Discover Las Vegas Outside of the City and Into the Wild!
Las Vegas is known for its city lights and busy streets, but there’s more to do in the city than “live it up.” If you’re looking for adventure, Las Vegas has a lot to offer. From giant canyons to scorching deserts, there’s plenty for outdoor junkies to experience. You’ll be able to relax in your luxurious Las Vegas hotel, but when you feel like getting out in the open, you’ll have no trouble finding something exciting to do. Here are a few ideas to get started with.
Grand Canyon West Rim Tour with Skywalk is a twelve hour tour that takes you to the Hoover Dam, through the Joshua Tree Forest, and across the Hualapai Indian Nation. You’ll spend three and a half hours admiring the Grand Canyon with a scenic drive and then a stop at Eagle Point where you’ll be able to go out on the Skywalk, a glass platform that gives you a full-circle view of the canyon. Your breakfast and dinner is also included!
For this desert tour, your first stop is the ghost town of Rhyolite, and then it’s on to the Death Valley Photo Sightseeing Tour. You’ll be taken 5,475 feet above sea level at Dante’s View and 282 feet below at Badwater where the landscape changes color. There are mountains, canyons, volcanic craters, and salt pinnacles. Bring your camera and lots of water, there will be a lot of beauty and a lot of heat.
On the Colorado River Raft Tour you’ll find yourself at the base of the Hoover Dam as you’re sent off on your float down the Colorado River. There are no rapids, so you’ll be able to take in the natural surroundings in an unhindered way. Your tour guide will give details of the wildlife all around. Lunch is included on a nice, calm beach. What a great way to see the Hoover Dam and everything around it.
2010 H.O.G. Rally Rides Into the Grand Canyon Area
Get on Route 66 and ride on into Williams, AZ for the area’s annual bike rally June 10th through the 12th. The 2010 H.O.G. Rally in the Grand Canyon area is a wonderful way to enjoy the great outdoors from your bike and see the variety of bikes that come into town with the rally. You won’t get better views from your bike anywhere else.
After being on your bike so often, you may want to take a break and stretch your legs a bit. The Grand Sunset and Indian Painting Jeep Tour combines hiking and a jeep ride for an incredible tour of the Grand Canyon. Your hike will take place in the Kaibab National Forest with a guide. Your guide will tell you about the Native Americans of the area as you hike. While in the forest, you will see Indian paintings that have withstood the test of time. Afterward, a visit to an observation deck is planned, so you can get panoramic views of the Grand Canyon at sunset.
Another activity that will give you incredible views of the majestic Grand Canyon while you relax is the Grand Canyon Smooth Water Bus Trip. Glide peacefully along the Colorado River and watch as the Grand Canyon walls loom hundreds of feet above you. It’s a beautiful way to experience the power and fantastic colors of the Grand Canyon walls as well as the legendary Colorado River.
Grand Canyon Vacation With a Fresh Twist
If you’re thinking about visiting the Grand Canyon this winter, why not stay in Flagstaff, Arizona? The Grand Canyon is only a short highway drive away and there is lots for the family to do in Flagstaff. If that isn’t enough to convince you, there are tons of great hotels and hundreds of awesome restaurants. Just in case you’re still skeptical about Flagstaff, consider these ideas for your trip.
This all-day adventure is one the entire family will adore. You and your family get to float down the Colorado River and enjoy the many sights. The trip begins with a tour of the Navajo Indian Reservation which leads you to the banks of the Colorado River where you board the raft and shove off on your adventure. Don’t forget your camera. If you enjoyed the views from the top, just wait until you see the views from the bottom!
Antelope Canyon/Glen Canyon Photo Tour
If you traveled to Arizona for the different sights, the Grand Canyon shouldn’t be the only one you see. Antelope Canyon and Glen Canyon are just as breath-taking, on a smaller scale of course. Intense shades of red, orange and yellow color the landscape and the many colors change dramatically throughout the day. Make sure to bring plenty of film or a blank memory card, because you’re going to be taking a lot of pictures. Not only will you visit Antelope and Glen Canyons, you’ll also be guided through the Lonely Dell and scenic overlooks of Lake Powell and the Vermillion Cliffs.
Petrified Forest, Painted Desert & Meteor Crater
If you’re seeking a tour with more variety, look no further. This tour begins with a trip to Arizona’s Meteor Crater. The on-site Visitors Center will provide all of the information you may need about the site, including info on the astronaut training that took place in the crater years ago. The newly-remodeled Museum of Astrogeology includes displays about meteor impacts and collisions throughout the galaxy. Don’t forget the Meteor Crater Interactive Learning Center’s 24 exciting exhibits.
After Meteor Crater, you will be guided to the combined National Parks of Petrified Forest and Painted Desert. You and your family will hear the fascinating story of how this once-thriving forest turned to solid stone while you enjoy the sights of the spectacularly-colored Painted Desert cliffs, ancient petroglyphs and ruins of prehistoric Native American villages.
Unforgettable Vacation Experiences in the Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon can be explored on the ground through hiking, riding in an all-terrain Jeep, or enjoying a scenic ride in a retro train car. All of these methods will provide great views of the Grand Canyon and a memorable experience, but for a truly unforgettable vacation, consider exploring the Grand Canyon from the air with a thrilling helicopter tour. Vacations Made Easy offers two helicopter tour options, both of which will provide an amazing time at the Grand Canyon.
The North Canyon Tour is a 30-minute long tour, approximately. Your experienced pilot and tour guide will take you up in the air in a helicopter, entering the Grand Canyon at the Dragon Corridor near the North Rim. Your flight will allow you to see much more of the canyon than you would with a hiking tour or Jeep tour. You will be able to fly into the canyon, see the river, and even watch for native wildlife. Sights include the Kaibab Forest and the Tower of Ra.
The Imperial Helicopter Tour provides a flight in the Northern and Eastern parts of the Grand Canyon. The length of this tour is approximately 50 minutes long, which will give you ample time to see the canyon. In those 50 minutes, you will be able to see more than you ever thought possible. This tour provides views of the Painted Desert, the Colorado River, and the unique features of the Eastern Canyon. Be sure to have your camera and digital recorder on hand to document the beautiful sights you will see during this flight.
Another bird’s eye view option is the Monument Valley Tour, which is a combo experience that combines the best of the air and land. The tour includes an airplane flight over Monument Valley. After exploring the valley from the sky, you will disembark and enjoy a 4 x 4 ride and a guided ground tour of the area, in which your tour guide will provide information about the various sights in the Valley, as well as historical information on the Navajo Indians who made this land their home. This tour conveniently includes a box lunch. The tour in total lasts approximately four hours.
Experience the Natural Beauty Surrounding Las Vegas!
While the multi-million dollar performances and allure of quick money may be Las Vegas? bread and butter, visitors looking for a varied vacation will find that the natural areas surrounding Sin City can be every bit as impressive as the neon lights of the city itself. From desolate sands to mighty rivers, there are numerous natural wonders that surround Las Vegas, each providing its own unique adventure during your next getaway.
Located on the border of California and Nevada, Death Valley is one of the most famous deserts in all of North America. From being the home of the Timbisha Tribe to being considered a dangerous obstacle by miners during the California Gold Rush, it has long been an active part of America?s history. And with the Death Valley Photo Tour you will experience the desolate beauty that keeps the area at the forefront of Americana. Along the tour, you will visit the ghost town of Rhyolite, Badwater (the lowest point of elevation in Death Valley), and numerous natural structures ranging from dunes to jagged cliffs. Be sure to keep your camera at the ready throughout this adventurous journey that will take you worlds away in just a matter of hours!
In contrast to the barren sights of Death Valley, the Colorado River Raft Tour will introduce you to the life-sustaining Colorado River. As the name implies, you will raft approximately eleven miles of the Colorado River over the course of nine hours, with notable sights seen including the Hoover Dam. Aside from the Hoover Dam, numerous natural sights will be on display during the course of the rafting adventure for a Las Vegas vacation activity that will completely remove you from the hustle and bustle of the city streets.
Monument Valley Day Tour
The Monument Valley Day Tour offers a comprehensive look into the natural wonders of the southwest as you experience both Monument Valley and the Grand Canyon. Depart Las Vegas by way of plane before landing in Monument Valley and exploring the area further by 4 x 4 vehicle. After your tour of Monument Valley, you will continue towards the Grand Canyon as you are shown sights of Boulder City, Lake Mead, Hoover Dam, and the Colorado River.
