Pre #SASGF things to do in Vegas Saturday & Sunday?

[AndrewHowell]

In the build up to #SASGF 2016 (and the #TweetUp, run by @MichelleHomes & @TriciaAanderud - dont forget your fedora..)

.. is anyone interested in doing various Vegas / Nevada activities in the weekend immediately prior to SASGF (i.e, 16 & 17 April)?

In particular, anyone interested in a flight over the Grand Canyon? (There are bus tours but they take 15-16 hours return.)

Unfortunately, Penn & Teller are on tour - I've already checked.. 

Also open to other ideas - let's start discussing!

[ChrisHemedinger]

I won't have recreational time before the conference, but in 2012 I took my family to the area and we did lots of fun activities near Vegas:

• Visit Red Rock Canyon.  We drove, but there are bus tours -- it's a relatively short ride from Vegas.  Lots of great hiking and nature scenery.
• Visit Lake Mead and rent a boat for 1/2 day.  Find a few friends and rent a pontoon boat, pack a picnic, and enjoy the scenery on the lake.  See Hoover Dam from the "back".  Jump into the water if you get too hot -- we loved that experience.
• Visit the Hoover Dam, take the engineering tour (alas, no tour while we were there but I've heard it's great)

Here are a few photos of our time there.  Hope you find inspiration!

Grand Canyon is a great sight too.  We did not do a helicopter tour, as we visited the park as part of our trip.  

[ChrisHemedinger]

Here's my #TBT for the Grand Canyon park -- my favorite photo from our trip.  An on-the-ground park visit is practical only if you have a few extra days in the Western US area in addition to the SASGF conference.  If you're visiting from outside of the US, it's a great opportunity.

[LoriGoldman]

Beautiful

[Kim_Darnofall]

If you like hiking, in addition to Red Rock State Park west of Vegas, Valley of Fire is a wonderful park to the East. Be sure to take plenty of water with you on hikes! A bit further away, but still a day-trip from Vegas is Snow Canyon State Park and Zion National Park in Utah.

[MaggieM]

SAS graph guy Robert Allison put together an interactive map of attractions to see in Las Vegas during SAS Global Forum. He plotted everything around the Venetian. And also included his technical details and SAS code in case you want to make your own custom map!

Vegas or bust!

http://blogs.sas.com/content/sastraining/2016/04/05/things-to-do-in-vegas-while-at-sas-global-forum/...

[jwaller]

Cool!!!!  Thanks for taking the time to put this together!   Jay and I may have to take in a sight or two on Saturday.  That might be the only day I don't have other stuff to do.  Looking forward to seeing everyone!

Jenn