Let's Talk Vegas

[disneychrista]

I am in the beginning stages of planning my first trip to Las Vegas. My main question right now is about transportation. I am planning to go to the mob museum, brewery row at the arts district, the neon museum, the Fremont experience, see the Absinthe show and I am sure other things. What is the best & easiest way to get around? Should I plan on having a car? Should I rely on the bus? Uber?

But of course I am looking for all the tips, tricks and highlights. Anything I should add to my list of must do's?

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

We went in 2008 and rented a car. Traffic wasn't bad and driving was pretty easy.
We returned in 2018 and was shocked how much worse traffic had become. We parked the car and took a taxi but then he drove like a lunatic up the strip. So we tried Uber, our first time, and loved the huge difference. They focus more on making you happy and getting good reviews. Some drivers kept hard candy in the back pocket behind the front seats and also had great conversations with our drivers. After that, we were done with taxis and Ubered everywhere.

I'm surprising dh with a 3-nt trip there in Oct for our anniversary to see Garth Brooks. I can't wait!
This time, I'm not even bothering to rent a car.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

We went in 2017 and rented a car. We only used it one day to go to the Mob Museum and walked over to the old strip to see the show on the overhead screen. We probably could have done without it, but we don't like not having our own wheels. I don't remember traffic being terrible, but it was January and not as busy as other times of the year, I'm sure.

 

[_19disnA]

I think there is a separate area on here when Vegas is a topic but doesn't seem to have much activity. We last went before covid and always rent a car. The hotels along the strip are MUCH farther apart then it appears and in the summer it is SO hot that the moment you step outside, it feels like stepping into an oven. Volume of traffic tends to vary based on the time of day. In the many trips we have taken to Vegas over the years, it appears that most people are up late in the evening and then sleep in during day. The strip doesn't have that much traffic during the day, but tends to turn into a parking lot of slow moving cars in the evening. Better to drive that freeway running parallel to the strip, but need to know the correct exit to take for whatever hotel you are visiting. Taking any form of taxi isn't going to change the fact the strip is wall-to-wall cars later in the day.

Some friends went last year who like to walk around and they returned to say they won't be doing that again. FAR too many sketchy characters selling drugs or handing out unsavory adult entertainment and they seem much more pushy/aggressive/confrontational then in the past.

There are various monorail types of transportation that might work for you depending on where you are staying and where you want to go. Some casinos are also connected by indoor walkways if not going very far.

 

[#1hoosierfan]

We went June 2023. We rented a car to go to the Grand Canyon. Otherwise we walked or took an Uber to get everywhere else.

 

[VandVsmama]

You should ask about this in the https://www.disboards.com/forums/california-the-west.131/ forum.

If it were me, I wouldn't bother with a rental car. Use Uber/Lyft everywhere.

 

[disneychrista]

You should ask about this in the https://www.disboards.com/forums/california-the-west.131/ forum.

I thought about that but this forum gets a lot more traffic and I know there are a lot of people here who visit Vegas.

 

[White Cat]

I am in the beginning stages of planning my first trip to Las Vegas. My main question right now is about transportation. I am planning to go to the mob museum, brewery row at the arts district, the neon museum, the Fremont experience, see the Absinthe show and I am sure other things. What is the best & easiest way to get around? Should I plan on having a car? Should I rely on the bus? Uber?

But of course I am looking for all the tips, tricks and highlights. Anything I should add to my list of must do's?

Kitty Blue might know.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Valet at hotels used to be free but now it is so expensive plus tips I would just Uber, I know someone that goes all the time and they don;t go near rental cars anymore for this reason.

 

[yeahdisney]

I take the strip bus. When get roaming the strip area. Then Uber for other areas.

 

[DisneyDebbie]

I last went to Vegas November of '22. We flew and then Uber/walked for everything else. We stayed on the strip and usually ended up walking maybe 6-8 miles a day. I absolutely loved Fremont Street (we used Uber for that) It had energy, entertainment, live music, so fun!

 

[disneychrista]

So it sounds like skip the car/driving and let others do the driving, which is kind of what I thought would be case.

What about the Deuce bus? Is that a viable option or is just better to stick to Uber? $50 round trip for some of the destinations seems insane vs $8/day.

 

[_19disnA]

What hotel will you be staying at? Location matters when it comes to talking about transportation options. Many hotels are not within what I would consider 'walking distance'.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

Most of the resorts now charge for parking and driving isn’t necessary for many of the attractions. So, we skip the car and use Uber/lyft for most things unless we’re planning side trips like Death Valley, Hoover Dam or Grand Canyon. Lots of things can also be easily accessed on foot.

 

[yeahdisney]

I did go see carrot top. I did enjoy his humor. I went to jimmy kimmel night club I enjoyed the second act more. I did the atv extreme tour. Great tour. Would have done the sphere. But it was a group I didn’t know any songs and starting price for bad seats was around $400.

 

[yeahdisney]

That is the bus deuce. Hop on and off. For the strip. Easy. It runs one side of the street for that way.
If you want to go the other way- you cross the street to that bus stop. Now some are far apart due to construction and such.(the bus stops)
Then I have money for the tour I want.

 

[Sykes]

I very very rarely rent a car in Vegas. I usually only do it if I plan to travel a long distance from the strip. The Strip and Downtown are surprisingly walkable for a city that routinely gets to 110F in the shade. For longer distances, Uber/Lyft are both pretty cheap--even though it can sometimes get expensive, I'd say that my typical trip in Vegas averages something like $15 after tip. It's really nice to not have to worry about parking or who is going to be designated driver. I've heard good things about the Deuce Bus but haven't tried it because I'm usually in a group of 3 or 4 people so it doesn't end up being all that much cheaper than an Uber.

 

[AppleDumpling]

I was there about 18 months ago and did not rent a car. We took a taxi to and from the airport; there are flat rates to strip hotels that are posted at the arrival terminal. Took an Uber one night to Fremont St, and went on a guided tour one day out to Valley of Fire SP, with a small group in a van. Other than that, we stayed on the strip and did a lot of walking, up and down the strip.

There are free trams at the south end of the strip that can save a few steps depending on where you are (have to walk through the casinos): from Mandalay Bay to Excalibur, and from Park MGM/Aria to the Bellagio. Also a short one between Mirage and TI, but I’m guessing that is closed or will be soon, pending the closing of the Mirage and construction of the new Hard Rock. On the east side of the strip, there is also a monorail that runs behind the hotels from the MGM Grand up to the Sahara. I’ve never used it and there’s a fee, but again, depending on where you want to go, could be worthwhile.

If you use Uber or Lyft, be aware that the hotels have designated pickup/dropoff areas for them, usually at a side or back entrance, rather than the main/front door of the hotel.

 

[Boski]

Uber is the way to go!

 

[gmi3804]

I go to Las Vegas (please don't call it "Vegas") several times a year on business, and I always rent a car, which gives me the freedom to explore off-strip/locals restaurants. All hotels charge for self-park now, but I usually stay at Wynn which includes parking in their BS resort fee. If you have status at casinos, that may include self- (and even sometimes Valet) park. Wynn/Palazzo is a good area to stay to do the things you want to do. The Neon Museum is just north of the Freemont St area; I highly recommend that museum, but would urge you not to stay around there. The Mob Museum is up that way too. Caesars is a do-able walk from there, though that's stretching it, not just because of distance but because of crowds on the sidewalks. Uber/Lyft sounds like a good idea on paper, but in reality, traffic, especially at night, is crazy and you'll likely be subject to exorbitant surge pricing. You'll also spend considerable bucks getting from the airport to your hotel, no matter where you're staying.