Las Vegas and Grand Canyon

Re: Las Vegas and Grand Canyon

• jenna8984 member

  

  February 2014

  We are going this May. We're staying at the Monte Carlo on the strip, it's nice but definitely not "top of the line" like some of the brand new hotels. Aria next door to it is brand new so that's probably gorgeous. I've stayed at Mirage and Treasure Island on the strip and both are great. Bellagio and Caesar's are great but more expensive. I don't really love the location of Mandalay Bay, it's at the end of the strip and I like the center better. Stay away from Excalibur and NYNY. 

  
  

  We prefer to do things on our own, not be herded around on a tour bus with 50 annoying people. So we are renting a car and driving over the dam to the Grand Canyon. It's about a 4 hour drive so you may want to book a cabin at the Canyon instead of driving back that night. 

  Another option is what we are doing- driving Vegas to Canyon then same day driving 2 hours south to Sedona Arizona where all the gorgeous red rocks are. We're staying there for 2 nights and hike around. Then you can fly out of Flagstaff, AZ which is pretty close to there. Might as well see Sedona rather than just driving 4 hours back to Vegas. We are driving 2 more hours south to Phoenix to visit friends there before we fly out. 

                                                                   

  
  

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• photokitty mod

  

  February 2014

  I highly recommend staying at the grand canyon overnight in one of the rim cabins. We stayed in one with our window overlooking the canyon. It was an amazing vacation. Eat your meals at el tovar...one of my fav restaurants anywhere.

  ~xoxo~

  
  

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• Pepper6 member

  

  February 2014

  What time of year will you be going? If you are planning to hike the Grand Canyon, keep in mind that while it might be cooler at the rim, it can get very hot at the bottom (if you are going all the way down). Depending on what you are looking to do, you may not need a tour group. As for Vegas, I recommend staying mid-strip as it's easiest to get around. Other than that, it really just depends on your budget.

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• sdg2502 member

  

  February 2014

  Have a look at the Vegas board and ask for hotel recommendations there, everyone on those boards are really helpful and a lot of them have got great advice and tips about hotels in vegas! There are also some really great sites that give discounts for vegas hotels but I can remember what it's called, probably vegas discount dot com or something lol.

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• missnc77 member

  

  February 2014

  If you can afford to stay at the Wynn/Encore, do it! Best hotel experience I have ever had. Every time we left to go to dinners or shows elsewhere on the strip, I just wanted to go back. I used several pools there, had a swedish massage then the next day we did a couples massage at the Spa, we ate at Botero (best steak I've ever had), and I loved the room service. That place is just the tops.

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• heatheremanderson member

  

  February 2014

  We are probably going in September after our wedding. We are experienced hikers (in all conditions as we do full snowshoe hikes often as well) so a little chill isn't an issue.

  
  

  We are open to just renting a car and doing our own thing as opposed to a planned group.

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• jenna8984 member

  

  February 2014

  @heatheremanderson If you are experienced hikers you would probably love Havasu Falls (also called Havasupai Falls). It's between Vegas and the Grand Canyon, it's its own canyon that you hike about 10 miles into, then once you're there you can camp, swim in the waterfalls, hike trails. There are no cars, one must hike or donkey to get to the falls. I had friends do it and I was blown away by their pictures, the falls looked like Hawaii or something.

                                                                   

  
  

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• Pepper6 member

  

  February 2014

  heatheremanderson said:

  We are probably going in September after our wedding. We are experienced hikers (in all conditions as we do full snowshoe hikes often as well) so a little chill isn't an issue.

  
  

  We are open to just renting a car and doing our own thing as opposed to a planned group.

  In September, the chill won't be an issue, but the heat might.  It will likely still be 100+ at the bottom, so just make sure you bring plenty of water.  If you think you have too much, you'll probably still need more.

  
  

  Havasupai is gorgeous, but is on the Indian reservation, not within the National Park, so it requires a different permit.  Also, if you plan to camp/stay at the bottom anywhere, they book up months in advance, so that'd be something to book quickly if that's what you are interested in.

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