Car Hire in Las Vegas?
 

My family and I are travelling to Las Vegas from England in August. Would anyone recommend hiring a car there, or should we take taxis to get around? Do hotels charge for car parking? <BR> <BR>Last question - how much would it cost to hire a 4 door (smallish) car for 5 days including insurance? <BR> <BR>Thanks, <BR> <BR>Steve <BR>

<BR>no charge for parking...unless you use valet parking and it is tips only($2 or so)....see if your home car insurance can be transfered to an US rental car...if your staying on the strip you could probably walk but August can be HOT and I don`t know if you`ll feel like trekking all overin the HEAT...post back where your staying and what you want to see...then we can maybe help on advice..www.travelocity.com and Expedia.com could give yo a price idea and rental car agencies have websites...such as Dollar.com--Alamo.com--budget.com--national.com--avis.com--hertz.com--thrifty.com----some of the most popular....you can get internet specials...as well as AAA and AARP here..maybe you have the equivelent there...a shuttle picks you up at the airport... a cab to and from the airport is about $12 give or take plus tip from the middle strip(about Bally`s/Flamingo hotel...hope we can help you more....

Steve, <BR>You can rent a car in 'Vegas easily enough but you may not want to. The Strip hotels are strung out one after another and there are buses on the Strip. There is also monorails between some of the hotels (i.e. Monte Carlo & Bellagio, Tresure Island & Mirage). A car can be a nuisance at times. Hotels generally do not charge for parking unless you use valet parking. If you go on line and check out Avis, Hertz, etc. you can see what rentals cost in the various size cars. You might want a compact size or mid-size, depending on your budget/size of the family. <BR> <BR>Don't forget to bring your driver's license with you - we sat next to a British couple in a restuarant in LA recently who forgot to bring their licenses and could not rent a car, it rat her spoiled their trip believe me. In the US you must carry it at all times, while in the UK that is not necessary.(Also, you might want to use the term car rental, not car hire to be sure they know what you mean). Your insurance at home may/may not cover you, but check that out. Certain credit cards offer extra insurance as well. <BR> <BR>It will be horribly hot in 'Vegas in August, 110F and more - be prepared for that. Cars that sit outside (and many parking lots are outside/not covered) can be terribly hot to get into. <BR>Incidentally, a car would be nice should you decide to ride out to Hoover Dam or go someplace off the Strip, but it truly is not necessary in 'Vegas. Be sure to get a/c tho :-) Most rentals are automatic too (as opposed to rentals in Europe where you need to ask for it). <BR> <BR>Have a great trip - we travel to the UK every year!

When we went last September we used National rent-a-car and we had no problems with them at all. We rented a Chevy Cavalier convertible and I believe the total came to $70 for the day. You can probably get a compact sedan for around $30-$40 (after taxes and insurance.) We used our car to get out of the city for a day and go hiking in Red Rock Canyon and Death Valley, but you may not want to do that in August. :) Even in September it was too hot to go for a nice long hike. <BR> <BR>I agree with the others who say that you won't need a car if you're sticking to the Strip. In fact, traffic seemed pretty bad on the Strip at night and I was glad I wasn't driving in it. :)

Hi Steve. My husband and I just returned from Las Vegas and we always rent a car. The last time we used Hotwire to purchase and it cost us about $80 for the three days. I like it to get back and forth from the airport. The casinos are along Las Vegas Blvd (mostly) but there are some pretty good stretches in between. Taxis are everywhere, but they can be expensive. Even the shuttle is about $1.50 everytime you take it. Multiply that by your family and it can be costly. Yes, the traffic can be bad. But there is a lot more around Las Vegas to see then just the casinos and you would be able to drive to the dam and see some of the desert. Check out the cost for your trip and even if you use it part of the time, it may be worth it.

We never rent a car in Vegas. Wouldn't even consider it. Certainly not for just getting back and forth to the airport. LVL, or a cab will do fine for that. <BR> <BR>If you do plan on travelling, like to the dam, then you should. But casino-to-casino, I would not enjoy driving around in that traffic on my vacation. <BR> <BR>The buses ($1.50) are a good deal. Walking is not that bad, even in August. Remember, "it's a dry heat!"

We always rent a car in Vegas and usually can find rates for a midsize car at around $25-29 per day. <BR>

You may need to patient if you take the bus if the traffic is bad. Make sure you have change for all of the bus fares...I saw people turned away that tried to pay with bills. If your at one end of the strip and need to get to the other end...take a taxi...they can use the roads behind the hotels effectively and miss strip traffic. If you want to see the Dam or any other site out of Vegas rent a car...stay away from bus tours!!!! I have heard many stories (none good) of all day bus tourture sessions to the Dam. My wife and I rented a subcompact for the 40 min drive to Hoover Dam, took the hard hat tour (most elaborate), walked around the top of the Dam and gift shop, and got back to the hotel pool near noon. have fun!

If this is your first time in vegas just spend a day or two walking from the Mirage,Caesars,Venetian. The next day hit the N.Y N.Y.Tropicana,MGM Grand area. After twodays of walking you'll look forward to going to Hoover Dam amd seeing the area around LV. Car rental agencies are all over the strip so you can rent a car anytime during your say. Lots of natural wonders. What a great town for a vacation!!