter the big clubs: Bottle Service, General Admission or Guest List.

Bottle Service means you're purchasing a table at the club. To do so requires spending a table minimum - this can be as low as $500 at less popular clubs, and as high as $8,000+ at the buzzier venues. Purchasing bottle service means you'll receive your own waitress, busser, and security staff, as well as your own area within the club to party, relax, and enjoy the night. You'll also get to skip the line when you arrive.

General Admission means you’re paying to get in. Admission starts at $20 for ladies and can spike as high as $75, depending on what night it is and who’s playing – and about double that for men.

Guest List means you’re getting in free; how? With a promoter!

Each club has its own task force of them, and their goal is to get as many people through the club doors as possible – which means they lure you in with free entry and often free drinks (just don't forget to tip your bartenders!). If you’re with a group of all girls or you know the right people, you can even score free bottle service.

So how do you find them? Let me count the ways:

Walk the Strip during the day.
- It’s likely you’ll be approached by an assortment of promoters trying to get you into X club at Y time. Be sure to follow Tip #2 and DO NOT PAY FOR ANYTHING. $95 wristbands promising an open bar and skip-the-line privileges are most likely a scam. Anyone approaching you who’s legit will usually be in official club-branded attire.
Check social media.
- You can (and should!) check Vegas hashtags on Twitter and Instagram - you'll find dozens of promoters. If you post any pictures of yourself and your friends on the trip, tag your location and you’ll likely have people reaching out to you directly.
Use a concierge service.
- You can find several with a quick Google search. Rather than representing one specific club or nightlife brand, the site (which is helmed by a team of seasoned promoters and VIP hosts) has links to pretty much every party place in town, and aims to plan your entire experience for you ahead of time.

4. Designate one person in your group as the key contact for promoters.

Because you're reading this, it likely means that person is you.

Figure out which clubs you're wanting to visit, then contact your promoter(s) for those clubs a day or two in advance. There’s usually no need to text them weeks before you arrive, with the exception of really big weekends, like Memorial Day or Labor Day.

I’d recommend getting on at least two clubs’ guest lists per night; it never hurts to have a back-up plan! That being said, avoid getting on multiple guest lists for the same club on the same night. Promoters get paid based on how many people enter the club on their list, so stay loyal to them.

5. Check the dress codes ahead of time.

The clubs can be pretty strict as to what they allow, particularly for men. Be sure to look up specific dress codes prior to your visit so you don't run into any nasty surprises at the door.

Oh, and ladies, as a rule of thumb: bring comfortable shoes! I can't stress this enough. While those 6-inch stilettos may look sick for your Insta photos, they'll be feeling like actual hell by the time the DJ comes on in the club. Opt for shorter heels or flatforms so you can party comfortably all night long. (And for the love of all things confetti blast, please don't choose Vegas as the time to break in a new pair of shoes.) After all, it's a marathon, not a sprint!

6. Vegas doesn't really get going until after midnight.

I mean...you could argue that the appropriate time to start partying in Vegas is...well...any time. And you wouldn't be wrong! But when it comes to the clubbing scene in particular, most places in Vegas really get bumping past the midnight hour. This is perhaps because the headlining DJ sets often don't even start until 1AM, and the clubs stay open until 5.

7. Club-hopping is more difficult than you might think.

The Strip is a lot bigger than it seems and getting from Point A to Point B can take a long time, especially with traffic.

Not to mention, depending on how quickly club staff is moving guests through security and check-in, getting inside just one club can be time-consuming. It's 12:30 on a Saturday night at XS and The Chainsmokers are playing? Expect an hour wait minimum.

If you want to club-hop, I'd recommend aiming for no more than two venues - a pre-game club and the main event. In planning your night this way, you'll minimize time spent in transit and maximize time spent partying.

Arrive at the pre-game club as early as you possibly can in the night (we're talking a 10pm/10:30 situation - yes, you'll be the first ones at the club but it's the way to do it, trust me!), and aim to get to the final club no later than midnight. This is to avoid waiting in outrageous lines, and/or having to pay to get in. Most guest lists close at midnight or 1AM and they won't let you in without cover after that - even if you're using a promoter.

Make sure the places you hit up are relatively close to one another (e.g., hopping from Encore Beach Club to XS, or Marquee to Omnia – NOT Tao to Hakkasan); you don’t want to leave one club only to get to another and find out the guest list is closed or that you have to wait in an hours-long line to go inside.

8. Don't sleep on the day clubs.

I didn't experience a Vegas day club until my third visit to the city, and let me tell you...it should've happened three trips earlier.

Vegas day clubs are an absolute anomaly - a partier's paradise, if you will. Let me paint you a picture: you're with your best friends, a 48-ounce cup of some lethal tropical concoction in your hand. Maybe you've balled out and gotten your own cabana complete with private infinity pool, or perhaps you're taking a dip in the main pool alongside a few hundred other dayclubbers looking to soak up those desert rays.

Major Lazer just took over the turntables, and the dance floor is suddenly inundated with literal champagne showers. Your friends just ordered enough waffle fries to feed the entire club, and you're collectively about to devour them all. But wait...were those actual dollar bills they just shot out of a confetti cannon?

Yeah...let's just say Vegas day clubs are one of the premiere things that make it a party city like nowhere else on earth. Do not pass them up!

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What to know before clubbing in Las Vegas