Rental cars

I'm a fairly experienced traveler but the vacation Mrs. Omar and I are planning has us a bit stumped.

We're going to fly into Phoenix, spend a couple days there, hit the Grand Canyon, then drive to Vegas.

A friend of mine who goes to Vegas all the time says a rental car's completely unnecessary there.

But we're basically keeping the car for six days as is, which locks us into a weekly rate on most of the sites I've been to.

Given that it's a one-way rental, anyone have any suggestions on where to find the cheapest rates? Or a way to finagle the days so we're getting the most for our money?

 

A rental car is completely unnecessary in Vegas.

Maybe you could turn it in as soon as you get there so you don't get charged for it there. Sure, you will have to take taxis if you hop from casino to casino, but that's easy.

I don't know if/what hotels charge for parking there, so factor that in.

 

I agree that not only is a car unnecessary in Las Vegas, it's a pain in the ass. Unless you want a post-midnight trip to In 'n' Out . . . but I digress. You will most likely park the car in the hotel garage and not see it again until checkout time.

I have had good luck with Budget, particularly with one-way rentals. You might also try Priceline.com.

 

I've been to Vegas 30-plus times and I always get a car. Cabs are so expensive and you can go anywhere you want with a car. Out to the dam, Henderson, the desert, anywhere. I got a car there in October for something like $15-$20 a day on Priceline. Try that first. A cab ride from the strip downtown can cost you $20 one way. Plus, I always like to drive around town to see what's new. You can valet park for $1 or $2 at any large hotel/casino and virtually all of them have free parking. I just valet parked for a couple bucks every night.

 

If you don't mind a bit of a walk, self-park is usually free. Otherwise, let the valet have it. Costs a dollar each time you go get the car.

 

I was told you can return rental cars at several of the casino/resorts on the Strip but I'm having the damnedest time figuring out which companies are at which places.

 

I've found Enterprise to be less than Budget.

 

Some observations:

rental outlets at the hotels are epic ripoffs.

if you're going to drink to excess, cab it. Metro is merciless when it comes to drunken driving. You'll get treated better if you stick up a gas station.

If you're not looking to do an enormous amount of casino-hopping, or if you're at or near a corner with tons of casinos within walking distance (Flamingo and the Strip, anyone?), and you're not looking to drive out to Red Rock, you probably don't need a car.

Cab rates are among the highest in the nation.

The strip busses can be a VERY good deal, but they get crowded during rush,
and even with the double-deckers running, you're not assured of instant
gratification.

Hope this helps.

 

Whether you want a car in Vegas may depend on where you're staying. If you're at a central spot like Caesars you'll want a car a lot less than if you're at the edge of the strip, like the Mandalay Bay.

Personally, I need the car to get to the Original Tommy's in Henderson.

 

Omar,

Understand that one-way rentals usually cost a lot more than those which are returned to the same locale. To boot, the companies will usually have you "deadhead" one that the locale from which you're renting is trying to send the out-of-town property back in their direction.

It usually costs too much, though. Dunno if there will be much negotiation.

The one thing I can recommend is to check both your auto insurance company as well as the credit card which you will use to reserve the rental. See if one or both will insure your rental vehicle while you are driving it so that you can decline the optional forms of coverage every rental company offers. It's a good idea to take it if neither your auto insurance company and/or the credit card don't cover it, but an obvious waste of money if they do. Additionally, it will prevent the rep at the desk from bullying you into it.

 

So, I've got a question for you travelers there and, rather than make a new thread, figured I'd bring up an old one.

The fiancee and I are going to Vegas from July 11th-18th and then driving out to LA from the 18th-23rd. We know we won't need a rental car for the vast majority of our Vegas trip, as we've been there before, but I'm thinking about checking out the Hoover Dam, and some out of the way stuff.

We're definitely going to need it to drive from Vegas to Cali, though, and there is lies the problem.

Should I try to get a week-long rate by picking up the car a couple days early (Say Thursday the 15th), with that giving me the freedom to check out some of the other stuff farther away or should I say the hell with it and get the car when I absolutely need it (The 18th)?

Keep in mind we haven't made much in the way of plans yet. All we know is we're spending a good chunk of our time pool side and relaxing.

Also, while I have you, can you recommend me some things to check out besides the usual tourist traps? We were thinking about driving to the Grand Canyon for a day-long picnic/walk around but I think that's four hours away so I'm kind of trying to avoid too many of those types of trips.