Grand Canyon

You’ve likely seen many pictures, but until you stand on the rim and look out across the Grand Canyon, you don’t understand.

Duration: 2 days (not including travel)

Budget: Approximately $1,500 for two people (including activities below)

Getting (there or around)

The Grand Canyon borders three states and provides multiple entry points. However, the most popular and easiest is the South Rim, which is accessible in Northern Arizona. Fly into Phoenix and drive up. It is about a 3.5 hour drive, so make sure to plan a flight early enough in the day to get through the airport, get a rental car and any other needs. The last part of the drive at night is very dark on state highways, with wildlife sometimes crossing the road. It is much better to do it during daylight. Plan on a full day of travel.

Once at the Grand Canyon, it is great to have your own car to see and stop as you please. However, there is a shuttle bus that allows you to hop on and off at about 10 different lookout points and a bus comes by about every 15 minutes. You just need to get to the main parking area and leave your car there.

Staying

How you stay likely depends on what you plan to do there. If you are going to be hiking deep into the canyon, it is probably camping. However, if you are like most visitors, you want to experience the canyon for a day or two and see the views. In that case, you want to find some sort of lodge or hotel accommodations.

In my research, the lodges inside the actual park are limited, old National Park buildings, overly expensive, and hard to find vacancies unless far in advance. It’s probably why most people stay in Flagstaff, Arizona where there are more reasonable and tourist-friendly options. However, there are is an extremely small town named Tusayan, Arizona just before the entrance to the Grand Canyon National Park South Rim entrance that has a couple hotels and will save you the 1.5 hour drive in the morning.

My recommendation based on experience is to stay at the Best Western Premier in Tusayan. I’m not one to generally recommend Best Western hotels, but this one is actually quite nice and my only experience with the chain’s “Premier” line. The rooms were spacious, clean and common areas had nice materials and interesting sculptures. The breakfast at the attached restaurant was also worth it for a good start to the day. It’s the best hotel you will find in the area and worth it for the close proximity to the park.

Doing

Take a full day to just walk and drive around the South Rim. Regardless if you stay in Flagstaff or Tusayan (recommended), there is a Grand Canyon Visitor’s Center in Tusayan, which is about two miles from the park entrance. It is highly recommended to make a quick stop in the visitor center. There is an IMAX theater to learn about the park, a gift shop and some other educational things. However, the real benefit is from the park entrance ticket vending machines near the door. Buying your ticket without waiting will potentially save you hours getting into the park. There is a special lane for those with pre-purchased tickets and will allow you to get into the park with limited wait and avoid the crowds if going first thing in the morning.

Once you get through the entrance, there is a large parking lot and visitor center-type building. It is easy to park the car there and see some of the best views while walking along the South Rim. There is an established path where thousands of people are walking each day, so it’s not exactly a hiking trail as much as a pedestrian walkway. If you are in good physical shape, you can walk down into the canyon on some well-structured trails with many other visitors. Just make sure to have sunscreen and plenty of water.

For the rest of the day, you have a couple options to see other canyon views. One is to get back into your car and drive long- stopping as you see something interesting. The other is a park-operated shuttle bus that will take you to different stops. Some of the stops are close enough together to take a picturesque walk between them.

For the second day, there was a tour package that I took that was by far one of the top tours I’ve ever taken in the world and a great value for the money. I’m not a big fan of tour groups and packages. Generally, I prefer to go at my own pace. However, there was a “three-in-one” package by Papillon Tours that really was the way to get a full Grand Canyon experience.

The day starts very early at the Tusayan airport (a small airport for small planes and helicopters). It is another reason to stay in Tusayan and the airport is about a mile from the Best Western mentioned above. From the airport, you board a small plane with about 10-15 other people and get an amazing flight over the Grand Canyon. The plane lands and a group of trucks take you to Antelope Canyon (you will sit on in the bed of the truck in built-in seats with belts). This was one of my favorite and most memorable parts of the Grand Canyon trip. The guides walk you through Antelope Canyon and are experts on the angles for the best picture angles. One advantage of the tour starting early is that you will arrive at Antelope Canyon before the crowds and actually experience it in a more private setting. Toward the end of your visit it will start getting packed. For the third part of your tour, you are taken to Hoover Dam to get in large rafts where you can float down the river through part of the canyon. The day ends with loading on a coach bus which will take you back to the airport. It’s a full day but worth every penny for such a complete experience.

Eating

This trip isn’t about food choices. My recommendation is to have a solid breakfast at the hotel before the day is started, then have a packed lunch to eat wherever you might be at the Grand Canyon, and end the day at one of the restaurants in Tusayan. If you do the three in one tour mentioned above, it includes lunch.

Photography Tips

Like most travel photography, you will want to take advantage of the right hours for natural light: early in the morning when the park first opens up, and as the sun goes down. My recommendation is to take a few iconic photos at the main entrance area after parking and walking around the main lookout points during the great light. Then, spend the day with your camera away and just appreciate the views and experience. But take notes of the couple locations you think will provide the best photo and make sure you are there when the sun is setting.

Note: Don’t be dangerous and take any risks climbing on rocks for the perfect pose or angle. Many people die each year doing this and it is not worth it. There are so many great pictures from the safety of established lookout areas.

Day Planning

Day 1: Travel

Day 2: Self-guided views of the South Rim, take a small hike down as far as you are comfortable

Day 3: Do the three-in-one tour explained above

Day 4: Return, or take an optional side trip for a day/ overnight in Sedona on the way back

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