I used a city map from AAA at first, now I use my iphone maps. My husband does the driving and I do the navigating.
Vegas is a grid. Most streets run S. & N. or E. & W.
Use the stratosphere for a marker.
If you see red rocks in the mountains you are heading West.
A bus driver once pointed out to us the Sleeping Indian Mountain. It is on the East side of the valley.
Tropicana, Flamingo, Desert Inn, Saraha, Charleston, all run East to West, while Boulder Hwy. Nellis, Decatur, Rainbow, Durango run South to North. Rancho runs on a diagonal.
Street signage is very poor, mostly on the street itself utilizing arrows. A lot of right lanes turn into right turn only lanes so be on the look out. In Michigan there is usually a sign saying that the lane is a right lane turn only, probably better signs there because of the snow. They just do not use them here.
One thing that you have to watch out for is the pedestrian crossing walks. They can be in the middle of the block and you have to stop for pedestrians. The police are stepping up their watch on this as there has been a lot of car/pedestrian accidents. Something we had to get use to here.
Also, people can u-turn at the lights, so be on the look for that. This is very rare in Michigan, so something else we had to look out for.
A lot of times you see people turning right from the left lane or vice versa. There is also a lot of motor scooters that are not licensed and use the roads, I believe illegally. These things happen anywhere, but Vegas has a lot of out of towners so just be careful.
Please do not let this discourage from renting a car, as it is the best way to get around and get the best deals from the local casinos. Like any other place, you have to drive defensively.
Enjoy
