Grand Canyon - Help

Visiting Vegas in August and trying to figure out the fastest route to the Grand Canyon and best place to visit ?

I will be renting a car - would prefer to drive myself rather than do a tour bus...

But if anyone recommends a specific tour, please let me know.


Any info would be helpful.

Highway 93 south to I-40.
I-40 east to Highway 64.
Highway 64 north directly to the Grand Canyon Village on the South Rim.

It is a long, long drive to do the Canyon and return to Vegas in a day.

Exactly, doesn't leave much time.

It makes a really long day. We got a late start and took a long time to finally get to the canyon. The sun was setting by then so only spent like an hour and 1/2 turned around drive back to vegas. I remember on the way back they were blasting on the road that goes over hoover dam and we had to turn around and go down and by laughlin on return trip to vegas. I dont remember thinking very highly of my trip to GC, and that kinda sucks,but oh well.

Point being,yes,if you're going to do it in one day,get an early start and allow plenty of time. JMHO of course.
JOHN

PS remember its a totally diff temp there. It might be 100 in vegas,it might be 50 up there(at sunset anyway),we froze our butts off.

You may want to consider going to the North Rim, rather than the South Rim. Less crowded, better views (IMHO) and a more scenic drive.
Another idea is to stay overnight and hit Zion Park and Bryce Canyon the next day.

We went to the Grand Canyon and first drove to Laughlin and booked 3 nights at Harrahs and stayed the first night there.

Got up the next morning and drove to the Grand Canyon from there, and stayed at the hotel on the rim, with a beautiful view of the Canyon from our room.

Left the next morning and stayed at Harrahs the 3rd night. Our host told us to book 3 nights even tho we would not be there the 2nd night. It made it a lot easier as we were going to book one night and check out and then come back and book another night, have to check out again. This way we booked 3 nights and drove to the Grand Canyon and stayed there one night and then back to Laughlin. We had plenty of time to see a the Canyon and all the lookouts. We enjoyed it this way.

Laughlin to Grand Canyon is around 200 miles - took about 4 hours
Las Vegas to Grand Canyon is around 350 miles

If budget permits, helicopter tour.

You should be able to stay overnight in Williams, about 40 miles west of Flagstaff. This is where the train stopped in the old days, when people got there on the train.

You could also stay overnight at the South Rim, but I suppose that's pricey.

Careful, though. This excursion takes you into polygamist country. Best be prepared for a possible run-in with polygamists.

The train still runs between Williams and Grand Canyon Village, and occasionally gun-totin' mounted cowboys intercept the train and rob it. But after arrival, the traveller is permitted only about 2½-hours at the rim before he must board the train for the return trip which looks an awful lot like the trip out, only backwards.

DonDiego recommends staying overnight so one can spend some time driving/walking along the rim for the beautiful scenery and to appreciate the view in the morning or evening light. The stars are bright up there too.

Staying at the South Rim is expensive, and one should be making reservations now in preparation for an August arrival.
Williams has lots of motels and something of a cowboy-flavor, but it is an hour from the Park. During the Season, which includes August, there is a scheduled shoot-out every evening somewhere in town for the amusement of passers-by.
The town of Tuscayan on Hwy64 just outside the Park has a Quality Inn, Holiday Inn, Best Western, and other inns along with several tourist-oriented mid-priced restaurants/buffets.

DonDiego says: "Enjoy !"