PLANNING YOUR TRIP TO THE GRAND CANYON

Information You Can Use To Plan Your Grand Canyon Vacation


For many people, the Grand Canyon National Park is a must-see destination at some point in their lives. Located in northern Arizona, the Grand Canyon National Park was one of the first parks designated as a national park by President Theodore Roosevelt. It's one of the premier tourist attractions in the United States, and receives about 5 million visitors a year, with about 17% of them being from outside the United States. The canyon itself has been carved from the Colorado River, is about 277 miles long, with a width of from 4 to 18 miles and a depth of more than a mile. While it's not the deepest canyon in the world, it's best known for its overwhelming size and colorful landscaping. Typical tourist activities at the park include sightseeing, white water rafting, and hiking. You can tour the canyon by foot, muleback, boat, and helicopter. It is certainly a worthwhile trip to make, and we certainly recommend it to anyone who enjoys nature's beauty and the great outdoors. If you would like to take a trip to the Grand Canyon, here's information to help you plan and make your trip.


Getting There From Where You Are

The first consideration in planning your trip to the Grand Canyon is probably how you will get there. One of the most informative web sites we discovered while researching this article was Grandcanyon.com. Their web site contained information on just about anything you'd want to know as you plan your trip. While we can only present a small amount of the available information in this article, this is one place you can go for even more.

If you plan to fly to the area, commercial airlines serve Phoenix, Flagstaff, and Las Vegas, the closest major airports to the Grand Canyon. From there you can rent a car and drive the rest of the way, or there is bus transportation from these and other nearby towns. If you are anywhere in the general vicinity, you may want to drive there yourself, and you can reach the Canyon easily from Flagstaff or other nearby towns like Williams or Jacob Lake--both in Arizona. It's a further trip from Las Vegas, but if you are already in Las Vegas, a side-trip to the Grand Canyon is certainly within the realm of possibility for you.

Grand Canyon Tours

There are a variety of tours available to see the Grand Canyon, and from a number of locations nearby. Here are some of the popular ones:

  • Jeep Tours
    There are several jeep tours of the Grand Canyon, including the Inner Grand Canyon tour which is an all-day tour, and shorter tours ranging from 1 1/2 to 5 hours in duration. They depart from the South Rim of the Canyon, and Williams, Arizona. Several of the tours leave just before sunset, which is the ideal time to enjoy the beauties of the canyon. Others leave earlier in the day.
  • Bus Tours
    If you will be departing from Las Vegas, you can book a bus tour to Grand Canyon. It's about a 5 hour trip each way, and one meal is included in the package price. Additionally, there is a brief stop at Hoover Dam for picture-taking. The total time, including bus rides, is approximately 15 hours.
  • Air Tours
    If time is limited or if you want to see the Grand Canyon--all of it--quickly, consider one of the air tours available from either the Grand Canyon, or from Las Vegas if you will be in that city. Both tours are from a 19-passenger twin engine airplane.

  • Helicopter Tours
    Another popular way to tour the Grand Canyon is by helicopter. Most are less than an hour in duration, although there is a combined helicopter/hiking tour which lasts about 7 hours. You can depart from the Grand Canyon or from Las Vegas
  • Tours by Mule
    This tour is not recommended for anyone in less than ideal physical shape, as it is very grueling. If you do not book at least 6 to 8 months in advance, you probably will not be able to view the Grand Canyon by this method. There is a weight limit of 200 pounds, with a minimum height of of 4' 7". Riders must speak and understand fluent English. Each rider must be in excellent physical condition, not afraid of heights or of large animals. There is some risk on this tour due to trail conditions and other wildlife, but if one carefully follows the guide's instructions, chances of accidents are greatly minimized. If you meet all the qualifications and are the adventurous type, you will enjoy this tour. Many do, as evidenced by how far in advance the tours book up. You can book a one day or a two day/one night mule tour.
  • Tours by River
    Another popular tour is by river on one of the rafting tours of the Colorado River as it flows through the Grand Canyon. The Colorado River Oar tour departs from Page, Arizona every morning, and ends about 5 p.m. that same day with a motorcoach ride from its end point at Lees Ferry. There's a white water rafting tour which departs daily from Peach Springs, Arizona, travels some 42 miles down the Colorado River to its final destination at Grand Canyon West, culminating in a helicopter ride back to the canyon rim, then a motorcoach ride back to Peach Springs and the Hualapai Lodge.

Places To Stay

You'll probably need a place to stay during your Grand Canyon visit, and there are many fine hotels in the area. The Best Western Grand Canyon Squires Hotel is the only resort hotel in the Grand Canyon area. Others choices include the Red Feather Lodge and Grand Hotel, both at the South Rim; the Canyon Plaza Quality Inn, located about 5 minutes from the entrance to the Grand Canyon; and in nearby Williams, the Grand Canyon Travelodge, Howard Johnson's Express Inn, the Canyon Railway Hotel, the Buffalo Pointe Lodge Bed & Breakfast, and the Canyon Country Inn Bed and Breakfast.

Enjoy camping? There are many campsites, both RV and tent, in the Grand Canyon area. For in-park camping in an area other than a developed campground, a permit must be obtained in advance from the Back Country information center. All Inner Grand Canyon camping is by permit only. For developed campsites at or near the South Rim, there are several choices: the Mather campground, located in Grand Canyon Village, offers tent and RV camping, although there are no hookups. Trailer Village, adjacent to Mather, does offer RV hookups and making reservations are strongly suggested. There is also a commercial campground 7 miles south of Trailer Village in Tusayan, and a Forest Service campground in the Kaibab National Forest, which is 2 miles from Tusayan. For North Rim camping, try the North Rim Campground (no hookups), or two Forest Service operated campgrounds either 16 or 45 miles from the North Rim.

Resource Index

Audio-Video-and-Cameras:
Plasma TV, LCD TV, MP3 Players, TIVO, Satellite TV, Dgitial Cameras, Digital Camcorders, Bose iPod Speakers, Multimedia Projectors, GPS, Blu-ray Disc

Computer and Accessories:
Choosing a Laptop Computer, Computer Memory Upgrade, Copying a Hard Drive, Dual Monitors, Networking Computers, Microsoft Office, PDA's, Cheap Ink/Toner, Color Laser Printers, Multifunction Printers, Scanners, USB Flash Drives, Wireless Printers, Dell computers, Wireless Routers, Wireless G Routers, Wireless N Routers, Laptop Carrying Cases

Computer and Video Games:
Age of Empires III, Battlefield 2

Entertainment:
Online Gambling, Poker, Routlette, Blackjack, Craps and other Online Games, Online Casinos, Movies, Online DVD Rentals, Home Theater Systems , Home Theater Components, HDTV, HDTV Buying Tips, HD Radio, Portable DVD Players, Magazine Subscriptions

Fun-Hobbies:
Tropical Fish, Aquariums, Scrapbooking, Rubber Stamping, Geneology, Geocaching, Soap Making, Candle Making

Legal:
Criminal Defense Attorneys, Tax Attorneys, Lemon Law Protection, Structured Settlements, Investment Fraud, Bankruptcy Attorneys, Personal Injury Attorneys, Family Law

CellPhones-and-Communication
Cell Phones, Cell Phone Carriers, Prepaid Cell Phone Plans, Cell Phone Ringtones, Headsets, VOIP, Cheap Long Distance, iPhone, Blackberry, Bluetooth Technology, SmartPhones

Jobs-Schooling
Online College Degrees, Business Degrees, Home Schooling, Drivers Education, Job Resumes, Online Job Search
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Finance and Insurance:
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Home:
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Business-Office-Supplies:
Discount Office Supplies, Home Office, Office Furniture, Copiers, Home Business, Business Cards, Business Brochures, Mailing List Companies, Affiliates, Franchises, Business Telephone Systems, Employment Agencies, Call Centers, Fax Machines
Health and Wellness:
Fioricet for Migraine Relief, Online Pharmacies, Phentermine for dieting, Tramadol for Chronic Pain Relief, Mesothelioma, Mesothelioma Lawyers, Acne Treatment, Contact Lenses, Drug Rehabilitation, Cerebral Palsy, Hair Loss, Hair Loss Products, Human Growth Hormones , Diet Pills, Treadmills, Fragrances, Reducing Cholesterol, Diabetes, Obesity, Arthritis, High Blood Pressure, Heart Disease, Acid reflux, Cialis, Understanding Depression, Unraveling Diet Plans, Erectile dysfunction, Lipitor, Sleep Loss, Viagra, Autism, Asperger Syndrome, Living With Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Seasonal Affective Disorder

Gifts:
Gift Ideas, Corporate Gifts, Gift Cards, Wristwatches, Replica Watches, Sunglasses, Wholesale Jewelry, Jewelry Boxes, Wedding Gifts, Food Gifts, Books, Music, Flowers, Gift Baskets, Candles & Candleholders, Chocolate & Candy

Sports:
Health Clubs, Home Gyms, Treadmills, Golf, Golf Vacations, Golf Schools, Golf Clubs, Fantasy Baseball, Fantasy Basketball

Travel:
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Yard-and-Garden:
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