Help planning 10 day trip around Grand Canyon and Las Vegas

[dj toast]

I was at the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas earlier this month and had a fantastic time. The drive between them was spectacular; we stopped for about three hours at the Hoover Dam, which is certainly worth seeing, and the tour's well worth the long queue (which in any case moved pretty quickly.

Once at the Grand Canyon, we took a helicopter tour with Papillon, who fly from the airport at Tusayan, and despite a couple of slightly grouchy staff on the ground, the flight was well worth it, the views were breathtaking.

I got up very early to watch the sunrise from Yavapai Point, and though I'm not usually an early riser I'm glad I did.

It seemed to me that there's SO much to see and do in that area that you couldn't fail to be overwhealmed; enjoy!

Update July 2025 (RTA): The photos posted by the author are no longer online.

[Mark Sedenquist]

I was at the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas earlier this month and had a fantastic time. The drive between them was spectacular; we stopped for about three hours at the Hoover Dam,

What did you think of the new highway crossing? Oh, my goodness! I think it is going to be more amazing than the dam!

which is certainly worth seeing, and the tour's well worth the long queue (which in any case moved pretty quickly.

The docents really do a nice job on the tour, we have been several times.

the flight was well worth it, the views were breathtaking:

Agreed, nice photos!

Mark

[dj toast]

When we went traffic was fairly bad heading south over the dam and VERY bad coming back the following day so it'll make a big difference I think (it amused me watching this mockup of how the road will work, since the vehicle seems to be doing something over 200mph, a bit faster than the "mostly stopped" we managed on the current road!

http://www.hooverdambypass.org/tour.wmv )

Depending how high the sides are I can imagine it'll be pretty hard concentrating on the road, with the view of the dam it'll potentially give! Construction certainly seemed to be coming on well, and it's not like I need an excuse to head back there soon, but there's one right there anyway :)

[Mark Sedenquist]

Depending how high the sides are I can imagine it'll be pretty hard concentrating on the road, with the view of the dam it'll potentially give!

Early concepts show a pull-out being built on the bridge to allow people to (safely) do what they are going to do anyway -- pull over and gawk at the dam.

Mark