Grand Canyon Family Vacation
 

We are planning a family vacation to the Grand Canyon in early June 2014. We will be flying out to Phoenix from Ohio and would like to stay a couple of nights at the Grand Canyon and then we will drive back to Ohio with a couple of stops along the way to see the sights.

It will be my wife and I with 2 kids (ages 17, 22) so what is the best place to stay for a couple of nights and what airlines would you recommend? We will more than likely fly out of Columbus Ohio. This will strictly be a sight-seeing trip because of the limited time we will have to spend at the Grand Canyon.

The "best" place to stay in GC is on the rim IMHO. There are several places in the park, the nicest and most expensive is elTovar, but Bright Angel, Thunderbird, and Kachina are all on the rim, Maswick and Yavapai are a short distance back. All except el Tovar are basic NP type lodging. All are booked through the same place, and I don't have the link, but if you google Grand Canyon Lodging it will come up.

I would guess that they may be booked for June by now, but people make reservations way in advance and cancel when the time gets close, so keep calling back for a cancelation. To cover your back, make a reservation that you can cancel in Tusayan (lots of places) or Cameron (Cameron Trading Post) then try for in the park.

Being in the park means that you can be there at sunrise and sunset when the day trippers have left, without having to drive in the dark.

Is the car from Phoenix to GC going to be rented and returned to Ohio, or is it with one of the kids in Phoenix already? If not the drop off fees might be very high.

All of the above mentioned hotels are booked through the operator, xanterra.com.

From Columbus I'd recommend you take whatever airline gets you to Phoenix or Vegas for the best price, most convenient schedules. Check kayak.com for flight comparisons. If you are renting a car one way, beware of high drop off fees.

Not sure what you mean by strictly sight seeing trip. How many nights do you have? If you are not hiking below the rim then one full day, or 1 1/2 days is more than enough at the Grand Canyon. If you are up for some hiking then you can do several 1/2 day hikes, one a short way down South Kaibab trail, and another down Bright Angel. In June the temperatures will be hot, hot, hot, which will restrict how much down/up hiking you can do.

If you have more than 2 or 3 nights at GC you can consider a trip down to the river, either camping or staying at Phantom Ranch. Reservations at the latter are likely impossible to come by since they go on sale 1yr in advance, but you could consider a camping trip if you are experienced campers.

Check southwest.com . They don't show up on kayak.

> you can consider a trip down to the river,
> you could consider a camping trip
> if you are experienced campers

I've done the overnight trip to Phantom Ranch, spending the night at the dorms. I can not emphasize enough that this is NOT a casual trip, but one that requires months of physical preparation. Do-able? Yes -- but ONLY if all members of the family are willing to train for the hours of walking up and down the Canyon, in June heat, with no shade, and (on the Kaibab Trail, at least) no water along the way.

Also, camping below the Rim requires a backcountry permit, which is actually more difficult to obtain than space at Phantom Ranch.
http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisi...try-permit.htm

I do recommend hikes into the Canyon for all visitors, simply because it's the only way to truly experience just how "grand" this place is. But those who do so should be aware: if you plan and prepare well for this trip, it'll be one of the best days of your life. If you don't, it'll be one of the worst. The choice is entirely yours.

One of the coolest things about staying at the rim is that a herd of elk come into the area around the hotels at dusk and stay until sunrise.

agree 100% with Paul. Never meant to imply a hike to the river would be anything less than an extremely rigorous trek, especially in June heat.

Drive north from Phoenix to Flagstaff and then take Highway 89 towards Page. Stop in to visit the Cameron Trading post before carrying on north. Turn off 89 onto 89A direction Kanab. This is Thelma and Louise's famous drive over the rim area. Turn off 89A onto 67 and stay the night at the North Rim Lodge. Only 10% of park visitors visit the North Rim.

That's 6.5 hours driving time.

Day two, go back up 67 onto 89A and through Kanab heading north on 89 direction Zion. Leave 89 and head into Zion on 9. Spend the day and night in Zion (Zion Lodge if you can, a motel in Springdale if you can't get a booking at the lodge) and then backtack to continue north on 89 past Bryce Canyon and eventually intersect Interstate 70 where you can head east for home.

That should be about as scenic as it gets and a lot of bank for your 2 day buck.