I don't know where you are coming from, but you don't seem to have a lot of sense of the distances involved in this trip. A day trip to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas is about 8 hours, more if you plan to look at the canyon or have lunch or use the toilet.

It matters a lot where you plan to begin and end. If you begin in the car at SFO and go to LA and then to Las Vegas and leave the car to fly back to San Francisco, it is just doable.

If you plan to drive all three legs, you don't really have five days, you have two. It will take you a full day each to travel between those three cities by car, long days in a couple of cases.

I would add the two days in between LA and San Francisco and follow the coast highway north. Spend a night in Cambria or San Luis Obispo and visit the Hearst Castle. Spend the second night in Big Sur or Carmel.

Hey ,we are taking only flights,,no cars ...& planning to take a helicopter ride from Vegas to Grand Canyon.

Don't know where you are coming from - but as noted - the distances in the West are significant.

From Vegas - I would recommend you fly to San Francisco
- and then after spending a few days there - enjoy a beautiful drive down the California Coast/Hiway 1 - stopping at least one night on your way - perhaps at Carmel/Monterrey (a 3 hour drive - except during commute hours) and walk Steinbeck's Cannery Row, see the Aquarium, take the "17 mile" drive, and so forth.. see: http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/road-trips/california-pacific-coast-road-trip/ and http://gocalifornia.about.com/od/camontereycarmel/tp/montereycarmel.htm

If you really wanted to enjoy the very scenic Big Sur area/drive (south of Carmel/Monterrey)http://jrabold.net/bigsur/road.htm - you could also spend a night in/around there - exploring such beautiful parks such as Pfeiffer. http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=570

You could also spend a night at say Cambria (just below San Simeon/Hearst Castle) or maybe Solvang - ("Little Denmark" - http://www.solvangusa.com/ ) - which is closer to Santa Barbara - and Solvang is about 2 hours driving time to LA - assuming you miss the early morning commute through Santa Barbara and arrive in LA before say 3:30.

Would end with a couple days in LA and then kick back down here in San Diego (2 hours from LA - again - except during rush hour) - depending on how much time you have spent where.

LA and Vegas wouldn't be my idea of a good time for a first visit, especially without a car.

You are likely going to see the West part of the Grand Canyon, which, in most peoples mind, isn't really the Grand Canyon at all.

Fly into Vegas, do the helicopter to Grand Canyon one day, then drive 3 hours north and visit Zion NP, do a few short hikes, spend the night there and then head to Bryce NP, see the spectacular viewpoints (it will probably be too snowy on the trails for much hiking) then head back to Vegas for the flight to either San Francisco or LA.

Then either drive up or down the coast as suggested by Tomsd and fly home.

Of course you could start in LA or SF and do the things nearer Vegas last also. Yosemite is beautiful and the waterfalls will be flowing nicely in April, but most of the park will be closed due to snow and the valley will be quite crowded.

Have a great trip.

you need a car

What I would do:

LV - 4 nights
Apparently you are flying to LA for 4 nights

Now rent a car & begin driving up the coast and spend a night maybe in Cambria - seeing Hearst Castle. Then keep driving on Highway 1 & stay in Monterey.

Drive Monterey to Yosemite - Stay 2 nights. Then drive to SF drop off the car & stay your final 4 nights & fly home.

Oops I'm missing a night.

Everyone is assuming driving is an option. Perhaps it isn't since the OP says >>Hey ,we are taking only flights,,no cars ...<<

Deepageorge, please clarify - is it possible for you to rent a car for at least some of your holiday?

The answer to that question will determine which are good places to visit . . . and which are impossible.

It's true - I had plotted out what I thought was a terrific 17-day itinerary, and then erased it because I realized how much of it involved driving.

Ok I can see how you don't need a car in Vegas or SF but seriously with wtih 4 people - no car in LA?

"Everyone is assuming driving is an option. Perhaps it isn't since the OP says >>Hey ,we are taking only flights,,no cars ...<<"

Be careful what you think I am assuming. I am assuming nothing and read the OP. You still need a car.

Skip the helicopter trip from Vegas, it does not go the Grand Canyon National Park, goes to touristtrap Grand Canyon West. If you cannot rent a car and drive and stay at least overnight, then take a tour bus, just know it will be a long day with not much time in the park.

Also agree with renting a car to drive the coast if possible.

Katzgar: "You still need a car."

We need to know first of all if a car is even a possibility. What if they CAN'T rent a car (for instance -no license, or some other issue)

There are LOTS of folks who have wonderful trips w/o driving - they just need to plan it differently.

So let's wait and see what the OP meant . . .