Day trip to Grand Canyon - renting a car/SUV

My husband and I plan to rent a car one day, leave early and drive to the Grand Canyon. I%26#39;ve been told to go to the North Rim -- I%26#39;m not interested in the ';West Rim';/glass bridge. Can you give me points of interest or directions for our trip?

Thank you!

Maggie

Day trip to Grand Canyon - renting a car/SUV

The South Rim is where you will be headed if you are going by car, and wish to pass on the ';glass bridge';.

The South Rim is where the National Park is, and what people who see pictures of the Canyon are familiar with.

From Las Vegas, you will head East on either Flamingo, or Tropicana to the 93/95 heading south. Some people will tell you to take the 215, but if there%26#39;s an accident, now your stuck in traffic, and I%26#39;ve found it easier to use one of the major thru-ways I mentioned.

When you head South, be carefull you do not follow 95, or you will end up in Laughlin. Stay on the 93, and that will take you first to Boulder City, and then to the Dam. after the Dam, you will be in Arizona, and you will stay on 93 untill you hit 40East. Follow 40 East to Williams Arizona, and then Travel North on 164 to Grand Canyon National Park.

Plan on about a 5 hour drive.

Day trip to Grand Canyon - renting a car/SUV

Is this 5 hour drive round-trip, or one way? We%26#39;re considering trying this the next time we are in Vegas.

Maggie, I would also suggest you go to th N. rim. It%26#39;s about a 5 hour drive and the scenery is beautiful. There are three basic viewing area and on two of them you have to travel thru winding roads to reach them.. Elavation is about 9,000 so the thin air might affect you a bit (my wife got a little light-headed). Temperature is cooler and a light jacket might br needed early. Take plenty of film or memory cards. There are several towns along the way that you can pick up brakfast/snacks etc. The speed limit on th highway up to Mesquite is 75. Once you get into Utah, you%26#39;ll have to turn off heading to Hurricane. Be careful with the speed limit from then on. The road from that point on becomes 2 lanes, one each way.

You can probably do the three big areas in about four hours( not counting any extensive hiking. It is truly a great side trip.

holrk...

Both North and South Rims are 5 hours each way.

Thanks so much!

Any suggestions on where to spend the night after seeing the Grand Canyon? Either somewhere close to the GC or somewhere on the way back to LV, thanks

Most people I%26#39;ve talked to have a hard time finding accomodations close to the canyon, as the tour companys tend to book them up in advance, and what they don%26#39;t take are swept up by family vacationers.

It really depends on the time of year. (It%26#39;s harder in the summer).

You could also check Flagstaff.

';Any suggestions on where to spend the night after seeing the Grand Canyon? Either somewhere close to the GC or somewhere on the way back to LV, thanks';

Depends on which rim you visit and what time of year you%26#39;re planning on going. The North Rim is remote, and closes in early to mid October. There is only the one lodge there in the park. The South Rim has more lodging options inside the park, which you can view at:

http://www.grandcanyonlodges.com/

Many of the ';in park'; lodges book up well in advance, so plan accordingly. Outisde the park is Tusiyan, Arizona. Kind of a ';wide spot in the road'; town but there are some lodging options there. I%26#39;ve stayed at the Best Western and it was a decent property. Otherwise, Williams, Arizona and Flagstaff both have plenty of options but are some distance from the canyon.

The hotels in the Grand Canyon do fill up months ahead of time. But I have always had luck getting a cancelation the week before. Keep trying, you may have luck. If not Tusyan, right outside the park has many hotel. I have stayed at The Grand and the Quality Inn, both are fine.

Thanks for the information, bumping to get more