May 29
by Don

Getting around in Vegas can be an adventure.  The lights and the allure is certainly inviting and you find yourself wanting to take it all in.  Well my friend; that is no small task when you consider that the Strip itself is over 4 miles long.  Throw in the fact that you could walk for days just inside some of these behemoths, and your dogs will start to bark.

 

So aside from the constant walking, you have a couple of options.  Taking a cab is your first introduction to Vegas.  Here is a cab line on a typical Friday night at the airport; umm not so nice.  However, the line moves fairly quickly and they have it down to a science so you will spend 30-45 mins max, unless we are talking New Years or something when the crush of people it tremendous.  The cost is about $23-25 to get you to the heart of the strip and is shorter if they take Tropicana to get there, but they almost never do.  So enjoy the tunnel and highway and hold on because I have yet to get in a cab that isn’t doing 90-100 on that interstate stretch to the strip.

 

Once you are there you can take cabs from one end of the strip to the other, but depending on the time of day and if the cabbie knows any side streets, this can add up.  Especially when you consider the time you will wait in a cab line, you could be talking a serious commitment.

 

One alternative is the Monorail.  Now I would only recommend that you buy the 10 rides for $35 ticket.  It’s the best value and you can use it for multiple people.  Plus it’s good for a year from when you buy it so you can use it when you come back (and you will come back).  This is a good alternative if you are on the east side of the strip and need to go a stop of two.  One ride is one ride so if you are at the MGM and you are going to the Strat, then this is definitely a deal.  The Monorail is fast and runs on time so it’s a pretty quick alternative at 10 pm on when Vegas really picks up.

 

So with a good mix of walking, cabs, and the monorail you should be able to get around in Vegas no problem.  I have left out Limos because they are just not a cost effective way to get around, no matter how hard they try to sell you when you are standing in line.  Don’t fall for it!