“I have read about the taxi scams with the tunnel and the Interstate highway” is what I wrote in this article on Friday, September 19, 2014 pertaining to walking from the international airport which serves the greater Las Vegas metropolitan area to the Las Vegas Strip. “Sure enough, there were the long lines for transportation, for which I did not want to wait for who knows how long; and I did not want to get involved in any taxi scam anyway. I have driven the Interstate highways here in Las Vegas — there is no need to give me a sightseeing tour.”
I then wrote “Screw that. I walked.”
Yes, You Can Walk From the Airport to the Las Vegas Strip. Here is How…
That was the first time I have walked from the airport to Las Vegas Boulevard — which is more popularly known as The Strip — and back; but it was not the last time. I found that the city of Las Vegas is actually more walkable than I originally thought, as all destinations along Las Vegas Boulevard should be fewer than four miles — and should take you no more than 90 minutes at the most to walk.
Since then, I have been asked how to do that walk. If you were wondering that as well, you have come to the right place. Here are the instructions of how to do it.
Only one main access road exists within the heart of the airport, which is fortunate for you because this is easy to remember. Walk against the direction of the vehicles which are traveling through the airport, as they can only go one way on the access road.
If you wind up on the left side of the access road within the airport, cross it at a safe place — preferably at a crosswalk. The right — or east — side of the access road is where the sidewalk is located, as no sidewalk exists on the left side of the access road once you leave the terminal area.
Facing north on the main access road to the airport, you can see the fuel storage tanks in the distance on the left. Further left may be some airplanes parked on the apron; but that view is behind a barbed wire fence.
From the what were they thinking?!? department, a traffic sign was erected right over the crosswalk as you leave the airport. Many people will be able to walk under it with no problem — but if you are too tall, you will either have to bend down and go under the sign; or you will need to go around it.
Some people believe that no sidewalks exist when leaving the airport. That is not true. At first glance, the main access road appears to have no sidewalk on either side. That is because the sidewalk veers away from the access road — which, by the way, is known as Wayne Newton Boulevard. Look closely under and behind the large traffic sign, and you will see the sidewalk going towards the left, while the main access road curves towards the right.
Facing south along the access road and towards the terminal buildings and parking garage, this is the aforementioned traffic sign, which I think should have been raised just a little higher.
Walk a little further away from the airport, and the main access road and the sidewalk have separated apart.
Facing north away from the airport, the walk gets quieter as the noise from the passing vehicles fades. The fuel storage tanks spoil an otherwise decent view…
…but you will not see the fuel storage tanks for long, as you are treated to a view of the distant mountains behind the palm trees as you walk further and then turn around for a look.
Looking at this photograph facing south towards the airport, I did not realize that a sculpture appears to be on the left side of the walkway — along with two flags — so I did not stop to see it.
The walkway meanders through a grove of different types of trees and shrubs…
…and even the occasional cactus.
I turned around and looked back, facing south towards the airport. I liked how the landscaping was done.
More cacti appear as the walk heads towards the large economy parking lot and a few minor access roads — including Four Corners Road. You can see some of the buildings on the Las Vegas Strip in the distance on the left.
Look carefully and you will see a crosswalk which angles to the right across Four Corners Road. Use it to cross the street here to access the sidewalk on the other side.
Walk further down the sidewalk, and you will eventually reach the main access road once again, which is on the overpass crossing over Kitty Hawk Way, which you will eventually cross.
This view is facing back towards Four Corners Road from where you came once you reach Kitty Hawk Way. Look carefully and you can see the aforementioned angled crosswalk in the center of the photograph in the distance.
You know you have reached Kitty Hawk Way when if you face west, you will see Mandalay Bay Las Vegas in the distance — but you cannot go that way, as the runways of the airport are between you and Las Vegas Boulevard at this point.
Beyond the economy parking lot and the rental car parking lots are many of the buildings which comprise The Strip.
Look carefully across the street and you will see that the walkway curves and is sandwiched between the main access road and the barbed wire fence of the parking lot.
Take this walkway — but be careful, as no crosswalk exists here either. Traffic is usually light on Kitty Hawk Way, so crossing it is usually not a problem…
…but a traffic signal at Paradise Road is a short distance past the overpass if you feel safer and more comfortable about crossing the street there instead — or if you are rolling your belongings and need a curb cut to ease the transition from the sidewalk to the street. You will just have to double back under the overpass to get to the walkway.
After you walk between Wayne Newton Boulevard and the barbed wire fence of the economy parking lot, you will find yourself heading north northwest on Paradise Road, which eventually slightly curves due north. This view is facing south back towards the airport.
I edited out the telephone numbers of the billboards from the photograph.
When to Use East Tropicana Avenue
The first time you will be able to turn left to access Las Vegas Boulevard is if you head west on East Tropicana Avenue.
Here is a bonus if you are an aviation aficionado: the sidewalk on the south side of East Tropicana Avenue parallels the north end of the airport. Stand in the right spot and you can watch airplanes either take off or come in for a landing — and the airplanes fly rather close over your head, which is why the streetlights on this stretch of East Tropicana Avenue are so short.
Hotel and casino properties which are best accessed via turning left and heading west on East Tropicana Avenue include:
- Desert Rose Resort
- Excalibur Hotel and Casino
- Four Seasons Hotel
- Hampton Inn Tropicana
- Hooters Casino
- La Quinta Inn and Suites by Wyndham Las Vegas
- Luxor Hotel and Casino
- Mandalay Bay Las Vegas
- MGM Grand
- Motel 6 Las Vegas Tropicana
- New York New York
- Park MGM Las Vegas
- Travelodge by Wyndham Las Vegas Airport North
- Tropicana Las Vegas
When to Use East Harmon Avenue
Hotel and casino properties which are best accessed via turning left and heading west on East Harmon Avenue include:
- Aria Resort and Casino
- The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
- Elara by Hilton Grand Vacations
- Marriott’s Grand Chateau
- Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino
- Polo Towers by Diamond Resorts
- Vdara Hotel and Spa
- Wyndham Grand Desert
When to Use East Flamingo Road
Hotel and casino properties which are best accessed via turning left and heading west on East Flamingo Road include:
- Bally’s Las Vegas Hotel and Casino
- Bellagio Hotel and Casino
- Caesars Places Las Vegas Hotel and Casino
- Flamingo Las Vegas
- Harrah’s Las Vegas Hotel and Casino
- The LINQ Las Vegas Hotel and Casino
- The Mirage
- Paris Las Vegas
- The Westin Las Vegas Hotel and Spa
When to Use East Sands Avenue
Hotel and casino properties which are best accessed via turning left and heading west on East Sands Avenue include:
- The Palazzo
- Treasure Island
- The Venetian
- Wynn Las Vegas
When to Use East Desert Inn Road
Hotel and casino properties which are best accessed via turning left and heading west on East Desert Inn Road include:
- Encore
- Resorts World Las Vegas
- Trump International Hotel Las Vegas
When to Use Elvis Presley Boulevard
Hotel and casino properties which are best accessed via turning left and heading west on Elvis Presley Boulevard include:
- Circus Circus
- Hilton Grand Vacations on the Las Vegas Strip
Other Destinations On or Near Paradise Road
As a point of reference, the Stratosphere Casino, Hotel and Tower — which is the last major hotel and casino property before reaching the wedding chapels and then heading into downtown Las Vegas — is located 3.7 miles north of the airport, which will take approximately one hour and 20 minutes to walk. Most other hotel, resort and casino properties south of there are closer and will take less time to walk.
By this time, Las Vegas Boulevard is now a short walk from Paradise Road — but use the interactive map below to get a better idea of where to walk. Keep in mind that crossing Las Vegas Boulevard is no easy task, as you will likely fight crowds and need to use an overpass at a major intersection to cross the street.
Along the way on Paradise Road, you will find the following hotel and resort properties in the order of heading north as you walk away from the airport:
- Hyatt Place Las Vegas
- Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Las Vegas
- Red Roof Inn Las Vegas
- Embassy Suites by Hilton Las Vegas
- Silver Sevens Hotel and Casino
- Candlewood Suites Las Vegas
- Four Points by Sheraton Las Vegas East Flamingo
- La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Las Vegas Airport North Convention
- Emerald Suites Convention Center
- Embassy Suites by Hilton Convention Center Las Vegas
- Mardi Gras Hotel and Casino
- Renaissance Las Vegas Hotel
- Las Vegas Marriott
- SpringHill Suites by Marriott Las Vegas Convention Center
- Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino
- Hilton Grand Vacations on Paradise (Convention Center)
- SLS Las Vegas
Summary
Do not try to use Google Maps to get an accurate path of how to walk out of the airport, as it will not guide you correctly. I included an interactive map simply for reference…
…but by request, I took a screen shot of the satellite view of the map and highlighted the walkway in green so that you can see the exact path from the airport terminal to Paradise Road.
The trouble with walking is that there is this pesky runway separating Las Vegas Boulevard — otherwise known as The Strip — from the terminal buildings. I think that the taxi commission must have lobbied to have the airport designed that way. If the runway was on the other side of the terminal building, there would be little need to use transportation to get to the airport.
Walking is great exercise which will cost you absolutely nothing — other than your time, of course; but all bets are off if you are using a taxi cab or ride sharing service in heavy or gridlocked traffic — but I would not recommend walking from the airport if the ambient desert air is too hot and dry for you; if you are carrying heavy items that are not on wheels; or if you are not in reasonably good health.
I found that the morning was the best time of day to walk between the airport and Las Vegas Boulevard. Las Vegas is generally quieter; and the weather is cooler. In cooler weather during the winter months, the afternoon might be a better time to walk.
All photographs ©2014 and ©2018 by Brian Cohen.
