We are spending 4-5 days in Las Vegas in first week of August and would like to visit the Grand Canyon - I have just seen that the drive is over 6 hours to the south rim, has anybody visited the west rim as I believe it is only 125 miles from LV - could we we do this in a day and what are the views like. If I visit the south rim and stay overnight do I have any chance of getting decent accomodation on the south rim or have I left it too late. Any help for first time visit to LV?

To be blunt, I think 4-5 days in Vegas is far too much (1 night suffices for the non-gambler). Assuming you have a rental car, you should definitely make the effort to get the GC. As far as I know there really isn't a road to the West Rim, therefore the South Rim is the nearest point. You probably have left it too late for accommodation near the park. You could make it a 2-day trip, with a visit to Sedona perhaps.

If you want to stay INSIDE the National Park itself, it probably is too late. However, if you're willing to stay just outside the Park (say, at Tusayan or Williams); you should be able to find something -- just go to

www.kaibab.org/serv/gc_serv.htm#tusayan

www.kaibab.org/serv/gc_serv.htm#williams
and start making e-mails, faxes, or phone calls. If you plan your visit to the Canyon so as spend a weekday there, you'll increase your odds of finding what you want. Do NOT arrive there without a firm reservation!

As a BARE minimum, leave first thing in the morning from Vegas, arrive at the Canyon at mid-day, spend the afternoon and night there (or nearby), see the Canyon at daybreak, and leave for Vegas at mid-day on your second day.

There's absolutely no need to stay in Sedona unless you specificaly want to visit there.

Jane,

If you visit the website "www.thecanyon.com/tostay.htm" you will find a list of accomodations within the Park Boundaries as well as in nearby Tusayan and further afield (Williams, Flagstaff, Sedona, ...). The National Park Service website for the Canyon is at "www.thecanyon.com/nps/" and gives mostly the same info in a slightly different format.

Within the Park, facilities are operated by AMFAC. The telephone and fax numbers are given on the aforementioned website. Although you can reserve campsites online, hotel inquiries apparently require phone or fax.

As Christine said, it may be too late to get an in-park room (although still worth inquiring), so the next-best option will be Tusayan. Thecanyon.com has links to the websites for several hotels/motels/lodges, at least some of which allow on-line reservations.

I'll be making my first trip to the Grand Canyon at the end of this month, so can't offer any personal experience on the drive from LV. Most of the sources I've checked, though, claim it is a 5 hour drive to the South Rim.

Dave

The North Rim is much less touristy than the South. It takes so long to get there because the road is narrow and windy, when you get off the highway. Williams is not just outside the park. It takes about 1 and 1/4hrs to get to the South Rim - probably a lot longer in the summer with all the traffic.

We stayed at the Bellagio in LV and thought it was very nice. One day/night was enough for us. If you're gamblers or like the show-biz options you might want to stay longer. I'd prefer the extra time at the GC or Bryce.

Elsa

One more opinion that 4-5 days in Las Vegas is a guaranteed headache! Plan 2 nights at most and spend the rest of the time at the Grand Canyon. I personally love Sedona and would stay there and do the GC as a daytrip, but if this is your first visit to the GC, try to find something nearer. Williams is not a bad way to do it and if you are interested and don't mind the $50 per person fare, there is a nice little train that takes you from Williams to the south rim. Keep calling to find accomodations in the park, however. You can sometimes get them within 3 days of arrival if you keep at it. Are you coming from the UK? If so, can you fly into Phoenix, drive to Sedona, visit the GC, then drive down to Las Vegas? That would be a perfect 4-5 days for me. Good luck and enjoy.

I have to disagree with the other posters. I think 4-5 days in Las Vegas is great, even for a non-gambler. I was there recently for 4 days and didn't think it was enough - between touring the hotels, seeing great shows, and eating in great restaurants, you'll find plenty to do. Take a day trip to Hoover Dam - call ahead and reserve the Hard Hat tour. It's $25 and you miss the lines and get a wonderful tour. After Las Vegas, we drove to Grand Canyon (south rim - about 5 hours) and did stay at the El Tovar. It may be too late to get in there to stay, but try to make dinner reservations - it has a very nice dining room. We went on afterward to Monument Valley, Sedona, etc. The nature is wonderful but, in my opinion, not necessarily a better destination than Las Vegas. They are very different - it's what makes it a great itinerary -you can enjoy the city life of Las Vegas AND the beautiful scenery of Arizona.

Jane: 4-5 Days in Las Vegas is not too much! We're non-gamblers with 2 small children and there was still a lot we didn't see after spending 4 nights (and we saw a lot). However, the Grand Canyon is an awesome sight. We prefer the North Rim. It is a much prettier drive but takes a lot longer. Have a Great Trip!

If you're coming all the way to the U.S. to visit an amusement park type atmosphere, then by all means spend 4-5 days in L.V. If you would rather see the natural wonders then you're better off in G.C.

It depends on what your expectations for Vegas are.

It amazes me how presumptous some posters are with YOUR vacation plans. 4-5 days may be just right for you (as it is for some people and not for others) and I would not presume to tell you otherwise. There is a west rim drive but that is at the south rim itself. There are small minor Canyons and views as you drive from Las Vegas and that is what you are probably referring to as the West Rim...but if you want to see the canyon you really must go to the south rim. If you have the desire to see the Canyon you will make time for it. The North Rim is completely out of the way if your are coming from Las Vegas. Good luck in finding a hotel;I'm sure one is available nearby. Try to catch the sunset and if you cn get up the sunrise over the canyon.
Enjoy yourselves.

Thanks for all info. tips and web sites, I went onto Amfac site and got a night in the Maswik Lodge at the canyon.