Where can I practice driving in Las Vegas?

Table of Contents Show

Where is the best place to practice driving?
Is driving difficult in Las Vegas?
What is private driving practice?

Hello, i know there is a thread about this already but it’s a couple years old. Anyone know any open areas In/Near Summerlin? i wanted to practice driving stick. thank you!

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The Ikea parking lots after it closes.

From what I can see, the freeway is also a popular choice but I personally wouldn't advise it.

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Try the RC Willey on Town Center when they’re closed on Sundays. They have a pretty big, open parking lot

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I know this thread is years old... but I have spent months teaching my kids to drive in this parking lot, all because I found this post.

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what about downtown summerlin after it closes?

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and a great place to practice is anything with a decent incline... so you can get good at being at a stop and not rolling back when going into first

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I didn’t grow up in Vegas but I learned driving stick for my first car in a Paris Parking lot after hours. I’d give that a try. Once you can start in first and shift between 1st, 2nd and 3rd you can drive stick.

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Las Vegas motor speedway.

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IKEA has an overflow parking lot that is wide open.

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When there aren't events, the Thomas and Mack parking lots at UNLV have a variety of driving to practice.

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There is a large empty parking lot on Rainbow and Spring Mountain with only a Burger King in it that is perfect for starting out teaching someone to drive, I used it to teach my wife how to drive a couple of years ago.

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Anything updated in this thread?

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how’s it goin, i ended up learning at the old sears parking lot on grand canyon next to the target and sometimes ikea parking lot at night

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08-19-2016, 02:14 PM

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Our teen just received her learners permit, and I would like to take her out to an empty parking lot for her initial lesson(s). Does anyone have any suggestions of where I could go in, or near, Summerlin? I have memories of my dad taking me out to the huge parking lots of the county fairgrounds to practice, but I don't think we have anything like that around here. I thought RC Willey on a Sunday would work, but my husband says the store's lot is gated up on closed business days.

08-19-2016, 04:30 PM

Location: Henderson, NV, U.S.A.

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At the Suncoast casino parking lot - the large one that goes right up to Rampart, has a lot of empty stalls at the farthest from the building. They may chase you away, but if you play it right you can practice lane positioning, turning, parking, etc.

08-19-2016, 05:29 PM

Do you know where the Cancer Institute used to be on Twain behind the Element hotel at Town Center? That is where I took my son on weekends. It isn't locked up and has a moderate parking lot with few obstacles including no speed bumps. I got him to the point where he was driving around the building in right turns before we hit the road.

08-19-2016, 07:00 PM

Location: 89121

250 posts, read 196,501 times

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High school, dmv,.
A friend of mine hired an instructor, and said it was money well spent, and that he is definitelyd doing it for the rest of his kids.

08-19-2016, 11:26 PM

Location: Las Vegas

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it is good that you want to start driving near Summerlin .... good choice

my only advice is not to drive near the strip/downtown, even if you feel confident or if you feel encouraged to go there!!

08-20-2016, 02:28 AM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by hank702

High school, dmv,.
A friend of mine hired an instructor, and said it was money well spent, and that he is definitelyd doing it for the rest of his kids.

Yup. I hired Safeway driving school for my kid. I tried teaching him myself, but it was going to give me a heart attack.

For a teen, I also recommend googling "Drivers Edge" and signing the kid up for it when they come to town next. Excellent opportunity to learn real life defensive driving skills, such as avoiding obstacles and driving out of a spin. It's donation based. They also get some real world info on drunk and distracted driving, and the ugly consequences. It's a great program.

My kid got to learn with Mario Andretti's grandson.

08-20-2016, 09:13 AM

Location: In a secret bunker under the Cannery

1,078 posts, read 1,042,007 times

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I agree pay a pro your child will listen to them in a different way than they listen to you.z
Also then it's not personal and less stress for the new driver as well.

08-20-2016, 09:34 AM

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Thanks for the suggestions! LasVegasPlayer, that parking lot in South Summerlin sounds ideal. I am also going to check out a nearby business park. I figured the casinos would be far too busy 24/7, but I'll look at the remote sections.

We do plan to pay for driving lessons down the line (which seem to run about $300 for 6 hours of drive time), but for now, we would like to handle the basics/fundamentals and have the driving instructor take on the more advanced skills (I-15/expressway, merging, driving test items) . The most our teen has ever done so far is turn on a car, and she has some anxieties. Hubby wants to take her around the neighborhood block, but that seems like more of a 2nd or 3rd lesson to me. Yeah, I'd prefer to be on the cautious side.....

Great tip about Drivers Edge, NLVgal! I went ahead and registered her for a session next month.

08-20-2016, 10:26 AM

799 posts, read 650,673 times

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Quote:

Originally Posted by caitzmom

Great tip about Drivers Edge, NLVgal! I went ahead and registered her for a session next month.

Sounds like a great plan. This is exactly what I did to start my kids driving...a big, empty parking lot. Lot's of patience, and gradual increase in complexity. Definitely want a pro to get in the mix, especially for the big stuff (busy streets, freeway's, etc.) at first. Then, gentle guidance, and teaching to anticipate, and plan ahead. Let them know ahead of the game that if you start to get nervous, you'll ask them to pull over and let you drive. And do it before you feel the need to "yell" at them, or raise your voice. Let them know that they did nothing "wrong", it's not a punishment, the situations are just above their level for now, and they'll grow into them with more time behind the wheel. And make excuses to take them out and drive, they'll really appreciate it!

Learning these traits early will save their lives.

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Where is the best place to practice driving?

The 7 Best Places to Practice Driving.

Big Empty Parking Lots. For your very first time behind the wheel, there's no better place to practice driving than a big empty parking lot. ... .

In-Use Parking Lots. ... .

Suburban Streets. ... .

Rural Highways. ... .

Small Towns. ... .

City Streets. ... .

The Freeway or Interstate..

Is driving difficult in Las Vegas?

Driving in Las Vegas can be challenging, especially if you are visiting the city or are relatively new to the area. Unfortunately, motor vehicle accidents are also a serious problem in our region.

What is private driving practice?

Private practice is any driving a learner does outside of lessons with a trained driving instructor. The Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) recommends at least 47 hours of driving lessons and 22 hours of private driving practice before test time.