I have had a lot of good (but conflicting)suggestions of how to schedule our March family vacation that originates and ends in Las Vegas including a couple nights at the Grand Canyon. I'm here in the Utah forums to get feedback from the Utah experts. We have 7 nights. The first one will be in Las Vegas. We plan to leave there the following AM. Two additional nights will be at El Tovar in the Grand Canyon. Our kids 12/15 like nature, hiking and relaxing. My husband wants to minimize the amount of time we are on the road. All of us will be much happier if we can minimize the number of places we stay. Since LV and the GC are non-negotiable, we might have painted ourselves in a corner.We are not on a shoestring budget, but economy is important. We like to avoid cookie-cutter lodging and restaurants, prefering experiences that help us know the character and characters of the area and people we meet. Not many restrictions, eh? You all are very creative, what do you suggest?

Given the time frame, you will of necessity have to visit the South Rim of the GC, which is a 5 hour drive from Vegas if you don't stop at Hoover Dam.
That stop can use up 2 hours if you go down in the dam, which is very interesting.

I recommend it if you have never done it before. It adds techical interest to the trip.

It is 226 miles to Bryce Canyon from the South Rim, and I think the trip will take about 6 hours because the urge to stop along the way is great.
There is a very interesting National Monument called Pipespring a little to the east off the most direct paved route to Bryce.

From Bryce to Las Vegas is 245 miles the quickest way.

Given your time, I suggest 2 nights at the GC (and it will be nippy cold at night), 1 night at or near Bryce, and 2 nights at Zion.

Sure you want to go there in March?
Mid March temperatues are an average of 51 for a high and 24 for a low.
The high goes up to 55 by the end of the month.

If you think Bryce is too cool, why not continue on along Utah 12 to Capitol Reef? It is a very scenic drive that you can enjoy from your car. Capitol Reef is about 3,000 feet lower than Bryce and therefore warmer. The scenery is colorful and intriguing.

Zion will be the warmest of the locations, and many people think that 2 days there would be great. So if you follow that game plan figure on 3 nights near Zion to allow for 2 full days.

But take your coats; the GC rim is at 7,000 to 7,500 feet up and the wind can be a factor as well. I don't know about you, but in the evening around sundown, 15 mph winds and temperatures of 40 degrees can be a little nippy.

If you go down in the canyon, you will be sheltered from the winds, and I doubt if you will be cold hiking out!
I think you will be sweating, huffing and puffing.

If you go to Bryce, the cabins are nice and not cookie cutter. The motel style rooms are ok as well.

Around Zion, I have no suggestions.
If you go to Capitol Reef, Torrey has several good motels.

One additional thought, you could stay 4 nights near Zion and make a day trip to Bryce. it is not all that far, and that would take out one unpacking and repacking stop.

I saw your other question but did not answer because I'm not that familar with the weather in this area in March.

From the Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon visitor center is 270 miles one way. If you drive out to the Desert View scenic overlook at the S. Rim, then you have to add another 25 miles....so driving back just the way you came makes a total of 590 miles.

I would recommend a circle so you see more of this beautiful country. Las Vegas, Grand Canyon for the two nights, exiting on Hwy 64 and stopping at the scenic overlooks all the way to Desert View, then drive up Hwy 89 to Page, AZ. Plan on lunch at the Waheap Marina with a BREATHTAKING view of Lake Powell...food was good too. Then drive to Zion National Park and either stay in the park or in Springdale, Utah.

I agree with Brookwood. I would spend the next 3 nights in Zion and make a day trip to Bryce. Zion will have a big range & varity of trails that your kids will love in a beautiful setting. I know many of the trails in Zion will be open, but I have no idea if the trails in Bryce will be.

Then back to Las Vegas for a total of 860 miles. Let me tell you, you won't regret driving those 270 extra miles...the scenery will blow you away!

We stayed in the cabins in Bryce and Zion but that was over 30 years ago....we always camp now, so I'm won't be any help with the lodging.

Utahtea

If you decide to go to Zion, the Desert Pearl in Springdale is a nice place to stay. It is really close to the park but you can walk to shops and restaurants in Springdale. We had bikes when we stayed there and rode them into the park from the hotel. The trail was almost as pretty as the park.

I always have to chime in when I read the words DESERT PEARL..go if you can! Simply a lovely little oasis that I could plan a whole trip around ...

I appreciate your input. The circle makes a lot of sense. I just needed some direction on how to make it. Brookwood, I hear you re: the weather. March is our kids'spring break, so we're going for a destination we've wanted to see. We are normally campers, but my husband and I don't have the stamina (or time) that my parents did to drive the camper with 3 kids from OH to CA. (What were they thinking?) I'll check into the Desert Pearl. Anyone have specific "can't miss" stops en route? I really like the idea of making Springdale our base for other trips.

Given the time of year, snow is a possibility at Bryce, and at the South Rim, although the climate is very dry at both places.

We got turned around once trying to get to Bryce from Salt Lake City in mid April because the snow slowed us up too much to make the trip down and back in one day. We were in Salt Lake City for non tourist reasons and had one day that we thought we could use for Bryce. The weather unfortunately did not cooperate.

The snow,however, was between SLC and Bryce. I called Bryce headquarters to see what was going on and the report was fine, come on down. But the snow on the interstate was piling up and going was getting tricky. Rather than 70 mph we were doing 45 and even that was getting dicey as we went up and over ridges. So we abandoned the trip and headed back.

But Zion is relatively low enough and south enough that snow is not likely.

The point being that if you base at Zion, the weather should be ok. And in the canyon, you will not have the exposure that you would normally get at the canyon rims.

Now where is your sense of adventure...why not drive out this summer in your camper! We drove all the way to Alaska and back with our two boys.

Snow is also possible in Zion in March. We were there once on April 1st and we had 2 inches of snow. It didn't stick around long...but it is possible.

Also, on Memorial Day weekend 1975 we checked out of the Bryce cabins and it just started to snow. We had wanted to drive to Cedar Breaks before going to Zion but it was snowing so hard that it was covering the road and making them slippery so we turned around and just went to Zion...where it was also snowing.

All these parks are open year round but there is always the chance of bad weather making seeing the parks a challenge.

Utahtea

We will go prepared for all types of weather. As a teenager, my family encountered snow at Yellowstone in June. Having been in NYC last month when the wind chill was 25 below, I was happy to have been a long-time Girl Scout. I had my long underwear, many layers, etc. Consequently I scored some cheap theater tickets, places in TV show audiences, etc. If travel isn't an adventure, we would lack a lot of good stories, eh? I called Desert Pearl. For what you get, the price is very reasonable. Knowing that you can get other nice rooms for $40 less per night makes the decision a little more difficult. I need those Desert Pearl folks to encourage me to spend the bucks.

i think your itinerary sounds very sensible. you will have lots of time for zion. you will love it! i stayed at flanigan's which was very nice, only maybe same price as the pearl.

next year you must try going through colorado, following the colorado river, to moab utah and then on to capitol reef, torrey, and via highway 12, to bryce. another stunning trip.

It does help to be prepared. Nothing like hiking in a sleet storm above timberline where there are nothing but a few rocks to shelter you from the elements.

We were on a high trail in Yoho (Canada) NP once and a family of 5 overtook us while we were refueling. I heard Mama before I saw anybody. As the group emerged from a gully, I saw the reason.
The two boys had no head protection. They were walking along, hands over their ears, and fussing like all teen agers. Mama was on their case big time.
"If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times: Wear a hat when you go hiking."
I had to turn and walk down wind from them so they would not hear me laughing.
My wife peeked out from under her Goretex hood and said "Next time they will know better."

And with that we hoisted our packs and sloshed upward and onward. Nothing like a cap with a long bill under a big hood to keep the sleet pellets out of your face.

A few years ago, it snowed on us in Yellowstone in Mid-July. It always pays to go prepared.

Utahtea