Las Vegas trip review with flights to Grand Canyon
New York and Niagara Falls travelogue

This trip review focuses on a tour of New York that includes a day excursion to Niagara Falls by air before travel to Las Vegas with a day tour to Grand Canyon by small aircraft. Starting from 1996, I've been back to Las Vegas for many times, generally in November, to attend the Comdex Fall, a computer and electronics show. The recent most trip to Las Vegas, including Grand Canyon and Death Valley, was held in December 2013.

Most of the older pictures presented in these pages aren't of high quality, because these were business trips, so I didn't bring with me any of the professional photography equipment that I've instead used during my other pleasure trips around the world.

WHAT TO DO AND WHAT TO SEE IN LAS VEGAS?

The main attraction of Las Vegas are the themed hotel & casino, which become particularly attractive at night when everything is illuminated and when shows are offered, like the Mirage's erupting volcano and Bellagio's dancing fountains. The Stratosphere hotel offers extreme rides on top of a tower more than 1000 feet high, while excellent shopping is guaranteed through the many shopping centers that are home to up to 350 stores each. Many of the themed hotels in Las Vegas offer different attractions that you can enjoy through the huge halls, for example in the Venetian hotel & casino you will find a reconstruction of Venice, including water canals where you may have a gondola ride.

WHAT ARE THE BEST DAY TOURS FROM LAS VEGAS?

Las Vegas is located in the middle of a desert, in one of the most scenically attractive areas of the United States. In case you will rent a car, you should certainly spend a day of vacation to visit Death Valley, the deepest depression of the American continent, featured by a fantastic and extreme landscape. Of course, you should not miss a flight in the Grand Canyon, which may be also visited by car if you have two or more free days. The Bryce Canyon, although more distant and more difficult to reach in the winter, is another natural wonder quite unique in the world, that certainly deserve a visit. Closer to Las Vegas and particularly suitable for just half-day tours, you may consider a trip to the Hoover Dam in Boulder City (the enormous dam on the Colorado river) and to the Valley of Fire, an area of desert characterized by colorful rocks with bizarre shapes. In this trip review you will find details and photos for most of these destinations around Las Vegas, including detailed info on Grand Canyon flights.

HOW TO ORGANIZE A TRIP TO LAS VEGAS?

Getting to Las Vegas is very easy thanks to the many direct non-stop flights available from and to many international destinations. In any case, if a direct flight from your country is not available, you will easily find convenient connections through one of the many hubs in the USA like Los Angeles, Phoenix, Chicago and New York. Passengers from the UK will probably find direct flights to Las Vegas from Heathrow or Gatwick. To get around Las Vegas, including the city and the nearby attractions, we certainly recommend to rent a car: driving in the USA is easy, safe and you will probably not need a navigator at all. The accommodation in Las Vegas is offered by enormous hotels guaranteeing availability for thousands and thousands of visitors, however, in case you are getting to Las Vegas for a major event that attracts lot of people, it is advisable to book well in advance to ensure that you will get best rates and availability.

WHAT IS THE BEST TIME TO GO TO LAS VEGAS?

The best season to visit Las Vegas is from mid-autumn to mid-spring, when temperatures are more pleasant. Although in the heart of winter it can be pretty cool, with early morning temperatures sometimes falling below freezing point, the weather is still very dry with bright sun and therefore you will feel less cold than real (the only problem may be represented by some windy day, but in this case it is sufficient to protect yourself with an hat). The temperature in the summer can often exceed 40 degrees Celsius, but also in this case, as the climate is very dry, the feeling of warmth perceived is less although it may be uncomfortable to stay long time outside. As Las Vegas is located in the heart of a vast desert, among one of the planet's most arid, rainfalls are quite rare.

HOW TO ORGANIZE A TOUR TO NEW YORK?

New York is one of the most popular destination for tourists from all over the world and many tour operators offer full-inclusive packages which include flight, hotel and all the other options that you may choose. New York is also perfectly suitable for independent travellers, as it's very easy to book all the services needed for own trip and the city is safe. From New York you will find several day tours, such as to Niagara Falls or Washington and these excursions can be booked directly while in the city through the Concierge of the hotel where you are staying, or (especially recommended in high season) on-line before arriving in New York.