What is the Distance from the MGM Grand to the Flamingo? Can You Walk It? And What Are the Best Ways to Get There?

By Steve Beauregard

It is almost one mile exactly from the MGM Grand to the Flamingo Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. It would take you about 20 minutes to walk it, without stops.

The one mile distance I’ve calculated is starting at the ground level exit of the MGM Grand, where it starts at the Las Vegas Strip, all the way to the first entrance to the Flamingo you see on its southern border. It’s a safe, sidewalk path all the way along the east side (the MGM side) of Las Vegas Boulevard.

The Flamingo Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas is a short monorail ride (or a fairly long walk) from the MGM Grand
The Flamingo Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas is a short monorail ride (or a fairly long walk) from the MGM Grand

However this one mile jaunt can be brutal during Las Vegas summers – helped only slightly by taking breaks by stopping in-between casinos for water, beer, ice-cold daiquiris, or all three.

Other than M&M World and the Hawaiian Marketplace mall, the first ½ mile of the walk is pretty uneventful. Of course, there are also interesting (by which I mean “drunk”) people to watch, and lots of souvenir stores in which to browse, but this first ½ mile stretch is pretty much full of chain restaurants and strip malls.

More likely, your eyes will be focused on the other side of the Strip, where the massive Aria/Vdara and Cosmopolitan casino towers will captivate your attention. At least it does mine.

You’ll cross over E. Harmon Avenue on the pedestrian bridge, past the Walgreens and the Harmon Corner shopping complex, full of chain restaurants and stores.

Once there, you’ll find yourself in the heart of the Strip action, passing by the length of Planet Hollywood, then Paris Las Vegas – with its replica Eiffel Tower.

After passing by the plaza in front of Bally’s, you’ll have to meander a little to your right (East) to use the pedestrian bridges to cross over E. Flamingo Road to the Cromwell.

From there, you’ll cross under the pedestrian bridge that goes toward Caesars Palace, and the first, most southern entrance to the classic Flamingo Hotel and Casino will be on your right.

Monorail From MGM Grand to Flamingo

This is by far the easiest and fastest way to get from the MGM Grand to the Flamingo, as there are monorail stations at both resorts.

You’ll still have some walking, as the tram stops are situated at the far eastern end of both resorts, yet it is nothing to the long Strip walk, or bus logistics involved in taking the SDX or Deuce.

Quite simply, if you’re at the MGM Grand by yourself and want to get to the Flamingo (and don’t want to walk there), just shell out for either the $5 one-way pass, or the $12 unlimited one day monorail pass.

Uber/Lyft/Taxi from MGM Grand to the Flamingo

It’s about 1.5 miles from the MGM Grand to the back entrance of the Flamingo. I mention this “back entrance” because cab drivers will drop you off there, rather than the front of the resort.

This may be a good option if you’re with a party, as the cab fare will only run you in the $10 to $15 range. A recent Uber estimate was in the $7 to $8 range.

Bus from MGM Grand to Flamingo

The closest bus stop to the MGM Grand is just a few hundred feet to the north of the casino, on the Strip side near the green strip mall where you’ll see the large Coke bottle, M&M package, and shops.

The fastest way to take a bus from the MGM Grand to the Flamingo can get complicated, so let’s break it down for you based on two preferences:

1) You want off your feet as much as possible.

or

2) You’re OK with walking a little – you just want to get there fast.

For people in the (1) category, here is the route:

Take the Deuce, (not the “SDX”), but the Deuce. Buses run every 10 or 11 minutes or so during most hours.

You’ll take the Deuce north, getting off at the Harrah’s stop.

This is another instance when if you want to save on walking time, you should NOT follow the bus instructions given to you by Google Maps, (and possibly other websites) that tell you to get off at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel and Casino bus stop.

Instead, to save time spent on your feet, you should most definitely get off at the next stop, which is at Harrahs Hotel and Casino. I say this, because if you get off at the Paris stop, you’ll still have to walk roughly 1/3rd of a mile north, to get to the southernmost entrance of the Flamingo, whereas the Harrah’s bus stop would only result in a 1/10th of a mile walk south to the Flamingo.

Yet even if you calculate walking to the southernmost entrance of the Flamingo, the walk from the Harrah’s bus stop is only 800 feet, whereas the walk from the Paris bus stop to the same location is 1/3rd of a mile.

Taking the Deuce to Harrah’s results in a bus ride of 16 minutes, followed by only a few minutes of walking the few feet south to the Flamingo. Total travel time is about 18 to 20 minutes.

Now for the people who just want to get to the Flamingo fast:

2) Take the SDX (not the Deuce), which you’ll see on the front of the bus marked (shockingly), “SDX.” Whereas the Deuce runs every 10 minutes or so, the SDX runs only every 15 to 16 minutes.

Take the SDX, getting off at the first stop, the Paris Las Vegas Hotel and Casino. This will take you about five minutes, as it is a “non-stop” direct bus from the MGM to the Paris.

From there, walk North 1/3rd of a mile approximately to the Flamingo. This walk should take about 6 to 7 minutes, meaning your total travel time (including the walk from the MGM to the first bus stop) is about 14 to 15 minutes.