Renting a car in Vegas

agar316 · #1 08-11-2005, 01:29 PM

Me and three other friends are heading to Vegas in a couple of weeks and I thought it'd be a good idea to rent a car. We plan to play poker at different casinos along with some low buy-in tournies and I thought having the car would come out cheaper than cab rides in the long run. The convenience factor is also playing a role in the decision. Is this a good idea? Any reason why we should reconsider a rental car? Can parking be a problem?

Patrick del Poker Grande · #2 08-11-2005, 01:33 PM

This is a good idea. The only problem with it is I don't like to have to make sure that I'm sober enough at any given time to be able to drive.

#3 08-11-2005, 01:34 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Me and three other friends are heading to Vegas in a couple of weeks and I thought it'd be a good idea to rent a car. We plan to play poker at different casinos along with some low buy-in tournies and I thought having the car would come out cheaper than cab rides in the long run. The convenience factor is also playing a role in the decision. Is this a good idea? Any reason why we should reconsider a rental car? Can parking be a problem?

[/ QUOTE ]

I am pretty sure that all the casinos on the strip have free parking.

My wife and I rented a car - but to be honest, unless you are going to be doing A LOT of moving around, its probably not worth it.

Patrick del Poker Grande · #4 08-11-2005, 01:35 PM

One trip from one end of the strip to the other and back in a cab is more than a day's rental of a rental car.

10-20Jerome · #5 08-11-2005, 01:35 PM

Dude....you need a car. If you pLAN ON PLAYING AT MULTIPULE sites (sorry about the caps lock) a rent a car is key. Vegas has some pretty rough sections of town so dont walk after dark either. If the going gets bad take a day off and head over to hoover damn, its pretty cool to see esp. for frist timers.

johnc · #6 08-11-2005, 01:38 PM

If you're going to go between casinos on the strip then taxis and the monorail is the better way to go (or walk). If your plan is to hit downtown at some point then a car will be very handy.

agar316 · #7 08-11-2005, 01:53 PM

Cool, it sounds like the car is the way to go. We definitely plan to head downtown at some point during the trip as I've never been. This is my 4th trip to Vegas and I've decided to take in the sights along with playing poker. So heading downtown is a must. Appreciate the responses.

-Anthony

#8 08-11-2005, 07:32 PM

You don't mention *exactly* when you're going, but I'll relate my experience from 2 weeks ago.

* Parking on the strip is free. It was also plentiful at every casino I parked at (caveat: I was there in the middle of the week in July, about the deadest time of the year).

* You can easily rent a car for $30 a day. A single cab ride downtown costs nearly that much. Even trips between strip casinos can be over $10.

* There is a bus that goes up and down the strip (and to downtown). My experience is that it can get pretty crowded. But it is inexpensive.

* Walking the strip in September is not a good idea because of the heat.

* You say that you want to do sightseeing downtown. IMO, it's not worth it. The Fremont Street Experience is incredibly overrated. And the sights downtown really aren't that interesting. Gambling downtown is often cheaper/better, but downtown was a bore for sightseeing purposes.

* IMO, I'd go with the car. The car frees you up to go to off strip casinos/hotels (e.g., Palms, Rio, Hard Rock), that you wouldn't consider walking to in the heat.

#9 08-11-2005, 08:21 PM

Its a toss up on the rental car. I used to have the same idea as most of the posters on here, which is: hey, a rental car is only $30/day.

Here are the things that are being left out:

1. Cars dont run on air...you have to fill it back up with Las Vegas priced gasoline.

2. Dont forget the BS charges and taxes.

4. Parking garages are free, but they aren't exactly next to the poker room (valet is not free, unless UR cheap). It takes AT LEAST 15 minutes to the poker room from any parking garage & then you gotta go back to it at 4 AM, then YOUR parking garage is another 15 minutes to your room!

5. For what ever reason, you will be late for your flight...AND you have to go fill up the car with gas...AND you gotta go turn it in....AND the shuttle bus just left....AND the next shuttle bus broke down...AND...your standing there waiting in 120 degree heat...AND...

6. A cab will pick you & your buds up and drop you off at the door of most any hotel for about the cost of the big blind in a $10/$20 game.

The upside of having a rental car is that you have the freedom to drive out and see Wayne Newton's horses.

benfranklin · #10 08-11-2005, 08:56 PM

There are a lot of local car rental places just off the strip. The rates are cheaper than most anything at the airport. Look for the ads in the local coupon-book/tourist guides. Rent a car for a couple of days in the middle of your stay, spend the rest of the time on the strip.

Avoid driving on the strip at all costs. There is a major road that runs behind Circus Circus, Stardust, Mirage, etc., that is about 10 times faster than driving the strip, with direct access to all the casino parking ramps (which are free).

You should visit downtown at least once if you have never been there. All parking downtown is pay lots or ramps, but most casinos will validate your ticket at the cashier cage for 2-3 hours of free parking.