Southwest USA & The West Coast (California, Arizona etc) - General Thread

ferf1223

elantan wrote: »

had a look at that site you linked ... no accomadation ...

Worth checking every day or calling as availability changes all the time - as there's no penalty for cancelling up to 2-days before arrival, and as the lodges are popular and that's well known, a lot of people who are considering a stay will book something just to get it locked in, and cancel later if they decide not to go.

When we went a few years ago we checked the site everyday, booked rooms were were OK with when they popped up, and kept checking for better rooms and eventually got them. I'm sure someone said a long time ago that sometimes the website doesn't get updated for cancellations and someone calls and books the newly available rooms before they get added back to the site...so that's why it may be worth calling (using the International Call Checker for cheap rates, of course).

blindman

Vikki_74 wrote: »

South & north rims are the "proper" Grand Canyon, west rim isn't - it's outside of the national park, on Native American land.

The north rim is too far from Vegas really for a day trip so you have a choice of south or west. I've only been to the south rim so can't personally compare the two, but general consensus is that south is the better option.

For a first timer the South rim is probably the best. There are more facilities-which means more tourists\congestion and higher prices.
If you want (relative) peace and solitude then the North rim is better.

I think you'll find 7 days in Las vegas in August :eek: unbearable and will be glad to get to the GC as the higher elevation means it's cooler-Though it will still be dam hot :cool:

elantan

thanks everyone, will keep looking at the website and see if i can get booked,

i have no doubt i will be spending a large portion of my time stuck in the bedroom with the ac on anyway ( i dont do heat, hubby loves it though) when we were in thailand i spent the mornings in the room and was out for the afternoon, in cyprus i spent all day in the room and out for night time, i am a bit of a vampire lol , think i need to get me a kindle or something soon

elantan

ok i found a room for two nights with our dates ... but $500 for two nights is an awful lot of money , adding on to that car hire for an extra few days, petrol etc , it really is pushing the holiday spends up, we are $129 a night in vegas and we can get a day trip for $160 for the two of us, so we would be atleast $120 more to stay there for two days

is it worth the extra $120 minimum ?

jackieblack

elantan wrote: »

http://book.bestwestern.com/bestwestern/selectRoom.do ok here is a room with our dates ... but $500 for two nights is an awful lot of money , adding on to that car hire for an extra few days, petrol etc , it really is pushing the holiday spends up, we are $129 a night in vegas and we can get a day trip for $160 for the two of us, so we would be atleast $120 more to stay there for two days

is it worth the extra $120 minimum ?

Definitely!

northwest1965

jackieblack wrote: »

Definitely!

Agreed!:)

No way would I do a day trip, 5 hours + each way on a coach

elantan

right that is agreed then ... when hubby comes home i will show him the accomadation and talk him into it i see you enjoyed death valley northwest we are going there on the 8th ( will now be driving from grand canyon ) and staying one night , so wont be spending as much time in death valley as we planned , i would say maybe 1 hour or so on the 8th and maybe 5 hours or so on the 9th ( was planning on driving from vegas and spending longer) can you recommend things we shouldnt miss?

northwest1965

elantan wrote: »

right that is agreed then ... when hubby comes home i will show him the accomadation and talk him into it i see you enjoyed death valley northwest we are going there on the 8th ( will now be driving from grand canyon ) and staying one night , so wont be spending as much time in death valley as we planned , i would say maybe 1 hour or so on the 8th and maybe 5 hours or so on the 9th ( was planning on driving from vegas and spending longer) can you recommend things we shouldnt miss?

As you enter Death Valley, stop at Zabreski Point (Sunset). I am guessing it will be later when you arrive? We watched the sun rise over the Mesquite Dunes. Call in at Stovepipe Wells. Where are you staying? Badwater is also a great view.

Oh god, all the memories are coming back again. We're already looking to book again for next year:)

northwest1965

Ok so we're looking to book for 2013. I really need some help though please.
We will fly into Vegas, stay 1 night and then go to Grand Canyon for 2 nights. I think I also want to do Monument Valley. We will end up at Death Valley. Question is, what should we do in between these places?

elantan

were staying at the best western frontier motel lone pine, couldnt get into the furnace ranch do you know roughly how long the drive is from grand canyon south rim to the death valley?

i wanted to do zambriske point dantes peak and artist drive as well as stove pipe and scotts castle ... dont think we will get all that done now though