Car Hire
Nevada

After you land at Harry Reid International Airport (LAS), first collect all checked luggage from baggage reclaim. Once your whole group has their bags, follow the signs to the Rental Car Center shuttle. These dedicated shuttles run frequently from outside baggage reclaim at both Terminal 1 and Terminal 3. The buses are large and designed for passengers with luggage, making it easy for your group to board and ride together to the separate rental facility.

For travellers already in Las Vegas, collecting a car from a non-airport location is often more convenient. Many major resorts on the Strip have rental desks in their lobbies or connected car parks. These locations let you skip the airport shuttle and begin your journey from the heart of the city. Choosing a rental office at or near your hotel can be an excellent way to transition seamlessly from your stay to your driving adventure.

To avoid the heaviest traffic on Las Vegas Boulevard, use one of the major east–west roads to reach Interstate 15. Roads such as Tropicana Avenue, Flamingo Road, or Sahara Avenue provide a direct route from the Strip to the motorway slip roads. Using your GPS to navigate via one of these arterial roads is much more straightforward than trying to exit directly from a resort’s front entrance. This approach helps you bypass the most congested parts of the Strip.

When leaving the Fremont Street area, the key is to get onto a major route as quickly as possible. Use your navigation app to guide you to Las Vegas Boulevard or the I-515/US-95 motorway, the main arteries out of downtown. While nearby side streets can be a mix of one-way and two-way, these primary routes are designed to get you out of the city grid efficiently. Following your GPS for the first few turns helps you through the local streets until you reach the motorway.

The most efficient route from the airport area to Red Rock Canyon is via the I-215 Beltway. After collecting your car from the rental centre, follow signs for I-215 West. This motorway loops around the western side of the city, completely bypassing the traffic and congestion of the Las Vegas Strip. Then take the exit for Charleston Boulevard (State Route 159) and head west directly to the canyon entrance for a simple, scenic drive.

A solid one-day hire strategy is to plan around peak resort hours. Collect the vehicle in the morning after the early rush and return it in the late afternoon before evening crowds arrive for dinner and shows. To avoid casino parking entirely, consider using a rideshare to get to and from the rental location. That way you only have the car for your excursion and don’t have to navigate a busy hotel car park.

To build confidence, spend a few minutes getting familiar with the car in the rental centre car park before setting off. Plan your first drive for mid-morning or early afternoon on a weekday, when traffic is usually lighter than during rush hour or at weekends. Use GPS with voice guidance and enable lane guidance so you know which lane to be in for upcoming turns. Sticking to major roads like the I-215 Beltway can also feel less stressful than dense city streets.

When you reach your assigned vehicle, quickly assess the boot space before loading. If you have multiple large suitcases, an SUV or a minivan is often a better choice than a saloon. When loading, put the biggest items on the bottom and keep everything below the level of the rear window. This keeps your rear-view mirror sightline clear, which is important for safe driving.

After leaving the rental car centre, use your navigation app to find a supermarket a few miles from the airport, but not in the direction of the Strip. Look for stores along major roads such as Sunset Road or Tropicana Avenue, heading west. This takes you into local residential and business areas where traffic is calmer. Making this your first stop lets you stock up before the hotel and saves a separate trip later.

In Nevada’s hot summers, a parked car can become extremely hot inside. Whenever possible, choose a covered car park to keep the vehicle cooler. If you must park outdoors, a reflective windscreen sunshade makes a noticeable difference to steering wheel and dashboard temperatures. Avoid leaving electronics or heat-sensitive items in the car, and let the air conditioning run for a few minutes before driving.

Driving to Mount Charleston involves a significant elevation gain, and temperatures can be 20 to 30 degrees cooler than in Las Vegas. The route includes winding two-lane mountain roads, so drive at a comfortable speed and watch for cyclists and wildlife. Depending on the season, you may encounter rain or even snow at higher elevations, so check the forecast before you go and be prepared for conditions unlike the desert valley.

The most straightforward route to Valley of Fire State Park is Interstate 15 North from Las Vegas. It’s mostly motorway driving for about 35–40 miles until the clearly signed park exit. The route is direct and easy to follow with any GPS app, making it a low-stress option. After you leave the motorway, the road leads straight to the park entrance.

To reach Hoover Dam, take US-93 South towards Boulder City. As you approach the dam area, pay close attention to overhead and roadside signs directing you to visitor parking. There’s a large parking garage on the Nevada side with convenient access to the main tour facilities. Arriving earlier in the day generally makes parking easier and helps you avoid the biggest crowds and traffic back-ups.

An easy way to experience Lake Mead is to drive along Lakeshore Road, which runs along the western edge of the lake. This scenic route links key stops such as the Lake Mead Visitor Center, Boulder Beach, and several overlooks. Viewpoints have designated pull-offs or small car parks, making quick photo stops straightforward. Sticking to this main road helps you enjoy the scenery without navigating complicated side roads.

The 13-mile Scenic Drive at Red Rock Canyon is an ideal simple, beautiful loop. It’s a one-way road through the canyon’s most striking formations, with many clearly marked pull-outs for viewpoints and trailheads. Because it’s one-way, you don’t need to worry about complicated navigation or turning around. You enter, enjoy the drive and stops at your own pace, and exit at the end.

When entering a resort from the Strip, look for signs that explicitly say "Self-Parking". These lanes are usually separate from valet lanes, which are typically closest to the main entrance. For an easier experience, consider using parallel back roads such as Frank Sinatra Drive (west side) or Koval Lane (east side). These often provide more direct access to self-parking garages and help you avoid pedestrian and vehicle congestion on Las Vegas Boulevard.

The most complex interchange is the "Spaghetti Bowl", where I-15, I-515, and US-95 converge just north of downtown Las Vegas. To anticipate lane changes, use a GPS navigation app and read the overhead signs well in advance of your exit. Lanes can split suddenly, so it’s important to be in the correct lane early. If you’re heading to Utah (north on I-15) or Arizona (south on I-515/US-93), knowing your route number is key to getting through smoothly.

The most direct route to Zion is I-15 North, and it’s generally unavoidable for this trip. To make leaving Las Vegas smoother, start during off-peak hours, such as mid-morning between 9:30 and 11:30. This helps you miss the worst of the morning commuter traffic through the city centre and the Spaghetti Bowl interchange. Once you’re north of downtown, the drive becomes much more open and straightforward.

The drive to Bryce Canyon is longer, so planning stops helps. St. George, Utah—about two hours from Las Vegas right off I-15—is an excellent first stop with plenty of fuel stations and restaurants. Further along I-15, Cedar City is another ideal break before you turn onto more scenic, rural roads towards the park. Both towns are easy to access and offer the services travellers need.

Before heading to Death Valley, it’s essential to fill up in Las Vegas or Pahrump, the last town before the park’s main entrances. Fuel inside the park is extremely limited and very expensive. Roads are well paved but feel very remote, with long stretches between services and limited mobile reception. Carry extra water and snacks, and make sure your vehicle is in good condition before you set off.

A sensible, efficient plan is a counter-clockwise loop: Las Vegas to Zion National Park (Day 1), then a short drive from Zion to Bryce Canyon (Day 2). From Bryce, drive to Page, Arizona (Day 3), and then make the longer drive from Page back to Las Vegas (Day 4). This sequence keeps most daily drives manageable so you can arrive with daylight to spare. The longest leg is the return to Vegas, which you can plan for accordingly.

In areas like the Arts District or Chinatown on Spring Mountain Road, parking is typically in surface lots or on the street. Arrive a little early to allow time to find a space, especially on weekend evenings. Pay close attention to posted signs for time limits, permit requirements, or payment kiosks. Unlike large resort garages, this is more traditional city parking, so staying observant matters.

For major events at Allegiant Stadium, expect significant road closures on nearby streets such as Hacienda Avenue and Polaris Avenue. Traffic is extremely heavy before and after, and it can take over an hour to get out of the area. Plan to arrive very early and consider pre-booking parking in a designated lot. Alternatively, parking at a resort further north on the Strip and walking over the Hacienda bridge can help you avoid the worst gridlock.

When you park for a show, take a photo of your bay number and level so you can find the car easily later. The key to avoiding the post-show exit rush is to wait it out. Instead of heading straight to your car when the show ends, plan to have dessert, a drink, or a walk through the casino for about 30 to 45 minutes. By the time you return to the car park, the initial surge of departing traffic will have cleared.

Once you have the keys, find a space in a less congested part of the rental lot, away from the main exit lanes. Many rental centres have designated areas for this. This gives you room and time to fit the child seats correctly and safely without feeling rushed by other customers. Taking a few extra minutes in a quiet spot ensures your children are secure before you even start the engine.

A good approach is to choose a large, easy-to-find place a few miles from the rental car centre. A supermarket or large coffee shop car park works well. Have both cars navigate to the same address so everyone can organise, use the loos, and set their GPS for the final destination. This quick stop lets you start the journey together in a much more relaxed way than trying to follow each other out of the busy airport area.

In Nevada, as in most of the US, you’re generally allowed to turn right on a red light after coming to a complete stop, unless a sign specifically says "No Turn on Red". Another common feature is the centre left-turn lane, a shared lane in the middle used by traffic in both directions to make left turns. Also remember speed limits are posted in miles per hour (MPH) and must be followed strictly.

GPS can be unreliable among tall buildings and complex resort entrances on the Strip. Your navigation may say you’ve arrived when you’re actually on an overpass or in a tunnel beneath the property. The best workaround is to use GPS for the general route, then rely on physical road signs for the final approach. Look for "Self-Parking" signs to guide you to the correct entrance.

The best place to set up navigation is while you’re still parked at the rental car centre. Before you even start the car, mount your phone, enter your first destination, and review the initial directions. That way you’re ready and can focus on driving once you set off. If you forget, pull into a safe, designated area within the rental facility’s car park before exiting onto the main road.

As a general rule, avoid driving on I-15 near the Strip and on Las Vegas Boulevard during morning (7–9am) and evening (4–6pm) rush hours. For getting around the valley, the I-215 Beltway is often quicker and less congested than surface streets. When planning, add a small buffer to your GPS estimate to allow for traffic without constantly checking for delays.

The I-215 Beltway is the ideal way to bypass the Strip to reach Henderson or Summerlin. From the airport rental car centre, follow signs for I-215. For Henderson, take I-215 East. For Summerlin, take I-215 West. This ring road was designed to loop around the city, providing a direct, efficient route to these suburban areas without dealing with tourist traffic.

On Nevada’s multi-lane motorways, slower traffic typically keeps right, leaving the left lanes for overtaking. The general flow can be faster than in other places, so it’s best to match surrounding traffic while staying within the speed limit. Exits to major attractions can appear suddenly, so watch for last-minute lane changes and always indicate well in advance.

A practical approach is to group day trips by direction. For example, do west-side outings (like Red Rock Canyon) on one day, and south-east trips (like Hoover Dam and Lake Mead) on another. This reduces the time you spend driving across the city. By focusing on one direction per day, you can get out of central Las Vegas faster and spend more time at your destination.

As you approach the airport, start looking for the large overhead signs for "Rental Car Return". They’re prominent and appear well before the actual turn-off. The rental car centre entrance is separate from the passenger terminals, so it’s important to follow these specific signs. Set your GPS to the rental car return address, not just the airport, to ensure you’re guided into the correct lanes without last-minute confusion.

It’s straightforward. First, follow airport signs for "Departures" and the specific airline or terminal you need. Pull up to the kerb to drop off passengers and luggage. Once they’re safely out, rejoin the main airport road and follow the loop around. On your second pass, follow signs for "Rental Car Return", which will guide you to the separate return facility.

For an easy refuelling stop, look for petrol stations on Tropicana Avenue or Warm Springs Road, a short distance from the airport. There are several options both east and west of the airport entrance along these main roads. Refuelling at one of these locations allows a simple, direct drive back to the rental car return entrance without complex junctions or airport traffic circles.

Roads leading to the rental car return facility are typically not congested early in the morning, and dropping off the car is usually quick. The main potential choke point is the shuttle bus from the rental centre to the terminals. These buses can fill up quickly during the peak 5–7am departure window, so allow an extra 15–20 minutes for the shuttle ride and any wait.

During a rare Las Vegas downpour, visibility can be poor on high-speed sections of I-15 and the I-215 Beltway, especially with spray from other vehicles. Some older surface streets can flood at junctions and underpasses, making lane markings hard to see. In high winds, elevated slip roads or flyovers can feel unsettling. Reduce your speed and increase your following distance in these conditions.

A good final scenic drive is to explore the southern and western stretches of the I-215 Beltway. This offers great views of the city, the Strip, and surrounding mountains without taking you far from the airport. You can enjoy a relaxed drive and then easily exit onto the airport connector roads when it’s time to return the car. This keeps logistics simple and avoids the risk of unpredictable traffic.

For a relaxed start to a longer road trip, make your first night’s stop somewhere fairly close. Destinations like Boulder City near Hoover Dam, or the Valley of Fire State Park area, are less than an hour’s drive from Las Vegas. This lets you collect the car, get out of the city, and settle in without the pressure of a long drive on travel day. You can then start fresh the next morning for more distant parts of Nevada.