My travel companion, Diane, and I drove across Nevada into Arizona to visit the spectacular Grand Canyon National Park. Exposing nearly 2 billion years' worth of history in its formation, this breath-taking natural environment was more beautiful in real life than we had ever expected. We initially visited the popular South Rim, open year-round and an area packed with historic buildings surrounding the Grand Canyon Village. While it felt like a tourist trail, we were so pleased to be here.

We continued on to Las Vegas, where a 3-hour drive in our trusted campervan took us into the bright lights and the sin of Las Vegas. What a town! Parking the van we booked into the Luxor hotel for a well earned luxury stay and a comfortable bed. The glamour and buzz of this town is amazing, the main strip is one of the most fantastic streets you will ever walk. The hotels and the casinos dominate the strip with restaurants and bars at almost every yard. Take a tour bus to see the whole area and other sites.

The ancient land surrounding the Grand Canyon, carved by the Colorado River, was known to have been first inhabited by the Ancestral Puebloans. See the 360° virtual tour above and peer over the canyon on the Skywalk located at Eagle Point.