5 Steps to Planning the Perfect Trip to the Grand Canyon

STEP FOUR: Book Your Lodging

>> Where should I stay? <<

Alright, you’re more than halfway there.  Step Four is a fun one!

Let’s make your lodging reservations.  I’m going to help you decide where you want to stay while visiting the Grand Canyon.  After this task is complete, it’s official….you’re making your dream trip a reality!

So go ahead and get out the list you made in Step Three….the one that has the points of interest you want to visit divided up by region. Which region has the most activities?  You’ll want to book your lodging near that area of the park.

If you can, try to snag a reservation in the park.  If you are unable to stay in the park, you’ll find a few good options just outside of the park.

Click here to see the lodging options within the park.  In-park lodging becomes available 13 months in advance, on the first day of the month, so if there’s no availability, you’ll need to consider options outside of the park near the entrances.  

Here’s what you can expect at the SOUTH RIM:

South Entrance (Tusayan)

The South Entrance is a busy entrance, and due to its location, it’s likely the one you’ll use to access the park.  From here, you’re just a few minutes from the main Visitor Center, Grand Canyon Village {the hotels, shops, and restaurants}, and the most popular hiking trails.

Tusayan is the nearest town to the South Entrance and is only about ten minutes from the canyon rim.  It has a decent selection of amenities, hotels, activities, and restaurants while still maintaining a small town feel.

Because of the popularity of this area, it can be difficult to get lodging reservations both in the park and in Tusayan.  If you can snag something in either of these places, you’ll be close to everything and will be able to spend more time in the park and less time in your car.

It is common for people to stay in Williams or Flagstaff while visiting the Grand Canyon, but I don’t recommend it unless it’s your last option.  I’ve stayed in Williams (which is about an hour south of the South Entrance) to try it out, and it’s a lot of driving back and forth.

East Entrance (Cameron)

The Grand Canyon’s East Entrance takes you to the quiet side of the South Rim, but there’s not much by way of lodging in this area.

This entrance is located along the park’s Desert View Drive, which travels parallel to the canyon rim and offers beautiful canyon views along the way to the Desert View Watchtower.  The Desert View Campground is located just a couple of minutes away from this entrance, but there isn’t a hotel in the park on this side.

From the Desert View Campground, it’s a 30-minute drive to Grand Canyon Village and the main Visitor Center.  If you’re looking for a hotel near the East Entrance, the nearest one is the Cameron Trading Post.  Cameron is a tiny town about 30 minutes away from the East Entrance and 1 hour from Grand Canyon Village.  

I’d recommend only staying here if you can’t get a reservation in the park or Tusayan.  Only then would I start looking for something in Williams or Cameron {both located one hour from Grand Canyon Village}.

Here’s what you can expect at the NORTH RIM:

North Entrance (Jacob Lake)

The North Entrance provides access to the less-visited North Rim of the Grand Canyon.  This area of the park is quieter and more relaxed, with fewer lodging options than the South Rim.

The North Rim Lodge is perched on the edge of the canyon…there simply is not a better place to stay while you’re in the area!  If you aren’t able to snag a reservation here, try for the Kaibab Lodge located just outside of the North Entrance.

If both of those options are taken, there is a small family-run inn in the community of Jacob Lake.  The Jacob Lake Inn is about one hour from the North Rim, so I’d only stay there if you can’t get reservations closer to the canyon rim.

Stock up on groceries and fill up with gasoline before you approach Highway 67 to Jacob Lake and the North Rim.  Jacob Lake has a small convenience store and gas station, but Kanab and Fredonia are the closest towns with large stores (about 2 hours from the North Rim).

In a large and popular park like the Grand Canyon, finding lodging can be a complex process.  Determine what area of the park/entrance you’d like to stay in first, then start digging for the lodging that will best suit your needs.  Rooms sure can get snatched up fast so let’s book your lodging!

If you’re interested in my recommendations for places to stay, I’ve included a helpful lodging guide with these Grand Canyon itineraries.

Alright, it’s time to tie up our loose ends so that you’ll have an awesome Grand Canyon vacation plan under your belt.

Click NEXT to see Step Five — let’s put it all together!