Content

• Steps
• Tips
• Warnings

A family trip to the Grand Canyon requires careful planning. In this article we will describe all the nuances of such a journey.

Steps

1. 1 Decide how you will get to the Grand Canyon. Most tourists arrive at one of two airports, from which it takes half a day to get to the park. These are Las Vegas McCarran International Airport and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. However, you can spend less time traveling by flying from Phoenix to Flagstaff or Page in Arizona. If you decide to go by car, then here is the approximate time to the South Rim Plateau from major cities in the western United States:
   • Phoenix, Arizona: 4.5 hours
   • Las Vegas, Nevada: 5 hours
   • Albuquerque, New Mexico: 7 hours
   • Los Angeles, California: 8 hours
   • Salt Lake City, Utah: 8 hours
   • Denver, Colorado: 13 hours
2. 2 Decide which part of the Grand Canyon you want to visit.
   • When visiting the Grand Canyon for the first time or when traveling here with children, South Rim is more preferable for the presence of a large number of hotels, various services and activities. The Grand Canyon can be visited at any time of the year, including in winter. Do not forget that you will be in the highlands, so, just in case, check in advance on how to protect yourself from altitude sickness.
   • Note that the Grand Canyon has spectacular sunset and sunrise views. Therefore, if you intend to stay there overnight, please book your hotel room in advance, as the number of places is limited. Or prepare a tent for spending the night in nature.
   • We advise you to hike along one of the canyon trails to fully appreciate the scale of the place. Exiting the canyon will take longer than entering it. If you went down to the canyon for half an hour, then you will get out for an hour. Thus, it will take you, at the maximum, four hours to descend, and then to get out of there, plus spending time in the canyon itself. To stay hydrated, be sure to bring water with you, even if you are not going to stay there for long. You will feel like a hero, having given water to tourists who have run out of water.
   • For couples, cyclists, or those looking for a secluded, quiet place, North Rim is the place to be. This part of the park is open from mid-May to October, but tourist services are scarce.
   • If you are limited in time, or just want to visit the lowest point of the canyon, or for health reasons you do not want high altitudes, then the Walapai Indians reservation in the west of the canyon is the best choice. Plus, this side of the canyon is open all year round.
3. 3 Decide what time of year to visit the canyon. In summer, the national park is crowded, hot and dry, especially in South Rim. The most suitable time to visit the canyon is late spring and early autumn. At this time, it is not crowded here.It can be cold here in winter, snow falls, but this is the quietest time of the year in the park. In addition, you can save money in winter, as hotels offer discounts to tourists (from November to February).
4. 4 Choose a suitable hotel and book a room (make a contingency plan if your booking is canceled or given to other customers, for example). There are 6 hotels in the southern part of the park, and one in the northern one. Alternative overnight spots in the South of the Grand Canyon are Tusayan (10 minutes), Williams (1 hour), Flagstaff (1.5 hours), or Page / Lake Powell (2.5 hours). Alternative lodging closer to North Rim: Jacob Lake (1 hour drive), Kanabe Utah (2 hours drive), or Page / Lake Powell (2.5 hours drive). The closest housing to the west of the park is available in Peach Springs or Kingman, Arizona (1.5 hours drive).
5. 5 Decide on entertainment. Here are available: riding on mules, air tours over the territory of the park, river rafting, hiking, train tours, jeep tours, or just guided tours. There are activities for all ages.
   • Skywalk Grand Canyon is not part of the park and is located on the Walapai Indian Reservation. Approximately 15 miles of road to the complex is unpaved. The road is very bumpy and it is not worth driving here in rented cars.
6. 6 Visit other places in the region. If you have more than 3 days to travel, you probably won't want to spend your entire vacation in the Grand Canyon. You can also visit: Hoover Dam, Sedona, Lake Powell, Monument Valley, Paria River Canyon, Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks.
7. 7 Book everything in advance. Book all possible travel elements in advance: air tickets, car rentals, hotels, excursions, shows in Las Vegas, a table in a restaurant (in some establishments this is necessary). Grand Canyon hotels should generally be booked from six months to a year in advance, especially if the vacation falls during the travel season. The demand for campgrounds is slightly lower. Booking a hotel or camping is the most important thing in planning your trip.
   • Decided to book by phone? Be persistent and don't stop if you don't get through on the first try. Lines are often busy, so press the redial key and wait for someone to answer you.
   • Cancellations sometimes occur. If you haven't got a seat in an event like mule riding, keep checking the information and, upon arrival, ask if anyone's reservation is empty. But still, plan back-up activities.
8. 8 Collect your trip information in one place. Please print out your booking confirmation and other travel documents and take them with you. You may need them.
9. 9 Check your reservations. About a week before your trip, call the airline, car rental agencies, hotels, travel agencies and make sure everything is in order.

Tips

• Bring flashlights with you. Lighting in national parks is deliberately kept to a minimum, so the nights are very dark here. Some of the canyon hotels are located in wooded areas.
• The climate in this area is dry. You will have to constantly have water with you. Wear a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen, no matter the time of year. Travelers wearing contact lenses should bring a pair of glasses. Be sure to also bring your hair conditioner, moisturizer, and lip balm.
• Please note that cities in the American West are far from each other. For example, the closest city to South Rim is Flagstaff, which is 90 minutes' drive from the canyon.
• In order to find the national park on Google, Yahoo, etc. maps, enter the name "Grand Canyon AZ," the zip code "86023", or the airport code "GCN".
• Bring comfortable, casual clothing with you. The dress code even in good local restaurants is not strict. Shoes should also be comfortable for hiking.
• Don't forget to bring your first aid kit.
• If you plan on wandering without a guide, satellite communication makes sense.

Warnings

• Hiking, mule riding and river rafting require certain physical qualities. Please note that in order to avoid accidents, the fitness of tourists is strictly checked.
• It is very difficult and dangerous to reach the Colorado River and return back in a day. If you do not want to stay overnight at the bottom of the canyon, choose other hikes to the bottom of the canyon, designed for the daytime of the day. For example, book a tour to the west.
• Upon arrival, check the condition of the trails and routes along which you planned to go. In the event of rainstorms or dust storms, some trails become impassable.