March 2026
One of the seven natural wonders of the world. Located about 3 hours drive north of Phoenix, it is a geological phenomenon with an awe-inspiring history. Worth noting we hit the main activities but kept things relatively tame, there are certainly more activities that can take the adventure level up a notch.
General Tips / Notes
- Prepare for the weather which is different from surrounding areas (e.g. Scottsdale). Can be cooler than expected in morning and night, and if you are hiking the canyon gets hotter the farther down you go
- Guides can be expensive but may be worth it if you are interested in discussing the detailed history of the Grand Canyon as well as being taken to more off-the-beaten-path spots
- Download offline maps on Google Maps and use AllTrails on any hikes to make sure you don’t get lost
- The shuttle system is pretty good but changes depending on time of year. You can park wherever when driving in and shuttle around to many of the spots (keep an eye for when the last shuttle is). There are four shuttle routes, here is a map:
Lodging
- The Squire
- Solid hotel in Tusayan, more comfortable / nicer than the ones in Grand Canyon Village but a bit further away
- Tusayan
- Town that is about 15 minutes south of Grand Canyon Village, newer and more places to stay and eat
- Grand Canyon Village
- Most of the hotels are from the early 1900s but you can stay right on the Grand Canyon itself
- El Tovar Hotel is an iconic landmark which was considered one of the finest hotels in the country when it opened in 1905
Food
- El Tovar Dining Room
- Restaurant in the landmark El Tovar Hotel, food is decent but more about the vibe
- Grand Canyon Village Market & Deli
- Massive grocery store with souvenirs and a deli too
- Maswik Pizza Pub
- Didn’t go here but looked better than most options in Grand Canyon Village
- Maswik Food Court
- Very average but more for sustenance before embarking on the day’s adventures
- We Cook Pizza and Pasta
- Decent pizza and sub-par pasta, one of the only spots in Tusayan open for dinner
- Steakhouses
- Quite a few of these across Grand Canyon Village & Tusayan
Activities / Hikes
- Mather Point
- Stunning views, great introduction to the canyon itself
- Not mentioned much for sunset views but I thought it was really great for it
- Trail of Time
- A 2.8 mile flat, paved trail designed to be a geological timeline where each meter walked on the timeline trail signifies one million years of the Grand Canyon’s geologic history
- Can start at Mather Point, walk to Yavapai Geology Museum, and continue on the Trail into the Grand Canyon Village
- South Kaibab Trail
- One of the Grand Canyon’s most renowned hikes, descends into the Canyon
- Can determine how far you want to go, with Ooh Aah Point being the first turn around (1.8 mi round trip, 1,000 ft elevation lost and re-gained) or can go all the way down by the river (6 mi round trip, 2,000 ft elevation lost and re-gained)
- I think you can do this with mules if wanting to
- Bright Angel Trail
- The premier hike from South Rim to river
- Can determine how far you want to go, with the Mile-and-a-Half Resthouse (3 mi round trip, 1,000 ft elevation lost and re-gained) or can go all the way down by the river (16 mi round trip, 4,500 ft elevation lost and re-gained)
- I think you can do this with mules if wanting to
- Kolb Studio
- Art studio / souvenir shop located in the Grand Canyon Village
- Hopi Point
- Most popular sunset viewpoint
- Recommend going a few minutes early and stopping by Powell Point for a full 360 viewpoint then just walking five minutes to Hopi Point
- Do not try to go right at sunset as you can only get there by shuttle and the lines can get large around this time
- Grandview Point
- Cool viewpoint where you can see where the old Grandview Hotel used to stand
- Desert View Watchtower
- Iconic watchtower with historical meaning
- Visitor Center IMAX
- 37-minute video detailing some history of how the Grand Canyon formed and was first traversed by John Wesley Powell
- Located in Tusayan
- White water rafting
- I didn’t do this but there are lots of options
- Havasupai Falls
- I didn’t get a chance to do this but am highly interested in returning for it
- 20 miles round trip, and pretty challenging but the turquoise waterfalls at the end seem like they are worth it
- A mandatory, pre-booked permit (often 3-night/4-day) is required for access, and day hiking is prohibited