Question:  How far is the Las Vegas airport from the Strip?  Is it close enough for me to take a taxi from the airport to my hotel on the Vegas Strip?

Vegas Chill’s Answer:  Las Vegas’ McCarran International Airport is located less than a mile from the Strip (especially close to the southern end but within minutes to almost all Las Vegas hotels). 

Cabs are plentiful – airport personnel keep an orderly lineup of visitors waiting for them.  Feel free to ask someone standing in line near you to share a cab and split the cost of around $14.  Fares to the downtown (or Fremont Street area) are slightly more. 

Cheaper yet are the shuttle services, for about $4 to $5 for a run to the Strip.  A bus ride will set you back a mere $1.50, and it certainly beats walking. 

For those who want to arrive in style, a party of six can hire a limousine – prices vary, but you’ll get your holiday off to a great start! 

Finally, for more information on transportation to Las Vegas, check out our article on Getting to Vegas.

Question:  I’ve heard that it’s legal to hire escorts and/or prostitutes in Nevada.  Is this true?  Also, I heard that years ago, flyers advertising escort services were routinely passed out on the Strip.  Does this still happen?

Vegas Chill’s Answer:  As with many other places, things in Las Vegas, NV are not always what they seem to be.  In the case of “escorts” in Las Vegas, although they are advertised as providing companionship and/ or “entertainment,” escort services often provide various sexual services for those who hire them.  Clark County, where Las Vegas is located, does not have legalized prostitution, but some of the surrounding counties have legalized it.  Many of the escort services are actually located outside Clark County.  As for the escort services that operate within Clark County, they are skilled at maintaining a façade of legality when necessary.  We’ve found no statistics on how many advertised escort services are actually operating within the limits of the law, but most references imply that the vast majority go beyond legally-sanctioned activities.

The flyers and card-sized handouts promoting escorts usually feature semi-nude young women with their business names and phone numbers.  Some are still distributed on Las Vegas sidewalks, both on and off the Strip.  Because such hand-outs have been determined to be protected by the First Amendment, they are given to tourists without interference by the police or casino security guards.  Yes, they are annoying…but they are certainly not given out as much as they were just a few years ago.

Question:  When is the best time to go to Las Vegas for a weekend?

Vegas Chill’s Answer:   Anytime!  Las Vegas is always happening on the weekends, and you can almost always find great travel deals, making Vegas a great weekend destination from any part of the country.

If your goal is to score a super discount on a Las Vegas hotel for a weekend, think about the times when demand for rooms has slacked off.  Big conventions can fill up a lot of the larger hotels, so check the convention schedule first. 

Bear in mind that some times of the year (late spring before schools are out; August and September, excluding Labor Day weekend) are pretty safe bets for mega-deals on great hotels. 

Also keep in mind that hotels that have been around for several years often offer steep discounts when compared to other hotels in the same "star-level," since they are competing with brand-new hotels.  Many of these slightly older Las Vegas hotels (such as Treasure Island, shown at right) are great places to stay when you want to get a steep discount and still stay at a great hotel.

Lastly, check out our article on planning a Las Vegas weekend trip for more tips on visiting Las Vegas for a weekend.

Question:  Can you give me a quick summary of the history of Las Vegas?

Vegas Chill's answer:  Sure!  We're happy you asked.  We have an entire article about Las Vegas history facts and myths. 

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