How to get from Las Palmas to Sioux City - Journey into Darkness

Strangely lacking from any Princess Cruises excursion itineraries, Sioux City is a great day out. But how can you get from the cruise terminal in Las Palmas to Sioux City?

The good news is that the trip is actually much easier than it sounds.

What is Sioux City?

Sioux City started life as a movie set. It was built in 1971 for the Lee van Cleef spaghetti western, Take A Hard Ride (no, we’ve never heard of it either). The set and surrounding landscape are outstanding, making it a popular location for other movies and shows since.

At some point, some genius decided that Sioux City could double as a theme park. All it took was some animals and some live shows.

What can I see at Sioux City?

Once you’ve paid, you’re free to wander around Sioux City, exploring the various buildings along the Main Street. Outside, the jail house, bank, undertakers, church etc look great. Inside, they are quite sparse – just as you would expect from a movie set used for external shots. There are two exceptions – the general store (gift shop) and the saloon (restaurant and bar).

What makes Sioux City special is the live shows which take place throughout the day. During our visit we were treated to five:

The Three Amigos

Two Mexican robbers and a third accomplice (chosen from the crowd), try to rob the bank.

The Bank Robbery

The centrepiece of the day sees a cattle drive, galloping ‘wild’ horses a bank robbery and a gunfight. It’s action all the way.

At the end of the show, several volunteers are chosen from the crowd to help bottle feed some tiny baby goats and pigs. The animals are absolutely hilarious.

The Illusionist

A magician performs a couple of well-known tricks in the saloon bar theatre – again with the assistance of the crowd.

The Showgirls

Running straight after the illusionist, this is not your typical high-kicking dancer. It’s actually a very funny show that relies on audience participation.

The Mexicans

Two drunk Mexicans argue and brawl in the saloon, assisted by the showgirl. The show degenerates into line dancing and gunfighting – between audience members.

The shows may vary depending on what time of year you visit.

How do I get from Las Palmas Cruise Terminal to Sioux City?

Leaving the Cruise Terminal, walk past the security checkpoint and bear left towards the large open space.

A map showing the walking route from Las Palmas cruise terminal to Santa Catalina bus station — The walking route from the cruise terminal to Santa Catalina bus station

Take the lift or the escalator to descend into the Santa Catalina bus station.
Board the Guaguas #30 bus headed towards Faro de Maspalomas. You are boarding at the end of the line, so you can get on any #30 bus. There are three buses every hour throughout the day and evening.
Tell the driver you are going to Playa del Aguila and pay for your tickets. All contactless credit and debit cards are accepted.
Sit back and relax in the air conditioned coach for the next 45 minutes.
Get off the coach after 10 stops. You are now standing in Playa del Aguila.
With the bus shelter on your right, you will see a turning on your right – this is the access road for Sioux City.
Walk along the road. You will pass through a car park and a tunnel painted like an American flag. On the other side you will find the Sioux City entrance gates. You have arrived!

A picture of the entrance tunnel to Sioux — The entrance tunnel is unmistakable

Top tip: Bus tickets are charged according to distance travelled. It cost us €5.60 each to get to Playa del Aguila. A taxi travelling the same route would have cost €60-€100 each way.

Unfortunately there is no day ticket option.

NOTE: The #30 route passes directly in front of the Gran Canaria airport but the bus does not stop there. If travelling to Sioux City from the Airport, you will need to catch the #5 or #36 to Bahia Feliz. You can find more info about bus routes and timetables here.

The lack of advance instructions for getting to Sioux City from Las Palmas Cruise Terminal made us almost give up. However, the journey was extremely simple once we found the Santa Catalina bus station.

Top tip: Mobility scooters can be stored in the luggage compartment under the bus. Just remind the driver you have luggage when disembarking and they will open the hatch for you.

Other Sioux City remarks

At the time of writing, tickets for Sioux City cost €24.90 for visitors aged 12+ and €15.90 for children. Tickets can be bought online in advance.

The park opens at 10am and the first show is at 11:15. The last show finishes at 3pm. Note that last entrance is 1pm – and if you arrive that late, you will miss the big show of the day.

The saloon doubles as a restaurant and bar serving American style food. Importantly, you can also buy cold beer.

A picture of the restaurant menu at Sioux City

We visited Sioux City mid-week in the off-season, so there were far fewer visitors than in Summer. This meant that the car park was empty and the place looked deserted until we reached the ticket office. That was a little disconcerting on the walk up the long access road.

However, fewer visitors made the shows far more intimate and entertaining. Almost everyone there had the opportunity to get involved somehow (I was selected to take part in a barroom duel!).

The ground at the park is dusty and uneven, but Lin’s scooter coped admirably – I only had to push her once when she got stuck in some deeper sand.

Bonus tip – extend your Grand Canaria trip for (almost free)

Sioux City offer a free shuttle bus – but it only operates on the southern end of the island (Las Palmas is located at the very opposite end). However, this means that cruisers can see a little more of Gran Canaria, such as Maspalomas or Playa del Inglés, for nothing.

We caught the bus to the Hotel Rey Carlos in Playa Del Inglés and walked the final half mile to the sea front so that we could visit Hard Rock Café Gran Canaria.

You will be handed a leaflet when paying for your Sioux City entrance tickets. On the back page is a list of bus stops – simply choose the one closest to where you want to go and let the driver know as you board. They will call out the stops as you go.

Be warned that accessing the beach (and the Hard Rock Café) involves navigating a very steep path downwards. The return journey is extremely taxing on the scooter battery.

Why is this tip not completely free? You’ll still need to pay for your trip back to Las Palmas on the #30 bus.

Accommodation options near Sioux City

Unfortunately, Sioux City does not have an onsite hotel. However, there are a few options within walking distance of the Playa del Aguila bus stop:

Would we recommend Sioux City to cruise travellers?

Absolutely. Linda first visited Sioux City as a kid and took many happy memories away with her. After today’s visit, I think we have even more happy memories of the place.

Accessibility info

Batteries used: -110% (we did swap batteries on the return journey to Las Palmas)
Terrain: Sandy and rough in places
Toilets: Disabled facilities available
You will need to be able to climb at least one step to board buses and coaches.

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