Is it safe to use Vegas(strip) as a
basetown to take daytrips to
some of the parks?
I'm interested in Zion, and Valley
of Fire. Which of the two is more
scenic? How about yosemite?

My other options are SF, San Jose.
Which is safer as a base town for
tourists, Vegas or San Francisco?

Thanks for any help!

Before making your decision, get a map and look at driving distances from Vegas to those places you mention.
Yosemite is not exactly next door.
I don't have a map handy, so I cannot give you an answer at the moment as to exact milage.

Las Vegas would be fine for a trip to Valley of Fire, Death Valley, Red Rock Canyon and even Zion--although that would be a really long day trip and you wouldn't get to do much more than drive through and do small hikes. All have their own beauty--Zion, in my opinon is spectacular, because you are at the bottom looking up. There is a drive through, and stopping points. We did it leaving Vegas very early in the morning and getting back just after dark. Valley of fire is a whole different scene, really red rocks, almost devoid of trees. Forget Yosemite from Vegas. Even the Grand Canyon is about 5 hours away. Go to www.Mapquest.com and compute driving directions and mileage.
As far as safe--I don't think it matters. As many times as we've been to Vegas on the Strip we've never had any problems, as long as you keep aware of where you are and who is around you.

Las Vegas is too far south to use as a base for seeing National Parks.
I hope you are using 'safe' in the sense of practical; if you are mean 'safety', then I wonder where you live to as such a ignorant question. Both LV & SF is as 'safe' as any other american city, including where you live.
If you want to visit the national parks, Arizona is a better choice as a base, Phoenix and Flagstaff whould be your homebases. And yes, they are SAFE.

You aren't understanding the scale of your requests. In a previous post you said that you were from Orlando. If people asked you if Orlando was a good base for day-trips to Tallahassee and Miami, you would probable not think that would work. Your plans are similar.

I'd say either forget about the national parks or forget about Vegas! To see see the sites you mention for a few short hours at most(which all you'd have on a day trip)is like going to Vegas and playing a slot machine once or one deal of blackjack or one roll of the dice.

The Valley of Fire is an easy day trip from Las Vegas. Be sure to allow time you explore it thoroughly. If you just drive straight through, you'll miss the most impressive views.

Zion National Park is one of the most spectacular that I have ever seen. It is easy to get to from Las Vegas, but will take about 2 1/2 to 3 hours as I remember. You might consider overnighting at the entrnce to the park. There are many nice bed and breakfasts there, but I can't remember the name of the little town at the entrance. Perhaps another reader will know.

Forget Yosemite. It is way to far from Las Vegas.

Some years ago, (1993?)my family stayed just outside Zion in Springdale at the Driftwood Inn or Driftwood Lodge. Anyway, I remember Driftwood in the title. They had a charming restaurant, somewhat like a youth camp dining hall. In the morning, they served homemade preserves, in a casual atmosphere. At night, the linen tablecloths came out, and it was just delightful! Some of the best trout I've had.
Both Las Vegas and San Francisco are safe for tourists - do you suppose so many people would visit these places if they weren't?

Thanks for the info!

I was asking about safety because
not all US cities are safe for tourists.
(esp. international tourists)
Take Miami for instance.

I checked the Zion NP web site.
Does Zion have any scenic waterfalls,
or just rock scenery. I have to pick
one NP from Valley of Fire, Zion or
red rock and looks like Zion is most
scenic.

Laira:
Sorry to differ with you, but ALL Major American Cities are safe for tourists. If a person uses basic common sense, you can travel anywhere.
I am Asian, so I could easily be mistaken for a 'rich, Japanese tourist' whenever I travel. In the 30yrs that I have traveled in the US, I have never had a problem.
I'm not suggesting that crime doesn't happen to tourists, I'm just saying the way you asked the question implies that you have some stereotyped beliefs about crime in American cities. I just came back from Miami, and believe me, there were actually more tourists speaking a language other than English than english speaking tourists.

If you phrased the question, 'What parts of Vegas should I avoid at night?' or, 'Is xxxxx Hotel located in an area that's safe for a single woman to walk around?', it would show you have a mature and intelligent question to ask. To question whether the whole city of Las Vegas, which has about 5 or 6 or the WORLDS largest hotels, and is the gambling capitol of the world, where people from all over the world, including many from all over Asia, come to gamble and have fun, without incident, is a safe city for tourists shows a lack of intelligence on the part of the questioner.

Laira,
If you can only pick one park, I'd recommend Zion, but I guess it really depends on what you've seen before. I live near Joshua Tree NP, so I get a lot of desert scenery. We greatly enjoyed Valley of Fire, but felt Zion had a greater variety of vistas. We enjoyed hiking up the narrows.
I'd pick Las Vegas as the "safer" place as a base simply because it's easier (in my opinion) to find your way around in and to stay out the bad areas. But I wouldn't base myself in either necessarily. Mesquite Nevada is closer to Zion, had a couple of nice hotels and casinos, a decent golf couse, etc. Or you could pick a place in Utah. For my money, there's no better state for National Parks than Utah.

Somebody has given you a distorted picture of safety in the USA. We are a big country and many horrid criminal acts do occur and they are highly publicized. However one should not be paranoid about crime in the US. Most cities do have some pretty bad areas and you just avoid them. This is pretty well true around the world. The one bright note is that the crime rate has been dropping steadily for 7 years in a row now.

Las Vegas and San Francisco are pretty safe. Just stay out of the bad areas. If in doubt, ask at the hotel where you are staying. Crime against toruists is very rare in San Francisco. Las Vegas has some but considering that there are 40 million visitors a year, the number of incidents is quite low.

Of all the parks mentioned, I believe that Yosemite is by far the most interesting and spectacular. It is definitely not a day trip from Las Vegas. Even San Francisco is a little far to make it a day trip. Yosemite deserves more than just a fleeting glance. However there is plenty to see and do in San Francisco. San Jose is only 50 miles from San Francisco and is roughly the same distance to Yosemite.

Yosemite has mountains, waterfalls, and giant Sequoias(?). Have you checked all the info on National Parks on the Fodor Main page? That should help you decide what to do. I would fly to San Francisco, then stay in or near the park.

Laira,
You ask if Zion has any waterfalls, and, yes, it does. It also has a lovely river running through the canyon - lots of varied plant and wildlife. The hiking is excellent, with many trails from easy to challenging. I don't know about Red Rock or Ring of Fire, but I can tell you that you won't be disappointed if you go to Zion. It is spectacular. And, if you do go there, you should really try not to miss Bryce Canyon, which is 2 hours away - it is indescribably beautiful.
I would suggest that, rather than making LV your base for day trips to the NPs, you stay in Springdale, UT, right outside of Zion NP, at least for part of your time. It's a lovely little town with lots of nice places to stay and good restaurants. Besides proximity to Zion, Bryce, and Cedar Breaks National Monument (which we didn't visit), it's 119 miles to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. However, whether that's a feasible day trip depends on when you're going, as the North Rim is closed until May generally because of deep snow.

I second the vote for staying in Springdale , Ut. and seeing Zion and Bryce...outstanding.

Zion needs two days and Bryce one.

There is a wonderful little ranch that abuts Zion called Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort. Inexpensive and all inclusive. Great for families! They will drive you to the edge of Zion at the top, 8000 feet higer than the valley floor, and you hike down to bottom. You will pass all the people who are struggling to get UP. Then, they will pick you up at the bottom and take you back to the ranch for steak and grilled fish dinner.

We drove to Bryce from this ranch and spent the night there after hiking. Then back to the ranch. You can stay one night or a month there.
Grand Canyon (north rim) is three hours away from this ranch. There are several other small national parks within driving of the Springdale area.

I say skip Las Vegas.