Las Vegas & Southwestern Sights
Honeymoon
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| Las Vegas offers more than just gambling. |
The Grand Canyon and Las
Vegas ranked first and seventh, respectively, in the BBC's list of 50
places to see before you die (see link below for the full list). Why not
see both on your honeymoon? As a bonus, Las Vegas is famous for
re-creating world-class travel destinations like Paris (check out the
half-size Eiffel Tower) and New York (complete with Statue of Liberty).
But if the garishness of the Strip turns you off, use Las Vegas as a
relatively cheap way to get to dozens of equally spectacular natural
wonders like the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Zion National Park, Echo
Canyon, and Hoover Dam.
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Spend your first weekend in Las Vegas
(many hotels have special weekend rates). There's enough happening on
the Strip to keep you busy: watch the reenactment of a naval battle,
ascend the Eiffel Tower or the Space Needle, take in a show—the
possibilities are so diverse that we'll leave it to others to be your
Las Vegas guide (see the links below).
The heart of this honeymoon is your
time visiting the natural wonders of the southwestern U.S.; we list just
some of the possibilities in the "Places to Go, Things to Do" section
below.
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| Bryce Canyon features thousands of
soaring sandstone pillars. |
Cost
Frommer's advises us that "the
days of an inexpensive Las Vegas vacation are gone." Still, our Expedia
search for hotel rooms over the Fourth of July weekend found a number of
rates in the $40-$75 range at nice hotels on or near the Strip. You can
also find package deals through your local airline. travel agent, or
online booking service. Just for example, we found a package on Expedia
that included round-trip airfare from Chicago and eight nights at the
Mirage over the Fourth of July weekend for about $1,500.
If you're
planning to visit the area's natural wonders, consider shaving some of
the cost of your honeymoon by camping or lodging at a park. Room rates
at Grand Canyon National Park ranged from $55-$280 when we checked;
campsites cost $10-$15 per night. Most (but not all) campsites require
reservations, which you are encouraged to make well in advance.
If you plan to visit the Grand Canyon, Bryce, and Zion National Parks,
it is worth it to get a $50 National Parks pass; otherwise you pay a fee
at each park.
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The Grand Canyon: The #1 place to see before
you die, at least according to the BBC. |
There are literally dozens of natural
and cultural attractions within a day's drive of Las Vegas; here we list
only a select few to give you a taste of the possibilities:
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The Grand Canyon. It's not
the number-one place to see before you die for nothing. It's 300
miles from Las Vegas to the North Rim, so plan on spending the
night. Or book a bus tour of the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas. You'll
leave early in the morning and return late at night, but at least
you don't have to drive.
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Bryce Canyon National Park.
This park in southeastern Utah (245 miles from Las Vegas) is in the
middle of what locals call “color country”—they're referring to the
colorful limestone rock that has eroded into strange and magnificent
formations. Snowshoe/cross country ski in the winter, enjoy fall
colors, or hike into the spectacular scenery anytime. You can get a
taste of the sights on the National Park Service’s virtual tour (see
link below).
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Zion National Park. Another
park in southeastern Utah (158 miles from Las Vegas) with
spectacularly colorful sandstone cliffs, some of the highest on
earth. Watch for the endangered peregrine falcon.
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Mt. Charleston/Toiyabe National
Forest. If you're finding the desert heat a little unbearable
(it gets over 100 degrees in July), go to the Mt. Charleston/Toiyabe
National Forest area. Distance from Vegas: 35 miles away, two miles
up, and 30 degrees cooler! You'll find hiking trails, camping,
picnicking, and in winter, skiing and snowboarding. There are also
restaurants and lodgings available.
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Red Rock Canyon. Only 15
miles from Vegas, this canyon boasts dramatic red sandstone and
native animals (wild horses, burros, and bighorn sheep). Take the
scenic loop trail by car or bike.
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The staff of the Las Vegas
Review-Journal named the observation deck on the Eiffel Tower as the
most romantic spot in town; we vote for sharing the amazing sight of
Angel’s Overlook while hiking at Zion National Park.
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Our
Honeymoon in Las Vegas
One couple's Las Vegas honeymoon. with
day trips to Red Rock Canyon, Hoover Dam, and Spring Mountain Ranch
State Park. With photos.
Our Las Vegas/Grand Canyon 2003 Vacation
One couple's trip to Las Vegas and the
Grand Canyon. Michelle and Scott stayed at the Bellagio in Vegas before
heading to the Grand Canyon. Michelle's first impression of Vegas: "I
felt like a kid in a candy store. A hot candy store. You know, one where
the candy is all melted and sticky."
Las Vegas Convention
& Visitors Authority
An extensive visitors' guide to Las
Vegas—without all the advertisements you'll find on other sites.
Cheapo Vegas
Extensive guide to the best values in
Las Vegas, from hotels to entertainment
Nevada State
and National Parks in the Las Vegas Surrounding Area (Las Vegas Leisure
Guide)
Brief descriptions of more than 30 interesting natural and
cultural destinations within a day's drive of Las Vegas, with
directions.
Best of Las Vegas
2003 (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Let the locals guide you to the best of
Las Vegas—including places tourists don't think to go.
National Parks
These are the official U.S. National
Park Service web sites:
Red Rock Canyon
From the official U.S. Bureau of Land
Management web site: "Petrified sand dunes, frozen in time, offer you a
unique perspective of nature as well as the effects of the passing of
millions of years. The excitement of suddenly appearing waterfalls,
cascading into the canyons, will make you appreciate the mysteries and
the hidden dangers of the Mojave. Red tailed hawks search for their next
meal while drifting on air currents high above the desert floor."
Weekend Getaways to Las Vegas (TripAdvisor)
A quick but helpful guide to Las Vegas
attractions and hotels.
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Sorry, nothing in the bookstore at the
moment.
Your honeymoon story
Have you done this honeymoon? We'd love to hear about your experience
so we can share it with others . . . just
drop us a line.
Last Updated:
September 07, 2007
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