First timer - Bus pass? Rental car?

We are going to Vegas in 2 weeks to get married. It will just be me and my husband and we're staying at the Mirage. I looked at bus passes and it was 20 for 3 days. I also had a friend say that I needed to have a rental car. We really do not want the hassle of a car and would rather just walk, cab, and use public transportation. Is this normal?? To go and NOT rent a car? She said that she has spent over 400 before in just cab fare and I'm just wondering is it possible to just buy the bus passes and take a cab downtown one day/evening?

Also, what is the best way to figure out where the bus runs, monorail stops, etc. Is it best to just go on their website and look at the routes? I wasn't sure if there was something on here that gives that information in an easier way.

Thank you!!

 

Tons of folks don't rent cars and there's plenty of experts here on the board who can provide you lots of tips. I rent, but am there for business... though the rental manager told me that the average Vegas rental is returned with less than 30 miles on it. That's a lot of $$ per mile, no matter where you rent it from. Sure it's convenient, but most people wanna drink when they get where they're goin', so unless someone wants to be a designated driver, they leave the rental in the hotel garage.

 

I only rent if I have activities planned off strip like Hoover Dam, outlet shopping, Fremont, Red Rock. Even then, I usually only rent a car for a day or two when needed. Otherwise if I'm staying on the strip, I just walk it, usually with a drink in my hand. If your capable of walking, just walk it, but bring comfy shoes.

 

I don't think that first timers need to rent a car. Since you are staying on the strip so the question is where are you going off strip outside of getting your marriage license? That will probably determine if you need a multi day bus pass. For a lot of first timers, walking is the only mode of transport needed. My first few trips we would walk from center strip to the south or to the north to see the sights. I can't imagine blowing $400 on cab fare unless you are going to far flung offstrip resorts and that isn't something a first timer should be concerned with doing. If you become a regular, it makes more sense to do stuff like that when you are ready to try renting a car. The monorail is a tricky one: I don't think it's a great value like it used to be but for a first timer, it may be useful if you are using it to go between big sections of the strip, like from Harrah's to MGM. For shorter segments, you are better of walking.

For the bus:

http://www.rtcsouthernnevada.com/transit/

For the monorail:

http://www.lvmonorail.com/

 

Thank you all for the responses. Yes we will be drinking and I do not want the responsibility of who is going to be the DD. We have transportation included for our wedding, but will have to get the license the day or so before on our own. Yea I wasn't sure if I should even get the bus pass because I would hate to spend $20-$40+ and we don't use it that much.

Thank you all so much for the replies! We are leaving in 2 weeks from today and I'm soooooooo excited!!

 

We used to rent a car and finally realized it did not make sense. We like to walk, and have been know to walk from Mirage to Mandalay Bay. Lots of drinking along the way of course.

Even without that sort of walk, Mirage is across the street from V/P, next door to Caesars, and very close to so many other places. You can do a lots without even taking a cab or bus.

If you see the number of people getting cabs, you will learn that most people do NOT get a rental car. And, as an earlier poster indicated, many that do seem to leave them parked anyways.

 

The bus system is easy to figure out esp if you are used to public transit. If you are not going to use it enough to much consider a 24 hour pass. It is not just good for the day you purchased it but for a full 24 hours. so if you bought 24 hour passes at 7pm they would be good until 7pm the next day. Personally, I would buy the 3 day all access passes. One trip up and back from city hall will cost you almost half, and with the pass you can just hop on to ride a block or two to save steps or change plans and return to see downtown another time from getting your license etc. Cab's are expensive but not as bad when you are sharing one.

Enjoy your trip and best wishes for your special day and your life together!

Jimbo338

 

Not a bad idea to go ahead and get 2 of the 3 day passes. We are coming in Sunday afternoon and staying until Saturday AM @ 6. We will be staying at the Mirage the 1st 5 nights then staying Friday night at the Excalibur. We are getting married on Wednesday. So I'm thinking we'll go get our license on Tuesday. Maybe walk/cab on Sunday/Monday. Get the passes for Tue-Wed-Thur...then walk/cab again on Friday as we'll be taking a cab to the other hotel and not doing too much as we are leaving very early Saturday AM.

I would like to know we can use unlimited bus rides to get on and off as much as we want.

Another question not related to travel but I thought some of you could give input. I thought we'd stop at the store before we get to hotel to stock up on snacks for the hotel. And some alcohol as well. I am wondering are there any 2 for 1 coupons that you can find around the strip easy?? Or should I try to buy a coupon book or buy single coupons online. I would like to be able to take advantage of some 2 for 1 like food and some attractions.

I just want to relax and not be on a huge schedule but there are a few things that I would like to see like the Eiffel Tower, maybe the Stratosphere .

Thank you all for all of your help!

 

First timer?

I'd recommend NO rental car. Use the bus.

2nd time, I'd recommend a rental car to discover stuff off the beaten path. There's plenty on the strip, downtown, and slightly off-strip your first time that a rental car is waste of money.

 

The all access bus passes can be used as much as you care to during that time period albeit 24 hours or 3 days. It is handy cause sometimes you want to head down the Strip a couple of bus stops, hardly worth paying several bucks for but if you have the pass you just swipe and get on and off. It saves a lot of steps. In LV everything seems like it's just steps away when in fact it's quite far and all concrete. First trips especially you want to see a lot. Let's say you just walk in the MGM and walk through and down to the food court and Gardens Arena etc. It is built on 60 acres so when you return to the Strip to head up to the next resort, you have already walked over 6o acres and back!

I'm an ex camper and backpacker and let me tell you Las Vegas miles are the longest miles you can find!

There are lots of deals advertised on bill boards and on free publications, and you can get many perks like 2 for 1's if you join the player's clubs in the different casinos. Many of the 2fers are for off strip places. Check the ACG and LVA sites to look at the coupons and see if there are any that interest you. I didn't my first year.....just too much to do. Pay the extra few bucks and enjoy your time there; there will be plenty to do on your first trip.

Jimbo338

 

Just wait and see how it goes once you get there.

i would not worry about a rental car. Everything is next to each other and the best way to get around is walking.

If you get tired of walking then take a cab.

Get tired of cabs ride the bus.

Get tired of the bus rent a car.

By this time you will be tired anyway so no real need to have a car.

 

The first time my girlfriend surprised me with a Vegas trip. We stayed at the Mirage. We shuttled to and from the airport, $24 total between the two of us. Walking was great when drinking but we quickly found out walking was a much harder task than we thought in the hot summer air. We only got as far as Paris before having to turn back.

Our second trip to Vegas we did the shuttle again plus bus pass. Much better than walking! $24 + $40. $64 total. This is not including taxi fares since we don't do taxis. Stayed at Palazzo and was able to visit Mandalay Bay thanks to the bus. Great for drinking! But waiting for the bus is a bit of a hassle.

Third trip. We quickly got tired of the shuttle and the bus system, though convenient and better than walking, was a pain to get from one end of the Strip to the other, and waiting for the shuttle on the last time was lame. We decided to rent a car after finding a rate of $11/day. Taxes and fees brought it to $61 total. MUCH more convenient! We were able to hit up any resort at our order and pace. Parking and valet (+tip) are free. Visit off Strip places, like Palms. The few drawbacks are drinking is limited for the driver and waiting to pick your car up from valet can be long.

Upcoming fourth trip. Renting again. Booked even lower rate at $8/day, $59 total for compact. We will rent from here on out.

Conclusion. For our first two trips walking and bus service wasn't a bad thing. We learned a lot from it and it was a decent introductory period. But we later learned the convenience and cost efficiency of renting a car. We know it isn't for everyone but for us it's now a must.

 

Note: rental cars in Vegas will basically have taxes and fees equal to your rental price.

I got a rental for a week at $12 a day = $84

Taxes and fees = $83

Total = $167

Now having a rental was great since we went off strip a decent amount (Red Rock and outlets, for instance).

On the strip tho'? We ended up walking all over the place. That's part of the fun anyway.

Our next strip will be a no rental trip. We'd get in early and take a shuttle, Deuce/SDX it on the strip/downtown.