KAYAK - Grand Canyon Village, Arizona Travel Guide

Grand Canyon Village Travel

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Grand Canyon Village Vacations

You can’t fully comprehend the grandeur of the Grand Canyon National Park until you’ve stood on the rim and looked out over the incredible canyon at your feet. The northwest corner of Arizona is home to the largest canyon on earth, and visitors are drawn here to hike or ride the canyon’s many trails, or simply to enjoy the amazing view. Most people visit the South Rim of the canyon because the North Rim is higher in elevation, and less easily reached; the road to it is closed in winter. There is only one place for cars to cross the Grand Canyon, over the Navajo Bridge near Lee’s Ferry. $12 - 25. http://www.nps.gov/grca/index.htm. Grand Canyon National Park has one of the longest-running shuttle bus systems in all the national parks. Shuttle buses will take you into the park, to hiking trailheads, along the south rim, and from the south rim to the north. Park shuttles on the south rim are free, privately-owned shuttles running into the park and between the rims charge a fee. http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/gettingaround.htm.

Popular Grand Canyon Village Hotels

The Grand Hotel
149 State Hwy 64, PO Box 3319

BEST WESTERN PREMIER Grand Canyon Squire Inn
100 Highway 64

Canyon Plaza Resort
406 Canyon Plaza Lane

Red Feather Lodge
300 State Route 64

Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Grand Canyon
Hwy 64, P.O. Box 3245

The Dumplin Patch Bed and Breakfast
Junction 180 and Highway 64 22 Miles South of Canyon

View more Grand Canyon Village hotel info »«

Top rated attractions in Grand Canyon Village

1.	South Rim Drives And Scenic Outlooks The South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park is where many of the photographs you may have seen of the park were taken. The Desert View Drive is open to private transportation, some other routes, like Hermit Road, can only be reached by way of shuttles. Whichever your choice, start at the Visitor Center to get an overview of the history and geography of this magnificent park. « hide
2.	Rim To-Rim Hike It’s possible to hike either from one rim to the floor of the canyon and back, or from one rim to another in a day. It’s an incredibly strenuous hike, and should not be attempted unless you’re in shape and conditioned to the heat. Nevertheless, many visitors who should know better will try it, resulting in many blistered feet and cases of heat exhaustion. There are many trails leading down and up the canyon, the most famous of which is Bright Angel Trail. Ten miles down and ten miles up, nine-thousand feet in elevation each way, these hikes are not for the faint of heart. As an alternative to hiking the whole trail, about half-way down you’ll find the Indian Gardens Oasis. It’s a good place to relax. enjoy the scenery, and contemplate the hike back up the canyon. « hide
3.	Ride The River For some, it’s not the view from the canyon rims that brings them to Grand Canyon National Park, but instead the chance to ride the Colorado River rapids and see the canyon walls from their base. Commercial trips lasting one day to many are available, private permits are available on a first-come first-serve basis for trips of a few days or less, and there’s a lottery system for private trips of up to three weeks and more in length. « hide
4.	Ride A Mule To save wear and tear on your feet and body, Grand Canyon National Park’s mule trips offer a less strenuous, enjoyable way to navigate the canyon trails. Mule trips are available on both the north and south rims, lasting from one hour to overnight. « hide

Top rated restaurants in Grand Canyon Village

1.	The Arizona Room The Bright Angel Lodge's upscale steakhouse offers amazing views of the Grand Canyon while you enjoy tender, juicy steaks, seafood and other Southwestern specialties. The steaks are hand cut on the premises for assured quality. Seafood, poultry and barbecue dishes are also enticing options. Main courses range from USD12-22, and portions are more than adequate. Full bar service is available. No reservations are accepted, but you can put your name on the establishment's same-day waiting list. « hide
2.	The El Tovar Dining Room You will feel like you are supping at a European hunting lodge at this fine dining venue. But make your dinner reservations early; these are the area's hardest-to-get tables. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served daily, year-round. Hotel guests may make reservations up to 90 days in advance, non-guests up to 30 days in advance. Full bar service is offered. « hide

Grand Canyon Village Insider tips

1.	Trail Edges There are two kinds of trails in Grand Canyon National Park. The groomed trails, like Bright Angel, are wide and well-maintained. Wilderness trails, on the other hand, may be as narrow as eighteen inches, and are not regularly maintained. Whichever kind of trail you take, stay away from the edge, avoid slippery rocks, and DO NOT fall! It's a long way to the bottom, and there are many sharp rocks between you and it. « hide
2.	Heat, Water, and Bonking The summer in Grand Canyon National Park can bring temperatures near 120 degrees on the canyon floor, and not a lot cooler at the rim. Hiking is best in the spring and fall, but even then you should carry plenty of water and be wary of over-heating. The condition known as “bonking”, a sudden, almost total loss of energy, is brought on by lack of water and simply not eating enough. One of the insidious affects of high altitude is a loss of appetite, combine that with the heat and you can find yourself sitting by the trail, too weak to move. When planning a hike, whether for just a few hours or a few days, eat well before your hike, drink lots of water, carry plenty of snacks, and don’t bonk. « hide
3.	Length of your Hike It is HIGHLY recommended that you only attempt hikes longer than 1 hour in length if you are an experienced hiker and in good physical shape. Remember, going down is the easy part; it's coming back up that is hard, Plan to spend AT LEAST double the time coming up than you spent going down. To be safe, be prepared for a hike MUCH longer than you expected; because you are at such a high altitude, the air has less oxygen in it, and you become tired A LOT quicker than usual. Hiking in the canyon is not for everyone. When in doubt about your capabilities, ALWAYS underestimate your skills. « hide
4.	Powell Plateau While concemtrating on the canyonrims and the floor far below, it’s easy to forget that there are areas between the canyon walls that offer an experience few others will share. Powell Plateau is a good example, this eight square mile, seven thousand feet high plateau is nestled inside the canyon, and offers trails and backcountry camping that avoids the crowds and the heat of the canyon floor. It’s a rough dirt road drive to the Swamp Point Trailhead, but once there you’ll find a land visited by few since the days of the Anansazi Indians. If you plan to camp overnight, you’ll need a back-country permit and there is a fee. « hide
5.	Tuweep The roads leading to Tuweep are dusty, dirt roads, generally maintained but susceptible to being washed out by suddden rainstorms. But if you go there, you’ll find one of the most scenic outlooks in Grand Canyon National Park, and there just might not be another soul in sight. « hide