A group of our friends (8 adults) are planning a trip to the Grand Canyon in mid September. What tips do you have WRT places to stay, airports, itinerary, etc. for a Thursday through Tuesday trip including travel to/from MD?
Grand Canyon trip recommendations?
- Thread starter nitlion93
- Start date
the best places to stay are the park run hotels inside the gate. they are probably already booked. El Tovar and Bright angel. But all of them are great and a short walk to the rim (I am assuming south rim here). They also have places to eat and are surprisingly easy to get into.
the reality is that the place is great. there is so much to do and see. each overlook has a different feel and you can spend a week going from overlook to overlook.
Two things I recommend in the area is Sedona, which is fantastic. This is, perhaps, the most beautiful town in America. the second thing is meteor crater. One of the best vacations I ever took was that I went to Meteor Crater and then drove up and around the canyon entering through Tuba City (up Rt 87 from Meteor Crator and over on 264 and 64).
The only thing I didn't like is the horseback ride as it was like riding on a dead horse. the train was cool but was more for kids, IMHO.
the reality is that the place is great. there is so much to do and see. each overlook has a different feel and you can spend a week going from overlook to overlook.
Two things I recommend in the area is Sedona, which is fantastic. This is, perhaps, the most beautiful town in America. the second thing is meteor crater. One of the best vacations I ever took was that I went to Meteor Crater and then drove up and around the canyon entering through Tuba City (up Rt 87 from Meteor Crator and over on 264 and 64).
The only thing I didn't like is the horseback ride as it was like riding on a dead horse. the train was cool but was more for kids, IMHO.
Here is what I did:
- I flew into Phoenix (you can easily reverse this)
- I drove up to Jerome (ghost town) and Montezuma's Castle that day and stayed in Sedona.
- I hiked a couple of places in Sedona and had a five star dinner there.
- I drove up to Meteor Crater and then up/over and drove down the canyon coming in from the east through Tuba City
- I stayed at one of the Grand Canyon Park hotels, if you can get in
- After leaving the Grand Canyon, I drove west and up through Kingman AZ and visited the Hoover Dam
- from there going into Vegas and flying home
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the best places to stay are the park run hotels inside the gate. they are probably already booked. El Tovar and Bright angel. But all of them are great and a short walk to the rim (I am assuming south rim here). They also have places to eat and are surprisingly easy to get into.
the reality is that the place is great. there is so much to do and see. each overlook has a different feel and you can spend a week going from overlook to overlook.
Two things I recommend in the area is Sedona, which is fantastic. This is, perhaps, the most beautiful town in America. the second thing is meteor crater. One of the best vacations I ever took was that I went to Meteor Crater and then drove up and around the canyon entering through Tuba City (up Rt 87 from Meteor Crator and over on 264 and 64).
The only thing I didn't like is the horseback ride as it was like riding on a dead horse. the train was cool but was more for kids, IMHO.
Thanks, that's useful information for me too.
My wife and I are planning a one-week stay in Flagstaff in September...looks like a fairly easy drive north to the Grand Canyon, south to Sedona, and east to Petrified Forest National Park. Meteor Crater is also close to Flagstaff apparently.
Yep....I haven't done Flagstaff, specifically, but it is a great jumping off point for all of that. GC is just an hour drive. I think the Meteor and Moon Crator are just about a half hour away. Sedona is south, through Oak Creek Canyon, about an hour south.
Where are you flying into and out of?
Honestly, I think I'd try to find if any of your dates are open for the primo hotels in the park and book them. Then I'd build my vacation around that. Honestly, two or three nights is all you'd want there unless you are a serious hiker.
There are the inside the park hotels. They are reasonably priced and clean. El Tovar is by far the best. If you go outside the park, the drive in and out can be time consuming when you only have a few days.
There are the inside the park hotels. They are reasonably priced and clean. El Tovar is by far the best. If you go outside the park, the drive in and out can be time consuming when you only have a few days.
- El Tovar
- Bright Angel
- Thunderbird
- Yavapai
- Maswik
Are you planning to drive a little? There is so much around the Grand Canyon. I think Slide Rock State Park in Sedona is pretty awesome and relatively close. But if you are willing to drive further, there is much more. Some have been mentioned here like Meteor Crater and the Petrified Forest.
You may decide to fly into Phoenix and maybe even float down the Salt River (it's a party on the water with cliff diving and big saguaro cactus on the banks). If you are willing to go south, Tucson has some attractions (Biosphere II, Old Tucson Studios, Arizona-Sonara Desert Museum and wildlife park). You could even do Tombstone or Bisbee. If you head to Sedona from Phoenix, stop and see Montezuma's Castle.
If you head north from the Grand Canyon, you could hit Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon in Utah.
Whichever direction you explore, there are awesome sites. And I would add that what jumped out to me in this area of the country is just how much the scenery changes in a an hour's drive. Sedona is so different from Phoenix and the sites in Utah. You may driving through big Seguaro cactus or smaller cactus and small brush or into a forest up in Sedona.
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Thanks, yup, Flagstaff looked like the perfect base of operations for what we have in mind, which is day trips to the various places I mentioned. In fact, we're told there's also some beautiful scenery right there around the city itself...and at 7,000 feet altitude, the September weather is ideal.
Our flight route is BWI to Flagstaff and return...with two stops on the way and one coming back.
By the way, just out of curiosity, do you ever get the rental company's insurance on the car? It's typically not cheap, so we never have on trips like this.
My airline, United, doesn't fly into Flagstaff. Looks like American does. I agree, great jumping off point. You may want to consider flying out of Phoenix or Vegas. When I did my trip, they said that they get too many cars coming in from Vegas (to Phoenix) so they ended up charging me $9 total because they needed cars back from Phoenix.
I never get rental insurance. I am covered both by my regular insurance (as a rider to my policy) and by my Credit Card (United Presidential Plus). I pay a fee of about $500 per year but I get that insurance, club room access, and they pay for my Clear and some other items in addition to the several times miles when I fly.
Flagstaff real estate is off the charts as it is on I40 and lots of Los Angelinos are moving there to retire. I knew that was going to happen but it is too far away for me to invest in. I know a guy who does consulting for Indian Casinos who just built a home there (from LA, he's got young kids and wanted to get them out of the City plus lower his income tax).
Wandering Spectator
Well-Known Member
Add Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend to the itinerary. It’s a great day trip from Flag.
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Wandering Spectator
Well-Known Member
The Canyon is spectacular at sunrise and sunset. Grab a snack and enjoy the views. Here’s my writeup from our last visit.
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Wandering Spectator
Well-Known Member
Another underrated location is Cottonwood and the Verde Valley.
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Yes, we do plan to do some driving. But with only 4 full days (not including the days with flights), trying to optimize the things to do. We also don’t mind lots of mid level hiking and possibly white water rafting.
My wife ran a 50k at Antelope Canyon. She raves about the scenic beauty on the run. Although the course is through Indian land that requires a special permit to visit, so most visitors will never see a lot of what she saw.Add Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend to the itinerary. It’s a great day trip from Flag.
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I’ve lived in Arizona for almost 25 years now. Even so, I have yet to explore every corner of the state. One area that we just knocked off the list was the town of Page and the surround…
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The # of days limits some of the suggestions on this thread, all of which are awesome.
The Salt River isn't white water, just lazy, hooking a bunch of tubes together and people having a party on the river. Some of the tube attachments are pretty extensive (floating sound systems and music, obviously coolers with drinks and food). That was more about the desert scenery at 90 - 100+ degrees outside juxtaposed with the cool river water.
Wandering Spectator
Well-Known Member
I’d definitely recommend staying in the park, but if you can’t, there are several places just outside the park that are affordable and convenient. It’s not terrible commuting into the park if you have to.
I agree with antelope canyon completely. We did A week in Arizona last year for the first time. Antelope canyon was by far our favorite part. We went to upper antelope canyon and also saw horseshoe bend of the Colorado River. At the same time. Upper antelope canyon supposedly is much less crowded. We did not have big crowds and absolutely loved it.The Canyon is spectacular at sunrise and sunset. Grab a snack and enjoy the views. Here’s my writeup from our last visit.
Wandering around the Grand Canyon!
Since moving to Arizona in 1995, we’ve visited the Grand Canyon countless times – usually when out of state visitors came to town. We even had a chance to visit the 2nd most visited Nat…
There are also a lot of companies that do hot air balloon rides in the PHX area. We found one that uses a smaller balloon and basket... and were able to just do a private flight for our family. It was a great experience. Some balloon companies will shove like 20 people into a basket..
Just got back from Arizona….my favorite part was going to the filming locations for the movie Revenge of the Nerds…as an 80’s guy, that was cool for me.
Wandering Spectator
Well-Known Member
I didn’t realize they filmed at UofA. I was just there last week for a guest lecture.
Yep…I went to the house the Tri Lams rented and fixed up, the Pi house, the Alpha Beta house, the freshmen dorms, and the gym. I also went to the area of the final scene. My wife and kids thought I was weird for doing it, so they didn’t go. They have no respect for the classics. I also like to go check out colleges when I’m in new areas, so seeing Arizona’s campus was cool.
Surprised to see that no one recommended riding the mules to Phantom Ranch and back up the next day. Lots of great places mentioned in the thread, plan well and do as much as possible in your time frame. El Tovar is really a great place if you can get into it.
From personal experience, stay away from the Yavapai Lodge. Basic accommodations -- no A/C; have to walk thru the forest to Dinning Hall; food is edible, but not appealing.
Take your time to enjoy the experience. Mid September could get a little chilly.
As time permits, stop in Sedona; very beautiful. We took the Jeep tour; good way to see a lot. Check out the McDonalds; it is unique to say the least.
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My cousin went to Northern Arizona University and then worked as a Ranger in the Canyon for 15 years. Hike in, 4 days on, 8 days off. It is a whole new world in the Canyon- and he lived it through all sorts of calamities. Births, deaths, accidents, murders. Had a government apartment on the South Rim, but lived in Flagstaff- where he still resides.
Has a different role with the Park Service- running programs in the Rocky Mountain Range- but got his boss to allow him to stay in Flagstaff. Visited him a few years ago and the changes from the first time I was there 20 years ago are vast. It is no longer a college/railroad town. ONE BIG PROBLEM: WATER. I saw many tanker trucks driving around- like septic pumpers in our area- but they were delivering H2O.
I much preferred the North Rim to the South. Not as crowded- more rustic. The Jacob Lake Inn was a decent family spot with cabins and a neat cafeteria for breakfast. One of the interesting parts of that area is that the Colorado City area is full of rogue Mormons still living the old Polygamy ways. We figured that out pretty quickly- odd but Americana.
Kanab, Utah is a neat town- The Rocking V Cafe was a wonderful surprise. Definitely recommend ZION. Fantastic. But your plan seems set- maybe in another trip centered out of Vegas....
Enjoy!
Take the helicopter ride over the canyon. Well worth it. Same company flew us over the volcano fields on the big island. Both yielded spectacular views.
No one has mentioned Winslow. Go there, stand on a corner and look for a girl in a flatbed ford.
We took a full size Tour Bus into Zion.
YIKES # 1: Tunnel was treat; had to go down the middle so we wouldn't scrape the ceiling. The tunnel had a curved ceiling.
YIKES # 2: It got better, the road was narrow and winding with hairpin curves.
YIKES # 3: Watched from the floor of canyon as people walked along Angels Trail (You can apply for a permit the day before your planned hike. ). Steep drop offs of 1,000 feet on both sides.
Dine at the Red Rock Grill & enjoy spectacular views of the surroundings, open-year round. Outdoor dining available at the seasonal Castle Dome Cafe.
