No, you do not need a whole week to see Grand Canyon. We did it in 2 days with kids including a 5 hr. blackout.
We were not planning to go anywhere for spring break let alone Grand Canyon. When the hubs and I were discussing our big summer trip to Argentina it dawned on us that our family needed a mini break before the big trip. Hence, the very last minute planning with very limited travel time.
Here’s how we managed to see one of the 7 natural wonders of the world without breaking the bank.
WEAR
We arrived in Grand Canyon in mid-March just in time for beautiful weather. It was still cold with temperatures hovering between the 50s and 60s during the day. We layered our clothes by wearing sweaters and jackets to keep ourselves warm.
STAY
We wanted to stay at the El Tovar Hotel or the cabins inside the park but everything was sold out for our travel dates. Luckily we were able to snatch up The Grand Hotel that is 15 mins away from the park, which turned out to be better than expected.
DRIVE
We usually fly if the destination is more than 5 hours but since our last 6hr road trip to Scottsdale, Az wasn’t so bad we decided to drive instead. I’m so glad we did because we were able to stop and visit other places along the way.
EAT
I’m not going to lie that this is probably one of the most expensive places to eat, especially their fast-food places like McDonald’s. We love McDonald’s breakfast menu but certainly did not expect to pay a premium (i.e $9.99 for a McMuffin breakfast). And it never dawned on us to Yelp about Mickey Dees first…why would we for a fast food place?!
We decided to try our hotel’s buffet breakfast the next day and it turned out to be a lot cheaper and the food was really good. If you have kids under 5 they get to eat for free. Otherwise, it is $15.95 per person for all you can eat buffet.
We tried some places in the village for lunch but we really enjoyed the taco truck in front of the Visitor Center. They are really tasty and much cheaper ($3 per taco) than most places.
If you want a killer view during the Golden Hour while dining I highly recommend the dining room at the El Tovar Hotel and don’t forget to request a table with a view of the canyon. RSVP in advance and don’t forget to order the lamb chops and you won’t be disappointed.
PLAY
We recently learned that our kids love playing with snow. All along we thought they preferred the beach. Well, they still do but it looks like they love the snow more because hey what child doesn’t love a good snowball fight?!
EXPLORE
As we were planning for this trip we didn’t really know where to start in terms of what to see. I went on their website and tried to get a sense of what they offer but there was just too much information that we didn’t need. When we got there they gave us the map (see above) and frankly that’s all you need.
The entrance to the Grand Canyon park is currently $35 for one vehicle for up to 7 days. They have free shuttle buses running through the entire South Rim as well as the village within the park. Although there are designated places where you can park your car I would highly recommend to park your car at the Visitor Center and then hop on the shuttle buses. The shuttle buses operate on four routes.
- Village (Blue) Route – In Service all year: Connects the Visitor Center with lodges, campground, and other facilities.
- Kaibab Rim (Orange) Route – In Service all year: If you have limited time, this is the fastest way get from the Visitor Center to exceptional canyon views.
- Hermit Road (Red) Route
In Service: March 1, 2019, through November 30, 2019
Outstanding scenic views along a historic road. Hermit Road is closed to private vehicles during the busy season. Hermit Road will be open to private vehicles between December 1, 2019, and February 28, 2020. - Tusayan Route (Purple) Park & Ride –
In Service March 1, 2019, through mid-September, 2019
If you are planning a visit during the South Rim’s busy season (March 1, through mid-September, 2019) lines are long at the entrance station and parking is difficult to find on the South Rim. You can park in the gateway community of Tusayan, buy your pass online, or in Tusayan, then ride this free shuttle into the park.
The entrance lines were not so bad for us maybe because we went there first thing in the morning. On day 1 we rode the orange and blue routes and stopped at every lookout point. On day 2 we rode the blue and red routes because we wanted to dine at El Tovar Hotel during the Golden Hour. We did and it was the best decision ever.
So if you are looking to book a short getaway that doesn’t require a deep pocket I highly recommend visiting the Grand Canyon.
