Danieldanj

Looking for any help that anyone can give.

Planning a January trip to the South West taking in the above. Plan would be (opinions greatly received)

Fly into (and out of) Las Vegas
1 night in LV
Drive to GC & visit (via Hoover Dam)
1 night in Williams
Visit GC and Drive back to Vegas
1 night in Vegas
Drive to LA
4 nights in LA
Drive to Vegas
3 nights in Vegas
Fly home

Does this sound about right for a plan, or should I look to go direct to LA from GC?

Need to fly in and out and LV, simply as prices are unbearable from London currently.

First time to this area of the US, so want to take in Vegas, GC, and LA incl Beverley Hills, Hollywood and the tourist bits around LA.

Any advice on if this works or better ways around would be welcomed..... Thanks

MmePerdu

Las Vegas is a place people seem to love or hate. I hate it. I can only suggest you devise a getaway plan for yourself in case you hate it too.

nytraveler

Why drive back to LA to fly home instead of just flying home from LA?

Can't comment other than that since I despise LV - always seems like Disney for adults for me and I have worked much too hard for my money to throw it away in a casino.

DebbieDoesDulles

Those 3 nights in Vegas at the end could be cut to 1 or 2 in my opinion. You might want another day in Los Angeles since the drive there is going to take you the better part of a day. Try to arrive into Los Angeles by 3:30pm so that you'll avoid the evening traffic mess.

Vegas & Williams will probably be quite chilly at night.

When in Vegas be sure to take an afternoon for Valley of Fire, and another afternoon for Red Rock Canyon and Spring Valley Ranch. Probably a little too cold in January for Zion National Park.

I'm not sure why you're finding out-of-sight prices because for January I'm seeing 540 pounds return from London whether you fly back from LV or from LAX.

janisj

Don't stay in Williams -- stay on the south rim of the Grand Canyon.

You are sleeping 5 nights in Vegas -- but over three different stays. That is really inefficient.

Why not fly open jaw into Vegas and home from LA or vice versa and stay maybe 3 nights max in Vegas. I'd personally stay 2 nights at the GC since it is such a long drive - then you'd have a full day to explore.

>>Need to fly in and out and LV, simply as prices are unbearable from London currently.

Danieldanj

Thanks for your messages so far, I know its place people love or hate - however I have never seen it, so has to be done once in your life.

Had a special offer for Vegas flights through an airline, but on closer looks they also operate a flight to LAX, and its a similar price - so good news for us!

Now to look at car hire prices for one way hire....

Any further advice anyone else has will be very much welcomed!

janisj

That open jaw solves everything. Fly into either LV or LAX and home from the other

(don't let the Vegas nay sayers dissuade you - sure it isn't everyone's cup of tea, but millions of people visit and love it. Sort of like Disneyland -- well not really -- some love, some don't)

MmePerdu

"Now to look at car hire prices for one way hire...."

If the 1-way car rental is from LV to LA, consider flying. Southwest Airlines in Jan. appears to be $59 into LAX. It's a long and very boring drive. https://www.southwest.com/

MidwestHiker

I'm guessing you are staying the 1st night in Vegas due to flight times. You could just extend that for a few more nights, then head to Grand Canyon for 1-2 nights, and finish in LA. Minimize the number of times you have to pack up and move hotels.

If you don't like Las Vegas (or even if you do), you can always day trip to Death Valley, Red Rock Canyon and Valley of Fire.

Definitely try to find lodging on the South Rim at the Grand Canyon rather than staying in Williams.

janisj

>>Now to look at car hire prices for one way hire….

AustinTraveler

If you have to drive from Vegas to L.A., do not plan it for a Sunday. It's not a fun drive to begin with, but when you add heavy traffic, it's just unpleasant.

jamie99

janisj is right, look at an overseas broker like rentalcars.com (owned by Priceline) who will include all the insurance you need.
I would not backtrack to Vegas multiple times but drive to LA.
Try and get lodging at Grand Canyon or else Tusayan, Williams is a bit of a drive to the Canyon.

tomfuller

Since you have a later stay in LV planned, just drive out to the Hoover Dam area stay at the Hoover Dam Lodge (former Hacienda). See the dam and the walkway out onto the big bridge in the morning and then head for the Grand Canyon.
There won't be much open at Grand Canyon Village in January so Williams may be your best option.
Between LA and LV, you might want to see either the Mojave National Preserve, Joshua Tree NP or maybe Death Valley NP.

MidwestHiker

**There won't be much open at Grand Canyon Village in January so Williams may be your best option.**

I'm not sure what this is referring to. It is actually the opposite - most visitor services are open year round at the South Rim. There are a few things that close in winter but not many. It is far better to stay inside the park rather than drive back and forth to Williams (which isn't exactly an exciting town).

nytraveler

IMHO Las Vegas is as much a fantasy as Disney, just a very tacky/tawdry one. I have been 3 times, all on business. And would never go voluntarily. But I am not a gambler and have every show you could want here in NYC so there is nothing for me there except Grand Canyon - and that can be seen from other places.

My best view of it was flying from LA back to NY when we had a completely cloudless sky one day and I saw a large part of it from 30,000 feet - absolutely incredible!