Tuesday, April 26, 2005
Comprehensive Guide To Las Vegas
I have been long-haul on British Airways, and can tell you that the services and facilities – eg, leg room, space, food, in-flight movies etc – do not differ greatly. Nonetheless, I do give a lot of credit to Virgin Atlantic for an easy, stress-free flight. Although the space in the economy seating – what do you expect, I’m not willing to pay £8000 to sit in first class - was limited (I am about 6”1’), I still had free movement and enough space to sit comfortably for 10 hours. The service from the stewards was top-rate, and we were continually offered free drinks. I can not remember what I had to eat on the flight, but we had two meals per flight, as well as snacks, all of which I found reasonable – do not believe the harsh stereotypes of disgusting aeroplane food (unless you are flying with EasyJet I suppose.) In-flight entertainment was excellent, with a choice of 9 or so movies to keep me entertained, as well as music. All the movies are updated monthly, as to keep it up to date, so you will not be watching any films that have been out more than a couple of months.
and I feel more beautiful.
It should be noted that there are many stop over flights, which enable you to visit other parts of America such as San Francisco. However, this is time consuming, and if you are only really going to see LV, it is definitely worth flying direct.
After the flight, we nipped into a taxi which drove us to our hotel in a couple of minutes. As the strip is fairly modern, the first hotel being erected just after WWII, everything is built together efficiently and effectively, so no long distance journeys from destination to destination. One thing to say about the taxis is to ask the driver lots of questions. A small percentage of the time, they can be a bit grumpy and impatient, but many have a tremendous and fascinating local knowledge of the area. I gained a lot of information about LV’s history, as well as ideas and places to visit.
Nonetheless, the taxis are fairly expensive – all running on the same meter due to a number of businesses owning the whole ‘taxi industry’ in LV – and I would suggest the bus. The buses run almost constantly up and down the strip, though if time is limited (which it probably is as there is so much to see) it may be worth spending a few extra dollars on a taxi.
However, walking the strip is what I would recommend the most, especially on warm, pleasant days. Although the strip is 4 miles long, and it wouldn’t be too wise to walk it all, walking enables you to stop and look in shops, cafes, restaurants or hotels at your own leisure. There are monorails joining some hotels, which is an easier way to travel – free and direct. However, they are very limited, and I would only recommend using the one linking the Excalibur, Luxor and Mandalay Bay.
ACCOMODATION
We stayed in the Excalibur, in the southern end of the strip. The room was fairly standard – bed, air con, table, sofa, television etc. However, this really isn’t important at all, for the simple reason that you spend such little time in your room. As this was our first visit, we weren’t quite sure where to stay, but the Excalibur is a lively, relatively cheap option. I would also recommend Circus Circus as one of the cheapest options, but it is more family orientated in the hotel.
Every Hotel has a casino, with literally thousands of various slots, as well as tables for blackjack, roulette and craps (amongst others). In many hotels, there are also poker rooms to compete against fellow gamblers. For the high rollers, there are separate rooms to gamble away thousands at a time – not greatly appealing to me!!! When gambling, free drinks are given, though you often have to wait for a long time to be served by the few waitresses there are covering a huge casino floor.
There are often food courts in the hotels as well, with a few small cafes and restaurants in addition to the usual McDonalds and Pizza Hut. I would urge everyone to visit a buffet at least once during a visit, all of which are fairly cheap.
Lots of hotels have arcades for the U21’s, but most are not as ‘up to date’ as all the information guides say. They are fairly standard, just as you would see in England. I would highly recommend the arcade at Circus Circus. It is huge and also has an indoor theme park with an indoor log flume.
LAS VEGAS WEATHER
Throughout the year, the weather is mainly sunny. I feel it is best to go between March – June, as in the summer months my friend told me it was uncomfortably hot on occasions, and it was best to stay inside with the air condition. In summer, it is also far busier leading to cramped, sweaty conditions in many of the leading hotels.
TIPPING
Though slightly irrelevant at this point, tipping is an important factor in LV. From taxi drivers to blackjack dealers, it is claimed you should “tip everybody.” It is hard to suss out how much you should give, but a couple of dollars per taxi fare should be sufficient, and if receiving a free drink in the casinos, it is customary to leave a one dollar bill.
SHOWS AND ENTERTAINMENT
I can not speak highly enough of “The Tournament of the Kings” at the Excalibur. In a small arena, you are divided into countries cheering on your horseman in jousting and fighting events throughout the evening. The atmosphere is immense, as is the action and drama. This is a really professional show where the actors do really go at each other with their swords, adding to the realism and excitement. Throughout the evening, I had to remind myself we weren’t in the medieval era!!! Served with half a chicken and wedges was fun, having to eat it with your hands – you can see how the atmosphere is set – and the overall meal and entertainment turned out to be great value for money. I got talking to a couple of Americans just before the show who had seen the show no less than 34 times. WARNING – if sitting in the front row, make sure you eat fairly quickly as the horses can kick sand up into your meal.
There are shows throughout the strip with huge stars such as Elton John and Celine Dion. However, performers often change and it is best to research who will be there at the corresponding dates. Huge musical shows as well as sports events are usually held at Caesar’s Palace.
The gondola rides in The Venetian are a must for any romantic couples, serenaded as you travel through a canal inside the hotel. Definitely worth doing, as the scenery is beautiful – sounds a bit strange doesn’t it as you are inside, but the ceiling is painted like the sky and the shops and cafes around are stunning. Be warned though, you often get the feeling you are being stared at by others along the river.
The Stratosphere is another must for everyone visiting LV for the first time. It gives a fantastic view of the strip – a great photo opportunity. It also has the fastest lift in the world, climbing 120 floors in about 20 seconds – apparently going 21mph.
There is quite a number of simulator rides and Imax 3D experiences, some of which are worth visiting. Most are only a few dollars, and quite fun. Obviously these change frequently, so I could not recommend a certain film to you.
There are also a number of free shows which are performed nightly in the overall attempt to gain the upper hand from hotel to hotel. I can recommend a few…
Treasure Island outdoor show – amazing sound, action and fireworks telling a story of enemy pirates. It includes dancing and fighting, as well as a huge moving boat – amazing considering this is all just outside the hotel. (Performed three times per night.)
Exploding volcano – outside the Mirage every fifteen minutes. I was unsatisfied with this spectacle, which lasted around two minutes. Worth seeing though if you are walking past.
Fountain Show – at the Bellagio. Huge jets fire masses of water in time with the music. There are also different demonstrates, so I saw the fantastic fountains about six times in all. Really spectacular.
The Conservatory – inside the Bellagio. Absolutely amazing plants, as well as a real life scene from Monet’s famous paintings. Really worth seeing, along with the famous Italian glass inside the hotel.
The Freemont experience – downtown, to the North of the strip. This is definitely worth seeing, with millions of LED lights giving a daily laser show on the ceiling!!!
M+M world is a huge building dedicated to the wonderful chocolate that is M+M. Interesting.
FOR THE ADVENTUROUS
The Rollercoaster around New York New York is not for the faint-hearted. Apparently, the views are great and you even get to see the strip upside down, but the queues are often long and slow moving.
The stratosphere has a number of rides, including a rollercoaster. There is also a ride that tips you over the edge of the building, as you sit there facing down 120 storeys – not really my cup of tea!!!
EATING AND DRINKING
As I have mentioned, it is definitely worth checking out a buffet or two, but there are a number of other fantastic bars and restaurants. I am only going to mention a few of the ones that stood out for me, because there are numerous restaurants, all serving great food.
Coyote Ugly at New York New York is a lively bar just like in the film, with table top dancing and a wild, party atmosphere.
Eiffel Tower Restaurant at the Paris Hotel is a great restaurant with terrific views, as you suddenly find yourself in France, which I found out is actually in America, not… France?!?!?
The Cheesecake factory is amazing for a light lunch or massive cheesecake – at Caesar’s Palace.
The Terrace Restaurant at the Bellagio is a stylish place to dine, with the additional factor of the magnificent fountains as a show every fifteen minutes.
SHOPPING
There are a fair few shopping centres but I would only recommend the Premium Outlet Centre just North of the strip. It sells clothes at an amazing price, half of what you would expect to pay in England. If you have children or grandchildren, it is definitely worth getting them some clothes, as there is loads of Nike and Adidas items!
For the more lavish shopper, get to the Mall at Caesar’s Palace. It has shops from all the best designers such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton and D&G. Quite expensive though, as you can imagine.
There are also masses of souvenirs which are a must, located all along the strip.
GRAND CANYON
It is essential for anybody on a single visit to fly via plane or helicopter over the Hoover dam and around the Grand Canyon. It is safer to book in advance, but you can get great deals from operators on the strip. We flew to Grand Canyon, had BBQ lunch on the rim of Grand Canyon, flew down into basin by Helicopter and went on a boat along the Colorado river and back up in the Helicopter and flew back to Vegas for £150 each. The views are simply breathtaking, and I would love to meet anybody who could put the whole experience into words.
GENERAL LAS VEGAS BOULEVARD
Las Vegas is not simply about gambling. For me, it was more about looking at the overwhelming sites in and around the hotel – here are a few of the fantastic hotels and what they represent…
Luxor – pyramid
Excalibur – medieval castle
Venetian – Venice
Paris – Paris (obviously)
Caesar’s Palace – well you can imagine, absolutely awe-inspiring.
New York New York – fantastic skyline of New York and Statue of Liberty (with memorial to Sep 11.) x
There is also constant building work along the boulevard, meaning rapid growth for LV. In ten years time, I think the Strip will be twice as big and popular as it is now. My prediction is that there will eventually be a “London Hotel” – though I will claim the idea, just think of the possibilities; Houses of Parliament, London Dungeons, London Eye?
MY TIPS AND IDEAS
Plan a basic itinerary before you arrive and list all the things you plan to see, and then tick it off once you have – it is very easy to forget to go somewhere which you will regret later.
Spend time visiting each casino, and collect as many souvenirs as possible – eg money pots, used decks of cards and matches.
Avoid the roads as much as possible – its extremely dangerous crossing seven lane highways – use bridges from hotel to hotel as much as possible.
Avoid travelling on the roads at weekends; it becomes extremely congested at times.
When checking out at the airport, especially terminal two at the McCarren airport, it is worth checking in your bags as early as possible (usually around four hours before boarding) and then getting a taxi to the Hard Rock Hotel/Cafe for lunch - just off the strip by the airport. This means you waste minimal time waiting around at the airport, and the hotel has a huge variety of memorabilia which is worth seeing.***
Watch out for any fashions or clothes people are wearing – in a couple of months, it is likely to be a hit in England, but double the price.
This is possibly the best advice I had from an American whilst standing in the queue for breakfast – “Think 24 hours, not 12!” Everything is always open, so go to bed when you are tired, not necessarily at conventional hours. There is too much to see for you to be wasting time sleeping – there is always time to sleep when you get home!
For More Information
Paradise Found Tours maintains a website for Las Vegas Tours at http://www.paradisefoundtours.com. The site provides information for Grand Canyon tours, special news, fees and other pertinent information.
Valuable Links:
Grand Canyon Tours
Las Vegas Tours
Hoover Dam Tours
Las Vegas
and I feel more beautiful.
It should be noted that there are many stop over flights, which enable you to visit other parts of America such as San Francisco. However, this is time consuming, and if you are only really going to see LV, it is definitely worth flying direct.
After the flight, we nipped into a taxi which drove us to our hotel in a couple of minutes. As the strip is fairly modern, the first hotel being erected just after WWII, everything is built together efficiently and effectively, so no long distance journeys from destination to destination. One thing to say about the taxis is to ask the driver lots of questions. A small percentage of the time, they can be a bit grumpy and impatient, but many have a tremendous and fascinating local knowledge of the area. I gained a lot of information about LV’s history, as well as ideas and places to visit.
Nonetheless, the taxis are fairly expensive – all running on the same meter due to a number of businesses owning the whole ‘taxi industry’ in LV – and I would suggest the bus. The buses run almost constantly up and down the strip, though if time is limited (which it probably is as there is so much to see) it may be worth spending a few extra dollars on a taxi.
However, walking the strip is what I would recommend the most, especially on warm, pleasant days. Although the strip is 4 miles long, and it wouldn’t be too wise to walk it all, walking enables you to stop and look in shops, cafes, restaurants or hotels at your own leisure. There are monorails joining some hotels, which is an easier way to travel – free and direct. However, they are very limited, and I would only recommend using the one linking the Excalibur, Luxor and Mandalay Bay.
ACCOMODATION
We stayed in the Excalibur, in the southern end of the strip. The room was fairly standard – bed, air con, table, sofa, television etc. However, this really isn’t important at all, for the simple reason that you spend such little time in your room. As this was our first visit, we weren’t quite sure where to stay, but the Excalibur is a lively, relatively cheap option. I would also recommend Circus Circus as one of the cheapest options, but it is more family orientated in the hotel.
Every Hotel has a casino, with literally thousands of various slots, as well as tables for blackjack, roulette and craps (amongst others). In many hotels, there are also poker rooms to compete against fellow gamblers. For the high rollers, there are separate rooms to gamble away thousands at a time – not greatly appealing to me!!! When gambling, free drinks are given, though you often have to wait for a long time to be served by the few waitresses there are covering a huge casino floor.
There are often food courts in the hotels as well, with a few small cafes and restaurants in addition to the usual McDonalds and Pizza Hut. I would urge everyone to visit a buffet at least once during a visit, all of which are fairly cheap.
Lots of hotels have arcades for the U21’s, but most are not as ‘up to date’ as all the information guides say. They are fairly standard, just as you would see in England. I would highly recommend the arcade at Circus Circus. It is huge and also has an indoor theme park with an indoor log flume.
LAS VEGAS WEATHER
Throughout the year, the weather is mainly sunny. I feel it is best to go between March – June, as in the summer months my friend told me it was uncomfortably hot on occasions, and it was best to stay inside with the air condition. In summer, it is also far busier leading to cramped, sweaty conditions in many of the leading hotels.
TIPPING
Though slightly irrelevant at this point, tipping is an important factor in LV. From taxi drivers to blackjack dealers, it is claimed you should “tip everybody.” It is hard to suss out how much you should give, but a couple of dollars per taxi fare should be sufficient, and if receiving a free drink in the casinos, it is customary to leave a one dollar bill.
SHOWS AND ENTERTAINMENT
I can not speak highly enough of “The Tournament of the Kings” at the Excalibur. In a small arena, you are divided into countries cheering on your horseman in jousting and fighting events throughout the evening. The atmosphere is immense, as is the action and drama. This is a really professional show where the actors do really go at each other with their swords, adding to the realism and excitement. Throughout the evening, I had to remind myself we weren’t in the medieval era!!! Served with half a chicken and wedges was fun, having to eat it with your hands – you can see how the atmosphere is set – and the overall meal and entertainment turned out to be great value for money. I got talking to a couple of Americans just before the show who had seen the show no less than 34 times. WARNING – if sitting in the front row, make sure you eat fairly quickly as the horses can kick sand up into your meal.
There are shows throughout the strip with huge stars such as Elton John and Celine Dion. However, performers often change and it is best to research who will be there at the corresponding dates. Huge musical shows as well as sports events are usually held at Caesar’s Palace.
The gondola rides in The Venetian are a must for any romantic couples, serenaded as you travel through a canal inside the hotel. Definitely worth doing, as the scenery is beautiful – sounds a bit strange doesn’t it as you are inside, but the ceiling is painted like the sky and the shops and cafes around are stunning. Be warned though, you often get the feeling you are being stared at by others along the river.
The Stratosphere is another must for everyone visiting LV for the first time. It gives a fantastic view of the strip – a great photo opportunity. It also has the fastest lift in the world, climbing 120 floors in about 20 seconds – apparently going 21mph.
There is quite a number of simulator rides and Imax 3D experiences, some of which are worth visiting. Most are only a few dollars, and quite fun. Obviously these change frequently, so I could not recommend a certain film to you.
There are also a number of free shows which are performed nightly in the overall attempt to gain the upper hand from hotel to hotel. I can recommend a few…
Treasure Island outdoor show – amazing sound, action and fireworks telling a story of enemy pirates. It includes dancing and fighting, as well as a huge moving boat – amazing considering this is all just outside the hotel. (Performed three times per night.)
Exploding volcano – outside the Mirage every fifteen minutes. I was unsatisfied with this spectacle, which lasted around two minutes. Worth seeing though if you are walking past.
Fountain Show – at the Bellagio. Huge jets fire masses of water in time with the music. There are also different demonstrates, so I saw the fantastic fountains about six times in all. Really spectacular.
The Conservatory – inside the Bellagio. Absolutely amazing plants, as well as a real life scene from Monet’s famous paintings. Really worth seeing, along with the famous Italian glass inside the hotel.
The Freemont experience – downtown, to the North of the strip. This is definitely worth seeing, with millions of LED lights giving a daily laser show on the ceiling!!!
M+M world is a huge building dedicated to the wonderful chocolate that is M+M. Interesting.
FOR THE ADVENTUROUS
The Rollercoaster around New York New York is not for the faint-hearted. Apparently, the views are great and you even get to see the strip upside down, but the queues are often long and slow moving.
The stratosphere has a number of rides, including a rollercoaster. There is also a ride that tips you over the edge of the building, as you sit there facing down 120 storeys – not really my cup of tea!!!
EATING AND DRINKING
As I have mentioned, it is definitely worth checking out a buffet or two, but there are a number of other fantastic bars and restaurants. I am only going to mention a few of the ones that stood out for me, because there are numerous restaurants, all serving great food.
Coyote Ugly at New York New York is a lively bar just like in the film, with table top dancing and a wild, party atmosphere.
Eiffel Tower Restaurant at the Paris Hotel is a great restaurant with terrific views, as you suddenly find yourself in France, which I found out is actually in America, not… France?!?!?
The Cheesecake factory is amazing for a light lunch or massive cheesecake – at Caesar’s Palace.
The Terrace Restaurant at the Bellagio is a stylish place to dine, with the additional factor of the magnificent fountains as a show every fifteen minutes.
SHOPPING
There are a fair few shopping centres but I would only recommend the Premium Outlet Centre just North of the strip. It sells clothes at an amazing price, half of what you would expect to pay in England. If you have children or grandchildren, it is definitely worth getting them some clothes, as there is loads of Nike and Adidas items!
For the more lavish shopper, get to the Mall at Caesar’s Palace. It has shops from all the best designers such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton and D&G. Quite expensive though, as you can imagine.
There are also masses of souvenirs which are a must, located all along the strip.
GRAND CANYON
It is essential for anybody on a single visit to fly via plane or helicopter over the Hoover dam and around the Grand Canyon. It is safer to book in advance, but you can get great deals from operators on the strip. We flew to Grand Canyon, had BBQ lunch on the rim of Grand Canyon, flew down into basin by Helicopter and went on a boat along the Colorado river and back up in the Helicopter and flew back to Vegas for £150 each. The views are simply breathtaking, and I would love to meet anybody who could put the whole experience into words.
GENERAL LAS VEGAS BOULEVARD
Las Vegas is not simply about gambling. For me, it was more about looking at the overwhelming sites in and around the hotel – here are a few of the fantastic hotels and what they represent…
Luxor – pyramid
Excalibur – medieval castle
Venetian – Venice
Paris – Paris (obviously)
Caesar’s Palace – well you can imagine, absolutely awe-inspiring.
New York New York – fantastic skyline of New York and Statue of Liberty (with memorial to Sep 11.) x
There is also constant building work along the boulevard, meaning rapid growth for LV. In ten years time, I think the Strip will be twice as big and popular as it is now. My prediction is that there will eventually be a “London Hotel” – though I will claim the idea, just think of the possibilities; Houses of Parliament, London Dungeons, London Eye?
MY TIPS AND IDEAS
Plan a basic itinerary before you arrive and list all the things you plan to see, and then tick it off once you have – it is very easy to forget to go somewhere which you will regret later.
Spend time visiting each casino, and collect as many souvenirs as possible – eg money pots, used decks of cards and matches.
Avoid the roads as much as possible – its extremely dangerous crossing seven lane highways – use bridges from hotel to hotel as much as possible.
Avoid travelling on the roads at weekends; it becomes extremely congested at times.
When checking out at the airport, especially terminal two at the McCarren airport, it is worth checking in your bags as early as possible (usually around four hours before boarding) and then getting a taxi to the Hard Rock Hotel/Cafe for lunch - just off the strip by the airport. This means you waste minimal time waiting around at the airport, and the hotel has a huge variety of memorabilia which is worth seeing.***
Watch out for any fashions or clothes people are wearing – in a couple of months, it is likely to be a hit in England, but double the price.
This is possibly the best advice I had from an American whilst standing in the queue for breakfast – “Think 24 hours, not 12!” Everything is always open, so go to bed when you are tired, not necessarily at conventional hours. There is too much to see for you to be wasting time sleeping – there is always time to sleep when you get home!
For More Information
Paradise Found Tours maintains a website for Las Vegas Tours at http://www.paradisefoundtours.com. The site provides information for Grand Canyon tours, special news, fees and other pertinent information.
Valuable Links:
Grand Canyon Tours
Las Vegas Tours
Hoover Dam Tours
Las Vegas
Grand Canyon And The Total Perspective Vortex
Trin Tragula was a dreamer, a thinker, a speculative philosopher or, as his wife would have it, an idiot. And she would nag him incessantly about the utterly inordinate amount of time he spent staring out into space, or mulling over the mechanics of safety pins, or doing spectographic analyses of pieces of fairy cake.
"Have some sense of proportion!" she would say, sometimes as often as thirty-eight times in a single day.
And so he built the Total Perspective Vortex--just to show her. And into one end he plugged the whole of reality as extrapolated from a piece of fairy cake, and into the other end he plugged his wife: so that when he turned it on she saw in one instant the whole infinity of creation and herself in relation to it.
To Trin Tragula's horror, the shock completely annihilated her brain; but to his satisfaction he realized that he had proved conclusively that if life is going to exist in a Universe of this size, then the one thing it cannot afford is a sense of proportion.’ (Douglas Adams, The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy)
The Grand Canyon, may not be the whole infinity of creation, or a fairy cake but it certainly puts size into perspective, and as for a sense of proportion well...
The Grand Canyon is undoubtedly one of the true natural wonders of the world. The rock formations are known the world over, as the red strata is one of the most photographed areas in the world. This stratum shows millions years of evolution and erosion, the inaccessibility of some of the pictographs (cave drawings) are proof of that. But however many pictures you see, however many holiday programmes you watch, you could even know every statistic there is to know on what is essentially an enormous hole in the ground, but the reaction when you first see it, is indescribable it is very difficult not to gasp in amazement and awesome may be a horrid word, but for the Grand Canyon, it works.
When we visited we took a rather long way round, we drove around the North rim up to the far end of the Grand Canyon, where we stayed in Page on the shore of Lake Powell. The two extremes of the Grand Canyon are marked by two dams, the Glen Canyon dam in the East which forms Lake Powell and Hoover Dam (as repaired by Christopher Reeve in Superman!) in the West forming Lake Mead. Now, the Grand Canyon itself is 150 miles long, so I really don’t understand why the majority of visitors chose to visit only a 3 mile area of it, which is on the South Rim about half way down where you will find the Grand Canyon Village.
There are several ways of seeing the Grand Canyon; one of the most popular is by Helicopter or Plane. We didn’t do this but I understand from many reports, this can be a little unnerving. I think you’re fine if love flying, but if you suffer from motion sickness it can get very turbulent, I think they plan on cleaning out the machines fairly regularly. The prices for this seem to range from $150 - $250 depending on the length of trip.
Then there is by raft, this is one of the ways I would really love to see the Grand Canyon. The main issue is getting out again, there are only a couple of stops along the way where you can actually get access to the river so they offer trips of 3 days minimum or 7 days takes you down to the end of the line at lake Mead. The other issue with this area of the Grand Canyon is the white water so if you don’t want to do rapids, don’t do it. I was pregnant at the time of our visit so this option was out, but even if I hadn’t been you have to book places on the raft trips upwards of 18 months beforehand. My cousin did an independent canoe trip through and it took him 2 years to get the permit to allow him to do it, as the number of visitors allowed within the rim is strictly regulated.
However there is another option, as I mentioned earlier we stayed in Page and you can take a one day float (no rapids) down the Glen Canyon which is not as vast, but just as beautiful and costs (from memory) $50. These can be booked in Page itself and you do not need to pre-book. We did this and it was a wonderful day, the peace of floating down the river, seeing the wild life and rock formations and after just a short walk some 4000 year old pictographs. They provided lunch. The whole day was truly amazing, and fine for pregnant ladies. You get out at Lees Ferry, which is at the entrance to the Grand Canyon and is where the other rafting trips start.
Then there are the options that you can take from the Grand Canyon village, you can walk down into the rim, which if you plan on staying overnight you will need an overnight permit but if you do this you could stay at Phantom Range, if you don’t want to walk down you can take a mule. It is however a two day trip to go down to the valley floor, although the distance isn’t huge, it’s a really steep climb and you need to make sure you are properly prepared, copious amounts of water are essential as dehydration is the biggest problem. Mainly because this is desert country so it is hot. Having visited in the middle of summer some of the pictures of the Grand Canyon covered in snow are very beautiful but does looks very bizarre.
At this point I would recommend anyone who is interested in hiking, mules or planes to also have a read of the Grand Canyon review by Trampus, who describes her hair raising activities in excellent style.
Daily life at the Grand Canyon village is fairly predictable. Everybody wakes up fairly early, before sun rise to see the sun come up on the Grand Canyon, the colours change substantially and dramatically depending on the time of day, and photographers are out in force throughout the day, we are fairly good photographers and it has to be said all the photos we took from the Grand Canyon rim were well below our usual standard, and I think this is a fairly common experience so it is worth buying some postcards or something similar while you are there. The most popular time for photographs is of course Sunset, when the colours are at their most vibrant, and it is very orange. Most visitors to the Grand Canyon do not venture down inside the rim and simply gaze in wonder from the edge at the village, so at sunset in particular guard your spot early as from the various lookout points there is a huge number of people lined up with their cameras ready for the nightly show.
Accommodation in the village is actually fairly reasonable for a National Park, there are the usual sorts of hotel available and naturally you pay a supplement for a canyon view, there are 4 campsites within the park and any lodging is booked up way in advance, so you do have to get in early. The website address is www.grand.canyon.national-park.com and this has all the details you will need, although a straight forward search gives loads of options so it is worth having a good surf before you book.
the Grand Canyon village is as I mentioned earlier only a very small part of the Grand Canyon itself and I would strongly urge any visitor not to make it their sole focus. For me the most enjoyable part was not the Village, which I would not have missed for anything but the stay in Page beforehand. Page is on the shore of Lake Powell and at the entrance to the Glen Canyon, although is not as vast as the Grand Canyon it is very beautiful. The rock formation within the Glen Canyon is much softer than in the Grand Canyon, a bit like the difference between the Dolomites and the Alps for any of you who may have crossed them in Europe. There is much more to do in Page and it is cheaper, not being within the National Park. The view from the hotel room genuinely does not look real, it is like a picture of utter tranquillity and the changes in colour throughout the day is the only thing that reminds you it is not a painting.
The other noticeable difference in Page from the Grand Canyon village is the colour of the river, there is a very definite difference between the blue of the water and the red of the rock. However, the river running through the Grand Canyon is the Colorado which literally translates as ‘Colour Red’ and not without good reason, we were very lucky as we arrived on a blue day and then we had torrential downpour of rain, which disturbed all the sediment within the river, so the following day it was red or just dirty whichever way you want to think of it. This only took effect from the entrance to the Grand Canyon, and apparently can take several weeks to clear. From the Grand Canyon village the river is barely visible, and I love water so the main reason for preferring Page to the village was the fact that the river was so accessible. The Grand Canyon is just that, very Grand, very majestic but the Glen Canyon is smaller, softer and I feel more beautiful.
For More Information
Paradise Found Tours maintains a website for Grand Canyon Tours at http://www.paradisefoundtours.com. The site provides information for Grand Canyon tours, special news, fees and other pertinent information.
Valuable Links:
Grand Canyon Tours
Las Vegas Tours
Hoover Dam Tours
"Have some sense of proportion!" she would say, sometimes as often as thirty-eight times in a single day.
And so he built the Total Perspective Vortex--just to show her. And into one end he plugged the whole of reality as extrapolated from a piece of fairy cake, and into the other end he plugged his wife: so that when he turned it on she saw in one instant the whole infinity of creation and herself in relation to it.
To Trin Tragula's horror, the shock completely annihilated her brain; but to his satisfaction he realized that he had proved conclusively that if life is going to exist in a Universe of this size, then the one thing it cannot afford is a sense of proportion.’ (Douglas Adams, The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy)
The Grand Canyon, may not be the whole infinity of creation, or a fairy cake but it certainly puts size into perspective, and as for a sense of proportion well...
The Grand Canyon is undoubtedly one of the true natural wonders of the world. The rock formations are known the world over, as the red strata is one of the most photographed areas in the world. This stratum shows millions years of evolution and erosion, the inaccessibility of some of the pictographs (cave drawings) are proof of that. But however many pictures you see, however many holiday programmes you watch, you could even know every statistic there is to know on what is essentially an enormous hole in the ground, but the reaction when you first see it, is indescribable it is very difficult not to gasp in amazement and awesome may be a horrid word, but for the Grand Canyon, it works.
When we visited we took a rather long way round, we drove around the North rim up to the far end of the Grand Canyon, where we stayed in Page on the shore of Lake Powell. The two extremes of the Grand Canyon are marked by two dams, the Glen Canyon dam in the East which forms Lake Powell and Hoover Dam (as repaired by Christopher Reeve in Superman!) in the West forming Lake Mead. Now, the Grand Canyon itself is 150 miles long, so I really don’t understand why the majority of visitors chose to visit only a 3 mile area of it, which is on the South Rim about half way down where you will find the Grand Canyon Village.
There are several ways of seeing the Grand Canyon; one of the most popular is by Helicopter or Plane. We didn’t do this but I understand from many reports, this can be a little unnerving. I think you’re fine if love flying, but if you suffer from motion sickness it can get very turbulent, I think they plan on cleaning out the machines fairly regularly. The prices for this seem to range from $150 - $250 depending on the length of trip.
Then there is by raft, this is one of the ways I would really love to see the Grand Canyon. The main issue is getting out again, there are only a couple of stops along the way where you can actually get access to the river so they offer trips of 3 days minimum or 7 days takes you down to the end of the line at lake Mead. The other issue with this area of the Grand Canyon is the white water so if you don’t want to do rapids, don’t do it. I was pregnant at the time of our visit so this option was out, but even if I hadn’t been you have to book places on the raft trips upwards of 18 months beforehand. My cousin did an independent canoe trip through and it took him 2 years to get the permit to allow him to do it, as the number of visitors allowed within the rim is strictly regulated.
However there is another option, as I mentioned earlier we stayed in Page and you can take a one day float (no rapids) down the Glen Canyon which is not as vast, but just as beautiful and costs (from memory) $50. These can be booked in Page itself and you do not need to pre-book. We did this and it was a wonderful day, the peace of floating down the river, seeing the wild life and rock formations and after just a short walk some 4000 year old pictographs. They provided lunch. The whole day was truly amazing, and fine for pregnant ladies. You get out at Lees Ferry, which is at the entrance to the Grand Canyon and is where the other rafting trips start.
Then there are the options that you can take from the Grand Canyon village, you can walk down into the rim, which if you plan on staying overnight you will need an overnight permit but if you do this you could stay at Phantom Range, if you don’t want to walk down you can take a mule. It is however a two day trip to go down to the valley floor, although the distance isn’t huge, it’s a really steep climb and you need to make sure you are properly prepared, copious amounts of water are essential as dehydration is the biggest problem. Mainly because this is desert country so it is hot. Having visited in the middle of summer some of the pictures of the Grand Canyon covered in snow are very beautiful but does looks very bizarre.
At this point I would recommend anyone who is interested in hiking, mules or planes to also have a read of the Grand Canyon review by Trampus, who describes her hair raising activities in excellent style.
Daily life at the Grand Canyon village is fairly predictable. Everybody wakes up fairly early, before sun rise to see the sun come up on the Grand Canyon, the colours change substantially and dramatically depending on the time of day, and photographers are out in force throughout the day, we are fairly good photographers and it has to be said all the photos we took from the Grand Canyon rim were well below our usual standard, and I think this is a fairly common experience so it is worth buying some postcards or something similar while you are there. The most popular time for photographs is of course Sunset, when the colours are at their most vibrant, and it is very orange. Most visitors to the Grand Canyon do not venture down inside the rim and simply gaze in wonder from the edge at the village, so at sunset in particular guard your spot early as from the various lookout points there is a huge number of people lined up with their cameras ready for the nightly show.
Accommodation in the village is actually fairly reasonable for a National Park, there are the usual sorts of hotel available and naturally you pay a supplement for a canyon view, there are 4 campsites within the park and any lodging is booked up way in advance, so you do have to get in early. The website address is www.grand.canyon.national-park.com and this has all the details you will need, although a straight forward search gives loads of options so it is worth having a good surf before you book.
the Grand Canyon village is as I mentioned earlier only a very small part of the Grand Canyon itself and I would strongly urge any visitor not to make it their sole focus. For me the most enjoyable part was not the Village, which I would not have missed for anything but the stay in Page beforehand. Page is on the shore of Lake Powell and at the entrance to the Glen Canyon, although is not as vast as the Grand Canyon it is very beautiful. The rock formation within the Glen Canyon is much softer than in the Grand Canyon, a bit like the difference between the Dolomites and the Alps for any of you who may have crossed them in Europe. There is much more to do in Page and it is cheaper, not being within the National Park. The view from the hotel room genuinely does not look real, it is like a picture of utter tranquillity and the changes in colour throughout the day is the only thing that reminds you it is not a painting.
The other noticeable difference in Page from the Grand Canyon village is the colour of the river, there is a very definite difference between the blue of the water and the red of the rock. However, the river running through the Grand Canyon is the Colorado which literally translates as ‘Colour Red’ and not without good reason, we were very lucky as we arrived on a blue day and then we had torrential downpour of rain, which disturbed all the sediment within the river, so the following day it was red or just dirty whichever way you want to think of it. This only took effect from the entrance to the Grand Canyon, and apparently can take several weeks to clear. From the Grand Canyon village the river is barely visible, and I love water so the main reason for preferring Page to the village was the fact that the river was so accessible. The Grand Canyon is just that, very Grand, very majestic but the Glen Canyon is smaller, softer and I feel more beautiful.
For More Information
Paradise Found Tours maintains a website for Grand Canyon Tours at http://www.paradisefoundtours.com. The site provides information for Grand Canyon tours, special news, fees and other pertinent information.
Valuable Links:
Grand Canyon Tours
Las Vegas Tours
Hoover Dam Tours
Tuesday, April 19, 2005
Hoover Dam, Not Only Gargantuan, But Amazing!!
Hoover Dam is a perfect stop on your drive from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon and vice versa. When you are standing on top of the dam and look all the way down at the channeled Colorado River, you will be dizzy. Although it is not the world's largest dam, the scariest part comes in with the fact. The dam has been built one year ahead of schedule and under budget BACK IN 1935 WITH NO SPECIAL EQUIPMENT. It was done by mechanical means and BY HAND!
The Journey
It is summer time again and you decide to take your wife for a road trip. After an exhausting drive you stop by Hoover Dam because your wife wants to see it. Your friends and family has been saying, "You gotta check out Hoover Dam! It is one of seven technological marvels man has ever created!" Frustrated and exhausted you say, "We must keep going on! We have a tight schedule. Why do we have to stop by? It's only a dam!" "Come on honey, do it for me. Please?:(" she says. When she is walking ahead of you, you grumble and say "Dammit! ):{"
It is 107 degrees. The sun bears down all its oven-like, dry radiating heat with no mercy. It's so hot that you decide to slow down to conserve your own energy. The sidewalk, under your shoes, are radiating heat. The wall, which prevents you from walking over the dam also radiates heat at you. No matter what, you can't run and you can't hide. 300 meters from where you parked your car, your wife says, "Honey look at this!" She is at the edge of the dam and points down. You are 500 hundred feet above the narrow portion of the Colorado River and you become dizzy. Super smooth yellow-white concrete covers your peripheral vision. A constant gust of 30 mile per hour wind blows nothing but hot air as if you cranked up your car's heater at full blast! The concrete is built in a steep fashion. However, you sense that it is like a smooth and steep "slide." "I wonder if someone ever committed suicide here?" you say.
You face back to look at the blue and prodigious beauty of Lake Mead. Small grasshopper sized white boats cruise along as if they moved inch by inch. Then you look at your left. There is an intake tower and a huge clock marked, "Nevada time." To your right you see another tower and a clock marked, "Arizona time." You are confused realizing that Arizona and Nevada are both west regions of the U.S. You ask yourself 'Why are there two clocks?' To answer this question, Arizona do not observe day light savings time. If it is 1pm in Nevada, it is 12pm in Arizona. During winter, it would be 12pm on both clocks.
Your wife wants to go on a tour. "Here we go again!" you say with a sigh. After you wait an hour to get the tickets, you and your wife decide to get some water. After all you are getting dehydrated from staying out too long during a heat wave. You and your wife decide to check out the museum. The place is mobbed with tourists all over the world. It is hard to see the showcase for groups of tourists are reading 48 font articles and looking at pictures of the dam's construction 2 feet away.
You and your wife decides to go to a "mini theater" with stadium seating. A film projector shows a 22 minute video of the dam's construction from start to end. You learn that the dam's location had to be moved to its present location(where you are at). Then you learn that the dam was previously named, Boulder dam. When you watch the black and white video, you see a souped up model T carrying 50-60 people as if it was a double decker bus, in London. You also see "cable cars" transporting construction workers from one side of the dam to the other. In addition, you see cranes holding a huge 6 foot bucket and releasing all the cement. The rumor of people being buried in cement is false. However, you learn that most death has occurred as a result of Carbon Monoxide poisoning. What is amazing is you see a huge 160 ton penstar(An aperture of the diversion tunnel) being towed by a bulldozer with a trailer 18 WHEELS.
You now realize that this is no ordinary dam, it is special. Special like your old high school science project that rewarded you a gold medal. Likewise, this dam(you are at) has been mankind's greatest achievement besides the Titanic.
It's about time you and your wife go for the tour. The guide introduces him/herself as usual and you ride an elevator all the way down where your eyes met the "small" Colorado river an hour ago. You are now looking at over 12 green shiny generators. They are like oil containers in an oil refinery and make a steady constant hum like a giant refrigerator. You learn that the purpose of the dam is to create electricity and to use the profits to pay back the interest of the $175 million construction cost. (It would cost $1 billion now). You go outside and you look all the way up to see people small as ants and the clear blue sky above it. The guide says that millions of pounds of pressure are being applied behind the yellow concrete. The guide also mentions that the dam is made of 6'X 6'X 6' cube of cements. Like Legos, the cube of cements created the dam holding the immense pressure of the man made lake Mead. You look at channels of rushing water flowing into the Colorado River. You go inside again and you find yourself, your wife, and 18 other tourists inside a cave lit by incandescent light bulbs. It is cool and damp as a castle. You also hear drips of water and see a tiny puddle on the dark red, shiny floor. Finally you are at the last stop, the diversion tunnel. A channel of water is rushing only 5-7 feet from where your foot is at. There are electronic diagrams showing the path of the flowing water.
"Wow!" "How did they make this dam without special equipment?" By now you have won a worthwhile fight and apologize to your wife for being cranky couple hours ago. You are baffled as your mind tries to comprehend such marvelous achievement; A man made lake, a man made dam with no one buried in cement, and power generated all the way west as far as L.A.!
The pros
There is a cool museum to revitalize your energy. You will not believe that the dam was never made with today's latest technology. They have literally made this magnificent marvel by hand! There are tour guides to match your budget. The $8 per person. The one I just mentioned above and the $25 hard hat tour. With the $25 hard hat tour, you might have problems with young children because of age requirements. However, you are rewarded with a hard at the conclusion of the hard hat tour.
The cons
Tourists plague the parking space and the museum! If you want to have fewer crowds, it is better to come during winter. During summer, the sun dries all the moisture on your hair. This result with itching scalp and loss of 2-10 strands of hair! To avoid this bring a hat/cap.
Recommended for
Engineers, families, and senior citizens. Engineers will appreciate the mechanical concepts of the dam. Parents and children will have no problem with the $8 regular tour. Senior citizens will truly appreciate the beauty of dam with a great view of crystal clear Lake Mead.
Not recommended for
Small kids. They would get very bored and can't appreciate the challenges that had to be met upon building the dam. They can't be accepted for the $25 hard hat tour due to age requirements. If you hate crowds of people, the parking lot is always full and it is impossible to read the articles, inside the museum, since tourists are everywhere you go.
I enjoyed my couple hours stay at Hoover Dam. It was fun watching the generators pump electricity utilizing hydro power. My grandmother have said, "You did not see Hoover Dam unless you went down where the generators are located at!" Indeed I went down all the way to see the generators, diversion tunnels, and its "caves." Hoover Dam is huge but what makes it amazing is that men created it so long ago with the aid of no "special effects."
For More Information
Paradise Found Tours maintains a website for Hoover Dam at http://www.paradisefoundtours.com. The site provides information for hoover dam tours, special news, fees and other pertinent information.
Other valuable resources
Hoover Dam Tours
Grand Canyon Tours
Las Vegas Tours
The Journey
It is summer time again and you decide to take your wife for a road trip. After an exhausting drive you stop by Hoover Dam because your wife wants to see it. Your friends and family has been saying, "You gotta check out Hoover Dam! It is one of seven technological marvels man has ever created!" Frustrated and exhausted you say, "We must keep going on! We have a tight schedule. Why do we have to stop by? It's only a dam!" "Come on honey, do it for me. Please?:(" she says. When she is walking ahead of you, you grumble and say "Dammit! ):{"
It is 107 degrees. The sun bears down all its oven-like, dry radiating heat with no mercy. It's so hot that you decide to slow down to conserve your own energy. The sidewalk, under your shoes, are radiating heat. The wall, which prevents you from walking over the dam also radiates heat at you. No matter what, you can't run and you can't hide. 300 meters from where you parked your car, your wife says, "Honey look at this!" She is at the edge of the dam and points down. You are 500 hundred feet above the narrow portion of the Colorado River and you become dizzy. Super smooth yellow-white concrete covers your peripheral vision. A constant gust of 30 mile per hour wind blows nothing but hot air as if you cranked up your car's heater at full blast! The concrete is built in a steep fashion. However, you sense that it is like a smooth and steep "slide." "I wonder if someone ever committed suicide here?" you say.
You face back to look at the blue and prodigious beauty of Lake Mead. Small grasshopper sized white boats cruise along as if they moved inch by inch. Then you look at your left. There is an intake tower and a huge clock marked, "Nevada time." To your right you see another tower and a clock marked, "Arizona time." You are confused realizing that Arizona and Nevada are both west regions of the U.S. You ask yourself 'Why are there two clocks?' To answer this question, Arizona do not observe day light savings time. If it is 1pm in Nevada, it is 12pm in Arizona. During winter, it would be 12pm on both clocks.
Your wife wants to go on a tour. "Here we go again!" you say with a sigh. After you wait an hour to get the tickets, you and your wife decide to get some water. After all you are getting dehydrated from staying out too long during a heat wave. You and your wife decide to check out the museum. The place is mobbed with tourists all over the world. It is hard to see the showcase for groups of tourists are reading 48 font articles and looking at pictures of the dam's construction 2 feet away.
You and your wife decides to go to a "mini theater" with stadium seating. A film projector shows a 22 minute video of the dam's construction from start to end. You learn that the dam's location had to be moved to its present location(where you are at). Then you learn that the dam was previously named, Boulder dam. When you watch the black and white video, you see a souped up model T carrying 50-60 people as if it was a double decker bus, in London. You also see "cable cars" transporting construction workers from one side of the dam to the other. In addition, you see cranes holding a huge 6 foot bucket and releasing all the cement. The rumor of people being buried in cement is false. However, you learn that most death has occurred as a result of Carbon Monoxide poisoning. What is amazing is you see a huge 160 ton penstar(An aperture of the diversion tunnel) being towed by a bulldozer with a trailer 18 WHEELS.
You now realize that this is no ordinary dam, it is special. Special like your old high school science project that rewarded you a gold medal. Likewise, this dam(you are at) has been mankind's greatest achievement besides the Titanic.
It's about time you and your wife go for the tour. The guide introduces him/herself as usual and you ride an elevator all the way down where your eyes met the "small" Colorado river an hour ago. You are now looking at over 12 green shiny generators. They are like oil containers in an oil refinery and make a steady constant hum like a giant refrigerator. You learn that the purpose of the dam is to create electricity and to use the profits to pay back the interest of the $175 million construction cost. (It would cost $1 billion now). You go outside and you look all the way up to see people small as ants and the clear blue sky above it. The guide says that millions of pounds of pressure are being applied behind the yellow concrete. The guide also mentions that the dam is made of 6'X 6'X 6' cube of cements. Like Legos, the cube of cements created the dam holding the immense pressure of the man made lake Mead. You look at channels of rushing water flowing into the Colorado River. You go inside again and you find yourself, your wife, and 18 other tourists inside a cave lit by incandescent light bulbs. It is cool and damp as a castle. You also hear drips of water and see a tiny puddle on the dark red, shiny floor. Finally you are at the last stop, the diversion tunnel. A channel of water is rushing only 5-7 feet from where your foot is at. There are electronic diagrams showing the path of the flowing water.
"Wow!" "How did they make this dam without special equipment?" By now you have won a worthwhile fight and apologize to your wife for being cranky couple hours ago. You are baffled as your mind tries to comprehend such marvelous achievement; A man made lake, a man made dam with no one buried in cement, and power generated all the way west as far as L.A.!
The pros
There is a cool museum to revitalize your energy. You will not believe that the dam was never made with today's latest technology. They have literally made this magnificent marvel by hand! There are tour guides to match your budget. The $8 per person. The one I just mentioned above and the $25 hard hat tour. With the $25 hard hat tour, you might have problems with young children because of age requirements. However, you are rewarded with a hard at the conclusion of the hard hat tour.
The cons
Tourists plague the parking space and the museum! If you want to have fewer crowds, it is better to come during winter. During summer, the sun dries all the moisture on your hair. This result with itching scalp and loss of 2-10 strands of hair! To avoid this bring a hat/cap.
Recommended for
Engineers, families, and senior citizens. Engineers will appreciate the mechanical concepts of the dam. Parents and children will have no problem with the $8 regular tour. Senior citizens will truly appreciate the beauty of dam with a great view of crystal clear Lake Mead.
Not recommended for
Small kids. They would get very bored and can't appreciate the challenges that had to be met upon building the dam. They can't be accepted for the $25 hard hat tour due to age requirements. If you hate crowds of people, the parking lot is always full and it is impossible to read the articles, inside the museum, since tourists are everywhere you go.
I enjoyed my couple hours stay at Hoover Dam. It was fun watching the generators pump electricity utilizing hydro power. My grandmother have said, "You did not see Hoover Dam unless you went down where the generators are located at!" Indeed I went down all the way to see the generators, diversion tunnels, and its "caves." Hoover Dam is huge but what makes it amazing is that men created it so long ago with the aid of no "special effects."
For More Information
Paradise Found Tours maintains a website for Hoover Dam at http://www.paradisefoundtours.com. The site provides information for hoover dam tours, special news, fees and other pertinent information.
Other valuable resources
Hoover Dam Tours
Grand Canyon Tours
Las Vegas Tours
The Best of Las Vegas In Two Days
Just came back from my 4th trip to the "Sin City". What amazes me most is that in the last decade none of my visits to this city was the same. They are always adding something new and fascinating. If you visited Vegas before 1995 you would not recognize the city today. The skyline is completely different and so are the attractions. It is "Orlando" of the west and you will surely have lots of fun.
Following is a list of must-see in order of preference and after that I will suggest an itinerary to see it all.
1- The Hoover Dam Tour
2- The Water Show at the Bellagio lake;
3- The view from the "Eiffel Tower" in Paris, Vegas;
4- The "Shark Reef" at Mandalay Bay;
5- The "Desert Passage" at Alladin;
6- The "Luxor" atrium and architecture;
7- The "Stratosphere" Tower;
8- The "Venetian" canal;
9- The "Manhattan Express" and skyline at New York, New York;
10- The Treasure Island and Mirage outdoor shows.
How can you save time and see all of these in a short time? It is easy unless you are a gambler and get stuck in the first casino you enter. A solution: break in change whatever you can afford to loose (in my case it was $20.00 in nickels and that's a lot of coins!). That way every place you visit you can play the slot machines for a while and try your lucky. If you are not familiar with casino rules it is my duty to inform that you can drink for free as long as you are playing. So, waste a few coins and you can sip a drink in every casino while you rest between walks. All you have to do is tip the nice attendant girl $1.00 . Sometimes the drink takes a while, so play slowly. Believe me, I drank way more worth than my $20.00 + tip. So, if I did not win a penny at least I drank for free. Who knows? You might also hit a jackpot by chance! One more thing? stop drinking and playing if you finish the coins you were allowed to loose. You've gone too far by then.
Now that we are all set let's start our city tour. You must divide The Strip (Las Vegas Blvd) in 4 sections. Each takes about 1/2 day to cover. So, you can do it in just 2 days, but if you have more time in town go slower and enjoy more of each casino and attractions.
SECTION ONE: Mandalay Bay/Luxor/ Excalibur/N.Y.N.Y and MGM.
You should do this tour in the morning since the only thing you might wanna see at night in this area is the bright light coming out of the top of the pyramid at Luxor, but you can easily do that later at night driving by car along The Strip.
I suggest you to park at N.Y.N.Y since it is well situated, free and has walkways over the strip to 2 other casinos. To reach the further ones you will take a tram.
The N.Y.N.Y main attraction is the Manhattan Express, a really scary roller coaster that runs outside and inside the casino. I love those type of rides but this one is way out of control . It is also pricey at $12.00 but if you are not dizzy enough at the end of the journey, the second ride is "only" $5.00. Would you dare? Be warned: in the beginning when the cars are climbing you can see your reflection at the mirrored windows of the hotel skyscrapers and that by itself will freeze your heart. It is very, very high as you have absolutely no idea looking at it from the street level. There are 2 horrifying dips and what I think is the worst, you will shake like crazy and have a pain in your neck at the end. You do not feel as safe as you do when riding Disney's roller coasters, that is for sure. Should you go? It's up to you, but don't blame me.
Besides the coaster you want to walk down to the casino throughout New York alleys and neighborhoods filled up with restaurants and shops and go outside to see the statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge replicas up close. If you are looking for the best spot where you can frame the whole building in a picture you'll find that at the Tropicana Casino in the opposite diagonal corner. The view from here is not obstruct as it is from the caged walkways over the streets.
Next you can either go to MGM for a free look at the lions or cross the walkway to Excalibur. At the latter you will have photo opportunities at the entrance to the castle. Wander around the casino a bit and immerse yourself in a medieval time. Take the tram all the way to the Mandalay Bay. Here you must visit Shark Reef ($14.00). It is an awesome aquarium where you will be surrounded by sharks in every single direction, that is, above, bellow and all side walls. Worth the price!
Now you can either walk or take the tram back to the Luxor next door. This casino has an amazing architecture, probably as remarkable as the original pyramids in Egypt if you do not consider the historical value of the latter. Here you'll find rides and an IMAX theatre which pale compared to the rest. Definitely the huge atrium interior is something so extraordinary that you can't avoid contemplating it with your mouth opened for quite some time. The elevators are called "inclinators" because they ascend diagonally, but unfortunately you have to be a registered guest nowadays to ride one to the top. The pool area on the other hand is one of the few ones in Vegas where you can wander free and it's worth to see the building from this perspective. Also take a look at the Sphinx (you have to go under it to go back to the tram station). Don't forget to come back here at night to see the light coming out of the pyramid summit. It can be seen even from space!!!
Time to retrace your steps back to N.Y.NY., get in your car and go on to the next area.
SECTION TWO: Alladin/Paris, Vegas/Caesar Palace/Bellagio
This is one of the best areas on the Strip. Choose to do it in the afternoon and evening hours so that you can enjoy the lights and the outdoor shows.
Park at the Caesar. The shopping here used to be the best in town a few years ago, but now some newer casinos have outshine it a bit. Still, it is an impressive casino that you can not afford to pass by. Go to the Forum and then watch the statues to come alive hourly. Take the walkways to the outside area to contemplate the gardens and roman statuary. At this time this area is under construction and you bet it will be amazing in a near future with the Coliseum addition.
Next door is Bellagio, the beautiful! The most dramatic and inspiring of them all. If you only have time to visit one casino, look no further, this is the one. Belaggio is also the most luxurious. The splendid blue lake at its entrance and the dancing-water show will take your breath away and make you fall in love with the place right the way. The best picture you will take of the Eiffel tower (located across the street) can be taken from the higher grounds around the mid section of the lake sidewalk near the casino main doors. The water show starts at 3PM, but during the night hours it runs more frequently at 15 minutes intervals. Explore every corner of this building you can possibly go to, it is exuberant in every aspect. Do not miss the colorful sculptured glass-flowered ceiling at the main lobby.
I had the opportunity to watch "O" at the Bellagio. This is by far the best show I've seen from the Cirque du Soleil which I admire immensely . What an incredible acrobatic circus in the water spectacle ! Probably one of your best night out choices in Vegas.
Now, take the outside moving walkways and go to the Alladin, located across L.V.Blvd. This casino is a newer version that replaced the old one imploded a few years ago. The best here is the mall next door called "Desert Passage", an adventure à la Arabian Nights storyteller. Either if you like shopping or merely browsing around my advice is not to miss it.
Finally finish up this section at the Paris, Vegas. The heart of the casino is the Eiffel Tower foundation against a realistic blue and cloudy sky. Lights are dim and the atmosphere is naturally romantic at the "sidewalk cafes" and bistros. Even the hostess will greet you in French! This is certainly a good area to have dinner and a cocktail. A must is to cross the bridge and take the elevator to the top of the Eiffel tower itself (U$12). This is in my opinion a better view than the one offered at the taller Stratosphere because it is more centered on the Strip and so you will have a great close-up view of the surroundings. You have to remain at the tower top plateau at least to glimpse the water show at the Belaggio Lake down bellow. You can hear the music all the way from up there! Also, check outside the casino some other famous landmarks like the "Triumph Arch" and the "Louvre" museum façade.
SECTION THREE: Mirage/Treasure Island/Venetian
In a second day start by visiting this area. You can park for free at the Venetian. Go to the Grand Canal to do some shopping or to admire the view of the gondolas crossing the inner waterways all along the path. Check out the San Marco Square and the exterior Italian architecture.
Across the street visit the tropical and lush Mirage. Go to the check-in area to see the aquarium and visit the free White Tiger exhibition. They also have a small zoo and Dolphin Habitat that costs $10 to get in. I particularly did not care much for it, but would definitely recommend for kids.
Late in the afternoon you must watch the Buccaneer Bay pirate show a the Treasure Island . It gets crowded, so try to get a sit at a table at one of its restaurants to observe the "battle" comfortably. Expect fire, smoke and visual effects. It is not too long, but it is free. Right after that go back to the Mirage to catch up a volcano explosion every so often atop its front courtyard waterfall.
Now, head to the last section of the Strip toward the tall Stratosphere tower.
SECTION FOUR: Stratosphere/Downtown
You should get here by sunset, so that you can admire the view from the tallest structure in town. You can see the entire city, as far as the mountains and the desert all around. At the top you can dine, ride a corkscrew roller coaster or do the "Big Shot" up on its antenna like shaped pinnacle. Both are fun, but I preferred the latter . You can combine it all with the third ride (the elevator itself to the top) to save some money.
When the night falls go to downtown Las Vegas at Freemont Street. Here the lights are the old Vegas style and great for pictures. Quite hot under it too! You must wait for the top of the hour when they have the Fremont St. Experience show. This is an unforgettable moment and a highlight of your trip to Vegas. Suddenly the casino lights are turned off all at the same time and above you , extending 4 street blocks , millions of computer controlled micro-lights will form pictures, as if it was a movie rolling on the sky, accordingly to the music that fills up the air. It is a surreal sight, something like the future in a different planet or a dreamlike fantasy like this 2 incredible days you just had in Las Vegas.
There's more to see while here, but you can rest assured that with little or no time in your hands you will see absolutely the best you could possible see and know the city like a pro. Enjoy it!
For More Information
Paradise Found Tours maintains a website for Hoover Dam at http://www.paradisefoundtours.com. The site provides information for hoover dam tours, special news, fees and other pertinent information.
Other valuable resources
Hoover Dam Tours
Grand Canyon Tours
Las Vegas Tours
Following is a list of must-see in order of preference and after that I will suggest an itinerary to see it all.
1- The Hoover Dam Tour
2- The Water Show at the Bellagio lake;
3- The view from the "Eiffel Tower" in Paris, Vegas;
4- The "Shark Reef" at Mandalay Bay;
5- The "Desert Passage" at Alladin;
6- The "Luxor" atrium and architecture;
7- The "Stratosphere" Tower;
8- The "Venetian" canal;
9- The "Manhattan Express" and skyline at New York, New York;
10- The Treasure Island and Mirage outdoor shows.
How can you save time and see all of these in a short time? It is easy unless you are a gambler and get stuck in the first casino you enter. A solution: break in change whatever you can afford to loose (in my case it was $20.00 in nickels and that's a lot of coins!). That way every place you visit you can play the slot machines for a while and try your lucky. If you are not familiar with casino rules it is my duty to inform that you can drink for free as long as you are playing. So, waste a few coins and you can sip a drink in every casino while you rest between walks. All you have to do is tip the nice attendant girl $1.00 . Sometimes the drink takes a while, so play slowly. Believe me, I drank way more worth than my $20.00 + tip. So, if I did not win a penny at least I drank for free. Who knows? You might also hit a jackpot by chance! One more thing? stop drinking and playing if you finish the coins you were allowed to loose. You've gone too far by then.
Now that we are all set let's start our city tour. You must divide The Strip (Las Vegas Blvd) in 4 sections. Each takes about 1/2 day to cover. So, you can do it in just 2 days, but if you have more time in town go slower and enjoy more of each casino and attractions.
SECTION ONE: Mandalay Bay/Luxor/ Excalibur/N.Y.N.Y and MGM.
You should do this tour in the morning since the only thing you might wanna see at night in this area is the bright light coming out of the top of the pyramid at Luxor, but you can easily do that later at night driving by car along The Strip.
I suggest you to park at N.Y.N.Y since it is well situated, free and has walkways over the strip to 2 other casinos. To reach the further ones you will take a tram.
The N.Y.N.Y main attraction is the Manhattan Express, a really scary roller coaster that runs outside and inside the casino. I love those type of rides but this one is way out of control . It is also pricey at $12.00 but if you are not dizzy enough at the end of the journey, the second ride is "only" $5.00. Would you dare? Be warned: in the beginning when the cars are climbing you can see your reflection at the mirrored windows of the hotel skyscrapers and that by itself will freeze your heart. It is very, very high as you have absolutely no idea looking at it from the street level. There are 2 horrifying dips and what I think is the worst, you will shake like crazy and have a pain in your neck at the end. You do not feel as safe as you do when riding Disney's roller coasters, that is for sure. Should you go? It's up to you, but don't blame me.
Besides the coaster you want to walk down to the casino throughout New York alleys and neighborhoods filled up with restaurants and shops and go outside to see the statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge replicas up close. If you are looking for the best spot where you can frame the whole building in a picture you'll find that at the Tropicana Casino in the opposite diagonal corner. The view from here is not obstruct as it is from the caged walkways over the streets.
Next you can either go to MGM for a free look at the lions or cross the walkway to Excalibur. At the latter you will have photo opportunities at the entrance to the castle. Wander around the casino a bit and immerse yourself in a medieval time. Take the tram all the way to the Mandalay Bay. Here you must visit Shark Reef ($14.00). It is an awesome aquarium where you will be surrounded by sharks in every single direction, that is, above, bellow and all side walls. Worth the price!
Now you can either walk or take the tram back to the Luxor next door. This casino has an amazing architecture, probably as remarkable as the original pyramids in Egypt if you do not consider the historical value of the latter. Here you'll find rides and an IMAX theatre which pale compared to the rest. Definitely the huge atrium interior is something so extraordinary that you can't avoid contemplating it with your mouth opened for quite some time. The elevators are called "inclinators" because they ascend diagonally, but unfortunately you have to be a registered guest nowadays to ride one to the top. The pool area on the other hand is one of the few ones in Vegas where you can wander free and it's worth to see the building from this perspective. Also take a look at the Sphinx (you have to go under it to go back to the tram station). Don't forget to come back here at night to see the light coming out of the pyramid summit. It can be seen even from space!!!
Time to retrace your steps back to N.Y.NY., get in your car and go on to the next area.
SECTION TWO: Alladin/Paris, Vegas/Caesar Palace/Bellagio
This is one of the best areas on the Strip. Choose to do it in the afternoon and evening hours so that you can enjoy the lights and the outdoor shows.
Park at the Caesar. The shopping here used to be the best in town a few years ago, but now some newer casinos have outshine it a bit. Still, it is an impressive casino that you can not afford to pass by. Go to the Forum and then watch the statues to come alive hourly. Take the walkways to the outside area to contemplate the gardens and roman statuary. At this time this area is under construction and you bet it will be amazing in a near future with the Coliseum addition.
Next door is Bellagio, the beautiful! The most dramatic and inspiring of them all. If you only have time to visit one casino, look no further, this is the one. Belaggio is also the most luxurious. The splendid blue lake at its entrance and the dancing-water show will take your breath away and make you fall in love with the place right the way. The best picture you will take of the Eiffel tower (located across the street) can be taken from the higher grounds around the mid section of the lake sidewalk near the casino main doors. The water show starts at 3PM, but during the night hours it runs more frequently at 15 minutes intervals. Explore every corner of this building you can possibly go to, it is exuberant in every aspect. Do not miss the colorful sculptured glass-flowered ceiling at the main lobby.
I had the opportunity to watch "O" at the Bellagio. This is by far the best show I've seen from the Cirque du Soleil which I admire immensely . What an incredible acrobatic circus in the water spectacle ! Probably one of your best night out choices in Vegas.
Now, take the outside moving walkways and go to the Alladin, located across L.V.Blvd. This casino is a newer version that replaced the old one imploded a few years ago. The best here is the mall next door called "Desert Passage", an adventure à la Arabian Nights storyteller. Either if you like shopping or merely browsing around my advice is not to miss it.
Finally finish up this section at the Paris, Vegas. The heart of the casino is the Eiffel Tower foundation against a realistic blue and cloudy sky. Lights are dim and the atmosphere is naturally romantic at the "sidewalk cafes" and bistros. Even the hostess will greet you in French! This is certainly a good area to have dinner and a cocktail. A must is to cross the bridge and take the elevator to the top of the Eiffel tower itself (U$12). This is in my opinion a better view than the one offered at the taller Stratosphere because it is more centered on the Strip and so you will have a great close-up view of the surroundings. You have to remain at the tower top plateau at least to glimpse the water show at the Belaggio Lake down bellow. You can hear the music all the way from up there! Also, check outside the casino some other famous landmarks like the "Triumph Arch" and the "Louvre" museum façade.
SECTION THREE: Mirage/Treasure Island/Venetian
In a second day start by visiting this area. You can park for free at the Venetian. Go to the Grand Canal to do some shopping or to admire the view of the gondolas crossing the inner waterways all along the path. Check out the San Marco Square and the exterior Italian architecture.
Across the street visit the tropical and lush Mirage. Go to the check-in area to see the aquarium and visit the free White Tiger exhibition. They also have a small zoo and Dolphin Habitat that costs $10 to get in. I particularly did not care much for it, but would definitely recommend for kids.
Late in the afternoon you must watch the Buccaneer Bay pirate show a the Treasure Island . It gets crowded, so try to get a sit at a table at one of its restaurants to observe the "battle" comfortably. Expect fire, smoke and visual effects. It is not too long, but it is free. Right after that go back to the Mirage to catch up a volcano explosion every so often atop its front courtyard waterfall.
Now, head to the last section of the Strip toward the tall Stratosphere tower.
SECTION FOUR: Stratosphere/Downtown
You should get here by sunset, so that you can admire the view from the tallest structure in town. You can see the entire city, as far as the mountains and the desert all around. At the top you can dine, ride a corkscrew roller coaster or do the "Big Shot" up on its antenna like shaped pinnacle. Both are fun, but I preferred the latter . You can combine it all with the third ride (the elevator itself to the top) to save some money.
When the night falls go to downtown Las Vegas at Freemont Street. Here the lights are the old Vegas style and great for pictures. Quite hot under it too! You must wait for the top of the hour when they have the Fremont St. Experience show. This is an unforgettable moment and a highlight of your trip to Vegas. Suddenly the casino lights are turned off all at the same time and above you , extending 4 street blocks , millions of computer controlled micro-lights will form pictures, as if it was a movie rolling on the sky, accordingly to the music that fills up the air. It is a surreal sight, something like the future in a different planet or a dreamlike fantasy like this 2 incredible days you just had in Las Vegas.
There's more to see while here, but you can rest assured that with little or no time in your hands you will see absolutely the best you could possible see and know the city like a pro. Enjoy it!
For More Information
Paradise Found Tours maintains a website for Hoover Dam at http://www.paradisefoundtours.com. The site provides information for hoover dam tours, special news, fees and other pertinent information.
Other valuable resources
Hoover Dam Tours
Grand Canyon Tours
Las Vegas Tours
Saturday, April 16, 2005
Grand Canyon Tours Information
The Grand Canyon is more than a great chasm carved over millennia through the rocks of the Colorado Plateau. It is more than an awe-inspiring view. It is more than a pleasuring ground for those that explore the roads, hike the trails, or float the currents of the turbulent Colorado River.
This canyon is a gift that transcends what we experience. Its beauty and size humbles us. Its timelessness provokes a comparison to our short existence. In its vast spaces we may find solace from our hectic lives.
The Grand Canyon we visit today is a gift from past generations. Take time to enjoy this gift. Sit and watch the changing play of light and shadows. Wander along a trail and feel the sunshine and wind on your face. Attend a ranger program. Follow the antics of ravens soaring above the rim. Listen for the roar of the rapids far below. Savor a sunrise or sunset.
As the shadows lengthen across the spires and buttes, time passing into the depths of the canyon, understand what this great chasm passes to us - a sense of humility born in the interconnections of all that is and a willingness to care for this land. We have the responsibility to ensure that future generations have the opportunity to form their own connections with Grand Canyon National Park.
How big is The Grand Canyon?
Are there dams in Grand Canyon?
How old is the Grand Canyon?
Are the oldest rocks in the world exposed at Grand Canyon?
When and why did Grand Canyon become a National Park?
How do I get to the Grand Canyon?
How does one see the Grand Canyon?
When is the best time to visit the Grand Canyon?
Can I bring my dog along with me if I hike into the Grand Canyon?
Do I have to make reservations for lodging at the Grand Canyon?
How hard is it to hike into the Grand Canyon?
Do I need a permit to hike into the Grand Canyon?
What is the weather like at the Grand Canyon?
Does it cost anything to enter Grand Canyon National Park?
Where can I get more information on visiting the Grand Canyon?
How do I take a mule ride to the inner canyon?
What advice - travel tips do you have for international - overseas visitors?
What kinds of activities are available at Grand Canyon National Park?
Where can I make reseravtions for Grand Canyon Tours?
This canyon is a gift that transcends what we experience. Its beauty and size humbles us. Its timelessness provokes a comparison to our short existence. In its vast spaces we may find solace from our hectic lives.
The Grand Canyon we visit today is a gift from past generations. Take time to enjoy this gift. Sit and watch the changing play of light and shadows. Wander along a trail and feel the sunshine and wind on your face. Attend a ranger program. Follow the antics of ravens soaring above the rim. Listen for the roar of the rapids far below. Savor a sunrise or sunset.
As the shadows lengthen across the spires and buttes, time passing into the depths of the canyon, understand what this great chasm passes to us - a sense of humility born in the interconnections of all that is and a willingness to care for this land. We have the responsibility to ensure that future generations have the opportunity to form their own connections with Grand Canyon National Park.
How big is The Grand Canyon?
Are there dams in Grand Canyon?
How old is the Grand Canyon?
Are the oldest rocks in the world exposed at Grand Canyon?
When and why did Grand Canyon become a National Park?
How do I get to the Grand Canyon?
How does one see the Grand Canyon?
When is the best time to visit the Grand Canyon?
Can I bring my dog along with me if I hike into the Grand Canyon?
Do I have to make reservations for lodging at the Grand Canyon?
How hard is it to hike into the Grand Canyon?
Do I need a permit to hike into the Grand Canyon?
What is the weather like at the Grand Canyon?
Does it cost anything to enter Grand Canyon National Park?
Where can I get more information on visiting the Grand Canyon?
How do I take a mule ride to the inner canyon?
What advice - travel tips do you have for international - overseas visitors?
What kinds of activities are available at Grand Canyon National Park?
Where can I make reseravtions for Grand Canyon Tours?
- How big is it?
- That depends on how you look at it. The park includes over a million acres of land - 1,218,375.54 acres / 493,077 hectares, to be exact, or 1,904 square miles / 4931 square kilometers. But most people measure the canyon in river miles, along the course of the Colorado River at the bottom of the canyon. By that standard, Grand Canyon is 277 miles / 446 km long. It begins at Lees Ferry (mile 0) and ends at the Grand Wash Cliffs (mile 277 / km 446). The Colorado River is longer, of course: 1450 miles / 2333 km long from the Rocky Mountains of Colorado to the Gulf of California in Mexico. Grand Canyon is only one of many beautiful canyons which the river has carved. Others include Cataract Canyon and Glen Canyon - the latter now beneath the waters of Lake Powell. Most people agree, however, that Grand Canyon is the most spectacular. There's simply no other place in the world that looks quite like it. Width and depth of the Canyon vary from place to place. At the South Rim, near Grand Canyon Village, it's a vertical mile (about 5,000 feet / 1524 m) from rim to river (7 miles / 11.3 km by trail, if you're walking). At its deepest, it is 6000 vertical feet / 1829 km from rim to river. The width of the canyon at Grand Canyon Village is 10 miles / 16 km (rim to rim), though in places it is as much as 18 miles / 29 km wide. Here's another way to look at size: a trip to the bottom of the Canyon and back (on foot or by mule) is a two-day journey. Rim-to-rim hikers generally take three days one way to get from the North Rim to the South Rim. A trip through Grand Canyon by raft can take two weeks or longer, and experienced backpackers have spent weeks in the more remote areas of the Canyon.
- Are there dams in Grand Canyon?
- No, although several dams bordering the park have a profound effect on Grand Canyon. At the upper end of the Canyon, 15 river miles / 24 km above Lees Ferry, is Lake Powell, formed by the waters behind Glen Canyon Dam. At the lower end of the canyon is Lake Mead, formed by the waters behind Hoover Dam. The controlled release of water from Glen Canyon Dam at the upstream end affects the water that flows through Grand Canyon. Waters from Lake Mead flood the lower 40 miles / 64 km of Grand Canyon when the lake is full. Hoover Dam was completed in 1936. Glen Canyon Dam was completed in 1963.
- How old is the Canyon?
- That's a tricky question. Although rocks exposed in the walls of the canyon are geologically quite old, the Canyon itself is a fairly young feature. The oldest rocks at the canyon bottom are close to 2000 million years old. The Canyon itself - an erosional feature - has formed only in the past five or six million years. Geologically speaking, Grand Canyon is very young.
- Are the oldest rocks in the world exposed at Grand Canyon?
- No. Although the oldest rocks at Grand Canyon (2000 million years old) are fairly old by any standard, the oldest rocks in the world are closer to 4000 million years old. The oldest exposed rocks in North America, which are among the oldest rocks in the world, are in northern Canada.
- When and why did Grand Canyon become a National Park?
- Grand Canyon is unmatched throughout the world in the incomparable vistas it offers to visitors on the rim. It is not the deepest canyon in the world (both the Barranca del Cobre in northern Mexico and Hell's Canyon in Idaho are deeper, just to name two), but the Grand Canyon is known throughout the world for its overwhelming size and its intricate and colorful landscape. Geologically it is significant because of the thick sequence of ancient rocks that are beautifully preserved and exposed in the walls of the canyon. These rock layers record much of the early geological history of the North American continent. Finally, it is one of the most spectacular examples of erosion in the world. Although first afforded Federal protection in 1893 as a Forest Reserve and later as a National Monument, Grand Canyon did not achieve National Park status until 1919, three years after the creation of the National Park Service. Today Grand Canyon National Park receives close to five million visitors each year - a far cry from the annual visitation of 44,173 which the park received in 1919. Grand Canyon became a national park in order to give it the best protection we as a nation have to offer. The mission of the National Park Service, here and elsewhere, is to preserve the park and all of its features, including the processes that created them, and to provide for the enjoyment of the park by visitors in a way that will leave the canyon unspoiled for future generations.
- How do I get to the Grand Canyon?
- The SOUTH RIM allows you several options. Common driving routes are from Williams, Arizona (via State Route 64 from Interstate 40) or Flagstaff (via US Highway 180). Commercial airlines serve Phoenix, Flagstaff, and Las Vegas. There is limited air service into Grand Canyon Airport from Las Vegas and elsewhere. Greyhound provides bus service to Flagstaff, and public bus transportation is available from Flagstaff to the South Rim. Amtrak provides rail service to Flagstaff with connecting bus service to the canyon. Grand Canyon Railway offers vintage train service from Williams. (more info)
The NORTH RIM does not have as many options. There is no public transportation to the North Rim other than the Trans Canyon Van Shuttle from the South Rim. You will need to drive on US Highway 89A or State Route 389 to Jacob Lake, just south of the Utah border, and take Highway 67 to the North Rim. You can fly into Las Vegas and drive 263 miles one-way. Keep in mind that heavy snows close the road to the North Rim from late October to mid May of each year. (more info)
- How does one see the Canyon?
- Nearly five million people see Grand Canyon each year. Most of them see it from their car at overlooks along the South Rim (this includes Grand Canyon Village, Hermits Rest, and Desert View). The South Rim - 60 miles / 97 km north of Williams and 80 miles / 97 km northwest of Flagstaff, Arizona - is the most accessible part of the park and is open all year. A much smaller number of people see the Canyon from the North Rim, which lies just 10 miles / 16 km (as the raven flies) directly across the Canyon from the South Rim. The North Rim rises a thousand feet higher than the South Rim, and is much less accessible. Heavy snows close the road to the North Rim from late October to mid May of each year. Even in good weather it's harder to get to: it's 220 miles / 354 km by car from the South Rim, or 21 miles / 34 km by foot across the Canyon by way of the North and South Kaibab Trails. The inner canyon includes everything below the rim and is seen mainly by hikers, mule riders, or river runners. There are many opportunities here for adventurous and hardy persons who want to backpack, ride a mule to Phantom Ranch, or take a river trip through the Canyon on the Colorado River (which can take anywhere from a few days to three weeks - there are no one-day river trips through Grand Canyon). How do people get across the canyon? If you're walking, the South Kaibab Trail crosses the Colorado River on a narrow foot bridge 70 feet / 21 m above the water. There is only one way to cross by automobile, and that is via Navajo Bridge, just a few miles downstream from Lees Ferry, where the Canyon is still only 400 feet / 122 m wide.
- When is the best time to visit the Grand Canyon?
- Expect heavy crowds during spring, summer, and fall months. You will find fewer crowds in the early spring or late fall. The South Rim is open year round, but heavy snows close the road to the North Rim from late October to mid May of each year.
- Can I bring my dog along with me if I hike into the canyon?
- Pets must be physically restrained at all times. Leashed pets are allowed on the rim trails throughout the developed areas in the park but not below the rim. The only exception is certified service dogs. Persons wishing to take a service dog below the rim must check in first at the Backcountry Information Center. There is a kennel on the South Rim but not on the North Rim.
- Do I have to make reservations for lodging at the Grand Canyon?
- Yes, lodging in Grand Canyon National Park becomes completely booked well in advance. Be sure to make reservations as far ahead as possible. Call (303) 297-2757 or toll free (888) 297-2757, or write Xanterra Parks & Resorts, 14001 East Iliff, Ste 600 Aurora, CO, 80014 for reservations at the South Rim or the North Rim. Or visit www.grandcanyonlodges.com..
- How hard is it to hike into the Grand Canyon?
- Unlike hiking in mountainous terrain, Grand Canyon trails involve a downhill trip followed by a strenuous uphill climb. Hiking in the Grand Canyon is so demanding that even people in excellent condition often emerge sore and fatigued. Yet it has been hiked by small children, senior citizens, and people with physical disabilities.
The day hiker, out for just a few hours, and the overnight backpacker must be equally prepared for the lack of water, extreme heat and cold, and isolation characteristic of the Grand Canyon. There are few places where the comforts of hotels, campgrounds, shops and restaurants are found so close to such a harsh environment. Particularly in the summer, mental attitude and adequate water consumption are the two most important factors in the success of any hike into the Grand Canyon.
Backcountry rangers recommend that hikers make their first overnight trip into the inner canyon on the park's "Corridor" trails. The Corridor is the area including and immediately adjacent to the Bright Angel and North and South Kaibab trails. This area includes three campgrounds: Indian Garden, Bright Angel, and Cottonwood.
- Do I need a permit to hike into the Grand Canyon?
- Permits are not required for day hikes below the rim, but you must obtain a backcountry permit if you plan on camping overnight outside an established campground.
- What is the weather like at the Grand Canyon?
- Summer - Summer temperatures on the South Rim are relatively pleasant (50°s - 80°s F; 10°s to high 20°s C) but inner canyon temperatures are extreme. Daytime highs at the river, 5000 feet below the rim, often exceed 100° F (38° C). North Rim summer temperatures are cooler that those on the South Rim due to the increased elevation.
Winter - Winter conditions at the South Rim can be extreme: expect snow, icy roads, and possible road closures. Temperatures are low, and with the wind-chill factor can at times drop below 0° F (-18° C). Canyon views may be temporarily obscured during winter storms; in such cases, entrance fees are not refundable. The North Rim is closed in winter.
Spring and Fall - Spring and Fall weather is extremely unpredictable; be prepared for sudden changes in the weather during these seasons.
- Does it cost anything to enter Grand Canyon National Park?
- Yes, entrance to the park is $20 per private vehicle, $10 pedestrian or cyclist; fees for commercial bus/tour van passengers vary. Admission is for 7 days and includes both rims; there are no refunds due to inclement weather. U. S. citizens aged 62 or older may obtain a Golden Age Passport for a one-time fee of $10 and gain free admission. Persons holding a current National Parks Pass (obtainable for $50 at any national park) are admitted free. Annual Grand Canyon passports, valid for the calendar year, are available for $40. U.S. citizens who have a permanent physical, mental or sensory impairment may apply in person for a Golden Access Passport, which provides the same privileges as the Golden Age passport. (more info)
- Where can I get more information on visiting the Grand Canyon?
- To receive the most current park trip planning information, write: Trip Planner Grand Canyon National Park, P.O. Box 129, Grand Canyon, AZ, 86023. Or, visit our on-line Trip Planner. Or call (928) 638-7888. To purchase publications about the Grand Canyon you can write or call the Grand Canyon Association, P.O. Box 399, Grand Canyon, AZ 86023, (928) 638-2481, FAX (928) 638-2484 or visit them at www.grandcanyon.org.
- How do I take a mule ride to the inner canyon?
- Mule rides from the South Rim are arranged through Grand Canyon National Park Lodges (303-297-2757) or visit www.grandcanyonlodges.com. It is a 2-day round-trip to the Colorado River at the canyon bottom. A one-day trip is also offered which goes part way to the river. Overnight riders stay and eat at Phantom Ranch. Mule trips may be booked 11 months in advance and fill up early. A waiting list is maintained for cancellations, but chances of obtaining reservations on the waiting list are slim. If you wish to make a trip into the canyon on mule, plan ahead! There are restrictions: mule riders must be over 4 feet 7 inches in height, weigh less than 200 lbs. (91K) and cannot be pregnant. Mule riders must be able to understand English. Please note that all pre-paid reservations must be claimed in person at the Bright Angel Lodge Transportation Desk ONE HOUR prior to departure. Unclaimed reservations are subject to resale. Mule trips are available from the North Rim (one-day and half-day trips) but do not go all the way to the river. Call Grand Canyon Trail Rides for reservations, (435) 679-8665, or write to PO Box 128, Tropic, Utah, 84776, or visit them at www.onlinepages.net/canyonrides.
- What advice - travel tips do you have for international - overseas visitors?
- Remember that the southwestern US is big and remote. Put a map of your home country next the distance you plan to cover in the USA to get an idea of what you are up against. Transportation takes time and is often expensive. Public transportation in northern Arizona is very limited, so find transportation & schedules before you leave, and expect to need some money to get around. - Many prices are "plus tax", so add 7-8% to your budget. * Common conversion factors: * temp. Celsius = (Fahrenheit - 32) * 5 / 9. temp. Fahrenheit = Celsius * 9 / 5 + 32. 1 pound (lb)= .45 kg 1 ounce (oz)= 1/16 pound 1 quart (qt)= .95 liters 1 gallon (gal)= 3.8 liters 1 inch (in)= 2.5 cm 1 foot (ft)= 30 cm 1 yard = .92 meters 1 mile = 1.61 Km 1 mile per hour (mph) = 1.6 Km/hr 1 "nickel" = 5 cents = 1/20 $. 1 "dime" = 10 cents = 1/10 $. 1 "quarter" = 25 cents = 1/4 $.
- What kinds of activities are available at Grand Canyon National Park?
- Gazing at the beautiful views of the canyon from the various vista points is the number one activity for many people. People of every age and condition can find activities to suit their desires, including the following: hiking, rafting trips, backpacking, mule rides or horseback rides, camping, scenic air tours. A wide variety of free interpretive programs (South Rim, North Rim) are offered by NPS rangers. Bicycling is allowed on park roads.
- Where can I make Reservations for Grand Canyon Tours ?
- Paradise Found Tours offers a variety of Grand Canyon Tours, Las Vegas Tours and Hoover Dam Tours that are personally selected for spectacular scenery, adventure, comfort, safety, and personal attention.
Saturday, April 09, 2005
Going to Las Vegas for 5 days am really excited.
Hi Going to vegas for 5 days am really excited. We have to fly from Denver which is a 5 hour car drive to start with. Got to DEN on Sunday evening and to bed early for our 7am flight. Flight was only about 1/2 full at best so it was pretty relaxing. Touch down right on time. Picked up our car at the dollar rental car, had to walk the last 2 blocks as the shuttle bus died in the middle of an intersection. Not a great way to start. Arrived at harrahs by 9;15 for early check-in we have 2 nights comped. Gave the clerk the $20 tip and ask for an upgrade and a view of the strip, he stated no problem but if this is an upgrade I would never want to stay in a regular room. View was the imperial palace and if your head works like an owls you could see a little of the strip. Headed downstairs to start gambling, I play slots and craps wife plays BJ.. The only BJ tables open are $15. minimum so wife is disgusted right away. We walked over to the casino royale and played for a couple of hours. I played alittle BJ and won $120. lost about $50 at craps. Wife had no luck. We then walked down to the Paris and played the afternoon. Wife wins some at BJ I lose at craps but play all afternoon. Nothing much on slots. We decided to eat the $4.95 steak deal at ellis island, atomsphere sucks but it was a good meal. Back to the harrahs and no more luck, I really do not care for this place much. To bed early, suffering a little jet lag...
Tueday am I get up early 5am and go to coffee shop below and get us coffee and rolls pretty good. We then decide to wander some more. We drive to the frontier as we had some free stuff there. I play VP most of the morning win alittle lose alittle. Wife wins some at BJ. I walk down to the Riv to pick up some collectors chips for a friend. As I am leaving decide to play the 98% return dollar slots, BINGO in 4 plays I hit $250. machine needs a re-fill they are not to quick with this. As I am standing and waiting decide to drop a few dollars in another machine and win $50.. Leave with a $276 profit now that's better. We catch a late lunch at Margarita's mexican had 2 for 1 does not seem as good as it used to be.
We had a 7:30 reservation at the Samba Grill @ Mirage for dinner that night. Read some of the reports from here and decided to try it.. Get to the mirage at 6 and play some slots, no luck, wife also lose's at BJ. We both order the redizzio special @ $31.95 per plate. Really disappointed, meats were awfully dry! If here again would eat the filet as it looked much better.. Probably will not return. Bach to harrahs and alittle gambling NO LUCK
Checkout early wed morning as we really did not enjoy harrahs much. Moved to the aladdin, used the $20 tip trick again and BINGO there is hope. We get upgraded to a suite with a huge bathroom and a great view of the fountains at the bellagio. Go downstairs and get our players cards and enter the no risk slot tournament. choose the $20 food coupon and $10 in free slot play. DO not do well in the tourney, beat wife by 400 points but that is the only small victory. Go play my $10 free slot and nothing, wife who NEVER plays slots hits 3 red sevens on .25 machine and cashes out $80. This makes here happy. She goes to play BJ and me the .50 slots I put in a $100 and about halfway through I hit $750. GREAT,, we decide to play golf at Royal Links so we have a 1pm tee time and go. COurse okay, pretty windy and kinda cold. Scores are not real good though mid 80's.
Back to the aladdin about 5 pm and to the room for a rest, and bath in the soaking tub, this is great... All the help seems so great and friendly at the A instead of harrahs. I get invlolved in a craps game around 8pm and find myself still playing and alittle drunk when I finally quit around 5 am.. make alittle but per hour it is not enough to live on, maybe $6. Go up to room and crash Wife played BJ until 4am and retired a winner. Can't sleep after all this is Vegas Thursday, we go over to the NYNY for awhile as we have stayed here often. Have not gotten any offers for a good year now! Win nothing at slots, leave after lunch and go back to the aladdin. Stop by the desk to see a host/hostess for a check on our points. They send me to VIP room, they run my card and tell my 2 nights as of now will be comped! GREAT> We call it a early night around mid-night as we are running out of gas. We did eat at the Spice Market buffet and it was great.
Friday, up at 4am and decide to walk to the MGM and play some slots, win alittle and head back to the aladdin and call the wife to see if she wants me pick her up anything for breakfast, grab the food and head for the room. Call down for a late checkout around 3 for out flight that leaves at 7pm Just hate to leave. We gamble downstairs some and decide to head to the Palms for some VP and BJ.. Eat lunch at Gardunos it was pretty good. Signup for players cards and head to the tables and VP, I win nothing at VP but do play for quite awhile on my $100. wife is winning at BJ so I go grab our stuff from the Aladdin and VIP hostess tells me everything is taken care of... great place. Meanwhile I get back to the palms and wife is up a couple 100's at BJ I go to play craps and find 3 good shooters, cash out for $450. win. Go play the slots for awhile and win about $50. Only about 2 hours before flight leaves. Back to craps table and another small victory about $150. Head for the airport for a non event flight back to Denver, everything goes smooth and were back at denver at 10pm
Summary Will NOT stay at the harrahs again Will Stay at the ALADDIN whenever possible (great employees) Samba GRIll- disappointment Spice Market Buffet- still one of the top 3 in town Drink of Choice- Sobe and Grey Goose Vodka.. Can not wait to return in the summer!!!!!!!
For More Information
Paradise Found Tours maintains a website for Las Vegas at http://www.paradisefoundtours.com. The site provides information for Las Vegas tours, special news, fees and other pertinent information.
Other valuable resources
Grand Canyon Tours
Hoover Dam Tours
Tueday am I get up early 5am and go to coffee shop below and get us coffee and rolls pretty good. We then decide to wander some more. We drive to the frontier as we had some free stuff there. I play VP most of the morning win alittle lose alittle. Wife wins some at BJ. I walk down to the Riv to pick up some collectors chips for a friend. As I am leaving decide to play the 98% return dollar slots, BINGO in 4 plays I hit $250. machine needs a re-fill they are not to quick with this. As I am standing and waiting decide to drop a few dollars in another machine and win $50.. Leave with a $276 profit now that's better. We catch a late lunch at Margarita's mexican had 2 for 1 does not seem as good as it used to be.
We had a 7:30 reservation at the Samba Grill @ Mirage for dinner that night. Read some of the reports from here and decided to try it.. Get to the mirage at 6 and play some slots, no luck, wife also lose's at BJ. We both order the redizzio special @ $31.95 per plate. Really disappointed, meats were awfully dry! If here again would eat the filet as it looked much better.. Probably will not return. Bach to harrahs and alittle gambling NO LUCK
Checkout early wed morning as we really did not enjoy harrahs much. Moved to the aladdin, used the $20 tip trick again and BINGO there is hope. We get upgraded to a suite with a huge bathroom and a great view of the fountains at the bellagio. Go downstairs and get our players cards and enter the no risk slot tournament. choose the $20 food coupon and $10 in free slot play. DO not do well in the tourney, beat wife by 400 points but that is the only small victory. Go play my $10 free slot and nothing, wife who NEVER plays slots hits 3 red sevens on .25 machine and cashes out $80. This makes here happy. She goes to play BJ and me the .50 slots I put in a $100 and about halfway through I hit $750. GREAT,, we decide to play golf at Royal Links so we have a 1pm tee time and go. COurse okay, pretty windy and kinda cold. Scores are not real good though mid 80's.
Back to the aladdin about 5 pm and to the room for a rest, and bath in the soaking tub, this is great... All the help seems so great and friendly at the A instead of harrahs. I get invlolved in a craps game around 8pm and find myself still playing and alittle drunk when I finally quit around 5 am.. make alittle but per hour it is not enough to live on, maybe $6. Go up to room and crash Wife played BJ until 4am and retired a winner. Can't sleep after all this is Vegas Thursday, we go over to the NYNY for awhile as we have stayed here often. Have not gotten any offers for a good year now! Win nothing at slots, leave after lunch and go back to the aladdin. Stop by the desk to see a host/hostess for a check on our points. They send me to VIP room, they run my card and tell my 2 nights as of now will be comped! GREAT> We call it a early night around mid-night as we are running out of gas. We did eat at the Spice Market buffet and it was great.
Friday, up at 4am and decide to walk to the MGM and play some slots, win alittle and head back to the aladdin and call the wife to see if she wants me pick her up anything for breakfast, grab the food and head for the room. Call down for a late checkout around 3 for out flight that leaves at 7pm Just hate to leave. We gamble downstairs some and decide to head to the Palms for some VP and BJ.. Eat lunch at Gardunos it was pretty good. Signup for players cards and head to the tables and VP, I win nothing at VP but do play for quite awhile on my $100. wife is winning at BJ so I go grab our stuff from the Aladdin and VIP hostess tells me everything is taken care of... great place. Meanwhile I get back to the palms and wife is up a couple 100's at BJ I go to play craps and find 3 good shooters, cash out for $450. win. Go play the slots for awhile and win about $50. Only about 2 hours before flight leaves. Back to craps table and another small victory about $150. Head for the airport for a non event flight back to Denver, everything goes smooth and were back at denver at 10pm
Summary Will NOT stay at the harrahs again Will Stay at the ALADDIN whenever possible (great employees) Samba GRIll- disappointment Spice Market Buffet- still one of the top 3 in town Drink of Choice- Sobe and Grey Goose Vodka.. Can not wait to return in the summer!!!!!!!
For More Information
Paradise Found Tours maintains a website for Las Vegas at http://www.paradisefoundtours.com. The site provides information for Las Vegas tours, special news, fees and other pertinent information.
Other valuable resources
Grand Canyon Tours
Hoover Dam Tours
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
My husband and I just came back from the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. I have seen the South Rim three times and this was my first visit to the North Rim, which is not nearly as crowded as the South, but equally as beautiful!
We saw seven deer as we were leaving the park, Kaibab Plateau, which is full of trees, something you don't see much of on the South Rim.
I would recommend to anyone who has seen the canyon not to miss the North Rim. I would not recommend driving South Rim to North Rim just because it would take about five hours one way. We spent time in Page, Ariz., which put us in position for the North Rim. Plus, there is so much more to see once you are north Zion and Bryce canyons, which are equally as impressive as the Grand Canyon. Not as many viewpoints on the north end as the south.
