The Grand Canyon is a beautiful National Park that everyone should see!
Grand Canyon Tips:
Depending on your location and your goals, choose which rim you’d like to visit. This guide focuses solely on the South Rim.
You’ll need a National Park Pass or pay to enter the park.
Keep your eyes peeled for elk! I saw several throughout my visit.
Dress in layers—it can be super windy and cold one minute and super hot just a little bit later.
Taking a road trip? Check out my Phoenix guide here, Sedona guide here, Tucson guide here, and Las Vegas guide here.
Grand Canyon Recommendations:
Desert View Drive: This is a beautiful scenic drive that is 25 miles long and heads east along the rim. This is a great drive to do in the late afternoon/evening because the colors are vibrant. There are scenic vistas throughout. Choose a vista and watch the sunset here!
Watch the Sunrise at Mather Point: The sunrise is beautiful here! It is definitely a popular spot so be sure to arrive early to get a nice spot. I’d recommend at least 50 minutes before sunrise to see the magic start.
South Kaibab to Cedar Ridge Trail: This trail is 3.1 miles long with 1102ft of elevation gain and takes about 1.5 hours. The trailhead is only accessible via the orange eastbound shuttle which departs from the visitor’s center every 15 minutes from 6:30 to sunset or every 30 minutes earlier. It starts with very steep switchbacks but progressively just heads down into the canyon. You can go as far as you’d like, just keep in mind you’ll need to climb back up! The views throughout are fantastic.
Bike the 21 miles west along the rim! Take Hermit Road out to the last stop of the South Rim, Hermit’s Rest. You can rent a bike from Bright Angels Bicycles right near the visitor’s center. You could also shuttle between the stops or walk if you prefer, or there are shorter biking routes if you prefer. It took just under 2 hours to get to the last stop, Hermit’s Rest, with stops at every viewpoint along the way. In total I biked for about 3 hours and 40 minutes. It’s harder than you might think—you’re biking at 7,000ft elevation and the route out is essentially all up hill.
Yavapi Lodge: A nice place to stay inside in the park that is convenient!
Yavapi Tavern: A restaurant inside the park with counter service. They have several draft beers, a full food menu with shareables, burgers and more. There is also a coffee shop in the building and dining hall.
Surrounding Area recommendations:
Flagstaff is a nice spot to stop on the way to the Grand Canyon. It is 1 hour north of Sedona and 1.5 hours south of the Grand Canyon. There are a lot of stop lights in the city and a lot of traffic, so keep that in mind if you choose to visit. Parking tends to be pay to park only unfortunately.
Dark Sky Brewing Company: A solid brewery with an IPA heavy tap list downtown. Pizzicletta is housed here with wood fired pizzas. They also have a beer garden next door with different food options and a large patio.
Mother Road Brewing Company: Another brewery option downtown with solid beers. They have a nice patio and super friendly team. Roadside Stove is an onsite food truck with a Cajun menu.
Kingman is a decent stop between the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas. Route 66 runs through here and the area is surrounded by beautiful mountains.
Rickety Cricket Brewing: They have 3 locations and the Kingman spot is their restaurant. They have a large tap list, a pizza focused food menu and a large space. They are in the heart of downtown.
The Home2Suites in Kingman is very nice. It is new hotel, there is free breakfast, the rooms are large and super clean, there is a nice pool and various seating options. They’re also dog-friendly!
