My wife and I are going to see Céline Dion on New Year’s Eve, but we’re not staying on the Strip, which I know they close down for the night. Will it be impossible to get anywhere off the hotel property (by car) after the show lets out? Or is it best to wait till after midnight? Even then, will it still be impossible to get anywhere by car?
Luckily, Céline plays at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, which has pretty convenient backdoor access to and from the parking garage. So you never have to get anywhere near the Strip.
Unless you want to arrive hours and hours in advance, we can’t suggest calling for a cab or Lyft — not with a showtime to make. The busiest night of the year, if you can even get a ride to Caesars, when the show lets out, there’s a very good chance that you’ll have to wait till morning for anyone to pick you up there.
As for driving yourselves, we called Caesars and asked if non-hotel guests can park in the parking garage on New Year's Eve. We were told that this year's policy hadn't been announced, but in years past, security turned away anyone who couldn't show a room key, restaurant reservation, or show ticket. Our source predicted, however, that security would be heightened due to the shooting, that non-guests won't be allowed in, and that the parking garage will probably be full between 6 and 6:30 p.m.
Given that you have tickets and assuming that you can get there early enough, if you’ve never come into Caesars the back way, the access roads to the self-parking garage are a little tricky, so we suggest you look at a map before you try to get in and out.
To orient, look for W. Twain Avenue just west of I-15. You’ll see that when you’re heading east and come to the end of Twain at the freeway, you can go right onto Dean Martin Drive, left onto Sammy Davis Jr. Drive, or straight (under the overpass) onto Frank Sinatra Drive.
To get to Caesars’ parking garage, you go straight through the underpass, then make an immediate right onto Frank Sinatra. At the first traffic light, take a left into Caesars’ property; the garage is on your right. Go right into the garage, pick up your parking ticket, and get your space — if there is one.
Alternatively, you could try valet parking at the Forum Shops. Here, you'll definitely have to present your show tickets. To get to the valet area, when you reach the stop sign (where you'd take a right into the garage), continue straight and you'll see it just ahead on your left.
Good luck and let us know how it all turns out. And say hi to Céline for us.
