Las Vegas: How to get from The Palazzo to Venezia Tower quickly and from The Venetian to Walgreens without getting in the sun

I recently stayed at The Palazzo for several nights and found that I wanted to minimize the time I spent walking around the casino floor. I'm not a big fan of walking through gaming areas because they are loud, crowded, and smokey. The Palazzo's casino is actually really nice compared to most of the other hotels because the pathways are quite wide and smoking is only allowed at the games (but many people don't heed the signs and just walk around with lit cigarettes… plus, smoke travels through the air and no one told the air to stay at the tables and machines). Because of my plans, I found myself walking from my room in The Palazzo to the Venezia Tower on the other end of The Venetian several times a day. By the end of the second day, I had found "optimal" paths through the massive complex. It was also 110°F outside and the sun could blister and burn skin in a matter of seconds, so I really didn't want to go outside if I could help it. I'm also a firm believer in stocking up on supplies at a drugstore like CVS or Walgreens whenever I travel for the necessities (water, mouthwash, rubbing alcohol, and other things you aren't able to bring on planes with you anymore). We asked several different employees from the front desk to a bell boy to the concierge and the directions we were given all involved going outside into the sun and walking along either the side of The Palazzo or along Las Vegas Blvd if coming from The Venetian side. By the end of the first day, we figured out how to get from within The Palazzo/Venetian complex to the Walgreens without exposing ourselves to the sun and being outdoors (in the shade) for about half a minute.

Note: All of these paths are reversable. To go the other way, just follow the directions backwards. I list them in the direction that I walked the most often and is easiest for me to remember. It's a good idea to walk them once in the direction I've written them down so going backward is more recognizable.

Optimal path from The Palazzo to Venezia Tower
This path seems to be the least crowded allowing you to walk as fast as you'd like without having to dodge people, but it requires you to be a guest of The Palazzo/Venetian complex. If you aren't a guest, you can try this route - just walk confidently as if you know where you are going.
Take the guest elevators down to the Canyon Ranch SpaClub level (3rd floor) and enter the Canyon Ranch SpaClub. Keep to the left while walking past the front desk and continue down the corridor (you'll pass the barber shop to your right as you go). Follow the hallways which will eventually lead you to The Venetian fitness center (there's an atrium with a climbing wall). I should note that you are now on the 4th floor of The Venetian (important if you are trying to get from The Venetian to The Palazzo). Walk past the climbing wall and stairs down to the fitness area and go down the corridor to the left (going right will lead you to an elevator that just goes down to the fitness center). Follow this corridor past some hotel rooms to the central elevator core. Find the elevator bank that will take you to the 10th floor and go up to the 10th floor. (On the 10th floor of The Venetian there is a bridgeway to Venezia Tower.) Once you exit the elevator, look for the corridor that takes you to Venezia Tower or Bouchon. Follow that corridor and you'll find yourself facing Bouchon Bistro. To the left is a corridor with bathrooms and the 1st floor rooms of Venezia Tower. To the right is the Venezia Tower front desk.

Optimal path from Las Vegas Blvd south of Venetian to The Palazzo
Walking on the Strip in the sun and heat is brutal. I try to get in the shade as fast as possible and indoors as rapidly as possible. The easiest way I've found when walking from the south is the following:
As soon as you walk past the "sharp" brick wall (I call it "sharp" because the wall is part of a building whose corner forms an acute angle - perhaps even less than 45°) - which might a be a Sephora? - angle to the right a little and aim for the covered stairs/walkway. Get on the moving walkway heading up and if the crowd isn't too dense, try to walk to decrease the time you spend in the heat. Continue past Madame Tussads Wax Museum, up a bridge, and back down the other side. Angle a little left at the end of the moving walkway and walk along the building until you get to the large bank of doors leading in. You'll find yourself at the end of the Grand Canal Shoppes at the top of the escalators leading down to The Venetian Casino. TAO Asian Bistro & Nightclub should be on your left. Walk around the escalators and into the Grand Canal Shoppes. When you get to the canal itself, make sure you stay to the left (going right requires you to walk around the Taqueria Canonita restaurant making the trip a little roundabout). Follow the canal until you get to the end. (You'll have to leave the canal briefly to detour around a Landau store, but it's not a big detour. The detour on the other side of the canal is a little longer around both a Wolford and an Eric Andrew Collection.) Continue past the canal into The Shoppes at The Palazzo. Once past the atrium with the waterfall, move to the right side (the side with the Coach store) and stay on that side and you enter the main shopping area. The path should turn left at the i [heart] burgers restaurant. Make a right turn at the next opportunity and you should find yourself at the guest elevators for The Palazzo.

Optimal path from The Palazzo to Walgreens
Take the guest elevators down to The Shoppes at The Palazzo level (2nd floor). After exiting the elevator banks, turn left (Apothecary) and follow the pathway to the waterfall. Be sure you are on the right hand side (Burberry, Barneys New York) by the time you get to the canal. Keeping to the right, take the first walkway to the right. Follow this walkway (which should have an ATM and restrooms to the left and further down First Food & Bar to the right) to the exit. Exit The Palazzo/Venetian complex and head to the stairs just to the left. Once down those few steps, make a sharp turn right and ride the escalator down to the entrance of Walgreens.

Optimal path from The Venetian to Walgreens
Take the guest elevators down to The Grand Canal Shoppes. After exiting the elevator banks, walk towards the end of the canal. Once you get to the canal, walk along it so that the canal is to your right (so you are walking on the left side of the canal). Just before you get to the other end of the canal, there will be a corrider to the left leading out. (There should be a Barneys New York on the far side of this walkway and Jack Gallery on the near side.) Turn right and follow this walkway (which should have an ATM and restrooms to the left and further down First Food & Bar to the right) to the exit. Exit The Palazzo/Venetian complex and head to the stairs just to the left. Once down those few steps, make a sharp turn right and ride the escalator down to the entrance of Walgreens.

I wrote these in the Summer of 2011 and any shops or restaurants that I mention as a landmark should be accurate as of the time of this writing… however, I don't know if they will be there in years to come. Hopefully, the directions will still make sense.