Arriving in Las Vegas

Las Vegas is a long drive from anywhere.  So, unless you are coming from another place in Nevada or neighboring Arizona or Southern California, the odds heavily favor that you will be arriving by air into McCarran International Airport.  McCarran International sees more than thirty-five million passengers pass through its terminals every year.  That's like having the entire population of Canada parade through this portal to the City of Lights!  McCarran has an incredibly convenient location being situated right next to the southern end of Las Vegas Boulevard, a.k.a. The Strip.  Because of the typically clear and sunny weather, the views of The Strip are almost always fantastic as you make the final approach to McCarran and touch down.  While taxiing to the terminal passengers are treated to early and good looks at the big hotel casino resorts at the southern end of The Strip.

The MGM Grand can be seen in the background.

View of the Mandalay Bay and Luxor resorts from inside the McCarran International Airport terminal.

It is immediately obvious that you are not in Kansas anymore when you disembark your plane, walk through the passenger chute and enter a terminal filled with slot machines.  There are more than 1200 slot machines located at McCarran.  If you came to Vegas to gamble, no need to waste any time!   But be sure to pace yourself, you wouldn't want to burn through your bankroll before even setting foot on Las Vegas Boulevard.

Numerous major airlines serve McCarran International Airport which is a real plus when planning a Las Vegas vacation.   McCarran is an easy airport to navigate with most flights going in and out of terminal 1 and its four concourses with 96 gates.  International flights and most charters go through terminal 2 and its 8 gates.


Ground transportation is easy to get at McCarran with numerous limousine and shuttle services.  Rental cars benefit from the brilliant idea of centralizing all major car rental fleets in a single location at the McCarran Rent-a-Car Center.  Dedicated shuttles run directly from the airport terminals to the center which is only a five minute ride away.  Like the airport, the McCarran Rent-a-Car center is open, spacious and well organized making the process a typically easy and pleasant experience.  Another transportation option are the buses run by Citizens Area Transit (CAT).  Buses run from the airport, along the strip, and to the downtown area, and the cost can't be beat at just a couple of bucks.

Once you have your wheels, whether a taxi, shuttle, or rental car (Maybe a nice droptop to enjoy the sunny days or make you feel oh so cool when cruising Las Vegas Boulevard with the top down?) it is a very short trip to most hotels and resorts because of McCarran's great location.  Having a rental car is a great way to see a lot of Las Vegas and the surrounding attractions.  If you do have one, we highly recommend that rather than going directly to your hotel you cruise the Las Vegas Strip once to wet your appetite for what is in store.  Day or night, the sights and sounds can quickly ring the stimulus overload bell!

In Las Vegas, Elvis is everywhere.