But if it does sound worth it, here is a highly rated tour from Las Vegas that spends 3 hours on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. If 9 hours in a car sounds crazy, but you still want those South Rim views, you can take a helicopter tour from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon. Get more information in our post about Grand Canyon helicopter tours.
If you have one full day in the Grand Canyon, here are two suggestions on how to spend your time, depending on the type of traveler you are. Plan to spend at least one night at the Grand Canyon, but two nights is ideal, since it allows you to experience the Grand Canyon at sunrise and sunset.
Midday: Have lunch. Take a helicopter flight over the Grand Canyon midday is the best time for photography. Afternoon: Walk, bike, or take the shuttle to the viewpoints along Hermit Road. Evening: Have dinner. Watch the sunset over the Grand Canyon. If you are visiting the Grand Canyon with kids: This itinerary works well. If you like hiking, I recommend putting the majority of your time into a day hike.
It is truly an unforgettable experience. Most people do it in two days, spending the night at Bright Angel Campground near the Colorado River.
Hiking from rim to river to rim in the Grand Canyon is one of my favorite national park experiences of all time. Learn more in our guide on the South Kaibab and Bright Angel trails. Several shuttles that operate in and near Grand Canyon Village. You will use these shuttles to get around the South Rim. In Grand Canyon Village, there is a large parking lot that is open for day trippers and those coming in from Tusayan.
On the park map, you will see other parking lots, but these spaces are reserved for visitors who are spending the night in one of the lodges and for staff members.
Plan on getting here by 9 am in order to get a spot. From the visitor center, there are three different shuttle lines. To get around the park, you will use the orange and blue lines. If you are staying in Tusayan, the purple shuttle connects Tusayan with the visitor center this is a seasonal shuttle and does not operate during the winter months. To visit Hermit Road, take the blue shuttle to the Village Route Transfer station to transfer to the red line.
If you are staying at a hotel in Tusayan, leave your car parked at your hotel and ride the free shuttle purple line into the park. The shuttles are free and you can ride them as much as you need to. Click here to learn more. The Grand Canyon can be visited year round.
Peak season is during the summer months and during the holiday seasons of Easter and Christmas. During these times, expect large crowds, traffic jams to enter the park, and hotels booked to capacity.
Spring and fall are great times to visit the park. Winter is the off-season. Crowds will be low, but so will the temperatures. Snow is a possibility, but that will only make the Grand Canyon look more magical. Staying here gives you the advantage of easy access to the shuttles, short walks to several of the viewpoints, and no hassles driving into and out the park every day.
However, the hotels get mediocre reviews and many people say they are expensive for what you get. Click here to view the lodges and get updated pricing. These hotels fill up very far in advance. Make your reservations 4 — 6 months in advance. You also have the option to stay in Tusayan. From Tusayan, it is a minute drive into the park.
There are several hotels to choose from as well as some restaurants. We stayed at The Grand Hotel in Tusayan. It is the highest rated hotel in the area. The hotel looks impressive from the outside and the lobby is very nice but the rooms are nothing special. On Booking. However, the rooms are clean and quiet and fit our needs.
This fee also includes the visit to the North Rim. If you want to take the stress out of planning your visit, or you have no plans to rent a car, here are several highly rated tours to consider.
If you are planning to spend one day in the Grand Canyon and have any questions, comment below! Note: This post contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase using one of these affiliate links, we get paid a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Due to the heavy wildfires this summer, how good the views can be anticipated? Would it be better to postpone visiting GC for another year? I have never been to GC yet. Sorry for my late response. If the sky is hazy, you will have reduced visibility of the Grand Canyon, so you might not get the same views you see in many photos.
The haze can be weather dependent. Sometimes rain or wind can clear up the sky, but most likely, if wildfires are nearby, you will have some amount of haze. If might be worth postponing it to next year or late Plus, the national parks in that part of the US are so crowded this year. We were planning on visiting northern California in September but have changed our plans because of the wildfires there and potential haze.
Cheers, Julie. Thank you for the great information. Your one day itinerary looks great. I have one question about it. When you say watch the sunrise from the ooh aah point, is that only possible if we hike down to it in the dark? You can start your hike down once you get some light in the sky, which starts about 30 minutes before sunrise.
Or, you can even start right at sunrise. As you hike down, you will see the sun illuminating the canyon, which is nice too. This guide is great for those who have never been there and those who will be traveling solo. The rim to river to rim hike is amazing and a great way to experience the Grand Canyon. Have fun on your first trip to the Grand Canyon! Great info and nicely written and laid out article! I recently published the itinerary for the Grand Canyon and the Mighty 5. Here is the link so you can read it.
This is amazing…thanks for all of the great info! And would it even be a good idea? I think that Ooh Aah Point would be a great place to watch the sunset. To help you plan your day, you could visit the viewpoints along Hermit Road in the morning, before it gets busy. Midday, see the views from the overlooks near the Visitor Center and if you like the idea of taking a helicopter ride, midday is a great time to do it. About an hour and a half to two hours before sunset, hike down to Ooh Aah Point.
You could even go a little farther down the trail, for more expansive views. Get back to Ooh Aah Point for sunset and then hike back up the rim. Bring a headlight or flashlight since you will be hiking in the dark. You can check sunset times here and shuttle times here. Thank you for your amazing website. I am planning a 12 day SW road trip and all of your tips and suggestions especially the one day itineraries are giving me so much confidence and a great sense of preparedness.
We are cramming a lot into a short time frame but I feel like we really know what to spend time on and what not to. Thank you! Hello Tarah. This is the best travel website I have found. Packed with attractions, adventures and activities, this three-day itinerary in Grand Canyon National Park's South Rim covers all the must-see stops for your first visit to this iconic destination.
Then, rent a bike and pedal 3. Afternoon: From the visitors' center , stroll west along the Rim Trail, a flat, paved trail with shuttle stops along the way. In addition to awe-inspiring views, a number of attractions dot the trail:.
Enjoy a steak dinner at the Canyon Star Steakhouse in the hotel and then unwind with a draft beer and some live music at the adjacent saloon. You'll end the drive with degree views of the canyon and Colorado River, seen from the observation deck at the Mary Colter-designed Desert View Watchtower , built in the style of Ancestral Puebloan towers.
For lunch, grab a bite to eat at the Desert View Trading Post, serving up "Indian tacos," hot dogs and ice cream to enjoy at one of the outdoor picnic tables. And there you have it, an incredible, action-packed, thrilling Grand Canyon 3-day itinerary!
I hope you fall in love with it as much as I did, something about the natural wonder and beauty of the place has an irresistible pull. We hope that this article has helped inspire you to visit the Grand Canyon. If you have any questions about the destination or have your own travel tips to share please leave these in the comments below.
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Please see our Disclosures for more information. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. Share Tweet Pin Email. Table of Contents hide. Check out the map below for all of the view points and trails mentioned in this post. Grand Canyon Guided Tours. The Best Holiday Homes. Day 1 Desert View Drive. Shoshone Point Trailhead. Day 2 South Kaibab Trail. Mather Point. Day 3 Bright Angel Trailhead. Suggested tours of the Grand Canyon. Have Extra Time? Bike Hermit Road.
Check Out The North Rim.
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