The Las Vegas Thread and MSE guide

ferf1223

March

stoneman wrote: »

Never consideded driving to the south rim. How long does it take, do you need to stop over anywhere, can you book a hele trip when you get there?
Sounds like something cool to do on our January trip.

Without stopping it's about a 4 1/2 hour drive...it took us nearly 7 on our way there as we stopped at a few look out points on the way, for breakfast, for petrol, etc plus one short period of getting lost trying to find the Denny's in Kingman...but had we just hit the road and driven straight through it would have been much closer to the 4 1/2 hour mark.

I'm sure we saw flyers about helicopter tours when we were there but it wasn't part of our plan so we didn't look too closely.

I really did enjoy staying at the rim overnight - while there's not much to do and the food inside the park is dire (from what we tried at least) it was a great experience and we were up for sunrise and back on the road by 9:30 the following morning...drove a part of Route 66 on the way back (as my FIL has this thing about Route 66 and Seligman to Kingman is the longest remaining stretch - about 90mins) and then stopped at Hoover Dam before heading back to Vegas.

sturll

August

ferf1223 wrote: »

Without stopping it's about a 4 1/2 hour drive...it took us nearly 7 on our way there as we stopped at a few look out points on the way, for breakfast, for petrol, etc plus one short period of getting lost trying to find the Denny's in Kingman...but had we just hit the road and driven straight through it would have been much closer to the 4 1/2 hour mark.

I'm sure we saw flyers about helicopter tours when we were there but it wasn't part of our plan so we didn't look too closely.

I really did enjoy staying at the rim overnight - while there's not much to do and the food inside the park is dire (from what we tried at least) it was a great experience and we were up for sunrise and back on the road by 9:30 the following morning...drove a part of Route 66 on the way back (as my FIL has this thing about Route 66 and Seligman to Kingman is the longest remaining stretch - about 90mins) and then stopped at Hoover Dam before heading back to Vegas.

Can i advise the next time you drive that route you call off at Willow Beach. You may have seen the signs about 5 miles past Hoover Dam. One of the deserts hidden gems.

ferf1223

March

craigbroadman wrote: »

That's the thing really. We are only in Vegas for a week and I have got so many things that I want to do that a half day trip to GC is ideal really. We're all only 24/25 and its out first time to Vegas for all of us, hopefully one day we will get to go back and maybe then experience the South Rim :-)

Craig - I think in that coupon book I sent you there was at least one coupon for GC heli tours - so that's the sort of coupon that will be available in Vegas. I don't personally think that they are any better deals than you can get online before you go but haven't looked into it extensively. As there are so many of you, maybe calling the company of your choice and asking if there would be a discount for 8 would be the better way to go about it? If the helicopters only hold 6, you will need at least 2...but what if there's only one or two spare seats available in each? Then you're looking at 4 or more...I have to think that it's going to be quite difficult to get all 8 of you going about the same time, especially as you aren't looking at a simple fly-by...if you all want to experience it together, I think booking in advance makes a lot more sense. But if you call you can at least talk through the situation with the operator - they may say it won't be a problem to accomodate you close together, or they may suggest advance booking. Of course they may suggest advance booking even if it wouldn't be necessary - but at least you can ask.

sturll

August

iltisman wrote: »

It certainly will be cool in N Arizona in January I had to follow a snow plough from Flagstaff to Williams last winter.

I have been in March and it was bloody freezing then. Snow at the Grand Canyon on both sides.

stoneman

May

Maybe someone could post cordinates and directions on how to ge there so I can look it up on google earth. Didn't realise it would be colder than Vegas.
Thanks everyone, yes sturll my friend, even you!!

sturll

August

stoneman wrote: »

Maybe someone could post cordinates and directions on how to ge there so I can look it up on google earth. Didn't realise it would be colder than Vegas.
Thanks everyone, yes sturll my friend, even you!!

I knew that day would come

ferf1223

March

stoneman wrote: »

Maybe someone could post cordinates and directions on how to ge there so I can look it up on google earth. Didn't realise it would be colder than Vegas.
Thanks everyone, yes sturll my friend, even you!!

Bally's to GC directions I used (really, really easy route).

http://www.mapquest.com/maps?1z=89109&2z=86023#a/mapsprint/l:::Las+Vegas:NV:89109:US:36.1243:-115.1679:zip:Clark+County/l:::Grand+Canyon:AZ:86023:US:36.0544:-112.1386:zip:Coconino+County/m::14:36.1243:-115.1679:0::/io:1:::::f:EN:M:/e

GC South Rim postcode is 86023

As for temps...we went in October - in the 80s in Vegas during the day, 50s at the GC...nighttime was below 0.

ferf1223

March

edited as I may have been wrong zooming in.
But the aerial view of the directions is still handy!

stoneman

May

ferf1223 wrote: »

edited as I may have been wrong zooming in.
!

Oh, that's OK then!! :rolleyes: :rotfl:

lynzpower

Hi again

OK , now im overwhelmed

We booked thr flights las tnight - we go on the 26th of NOV for a week on the TC flights from manchester.

Have been to waterstones and bought the LP Vegas city guide, and also the Time out one. However, I am going to take one back. Which do any of you lot think is better ( maps etc) ??

We were thinking we would be there for a week, but do poss a few night on the strip- couple of nights away ( GC or possibly DV) but not sure on the weather :eek:

We were thinking of going South rim as clearly west rim looks a bit lame compared to south, and we dont mind the driving ( thanks simon for pics has really helped)

HOWEVER, now im reading of snows!

:eek:

Will there be snow end of November do you think?

AND:

hotels. Usually we backpack around the more erm less developed countries and most of the time the choice is based solely on price. Now Im thrilled to see loads of hotels around the 20-30 quid mark and they all look pretty good. THEN ive looked on trip advisor and got a bit bogged down in the grumbling- felt like it was taking the sheen off it!)

Around the 30 quid mark they are all pretty much there around the 3* - thats circus circus/ excalibur/ luxor/ las vegas hilton/ stratosphere etc.

From this crop- what would you recommend- we dont mind a bit of seediness ( after all that is the real vegas) but more concerned about location.( ie dont want to be constantly cabbing if we can avoid it)

Its difficult to know at this stage what we wabnt to do or where- but thought someone might be able to help with the hotels. NOt too concerned with the luxe aspect and appreciate at this sort of level we might be looking at the "best of a bad bunch" if trip advisor is to be believed!