LAS Airport, Las Vegas McCarran Baggage Claim CES-2010-LasVegas 394

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McCarran Airport in Las Vegas offers some of the smoothest transitions from bags to ground transportation. Take the $7 shuttle to the strip if alone, but if 2 or more probably best to use a taxi for $14-$20 depending on your hotel location. Mandalay Bay, New York New York, Luxor, Excalibur, Tropicana, Hooters, MGM and more are at the McCarran end of the strip while Circus Circus and Stratosphere are at the North End. Wynn, Paris, Venetian, Bellagio, CityCenter (Mandarin Oriental, Vdara, Aria) are basically near the Center of the strip though you should always orient yourself with the strip before a trip to Vegas.

Do note that the Shuttle times seem to depend a lot on several factors such as wait time at the Airport which can be as much as 15+ minutes while the shuttles wait for more people and also the location of your hotel on the strip. I suspect but I'm not sure that drivers also tend to drop folks off sooner at the higher end hotels all other things equal.

Walking is almost out of the question for distance (2+ miles to center strip) and security reasons (route is tricky, route is not really designed for walking safely, few other people around).

Leaving Las Vegas, Arriving Las Vegas McCarran Airport

Las Vegas is one of the world's top travel destinations and top travel cities. This is especially remarkable given that almost all of the Las Vegas Hotel and Casino action happens in two areas - the Las Vegas Strip and the smaller but still active Downtown Las Vegas area around Fremont Street.

A quick orientation to your transportation options from McCarran to your hotel are as follows:

* Las Vegas Limosines. Classy but the most expensive option. Expect to pay $50+ for your trip to the strip.

* Some hotels offer free shuttle service. This is a great option if available so ask your hotel about it.

* For two or more people Taxis generally will offer the best balance of price and convenience because they are much faster than the shuttle service. Expect to pay $10-15 for a ride to the strip.

* The Las Vegas Strip Shuttle service leaves regularly from just outside the baggage pickup area (Limos are here as well). This is your most cost effective option at about $5 for a ride to the strip. Unfortunately if your hotel is not close to "first" on the driver's list of hotels, which is not necessarily consistent with their place on the strip, you may be waiting up to an hour to get there. Shuttles do tend to be very clean and comfortable.

The Las Vegas Strip is the four mile stretch along Las Vegas Boulevard that is home to many of the world's largest hotels such as the MGM Grand near the south end of the strip and the Stratosphere at the north end. In between are dozens of enormous Hotel Casino resort properties such as the Wynn, The Venetian, The Bellagio, Caesar's Palace, The Mirage, TI (formerly "Treasure Island"), Bally's, Harrah's, Luxor, and several more. The Las Vegas Strip will soon be home to one of the world's most upscale residential developments now under construction.