Las Vegas - Grand Canyon

[Zosha]

Hey all. Has anybody done Las Vegas to Grand Canyon by car? I think I might have seen a trip report with photos somewhere in the Aus section but now can't find it. I was wondering if it is feasible to drive from LV to GC and then stay the night somewhere and then drive back the next day. Any ideas on how early Grand Canyon accom. needs to be booked?

 

[Aussie Wendy]

We have driven it in reverse (we started in Phoenix flying in around 12.30 and drove up to the Grand Canyon via Red Rock Canyon arriving sunset, had 2 nights then drove to Las Vegas, leaving after breakfast and arriving in Las Vegas mid afternoon having stopped to look at and have lunch at Hoover Dam). Its 250 miles (around 400 km). Yes it is feasible to do with one night - we enjoyed having the full day and 2 opportunities for sunsets and sunrises. We booked 6 months in advance to get a room at Bright Angel Lodge on the rim. There are lowset hotel style rooms and more expensive cabins. There are 2 other big accommodation complexes tucked further back among the trees, all booked through the same local company, Xanterra. They both had rooms still available 6 months out when we booked but Bright Angel was filling up fast and the larger cabins had gone. It is worth including a visit to Hoover Dam on the way there or back, even if you just park and get out for a look as we did and not do the dam tour (depending on your time). You can also drive part of the classic Route 66 on the way to or from. My TR is in my signature (2011 US trip towards the end), PrincessInOz has a TR including GC-she broke her trip for a couple of nights near Sedona (near Red Rock Canyon), and so have lots of others. If you do a search for Grand Canyon, even just in this forum, I would think you will get hits but others will probably jump in anyway and add their comments.

 

[Zosha]

Thanks Wendy. What is Phoenix like to negotiate? I'm wondering if we should go LV, GC and then catch a flight out of Phoenix to Orlando. Would 2 nights be ok in GC even? Was Bright Angel comfortable and clean?

 

[zanzibar138]

We flew into Vegas to drive to the Grand Canyon, then drove back to Vegas for one night there and to catch our flight out.

We hired a car at the airport. Note that the hire car garage is off site, and you have to take a shuttle bus from the airport. Once we were out of the garage, it was quite easy to navigate our way to the freeway. This was our first time driving in the US, and we both found it a bit exhausting. I think we did at least 3 driver swaps. We stopped just outside Vegas for a bite to eat, briefly at Hoover Dam just to take some photos, and then again at a cute little museum/gift shop/information centre in a little Route 66 town called Ash Fork. It took us about 5 hours to complete the drive, and we arrived at the GC just before sunset.

We also stayed at Bright Angel Lodge, and thought it was fantastic! We did the overnight mule ride, which left from just near Bright Angel Lodge, so it was very convenient. We were there 3 nights in total, including the night we spent at Phantom Ranch (at the bottom of the canyon), with a night at Bright Angel Lodge before and after our ride. We had 2 different rooms, and both were lovely and comfortable, although we did prefer our first room, which was a bit more out of the way and had a bath (which we really could have used after our mule ride lol!). We ate at both the restaurants there and enjoyed both, although we had a bit of a wait for dinner and neither were cheap. Accommodation for the GC books out very early, so I'd recommend booking as soon as you can, especially if you're going at a peak time.

If you're planning to do something at the GC, like a mule ride or a long hike, or hire bikes and ride along the rim or something like that, I would recommend staying for 2 nights. If you're just planning to stand at the top and look at the view, 2 nights would be too much. It's beautiful and spectacular, but there's only so long you can stand there and look at it, especially for small kids.

On the way back to Vegas, we followed Route 66 for a while. It was nice to get off the freeway, but it did add a bit of time to our journey. It probably took us another 5 hours to drive back. We arrived back in Vegas around sunset, and it was super busy and chaotic to drive into. I would definitely recommend getting there early before the evening traffic hits.

You can check out my first TR (engagement trip). The GC and Vegas were our last stops and will be on the last few pages.

I have also been to Phoenix on a separate trip since then. I liked it and found it easy to negotiate on my own. I think Vegas - GC - Phoenix would be a great road trip! Check out my 10k TR for my experience around Phoenix.

 

[PrincessInOz]

I drove Phoenix to the Grand Canyon via Sedona and approaching it from the East Gate in 2013. I posted the TR in the main WDW section of the Dis. http://www.disboards.com/threads/an...r-last-day-and-tr-wrap-up-2796-10-01.3185788/

We found Phoenix relatively easy to navigate around.

The second post will provide you with the quick links to each of the posts if you don't want to read the other comments. Book your Grand Canyon accommodation as early as possible. They do book out quick. We stayed at Yavapai Lodge because all the other rim hotels were booked out.

 

[Caroline NZ]

We went to the Grand Canyon the same way as PIO in Sep/Oct13 ( LA-San Diego-Phoenix-Sedona-Grand Canyon-Las Vegas and onwards.
We had 2 nights at the El Tovar, and would definitely recommend staying in the park near the rim. It was a magical experience to be there before and after the day crowds. I booked as soon as the bookings opened, 1 year in advance. We left GC and drove to LV, stopping at Hoover Dam en route. It was a long and tiring day.

 

[losfp]

Our route to the grand canyon was a bit more roundabout on our 2012 trip.

We did:

6n Vegas, then
2n Springdale UT for Zion Nat Pk
1n Bryce Canyon
2n Page, AZ for Antelope Canyon (the absolute highlight of our trip. Forget the grand canyon. Go to Antelope.)
2n Grand Canyon
1n Monument Valley
2n Canyon de Chelley
3n Sedona
3n Tucson
then drove to Sandiego and up to Anaheim for our last week.

I looked into driving to the GC from Vegas and I just didn't want to drive that far in a single day. We stayed two nights at the Thunderbird Lodge I think, and it was great. Pretty much just a motel room, but we got Canyon views so I wasn't complaining. Spent the full day riding the shuttle bus along the south rim to all the lookouts.

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Phoenix was relatively small and easy to drive. Like all airports mostly now had one car hire terminal on the edge of the airport that the shuttle took you to/you would catch after returning car. Straight forward drive out of town but I had google mapped it prior so knew where we wanted to go. Road to GC from here very straight forward, even quicker if don't do the detour via Red Rock ( but that was great scenery). we find driving in the States easy away from busy cities. Did not find gc to lv too long but we have done a lot of road trips in Aus and are very used to long drives-if you haven't that experience then you may prefer to break.

 

[Zosha]

Thanks for all you responses and tips - they'll keep me going for awhile! Antelope Canyon looks amazing but we only can spare 2-3 nights max. Argh! Not enough time to do it all! My kids are slightly older, they will be 14 and 12, so they can cope with driving decent distances and it'll be all new to them so hopefully keep them amused.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Thanks for all you responses and tips - they'll keep me going for awhile! Antelope Canyon looks amazing but we only can spare 2-3 nights max. Argh! Not enough time to do it all! My kids are slightly older, they will be 14 and 12, so they can cope with driving decent distances and it'll be all new to them so hopefully keep them amused.

The GC is great. However, unless you're planning on hiking down a little (and you don't have to plan a big walk), staying around the rim and driving from location to location is pretty much about looking at a big canyon in the ground. Personally, I prefer to be in the canyon or looking up at it.

For that reason, Sedona and Antelope were so much more enjoyable for me. You are at the 'valley' floor in Sedona and can easily do short walks around. At Antelope, we did the 1/2 day (calm) rafting down the Colorado River and then spent a day going to 3 canyons to see the light beams and colours. We also took a walk to seek out Horseshoe bend. All 3 experiences at Antelope were awesome and gave us different perspectives of the canyon country. would

Having said that....if you or your kids have never been to the Grand Canyon before, then I would do that. It is one of the natural wonders of the world and it is nice to have it ticked off.
If you do the canyon, Wendy and I both hiked down the South Kaibab Trail to Ooh Aah point. It will take you about an hour and the half to do this round trip. Bright Angel Trail was probably too busy for my liking, and I liked the look of this walk better.
I would also recommend driving along the rim and stopping at Moran Point, Desert View, Navajo Point, Lipan, Hermit's Rest.

 

[Babysaurs]

We just did this a few weeks ago our trip went like this
Left Vegas
1n Zion national park
1n Bryce Canyon
1nt page ( saw horseshoe bend and upper antelope canyon)
1n monument valley
1night Grand Canyon stayed at kachina lodge on the rim
Then back to Vegas
We did this with or 4 and 7 yrs olds
Loved it would have loved another night in monument valley or page but we were limited on time.

 

[Zosha]

Thanks Babysaurs. Do you have a trip report going? What was Zion like?

PIO I have happily lost at least 5 hours reading your trip report from 2013. Spectacular photos and amazing information for our trip. So helpful. We have never been to the GC or that side of the US before so it's all new. I have no desire at all to go to LA, so am thinking that we might just arrive there, stay the night (assuming we will be tired) then drive straight out to LV the next morning. We are going to be there in December around the 12/13 and unfortunately it looks the canyon rafting place in Page is closed then. I actually should check out winter closures I guess for around the GC...

ETA: I should say, we are walkers. So we will definitely be hoping to walk down in and around the GC as far as possible.

 

[GrazingGoat1966]

My mother in law lives just south of Vegas and we have done the drive to the GC and back countless times over the years. You'll reach the town of Williams inside 3 1/4 hours from Vegas and from there its approx 55 miles to the south entrance of the GC. So 4 hours all up will get you inside the park. We have always stayed at Maswik Lodge (as with all other accommodations a Xanterra property) where a twin bedded room has cost us b/t $80 and $110 depending on what time of year you go. From Maswik it's roughly a kilometre walk as the crow flies to the canyon edge. We book 3-6 months out over the net on the Xanterra site.

Good planning

 

[PrincessInOz]

Thanks Babysaurs. Do you have a trip report going? What was Zion like?

PIO I have happily lost at least 5 hours reading your trip report from 2013. Spectacular photos and amazing information for our trip. So helpful. We have never been to the GC or that side of the US before so it's all new. I have no desire at all to go to LA, so am thinking that we might just arrive there, stay the night (assuming we will be tired) then drive straight out to LV the next morning. We are going to be there in December around the 12/13 and unfortunately it looks the canyon rafting place in Page is closed then. I actually should check out winter closures I guess for around the GC...

ETA: I should say, we are walkers. So we will definitely be hoping to walk down in and around the GC as far as possible.

ONLY at least 5 hours???? That TR was like War and Peace!!!
Glad you're enjoying it and finding the info helpful.

If you are going to go via LV, checking out Kingman, Oatman, Needles on the Route 66 path. I liked Oatman.
And if you are walkers, you might want to check out the Grand Canyon Caverns and/or Supai/Havasu Falls.

December? Yeah. A few of the summer attractions will be closed. And if there is snow on the ground, then you might be better walking along the rim rather than down.

 

[xlxo]

To clarify... you are looking at the "South Rim"? https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/Las+...46c3f6e9bb2!2m2!1d-112.125202!2d36.056198!3e0

West Rim is closer and has the Skywalk. However not sure details about allowing personal cars.
https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/Las+...35e32d9a9e4!2m2!1d-113.811166!2d36.011984!3e0

 

[Zosha]

PIO, well I was trying to paint myself in the best possible light... It was probably more like 8, while I was home on carers leave looking after my sick daughter!! (and I'm still not finished it, I'm up to WDW now, and I figure I might as well keep going if I've come this far )

Xlxo, it's definitely South Rim that we will want to go to. I haven't read great things on TA about the West Rim.

 

[Zosha]

My mother in law lives just south of Vegas and we have done the drive to the GC and back countless times over the years. You'll reach the town of Williams inside 3 1/4 hours from Vegas and from there its approx 55 miles to the south entrance of the GC. So 4 hours all up will get you inside the park. We have always stayed at Maswik Lodge (as with all other accommodations a Xanterra property) where a twin bedded room has cost us b/t $80 and $110 depending on what time of year you go. From Maswik it's roughly a kilometre walk as the crow flies to the canyon edge. We book 3-6 months out over the net on the Xanterra site.

Good planning

Thanks for that info GrazingGoat!

 

[Zosha]

And, I'm totally derailing my own thread here I know, but I didn't want to drag your TR up to the top again for no reason PIO.... BUT LOL I have just read about your Dismeet at the California Grill. Did you notice the typo on the dessert menu? It says Yahumba Museum Muscat. It's actually Yalumba, a winery not too far away from me. Do you think if the typo is still there in 18 months time and I point it out, I'll get a free bottle?!

 

[PrincessInOz]

And, I'm totally derailing my own thread here I know, but I didn't want to drag your TR up to the top again for no reason PIO.... BUT LOL I have just read about your Dismeet at the California Grill. Did you notice the typo on the dessert menu? It says Yahumba Museum Muscat. It's actually Yalumba, a winery not too far away from me. Do you think if the typo is still there in 18 months time and I point it out, I'll get a free bottle?!

LMAO!!!


I would totally drag that thread to the top and see if any of the old regular readers will comment on whether you win the free bottle or not!!!

 

[Rachel In Red]

Hey all. Has anybody done Las Vegas to Grand Canyon by car? I think I might have seen a trip report with photos somewhere in the Aus section but now can't find it. I was wondering if it is feasible to drive from LV to GC and then stay the night somewhere and then drive back the next day. Any ideas on how early Grand Canyon accom. needs to be booked?

If all you want to do is take a look around the West Rim, it's possible to drive from Vegas to the GC and back in one day. We toured the Hoover Dam too, which is on the way. But if you want to take your time, then you obviously would need to stay the night. Can't help you there.