Travel with Family & Kids

Editor’s Note: This is the 5th in a series of posts from John “traveler, father & wit” Ryan. He’s taking the family from Melbourne up along Australia’s eastern coast. Have kid, will travel is John’s motto. Read John’s previous post here.

We’ve arrived in Brisbane, Queensland, our little boy (20-month-old Seamus), mum and dad. We’re in the northern suburb of Ferny Grove staying with my wife’s sister and her unstoppably Canadian husband.

Our days in Byron Bay were a delight, though not without their challenges. We kicked off with an attempt to walk around the lighthouse. We’d called, and the park ranger said it’d be fine with a kid in a pram. NOT!!! There are about a million steps, high winds and lots of precarious rocky outcrops. The lighthouse and the view are stunning and the walk looks great; but DON’T shell out if you’ve got a toddler in-tow. No refunds…

Byron has some great beachside playgrounds, and the long, flat, sandy beaches are a delight with a toddler. We met up with an old friend who gave us a spare DVD player for our cottage room! Bananas are back (click here if you missed the Bananas)!

After a great dinner with our DVD friend and an old mate from university days at the only respectable pub in town (the Rails on Jonson St), we enjoyed a unique breakfast in the nearby town of Brunswick Heads. Yami’s served fabbo – if surprising - Israeli food on an outdoor deck. Our little kid ran around a bit, but there was enough space for him not to annoy too many people! This little town was a welcome respite from the clamour of Byron Bay.

Another day of beach-bumming and some Bananas in Pyjamas on DVD and suddenly, today, we had to leave beautiful Byron. We took a breakfast detour to Bangalow where there was a really fantastic, small organic produce market. Bangalow is a really delightful hinterland town – so much more relaxing and ‘real’ than Byron. We’ll stay here next time. We picked up some absolutely amazing strawberries and were on our way.

It’s not the most scenic drive from Byron to Brisbane, despite the fact that we pass some of the most wonderfully majestic beaches Australia has to offer. Problem is, you can’t see them for all the road works, construction and ugly 1970s high-rise developments. This really is the worst of the best. Still, the freeway makes it a mercifully short trip.

Brisbane is a growth town. For a long time it was a staid, sleepy city. Now it’s booming with property values rising as quickly as the morning temperature. There aren’t many tourist attractions in Brisbane, but few cities in the world can claim to be surrounded by so many drawcards as Queensland’s capital. We’ve just settled Seamus in yet another strange bed. The little fella is doing remarkably well – he really seems to be engaging with the frequent changes. Tomorrow, we explore!

–John Ryan

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s things to do in Australia, Gold Coast activities, things to do in Brisbane, and a complete list of kid-friendly and family-friendly tours in Australia.

Editor’s Note: These are the 3rd & 4th posts in a series from John “traveler, father & wit” Ryan. Somehow we forgot to publish John’s post from Bellingen, so we’re making up for lost time with today’s double-post. Have kid, will travel is John’s motto. Read his first post here.

East Coast Australia Part 4: Coffs Harbour to Byron Bay

John & Seamus at Belongil Beachouse, Byron Bay

With the weather warming and the landscape changing around us – taking on a distinctly sub-tropical feel – the drive from Bellingen to Byron Bay has been the most enjoyable of our trip so far. It was also a great opportunity to be reminded how BIG Australia is.

In 1963 the owner of a banana plantation in Coffs Harbour decided he wanted to encourage more visitors. And so Australia’s first ‘Big Thing’ – the Benny-Hill-esque Big Banana - was built. There are now more than 80 big things in Australia, ranging from cheese to earthworms to avocados. The Big Banana remains an operational – and popular - tourist attraction, featuring rides, tours and anything else banana-related that you can think of. Hilarious, really. And driving north out of Coffs, you really can’t miss it.

Two and a half hours later, on the fringe of Ballina, it’s the Big Prawn. Not nearly as fun or successful as the Banana, it’s home to a restaurant and souvenir shop. Australians have a saying for something that’s turned bad: “Gone off like a prawn in the sun.” As we drove by, it didn’t look like the faded pink crustacean was getting much shade - or many tourists - these days.

Palm trees, sugar cane, sun. It’s hard not to relax. And the mood certainly rubbed off on little Seamus, who seemed to enjoy every moment of this 3-and-a-half hour drive. We remembered to pack his favourite CD – a great kid-friendly reggae album from the fun Putuyamo label. He bopped on a back-beat all the way!

Early afternoon and we arrived in Byron Bay. Far busier and less idyllic than I’d imagined, Byron is now a bustling little city struggling to retain its old hippie-era charm. We’re staying at the Belongil Beachouse, which is a 5-minute drive from town, and just across the road from a lovely stretch of beach. With a distinct hostel feel, Belongil has all we need (except a DVD player, so no Bananas in Pyjamas for Seamus for a few days…), but is not quite as toddler-friendly as we’d imagined. No big issues - the place is clean and friendly – but next time we’ll try to find something just a shade more upmarket.

Seamus is in love with Bananas in Pyjamas. For non-Aussies, they’re a couple of TV bananas who, er, wear pyjamas. They’re good fun, but this obsession is becoming a headache. Can we wean him off the dreaded yellow fruit?

We had a fantastic walk on the beach, and really felt like the holiday was happening. Three nights in one place was going to be lovely. Having picked up a BLT for lunch and a pizza for dinner, we’re astounded by the Byron prices. The big chain supermarket here is reported to be the most expensive in Australia, and judging from the cost of fast food, I believe it. Bargain hunters beware! Today we’re off to the lighthouse and hopefully to do the walk around the bluff. It’s windy, so we’ll need to hold on to our hats…

East Coast Australia, Part 3: Bellingen to Coffs Harbour

Here we are in Bellingen, a small town about 15 minutes off the highway, inland from the popular holiday destination of Coffs Harbour. This is the third instalment of our East Coast Australia roadtrip, with the three of us (myself, my wife Elissa and our 20-month-old son Seamus) having a great time.

Seamus meets the pig at Bellingen Family Cabins

Not wanting to drive any more than 4 hours a day, we stopped off last night at the Bellingen Family Cabins, a really lovely 2-cabin property, featuring a pig, a little dog, some chickens and a slide. Just perfect for Seamus. Bellingen itself is really lovely – the town has one main street aimed both at locals and visitors. There’s not much to do but kick back with a coffee and enjoy the bucolic lifestyle. Much more our pace than the busy high-rise of Coffs Harbour.

We grabbed some nice Thai takeaway for dinner and enjoyed the evening with a bottle of wine. I also picked up a couple of Wicked Elf Pale Ales from a Bellingen bottle shop. I hadn’t seen this beer before, and can highly recommend it if you like those American-style hop beers (like Sierra Nevada from California or Melbourne’s Mountain Goat Hightail Ale).

Our last couple of days were spent with family in Forster, midway between Sydney and Coffs. It’s a really lovely area, on the coast at the entrance to the ‘Great Lakes’. Fabbo fishing, classic beaches and really lovely small-town atmosphere. We took a trip one morning to nearby Seal Rocks which was an absolutely beautiful, almost deserted beach.

Seamus is travelling well. His scorched finger – acquired on Day 1 – is looking better, but is still covered and giving him a bit of grief. He’s sleeping better each night, and seems to be enjoying the travel. Now that he’s a toddler, it’s hard work keeping things moving fast enough for him, but he’s managed to find fun everywhere we’ve taken him so far. We’re trying to keep his night-time routine the same wherever we are, with the knowledge that daytime is going to be a bit more unpredictable. So far, so good.

This morning we head up the road to famous Byron Bay – one of Australia’s most popular holiday destinations – situated on the easternmost point of the Australian mainland. Can’t wait.

–John Ryan

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s things to do in Australia, Gold Coast activities, and a complete list of kid-friendly and family-friendly tours in Australia.

Gobble, Gobble.

If most Americans are like me, and I suspect many are, when it comes to Thanksgiving, they trudge home through horrible traffic and/or airport delays to eat a very large meal on Thursday, visit their family, maybe see a movie, and possibly battle some horrendous shopping crowds in an effort to get a jump on Christmas shopping.

I say no more. Fellow Americans, you don’t need another Thanksgiving of watching the James Bond marathon on Spike TV, or waiting in line at the Gap. Just say no.

Instead, by all means, visit the family, have that extra slice of pumpkin pie, but don’t squander away your precious vacation days in store lines (you can buy it online, you know you can) or in front of the television. Break free of the Thanksgiving monotony and go do something fun. Actually have a vacation on your vacation days. This is radical thinking I know, but stick with me here, I have ideas. And I am practicing what I preach, I convinced my whole family to try my suggestion for Thanksgiving this year.

Here’s what I propose: If you live within reasonable drive or train ride to a major city (say around 2 hours or less), have an urban adventure. But, DO NOT SHOP. Instead, visit a museum, indulge in a helicopter ride, treat the kids, or take a day cruise. On Viator.com alone there are over 1,250 things to do in the USA just around the major cities, so no excuses, I am sure you can find something fun to do near you.

If you don’t live close enough to have a big city adventure, visit a National Park near you (or State park, I am not picky). They are blissfully crowd free around winter holidays, and everyone could stand to stroll or hike off a little gravy. Plus, when is the last time you went to your nearby national park? I bet it has been awhile. Stop by and say hi. Take the kids.

Fellow Americans, I urge you, nay, implore you, to GO OUT AND HAVE FUN! If you are home watching the Hallmark Channel’s Festival of Original Movies, or circling for parking at the mall, instead of out having a good time, you are so not going have the best Thanksgiving pictures or stories in the office on Monday. Make a Thanksgiving you’ll be thankful for, the only turkey should be the one you eat.

Happy Thanksgiving!

– Kelly G

Editor’s Note: This is the 2nd in a series from John “traveler, father & wit” Ryan. He’s taking the family from Melbourne up along Australia’s eastern coast. Have kid, will travel is John’s motto. Read his first post here.

Archibald Fountain in Sydney’s Hyde Park

With an afternoon and night in Sydney under our belt, our holiday hasn’t been without its ‘challenges’. At the airport in Melbourne, we realised we’d left our little pusher at home, so young Seamus spent a long time in his parents soon-tired arms. The flight up was a stressful event. People without kids have little idea how stressful and embarrassing it can be when your little one cries… especially in an enclosed space (such as an airline cabin).

So I spent much of the 90-minute flight up the back near the toilet, trying to calm and amuse our poor little bub. Still, the Sydney flight was brief enough. It was when we were walking through the Sydney airport terminal and the little explorer headed towards a new car on display in the terminal that things went rapidly downhill. No matter how closely you watch a toddler, they can always manage to find the tiniest bit of danger. And the exposed spotlight illuminating the car display, burning hot, was like a magnet to Seamus’ index finger.

After a mad dash to the airport pharmacy, some amateur first aid, and a tearful luggage collection, we were in a cab to the hotel. It was mid-afternoon, so we thought we’d check out the city department stores for a cheap stroller. No luck, but we did spend a couple of hours playing in Hyde Park. For visitors to a new city, the open air of a large park can be a surprise. Hyde Park is absolutely charming, and it was fun spending the late afternoon marvelling at the ornate Archibald Fountain, chasing the birds and playing on the grass.

Sydney Tower & Skywalk? Next Time…

We’ve been using Sydney as a stopover rather than a destination in itself, so there wasn’t much time for sightseeing. A pity, because Sydney really is one of the most stunning cities in the world, blessed with the most perfect harbour setting and some world-class infrastructure. Having been many times before, it was a shame not to have time to get onto a ferry and out to Manly, and to wander along the beautiful beach at Bondi. Next time…

We did manage to organise a babysitter last night and spent our only Sydney evening out on the town! We love eating out at fancy places (each year my wife, Elissa, and I celebrate our anniversary at a nice restaurant), but hadn’t really tasted Sydney’s delights. We tried to book a table at Tetsuya’s – known as Sydney’s best restaurant – but couldn’t get in. Est, also highly regarded, was happy to have us though. A lovely evening, great wine. And a short stroll back to the hotel.

We’re all packed now, and I’m off to collect the hire car for our first leg up the coast to Forster.

–John Ryan

East Coast Australia: Have Kid, Will Travel

After a great time travelling from Australia to Italy and Spain with our little boy a while ago, we’ve decided to stay a bit closer to home this time around. My wife, 20-month-old son Seamus, and I are heading up the east coast of Australia, visiting some of the most popular beach towns between Sydney and Brisbane.

Having just finished a long stint in a job, I want to take a couple of restful weeks. Our priority will be visiting friends and family along the way, taking our time and keeping our schedule intentionally sparse. But holidays aren’t what they used to be.

Ever since little Seamus came along, taking a break from work is no longer about sleeping in, grazing through the day, going out for a nice meal and maybe catching a movie. No, it’s about getting up early and spending the day chasing a ball of energy around all day, putting him to bed, eating take-out food then flopping in front of the TV until passing out at about 9.30pm.

Still, away we go!

East Coast Australia: Planning Tips

Aside from trawling this site for great tour options, the first stop was flights. We live in Melbourne, but decided to fast-track the trip by flying to Sydney. We’ve visited the south-east coast before, visiting towns such as Merimbula, Tathra and the beautiful Sapphire Coast of New South Wales. It’s lovely, but coming out of the southern winter, we are looking for warmer waters further north.

• FLIGHTS: There’s a couple of budget airlines in Australia, but using the nifty Webjet site, which collects fares from several airlines in one place, we were able to find the best deal for us. Easy.
• CAR: A fairly new site called Oodles allowed us to compare car hire rates from the five major Aussie rental companies. We got a great rate on a little Toyota, which should be perfect.
• HOTEL: We planned to stay just one night in Sydney, so looked on a bunch of sites. A microwave in the room (for those quick 3am milk requirements) was a big priority. As was price. And while hardly the most glamorous hotel in the world, the Travelodge up near Hyde Park in the city looked like a good option.

So we’re all booked and set. I’ll post again in a day or two when we’re on the road. Wish us luck!

–John Ryan

Editor’s Note: This is, alas, the final post in a series from Jeff Gates, the New Media Lead Producer for the Smithsonian American Art Museum and Managing Editor for its blog, Eye Level. Jeff’s family vacation has officially come to an end. Don’t despair, you can re-read all of Jeff’s posts here.

San Francisco and the bay looking north, from the top of the Fairmont Hotel

Our fifth and final stop on the 2007 Gates family vacation tour would take us to San Francisco for the wedding of my best-friend-from-the-first-grade’s daughter. First grade: back then Ron and I were members of a very exclusive club. Just the two of us, Ron was the president and I was the VP. Our official meetings were brief but boisterous. Uncontrollable laughter was high on the agenda. I remember one sleep over Ron made me laugh so hard I had an asthma attack in the middle of the night (which made him laugh even harder).

Our closeness led to the inevitable: our desire to elevate our friendship to blood-brother status. But when the time came to go under the knife we both chickened out. We decided becoming “hair brothers” would be just as good but not as deadly. Each of us pulled a lock from our scalps, exchanged follicles, and ceremoniously transplanted them onto our own heads. Today, Ron has a full head of my hair and I am bald.

The by-laws of our childhood club clearly stated that all members would attend the weddings of their respective children — someday. Once a hair brother, always a hair brother; the time had come.

From our hotel room at the Fairmont.

The wedding was going to be held at the stately and historic Fairmont Hotel. After Motel 8 and other low-budget hostelries we’d been staying at since Las Vegas, this little bit a luxury would be the perfect end to our trip. In addition, this was going to be a reunion of sorts. Schoolmates I hadn’t seen since elementary school would be in attendance. And my wife was going to meet the girl I took to the prom.

But first, we had to get there. Gilroy is only about 80 miles from downtown San Francisco. But we’d learned on our last trip to the Bay Area that a Sunday drive up Highway 101 held no guarantees of an idyllic and easy passage. Eighty miles could seem like two hundred if we hit weekend traffic.The wedding was to begin at 4 o’clock. I had called to arrange for an early check-in at the hotel, but they couldn’t guarantee it. In fact, they told me check-in would be at 4, just when the nuptials were to begin. When we met my sister early that morning for a Goodbye Gilroy breakfast Susie and I were already dressed in our wedding finery.

Then there was the issue of the children. The wedding was to be adults-only. We arranged with the hotel for a babysitter. We had never left our girls with a stranger in a hotel. And this would either turn out to be a luxury we would never be able to live without again or make headline news when we came back to an empty room and a ransom note. We prepared the girls for the former (relieved that our oldest knew our cell phone numbers by heart).

Red lights, no turns, Bush St.

Seeing long lost friends can be an upending experience. It feels like no time has passed at all and yet you know that each of our lives have taken trajectories none of us could ever have imagined back then. What would theirs be like? I had known them but I didn’t now.

After ten days traversing the West, we had survived the debauchery of Las Vegas, car sickness on the road to the Sierras, a near bear attack in Yosemite, the mixture of garlic and snakes in Gilroy, and finally a party that celebrated a couple’s future and reconnected me with my past.

I decided to top off the trip with a little bit of political photography just before checking out of the hotel. It felt good to be in the bastion of liberal bias but we were about to reenter the vortex of conservative politics. It was time to get back to the present.

It had been a great trip, one my girls will remember. At least for a few more months.

–Jeff Gates

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s tours and things to do in San Francisco, Las Vegas, and everything in between.

Editor’s Note: This is the fifth in a series of posts from Jeff Gates, the New Media Lead Producer for the Smithsonian American Art Museum and Managing Editor for its blog, Eye Level. Jeff is on a family vacation, which sounded like a great excuse to publish his trials and tribulations from the road. You can read all of Jeff’s posts here.

My life long dream of tasting garlic ice cream would finally be realized.

After a few days in the clean mountain air of Yosemite it was time for a change. So the family trekked across California’s central San Joaquin Valley to Gilroy with its pungent garlic-infused atmosphere. Truly. As we wound our way down the slopes of the Diablo mountain range just east of the city we rolled down the windows to smell the bulb that would be the center of attention that third week in July. We were on our way to the annual Gilroy Garlic Festival.

To be honest, we were really on our way to visit my sister, Pam, and her numerous corn snakes who live in Gilroy. It wasn’t until I tried to make reservations at the motel we always stay at that I realized our visit would coincide with the festivities: a room which normally goes for $70 a night would set us back a whopping $250 a night! Needless to say, we made reservations at a more reasonable motor inn a few miles north (one that was oblivious to the cash cow a few miles away).

Gilroy is known as the Garlic Capital of the World. At least that’s the city’s official line, despite the fact that more garlic comes from China these days. And everyone has heard of the Garlic Festival. As we were checking into our motel, there were three young guys from New Jersey who had seen a segment on the Food Channel and had to make the pilgrimage. My sister had lived in the area for decades but this would be the first time my visit would intersect the festival. My life long dream of tasting garlic ice cream would finally be realized.

Separated at birth? Show girls from the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas on the left… and the Garlic Queen and her Princesses on the right.

Gilroy in July is hot and dry. Wide-brimmed hats and sunscreen are required. It’s interesting to see my sister work these events. Wherever she goes she seems to know everyone everywhere. Before we even got through the turnstile the Miss Garlic Festival Queen gave her a royal kiss. “How’s your mother?” my sister asked as we paid for our tickets.

Garlic-shaped hats? Yes, indeed.

The festival itself is a series of arts and crafts vendors (no garlic theme required) and various cooking booths along Gourmet Alley featuring the bulb as the star ingredient. I was interested in exotic garlic epicurean combos (my ice cream cone winning hands down), my wife was on the lookout for those special garlic-related souvenirs (I thought the garlic-shaped hats were pretty special), and our daughters were interested in any tchotchke Aunt Pam would buy them.

When we got home my girls couldn’t stop talking about Gilroy. The festival? No way. They wanted a corn snake after Aunt Pam announced she’d be glad to part with one just for her two favorite nieces. Thanks Aunt Pam. Even after I told them they’d have to feed it live, or even worse, dead mice they could not be dissuaded. Ummm, maybe next year. Yeah, next year.

For us parents the Gilroy Garlic Festival was a once in a lifetime event: once in a lifetime, I think, will be enough. After all, after you’ve tasted garlic ice cream, what else is there?

–Jeff Gates

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s tours and things to do in California, from San Diego to San Francisco and everything in between.

File this under “Only in Thailand”.

We had two elephants come to the village recently for a game of elephant soccer (”football” to those people with funny accents). Now I thought that would mean the two elephants playing soccer against each other. But oh no. In typical Thai style, this turned out to be two elephants playing soccer against the local 12-year-old team.

Apparently everyone thought this was a great idea! So full-tackle soccer with eight 12-year-olds versus two elephants.

Turned out to be marvellous fun; they roped an area off and charged 30 cents for spectators. The elephants were powerful and hard to tackle, but the kids were quick and nimble, a 2-all draw in the end. And no kids got squashed.

Don’t believe me? Well here’s a short video montage I made of kids scoring a goal, and then of the elephants scoring. Gooooooooal! Stick around to the end - the live footage of the elephant goal is a keeper.

–Jordan Digby

Check out Jordan’s earlier post on Life Lessons in Thailand. Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s things to do in Thailand, Bangkok tours and activities in Phuket.

Editor’s Note: This is the fourth in a series of posts from Jeff Gates, the New Media Lead Producer for the Smithsonian American Art Museum and Managing Editor for its blog, Eye Level. Jeff is on a family vacation, which sounded like a great excuse to publish his trials and tribulations from the road. You can read Jeff’s first post, second post and third post here.

My iPhone and me at Half Dome. What would Samuel Morse have thought?

The highlight of our my Yosemite visit is obvious. Ah, technology and the great outdoors. It couldn’t get any better. My email message documenting the event: “We are blissful at this altitude.” What more can I say?

Well, my wife tells me perhaps just a bit more. We spent two days in the park. We started planning this trip back in April but that was already too late to book a room at the famous Ahwahnee Lodge in the Valley. So we spent our two nights at both the eastern and western edges of the park (in Lee Vining and Mariposa). And while we are not known as the All-American Outdoor Family, we did take a few day hikes in both Tuolumne Meadows and Yosemite Valley. While we didn’t stay at the Lodge, one morning we ate breakfast in its wood-beamed dining room. From there it was an easy one and a half mile hike to the foot of Half Dome.

A warning meant just for us? (A larger view makes the point clear)

As we were hiking towards that famous mountain, about half way up the trail we suddenly came upon a cryptic message spelled out in twigs on the ground. It said “WASHINGTON BEAR,” with two arrows pointing north. Did the writer mean to really say “Hey family from Washington, DC, there’s a big black bear over there. Leave now if you ever hope to return to the bedrock of Western Democracy?” Was this message meant for us? I started thinking about the last time I was in Yosemite. Years ago, with my friends Bob and Ellen, I had hiked to 11,000 feet where we camped in a small meadow near a waterfall. We had gone from sea level to 11k in a matter of hours.

And the scenery’s Arcadian beauty provided no antidote for my resulting altitude sickness. I was cold and sick. And in the middle of the night a bear ATTACKED our campsite. Yes, attacked. He was after our food, the food we had not so carefully hung off a large tree branch because we were too cold and too tired to do as the rangers had warned us we must do. It was a night we still talk about (ask our friends who have put up its retelling all these years); although, the trajectories of our individual tellings have gone off in quite different directions. This cautionary sign brought back that night as if it was yesterday. Would history repeat itself?

A few feet later we came upon what looked to us (the Not All-American Outdoor Family) like bear scat! We wondered if we’d make it to our next vacation stop, Gilroy’s annual Garlic Festival. The scent of garlic seemed so much more pleasant than what lay before us and we listened for any sign of a large animal ahead. When we heard a rustle in the leaves along the path we froze.

Suddenly, from behind a large boulder came a horse. Its rider told us we were on the horse trail leading to Half Dome and that we might find it easier to use the paved path just a few yards to the south of us. Looking through the trees I saw bicyclists and day hikers (more Not All-American Outdoor Family types) walking towards the mountain without a care in the world. They were oblivious to our twig warning.

My nine year old was the first to connect the scat with the right animal. She was quite pleased with her deductive abilities and the fact that she was the only one in the family to use them. We still don’t know who made the twig sign or what it meant. But we’re sure it was meant for us.

–Jeff Gates

Coming up next: Jeff and family at the Gilroy Garlic Festival.

The question I am posing — to visit or not to visit the Grand Canyon Skywalk when you’re heading to the Grand Canyon and/or taking a Grand Canyon tour.

The Grand Canyon, on a tour from Las Vegas

First, my bias in all this: I have never been to the Grand Canyon. And I am starting to plan the - storied? cliche? inevitable? - family trip to Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, Arizona and the southwest. So I wanted some good, actionable, honest travel advice. My reputation as a ‘dad’ and a ‘husband’ are at stake. It would be our first major family road trip, so I cannot mess it up. (Or else.)

Step 1: Ask people who know

I work at a travel company, so I asked some of our staff. They all agreed on a few things — tour the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas, if you’re planning a summer trip with kids, because the Grand Canyon itself gets hot. As in, HOT HOT HOT.

Fair enough, seems like good advice. I love Vegas, it doesn’t take much to convince me to spend a few days there.

Step 2: Read actual reviews from other travelers

So I spent some time reading reviews from other travelers. The hands-down winner are the reviews of the Grand Canyon All American Helicopter tour. Words like “fantastic” and “brilliant” and “awesome” and “limo ride back to the hotel” make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Equally strong praise is given to the self-drive Hummer to the Grand Canyon, which includes optional tickets to the Skywalk and a helicopter/boat ride along the river. Cool! I also like the idea of being on my own schedule.

Most people seem to think the Skywalk is definitely worth the effort. It’s clear there was some teething pains when the Skywalk first opened - some of the comments were scathing about the lack of sun protection, lack of shade, lack of facilities, etc. But it sounds like things have improved in the 6 months or so since the Skywalk opened. The reviews from travelers are sounding a lot more positive in the past month or so.

Step 3: Look at pretty pictures of the Grand Canyon Skywalk

The Grand Canyon Skywalk

Finally, the pictures on the Viator Flickr site of the Grand Canyon Skywalk have really whetted my appetite for visiting it (not to mention my appetite for visiting the Grand Canyon itself, plus Las Vegas and Hoover Dam). It looks like the sort of thing that happens only in America, and only in close proximity to the over-the-top wondrousness that is Las Vegas.

So now, after all this research, am I convinced? I must admit it - I am. I went from being so-so about doing this to being a total convert to the idea of a family vacation to the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, the Skywalk and maybe even Death Valley National Park.

All I need now is 2 weeks of holiday.

–Scott McNeely

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s Grand Canyon Skywalk tours and tours to the Grand Canyon, from Las Vegas.