Hello all. I'm kicking around the idea of spending a long weekend in/around the Grand Canyon area. I've read through some of the recent posts here and I've got some questions that I'm hoping you guys will be able to answer.
1. By weekend I mean flying in either Thursday or Friday night and leaving sometime on Sunday or Monday. Basically giving me 2-3 days. My purpose is pretty much just to spend some time in the area. Doable or a waste of time?

2. What is the best airport to fly into? I'm coming from Cleveland. I've looked into flights on Southwest, Northwest, and Continental and they're about the same (~$300) to Las Vegas and Phoenix. It seems like I'd spend 4-5 hrs one way just driving to the Grand Canyon. What's the better pick? If I'm going to be driving, I'd like to enjoy some of the scenery along the way.

3. Given my limited amount of time, where should I spend it? North rim or south rim? I'm not an experienced hiker but I enjoy taking long walks and just soaking in the scenery.

Thanks a lot for your advice and help!

Since you have 2-3 days, I would fly into Phoenix, AZ. Drive up to flagstaff and stay there for a night. Visit GC. Spend a day there. N. Rim is less touristy and better. Some people like the S. Rim. But, after a while, they kind of look the same. The canyon is way huge!

Then I would suggest driving down to Sedona and spending a night there. Sedona is on the way back. The red rock formations are spectacular. We liked sedona better than phoenix.

2-3 days is more than enough. Unless you want to hike down into the canyon.
Enjoy!

From Phoenix to the S. Rim is 230 miles and driving time 4 hours. I always enjoy this drive.

From Phoenix to the N. Rim is 350 miles and driving time 8 1/2 hours. I wouldn't do the N. Rim from Phoenix.

From Las Vegas to S. Rim is 280 miles and driving time 5 hours. When you leave Vegas you drive thought a scenic canyon.

From Las Vegas to N. Rim is 265 miles and driving time 7 hours. This will be the most scenic because you will drive thought Zion National Park which is worth some time.

If it were me I would fly in to Phoenix and go to the S. Rim. I think there is so much more to see at the S. Rim. Make sure you go in at the Desert View entrance and stop at the many vistas along the road to the visitor center.

Utahtea

Thank you so much for your responses. What are some of tbe online resources that I could use to do some more research on this trip?

<pulling knife out of heart>

You mean we're not enought! LOL

Grand Canyon National Park offical Web site:

http://www.nps.gov/grca/grandcanyon/...nner/index.htm

Utahtea

Not at all... I just figure that if I acutally know what I'm getting into here, I might be able to ask more questions that make some sense

I was just teasing you.

Depending on which location you drive from there are plenty of things to see and do on the way. From Las Vegas to S. Rim there is Historic Route 66.

http://www.route66usa.com/arizona.html

From Phoenix to S. Rim there is Montezuma's Castle National Monument

http://www.nps.gov/moca/index.htm

Sedona

http://www.experiencesedona.com/gall...ek/default.htm

Wupatki National Monument.

http://www.nps.gov/wupa/index.htm

If you decide on the N. Rim.

http://www.so-utah.com/grand/homepage.html

Let me know if you have any questions.

Utahtea