Grand Canyon, Arizona Travel Guide
The first time we visited the Grand Canyon I was in awe (I wrote about it on my blog here). It’s one of those places that is so… grand… that pictures simply do not do it justice. And while it was an incredible sight to see and a wonderful memory, I didn’t think I needed to repeat that trip again, at least not anytime soon. Been there, done that. The box had been checked. But when the opportunity to visit again presented itself, I happily planned a visit for my family plus extended family.
This brief guide details my two trips to the Grand Canyon’s South Rim during the months of March (spring break) and November, each trip being ~24-48 hours.
Where We Stay
My visits to the Grand Canyon were nearly identical. We visited the South Rim which we accessed by flying into Phoenix Sky Harbor airport, renting a car and driving to Grand Canyon Village; it’s about a 3.5-hour drive. I haven’t done extensive research about the North Rim, but my limited knowledge is that the South Rim is more heavily trafficked by tourists, easier to get to, has more family-friendly options and is open year-round.
We stayed at Yavapai Lodge both times we visited the Grand Canyon’s South Rim which obviously tells you I like it enough to make a repeat visit! I initially chose Yavapai Lodge because I read that the best experience is to stay in Grand Canyon Village and there are only a handful of properties to choose from. I like that Yavapai Lodge is close to the South Rim trail as well as the Visitor Center and Mather Point, plus Yavapai Tavern, a small coffee bar, market and deli make it convenient in terms of dining options and just about anything else you might need.
Yavapai Lodge is a bigger property spread across two areas, Yavapai East and Yavapai West. I’ve only stayed at the former and found the rooms to be basic, no frills but clean and comfortable. It’s an ideal base for exploring the South Rim.
Where We Eat
Our meals are pretty simple when we’re in the Grand Canyon, and as I mentioned, Yavapai Lodge has a restaurant (cafeteria-style), tavern, coffee shop, deli and general store/market so we typically eat all of our meals at one of those spots. I’m partial to the deli and the tavern because the food at the cafeteria-style restaurant tastes very cafeteria-style to me, though not bad. Food from the tavern and deli is much tastier, in my opinion. Everything is extremely casual dining in and around Yavapai Lodge; most people stop in for a bite and/or drink before and/or after hiking or sightseeing for the day, so it’s lots of hiking/outdoor attire.
General Store at Yavapai Lodge: There’s a small deli inside the general store which is a convenient place to grab breakfast and lunch. The breakfast bagel sandwiches are tasty and filling and a cup of soup in the afternoon makes for a good snack. The deli is a really convenient option if you’re staying in Yavapai Lodge, and you can grab any must-have Grand Canyon souvenirs here, too.
Yavapai Lodge Tavern: The tavern is one of our favorite spots to end the day. They offer plenty of beer and cocktail options plus a full bar and typical pub grub-type fare. It’s family-friendly so a good spot to take a deck of cards or a board game and unwind for the evening, and there are plenty of TVs for sports fans.
Dining Room at El Tovar: This beautiful, rustic, fine-dining restaurant is iconic as it’s where Presidents and celebrities have dined. They serve traditional fare with a Southwestern flair and if you appreciate fine dining and want to treat yourself to a nice meal while you’re in the South Rim, this is the place to go. Although it’s a fine-dining establishment, jackets aren’t required but hiking gear wouldn’t be appropriate, either. You’d be perfectly comfortable in nice jeans with a sweater or top. It’s family-friendly and the main dining room is bustling and loud.
What We Do
I’d be content to just stroll the South Rim trail and breathe in the fresh Grand Canyon air. That’s about the extent of our hiking when we visit the Grand Canyon as we’re hobby hikers at best! But there are tons of hikes for all abilities, all different types of organized tours and if you’re feeling exceptionally adventurous, mule rides into the canyon.
Grand Canyon South Rim Trail: Access to this trail is just across the road from Yavapai Lodge so it’s very convenient if that’s where you stay. This trail is completely paved with the exception of a few short stretches and easy to walk. Across our two trips, we’ve had kids as young as seven-years-old and adults as old as 85-years-old with us on this trail and they were all able to easily handle the trail.
Grand Canyon Mather Point: This is a popular spot to catch the sunrise. We’ve been in both March and November and both times were equally cold, but March was significantly more crowded (spring break). Still, we had no trouble staking out a good vantage point for Mother Nature’s big show. And it is so worth it—if she cooperates. We were treated to a stunning sunrise on our spring break visit, but in November there was no sunrise but snow showers instead. Both were magical in their own ways.
Desert View Drive and Watchtower: The nearly 25-mile drive along the South Rim is an excellent way to see the canyon from a handful of different viewpoints. We started from the Visitor Center and ended at Desert View Watchtower and the entire trip took us a couple of hours—that included climbing to the top of the watchtower. The drive can take as long as you like; it all depends upon how many stops you opt to take along the way, and how much time you spend at each one. The watchtower was relatively crowded when we visited in November and worth seeing the canyon from yet another unique perspective.
Miscellaneous Musings
You can easily see the Grand Canyon in a day. If you’re an avid hiker, camper or history buff, you’ll undoubtedly want to spend more time in the park. But if you simply want to see one of the Seven Wonders of the World, it can be done in a day. I’ve visited twice; the first time I arrived on a Sunday afternoon and departed Monday afternoon, and the second time I arrived on a Friday evening and departed on a Sunday morning.
The Grand Canyon is casual. I like to think this is obvious, but everything in Grand Canyon Village is very relaxed and centered around the canyon so packing should be easy. For me, it’s typically leggings, a pair of jeans and a few tops to layer, plus sneakers and/or boots. If you want to know more about what to pack, I go into much more detail on my blog post.
Watch the weather, especially if you’re tacking on time in Sedona, Scottsdale or other parts of Arizona. On our first visit to the Grand Canyon in mid-March for spring break, we spent time in Sedona, as well, and we basically needed clothing for all four seasons! Layers are a must. Our visit in November was more consistently cool, but it ended up still being colder than we anticipated as there was snowfall on our last morning there which consequently meant a very snowy, slightly treacherous drive from Grand Canyon to Sedona.
Don’t feed the bears. Okay, we didn’t see any bears but in March, we saw lots of elk roaming the village, and in November we saw horned sheep within our arms’ reach on the South Rim trail. Be prepared to see wildlife up close and respect that you’re in their habitat.
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