How to Visit the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas
There are several ways to get from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon, one of the best national parks in the United States and the most popular place to see in Arizona. An immense extension of around 5,000 square kilometers in which there is a great gorge eroded by the Colorado River of 446 kilometers and 1,600 meters deep at some points, considered one of the most impressive landscapes in the world and one of the Natural Wonders of the planet, it is not in vain that it is a World Heritage Site.
To choose the best way to get to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas, first of all you should know that it is divided into several zones:
- North Rim Located northwest of the park, this area is accessed from the town of Jacob Lake, not far from Page (Page to Grand Canyon North Rim is 124 miles, a 2 hour 20-minute drive). It is the area located at the highest altitude since it reaches almost 2,500 meters, so in winter it is better to avoid it since road access is usually cut off due to snowfall.
- South Rim Located in the center of the national park, this is the most recommended and visited part of the Grand Canyon since this is where the most spectacular viewpoints, the main Visitor Center and various hotels within the park and in the nearby town are located.
- East Rim This is an area that is actually within the South Rim but has far fewer services. It is the most visited by those traveling from the east.
- West Rim Located at the west end of the Grand Canyon, this is the area closest to Las Vegas and is another of the most visited, although the scenery is not as spectacular as the South Rim. One should also keep in mind that although it is a very popular area, it is not really part of the Grand Canyon National Park, but is managed by the Hualapai tribe. This is where the famous floating Skywalk is located, a transparent circular platform that hangs from the canyon at a height of 1,400 meters and that will give you the feeling of vertigo.
To visit several areas, if you do not have much time, the best option is to rent a car to have the freedom to stop where and when you want, as well as being able to do a part of the mythical route 66.
Another more comfortable option to go to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas, if you don’t like to drive, is to book a day trip from Las Vegas, the nearest city, located less than 200 kilometers from the West Rim, either by bus, plane or helicopter.
Obviously, our recommendation is that one should choose the South Rim area, although there are also very impressive points in the West Rim.
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How to get from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon by car
How to get to the Grand Canyon South Rim
The best way to get to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas is by car. To get to the South Rim area you will have to take Route 93 and in Kingman turn north on the road towards Peach Springs (Old Route 66) to Seligman where you will return to Route 93-40 to Williams and from there Highway 64 to Tusayan, about 10 minutes from the Grand Canyon National Park. In this way you will make a section of the old Route 66. The duration of the journey is around 4 hours and a half.
If you want to save half an hour on the way, the best route to go from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon is in Kingman, instead of turning north on the old route 66, continue on the 93-40, although this route has a lot less charm.
I recommend you spend at least one night in some of the hotels in Tusayan, the best area to stay in the Grand Canyon. I stayed at The Grand Hotel at the Grand Canyon, a hotel with a great value for money. Other recommended accommodations are the Best Western Premier Grand Canyon Squire Inn, the Holiday Inn Express Grand Canyon or the Grand Canyon Plaza Hotel.
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To visit the park you must pay $30 per vehicle up to 5 passengers or $15 per person entering without a car. The entrance will allow you to access the viewpoints and take the buses that depart from the Visitor Center to them.
One of the best ways to visit and reach the Grand Canyon park in the South Rim area is this “Helicopter Tour” that departs from the Maverick Helicopters Terminal in Tusayan and has free cancellation up to 3 days before the activity.
How to get to the Grand Canyon West Rim
If you opt for the West Rim area, the journey is reduced to approximately 2 hours but you will not have the opportunity to travel part of Route 66. In addition, in this area you have to pay about 60 dollars to enter.
When you get to this area of the Grand Canyon you can take the bus to get to Guano Point, Eagle Point, where the well-known Skywalk and Hualapai Ranch are. If you want to make your visit complete you can book this “Grand Canyon Ticket + Colorado River Helicopter and Boat Ride” or this “Grand Canyon (West Rim) Helicopter Ride” with free cancellation up to 3 days before activity.
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How to get to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas by plane
A more comfortable and faster option to get to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas, if you only have one day and do not want to waste a lot of time on transfers, especially if you want to get to know the distant part of the South Rim, is by plane.
These air tours will take you in less than an hour to the Grand Canyon, flying over the Hoover Dam, Lake Mead and a part of the Grand Canyon of the Colorado.
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If you choose to visit the South Rim area, we recommend booking this plane tour that includes a mini bus tour of the best viewpoints and the option of adding a 25-minute helicopter ride through the most spectacular part of the canyon, one of the places to visit in the United States most essential.
If you prefer the West Rim part, you can book this excursion to the Grand Canyon in its entirety that stops at the main view points and has the possibility of adding the helicopter descent to the Colorado River. Ranked among the best excursions from Las Vegas, all of these tours depart from Henderson Executive Airport and include food, hotel pickup and drop-off.
Grand Canyon tour from Las Vegas by helicopter
An excursion to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas by helicopter is another of the most popular ways to get to know this wonder of nature.
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If you prefer to get to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas on your own, the best option is to rent a car , although you should bear in mind that if you add the total amount of the car rental, gasoline and the entrance fee to the park, it can be more expensive than hire a tour.
The great advantage of the car is that in addition to being able to stop wherever you want, you can spend more than one day visiting various areas of the Grand Canyon, spending the night in one of the hotels on the South Rim such as the recommended Best Western Premier Grand Canyon Squire Inn, located 10 minutes from the park entrance. These hotels, located in the town of Tusayan, fill up very quickly and it is advisable to book several months in advance, if you do not want to run out of space.
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The car also allows you to travel a part of the mythical Route 66 and complete the visit to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas, if you choose to visit the South Rim area. To take this section you will have to turn off at Kingman, taking the road towards Peach Springs and stopping at one of its most famous towns such as Seligman and Williams.
Once you arrive at the entrance of the park you have to pay about 35 dollars per car and they will allow you to access some of the view points, the others you will have to approach with the different routes made by the shuttles that leave the Visitor Center.
A great way to round off your visit to the South Rim is to book this helicopter tour that departs from the Maverick Helicopters Terminal in Tuyasan.
If you prefer to go to the West Rim area you will not go through route 66 and you will have to pay about 60 dollars to enter. Once in the park you can take the bus to get to Guano Point, Eagle Point with the famous Skywalk and Hualapai Ranch, inhabited by an ancient native tribe. To complete the experience you can book this pack that includes the ticket, the helicopter ride and the boat on the Colorado River or this one that only includes the helicopter flight.