Kayaking to Emerald Cave
We checked out of our hotel and drove to Willow Beach Harbor where we rented two tandem kayaks for 8 hours for our self-guided tour. At the time an 8 hour tandem kayak rental was $120.
Tip #1: Bring your National Park Pass or your Lake Mead receipt from the day before. The Lake Mead NRA fee station at the top of Willow Beach Road collects entry fees, and your receipt from the day before gives you 7-day access.
Where is Emerald Cave?
Emerald Cave is located on the Colorado River and is about 2 miles upstream from Willow Beach Marina. As you kayak upstream, you will see it on your right side.
The cave is hard to miss because it is a popular spot and groups of guided kayakers visit it. Sometimes there will be long lines to get into the cave, but luckily we arrived just as a group was leaving. We had about ten minutes to enjoy the cave before another group arrived.
Universal Waterproof Phone Pouch, Compatible for iPhone 12 Pro 11 Pro Max XS Max XR X 8 7 Samsung Galaxy s10/s9 Google Pixel 2 HTC Up to 7.0″, IPX8 Cellphone Dry Bag -2 Pack
Timing is Important
The Emerald Cave is not always emerald. This small cave only lights up when the sunlight reflects off the bottom of the river during certain times of the day. Due to the steep canyon walls, we planned on arriving at the Emerald Cave around mid-day to increase our chances of seeing the cave lit up.
The cave was only partially lit up when we arrived, but it was beautiful. We could only imagine what it would look like if the entire cave was that vibrant, sparkling emerald color.
How long does it take to paddle to Emerald Cave?
It depends on your physical fitness and experience, but we feel that 4 to 5 hours would give a beginner plenty of time to kayak there and back and still have time to enjoy the scenery and stop at one of the beaches along the way. Allow yourself additional time to swim in the water or hike one of the trails from the beaches.
All of us have been kayaking before and are of average fitness. We were able to kayak to Emerald Cave and back within four hours. It was a good workout upstream, but we hardly paddled on the way back. We allowed the current to carry us back to the marina, which gave us plenty of time to eat our lunch and enjoy the beautiful Black Canyons, the desert big horn sheep and the birds.
Tip #2: When kayaking upstream, kayak on the sides of the river where the current is not as strong. It will take less time and effort to paddle upstream this way.
Waterproof Dry Bag with Waterproof Phone Case
Tip #3: Bring a Waterproof Dry Bag (like the one above) to keep your camera, phone and other electronics safe. We saw a kayaker flip over unexpectedly in her kayak so it does happen.
Las Vegas Raiders Stadium Tour
The Allegiant Stadium Tour
We could not visit Las Vegas without seeing the new Las Vegas Raiders Stadium (Allegiant Stadium)! The stadium is a gorgeous facility! The tour was much more than I expected.
What will I see on the Raiders stadium tour?
The stadium tour includes a tour of Al Davis Memorial Torch, Broadcast Booth, Private Suites and Clubs, Raiderette Locker Room, Ubeo Press Conference Room, Raiders Locker Rooms, Hall of Fame Wall, the Field and more. There was plenty to see and we loved the surprise in the locker room!
How much does the Raiders stadium tour cost?
Guided tour tickets cost $59 and the Guided Tour and Drink with view costs $80. We took the latter. You can purchase additional drinks and food at your own cost. If you do, try the nachos! They were delicious and generously filled a football shaped bowl. It was the perfect size for the four of us to snack on.
The tour includes a digital souvenir photo and short video clip. Use your pass to get a 10% discount off the Raiders store.
Tip #1: Get your tickets way in advance because they sell out quickly!
How long does the Raiders stadium tour last?
The tour itself lasted a little over an hour (about 75 minutes). Then we had our drinks and ate some nachos and pretzels. After we ate, we went shopping at the Raiders store. Overall, we spent about two hours here.
Tip #2 : Shop after the tour. Your hands will be free of shopping bags to take plenty of photos during the tour. Then you can use your stadium tour pass to get a 10% discount on store purchases.
Drive to Airbnb
We drove a couple of hours to our Airbnb in Washington, Utah which will be our home base for the rest of the trip. If you prefer to stay closer to Zion, you can stay in Springdale. Springdale is a popular choice but the price of accommodations are also higher. We were able to get a beautifully furnished, well stocked house (with a washer and dryer) for less that what we would have paid for a nice room in Springdale.
