Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
2
Lay of the Land
A quick description of where everything is and
some important tips on how to get around
A
S CITIES GO
,
THERE
'
S NOTHING OVERLY COMPLEX ABOUT THE TRANSPORTA
-
tion to and within Vegas. It's served by a number of air carriers, has speedy high-
ways darting straight into its heart, and is laid out in a rough grid, making
navigation fairly easy. That said, actually getting from point A to point B, espe-
cially if you have to cross the Strip, is about as much fun as having a root canal
on your birthday. Traffic is horrendous, very few sights are within easy walking
distance of one another, and the public transportation system is improving but
still has its flaws.
My job is to take the pain out of getting around; supply you with the various
ways to do so; and help you figure out how to get where you're going a bit easier.
THE VEGAS GRID
We'll start with the simple stuff: The most famous thoroughfare in Las Vegas is
the so-called
Strip,
which is the stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard South that leads
from the Mandalay Bay all the way north to the Stratosphere. Keep going further
north and you'll be in
Downtown,
which has as its heart Fremont Street, home
to the famous light show, the Fremont Street Experience.
Caesars Palace, the Bellagio, TI, Circus Circus and the Luxor (among others)
lie on the west side of the Strip, with Highway I-15 right behind them, and
behind that is the area we'll call
West Las Vegas.
To the east of the Strip (and
you'll know you're looking east if you see Paris Las Vegas, Wynn Las Vegas,
Harrah's, and Bally's, among others) lies
East Las Vegas.
The airport is also to the
east of the Strip, just a 5- to 10-minute drive away. (See p. 312 for info on trans-
portation to and from the airport.)
While Las Vegas Boulevard (the Strip) is the major artery running north to
south, there are a number of major east-west roads that are fairly easy to remem-
ber, as some are named for the casinos that abut these roads, or once abutted
them. At the northern end of the Strip, for example, you have
Sahara Avenue
(named for the Sahara); in the center,
Flamingo Road
is a major artery (at the
Flamingo); and just next to the Tropicana you'll find—drum roll, please—
Tropicana Avenue.
I find that whenever I am lost when wandering in the outly-
ing areas of Vegas, I simply look for one of these three roads (or Charleston Blvd.,
Spring Mountain Rd., and Desert Inn Rd., other major ones) to eventually find
my way back to the Strip. You'll be amazed at how long these streets are, so be
careful when you're looking at freeway exits, as sometimes the listed exit for, say,
Flamingo, will be nowhere near the Strip.
