Going to Vegas for the first time in November. Get equal number of opinions on renting a car and not renting a car. Does anyone know approximate cost for 2 people from airport to hotel. New hotel, not opened yet. Believe it is near Caesars. Mostly need it for going to other hotels for shows and dinners. Would like to book trip to Hoover Dam, but will do that thru concierge at hotel.

From the airport to hotels on the Strip expect to pay somewhere around $15-$20 each way. You could also get a shuttle.

If you are planning on staying on or near the Strip, I'd say that you'd be better off by taking taxis. They are plentiful and relatively inexpensive. Most Strip hotels are either within walking distance from each other, or connected in some way.

Now, if you rent a car, parking is never a problem, but getting your car to and from the valets can take some time during peak hours.

Personally I think a rental car is best. You will have a lot more freedom to come and go as you please, and it has been my experience that a car is less expensive than taxi rides. As Jean says, parking is plentiful and I find it easy to get around Vegas. You mention Hoover Dam, and I think that excursion would make a lot more sense by car than an organized tour. It's a short drive from Vegas and easy to find.

If you do go the taxi route, tell the driver not to drive along the strip at night. Traffic is terrible and it will really run up the meter. Ask him/her to take the freeway or side streets.

I stopped driving in Vegas years ago for several reasons. It is much easier to walk out the front door and jump into one of the waiting taxis than self-parking or valet parking. Then there is the traffic and the fact that alcohol flows so freely. I'd rather leave the driving to someone else. That way, if I do imbibe it's not a problem. Plus the cab drivers are used to Las Vegas traffic and know their way around town better than I do. Even when I would drive up to Vegas from L.A., I left my car parked the entire time.

I would not recommend renting a car to just get from hotel to hotel! It would be more hassle than it's worth, waiting for valets, etc. And if you're staying right next to Caesar's, you'll be center-strip, which means you could easily walk to the other strip hotels from there. With all the traffic on the strip it may be the fastest way, too. And probably quite pleasant on a cool November night.

Also, the airport is just minutes from the Strip...it's very easy to hop in a cab or shuttle.

I was always and advocate of renting and this summer I decided to just cab it and will probably never do that again. It just got to be quite expensive and we had 5 in our group so sometimes you have to wait for the minivans. I find walking from the garage less a hassle than dealing with taxi stands and the cost of a rental car was cheaper than what we spent in cabs. Also, if you want to go to places off the strip that don't have taxi stands, a car can be easier.

I also prefer a car in Vegas, esp. for side trips like the state park to the west and Hoover Dam. The big garages behind most of the hotels are easy to access (valet?! I don't need no stinkin valet!), and you can avoid the strip fairly easily.
But no drinking and driving! That could make cabs a better option for you.

A taxi from a/p to mid strip where you will be is about $15. From mid-strip you can walk to many hotels, it is less hassle then driving since most hotel parking garages, while free, are a long walk back into the hotel itself. Hotels all have valet parking, but you can also simply park your own car too.

I'd rent a car to go to Hoover or any other day trip - Dollar has a rental desk in all major hotels and we usually rent a car from them for a day or so while there.

For many years we rented cars while in Vegas if we flew up, but traffic has gotten worse and worse so now we use taxis and rent for a day or so. Even when we have driven our own car up we found we preferred to leave it in the garage and just walk - it's actually faster in many cases.

Taxi fares have gone up tho - most rides average about $10, so if you are concerned about cost do bear that in mind. Traffic can be simply hell too so the meter will rise quickly on many trips.

Keep in mind there are FREE monorails between Mirage and Treasure Island, between Bellagio and Monte Carlo and between Mandalay Bay, Luxor and Excalibur. With a combo of walking and free monorail you can cover a good part of the strip. The city monorail system is practically useless as far as I am concerned, it stops too far back behind many hotels leaving you to walk and walk and walk. It is also pretty expensive to ride.

i would rent a car for one or two days to go to hoover dam and any other out of town places you want to go. otherwise, you can walk most places and there is also public transportation that's easy. new tram system is running i believe. driving in vegas is HORRIBLE.

We paid $15 for a taxi ride from Sahara to the airport in February. Shuttle is around $5 p/person.

24-hr pass on Monorail $10, bus $5.

And... there are several mass-transit systems developed to carry people from hotel to hotel, casino to casino, show to show. A car might be a good idea for the trip to Hoover Dam in terms of trip flexibility, but taking a shuttle or whatever might be better if you're a person who prefers to cut all the strings while on vacation.

Sometimes, the last thing I want to deal with on vacation is automobile logistics.

Like the other responses, a taxi from the airport to the strip is about $10-15. I'm not familiar with any new casino/hotels opening anytime soon - care to share the name of it?

I travel to Vegas fairly regularly, so getting around isn't a problem for me. Heck, I enjoy cruising the strip - even if there's a lot of traffic. If I know I'm going to be visiting a number of casinos, I'll go ahead and rent a car. For me, it's purely a financial decision. You gotta figure on about $10 each way for a taxi ride anywhere. So, if you leave your hotel to go to a show someplace else, figure you're spending $20 roundtrip. Most car rentals can be had for $20 a day or less. Figure on $1-2 tip for the valet, and it's easy to figure out if a car is economically worth it.

I don't find the hassle of the valet all that problematic. I've seen some pretty huge taxi lines, so taxis aren't always more convenient. Plus, as noted, with a car you can drive yourself to Hoover Dam or Red Rock Canyon. Additionally, you can hit a grocery store for supplies, like bottled water, to save you a bit of money from what the casinos are charging you.

If you are staying two nights in Las Vegas, a compact economy car will be about the same cost as the taxi two and from the hotel from the airport.

Keith

Do you reserve a shuttle ahead of time and just pick it up at the airport?

As you exit the airport, there's a little ticket office where you can get tickets for the shuttle. You can buy a round trip right there. I seem to remember that it is cheaper if you buy it in advance.

I can't remember ever taking a taxi within Vegas once I arrived as we are major walkers. But if you're considering going to Hoover Dam then I say get a car. Just a taxi to and from the hotel will surpass the cost of one day's rental. And the best thing of all about Las Vegas is the parking is virtually all free!

Airport shuttle service, round trip to the strip, is $9.

I once did Vegas only using the bus and taxis and it was hard if I went out to, say, Trader Joe's and tried to get back. Now when I go, I just cab or walk it, but rent a car for one day for anything outside of the strip.

I use a rental car as a backup and for side trips to places like Hoover Dam and the Valley of Fire. But when going from casino to casino on the strip I walk or use cabs.

I don't gamble on the strip and go off-strip (Sams Town, Orleans etc) where the odds are better. Plus when I drive I don't drink so that leaves my head clearer when gambling.

If you do have to drive, learn the back ways into the casinos. Spring Mtn Road into the Mirage and Treasure Island. Audrie into the Flamingo, Paris, Aladin and I think the MGM. Reno into Excalibur and Luxor.

Also, with some hotels when checking tell them that you drove yourself. That way they put you in rooms closer to the parking garage. For example the Flamingo is set up in a U shape with the self parking garage at one end of the U. Rooms xx000 to xx040 are by the elevator bank closest to the gararge. Rooms at the other end mean a very long walk or cutting across and winding through the courtyard.