Hey there! Are you ready to plan an unforgettable trip to the Grand Canyon?! Encompassing miles and miles of the most spectacular display of erosion anywhere on the planet, this park is absolutely inspiring — and I can’t wait to help you enjoy every minute of your vacation!
One look into this magnificent and massive chasm in the earth’s crust is all it takes to discover what beauty truly is. As a young girl seeing the canyon for the first time, I felt as though my heart would beat right out of my chest! Even now, that same feeling of complete amazement washes over me every time I visit….and it never gets old!
There is so much to do. You may have already looked at a map and been a little overwhelmed — and eager to make sure that you don’t miss the best sights.
I’m a former park ranger, and I’ll help you plan your vacation down to the tiny details. I’ve extensively explored Grand Canyon National Park and am here to help! Whether this is your first visit or if you are returning after many years and would like to be reintroduced to the park, this list of 12 things is for you.
What You Need to Know About Grand Canyon National Park
- The park is 277 river miles long, a mile deep, and 18 miles wide — it’s a big place with lots to do (and a lot of crowds)! For the best experience, get an early start to your day and have a solid plan — like this detailed itinerary.
- Grand Canyon National Park includes both the North and the South Rims. The East and West Rims are not part of the national park, as well as the popular Havasu Canyon, so they have not been included in this list.
- Numerous hiking trails converge and overlap in this park, so you don’t want to be caught hiking without a map. This is the map I use and recommend for Grand Canyon National Park.
- Reserve a room at least one year in advance if you plan on staying in one of the Grand Canyon’s eight lodges — they get snatched up fast! Otherwise, numerous options are available just outside of the park at each entrance.
- With only three front-country campgrounds, you can imagine that competition for campsites is fierce. Be sure to learn all about camping in Grand Canyon National Park if you plan on camping in the park.
- The Grand Canyon has 19 in-park restaurants, so you’ll want to research which places require you to make reservations a few months in advance.
Traffic and crowding at the Grand Canyon can be terrible.
Did you know that it’s common to wait an hour or more to enter the park or catch the shuttle?
Are you hoping to see the best sights without getting stuck in traffic, circling parking lots, or being surrounded by people?
Stay ahead of the crowds with this Grand Canyon Itinerary. You will see all of the can’t-miss spots, plus get lodging and dining guides, driving directions, and insider tips!
I’ll make sure that you don’t miss the sights that make this park so famous, but I also want to provide a few treasures that are off-the-beaten-path as well. Let the adventure begin!
Click NEXT to see this awesome list of 12 things you can’t miss on your first visit to the Grand Canyon.
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Hi Ash! we are thinking of going to the Grand Canyon, from Las Vegas, for 4 or 5 days between January 22 and 26. We are worried about the weather, does it justify going at that time of year? It’s our first time in a park in the USA.
It’s snowy that time of year, but it can be absolutely magical :) I would read through this post to get a good idea of what it’s like in January!
Hey Ash,
So, sadly it’s going to rain when we go but we still want to risk it all and go hike a little. Do you think that’s a good idea? Do you have some things we can do indoors at the Grand Canyon? Because of the rain.
There are a bunch of interesting buildings/museums at the Grand Canyon Village. The IMAX movie in Tusayan is also popular. Have fun — stormy skies in the Grand Canyon can be incredible!
Hello Ash:
We are planning to come for the first time around mid March 2023. We will be accompanied by a 10 and 13 year old. I am thinking South rim will be interesting. What would be the top 3 trails that can be done in 2-3 nights we stay there? Also, do you think we may need to bring full winter gear for the evenings there?
Hey there,
You’ll get all of my suggestions for the South Rim in this itinerary. You’ll definitely want to watch the weather…it can get quite cold in March!
Hi Ash,
My husband and I are arriving at the Grand Canyon May 28th leaving May 31st. . We are staying at Yavapai Lodge. We are both in our 60’s. What would be the must sees while we are there? We like to hike but not long hikes. Is there a drive inside the park from the south rim to the north rim so we could visit both areas? Any advice you could give me would be great. Thank you
I’d just work your way through this list — it includes my favorite stops. For the Bright Angel or South Kaibab trails, you can hike as far as you feel like going or just skip those altogether. Hermits Rest has some beautiful overlooks as well as Desert View Drive. The Rim Trail is awesome for an easier hiking option. You’ll have to drive about 4 hours to get from the North Rim to the South Rim — there’s not a direct route between the two. Have a great trip!
Hi,
My wife and I would like to visit the south rim of the Grand Canyon, it will be the first visit for both of us. I’ve done some preliminary research and found that March to May is one of the best times to visit. It appears to me that staying in the park makes a lot of sense considering how busy we’ll be when we’re there.
Looking at almost all of the hotels in the park, they appear to be booked for this May. Could that be true? Is necessary to book hotel reservations a year in advance? Do you have any suggestions for lodging for this May that would make sense for us? We selected May due to weather; however, if the weather on the south rim would be mild enough in April, we would consider visiting then.
Thanks for your help.
Craig
Hey Craig,
Yes, the hotels really do need to be reserved a year in advance! You can always watch for cancellations. We often stay in Tusayan, which is just a short drive from the South Rim. It’s not as convenient as being in the park, but it’s still a great location for exploring around. Overnight temperatures can still be quite cold in April at the South Rim, but daytime temperatures are usually nice. I think you’d have a fabulous trip in either April or May :)
We spend two nights at Phantom Ranch. I can only say: go for that’s permit. Greatest hikes i did.
That’s awesome that you were able to get reservations at Phantom Ranch! And I agree…hiking to the bottom of the Grand Canyon was one of the best hikes I’ve ever done as well!
This is such a great resource! My husband and I are in Australia and dream of visiting the Grand Canyon someday. We came so close, visiting Las Vegas in 2015, but our trip in Vegas was too short to make it out to the Grand Canyon. We tossed up flying by helicopter out to the Western Rim, but when we found out it wasn’t part of the park we passed, vowing to come back and give the North and South Rims the justice of our time we felt they deserved. It’s still on the bucket list, so I’ll be bookmarking your wonderful guide til then!
Hope you make it there soon!
My husband and I will be in Vegas for New Year’s and plan to lodge in Kanab, Utah from Jan 2nd-5th. We’re not opposed to driving to Flagstaff for shuttles for our visits to the Grand Canyon, if the weather permits.
Any suggestions?
That’s a really long drive, so I personally wouldn’t day trip from Kanab. If you want to visit the South Rim, I’d book lodging down in that area and then loop back to Vegas from there!
My husband and I purchased your Yellowstone & Grand Teton 7 day tour two years ago and it was great! We will be in Vegas for business and extended our trip two days and hope to do the Grand Canyon in February. Does your GC tour cover winter? Thanks!
It does work in the winter, though there may be some seasonal closures due to weather. If you plan on hiking down into the canyon at all, you’ll likely need microspikes on your shoes — it can get really icy. Have fun!
Watch your young kids real close.
There are places from the top of the trail that have no security fence at all. It’s a straight drop
of 1 mile all the way down.
This would definitely ruin a
family outing.
Thanks for pointing out that the North Rim will be quieter and more relaxing. My husband and I are planning a trip to the Grand Canyon. It’ll just be the two of us so I want it be as relaxing as possible. I’ll definitely follow your advice and make our vacation spot on the North Rim!
It’s great….definitely more relaxing and quiet. Enjoy!
My daughter and myself are leaving from central Arkansas and heading to Az on May 26th. We want to make a stop at the Grand Canyon then head up to Page, Az on our way to Utah, then Co. What would you suggest as far as a place to stay for a night near the North Rim. Also, we will have our mini Australian Shepard. What is the policy for dogs in the area?
You can look here for the Grand Canyon’s pet policy: https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/pets.htm
If you don’t have reservations at the North Rim Lodge, you can look into staying at Jacob Lake or the Kaibab Lodge. Places to stay in the area are pretty limited…and even staying in Jacob Lake puts you about an hour from the North Rim activities.
Have fun!
Hi Ash,
What a great resource you are! We are just starting to plan a trip to the Grand Canyon. We will be traveling for about a week (possibly an extra day or two) during the third week of April. I guess we’re kind of late in planning. We’d like to add some other sites (Bryce, Zion, Arches) on our trip, but am feeling a little overwhelmed with creating an itinerary. Want to maximize what we see, but not at a rushed over zealous pace. Any recommendations as to what is manageable? We can fly into Flagstaff, Phoenix or Las Vegas — any recommendations on which makes the most sense? We were initially thinking of RVing, but heard it can still be quite cold so we might just opt for lodging. Any advice (in addtion to what you have already provideded here) would be greatly appreciated
Flying into Flagstaff would be the least amount of driving, but all of those airports are frequently used for the trip you are describing. If you really have your heart set on seeing Arches, you could make it work….but it would probably make your trip feel rushed. The Grand Canyon, Zion, and Bryce Canyon are all pretty close to each other, so you could definitely make that work in the amount of time that you have! It’s up to you and what you want to see while you’re here!
I have itineraries available for all of those parks that make it much easier to plan out your trip. You can find them here: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/national-park-trip-itineraries/ Feel free to email me at ash(at)dirtinmyshoes(dot)com with any further questions you have. I’m happy to help with the specifics.
Hi Ash!
My wife and I are would like to visit the Grand Canyon sometime late May or early June, if will be our first time to the GC. I was wondering what Itinerary would be best for us we will have a week! Also we will be flying out from Ny so where would the best place to start from? If it’s possible we would like to do both north and south rim and Brice national Park if time let’s us. Thanks for any info!
Happy Holidays!
Rob
Hi Rob, I’m going to send you an email so that I can answer your questions more thoroughly!
Hi Ash,
We are looking at planning a trip to the Grand Canyon, in your opinion, what is the best time of the year to go?
I really enjoy late in the fall {late October/early November} or early in the spring {late February/early March}!
What would you recommend doing if you’re going the first weekend of Februrary?
Hey Emily! I would still work my way through the list for the South Rim. The viewpoints and trails at the rim of the canyon should still be accessible. You may run into snow and ice on the corridor trails — South Kaibab and Bright Angel — so you’ll have to play that by ear when you get there. Getting some Yaktrax or something similar for your shoes will help if you still plan on hiking. But really it will just depend on how much snow is there when you go. Have fun!
Hi Ash, great tips and awesome photos!
We’re traveling from vegas to south rim just for a day.
What would be the best area to cover that is achievable in the day and where to stop for the sunset?
Would really appreciate your thoughts. We don’t have a clue what we’ll do once we’re there and would really want to make the most of it. We’re a family traveling with a 11 yr old girl and 9 yr old boy
Cheers
Garry
Hey there Garry,
I’ve got a plan all laid out for you in my 1-day South Rim itinerary. It’s what I would recommend based on the amount of time you have in the park. You can find it here: https://dirtinmyshoes.leadpages.co/grand-canyon-itinerary/
Have fun!!
Ash
we are planning trip to the south rim and ride the train to the canyon is this money will spent am I going to see the beauty
The train ride just takes you from Williams to the South Rim, you won’t actually see the Grand Canyon from the train. It’s a fun experience, but you’ll definitely want a plan of things to do once you get to the Grand Canyon so that you can enjoy the South Rim when you get there!
Hi we will be coming from Las Vegas up to Yellowstone is there an entry not far from this route
The West Yellowstone entrance would probably be the fastest way in to Yellowstone if you’re coming from Vegas. Have a great time!
Hey Ash!
Making a 3 day stop at the Grand Canyon after a few days in Vegas. Have a place reserved that is about 30 miles south of the South rim park entrance. Definitely visiting the South rim! Curious though, the Havusa Falls…doable in a day trip, one of those 3 days? Or more worth while to see and experience the south rim? Seems like a good drive and long hike in/out…dont want to over do it and stretch us too thin. Thanks for any advice!
A trip down to Havasu Falls actually takes a good deal of planning to get permits and campsites. It’s not recommended to hike down and back in a day…and yeah, it’s quite a haul to even get to the trailhead. I would definitely save it for another trip and give yourself more time to enjoy the area. The South Rim is an awesome place to start and you can easily spend 3 days in that area alone.
Have a great time!!
Hi! My husband and I are planning a super last minute road trip the last month of May, obviously there are no more reservations at the campgrounds right now. Do you know what time is best to arrive for a first come first serve site? Any other recommendations as far as snagging one early? We just purchased our itinerary :) Thank you for all your advice!
As early as possible :) No later than 7:30 or 8 though!
We are planning to visit the Grand Canyon in Mid May. We have made reservations in Kanab, Utah. Is that too far from the South rim to make day trips?
Yeah Kanab will be a VERY long drive to the South Rim :( The North Rim is within driving distance though and is opening for the season on May 15!
Suggestions? Would Tuba City be better? Or would it be just as fast to drive from Flagstaff?
If you can’t find anything in Tusayan, I would stay in Williams. Tuba City and Flagstaff are both a pretty long drive….I always recommend staying as close to the park as possible to maximize sightseeing time.
My family of 8 people (2 people in their late 50’s and 6 people in their mid-20s to early 30’s) are taking a week to visit the Grand Canyon for the first time this July. I love your helpful list of things not to miss! Do you think it’s possible for us to plan to do almost all the things on your list? Or is that biting off more than we can chew?
I think a week is definitely doable! I suggest 3 days at the South Rim to get all of that done and 1.5-2 days at the North Rim if you’re planning on driving up there. I’ve laid out what I would do here: https://dirtinmyshoes.leadpages.co/grand-canyon-itinerary/
Hope that helps! Shoot any other questions you have my way {ash(at)dirtinmyshoes(dot)com}
Thank you for your input!! We are planning a trip to Las Vegas and wanted to take a short road trip to the Grand Canyon. Originally we were thinking we would hit Bryce Canyon and then head down to the North Rim. But the trip is in April so thanks to your info, we now know we won’t have road access. Is the Grand Canyon West owned by the Hualapai worth visiting? Is it a good representation of the Canyon or should we skip that and travel all the way down to the South Rim? I would appreciate your input as we have never traveled to the area.
Wendy, I definitely think the extra drive to the South Rim is worth it! Especially if it’s your first visit to the Grand Canyon, the West Rim is not the best place to start {in my humble opinion :)}. Lots of people who want to see the Grand Canyon from Vegas end up at the West Rim, but if it were me I would most certainly recommend going to the South Rim instead. I think you’ll be really glad you did!
Hi, thanks to you I found out that the facilities at the North Rim are opening May 15, but we will be there around May 9. Do you know if the lookout points and trails will be open at the time we’ll be visiting?
Hey Aukje! I’m not 100% sure, but I actually don’t even think that the road to get to the North Rim will be open at that time. They close the road every year from about November – May. I would call the Grand Canyon to find out for certain, but you may have to go to the South Rim instead!
HI Ash,
My family and I are driving to Oklahoma from California in a couple weeks and wanted to see the Grand Canyon on our way. We will have a 3 year old with us and are just stopping for a day. Any suggestions on how we can get the most out of our visit with a little one and only one day?
Hey Marshay,
For one day on the South Rim, I would recommend hiking part of the Bright Angel or South Kaibab Trail (Bright Angel is easier) and then catching the red shuttle line that travels out to Hermits Rest. You don’t have to go all the way to the end — that might prove to be too much for the 3 year old. Mohave Point is a good turnaround spot. Then if you have any time left, I recommend driving out to some of the viewpoints along the Desert View Drive :)
Ash thank you for getting back to me! So after some more consideration we do want to have a good experience at the Grand Canyon and have decided not to camp.
Today I found available lodging at the Yavapai Lodge in the SR village but not run by the National Park system. Should I reserve or just stay in Tusayan? Room at Yavapai is much cheaper…buts sometimes you get what you pay for if you get the gist! Your thoughts please!
The Yavapai is run by a concessionaire for the NPS and is a good budget-friendly option if you want to be right in the park. I have never personally stayed there, but generally what you will find in any park lodging (unless you spend the big bucks :) ) is a very basic room without any frills. Some don’t have AC or heat, private bathrooms, TVs, etc. You will get a nicer room in Tusayan, but at the Yavapai you are paying for location, not comforts or amenities. I think you would have fun staying in the park just as long as your expectations for the room aren’t too high!
Dear Ash I truly enjoyed your tips on the Grand Canyon! We will be visiting in Sept. 23rd I made a reservation in Tusayan for 2 nights. I missed out on any lodging at the South rim,seems to be all booked. However, we are not opposed to bare roots tent camping which is 90 percent cheaper! My concern is night time temps. From what I have read daytime temps will be approx 70 degrees and lows in the 40’s. Can you offer any more advise? We will be entering from the East entrance as traveling from Bryce. Any info will be greatly appreciated!
Hey Cathy,
Yeah it does cool down quite a bit at night at that time of year. I’ve been there in October and it was chilly :) We don’t camp at that time of year because we have a little toddler who kicks off all of his blankets so we usually opt for a hotel instead. But if everyone bundles up and you get a good fire going, you will probably be just fine! We’ve stayed in the Red Feather Lodge in Tusayan before and it is still quite convenient to the South Rim — I didn’t have a problem staying there at all. And it surprisingly was a pretty budget friendly option for being so close to the Grand Canyon. I understand wanting to save some money!
Hello,
I’m wanting to go to the grand canyon and Vegas the end of November. There will be 5-9 of us.
We want to end in Vegas. We are planning on going to the NFR -opening night. Do have any suggestions for Grand Canyon. Where to go and what to see. it is a short trip. It’s a week Monday thru Saturday
Hi Kathy! You’ll find all of my suggestions in the Grand Canyon Itinerary. Have fun!