From Las Vegas
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At first glance, Las Vegas and Grand Canyon seem worlds apart—at least in spirit, if not in mileage. (It’s only four hours from Vegas to the North Rim, and a little longer to the South Rim.) But in a strange sort of way, Vegas and the canyon are soul sisters: Both exemplify extremes, and both are best experienced by immersion. Las Vegas is a convenient launching point for a Grand Canyon trip, easily reached by air from most U.S. cities, with a number of tour and travel options for getting to the canyon.
If you’re driving, it’s about 270 miles from Vegas to the North Rim: Take I-15 north for 128 miles to St. George, Utah. Just past St. George, take Route 9 east 10 miles. Continue east on Route 59 for 32 miles. The highway number changes at the Utah-Arizona border, becoming Route 389. Continue east another 33 miles to Fredonia. Turn east on Highway 89A for 30 miles to Jacob Lake. Turn south on Highway 67 for 43 miles to the North Rim.
From Las Vegas to the South Rim, it’s 280 miles: Take Highway 93 south to I-40. Take I-40 east to Williams, Arizona. Turn north on Highway 64 and drive 60 miles to the South Rim.
Airports
McCarran International Airport (LAS), the primary commercial airport for Las Vegas, is located a few miles outside city limits in Clark County. More than 20 commercial carriers land here, including AeroMexico, Air Canada, Alaska, American, Continental, Delta, JetBlue, Northwest, Southwest, United, US Airways, and Virgin Atlantic. The airport uses two terminals.
Papillon Helicopters, which has tour flights from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon, is based at McCarran, while many other scenic airlines use the North Las Vegas Airport (VGT).
Bus
Greyhound (200 E. Main St., Las Vegas, NV 89101, 702/384-9561) has service to Las Vegas, with connections nationwide. The bus station is open 24 hours daily.
Tours
It seems a bit odd to wander down the Strip, surrounded by flashing neon and porn peddlers, and see advertisements for Grand Canyon tours. But almost everything in Vegas is a commodity, and the canyon is no exception. Tour choices are plentiful and competitively priced.
Papillon Helicopters (275 E. Tropicana Ave., Las Vegas, NV 89169, 702/736-7243 or 888/635-7272) has tour options with or without flights, as does Sightseeing Tours Unlimited (7440 Dean Martin Dr., Las Vegas, NV 89139, 702/471-7155 or 800/377-2003, www.sightseeingtourslv.com). Coach America/Grayline (795 E. Tropicana Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89119, 702/735-4638 or 800/634-6579, www.graylinelasvegas.com) has ground tours to the South Rim and Grand Canyon West.
Making reservations through a tour broker can save you some time sorting through the various options: Grand Canyon Today (702/396-2754 or 800/957-6329, www.grandcanyontoday.com) and Best Tours (1301 Airport Rd., Boulder City, NV 89005, 702/851-8436, www.besttourslv.com) represent a wide selection of operators and tours.
Car Rental
McCarran International Airport’s Rent-A-Car Center (702/261-6001) hosts several national car-rental agencies. To get to the Rent-A-Car Center, find door 10 or 11 inside Terminal 1 and wait for the shuttle, which arrives every 5–10 minutes. If you’re in Terminal 2, the Rent-A-Car Center is across the road from the baggage claim area.
RV Rental
Cruise America (6070 Boulder Hwy., Las Vegas, NV 89122, 702/456-6666 or 800/671-8042) has offices here. So do Bates International (3690 S. Eastern Ave. #220, Las Vegas, NV 89109, 702/737-9050 or 800/732-2283, www.batesintl.com), Sahara RV Center (1518 Scotland Ln., Las Vegas, NV 89102, 702/384-8818 or 800/748-6494, www.sahararv.com), and several other RV rental agencies.
Equipment Rental
REI (2220 Village Walk Dr., Henderson, NV 89052, 702/896-7509, www.rei.com, 10 a.m.–9 p.m. Mon.–Sat., 11 a.m.–6 p.m. Sun.), Desert Rock Sports (8221 W. Charleston Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89117, 702/254-1143, www.desertrocksportslv.com, 9 a.m.–7 p.m. Mon.–Sat., 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Sun.), and Western Wanderer (682 Wells Rd., Boulder City, NV 89005, 702/768-3840, www.westernwanderer.com) rent camping gear.
Accommodations and Food
You can choose among major hotel chains and accommodations convenient to the airport or freeway, but if you want the full Vegas experience, head for the Strip and its casino hotels. The Stratosphere rises above the northern strip, where the Sahara and Riviera have held court for more than half a century, and Circus Circus has become a family favorite.
At the heart of the strip, you’ll find the classic Flamingo, the restructured Caesar’s Palace, and the luxurious Bellagio. On the South Strip, hotels like New York New York and Excalibur offer entertaining themes at midrange prices. Dining can be equally adventurous. You’ll find a few bargain buffets like the ones your grandpa raved about, but Vegas dining has evolved to include sushi, nouvelle Chinese, upscale Italian, and Creole cuisine.
© Kathleen Bryant from Moon Grand Canyon, 4th Edition
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