10 Best Things to Do with Kids in the Grand Canyon
Ride a bike, take a hike, attend a ranger program, become a Junior Ranger, watch the stars and more things to do with kids in the canyon.
Explore Grand Canyon National Park
Without the Colorado River, one of the Seven Wonders of the World wouldn’t exist. Digging deep into 1.8 billion-year-old rock, the river revealed ancient history and unlocked thousands of stories while forming the Grand Canyon. Today, the stunning mile-deep canyon is protected as a national park. While people often refer to Grand Canyon National Park as one place, there are actually several distinct areas you can visit including the popular the south rim and quiet north rim. Browse our pages to plan your own personal trip of a lifetime.
Guided Tours
Get the most from your Grand Canyon vacation by taking a guided tour.
What to Pack for Your Grand Canyon Vacation
How do you pack for vacation in this desert climate? Here are the top 21 items to bring along with you to the Grand Canyon.
Win a Route 66 Grand Canyon Vacation
Drive the iconic stretch of the Mother Road from New Mexico to Arizona, ending with a 3-day Grand Canyon hiking vacation with lodging and meals.
48 Hours in the South Rim of the Grand Canyon
Get ready for adventure. Here are some of our favorite things to do while at the South Rim from biking in solitude to exploring some of the rim’s most historic treasures.
Grand Canyon Hiking Trails
The Grand Canyon has hundreds of miles of hiking trails, most departing from the South Rim Village or the North Rim Village.
10 Best Things to do in the Grand Canyon
What to do and see on your Grand Canyon vacation. Go hiking, ride a train or a mule, raft down the Colorado River, and more.
9 Nearest Arizona State Parks to the Grand Canyon
Visit Riordan Mansion State Historic Park, right in the heart of Flagstaff, and Homolovi State Park, just outside of Winslow.
Which Trail Should I Hike in the Grand Canyon?
Descriptions tell you what to expect on the trails from an easy, historic landmark tour to strenuous hikes with 2,000-plus feet elevation changes.
Where is Grand Canyon National Park?
The Grand Canyon was carved out by the Colorado River in northern Arizona in the United States. The northeast end of the Grand Canyon starts at Lake Powell and the city of Page at the Utah-Arizona border. The western end of the Grand Canyon is where the Colorado River empties into Lake Mead at the Arizona-Nevada border.
Which rim of the Grand Canyon should I visit?
There are three rims to the Grand Canyon – north, south, and west – with long driving distances between. The South Rim houses Grand Canyon Village and has the most developed attractions. The West Rim is the location of the Skywalk glass bridge. Tusayan, Flagstaff, Page, Kingman, Williams, and Sedona are gateway towns close to the park with many hotels, camping areas, and attractions all their own.
4 Sides of the Grand Canyon: North, South, West plus Havasu Falls
What is the difference between the three rims? Two are in the national park and the third is owned by the Hualapai Nation. And Havasu Falls is in between.
Grand Canyon West
The region to the west of the national park is privately owned and operated by the Hualapai Tribe. It's 242 miles from Grand Canyon National Park visitors center.
Gateway Towns
Towns in the greater Grand Canyon area are destinations in themselves. These include Tusayan, Williams, Kingman, Flagstaff, and Page.
How should I get to the Grand Canyon?
Most people drive to the park. check out our road trip ideas. If you fly, the nearest international airports include Phoenix, Arizona, Salt Lake City, Utah, and Las Vegas, Nevada. Once you get to the park, you will need a car or tour transportation to get around the more remote park roads. However, the South Rim has shuttles and bike rentals during the high season.
7 Best Road Trips to the Grand Canyon
Driving to the Grand Canyon is the ultimate road trip. Here are scenic, adventure-packed itineraries with interactive maps and best places to stop.
Airports Near the Grand Canyon
Commercial airlines are in Las Vegas, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, and Flagstaff, Arizona. Plus there is limited air service into the Grand Canyon Airport.
Ride the Grand Canyon Railway from Williams, Ariz.
If it's adventure, sightseeing and history all rolled into one that you want on your Grand Canyon vacation, then Grand Canyon Railway is your answer.
Where should I stay on my Grand Canyon vacation?
There are several campgrounds and lodges inside the park. There are also many lodging options in gateway towns to the South Rim. Depending on the season, you will need to reserve hotels and campgrounds well in advance.
Hotels and Cabins
Visitors to northern Arizona will find lots of hotels to choose from to fit every need and budget near the North, South and West Rims and in the park.
Campgrounds & RV Parks
Sleep under the stars inside the national park. The greater Grand Canyon region is also chock full of campgrounds and RV Parks.
What is there to see in the Grand Canyon?
Visit the many overlooks on top of the canyon for views that change with the time of day. Scour the skies to see endangered condors and falcons fly overhead. And at night stargaze at the deep dark skies lit up with the Milky Way.
Natural Wonders
See mile-deep canyons, lush waterfalls, and glorious overlooks at the rim in Grand Canyon National Park and the northern Arizona region.
Wildlife
From reptiles to rodents, bighorn sheep to wolves and coyotes, the Grand Canyon is teeming with wildlife.
Attractions
Natural wonders aren't the only attraction at the Grand Canyon. Visit a wildlife center, observatory, or garden. Watch an IMAX movie. Or learn at a visitor center or museum.
What is there to do in the Grand Canyon?
Hiking, mule riding, rafting, museum browsing, and air tours are the main activities here. See our list of the top ten things to do in the park and beyond. Are you prepared for desert weather? Be careful of the heat and bring a bottle to top off at our water filling stations.
10 Best Things to do in the Grand Canyon
What to do and see on your Grand Canyon vacation. Go hiking, ride a train or a mule, raft down the Colorado River, and more.
Outdoor Recreation
Hike hundreds of miles of trails that provide unmatched scenery and panoramic views. Raft a stretch of the Colorado River. Bike along the Rim.
Guided Tours
Get the most from your Grand Canyon vacation by taking a guided tour.
What's New
6 Things to Take on your Grand Canyon Vacation
After many trips to the Grand Canyon and Southwest, our editor has created a list of her favorite things to bring along.
National Monuments Near the Grand Canyon
Experience the culture and history and wonder of the great state of Arizona by exploring other National Monuments. Parashant designated as having Flawless Skies from the International Dark Sky Association.
Monument Valley at the Arizona-Utah Border
Located on the Arizona-Utah border near the Four Corners region lies sandstone buttes on an iconic stretch of land in the Navajo Indian Nation.
Bordering Food and Fun in El Paso, Texas
El Paso offers outdoor adventures and a fascinating glimpse of life here hundreds of years before Texas became a state. Here are the best things to see and do.
Space Out in Alamogordo, N.M.
Just minutes from White Sands National Monument, Alamogordo has some selfie-worthy attractions.
Grand Canyon West
The region to the west of the national park is privately owned and operated by the Hualapai Tribe. It's 242 miles from Grand Canyon National Park visitors center.
Grand Canyon West Rafting Trip Ends with Helicopter Ride
Join the Hualapai tribe members for an unforgettable day rafting through the western end of the Grand Canyon and taking a helicopter to its rim.
