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Visiting Las Vegas And The Scenic Southwest On A Budget
his article is based on bright and flashing, it seems
years of traveling in and like daytime even at night. Huge
out of Las Vegas to visit screens preview the available
some of the most beautiful places shows and entertainment in town.
on earth. Las Vegas can be a very As you leave the airport you will
inexpensive place to fly into. find all modes of transport
available along the street
AdventureZoneTOURS, that's what I including taxis, limos & shuttle
should have named this article. buses.
That's how I like to travel. I
want to be comfortable, have There are a lot of hotels to
great adventure, for a reasonable choose from. Many times I have
amount of money. stayed on the strip at Tropicana
Ave. Returning to the car rental
For our budget, our trip into the lot at the airport is just
Vegas airport begins on a Sunday minutes from this part of the
thru Wednesday. The focus and strip. There are many choices for
goal of our trip is to get into hotels. There are thousands of
the great outdoors. But, we like hotel rooms and more being built
to stay the first couple of every day. There are hotels on
nights in Vegas and then the last Las Vegas Blvd, more just off the
couple of nights too, with the strip and some just blocks away
middle of the trip spent touring from the strip in downtown Las
awesome places in the great Vegas. Fremont Street has been
Mohave Desert. canopied by tens of thousands of
lights. The hotel/casinos in this
As soon as you get off the plane area have almost a neighborhood
you know you are in Vegas and are feel. At night The Fremont Street
bombarded by visual Experience comes alive with
entertainment. Everything is lights, and music. It’s feels
almost like a block party. rental, you might find that they
have a location right at the
Will you need a rental car? Many hotel you choose to stay at.
times your best deal on a rental
is going to be for a weekly Las Vegas has plenty of
rental. Even if you rent for just entertainment to enjoy, with
4 days, the weekly rental is shows that change from month to
normally a better deal. Normally, month. There are many free things
the car rentals work on a 24 hour to do as well. The water show at
period. For example if you pick the Beligio is cool and
up at 6 pm, your return would interesting if seem by night from
have to be by 6 pm of the day the the Eiffel Tour. Everybody likes
car is suppose to be returned. the free volcano at the Mirage,
Many times I will fly into Las the lion’s habitat at the MGM,
Vegas and take one of the The show in front of TI, Mardi
inexpensive shuttles to my hotel Gras style show in the Rio and on
doorstep. Then the day I want to and on. This article is about
begin my weekly rental, I take a getting out into the great
taxi to the rental location to outdoors, so I’ll leave the
pick up my car being careful to entertainment search up to you.
pick it up at the same time of There’s always plenty to see and
day that I will be returning it do.
the day of my departure. You can
also consider renting your auto On to your AdventureZoneTOUR!
at one of the downtown off Now, let’s find adventure!
airport rental locations. This
can save on the airport tax The Valley of Fire
surcharges that are added on to Zion National Park
your rental at the airport Bryce Canyon National Park
locations. As you choose your car The Grand Canyon
Lake Powell the Mohave Desert, you’ll need
Antelope Canyon water. You do not want to get
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park stuck in the sand, or have your
Grand Staircase-Escalante auto break down in a remote area.
National Monument There are places your cell phone
will not work. If you hike into
One of the first things I do as any remote areas, learn about
I’m leaving town is to find a big them first and obtain necessary
grocery store or the local permits. There are a lot of slot
shopping mart. I buy a cooler and canyons that are very beautiful.
load up on water, fruit, soda, A slot is a narrow passageway
chips, snacks, napkins, plates, thru cliff lined canyons. This
forks and deli items. Many times was carved into the sandstone by
we’ll have an inexpensive water. Beware! If it is raining
breakfast or lunch along the way. 100 miles away from you, you may
We’ll have a great restaurant not know it and the slot you
dinner. could be in is where the water
will run. I have heard several
There is where the Mojave, stories of people being carried
Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts away and drown because of lack of
are within striking distance of planning. When you are in a
your entry point of Las Vegas. narrow canyon, there is no place
Some of these areas can be very to escape. Be smart and be
hot in the summer, but if you careful. Take lots of pictures.
plan well and hit the higher
elevations, it can be very Heading north there is another
comfortable. Remember this area great little casino city right at
of the world can be wild and the border of Nevada called
dangerous. Take all the Mesquite, NV. I have found the
precautions necessary. This is hotel room rates to be down right
cheap. Mesquite has everything information about the mystery
that I need as a base of lights in the sky, search for
operations. The rooms are Groom Lake or Area 51.
acceptable, the Casinos are
modern and fun with pools and The Valley of Fire State Park is
even arcades, bowling alleys and up this way and located only six
movie theatres, without lots of miles from Lake Mead, it’s 55
traffic. The town has lots of miles northeast of Las Vegas via
buffets, gas stations, golf, etc. Interstate 15 and on exit 75.
If you are planning a visit to Valley of Fire is Nevada's oldest
Zion, staying here is an easy and largest state park, dedicated
drive up and back for a couple of 1935. The valley derives its name
day trips into the region. Many from the red sandstone formations
times I have gone with a group and the stark beauty of the
and we have to reserve quite a Mojave Desert. There are some
few rooms. really awesome campsites nested
within the red rock cliffs. This
As you head north on I 15 you’ll is a great place to stretch your
see the Las Vegas Speedway home legs and do a little rock
of NASCAR races as well as Nellis scrambling. It’s about a 30
Air force base. You’ll probably minute drive from the highway
see or hear air force jets flying exit. The Moapa Indian
around or landing as you travel Reservation runs a store right at
past the base. The thunderbirds this exit.This can be a nice stop
have a presence here, as well as for bathrooms; they sell
some funky looking stealth and fireworks, have a small casino,
unmanned remotely piloted tax free cigarettes and liquor in
aircraft. Maybe this is where all their small convenience store.
the UFO Area 51 stuff comes from.
If you’re interested in more If you continue north into Utah
on highway I 15 from Las Vegas could head to Bryce Canyon Nation
you can go to Zion National Park. Park or you could go to the Grand
It’s just a few hours north of Staircase-Escalante National
Las Vegas and can make a great Monument, Lake Powell, even The
day trip. April thru Oct. the Grand Canyon. I normally take
environmental friendly shuttle Utah highway 89 if I am going to
bus provides transportation in Lake Powell and on the return
the park. Other month’s autos are just to see even more scenery I
allowed in. There is a highway Rt return towards Las Vegas using
9 that goes thru park of the park Arizona ALT highway 89.
and is open to traffic all year.
If you might be planning a hike Heading south on Utah highway 89
into the Virgin River and from either Zion or Bryce you’ll
upstream, talk to the rangers see a turn off for Coral Pink
first. Our last trip the water Sand Dunes State Park. Here
levels were too high and not pinkish sand worn off the
safe. After you tour of Zion, be sandstone cliffs was deposited by
sure to take RT. 9 through the the winds creating 3,000 acres of
tunnels, and the landscape sand dunes. Continuing along
totally changes after the tunnel. highway 89 is the town of Kanab,
It’s like a different planet. The Utah. One popular visit in the
second day we visited the Zion area is the Paria and Johnson
Plateau where we found a resort Canyon Movie Set where over 300
and paid the all day pass to ride movies and TV shows were filmed.
their ATV’s, use their pool, play
paintball, climbing wall, etc.
This area is called the Arizona
From here you now need to plan Strip. We visited The Glen Canyon
out your trip based on how long Dam which created Lake Powell.
you’ll be traveling for. You Lake Powell has 2000 miles of
shoreline and canyons etc. We itself. Our tour was in an open
rented a speed boat for the day safari type vehicle for a few
at the Marina. As you look for miles into the desert. As you get
boat rentals, you need to decide there you see just a dark crack
if you want to rent at the marina in a huge cliff. It is an amazing
where the boat is in the water or slot canyon carved by water and
another rental where you may have wind over millions of years. The
to tow or arrange for the boat to sandstone colors are awesome and
be launched. You may choose to many people are touched by this
not have a hotel/condo and stay natural cathedral that the
on a houseboat. The sun is strong Navajo’s have treasured for
and lots of sunscreen and sun years. When the sun is directly
block should be used. Many people over head, beams of light can
visit Rainbow Bridge and it is then shine into the canyon.
the world's largest natural
bridge. I like to return back towards Las
Vegas using AZ alt 89 out of
Antelope Canyon is a Page, Page, AZ. Be sure you make the
Arizona photographer’s turn on alt 89 or you will
opportunity. This is the most continue south towards Flagstaff,
spectacular slot canyon I have AZ. Taking this route will bring
been to. You’ll find that all you past the Vermilion Cliffs. As
tours require a Navajo guide and you continue on highway alt 89
there is an upper and lower you’ll get to Jacobs Lake, this
canyon. The tours are separate. is the turn off if you are
You can join a tour in Page, AZ interested in visiting the North
or drive the few miles to the Rim of The Grand Canyon. I timed
Navajo Nation. There is a cost my last trip so we could
for parking at the Navajo tour overnight at the Lodge. We showed
site, as well as for the tour up late afternoon, watched the
sunset, stayed in a cabin right
near the rim. We ate at the From here you’d just return back
dining room with an awesome view. to highway 15 and your trip back
You’ll need reservations or to Las Vegas.
you’ll be out of luck.
About the Author:
Bob Therrien is a travel writer and has traveled all over North America. He invites you to visit the website at AdventureZoneTOURS
The website has all the National Parks, National Monuments, State Parks and Wilderness Areas in one spot
Read more articles by: Bob Therrien
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