visiting the Grand Canyon.....

[DizBelle]

We have a trip in a few months. It will include at least a few days in Las Vegas. As part of this trip, we want to visit the Grand Canyon. How should we do this?

1. Take an tour to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas. This would be a one day trip with no overnight stay.

2. Plan a night's stay (or 2 night's stay) at the Grand Canyon

We've never been so we don't know if 1 day will be enough or if we need to plan on staying overnight.

Anyone have any recommendations?

 

[Danauk]

We have used Sundance helicopter tours twice for day trips to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas and I would really recommend them. The 1st time we did a tour that included lunch, the 2nd time we did a longer tour that included a short boat trip down the river and a walk out on the skywalk glass bridge. We found the length of time we were there to be long enough and had a nice time.

 

[legalsea]

We have a trip in a few months. It will include at least a few days in Las Vegas. As part of this trip, we want to visit the Grand Canyon. How should we do this?

1. Take an tour to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas. This would be a one day trip with no overnight stay.

2. Plan a night's stay (or 2 night's stay) at the Grand Canyon

We've never been so we don't know if 1 day will be enough or if we need to plan on staying overnight.

Anyone have any recommendations?

There is a great lodge on the North rim. If possible, stay there. It was built during the Great Depression and is operated by the park service. Stunning views.

 

[Shutterbug]

I would spend at least one night. It is at least 5 hour drive from Vegas. A few years ago, we did a two night and for me that was NOT enough for me. There were plenty of other trails and views I wanted to photograph.
For some though a couple hours are enough for " a big hole in ground"

If you are into nature and landscapes spend at least one night. The colors of the canyon during sunrise and sunset are awesome!

 

[minkydog]

If you can afford it and you have the time spend at least one night. Grand Canyon is so beautiful, it's impossible to take it all in at once. We were out there in 2007, but we camped in Williams and took the train up to GC. We only stayed about 6 hours, which wasn't nearly enough, but honestly, with Christian along? I was kinda glad to get him outta there.

We plan to go back in a few years, when the kids are all out of the house and Christian is in his group home. I'd like to spend enough time out there to see the sun come up, the sun go down, and visit every one of the interpretive sites. But I think I'll skip the trail down into the canyon. I read "Death in Grand Canyon" AFTER our visit--Yowsa!

 

[ScottOKW2K]

I don't know what your dates are but if you are at the Canyon in early June you might want to look into doing this :

http://www.tucsonastronomy.org/gcsp.html

Mark Your Calendar: June 5-12, 2010

The 2010 Grand Canyon Star Party (GCSP) will be held from June 5th through 12th on the South Rim in northern Arizona's Grand Canyon National Park. All amateur astronomers and the interested public of all ages are invited! Bring your telescope and enjoy the camaraderie. But you don't have to have a telescope to come and enjoy the beautiful Arizona night skies. You DO need to reserve a room or campsite and make your travel arrangements early. See Accommodation Information for details. A visit to the breathtaking Grand Canyon is an unforgettable and fabulous vacation for families, singles, and seniors. Add a week of dark Arizona skies, lots of friends, fun, and astronomy education, and you have a recipe for perfection! If you are an astronomer volunteering to support this event, please follow the registration instructions below. If you are a visitor to the Grand Canyon National Park at the time of GCSP 2010, no action is required; just come on out any night to Yavapai Observing Station and enjoy the wonderful nights with us under the high desert skies. Again, no registration is necessary for visitors, but astronomer participants will need to register in order to receive further instructions and entry information.

 

[kacaju]

If you have never been, please plan on spending at least one overnight at the Grand Canyon. Two is even better!!
It is such a beautiful place and as others said, it changes so much throughout the day it is well worth the stay.

 

[pigletgirl]

Well if you decide to do the north rim it takes forever to get there! Also, there isn't much else besides just the lodge. The views are spectacular though.

I always tell others, take 2 days for the canyon. It's so worth it!

 

[Imzadi]

Stay in Flagstaff. It's a LOT cheaper. It's about 45 miles east of the GC. Then you can also do Sedona, which is about 12 miles south of Flagstaff on what is considered one of the most beautiful scenic routes in America, Rt 89A.

You can use the money you save on a place to sleep for a helicopter ride over the GC. Definitely worth it.

I've been to the GC, Sedona, and Monument Valley about 6 times. I don't think a day trip to the GC will be long enough.

 

[dis-happy]

In December we spent one night in Flagstaff (free Marriott points), got up early and visited the look out points along the rim, did a nature tour with a Park Ranger, spent that night in a Lodge at the Grand Canyon, got up the next day and hiked down a trail (due to snow we stuck with Bright Angel but I really wanted to go back and to Kaibob...it's wonderful), spent more time looking around and left as dusk was falling; saw a herd of moose on our way out. Drove to Kingman and spent the night there (free Marriott points again).

Definitely try to do two whole days. To save money you can bookend the nights off-site, but it's totally worth it to wake up one morning IN the Grand Canyon.

Make use of the free Park Ranger tours. We also did an evening slide show program about the Harvey Girls which was very interesting. They also have a Junior Ranger Program where they give your child a book to fill things in, they he earns a badge and gets a little swearing in ceremony.

 

[dis-happy]

PS. You need to book a room ASAP. That area (both the Grand Canyon and off-site) book up completely in the summer. There's a special website for the Grand Canyon lodges.

 

[Shutterbug]

Make sure to have at least one meal at El Tovar!

 

[Straitlover]

If you're driving from LV and want do do any of the hiking trails or ranger talks, I would recommend staying 2 nights. When my sister and I did this a couple of years ago, we only stayed one night. The ranger talks were different each day and most were over by 3 or 4 PM. It was such a long drive that by the time we got checked into our room and oriented, we missed the talks for that day. Then we needed to leave around noon the next day to get back to LV as we didn't want tob e out driving in the middle of nowhere in the dark (we were there in late September).

 

[Imzadi]

The ranger talks were different each day and most were over by 3 or 4 PM. It was such a long drive that by the time we got checked into our room and oriented, we missed the talks for that day.

Something to keep in mind, too, is that once you cross the AZ border, you lose TWO time zones, during daylight saving time that the rest of the country operates in. In losing those two hours, I got there just before some key sightseeing places were closing.