Edited to add - Flights are booked, rental car is booked, hotels are booked. Grand Canyon South for two nights. Sedona for a night. Then back to Vegas with plans for day trips to Red Rock and Valley of Fire. Penn and Teller on 3/17. Michael Jackson Cirque on 3/18.

Original - My wife and I have been to Las Vegas more than a dozen times. It used to be our go to spot before the children came along. We have been once since the kids, who are now 10 and 14.

We are looking at a family trip for spring break, which would be March 11-19. The Vegas part, no problem. I have stayed in nearly every hotel on the strip. The kids both love the Penn and Teller show Fool Us, so tickets to their magic show are on the agenda. My son loves Michael Jackson, so tickets to that Cirque show are also on the agenda.

But outside of the 2-3 days in Vegas, I need help. I will rent a car when we fly into Vegas and drive to these places.

Grand Canyon, one day, two, three? I know North Rim will be closed this time of year, so South Rim it is. Where do I stay? Try for one of the hotels in the park? Stay in Flagstaff and drive in each day?

Red Rocks, guess we can just stay in Vegas for this and drive out as it isn't that far? One day?

Anywhere else I should drive? I am guessing Zion, due to elevation, might be pretty cold that time of year, or possibly snowed in. Maybe a drive over to Joshua Tree in CA?

I am open to other suggestions.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: holdem,

Drive to Red Rock from the strip. Not that far.

How long depends if you are just driving through the scenic route, or going out for some hiking, but it's less than one day/afternoon.

Do note that they now require a time slot reservation to enter
https://www.redrockcanyonlv.or...ry-reservation-info/

I've only been there pre 2020, so not too sure how it works nowadays.

When I did the Grand Canyon from LV, it was a day trip. We took a puddle jumper out of Boulder City Airport to the South Rim Airport. Took a helicopter tour over the Canyon, and they they drove us around to the South Rim overlooks. Nice for a day trip.

If you want more GC experience (think hiking or such) you'll want to stay out there. I think most of the better access to the Grand Canyon is at the south rim, which is a long drive from Vegas. You may want to look at flying there and back.

We drove to the South Rim in July, from the Strip. IIRC it was about 4-1/2 drive one way.

I don't see Valley of Fire S.P. mentioned. VoF is about an hour from LV, a beautiful place to spend a day. I'd suggest taking Lake Mead Blvd to North Shore Drive, north, to VoF. Entering from the East you come immediately to Elephant Arch, great for photos. Then do what you want, short hikes, rock art. Exit out the West entrance back to I-15. If you want to take a lunch break, exit the East exit and go a little north to Overton, eat at Inside Scoops.

I live near Zion and highly recommend it but with the crowds it may not be a good day trip.

quote:

Originally posted by UTsig:
I don't see Valley of Fire S.P. mentioned.

Perfect, exactly the type of stuff I am looking for. I went to Moab a dozen years ago on a guys trip. The family have never been. Moab to too far away to make it over from Vegas, but I want the family to see Moab type of stuff.

Mount Charleston is also an easy trip; go up Kyle Canyon off US 95, take the cross over road to Lee canyon and up to the ski area, then come back down Lee canyon all the way to US 95 and come home. You can do some hiking, especially in Lee Canyon. Might be some snow still there in March. It's like a bit of the Sierra Nevada Mountains popping up in the middle of the Mohave Desert!

Valley of Fire is also excellent as mentioned above. Watch "The Professionals" or "Bite the Bullet"; both films used it as a location, especially the former (there's a 'wooden wall' still standing on the best hiking trail that was built by the film makers).

Grand Canyon South Rim - 5 hours

The distance from Las Vegas, NV to Grand Canyon depends on which part of Grand Canyon you would like to visit.

Las Vegas – Grand Canyon West: 130 miles
Grand Canyon West is not part of Grand Canyon National Park. It is part of the Hualapai Indian Reservation. You can not use the National Park Pass to get access.
The most prominent spot is certainly the so-called Skywalk opened in March 2007.
The road leading to the Skywalk is not fully paved and not advisable to use with rental vehicles due to exclusions in most rental contracts.
If interested in visiting Grand Canyon West from Las Vegas, we strongly recommend to book one of the tours leading from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon West like the Grand Voyager Tour.

Las Vegas – Grand Canyon National Park South Rim: 280 miles

Las Vegas – Grand Canyon National Park North Rim: 270 miles

Hoover Dam

An Easy day trip


Pioneer Saloon


If you're doing Red Rock it's just a few miles past the area, old time saloon, outside patio, good steaks and burgers.


If you and the kids like cars, maybe Watch Counts Kustoms, Weld'r Up, both are downtown, Counts is right past Trump Tower downtown Las Vegas, WelderUp is right by them.

Counts Customs

AKA Counts Kustoms TV Show

Welderup

AKA Vegas Rat Rods Discovery Channel

I would not do Grand Canyon in just one day. You will be tired driving round trip (approx. 4 hrs each way). I would at least do 2 days. If you have time, you can probably also see Sedona, AZ if you can spare 3 days.

Zion National Park can be done in a day from Vegas. Leave really early. Its about 2.5 hr drive. You can spend the entire day at the park, then head back in the afternoon.

We are in Vegas now which was our jump off point. We went to St George which is about 1.5 hours from Vegas. If you like to hike and rock scramble, I'd recommend Pioneer Park, and the Petrified Dunes trail in Snow Canyon State Park ($15 fee to get in) in St George. Zion is about 45 min north of St George. It is icy up there and we ended up buying yak Trax to hike some of the trails. If you get to Zion, definitely do the Canyon Overlook trail just past the tunnel on the Zion Mt Carmel highway. I'd imagine it will still be icy in Mar.

Red Rocks is very close to the Strip, less than an hour, but we found out the hard way that at least right now, no getting in w/o a reservation. It's a nice scenic drive and you can get out and scamble on the rocks.

Obligatory warning on scrambling, if you are careless it will be very easy to seriously injure/kill yourself.

Really depends on what you like... we really like the majestic vistas the Southern Utah area provides. The quiet and solitude out on the trails is great for us. For others it would be terrifying.

If you do want to get out to the canyons to hike, also recommend you get something with 4WD, as some of the fire roads to access trails can be pretty nasty. We got a Chevy Colorado 4WD, and a trip out to Yants Flats was pretty hairy, and two trips thru the carwash and there is still mud caked on it.

I will 2nd Valley of Fire. Well worth the hour drive from Vegas.

Highly recommend a trip to Antelope Canyon!! The beauty of what water has done to the sandstone is exquisite!! Can send you some pics if you email me.

We did the south rim in one day, only complaint was wish I had bigger vehicle. We didn’t feel rushed either.

quote:

Originally posted by wreckdiver:
Highly recommend a trip to Antelope Canyon!! The beauty of what water has done to the sandstone is exquisite!! Can send you some pics if you email me.

Not to hijack this thread but tell me about Antelope Canyon. I will be there later year. We have some tours setup but would take any info/tips from someone that has been there.

quote:

Originally posted by UTsig:
I don't see Valley of Fire S.P. mentioned. VoF is about an hour from LV, a beautiful place to spend a day. I'd suggest taking Lake Mead Blvd to North Shore Drive, north, to VoF. Entering from the East you come immediately to Elephant Arch, great for photos. Then do what you want, short hikes, rock art. Exit out the West entrance back to I-15. If you want to take a lunch break, exit the East exit and go a little north to Overton, eat at Inside Scoops.

I live near Zion and highly recommend it but with the crowds it may not be a good day trip.

Another vote for Valley of Fire. I chose it over Red Rock and couldn’t be more pleased. Even made a second trip on our 4 day Vegas trip Dec 2020

Here is a thread of the pics I got while there

https://sigforum.com/eve/forum...6031561/m/1020089774

Bryce Canyon is also a reasonable driving distance from Vegas. Highway 12 from there to Torrey is a scenic drive.

quote:

The most prominent spot is certainly the so-called Skywalk opened in March 2007.

This is on a "rez," (Hualapai, IIRC) so your guns, even with a permit, are a no go.

Every time I've flown into Vegas (5) I've gotten out of that mess as fast as possible and driven about an hour west to Pahrump and then spent 4 days at Front Sight... not one regret. If anyone needs a class I can probably sponsor it.

Some of the advise you're getting is good but impractical. Antelope Canyon is a very long day trip from Las Vegas, same with Bryce Canyon. I mentioned earlier that Zion was doable but difficult with the crowds and using a shuttle for the main canyon, scenic drive.

I think it would be a good idea to plan a trip to Utah in the future. 10 days will get you to some great places without spending all your time in a car.