Vegas layover question
 

I have a 3-hour layover in Las Vegas (10 AM to 1PM on a Wednesday.) I've never been to Vegas before. Can I get out of the airport, see the Bellagio fountains, etc. (don'r want to go into a casino, just see it) and get back to the airport in 3 hours9no luggage)?

I believe the fountain show runs every 1/2 hr. on the 1/2 hr. during the day (when you'll be there.) It's a fairly short cab ride there. Does your flight actually leave at 1 or do you need to be back inside the airport by that time? If so, of course you'll have to be back at the airport in time to go thru security and get to your terminal - I'm sure you've considered that.

I say go for it!

You SHOULD be OK... on a Wednesday, hopefully the security line won't be too long. That is really the only hang-up with LAS. If it's outrageously long, then just stay in the airport and play the slots!

Not a great idea, but it's possible. The taxi will cost about $12 and you want to be sure that the driver goes the "back way". Go to the Bellagio and check when the next two fountain shows are.

Go into Bellagio and see the fabulous reception area. Walk across this and there is a small courtyard where they have themed (e.g. Halloween) displays.

Walk through the casino and follow the signs to go toward Caesars Palace. As soon as you leave Bellagio you enter a small shopping mall.

At the end you will see one door that goes to a bridge outside to Caesars Palace. Another door goes to a bridge to Ballys. And there are steps going down to the street. If you take the steps down then you will be at the north end of the Bellagio lake. Walk around to LV Blvd to see the show.

That route will give you a short tour of one of the best hotel/casinos in L.V.

To catch a taxi back to the airport you will need to go to the front door of a hotel. You won't be able to catch one on the street.

After the fountains, bo back up the steps and take the bridge over to Bally's and walk south (so that Bellagio is on your right) past the front of Paris. Then turn left and walk to the main entrance of Paris, past the Arc de Triomphe. You can catch a cab there. There should not be a long line for taxis there, but you might have to wait a few minutes.

I've made it from a blackjack table in Paris to a D gate at LAS in 35 minutes. But I knew exactly where I was going.

When the taxi drops you off it will be in the middle of the airport, sort of. On the left is baggage claim for the arrivals and on the right is the check-in for departures. If you are going to a C or D gate then go from the cab to baggage claim and take the escalator or elevator up to the second floor.

The B gates are on the check-in side.

As usual, the Fodor-ites are the best! Thanks all.

Ooops, I just checked the times for the fountains - in my AAA book and the Bellagio website, unfortunately it looks like you're out of luck to see them, they run from 3pm-8pm weekdays. Mrwunrfl's other suggestions might be worth a detour from the airport though.

I guess at 1PM the water would go up into the 112F air and not come back down.

Meant to post this link to the property map:
http://www.bellagio.com/pages/map.asp
It's actually oriented north-up.

Look in the top right corner of the map. That is where the bridges and stairway that I mentioned are. Bally's east and Caesars north.

Follow the orange pathway backwards, southwest, and see how it goes through the mall and into the casino to an intersection. At the circle intersection go due south to the T at the cashier cage and turn right. Then left down the corridor to the fabulous lobby. To the east of the lobby is the entrance. You can see the road looping up, south of the lake, and under a canopy.