rattravlers

Just got word we (hubby & I) will travel to Vegas for work late June (yup in just a couple weeks from now). As for Vegas, been there done that but we always enjoy a trip “out west” from Florida. We will stay an extra 5 nights which takes us into the July 4th holiday. I know it will be an oven and busy out there but trying to figure out where we could get to for a few days after Vegas. We could book return flight home from another airport if that would help. I just don’t have time to do any proper research and would love to see if anyone can help with suggestions…..we are very open to options as it’s sort of a “bonus” unexpected trip….been to Grand Canyon, Bryce, Zion pretty thoroughly….. Any lakes, interesting towns, festivals….even a destination resort where we could explore from….we just don’t want to be in Vegas for more than the 2 nights we need to be there.

tomfuller

Lake Mead is so low that boats and bodies have been found that were lost decades ago. Visit Hoover Dam if you haven't already. Another thought would be to fly out of Las Vegas on Wednesday 6/28 on Allegiant Airline flight #9 to Fresno California. The flight is less than $100pp and is 1 hour 11 minutes. Rent a car at FAT and drive north on Rt. 41 to the south entrance of Yosemite NP.
After seeing Yosemite, return the car and if you didn't want to fly out of FAT, you could take the Amtrak San Joaquin train north or south from Fresno to get to a larger airport. I would chose going north to Sacramento (SMF).

PrairieHikerI

Prescott, AZ is four hours from LV and is in the mts. so it doesn't get that hot in the summer.

Prescott. It has an attractive and vibrant downtown square with art galleries and restaurants. There are three museums including the Phippen Art Museum. Horseback riding is popular in the area and the town claims it has the oldest rodeo in the world. Matt’s Saloon is semi-famous. On the west side of town is a national forest with trails through towering ponderosa pines. It has a great climate due to both its elevation and latitude.

Gardyloo

I'm something of a broken record on this front, so if it's old hat, move on, nothing to see here.

Fly from Las Vegas to Portland, Oregon - under $100 on Frontier or (yikes) Spirit. Get a car and spend your time in and around the Columbia River Gorge. The "waterfall zone" (where the waterfalls will still be in heavy flow from melting mountain snow) starts around 20 - 30 minutes east of the airport, and extends most of the way to Hood River and the glorious Hood River Valley. Drive the Hood River "fruit loop" through orchards, vineyards, produce stands, etc. Visit iconic Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood, and maybe ride the "Magic Mile" chairlift up to the permanent ice fields on the side of the big volcano.



Say hello to Herman the Sturgeon and feed the baby trout (fish food, 25c) at the Bonneville hatchery. Visit the Maryhill Museum in Maryhill (Rodin in the sagebrush) and the nearby weird copy of Stonehenge on the cliff tops over the great river. Go stargazing at the Goldendale Observatory on the Washington side of the river. Visit Trout Lake at the edge of the Mount Adams wilderness, or go whitewater rafting out of White Salmon WA, across the Columbia from Hood River. Or just watch the windsurfers and kite boarders; Hood River is one of the world centers for these sports.

Or just hang out in one or more of the wineries or breweries in this area, nosh as some farm-to-table restaurant, or go shopping in no-sales-tax Oregon.

Book accommodation asap - if there's no room in Hood River, look at The Dalles. But try for one night (at least) at McMenamin's Edgefield, a remarkable "resort" built from the Multnomah County Poor Farm, in Troutdale. On-site golf, brewery, winery, distillery, movie theater, places to eat, spa, gardens, music... it's a blast.


Google the places on the map - https://goo.gl/maps/yiVzMUggTWQYkiBQ7

janisj

I would avoid anything to do with Yosemite or other national parks anywhere near the 4th (and because of road snow closures and flooding this isn't a great time to be visiting YNP even if it wasn't July 4th.)

With the potential heat (though so far we've had pretty mild weather for early June) -- something like Gardyloo's suggestion to go north would be doable - you can fly up to OR or WA very cheaply and its bound to be more comfortable than NV/AZ/much of SoCal.

J62

As much as I love Zion, I'm wary of recommending it.

Zion was a crowded zoo in March when it was still freezing overnight. I'd hate to see how busy it is 4th of July....

StantonHyde

Bryce National Park is at a higher altitude and would be good at that time of year. Capital Reef is also higher and would be ok. You could drive Highway 12 between the 2--amazing scenery!!!!

oldemalloy

What StantonHyde said, and or a side trip to Cedar Breaks which is way up in elevation. Or check for a cancellation at the north rim of Grand Canyon.

StantonHyde

Yes--also great ideas!!! You could even stay at Jacobs Lake, on the road to the North Rim, and then drive in to see the North Rim if there isn't lodging available. Call to check on lodging--people reserve way in advance and cancel at the last minute.

Patty

The North Rim Lodge won't open until July 23rd at the earliest this year due to a water main break https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/news/...d-services.htm Visiting the high elevation parks is a good idea though. My other thought was maybe Park City UT.

janisj

I'd definitely nix the idea of any of the low elevation SW National parks due to heat. The higher elevation ones mentioned up thread would be fine.

With 5 nights you could do something like fly into SFO or SMF and drive up into the Redwoods and/or the Mendocino coast -- though finding accommodations in Mendocino could be tough at this late date.