Drive Vegas like a local

Drive Vegas like a local
ley
Val
E. D
ese
rt
Spri
ng M
By RON SYLVESTER
ORANGE GOUNTY REGISTER
Caesars
Palace
W. Sa
h
.
lvd
wB
e
i
V
oun
tain
ara A
ve.
Stratosphere
.
rial Rd
Inn
Rd.
Roa
d
Circus
Cirucus
15
Trump
International
Fashion
Treasure Show Mall
Island
Indust
Mirage
Forum
Shops
Sahara
Cosmopolitan
Wynn
Palazzo
Bally’s
Monte Carlo
Paris
New YorkNew York
E. F
tra
k
Dr.
Excalibur
E. H
Luxor
LAS VEGAS
oR
d.
Hard Rock
arm
MGM
Grand
ing
on
Ave
.
LAS VEGAS
W. Sahara Ave.
Paradise Rd.
n
Fra
a
Sin
lam
ne
Planet
Hollywood
La
M
s Av
e.
dis
eR
d.
Dr.
Riviera
E. De
sert
Inn R
Encore
d.
San
d
Venetian
Harrah’s
Flamingo The Quad
Ko
va
l
an
De
in
art
Bellagio
Pa
ra
We spend a lot of time in Southern California trying to figure out how to
avoid traffic. We even have apps for that. So why waste your vacation
sitting on the Las Vegas Strip, spending 40 minutes trying to get from one
City
end to the other. Do like the locals do – stay off of it. It’s easy, if you know
Center
where you’re going and do a little planning. Here’s a handy cutout guide
to navigating the Strip and major casinos without ever having to drive on
the busiest parts of Las Vegas Boulevard.
Area
shown
515
W. Flamingo Rd.
W. Tropicana Ave.
St
Tropicana
E. R
en
oA
ve.
La
Hooters
Casino
Hotel
15
McCarran
International
Airport
E. T
rop
i
can
a
Ave
.
215
S. Eastern Ave.
as
eg
sV
he
. (t
d
v
Bl
McCarran
Intl. Airport
Las Vegas Blvd.
Mandalay
Bay
)
rip
JEFF GOERTZEN / The Register
NORTH AND SOUTH
Koval Lane
Easy access to MGM Grand (via Tropicana), Planet
Hollywood (via Harmon), Bally’s and the Flamingo
(via Flamingo) and Harrah’s and the
Venetian/Palazzo, Wynn/Encore (via Sands). Notable:
The corner of Flamingo and Koval was where rapper
Tupac Shakur was fatally shot on Sept. 7, 1996.
Paradise Road
The name is close to describing the drive, which
avoids most major Strip traffic. Although it can get
congested at times, it’s the best way to get from the
airport to your hotel. Access the Tropicana, MGM
Grand, New York-New York (via Tropicana), Planet
Hollywood (Harmon) and Venetian/Palazzo and
Wynn (via Twain/Sands). Paradise will also take you
to the Convention Center, LVH (the old Las Vegas
Hilton) and the Riviera.
Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin boulevards
Follow the names of the Rat Pack legends to skip
traffic and cruise freely. These boulevards are rarely
crowded. Frank Sinatra (accessible from the 15 and
Russell Avenue) leads to Mandalay Bay and the Luxor.
Rue De Monte Carlo takes you to the Monte Carlo and
New York-New York. Jay Sarno Way gets you in the
back way to Caesars Palace. Get to Dean Martin from
Russell Road or Tropicana. Our favorite directions:
Take Dean Martin to Jerry Lewis to get to the
Cosmopolitan and the Aria North Valet.
Industrial Road and Valley View Boulevard
Frank Sinatra turns into Industrial past Caesars
Palace. Take a right to get to the northern part of the
Strip. If you don’t want to drive kids past strip clubs
and adult bookstores, take Twain west (south of Frank
Sinatra) to Valley View, to hit casinos via Spring
Mountain Road, Desert Inn Road and Sahara Avenue.
Self park or valet?
Top valets
Parking is one area where Las Vegas doesn’t have a
house advantage over your wallet. It’s free on the Strip.
Valets are even free. Tip them when you drop off your
car and when you pick it up (we suggest $2 each way).
You don’t have to remember where you parked, they
will bring your car to you and tell you “thank you.” The
valets also give great directions. Still, there may be
times you want control over your vehicle.
Here are suggestions for the best valets and self
parking on the Strip:
Mandalay Bay – any of them, main, the hotel, or beach
level are all easy to get in and out of and have great
service. There’s a free tram to the Luxor and Excalibur.
You’ll also find fine service at the Luxor, New York-New
York, Monte Carlo, Aria, the Flamingo, the Riviera and
Stratosphere.
At the Aria and Bellagio, use the north valets and
you won’t have to drive on the Strip.
At Planet Hollywood, use the Miracle Mile Shops
valet, because the main hotel valet is often crowded. It
fills up quickly on busy nights.
At Caesars Palace, the Coliseum valet is easiest,
EAST AND WEST
Worse than getting stuck on traffic is waiting at
stoplights to cross the Strip. Here are ways to avoid
those delays, most of the time.
Spring Mountain Road
The best way to get into Treasure Island and the
Mirage. For convenience, self park at TI or valet at
the Mirage on the side entrance near the nightclubs.
Desert Inn Road
Named for the famed casino that graced the Strip
for 50 years, this street is still the best way to get
east and west. It goes under the Strip. Access it off
of Paradise Road.
Flamingo Road
This is just about the worst traffic signal to try to
cross the Strip, especially on a weekend night. But if
you can get to the correct side, Flamingo provides
traffic relief to get in and out of the Bellagio (north
valet from the west) and from the east to Bally’s and
Flamingo (via Audrie Street).
Harmon Avenue
Probably the least congested way to cross the Strip,
if you have to.
Tropicana Avenue
You can wait to cross the Strip at the light, but if you
plan your route and take it from Paradise (east side)
or Dean Martin (west side), you can avoid traffic.
West on Tropicana takes you to the Orleans. East
gets you to UNLV.
except on nights Celine Dion performs.
The Wynn/Encore valets are so good, I don’t even
know what the parking structure there looks like.
The Riviera and Stratosphere also have excellent
service.
The MGM Grand has an outstanding valet service, but
during a big show or busy night, it’s limited to hotel
guests. In that case, self park.
Best bets for self parking
No question, Cosmopolitan, where lights direct you to
open spaces.
Sahara Avenue
Get on from Paradise on the east or Valley View or
Industrial from the west. It’s really the best way to
get to the Stratosphere. Notable: Near the southeast
corner of Sixth Street and Sahara is the Tony
Roma’s, where Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal survived a
car explosion in 1982.
Venetian/Palazzo: clean, easy to park, but it’s
massive. Take note of whether you enter through the
Venetian casino or Palazzo lobby. Go in one and come
out the other, and you can spend hours looking for
your car.
Also, MGM Grand: surprisingly easy for such a huge
structure. Treasure Island has great access off Spring
Mountain Road and free tram service to the Mirage.
Parking tip: You don’t want what stays in Vegas to be
you, because you lost your car. Take a picture of the
section where you parked with your phone camera. It
will be easier after a night of Vegas-style revelry (with
a designated driver). Also, keep your phone charged.