Grand Canyon Skywalk
Many visitors to Las Vegas choose to take a helicopter tour but my family and I decided to drive and hired a car. We headed for the West Rim Skywalk which is a 2-hour drive from the Las Vegas Strip. The Hoover Dam is a popular stop off on the way to the Skywalk which we decided we would visit along the way.
The dam is located near Boulder City, a very cool and unique looking town we passed this on the way to the Grand Canyon and it has many shops offering unique antiques and Indian crafts. You can park the car for $12 and take a walk across the impressive concrete structure, you can also take a tour which will bring you inside the dam and give you the history of it.
It took us 40 minutes to drive to the Hoover Dam from the Las Vegas Strip and another 2-hour drive to get to the Grand Canyon West Rim Skywalk.
The drive itself is spectacular! You cross into Arizona and you feel like you’re in another world. The natural beauty of this drive is breath-taking, every turn and mile brings with a new view and amazing landscape.
Once you turn off the highway and before you come to the Grand Canyon you will pass through a Joshua Tree Forest which seems to go on for miles! You will also pass through a small town which will make you feel as though you’ve entered the outback.
There are not many gas stations along the way so I recommend starting out with a full tank. Unfortunately, we were not as smart and we were running low on fuel 30 miles from the Grand Canyon! Luckily, our sat nav system steered us towards the city of Mead View, a very unique town which is in the middle of nowhere. We were very glad that there was a fuel station for us to fill up and reach the Grand Canyon.
I feel like we got to experience the ‘real America’ on this drive, I was amazed to see how some people were living, just 90 minutes from the glitz and glam of Las Vegas we were in a very humble part of America, it almost felt like we were part of the ‘gold rush’ driving through these unique towns.
You have the chance to stop at the many picturesque sites where you can park the car and take in the view, not only is the Canyon itself impressive but the outside mountains and the drive leading up to is has some amazing sights.
The West Rim Grand Canyon is owned by the Native American Hualapai Tribe and their culture is on display all around, they have a shop where you can purchase Indian Tribe artefacts like bow and arrows, wind chimes, and much more. You can also view some of their culture traditions and historic living arrangements.
We reached the entrance to the Grand Canyon Park where we had to park our car and purchase entrance tickets to get to Eagle Point. It will cost $50 for an entrance ticket and an extra $20 to do the Skywalk. Along with entrance and Skywalk tickets you can avail of horse riding through the Canyon, take a helicopter tour and you can even go White Water Rafting through the Colorado River from here if you want.
Shuttle buses are provided to take you to ‘Eagle Point’ where you can see the most breath-taking views of the Grand Canyon. Eagle Point is at the entrance to the Skywalk, is it named after the rock formation in the shape of an eagles wings, from here you are free to take pictures and stay for as long as you like. There is no barrier to the edge so you can get as close to the cliff edge as your courage takes you but be careful and watch your step.
Dean and I braved the Skywalk, you can look down into the mile-deep canyon, and my heart was pounding as I walked onto the glass floor. I would highly recommend adding this onto your entrance ticket.
I was amazed by the views of the Grand Canyon at the West Rim. It is literally as far as the eye can see and you simply have to see if for yourself. A popular time of day to visit the West Rim is in the evening. This can be spectacular - if you time your trip right, you can stand at Eagle Point to watch the sun go down.
The Grand Canyon was an unforgettable experience; one I highly recommend. If you would like to talk to me about taking your own trip please get in touch and I will be happy to help.