Day trip to the Grand Canyon from LV

[LouCopits]

My daughter will be attending a business meeting in LV, and I suggested that she use her off day for a trip to the Grand Canyon.

Are there tour companies that have day trips to the Canyon or would she be better off to recruit a few friends and rent a car for the day?

Any suggestions for see/skip vistas at the Canyon?

Thanks.

[hockeymom26]

There are several bus companies that do the Grand Canyon. You can go to either lasvegas.com or vegas.com

[Vegas Vic]

It is a long day from VEgas to Grand Canyon and back. There are helicopter tours and airpane tours as well as bus tours.

I have heard both good and bad feedback on the bus tours. The bad seems to focus on not getting what is promised. They went to and from the canyon but some drivers just drive and don't narrate like they brochure claims. Food for lunch or dinner is not always what is promised as well.

One way to judge who is best these days is to call your hotel's 800 number and ask for the concierge. If they don't have one, call the Beliago and inquire there. A referral from a year or so ago is not always real usefull since there always seems to be turnover in drivers, etc.

We drove and made an overnight affair of the trip. We took a late start and spent an hour or so at Hoover Dam then drove to Williams. Spent the night there. I recall it taking 4 hours. Got up, drove to the Grand Canyon. If money is available, there is a train to the canyon as well. (look it up on the internet) The drive is about an hour from Willians to the South Rim.

Spent several hours at the canyon and drove back to Vegas.

Some friends left the Canyon and drove down to Sedona AZ, took lots of cool pics and then drove back to Vegas. Sedona is beautiful and worth the trip.

You can do it round trip in a day but it is a lot of driving.

[DanDeJonge]

We went to the GC last year....left early in the morning and arrived around 11am....spent the night there at the El Tovar. One day was enough to take the Tram ride through the park and stop at most of the scenic views. We also ate at the El Tovar. One of the best meals I have ever had and a very reasonable price. Woke up early the next morning and headed back to Vegas.

It took us about 4 hours to get to the GC from Vegas and about 7-hours to get back. The road that crosses the Hoover Damn was closed (a tanker flipped over). We had to take an alternate route through Laughlin.........almost missed our flight home.

I too think it would be too much driving for a one day trip. I talked to some of the people that we saw that took a bus....they spent about 1-hour at the canyon...not nearly enough time.

If you go, hope you enjoy your visit....The Canyon is breath taking.

[slugr]

Go for it in a car 5 1/2 hour drive leave early to beat tour buses to the dam. Get out Vegas by 6:30 stop at railroad pass casino eat hit the road before 8:00 to be over dam. Spend 2 or 3 hours at Grand Canyon head back thru Laughlin maybe stop for 1 or 2 hours. It will be a long day but well worth it. I'v done it .