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Good Afternoon Everyone,
My wife and I have a forthcoming trip to Las Vegas (3 days) and then a road trip around the southern and the northern perimeters of the Grand Canyon. It’s five years since I last visited the US and 20 years since I last drove there (and that was in my Godfathers Mustang), and I’m slightly nervous I’ve forgotten something or not thought something through and am looking for reassurance or advice as.
– We’re flying EDILHR (BA-CE) LHRLAS (VS-PE) return and we have 5-6 hours between connections in both directions.
– VS seats are assigned but as a lowly Blue I don’t think I can assign BA seats until check-in.
– We’re staying at the Holiday Inn @ Desert Club Resort in Vegas and then HGI – Flagstaff, BW View of Lake Powell, BW Zion West – La Verkin and MGM Signature @ MGM Grand.
– Our car rental is with Hertz and I have an Amex Plat.
– We have travel insurance via Amex Plat, HSBC Prem and HSBC Adv.
– I have an O2 SIM which should include US Roaming.
– We’re going to get my wife a US SIM for data.
– We both have ESTAs until Nov-2025.We’re fairly seasoned travels but usually head East or to Europe, so I’m nervous I’ve forgotten something important. Therefore, is there anything glaringly obvious I’ve missed? Does anyone have any tips of things to do?
TIA for your help.
Correct you can’t assign seats until check in as blue unless you pay for them.
Nothing obvious but would be pleased to hear your opinion on the HI DCR as I’m booked there in July.
Be careful of relying on the O2 sim, I’ve heard a couple of people recently found that the roaming package they thought they’d paid for wasn’t activated and it was a nightmare calling the UK to get it done (took a couple of days)
If your wife’s phone supports e-sim then go with Airalo or similar unless she needs the ability to make calls/texts. US Sims have changed, I used to rely on the T-Mobile tourist one but it’s now run by Ultra Mobile – https://www.ultramobile.com/tourist/ There’s a store locator on the site, or you can get them shipped by Amazon sellers (the ebay link doesn’t ship to the UK)
Make sure you have more than a couple of credit/debit cards of MC/VISA/Amex as you may find cards get blocked. Never use a debit card at check in for a hotel as they can take up to $100 as a depost and up to a month to release it back. Similarly at Hertz, CC only.
Depending when you’re going but North GC may be still closed. Check the national park website. Take warm clothes as Flagstaff and the area is at elevation and weather can be brutal. On a recent visit I went from 85F at Kingman, to 6 inches of snow, whiteout driving conditions and -17F in FLagstaff and then 5F at the Canyon souther rim, and then 90F in Sedona the next day.
Things to do – depends what you like and if it’s your 1st trip to LV.
It’s got all the ingredients for an awesome trip – as @davefl says, it depends what you like. I second Airalo, we used it for our Florida road trip last year.
You might get a bit of a price shock, especially in Vegas. I binned off a planned trip last year because of the reviews here and elsewhere, but 3 days shouldn’t break the bank (unless you’re a gambler, lol).
I think I looked at the Holiday Inn and it was very reasonable and maybe didn’t charge a resort fee? If so, stick with that!
Sounds great, I found the O2 sim roaming marginal at times. It seemed the speed had been significantly throttled.
Have a look at simcorner for a USA/Canada/Mexico sim, it worked well in our travel phone is Alaska.
It’s got all the ingredients for an awesome trip – as @davefl says, it depends what you like. I second Airalo, we used it for our Florida road trip last year.
You might get a bit of a price shock, especially in Vegas. I binned off a planned trip last year because of the reviews here and elsewhere, but 3 days shouldn’t break the bank (unless you’re a gambler, lol).
I think I looked at the Holiday Inn and it was very reasonable and maybe didn’t charge a resort fee? If so, stick with that!
Yes the HI DCR very much charges a resort fee. I was pretty snippy on here about it when I booked a couple of months ago. “Rates do not include the $29 per night resort fee or 13.38% tax. The resort fee covers a variety of onsite activities and amenities, including Wi-Fi access, parking, arcade, shuttle service, fitness center, in-room safes and boarding pass printing.”
Funny really as the main website for the property says that both parking and Wifi are free of charge.
Rates vary from pretty reasonable $200 to well over $500 a night depending what’s on. I’m switching to somewhere else in LV after my 1st 2 nights as it’s 4th July weekend and the rates are bordering on ludicrous.
Priced up the Gordon Ramsey chippy as it’s only a few mins walk from there and it’s $26 for a basic fish and chips takeaway.
I may have seen it on the RCI website – timeshares don’t charge resort fees (yet, I’m sure they’ll find a way!)
Presumably that price for a chippy tea was before tax and tip?!
I may have seen it on the RCI website – timeshares don’t charge resort fees (yet, I’m sure they’ll find a way!)
Presumably that price for a chippy tea was before tax and tip?!
Of course 🙁
Sounds an awesome trip!
There are plenty of ways to eat well at modest (well, sensible, anyway) cost in Vegas, but celebrity branded restaurants on the Strip are not going to be one of them, and Americanized versions of British classics are always as horrible as that pretend “Cadbury’s” chocolate that Hershey knocks out. I’m still in therapy from an American version of steak and kidney pie I had at the “pub” at Caesar’s once.
Thanks everyone for the inputs. I’ve been to Vegas a few times 20 years ago to help establish bmi’s MANLAS route. Plus I went in 1998 with my Texan godfather. However, it’s my wife’s first visit… So we’ll do a bunch of the touristy stuff I suspect.
@davefl – I’ll post a review in the forums of the HI DCR. Great advice on the SIM and the Weather. The last time I was in Flagstaff it was late June and it was roasting… So I hadn’t really considered drastic weather variations.
@Northernlass – We’re just back from 5 days in Copenhagen and Malmö, so I’m feeling pretty desensitized to ludicrous prices 🤦Last year I booked our 3 nights at the HI DCR for 103k (c.£140 per night), so however much the Resort Fee grates with me, it remains decent value (I hope). Also interested to see what breakfast benefit we get with the Diamond Elite.
@The Savage Squirrel – I think we’ll be happy eating regular food and avoiding celebrity restaurants… But I guess that might easier said than done now.
Further addition to my comments above – Plan and book everything well in advance, almost everything everywhere sells out these days. Traffic on the strip and around Vegas will be crazy, so maybe use Uber/Lyft once there to save the stress as free parking is not as common as it used to be.
The prices NL is complaining about is not just the base cost but it’s the additional sales tax plus expected 20% tip for everything. Even self service checkouts at supermarkets and gas stations where you’ve pumped your own and walked inside to pay at the counter often request a tip these days. Feel free to decline those.
Also gas stations mostly work with UK Chip and Pin now. If you do get asked for a zip code for one then try the 3 digits from your postcode followed by 00. That works about 80% of the time.
@SavageSquirrel Yeah I know. I was only pricing it for a laugh as I’ll be exhausted that evening after a 6 hour drive from nowwheresville, NV and I’ll need to be out at 8am for a tour.
The Peppermill is always fun for their classic Vegas style and 24hr breakfast and other massive portions – https://www.peppermilllasvegas.com/
I don’t think prices in Vegas are that bad – they’re just not as good as they used to be (pre-2015’ish) which is part of the kicker and takes the shine off things. It’s turned into ‘another tourist destination’ (ie. Vegas food prices are no worse than Sedona) where you get nickel and dimed. It can sometimes be offset by silly cheap accommodation and discount vouchers etc and you can find cheap eats and drinks still (the magic words you’re looking out for would be ‘Happy Hour’ )
Been all over North America over the past few years (possibly not as much as @davefl tho 😆), and everywhere seemed pricey. Exchange rate obviously doesn’t help though.
Anyways in terms of some quick suggestions :
– don’t forget to take your ID out with you at night if you want a beer
– you might need your driving licence to collect your car – so don’t forget to pack it in case!
– go to Bellagio for the Fountains (on the hour?), look at the Chihuly glass ceiling is the foyer, and check out the conservatory next to it if it’s open (dark dates here: https://bellagio.mgmresorts.com/en/entertainment/conservatory-botanical-garden.html )
– go to the Skyfall Lounge at Mandalay Bay (Delano) at sunset, and watch the strip light up
– don’t forget there’s free trams (not the monorail, that’s not free) that run between some hotels to save your legs / being in the heat – ie. Bellagio down to Park MGM etc
– Free shuffleboard in Cosmopolitan
– Superfrico can be quirky!
– Finding somewhere you can people watch can be entertaining in itself!
– Can’t see exactly which month you’re going – assume it’s soon? The Narrows at Zion are fantastic (not so much in April – river flow and the cold water is enough to put me off!). Angels Landing is also brilliant if you’re into hiking, but you’ll need to apply for a permit for that (we didn’t get in doing the advance permit, but did manage to by applying for the tickets they release the day before). Worst case, it’s worth the trek up beyond Walters Wiggles. Zion is one of my favourite places and April is great for hiking as it’s not too hot there. Can typically fluctuate between 0c at night and 20c in the day.
– Don’t forget if you’re going to walk down a bit into the Grand Canyon (and you should), that you will need to walk uphill to get back
– You’ll probably see Elk at the Grand Canyon, don’t get too close to them!Apols – not sure that’s what you’re after, but hopefully it helps!
@davefl – Expecting tips where no service has been provided really grates with me. However, it really annoys my wife more and she is quite stubborn (whereas I would get worn down over a couple of weeks). So, I will leave her in charge of payments. We hopefully not going to have the car in Vegas (just pick-up / drop-off) so will stick to cabs. Will definitely checkout the Pepper Mill.
@AndyGWP – What an awesome list, thank you. Will definitely add those to our plans.Thanks all.
If you last went in 1998 – things will have changed a lot and you’ll both likely be doing touristy stuff. Taxi prices from the airport are now fixed by zone so don’t need to worry about being long-hauled any more. They continue to build, build, build on the strip. Agree that the tipping is getting insane, had to download starbucks US app to avoid upsetting cashier when saying no your not getting a tip for taking my order. Park MGM is a great non-smoking hotel with a good italian food court “Eataly”.
Also gas stations mostly work with UK Chip and Pin now. If you do get asked for a zip code for one then try the 3 digits from your postcode followed by 00. That works about 80% of the time.
Many people especially in cities only have two digits in their postcode. Just spam random 5 digit numbers or even better use a fake but existing zip like 90210.
Possibly imagining it, but I’m sure most fuel places were chip and pin last time I went? 🤔
Possibly imagining it, but I’m sure most fuel places were chip and pin last time I went? 🤔
Most but not all. Rural areas and older (non-chain) filling stations may be behind the curve, and generally I find that sometimes contactless and C+P still don’t work at every retail location, so end up swiping the card and “signing” the digital pad.
Can’t believe you didn’t mention Bryce above in the same breath as Zion. If you’re in the area Bryce is a must, even just for a couple of hours to hike/drive the rim trail. I’m still gutted that the pandemic killed my pre-booked opportunity to hike the Narrows at Zion as I don’t think I’ll get back there again, too much else to see and do in the world.
(Fairly wide experience, All 50 states visited, 19 into my second All-50) with a 14 state 7 week tour coming up next month. 44 of 63 National Parks visited with 8 on this trip, 2 of those a revisit).
Yes – very jealous of your adventures!
Wasn’t sure if they would be in the area long enough to get to Bryce. Guess it depends how long they’re at La Verkin 🙂
Forgot to add re: Zion – if you’re going in summer get the early buses at the park to avoid the long lines for them (also, as you’re staying way outside the park, you’ll need to go in early to get parked up – spaces vanish as the morning goes on). V
Oh, and I’ve not checked but I’d be very surprised if you wouldn’t save money getting the America the beautiful park pass too! Approx. $80 but you’ll probably save that on entry to GC and Zion alone – you can then use nail varnish remover to lightly remove your signature so you can sell the card on eBay when you get home 🤫 (conversely you can also buy one off ebay for a lot cheaper than $80 too)
PS – the view after you drive thru the very very long tunnel into the park from Lake Powell direction is breathtaking
Yes – very jealous of your adventures
Oh, and I’ve not checked but I’d be very surprised if you wouldn’t save money getting the America the beautiful park pass too! Approx. $80 but you’ll probably save that on entry to GC and Zion alone
$35 each for those two parks for a car and occupants, so no, you’d be out 10 bucks unless you hit Bryce as well
They’re likely to institute timed entry tickets again at Zion post memorial day so depends when the OP is going
– you can then use nail varnish remover to lightly remove your signature so you can sell the card on eBay when you get home 🤫 (conversely you can also buy one off ebay for a lot cheaper than $80 too)
Where’s the horrified smiley when you need it!
I consider the $80 AtB pass to be pretty much be the best value thing you can buy in the world for that money. I don’t begrudge that being shared across the 429 national park units for a second.
I even bought a Florida state park pass in Dec. Wouldn’t for a second think of reselling it even though I didn’t get the value out of it that I expected due to the bloody awful weather that week.
Have to ask, don’t you find 14 states in 7 weeks rather rushed?
Have to ask, don’t you find 14 states in 7 weeks rather rushed?
Depends on your perspective I guess. Since I’ve done them all before and some many times this is actually a slower paced trip and more than double the duration that I’ve done before. I’m cherrypicking things that have been on the bucket list for years, stuff I missed out because other trips were too rushed or distances that were too great to get somewhere in time, or stops like certain museums that are closed Mondays or tours that only run on particular days.
I’ve got a couple of internal flights but in total I’ll be driving around 4500 miles, which is only an average of 100 miles a day, worst thing is that some days will be 250-300 miles, and quite a few of them none at all.
I’m not one for sitting still for a minute wherever I am in the world, apart from home… that’s reserved for sitting still and planning the next trip.
That’s awesome, @davefl, I’d love to visit more states but keep being put off by the worsening state (no pun intended!) of America, rising costs and flights which don’t fit with my other travel plans (i.e. VS!) So far I think we’ve done 15, plus Puerto Rico and the USVIs.
One huge positive is that you can cover large driving distances in short times outside the cities, as you clearly know, it’s not like a UK road trip. Years ago we drove from Las Vegas around the Grand Canyon and through Zion National Park in less than 3 days but still managed to see quite a bit. The California desert was another memorable one, and also in a completely different way, Virginia to Gettysburg then back through Maryland and Washington DC.
So many places!
Possibly imagining it, but I’m sure most fuel places were chip and pin last time I went? 🤔
Most but not all. Rural areas and older (non-chain) filling stations may be behind the curve, and generally I find that sometimes contactless and C+P still don’t work at every retail location, so end up swiping the card and “signing” the digital pad.
Can’t believe you didn’t mention Bryce above in the same breath as Zion. If you’re in the area Bryce is a must, even just for a couple of hours to hike/drive the rim trail. I’m still gutted that the pandemic killed my pre-booked opportunity to hike the Narrows at Zion as I don’t think I’ll get back there again, too much else to see and do in the world.
(Fairly wide experience, All 50 states visited, 19 into my second All-50) with a 14 state 7 week tour coming up next month. 44 of 63 National Parks visited with 8 on this trip, 2 of those a revisit).
On our last trip we used a gas station in a fairly rural town where the guy actually pumped the gas for you. Bit of a throwback to bygone times but had a good chat to him while the car was filling as he gave us a few pointers for what we were doing that day – then just popped into the booth to pay.
On our last trip we used a gas station in a fairly rural town where the guy actually pumped the gas for you. Bit of a throwback to bygone times but had a good chat to him while the car was filling as he gave us a few pointers for what we were doing that day – then just popped into the booth to pay.
It’s still illegal to pump your own gas in New Jersey, it used to be the same in Oregon but they lifted their ban last year.
I assume you will need a GPS of some sort. What’s the plan for that? I would recommend pre downloading the google maps of the areas you will drive in, on both phones (just in case!) as some of the area service might drop esp in the middle of the parks. we went by ok with the phones, but i also brought the garmin us map (which was almost as expensive as a new sat nav)and took our uk sat nav with us. sometimes these two recommend different routes! I looked into ordering a sat nav to pick up at a target or something but I couldn’t make it work last time.
I always arrange car hire with 2 drivers in case one of us twist an ankle or something so we can both drive.
If you are in flagstaff, are you planning to do Antelope Canayon which will require pre booking (although might be sold out now if you are going soon).
I took my mum in 2022 and she preferred Bryce way more than Zion.I assume you are not going as far as Arches which also needs pre booking now. A few parks have imposed new entry policies so worth checking the ones you want to do.
In the parks area I find some have few food options, good to check out where you will eat and what time they close! In case you were planning to drive late into the evening. I always go to a supermarket as soon as I pick up a car to stock up on water, car snacks and some bread and fruit to tie us over if we can’t find a meal. Take a photo of the car, in case you forget it in a big parking lot!
Have you got some cash at least, yes everywhere accept cards except washing machine still need coins!
We did airola esim for me and the T-mobile physical sim (posted to the UK) for my mum which has call allowance in case emergencies and in an area with no data coverage.
I think if you go into more than a couple of parks for a few days the national park pass is a must. I always end up giving it away to a friend after I am done, as it allows for 2 cars to be added to each.
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