March 2007 trip itinerary

[Midwest Michael]

You can do the Grand Canyon in a day, but it would be a very long day. Its about a 5 hour drive to the South Rim, each way, so you are looking at 10 hours on the road before you even factor in whatever time you plan to actually spend at the canyon.

If you are planning to do this as a one day trip, there are also bus tours from Vegas that would eliminate your need to do all the driving yourself, however, I would think you would have a better time simply doing an overnight trip, staying either at the canyon itself, or in nearby Williams or Flagstaff.

[Lunja]

I'd head to the Canyon and camp- did that last month and you definately benefit from spending time to see a sunrise and a sunset, and hiking a couple of the trails. Williams is a great place to stay if you don't want to camp- it's got loads of character and has a real American feel to it.

We did Death Valley as a drive rather than stay, and we felt that we didn't miss much, but others might have good suggestions for things to do there.

[UKCraig]

I just got back a week ago and had an absolute ball in Death Valley but wasn't *that* taken with Grand Canyon. Go figure! Camping was good in GC though, we bought a bottle of JD and a load of goodies from the store in the GC village and spend a great evening huddled around a raging campfire after watching the sunset perched precariously on the side of a rock :) But still enjoyed Death Valley more - AWESOME place. Perhaps it was the lack of other people?

[Quebec Gen]

Hi Craig!

I just got back a week ago and had an absolute ball in Death Valley but wasn't *that* taken with Grand Canyon. Go figure!

I know what you mean, it was the same thing for me. Grand Canyon is always considered as THE ultimate attraction and is so popular that we have great expectations for it. Of course it is magnificient but I was much more taken by unusual places like Big Bend, or a little less popular like Bryce and Arches NP than the GC. The most impressive thing about the GC for me was its "grandeur", its width. I guess it also depends on where's your hometown. I live in the north east so we don't have sceneries such as Bryce Canyon's pink needles around here while we do have some golden rocks and pine trees like they have in Zion, a place I enjoyed but was not as impressive to me.

and spend a great evening huddled around a raging campfire after watching the sunset perched precariously on the side of a rock :)

Wish I was there. Those are precious moments. Where did you camp at the Grand Canyon exactly?

Gen

[UKCraig]

Didn't get to Bryce but I loved Arches and Canyonlands. I really think it was the number of people that ruined GC for me (as it did at Alcatraz - how you are supposed to get a feeling for what it was like when there are 15,000 people trying to get a good look I do not know! :)) hopefully visiting in March will remedy that.We stayed at the Mather Campground in GC village. Lovely big pitches and excellent facilities including HOT showers and a laundromat. Would recommend it to anyone planning on stopping there, but make sure you get to the campground EARLY to reserve your space. And don't go the wrong way when driving to your plot - the campground people don't like you ignoring the no entry signs. oops... :)

[Quebec Gen]

Didn't get to Bryce

Well, here's a good excuse for a detour:o)) Bryce can get pretty crowded at the top of the amphitheatre but as you get to the bottom and take longer trails, it gets more quiet.

We stayed at the Mather Campground in GC village. Lovely big pitches and excellent facilities including HOT showers and a laundromat.

Thanks for the tip Craig. I was planning on going to GC south rim on my next trip to AZ. I just don't know when that's going to happen:o(( Hopefully, there will be less people when I'll get there than the last time:o). I'm not a fan of crowded areas either except when attending concerts!

Cheers!
Gen

[Midwest Michael]

I'll say, I wasn't at all disappointed with the Grand Canyon. Although, I was there in March, when the crowds were relatively small. I also think doing a couple mile hike into the Canyon also helped to increase my appreciation of it. I am in total agreement that feeling overcrowded in a national park setting will really decrease my enjoyment of it.

My only problem at GC was with the NPS and its bus system used to reduce congestion in the park - but being left stranded for an hour after dark with about 40 other people will not do much to win customer service points.

[JustTrish]

Texas is a BIG state. Not sure why you are going South to North then back South.

You will save time if you change your trip so that you go:

El Paso to San Antonio (552 miles)
San Antonio to Austin (80 miles)
Austin to Dallas (200 miles)
Dallas to Houston (250 miles)

This way you will save about 100 miles, at least, and I also think it's more efficient/pleasant than the El Paso to Dallas drive.

I can help you also with Memphis, Nashville, New Orleans, Birmingham, Atlanta, and Florida. Let me know what kind of places you are most interested in seeing (museums? attractions? wacky stuff?).

One question: why are you going to Tallahassee? < ...snip... > I'm going to give your Florida itinerary some thought and get back to you when I know what you want to see.

Hugs,

Trish