In October, my husband & I are going to LV for an extended birthday bash weekend with friends. We, however, wanted to stay the week and visit sites like the Grand Canyon, Arizona, Reno?????? Is LV a good home base or should we stay the weekend and travel by car & stay in Arizona (visit the Grand Canyon, etc.) What would you recommend? Is this too far for day trips? Will a week be too long to stay in LV??

All advice is appreciated.

Mary

Hi

I lived in Vegas for 20 years and know it pretty well. If I were you I would not use it as a home base unless you want to spend all of time in a car. For the Grand Canyon though, Scenic Airlines does the flights over it which are very popular.
Other destinations such as Arizona are just to far. Where are staying in Vegas? Bellagio and Ventian are my favorites. Have Fun!

You're talking about a real boatload of mileage by car. The west is BIG!
LV and northern AZ are very doable by car. Throwing in Lake Tahoe (Reno is not worth visiting IMO...especially after you've been in LV) will make the overall trip unpleasant I think due to car time logged. (Though some people admittedly enjoy those long desert car trips).

Here's just one of many:

http://www.vegas4visitors.com/index.htm


Mary, you sound as if you would benefit from using an online mapping service which gives you mileage and approximate driving times from one location to another.
Try either (or both) of the following:

www.mapblast.com

www.mapquest.com

Hi Mary, just came back from that area..try this one...DONT STAY IN VEGAS FOR A WEEK..Go to Scottsdale...rent a car to SEDONA...Wow!!! go up to Grand Canyon Stay outside the SOuth Rim...drive up to Zion PArk...then to Vegas fro a couple of days...stay at VENETIAN or Belagio...see a show...Go HOME....DONT MISS SEDONA FOA COUPLE OF DAYS....

Going to Sedona for 2nights, 3 days in August with my family - incl. 2 boys ages 10 and 14. We're not big outdoorsy types...Will there be enough to do?

Just returned from my first trip to Vegas. I could have stayed a week - there's so much to do there. However, I think 3 days/2 nights there is sufficient. Day trips from Vegas would be too much driving. We rented a car for two days and drove to Bryce & Zion canyons which were both spectacular and not as overwhelming as the Grand Canyon. We stayed at a darling cabin inside the national park at Bryce for only $99 a night. Amfac was the service that rents them. I'd recommend that - 3 days in Vegas and then move on to one or two other destinations you'd like to experience. The distances are too far for day trips.

After your weekend bash I recommend that you drive north on the I-15 to Zion National Park. Stay in the park itself, eat at the lodge--good food. Lunch is great price, dinner pricey.
Leave out the east road where the tunnels are, and see Red Canyon, you drive through it to get to Bryce Canyon.
Spend the night a Bryce Canyon Lodge in the Park, you won't be sorry. Then drive south to see North Rim of Grand Canyon. HOPEFULLY it will be open, it closes in mid-Oct. but is open for day use depending on weather afterward. Check out the National Parks website to know that, at www.nps.gov. It will be THE HIGHLITE of your trip, I promise! Stay in the park in one of there "western" cabins. They are newer, nicer.