Can You Walk the Distance From Mandalay Bay to the Famous “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” Sign?
Yes you can. By my measurements, the “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign is approximately 8/10th of a mile from the entrance to Mandalay Bay. Walking at a normal pace will get you there in roughly 15 to 20 minutes.
The exact location of the Welcome to Las Vegas sign marks the start of the Las Vegas Strip. Mandalay Bay is the closest casino to the sign, and is just a straight shot down the sidewalk.
To walk there, you’ll simply leave the Mandalay Bay or Delano (or Four Seasons) and head south on the sidewalk fronting Las Vegas Boulevard (The Strip). In case you’re as confused by directions as I am sometimes, south will be going away from the Luxor, in the total opposite direction.
Walking south on the Strip, you’ll pass by Four Seasons Drive, then the Mandalay Bay parking lot and south section of its massive convention center.
You’ll continue South past Russell Road, walking parallel to the main airport in Las Vegas, McCarran International Airport, which will be on the opposite side (the East side) of the Strip.
Just stay on the sidewalk going south. You’ll pass first by a complex resembling a strip mall, after which you’ll pass by the entrance to the Bali Hai Golf Club, which is one of just four golf courses near the Las Vegas Strip.
You won’t, however be able to see the course from the sidewalk. Images I’ve seen of this course show it to be gorgeous, with lush landscaping, several water features, and some holes having dramatic views of the glimmering Mandalay Bay towers in the distance.
(Go here to find the distance from Mandalay Bay to the Bellagio)
Just past that is a non-descript Las Vegas fire department building, and then you’ll seen the sign in the middle of the median that separates North and South bound Las Vegas Boulevard traffic.
When you see the sign, you’ll be seeing it from the North, looking south – meaning you’ll have the view of people leaving Las Vegas. Thus, this side of the famous sign reads, “Drive Carefully. Come Back Soon.” Of course, on the other side, the northbound side, visible to people just coming into Las Vegas is where you’ll see the iconic “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” font and colors that have become the signature image of Sin City.
(Go here to learn The name of the street the Las Vegas Strip is on.)
In the spring of 2015, traffic stoplights and pedestrian crosswalks opened at the sign, making it much safer for visitors to cross busy Las Vegas Boulevard to get to the sign.
Overall the layout for this iconic Vegas landmark is fairly spacious (especially for a median) and there’s usually at least a few other tourists there available to take your photo for you. Sometimes tour buses will stop, so it can get pretty crowded at the sign at times. The walk is safe and clean and again, should take you less than 20 minutes.
Walking back on the other side of the street, (the east side) is only mildly more interesting than your initial walk, should you choose that route instead. It’s the same distance of course, however you will walk past the Little Church of the West.
This classic Vegas wedding chapel claims to be the oldest building on the Strip. It has hosted countless nuptials over the years, including ones by Richard Gere (to Cindy Crawford) and Angelina Jolie (to Billy Bob Thorton). Neither of those two matches lasted long, but results may vary.
Up ahead, at Four Seasons Drive, there’ll be a McDonalds and a strip mall.
Driving to the sign will only take three minutes, (or less). There are 33 parking spots accessible to south bound traffic.
Taxi or Uber/Lyft from Mandalay Bay to the “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” Sign.
To be honest, I haven’t done this however the Uber non-surge pricing estimate is in the $8 to $1 range.
I have taken many 1 mile taxi rides in Las Vegas and the sign is slightly less than a mile from Mandalay Bay, so figure $8 to $11 dollars to get there. Of course, if you make the taxi wait for a photo op, the meter continues to run, and it will be a little more expensive on the return trip as the driver will have to go south to turn around in order to go back north to Mandalay Bay.
(By Steve Beauregard. Photo courtesy of matze_ott via Flickr).