I will be traveling to Las Vegas for my nephew’s wedding in early August 2011. We would like to fly in early and stay at the Grand Canyon one or two nights and do the White Water rafting trip from the west rim down and the helicopter back up.

What is your recommendation on where we should fly in to?  Where is a good place to stay that would still have availability?  Is it better to stay at the South Rim and drive over to the West Rim?  We also still need to make flight & room reservations for Vegas.  I have looked at discounted flight/room packages on line.  Is there a way to get rooms in the Grand Canyon 1 or 2 nights and then Vegas the other nights?

We have never traveled to this area and would like to take in as much of the outdoors as possible.  Or as much as we can handle due to the heat in August!

 

Thanks for your help,
Lori L., Pensacola, FL

Hello Lori!

Thanks for your email.

I assume for the Las Vegas portion of your stay, you’ll either stay at or near the location of the wedding and will easily find Las Vegas accommodations that will suit your needs, has availability, etc. August is not the peak season in Las Vegas so you should have no trouble finding a room there.

You may need a total of 3 nights to really do this pre-wedding portion of your trip. This is big country out here… lots of driving, walking, and touring makes for quite action-packed, and thus tiring, long days. Depending on your arrival time (you’re smart to try to arrive early; from the east coast, you’ll be gaining time but still, flying cross-country can be tiring) you may want to spend one night in Phoenix or Scottsdale or Las Vegas, depending on which itinerary you choose, and rest up for the next few days of moderate-to-heavy driving, walking, rafting and touring.

Here are two ways to do this trip with handy links to options for hotels, tours and packages:

• Day/Night 1: Fly into Phoenix (one way). Stay overnight at one of the hotels near Phoenix Airport.
• Day 2/Night 2: Drive to the South Rim (4 hours.) See the South Rim and stay 1 night at one of these hotels near the South Rim.
• Day 3/Night 3: Drive to Peach Springs early (about 2 hours) and depart on the 1-day whitewater rafting. They’ll drive you back to Peach Springs. That night, stay at the Hualapai Lodge in Peach Springs.
• Day 4: Drive to Las Vegas (about 3 hours.)
• After the wedding and the Las Vegas portion of your trip, fly home from Las Vegas (one way.)

Or

• Day 1/Night 1: Fly into Las Vegas (round trip). Have some fun and stay the night in Las Vegas. I suggest you book a nice but budget-friendly hotel off the Las Vegas Strip for this quick overnight.
• Day 2/Night 2: Drive to Peach Springs, AZ very early (about 3 hours) for whitewater rafting all day. They’ll drive you back to Peach Springs. Stay at the Hualapai Lodge in Peach Springs.
• Day 3/Night 3: Drive yourselves to the South Rim (about 2 hours.) See the South Rim all day, stay in or near the South Rim that night.
• Day 4: Drive to Las Vegas (about 5 hours.)
• Fly the return round trip home from Las Vegas.

When you book your whitewater rafting through the Hualapai tribe (Hualapai Lodge and River Rafting Packages are available) do add on the Grand Canyon Skywalk. You might as well do it as long as you’re already paying for the rafting and other mandatory fees applied to being on Hualapai land.

The South Rim is the “real Grand Canyon” and will give you an unforgettable and different experience than the West Rim, with plenty of easy walking, light to moderate hiking, education, dining, etc. Staying overnight at the Rim may be very limited in availability if not sold out for your dates, but you should be able to find something Williams (about an hour south of the South Rim.)

You’ll probably book your Grand Canyon and Las Vegas stays separately, on two separate “packages”… e.g. your Las Vegas nights alone and then a Grand Canyon heli+rafting package through the Hualapai Tribe and/or a Grand Canyon South Rim flight+hotel package through a tour booking service such as Viator.com, AllGrandCanyonTours.com or AllLasVegasTours.com.

Enjoy your trip!
– ChristinaToo

Dear Arizona Travel: 

I am planning to visit Hopi country in late July and will most likely travel via Flagstaff from Phoenix. Could you please give me some advice on the best route and any other information relating to this? I only have a couple of days so want to make the most of it.I will most likely hire a car in Phoenix and drive north.

Thanks,

Richard L.

Hi, Richard!

First, directions to Hopi Country:
From Phoenix, take I-17 north right up to Flagstaff. It’s about a 2 hour drive.

www.hopiculturalcenter.com

Next, I assume you’ll be visiting the Hopi Cultural Center (www.hopiculturalcenter.com). The Hopi Cultural Center is located on the Second Mesa.

To get to the Hopi Cultural Center from Flagstaff: Take Highway 879A North to Townsend-Winona street. Turn right and proceed about 10 miles to Leupp road; turn left and continue north another 31 miles to the Kykotsmovi turn off (just past the Little Colorado River Bridge); continue north 48 miles to Kykotsmovi on Third Mesa. Approximately 92 miles from Flagstaff.

For your overnight lodging, you could stay at the Hopi Cultural Center’s lodge. Full disclosure:
I personally know nothing of the lodging there. But, if you’re aiming for a trip truly focused on immersing yourself in the Hopi culture, I think staying at their lodge absolutely makes the most sense!

I am much more familiar with Flagstaff and I lean toward encouraging you to make it your “home base” for two days based on a) my unfamiliarity with the Hopi Cultural Center’s lodge, and b) my own bias toward staying overnight in a more established city where there are greater options for dining and additional sightseeing. Our Flagstaff.com site has everything you need to know about Flagstaff hotels should you decide to go that route.

I hope you have a great time, Richard.  Feel free to keep us posted on how it goes!  I’d love it if you’d post comments or photos of your trip on our Facebook page at facebook.com/ariztravel!

Take care and enjoy your trip!
–ChristinaToo

PS: Readers – I need your help on this one! Have you stayed at the Hopi Cultural Center? Which do you recommend: lodging at the HCC or staying overnight in Flagstaff?

Dear Arizona Travel,
Two friends and I take a yearly trip in the fall, and this coming fall we’re planning to come to Sedona, in late October.  We like to stay in a nice/luxury cabin or large suite with three beds, a living area and kitchen, ideally a bit away from the main hustle and bustle, with quiet, privacy, and scenic surroudings [sic].  We would also love to have a pool to relax by, maybe a spa (although we can also go to a day spa).  We don’t mind driving a bit to get into town.  We’re hoping to hike a bit, and relax a lot.  I checked options on your [Sedona] website, but they are overwhelming – any suggestions to get me pointed in the right direction?  Thanks much.
–Mary S.

One of our suggestions: Junipine Resort in Oak Creek Canyon

Hi, Mary.  Great news: I have three terrific suggestions! While any one of these may not fit all your criteria, they are definitely a step in the right direction. All three of the following properties are located up Oak Creek Canyon, away from the hustle and bustle of Sedona, in beautiful creekside surroundings great for hiking and walking (especially in the fall with the changing colors – gorgeous!) that’s very quiet, scenic, and peaceful.  All of these have cabin or house options with kitchens as you requested.

While none of these places have a pool (it will be a tad chilly for swimming anyway) you can always sit on the banks of the creek or go wading and swimming at Slide Rock State Park – also located in Oak Creek Canyon – a very popular swimming hole with a natural waterslide, cliff jumping, etc.  However, if you do check out a day spa, try Sedona Rouge in West Sedona; it’s a boutique hotel and day spa where spa guests are encouraged to come early and stay late, enjoying the pool for the day (www.sedonarouge.com).

Junipine Resort

Phone: 928.282.3375 – www.junipineresort.com

• In my opinion, this is the most “resort-like” of the three.
• 12 acres with 2.5 acres of common area on Oak Creek
• 50 condominiums that they refer to as ‘creekhouses’

Forest Houses

Phone: 928.282.2999 – www.foresthousesresort.com

• Forest Houses Resort is situated on 20 wooded acres in upper Oak Creek Canyon.
• 17 individual houses
• No children or loud parties allowed

Briar Patch Inn

Phone: 928.282.2342 – www.briarpatchinn.com

• 19 Sedona cabins nestled in the historic Oak Creek Canyon.
• Closest to “town” but still nestled away
• Breakfasts included (delicious!)
• Creekside massages in the gazebo or in your cabin. Facials and yoga also available (read: relaxing!)

I advise you to call each of the properties above, speak with their friendly staff people, and see which one best fits your wish list. I feel certain that you’ll find one of these to be the right fit!

Have a great girls’ trip!

–ChristinaToo

Dear Sir/Madam,

We are driving from Phoenix to Sedona in Oct’11 this year and are trying to work out what the weather will be like? Do the roads get affected at this time of year and also is it still a good time of year to see the Grand Canyon?

Appreciate your assistance.
Regards – Nicole R.

Colored Leaves in Sedona - Jeff Johnson

Hi, Nicole.  I’m willing to bet you’ll have smooth sailing the entire trip.  Phoenix is often still in the high 80s/low 90s in late October, and Sedona about 10 – 15 degrees cooler during the day, certainly cooler at night, but you should not have trouble with snow on the roads.  Yes, the Grand Canyon is still a great destination at that time of year (it always is) but particularly with regard to road conditions.  I doubt you’ll have trouble with snow that early in the fall/winter season at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, though the temperatures will merit wearing several light layers you can add and remove as the weather dictates (high temps are around 60 degrees at the end of October.)

(I am assuming you mean the South Rim, as it’s the most accessible from Sedona. The North Rim will be closed by mid-October.)

Here are links to average annual temps and snowfall for the three cities you mentioned (you may have to scroll down to see the weather tables):

• Scottsdale Weather
• Sedona Weather
• Grand Canyon Weather

Enjoy your trip, Nicole!

– ChristinaToo

Dear Arizona Travel:

We plan to travel by car to Flagstaff in May and spend two days and two nights. We would like to spend one day in Sedona and one day at the Grand Canyon. What would be the best way to accomplish this?

J.G. — Austin, TX

Hello, J.G. This is a great question many of our readers are probably also asking.

Both Sedona and the Grand Canyon South Rim can be accomplished as day trips, starting from Flagstaff and going outward.  If you’re driving up from Phoenix, why don’t you go through Sedona first on the way to Flagstaff?  Take I-17 to Highway 179 and travel up through Sedona and see the sights.  Check out this suggested driving tour of Sedona for tips on seeing the best of Sedona by car and on foot.

Assuming you arrive in Sedona in the morning, you could see Sedona and be in Flagstaff by dinnertime.  Try Beaver Street Brewery for a casual dinner, or Pasto or Tinderbox Kitchen for a more upscale, foodie-worthy meal.

The following day, head out for the Grand Canyon bright and early.  You can either drive yourselves and see the South Rim on your own, attending free Ranger Talks, walking the Rim Trail, and having a nice lunch at the El Tovar Hotel, or you could drive from Flagstaff to Williams early in the morning and do the all-day round-trip Grand Canyon Railway journey. The GCR is a great way to relax and take in the Grand Canyon plateau, and you’ll have plenty of time at the Rim itself to do almost everything I mentioned above.  You board the train for the return trip about 3pm, and pull back into Williams around 5pm. Then you can have dinner at the Railway resort hotel, or in the town of Williams (try the Grand Canyon Brewing Company or the Red Raven Restaurant) or drive 25 miles back to Flagstaff for more dining and nightlife choices.

Enjoy your stay in Flagstaff! You’ll love touring Northern Arizona this way!

– ChristinaToo

Dear Arizona Travel:

I am planning to visit the US in late summer this year and would like to ask where to get some hiking maps of the Flagstaff surrounding area.

Sincerely,
Meinhard

Good day, Meinhard.

• Here is a great resource from which to order National Forest Service hiking maps.
• Also helpful are the trails noted by Arizona Snowbowl, the local ski resort.
• Try Kendrick Mountain Trail; here is a Kendrick trail map and a link to a post and photo gallery my Arizona Travel co-blogger, Chrissy, wrote about her personal experience hiking Kendrick Mountain Trail.

I wish you good, safe hiking! Enjoy.

– ChristinaToo

It seems there is no end to questions about the different kinds of tours available to the Grand Canyon. Which – well, duh – of course there are lots of questions because there are three Rims (South, North and West,) four seasons, five major departure cities (Phoenix, Scottsdale, Flagstaff, Sedona and Las Vegas,) a half-dozen modes of transportation (car, bus, airplane, helicopter, train and boat,) about 242† things to do and optional add-ons once you get to the Canyon, approximately 1,373,891‡ combinations therein and 5,000,000 annual visitors who come to the Grand Canyon every year!

Today, we have a visitor who has selected from columns A, B, C and D of the impressive take-out menu of delights that is the Grand Canyon. A) West Rim B) Late Summer C) Las Vegas and D) Bus + Helicopter Combination Plate. But is that pu-pu platter of Grand Canyon delicacies even an available menu combo? Read on to find out.

†_{Completely arbitrary and facetious guess intended to be illustrative of a point}
‡_{Again, people, I write a blog, I’m not a statistician. This number is a figment, a Harvey. But you get the point.}

Dear Arizona Travel:

Hi, we are a group of 6 Australians visiting the Grand Canyon in September this year. We were wondering whether there is any company that provides Helicopter Tours that actually depart from the West Rim of the Canyon.
The reason being is that we would like to take a Coach to the West Rim and then have the options of a Helicopter Tour when we get there. Looking foward [sic] to you reply.

Sincere Thanks,

Anthony

Yes, Anthony, there are a handful tours that depart Las Vegas by coach/bus or van and take you to the West Rim, where you can board a helicopter and take it down to the Grand Canyon floor, enjoy lunch, sometimes an optional boat ride down the Colorado River, and a helicopter flight back up to the West Rim airport.

Every visitor to the West Rim, whether you drive yourself or take a coach from Las Vegas, is offered optional upgrade choices including: helicopter flight, boat rides on the Colorado River, horseback riding, and of course, a walk on the Grand Canyon Skywalk. I recommend tour packages offered by companies such as All Grand Canyon Tours, but basically the tours are all offered originally and operated by the Hualapai Tribe, who own and operate the West Rim exclusively. The advantage of going through a company like All Grand Canyon Tours is that you have an easy booking experience, a one-stop shop, transportation to and from the Rim included (the Hualapai do not offer transportation to and from Las Vegas) and pick up/drop off at your Las Vegas hotel. Additionally, a tour from a company such as I’ve suggested (other options are Viator, LookTours, and All Las Vegas Tours) is they often package up a quick tour of the Hoover Dam along the way, or Las Vegas show tickets and other add-ons.

Here are a few links to follow to browse and book these recommended tours:
Grand Canyon West Rim Tour, Helicopter to Canyon Floor & Colorado River Pontoon Boat Combo and optional Skywalk (Bus)
Grand Canyon West Rim Deluxe Bus Tour With Hoover Dam Stop and Optional Skywalk (Bus)
Grand Canyon Guided West Rim Tour with Optional Skywalk, Helicopter and Boat Ride (Van)

Thanks for your great question, Anthony. Enjoy your visit to the US.

– ChristinaToo

Dear Arizona Travel:

We are traveling from London 1 adult, 3 children- I do not want to drive. We would like to head for the Grand Canyon in late October -  maybe fly into Flagstaff and take the train. Then stay at a lodge, take a scenic flight and take the overnight mule trip. We then need to go back to Tucson where we plan to stay on a dude ranch. Can you help me build an itinerary?
Thanks,
Anne

Hi, Anne. I believe you’re in a position in which many potential Arizona visitors find themselves. It’s easy to misunderstand the geography of the area and be confounded by the array of available tours available at the Grand Canyon.  I’ll be honest and tell you that driving yourself yourself at least some of the trip is the most sensible way to go, but if you’re dead set against driving yourself, it’s not impossible to do it your way.

The Grand Canyon Railway does not depart Flagstaff; it leaves from Williams, which is 39 miles west of Flagstaff. Most people drive from Flagstaff to Williams, but you could take a taxi (try www.afriendlycab.com).  You can certainly stay in a lodge at the Grand Canyon rim, using the free shuttles to explore the South Rim itself, and take your scenic helicopter flight over the Grand Canyon from the South Rim area (flights depart from the airport near the Village of Tusayan. You’ll need a cab from the lodges at the Rim to go about 8 miles to the Grand Canyon airport helicopter pad for your flight.)

You will take the mule trip from the South Rim. Call Xanterra Parks & Resorts at (303) 297-2757 to reserve as soon as possible. Reservations can be made up to 13 months in advance and they fill up very, very quickly.

You may take the train back to Williams on a different day than your train trip up to the Grand Canyon rim, I believe up to 2 nights, 3 days between trips. If the Grand Canyon Railway folks give you the go ahead, note that the train goes back to Williams in the afternoon… just be sure to ask the mule trip folks if you’ll back back up at the Rim in time to catch the train back to Williams.

You’ll need to drive or take a cab back from Williams to Flagstaff and board your flight from Flagstaff, connecting through Phoenix to Tucson. As for transportation to the dude ranch in Tucson, I can only speculate that you’ll be able to take a cab from the airport to your final destination.

Thus, your itinerary might look something like this:

• Day 1:
  • Flight from (or connecting through) Phoenix to Flagstaff
  • Cab ride to Williams
  • Stay overnight in Williams (For your itinerary, I recommend the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel)
• Day 2:
  • Train ride up to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon
  • Explore Rim by shuttle and on foot
  • Cab ride to Grand Canyon Airport for a helicopter tour
  • Cab ride back to Grand Canyon Village at the Rim
  • Stay overnight in one of the Lodges (book up to 13 months in advance)
• Day 3:
  • Depart on Mule Trip from the South Rim
  • Stay overnight at Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the Canyon (book at least 13 months in advance)
• Day 4:
  • Return from the Mule Trip, back up the Rim
  • Take the afternoon train back to Williams
  • Cab ride to Flagstaff
  • Stay overnight in Flagstaff
• Day 5:
  • Flight from Flagstaff through Phoenix to Tucson
  • Cab ride to Dude Ranch (theoretically)

Hope this helps! Take care and enjoy this very full and exciting-sounding trip!

–ChristinaToo

Dear Arizona Travel:

We are coming with a school group on a mission trip and we were wondering if there is any where along the south rim where there may be free parking or where we could see the canyon at a reduced rate.  Thank you so much for your help.

Crystal R., Virginia

Hello, Crystal!

No. To get close to the South Rim, to any of the overlook areas, you must drive into the National Park and pay the entrance fee, which is $25 per private vehicle.

You see, the entrances to the park – at either the village of Tusayan to the south, or at Desert View to the east – which is where you pay the entrance fee, flank the boundaries of the National Park, and are located 5 and 30 miles from the Rim respectively, so any overlook spots, with parking lots and paths up to the Rim are within this boundary.  (There are no additional fees to park, by the way.)

You really can’t see anything until you get into the Park, park your car in one of the parking lots, and walk up to a 1/4 mile or so to the rim. The surrounding area is a forested plateau, so you can’t really see the Grand Canyon from the highway.

Because a picture is worth a thousand words, check out this street-level image from Google Maps of the entrance gate at Desert View:

View Grand Canyon South Rim East Entrance Gate (Desert View) in a larger map

… and here is the street-level view of the south entrance gate near Tusayan:


View Grand Canyon South Rim Entrance Gate in a larger map

Do you see how the trees and any slight elevation, such as an embankment on the side of the roads, dominate the horizon and naturally prevent you from seeing down into the Grand Canyon? You truly have to walk up to the edge of the Rim to look down into the chasm and across the views below the horizon.

I will tell you that the entrance fee is worth every penny and your school children will never forget the experience of seeing the Grand Canyon. Enjoy your visit!

PS: We wrote a similar post a couple years back… check out Dear Arizona Travel: Can you see the Grand Canyon from the highway?

–ChristinaToo

Dear Arizona Travel:
I am staying in Scottsdale in April. I want to go to Sedona, see Painted Desert, Grand Canyon, and some place that has black volcanic rock and petrified trees. I have 2 days, and want to spend 1 night and then return to Scottsdale. What’s a good plan?
Sheila O.

Hi, Sheila! First of all…. oooookaaaaaay. There’s no way you can do all of this in two days, but you can do most of it. Which is more important to you, the Grand Canyon or the Petrified Forest/Painted Desert? They’re opposite directions from Flagstaff, and equidistant at about ~170 miles each way. Either way, you’ll definitely be spending a lot of time in your car (about 12-15 hours of driving total). Be prepared to log ~600 miles and about 12 hours of driving and sightseeing one day, 8 hours the other. Be sure to fill up your car in Sedona or Flagstaff (both pricey areas for gas)… the National Park areas you’ll be visiting are REMOTE.

Here’s a sample itinerary for Option 1 – Sedona / Petrified Forest / Painted Desert / Sunset Volcano and links to a maps and helpful National Park Service websites.

Day 1 early morning: Drive to Sedona (90 – 120 minutes, 125 miles.)
Day 1 morning: Stop in Sedona for a bit, walk around Uptown Sedona.
Day 1 morning: Continue up AZ-89 up Oak Creek Canyon toward Flagstaff. (40 minutes from Sedona to Flagstaff)
Day 1 mid-day: Drive east of Flagstaff on I-40 toward Painted Desert / Petrified Forest National Park (3 hours, 168 miles)
Day 1 evening/night: return to Flagstaff for an overnight. The Park closes at 5pm in winter…. not sure if they’ll be on Spring/Summer hours yet or not. See Flagstaff.com for Flagstaff hotel options. (Return 3 hours, 168 miles)
Day 2 early morning: Head north of Flagstaff on AZ-89 toward Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument – this is where you’ll have volcanic rock. (2 hours, 115 miles)
Day 2 midday: Return to Flagstaff for lunch (2 hours, 115 miles.)
Day 2 evening: Return to Scottsdale (2 hours, 140 miles.)

Here are links to some terrific information:
Petrified Forest
Sunset Crater
Painted Desert
Google Map for this custom itinerary

Day 1 early morning: Drive to Sedona (90 – 120 minutes, 125 miles.)
Day 1 morning: Stop in Sedona for a bit, walk around Uptown Sedona.
Day 1 morning: Continue up AZ-89 up Oak Creek Canyon toward Flagstaff. (40 minutes from Sedona to Flagstaff)
Day 1 mid-day: Drive north of Flagstaff on AZ 89 toward Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument – this is where you’ll have volcanic rock. (2 hours, 115 miles)
Day 1 evening/night: return to Flagstaff for an overnight. (return 2 hours, 115 miles)
Day 2 early morning: Head northwest of Flagstaff on Us 180 toward Grand Canyon National Park (100 minutes, 80 miles)
Day 2 late afternoon: Return to Flagstaff (100 minutes, 80 miles)
Day 2 evening: Return to Scottsdale (2 hours, 140 miles)

Here are some resources and links:
Grand Canyon
Google Map for this custom itinerary

Good luck! Let us know which itinerary you choose and feel free to send us pictures of you climbing on volcanic rocks!

– ChristinaToo