From Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon: 5 Best Ways to Get There
If you're looking for an escape or day trip from Las Vegas, a visit to the Grand Canyon can be the perfect destination. The incredible canyon is one of the 7 natural wonders of the world and within easy driving or flying distance of Las Vegas.
Grand Canyon National Park (South Rim) is the most popular destination for visitors and can be reached in about a four-hour drive from Las Vegas.
Another option lies outside the park and that is the West Rim. At the West Rim is Eagle Point where you'll find the Skywalk, a horseshoe-shaped glass walkway that extends out over a portion of the canyon. That is a little over an hour's drive from Las Vegas or about a 45-minute helicopter flight.
You can drive yourself, take a bus, or fly to the Grand Canyon. At the South Rim, a free shuttle service offers transportation along a scenic section of the Grand Canyon (Hermit Road), stopping at lookouts. If you want to drive the entire South Rim you need to have your own vehicle.
RV parking spots are found at most stops in the park and staff will give you an information brochure on this at the entrance gate if you are driving an RV.
Here are several options for you to get from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon.
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From Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon by Car
Highlights: An easy drive to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon
From Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon West Rim
From Las Vegas, the quickest place to see the Grand Canyon is the West Rim, but this is not part of Grand Canyon National Park. You can drive to Eagle Point at the West Rim of the Grand Canyon in just over two hours. At Eagle Point is the Skywalk, a glass walkway extending over the canyon.
From Las Vegas, you head south on I-11 which becomes Highway 93 near the Hoover Dam. Off 93 take Pierce Ferry Road (Highway 25) and then turn right onto Blue Diamond Road, and follow the signs to Eagle Point. The turn is signposted on Highway 93, and it is approximately 50 miles to the canyon once you leave Highway 93.
Although the West Rims is closer than the South Rim, admission to Eagle Point is expensive and is on a per-person basis. In addition to admission, there is also a significant fee if you want to walk on the Skywalk. So, for a car of four people, the price can be much more than admission to Grand Canyon National Park, which is one fee per vehicle.
From Las Vegas to Grand Canyon National Park (South Rim)
To experience Grand Canyon National Park you need to visit the South Rim or North Rim, but the most popular of these two options, and the only one of the two open in winter, is the South Rim. The South Rim has a large visitors' center, numerous hiking trails, Grand Canyon Village, and an assortment of sightseeing tours and accommodation options.
If you want to drive from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon's South Rim, it's an easy trip almost completely done on interstate highways. Although the canyon is only 100 miles away as the crow flies, the drive is much less direct and almost 300 miles. The drive will take you between four and five hours from Las Vegas.
Start from Las Vegas then make your way to the I-11 southbound, which will take you to the border of Arizona. The road is also US-93, and there are some scenic viewpoints of Lake Mead as you leave Henderson and begin to get into the Mojave Desert. You can also make a detour here and visit Hoover Dam and/or the lake.
From here, it's an easy drive through the Arizona desert to the I-40, which you'll take east for a few hours until Williams, Arizona. That's where you'll get off the big Interstate and start on historic Route 66. It's fun to stop in the little town of Seligman, Arizona, which celebrates its location on the famous American route. After a while, you take AZ-64, which is a 50-mile road leading directly to the Grand Canyon National Park. In the winter months, there can be snow in the area (and on the roads) between Flagstaff and the Canyon.
Car Rentals
You can rent a car to drive from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon. Car rental companies like Avis, Budget, Hertz, Sixt, Enterprise, Thrifty, and National all have locations in Las Vegas. If you are flying into Vegas, you can rent a car at the airport but keep in mind it is usually cheaper to rent from an off-airport location. The big rental car companies have multiple locations throughout the city and at several of the major resorts.
Also keep in mind that smaller local rental companies may have restrictions on driving a car out of state, which you will be doing as you drive from Nevada into Arizona.
You may want to fill your car up in Arizona, fuel is about 20% less costly than Nevada. A good spot to do this is in Kingman, just remember to top off the tank in Las Vegas prior to returning your car.
From Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon on a Tour
Highlights: Affordable, jam-packed sightseeing tour with dedicated guide
If you don't want to drive yourself, another way to visit the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas is on an organized tour. One of the most popular tours that people enjoy is The Grand Canyon National Park Bus Tour, an all-day experience that takes you via motor coach (with a restroom onboard) from the Las Vegas Strip area to the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park.
Most bus tours stop at Hoover Dam, just outside Las Vegas, and on Route 66 in the cool town of Seligman, Arizona. The tours take you to the canyon's South Rim for a stop at the Mather Point overlook and the iconic Bright Angel Lodge.
The experience starts with a 6am departure from Las Vegas and gets you back to the city around 10pm. The tours include a guide who provides commentary and answers questions during the trip. The tour also includes round-trip transportation from most major Las Vegas hotels.
From Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon by Car and Historic Train
Highlights: Leisurely paced travel with the opportunity to ride a historic train
It's possible to get to the Grand Canyon from Vegas by a combination of car and train. This is not for people who want to save money or time. It's for train enthusiasts who want to enjoy a railway trip in combination with a visit to the Grand Canyon. The appeal of this trip is the historic train ride to make things interesting.
Most people will drive themselves to Williams and catch the train, and possibly spend the night before returning to Williams.
The iconic Grand Canyon Railway takes about two hours and brings you right to the South Rim. The train has different types of rail cars and six different classes of services and ticket prices. You have options, from very basic cars with bench seats to riding in your own private parlor car, the turn-of-the-century version of private jet travel.
The trains depart Williams at 8:30 or 9:30am (8:30 am in November and December), and depart from the canyon to return to Williams at 2:30 or 3:30pm (2:30 pm in November and December). There's free parking at the train depot, and you can use the park shuttle system to move around within the park - you don't need a car.
You can even stay overnight at the historic Grand Canyon Railway Hotel, which opened in 1908. Located next to the Williams train depot, the newly refurbished hotel has some fun amenities, like an indoor pool and hot tub.
From Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon by bus
Traveling by bus to the Grand Canyon is your cheapest option for transportation if you do not have a car. Buses are comfortable, have restrooms on board, and offer free Wi-fi.
South Rim: Greyhound offers bus service once a day from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon (South Rim). This is not a short journey, it takes seven hours. The bus departs Las Vegas at 5:30am and makes three stops along.
West Rim: Greyhound also provides bus service to the West Rim which takes about two hours. This bus departs at 7am and does not stop along the way.
From Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon by Helicopter
Highlights: Lux sightseeing opportunity over the West Rim with expansive views and on-ground exploring
The fastest (and most expensive) way to get from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon is by helicopter. Most helicopter tours only take you to the West Rim of the Grand Canyon, not to Grand Canyon National Park. You can find helicopter and ground transportation combination tours, which generally fly you over Hoover Dam and then provide ground transport to the South Rim.
The most typical tours pick you up at your hotel in Las Vegas, take you to the airport where you'll depart and fly over Hoover Dam and Lake Mead and onwards to the West Rim of the Grand Canyon. They often offer a landing at the Grand Canyon. Some tours visit Eagle Point and these allow you to purchase an upgrade to walk out on the Skywalk, a glass walkway suspended 4,000 feet above the canyon floor.
