This post has everything you need to know about the Grand Canyon! It’s a National Park in Arizona, and it’s basically a giant canyon that was carved out by the Colorado River millions of years ago. The main thing to know is there’s a North Rim, which is the North side of the canyon, and a South Rim, which is the South side of the canyon. They are a bit different, because the North Rim has a higher elevation, so it’s cooler and is more forest-y. The South Rim on the other hand, is at a lower elevation so it’s way hotter and feels like a desert. 🌵
Map
First, let’s get our bearings. 🤣 Here’s where the Grand Canyon is on a map. It’s about a 3.5 hour drive north from Phoenix, and about a 4 hour drive east from Las Vegas.
Getting There
I’d recommend flying into Phoenix (PHX) and going to the south rim first. You can check flights below. From the airport, it’s about a four hour drive north to the south rim.
Getting Around
You absolutely need to rent a car since there’s so much to do, like go to Horseshoe Bend, Lake Powell, etc. and you’ll need a car to see it all. You can check car rentals here. You’re going to want to start the trip in Phoenix, and end the trip in Vegas.
Best Things To Do
1. South Rim
The first stop on your trip to the Grand Canyon should be the South Rim. The best hotel to stay at here is El Tovar. Keep in mind that even though it’s the best, it’s definitely still rustic, so don’t expect luxury. 😅 You have to make reservations for this hotel like a year in advance, so check the website for when you can book. I’d also recommend making dinner reservations at the hotel as early as you can, because it’s the only decent place to eat. Remember – you’re literally going to be in the middle of no where, there aren’t many options. 😄 There are tons of biking and hiking trails to choose from on the South Rim, and it is very overwhelming so I’m just going to tell you what we did. We rented bikes from Bright Angel Bike Rentals, they drove us to Hopi Point, and then we biked from there to Hermit’s Rest. It was downhill most of the way so I’d describe that as an easy and relaxing bike trail. Then for the walking trails, one day we went on the trail that leaves right from the hotel that goes along the South Rim – THAT was beautiful and easy and you have to do that. And the next day, we hiked on the Bright Angel Trail. The Bright Angel Trail, in my opinion, is an advanced trail. I did NOT last long on this trail. 🤣 It actually goes down into the canyon so after 30 minutes I was like no. I’m done. I’m goin back. That’s enough adventure for me. 🤣
I describe the trails and hotel in more detail here ⬇️
2. Horseshoe Bend
After checking out the South Rim, the next stop on your trip should be Horseshoe Bend. It’s right on the way to the North Rim, so you may as well stop there since you’re going to be passing right by it. Horseshoe Bend is INTENSE. You are right on the edge of a giant cliff, and there are very few fences. So if you have children, DO NOT bring them to Horseshoe Bend. Honestly, if you have children, the Grand Canyon in general is not a great idea. 🤣 This entire vacation is an adults only vacation, if you asked me. All I know is that if I was a mother I would be a nervous WRECK the entire time if I brought my kids on this trip. Anyway.. 🤣 Then we stayed overnight in Page, and stayed at the Marriott. We tried to stay at the Lake Powell Resort but it was sold out, so you have to book that really early too if you want to stay there. We ate at the Rainbow Room that night for dinner.
- Book a room at the Marriott Page here
- Book a room at the Lake Powell Resort here
- Make reservations at the Rainbow Room here
3. Lake Powell
The next day we went to Lake Powell! This was actually the highlight of the trip for me. We rented a boat through the Lake Powell Resorts & Marinas, and they took us on a tour of the lake.
4. Antelope Canyon
We didn’t have time to go to Antelope Canyon, but if we had another day we definitely would have added this to the trip. A tour that was recommended to me was Taadidiin Tours, and I’ll link their website here.
Full Review ⬇️
5. North Rim
After checking out Horseshoe Bend and Lake Powell, our next stop was the North Rim. The best hotel to stay at here is the Grand Canyon Lodge. Again – going to be rustic! So don’t expect anything too fancy. You’re also gonna want to make dinner reservations here as early as possible since it’s the only decent place to eat. The trail we went on here was the Transept Trail, which was a woodsy trail along the canyon.
**UPDATE** A wildfire in 2025 has burned down the Grand Canyon Lodge. The entire North Rim was closed after the fire, so check the website for when it re-opens. The website explains, “Planning is underway to rebuild the visitor facilities, including the Grand Canyon Lodge”, but this will most likely take years to complete.
Hotel Tours
1. El Tovar (South Rim)
Check out the full tour of El Tovar here ⬇️
2. Grand Canyon Lodge (North Rim)
Check out the full tour of the Grand Canyon Lodge here ⬇️
Weather
We went in late September and it got a little chilly at night on the North Rim, like 40’s low 50’s. So absolutely bring pants and a sweatshirt if you’re going in September. Even in the summer time, it goes down to the 50’s at night. It’s also important to know that the South Rim is open all year, but the North Rim is not. The North Rim is usually open for the season around May 15th, and remains open until around October 15th. Make sure to check the website for exact dates.
Average Temperatures
| Month | South Rim High / Low (°F) | North Rim High / Low (°F) | Highest Snowfall |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 44 / 18 | 38 / 17 | ❄️ |
| February | 46 / 20 | 39 / 18 | ❄️ |
| March | 53 / 24 | 45 /22 | ❄️ |
| April | 61 / 29 | 53 / 27 | |
| May | 71 /36 | 63 / 34 | |
| June | 82 / 43 | 75 / 42 | |
| July | 85 / 50 | 78 / 48 | |
| August | 82 / 49 | 75 / 47 | |
| September | 76 / 43 | 68 / 41 | |
| October | 65 / 33 | 57 / 31 | |
| November | 52 / 24 | 46 / 23 | |
| December | 45 / 18 | 39 / 17 |
Itinerary
Click the icon to the left of my profile picture for a list of all stops.
Our Exact Itinerary
Day 1
- Fly into Phoenix Airport
- Pick up rental car and drive to hotel in Sedona – Enchantment Resort
- ~ 2 hr drive
- Dinner at hotel
Day 2
- Drive to El Tovar
- ~ 2 hr drive
- Check in to hotel
- Hike rim trail from the hotel
- Dinner at El Tovar
Day 3
- Rent bikes from Bright Angel Bike Rentals. They drove us to Hopi Point, and then we biked from there to Hermit’s Rest.
- Lunch
- Hike a little bit of the Bright Angel Trail
- Dinner at El Tovar
Day 4
- Drive to Horseshoe Bend
- ~ 2.5 hr drive
- Check into hotel – the Marriott Page
- Dinner at the Rainbow Room at the Lake Powell Resort
Day 5
- Go for a private boat ride on Lake Powell – through the Lake Powell Resorts and Marinas
Day 6
- Drive to the Grand Canyon Lodge on the north rim
- ~ 2.5 hr drive
- Check into hotel
- Hike the trail around the hotel
- Dinner at the Grand Canyon Lodge
Day 7
- Hike the Transept Trail along the rim
- Dinner at the Grand Canyon Lodge
Day 8
- Drive to Las Vegas
- ~4 hr drive
- Check into hotel
Day 9
- Fly home
And those are all of my tips for the Grand Canyon! Do you have any recommendations? Let me know in the comments!
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