Las Vegas - transportation
 

On our last few trips to Las Vegas, we've rented a car. This time, we are weighing the pros and cons.

The main con to a rental car is the hard sell for insurance. We never take it since we have insurance through our own automobile insurance, but the rental agents always make us worry about it anyway.

When searching for hotels, Ballys I think, mentioned a fee for parking. In the past, I don't remember ever paying for parking on the strip. Are the casinos starting to do this? If so, that would be a con too.

Of course, the major pro to having a car is the convenience if we want to go off-strip.

Before we started renting a car, we would take an airport shuttle to our hotel. I assume these are still available. Does anyone have any idea about current costs? I think maybe the last time we used one, the return shuttle to the airport didn't come on time and that might be why we started renting a car.

So -
1. Do most of the strip hotels still feature free parking? Any comments on ones that might not?
2. What's the approximate cost for a shuttle from the airport to the strip?
3. Any other thoughts on getting by with or without a rental car?

An Uber from the airport to the strip will be less than $20 (depending where on the strip)

I hadn't even thought about uber. Great idea.

At press time only these strip hotels still had free parking:

Stratosphere

SLS Las Vegas (formerly the Sahara)

Circus Circus (valet charge only)

Trump Tower

Treasure Island

Casino Royale

The Venetian/Palazzo

Tropicana


As for the car insurance hard sell, use Alamo and you'll just swipe your CC and Drivers License at the kiosk and say "no" to extras. Then choose your car from any in your row of vehicles. Or, join Hertz Gold or Avis preferred or Budget Fastbreak or whatever the frequent-renters club is and you'll bypass the line and the sales talk.

A car is nice if you want to visit Valley of Fire and Lake Mead/ Hoover Dam, Red Rock Canyon and Spring Mountain Ranch, or Zion National Park.

P.S. The airport shuttles run $13-$14 round trip to the strip hotels.

Wow, that is a sea change. Thanks for this information, DDD.

You are right about the options with a car. We went to Valley of Fire for the first time the last time we were there and it was amazing.