8 Tips for Driving Around Las Vegas as a Tourist
by John Wilson
Here are some tips I have after a week of driving around Las Vegas as a tourist for 7 days this Summer:
- Take your GPS – everyone has one, and they are expensive from the rental service
- Don’t take the gas option – gas just off the Strip is cheaper than airport gas
- Get familiar with the following North and South running streets:
- Paradise Rd gets you from the Hilton to the airport with not too many stop lights
- The Strip – besides 8p to 2a, this is a fun and exciting way to get around
- Koval Road – this is the entrance road to most of the casinos on the Eastern side of The Strip
- S. Valley View Road – a little more “seedy” but still useful for travel on the West side of the strip
- Get familiar with the casinos on the strip and utilize the roads named after them including: Sahara, Desert Inn, Flamingo, Harmon and Tropicana
- Be sure to pay close attention to the “self-park” signs for each casino, most are behind the casinos, but a few (like the Wynn and City Center) are right off of the strip
- Stay in your lane – unlike in most cities, Las Vegas does not use paint to divide lanes, instead using round reflectors – this took me a day or so to get used to
- Remember that half a mile from the strip, Las Vegas is a normal city. Make use of the restaurants, gas stations, Walmarts, Walgreens, etc.
- Take your rental car back early. The complex is a bus ride away from the terminal and can take as much as 45 minutes to return your car and get to the airport.
Renting a car is a great way to see all that Las Vegas has to offer. I highly suggest renting one on your next trip.
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