dolciani

So we have our reservations at the Marriott Grand Chateau for the first week of April and planning a one night trip to the Grand Canyon South Rim and staying at El Tovar (we have reservations already). We've never been to Vegas or the Grand Canyon and looking for advice for both trips. I understand that the car drive from Vegas goes over the Hoover Dam and worth the "stop and look" so I guess the 5 hour drive is worth it (?) Any other advice is appreciated - especially any advice about getting tickets to the shows in Vegas. Thanks

FlyingMaltese

I hear that Oatman is worth a stop between Vegas and GC. Its a wild west town.

If you want tickets to any of the Cirque de Soleil shows, get them as early as possible. I have seen O at the Bellagio and it is fantastic.

SkaiSW

My opinion (but you won't like it):
1) Leave your car home
2) Stay on the Las Vegas strip, not at the Marriot. You can still find a strip hotel at almost any price/night. (I don't know where the Marriot is, but its not on the strip, so you REALLY don't want to be there.) If its in short walking distance from the strip -- then thats okay. If you have to drive to the strip - please change your hotel plans.
3) Have the concierge at the hotel you stay at help arrange by phone in advance (1) a trip to Hoover Dam and (2) a trip to the Grand Canyon. Or Google for grand Canyon tours that leave from Vegas. You will get MUCH better views of the Canyon with a professional tour. Also the Grand Canyon in April is still covered with snow and not really populated. It's not Yosemite (which is likely the most beautiful place in the US - just keep that in mind for your 40th birthday).
See the Grand Canyon on a tour before you decide to go and stay there. I will bet you 10:1 that once you see it and spend 2 hours walking around it on the tour, that you'll be glad you didn't stay there. If you want a driving trip with beautiful nature, stay in Sedona and take a professional tour of the Grand Canyon from there. Sedona is striking - the Grand Canyon is pretty -- alot of snow capped blue spruce -- but just okay.
4) for vegas, buy show tickets by phone from the individual hotels no later than mid January. See Momma Mia, LOVE, Jubillee or maybe Zumanity if you like that sort of thing. Check out nightclubs if you like doing that. See the Hilton Startrek Pavillion. For Romance, make a Reservation, no later than Feb to eat at Picassos in the Bellagio. Warning - it is expensive.
I haven't been to Hoover Dam and hopefully others can correct me if I'm wrong, but I think its only 2-3 hours away from Vegas at the most-- not 5.

Vttraveler

I strongly disagree with the advice to do a Grand Canyon tour from Las Vegas rather than your initial plan of an overnight trip staying at El Tovar. I do know people who have found 2 hours in GC village to be enough but many others (our family included) who think it is important to spend several days. IMO it is a spectacular place, much more than "pretty" or "ok." El tovar is an interesting historic hotel -- good that you have a reservation there.

You could get snow on the rim in early April
http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisi...-condition.htm

I am not sure what your question is about whether the 5 hour drive is worth it? The Hoover Dam is on the way and is impressive/interesting. IMO the GC is definitely more than worth the trip

SkaiSW

Well, I got some more responses for Dolciani, so I'm happy about that. Do you all agree with me that while in Vegas, they should park their car and stay on the Strip, and not remove their car until they are ready to drive to the Canyon? (And yes Dolciani - you should stop at Hoover Dam.)

KarenInFla

We'll wave to you, dolciani . . . we are also planning a trip to Vegas and GC the first week of April. Having done this trip before (pre-kids) and then also stayed in Vegas with kids I definitely vote for hotel on the strip (yep, SkaiSW is right, park the car). Though we used our car a good deal for day excursions from Vegas (Red Rock, Valley of Fire, Zion) we didn't need it while on the strip. There's plenty to see via walking and local transportation. We did the Dam tour a few years ago and enjoyed it. Hoover dam is not more than a couple hours or so from Vegas. Unfortunately, I don't think they do the "hard hat" tour anymore (since 9/11) - it was great to get way down into the dam. But I'm sure the regular tour still has plenty to offer. Our plan is to spend a day at GC before heading over to Bryce, then Zion and back to Vegas. I don't think a day in GC is too much time if you plan on doing a bit of hiking into the canyon. I look forward to being there for a sunrise. Snow in April . . . please say it ain't so!!! Actually, I know the weather will be a gamble (no pun intended) but we'll take our chances. We've never seen the GC in snow so maybe this is the time for a new experience (guess we're packing more clothes)! I've been reading a lot about Sedona - must really be nice since so many have recommended it. I'll have to check into it - might be another stop. I have no advice regarding show tickets since we've never seen one . . . but want to take in "O" on this trip. I checked online a couple days ago but their schedule did not yet extend into April. I'm hoping to wrap up all the reservations, tickets, etc. soon so keep the great suggestion and advice coming! Have fun, dolciani!

Rich

We spent one day ( two nites ) at the el Tovar a couple of years ago and and could have easily stayed another day. While you are there you should plan to see at least one sunset and one sunrise. It is very memorable!

From there we drove to Las Vegas, stoping at the Dam . . Tours were still limited then, so we did not see as much as I recall seeing when I did it 35 years ago, but it was worth the three hours it took to look around. ( Tours may be open now and would take at least half a day.

We were in Las Vegas during the week and got a great rate at the Venetian ( $99/ nite ) . . let the gormet park the car and never saw it again till we left for LA three days later. We used taxis to get around where it was too far to walk.

Rich

runnersmom

I agree with Rich. The sunset and sunrises are memorable. Also, while you stay, go to a ranger talk at the visitor center. There's not much else to do after dark and they are really interesting and my kids loved it.

Hoover Dam was only about 1 hour from Vegas. Also, while in Vegas we stayed 1 block off the strip behind the Harley Davidson bar at the Carriage House. It was quiet but close to everything and very reasonable. Ask for an upgrade when you check in and you will probably get one for free. We got a suite for the price of a standard just for asking.