[uli2000]

You may be able to do it this way:

Day one (Sat): rent a car, Saturday do Hoover Dam, Travel to Williams, AZ, stay the night.
Day two(Sun): Grand Canyon South rim , drive to Page, AZ, via the east entrance to GCNP.
Day three(Mon): Page to Zion NP via US 89, staying the night in Hurricane or St. George Ut.
Day four (Tue): I-15 to Vegas (you can do Valley of fire if you like, though I dont think you'll have much time to do anything but drive, maybe a short hike or two), play around the strip, catch your flight that night.

It's a pretty ambitious itinerary, but it can be done.

For great pics, I love Zion. Take the bus to the narrows trailhead. There is an improved path for about a mile up the canyon, lots of fabulous scenery along the trail. I did it in the early am this past October when the oaks were changing color. Incredible time of year. The most amazing places will be farther up the narrows, but I dont think thats gonna be doable in a day.

[jfkIII]

Originally Posted by spaniard

thanks hockey.. I am not a gambler and I wont go clubbing. To me 5 hours is long but I have more than doubled them driving to Wichita or Pensacola from Houston... so I love driving plus the scenery there is going to help too!

this is what I might be doing:

Sat. Vegas (day & night)
Sun: 4 or 5 am full throttle to Grand Canyon (leave at dusk) or even stay night there.
Mon: Zion & St. george Vegas night!
Tue: Valley of Fire and Hoover

whatcha think?

Is the intent just to say you've been there...or do you actually wish to experience these places? Your trip sounds like the Discovery channel...on fast forward. You're going to need a vacation when you're done with that trip...it will be exhausting!

The scenery in the drive from LV to GC can get quite boring...sand, dirt, cactus, dust devils....then repeat 250 times.

[crazy_bd]

While it's possible you'll have time to see GC, Mt Zion, Hoover dam etc, you won't have time to see Vegas. I would recommend two places, no more. Things will take longer than expected and I personally hate rushing to places on my vacations.

Go to www.hotwire.com and book your rental car there. Vegas can typically offer great rates. Shuttle from the airport to the rental car center and you're good to go.

[Buzz123]

Originally Posted by spaniard

thanks hockey.. I am not a gambler and I wont go clubbing. To me 5 hours is long but I have more than doubled them driving to Wichita or Pensacola from Houston... so I love driving plus the scenery there is going to help too!

this is what I might be doing:

Sat. Vegas (day & night)
Sun: 4 or 5 am full throttle to Grand Canyon (leave at dusk) or even stay night there.
Mon: Zion & St. george Vegas night!
Tue: Valley of Fire and Hoover

whatcha think?

You could do that. I don't know how much fun it will be, but technically you can do it. Leave here at 4 or 5am (you're a better man than I am Charlie Brown), and you'll be at the Canyon by 8:30 -9AM or 9:30 - 10AM. That gives you plenty of time to see all the overlooks, buy a t-shirt, and maybe, if you're up for it, a short hike. Just don't go down too far unless you are in top shape. Hikes along the rim are great too.

Do you intend to drive back to Las Vegas on Sun. night, then go to Zion the next day, or do you plan to see the Grand Canyon Sun., then spend the night there and see Zion the next day? (Which would be the more sensible thing to do.)

uli2000 has the right idea. Heed his/her advice. And DANO is correct: the North Rim is closed until mid-May. Better check if you plan to go there. As a matter of fact, if it is open, I'd forget the south rim as the north rim is mas bonito, and you're already on the right rim to go to Zion.

FYI: The Big Ditch is the most spectacular NP in the country and everyone should see it. But if you are into hiking and short on time, just do Zion. It too is spectacular although smaller.

[KevK]

Originally Posted by Jukesgrrl

People don't realize how much time it takes to see the Grand Canyon. It's remote -- it's not right beside beside the highway. Even after you get to the general environs, it's a long drive within the park and then you put your car somewhere and make your way on foot to a place where you can view the canyon. It's surrounded by tribal lands, so the closer you get to the park, the less you will see in terms of development (thankfully). Also, since you'll be in Arizona and the state has been closing things right and left (due to budget cuts, supposedly), it might even be hard to find public restrooms on your drive. For instance, there used to be one highway rest stop between Tucson and Phoenix on I10 and it closed this year, so I would think it's the same in the less populated part of the state.

Honestly, if it were me, I'd spend your short time in Las Vegas (if it's always been a dream to go there), see one of the spectacular, scenic places that is closer by, and save the Grand Canyon for when you can devote an entire weekend to it. It's worth it to watch the IMAX movie at the GC and see the site from more than one angle. On the public grounds, there is a service provider with a contract to run food and lodging amenities for the National Park Service and the restaurants range from cafeterias to full-service dining: Grand Canyon tours, accommodation, vacation. Hotels, camping, cabins, lodges. - Dining Overview
They are often crowded, so I would suggest a reservation if you want a sit-down meal. The cafeterias -- and the rest of the park for that matter -- are especially crowded once you get to the time of year when schools are out for summer vacation.

A few of the other restaurants you will see mentioned on the Internet are near the South Rim of the Canyon, but most are in the town of Williams, which is about 50 miles away. I've taken people to see the Canyon -- in and out in a day -- but we were staying in Flagstaff. I suppose it's possible, but I really can't imagine adding a round trip drive to LV to that experience.

If you are wanting to take serious nature photographs, I assume you won't want other tourists in your pictures, so that means you will have to hike to an area that is not the scene of a school field trip or a Japanese bus tour, so that will add even more time to your trip.

What about the bus tours?? $80 to the south rim does not seem a bad deal. It is only 1 day and you will be back in LV by 9PM

[KevK]

Originally Posted by uli2000

You may be able to do it this way:

Day one (Sat): rent a car, Saturday do Hoover Dam, Travel to Williams, AZ, stay the night.
Day two(Sun): Grand Canyon South rim , drive to Page, AZ, via the east entrance to GCNP.
Day three(Mon): Page to Zion NP via US 89, staying the night in Hurricane or St. George Ut.
Day four (Tue): I-15 to Vegas (you can do Valley of fire if you like, though I dont think you'll have much time to do anything but drive, maybe a short hike or two), play around the strip, catch your flight that night.

It's a pretty ambitious itinerary, but it can be done.

For great pics, I love Zion. Take the bus to the narrows trailhead. There is an improved path for about a mile up the canyon, lots of fabulous scenery along the trail. I did it in the early am this past October when the oaks were changing color. Incredible time of year. The most amazing places will be farther up the narrows, but I dont think thats gonna be doable in a day.

Here are my plans:

Weds:
Arrive at 1:30PM
Check into hotel, have buffet lunch
Terry Fator 7:00 PM
Bar, few drinks and then to bed

Thurs:
Wake up at 5:45 AM
Bus To South Rim Grand Canyon 6:45 AM
Arrive back in LV at 9:00 PM
Bar or club

Friday:
Get up when we want
Spend the day seeing LV
Hitzville Motown Revue Show at the V Theatre 6PM
Stratosphere after show- want to see at night/dusk

Saturday:
Morning- we will visit some neighbourhoods to scope out retirement possibilities. These will include Summerlin and a few others to "get a feel" for it.
Afternoon- we will drive to St Georges Utah for lunch and a few pics- back to Vegas by 6PM.
Jay Leno show 9PM

Sunday:
Morning and early afternoon- Hoover Dam tour or take wife to Primm outlet malls to shop (have not decided yet)
Fab Four Show V theatre 5:30PM

Monday:
See more LV, do what we want
Cirque du Soleil maybe in the evening (if I can find decent tickets under $200 for 2)

Tuesday: Fly home at 2PM

Is this too aggressive?

[dynimagelv]

Kevk....just make da#$ sure the tour is truly the SOUTH rim and not a mislabeled west rim....

[KevK]

Originally Posted by dynimagelv

Kevk....just make da#$ sure the tour is truly the SOUTH rim and not a mislabeled west rim....

It is. I have already called the tour operator and spoke to the lady there and she assures me it is a south rim tour (and it actually cost LESS than the west rim tour which they also have). She said the bus will pick up up under the Big Clown at 0645 and we will have a stop in Kingman AZ as well as a Hoover Dam photo op on the way there. They will serve a light breakfast too but we will probably just grab breakfast in the hotel if they are open that early.

http://www.grandtourslv.com/srimb.htm (broken link)

[airics]

Originally Posted by jfkIII

Suggestions: Rent a car...and stay at The Orleans. Ethyl M (as in Mars candy) factory (in Henderson) has a beautiful cactus garden for photography...free of charge.

why on earth, would you put a las vegas "newbie" off the strip at a dive like the orleans.. ? first time, you have to do it right.. needs to be ON the strip.. Mirage, Mandalay, Etc..

[jfkIII]

Originally Posted by airics

why on earth, would you put a las vegas "newbie" off the strip at a dive like the orleans.. ? first time, you have to do it right.. needs to be ON the strip.. Mirage, Mandalay, Etc..

True that, my bad. First time has to be on The Strip.

But IMO, The Orleans is no dive...but rather, one of the best deals in LV.