A Family Trip to the Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon is a gorge of the Colorado River that is often considered one of the Wonders of the World.  The mile deep canyon was carved by the Colorado River over the past 6 million years as rugged plateaus have been cut into the rock.  Grand Canyon National Park‘s magnitude is astounding, and pictures cannot capture its breathtaking proportions or the beauty of the fine details and shadows.  Even on my fourth visit, I was giddy with excitement for that first peek over the rim. We all loved our family trip to the Grand Canyon.

Lightning over the Grand Canyon

Why Visit the Grand Canyon With Kids?

In February 2015, Phoenix hosted the Super Bowl, which highlighted the Grand Canyon.  My son, who had recently learned about canyons in his first grade classroom asked me, “When are you going to take me to the Grand Canyon?”  The fact that my husband and I visited while I was pregnant with him and that he technically had been there was no consolation.  I promised him I would take him someday.  Someday turned out to be much sooner than expected when we happened to find a flight deal as part of Spirit Airlines‘ expansion into the Cleveland market to Las Vegas with perfect timings overlapping our kids’ upcoming Presidents’ Day holiday.  The Grand Canyon was definitely a bucket list location for my inlaws, who immediately wanted to join us.  We decided not only to book a trip only two weeks in advance, but to keep the destination a surprise for our four and seven year old boys.  We had no concerns about how our six month old, who was already a seasoned traveler, would handle her first red-eye flight and also added on a few days in Sedona.

Visiting the Grand Canyon when I was six months pregnant with our first son

My seven year old had only two guesses for the location of our mystery trip – 1. Disney World and 2. the Grand Canyon.  He was certainly ecstatic when we told him at the airport that we were headed first to Las Vegas for a few days and then to Arizona to see the Grand Canyon.  It was our first time flying on Spirit Airlines, which requires additional fees for checked and carry on luggage.  Our family of five was able to pack all the layers and gear we needed for a wide range of temperatures into one large suitcase and had an easy flight to Las Vegas before driving to the Grand Canyon a few days later.

Visiting the Grand Canyon 

Within Grand Canyon National Park, there are two rims, which may be only a maximum of 18 miles apart, but traveling from one rim to the other takes over 200 miles by car or a really long and treacherous hike through the Canyon.  We visited the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.  The South Rim is open year around and far more developed than the North Rim, which is open only from May 15 to October 15 each year when it offers restaurants, accommodations and a campground.  We wanted to visit Grand Canyon National Park rather than the Skywalk, which is located about 2.5 hours from Las Vegas and drove about 4.5 hours to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon after three nights in Las Vegas.  We were not able to find accommodation inside the Grand Canyon National Park for this last-minute trip and booked one night at the Grand Hotel, which was located in Tusayan about one mile from the South Entrance.  The Grand Hotel had a felt like a lodge and features comfortable rooms and a heated swimming pool.

We were all thrilled to see the canyon.  My son’s immediate reaction was that the Grand Canyon was much wider than he expected but not as deep.  Because we visited during the off-season, we were able to drive along Hermit Road to each of the vistas.  This seven-mile road is closed to private vehicles from March through November when it is serviced by a shuttle bus.  While my husband and I used the shuttle bus during our October 2007 visit, the flexibility of driving our own cars with our large group during the off-season was certainly helpful.  Because we were visiting the Grand Canyon in February, there was a risk of snow, but we totally lucked out with good weather and avoiding crowds.  Here are five fun Grand Canyon activities for families:

#1: Grand Canyon Rim Trails

Hiking along the Rim Walk on the South Rim is a fabulous way to explore Grand Canyon National Park without the treacherous descent to the floor of the Canyon.  I had previously taken a few hour hike about halfway into the Grand Canyon and then back up while visiting the North Rim in 2002, but that wasn’t something I wanted to attempt while pregnant or with kids.  The entire Rim Walk follows along the Canyon along for about 13 miles on mostly paved trails.  The hike from Hermit’s Rest to Grand Canyon Village is about eight miles.

Enjoying the view from the Rim Walk

When the shuttle operates along Hermit Road from March to November, it is easy to hike from one shuttle stop to the next along the Rim and then pick up the shuttle.  The Hermit Road Greenway Trail is even suitable for biking.  My husband and I enjoyed some of these hikes during our “babymoon”.   Traveling with a group of eight including two grandparents, two young kids and an infant, we chose to limit our hiking to the paved path of the Rim Walk around Grand Canyon Village.  This stroller-accessible hike offers spectacular views, which we regularly stopped to enjoy.  Next time, we hope to try some more adventurous but easy hikes, including Shoshone Point.

The trails into the Grand Canyon have many switchbacks

• Rim Walk Facts:  Much of the Rim Walk follows the 1912 alignment of Hermit Road.
• Rim Walk Caution:  It is necessary to keep a close eye on young kids anywhere near the rim of the Grand Canyon.  The barriers are definitely not child proof.  It may seem extremely dangerous, but have only been 53 fall fatalities between the mid-1800s and 2015.

#2: Sunset at the Grand Canyon’s Hopi Point

Watching sunrise and sunset at the Grand Canyon’s Hopi Point is definitely a must-do.  It’s amazing that the sun rises and sets so brilliantly every day, but we only seem to appreciate it when we are traveling.  The sun makes truly exceptional entrances and exits at the Grand Canyon as the colors and shadows constantly change.  Even after spending most of the day exploring the various viewpoints, watching the sunset is definitely a highlight.  Hopi Point is the most popular west-end vista for sunset views because of its unobstructed views of the western canyon.

Hopi Point offers a view of the Colorado River.  Seeing the creator of this canyon masterpiece was a particular treat.

• Hopi Point Facts:  Hopi Point is named for the Native American Hopi tribe of Northeastern Arizona.

#3:  Sunrise at the Grand Canyon’s Grandview Point 

Grandview Point offers an amazing sunrise view but requires a bit of a hike as it is located 12 miles east of Grand Canyon Village along Desert View Drive.  Waking up early enough to catch the sunrise may be more challenging with kids, but we used the fact that our kids had not fully adjusted to the time change to our advantage.  We were prepared for chilly temperatures with winter coats, hats and gloves.  This is a heavily wooded area, and our boys enjoyed climbing some low trees while waiting for the sun to make its appearance.

• Grandview Point Facts:  The Spanish are believed to have first seen the Grand Canyon from Grandview Point.  The original canyon lodge was originally at here as well.

#4:  Eating at the Grand Canyon’s El Tovar Dining Room With Kids

The El Tovar is a historic hotel that sits on the edge of the Grand Canyon.  El Tovar was designed by Charles Whittlesey, a famous southwest architect, and looks like a Swiss chalet from the exterior and a log-house on the interior.  We had an amazing lunch at the El Tovar Dining Room on Valentine’s Day.  While our group was strolling along the Rim Walk, I sped ahead of the our group to arrive before the restaurant opened for lunch service.  I gladly accepted the separate dining room that I was offered, which was perfect for our party of eight. We all enjoyed our lunch and made sure to sit on the front porch afterwards to take in the view.

• El Tovar Facts:  El Tovar opened in 1905 before the area was designated as a protected national park and has been a National Historic Monument since 1987.

#5:  Participating in the Grand Canyon’s Junior Ranger Program

Like most National Parks, Grand Canyon offers a Junior Ranger program for its young visitors.  Our boys had previously earned Junior Ranger badges at Yosemite National Park and were excited to participate again. We picked up South Rim Junior Ranger Activity Book, and they each completed their age-appropriate activities.  Then, we attended a ranger-led program, and the two of them took the Junior Ranger pledge and earned their badges at the edge of the Grand Canyon.

We discovered lots of fossils on our ranger-led program

• Junior Ranger Facts:  The Junior Ranger motto is “Explore, Learn, and Protect!”  The Junior Ranger Pledge is, “As a Junior Ranger, I promise to teach others about what I learned today, explore other parks and historic sites, and help preserve and protect those places so future generations can enjoy them.”

As part of the Every Kid in a Park program, all fourth grade students in the US can receive a free pass to visit all federal lands and water with their families, including National Parks, for one year.  My little guy who inspired this trip three years go just received his, and we can’t wait to put it to use.

Grand Canyon National Park with kids is definitely bucket-list worthy for any family.  With easy trails and the Junior Ranger program, we found Grand Canyon kid-friendly.  It’s likely to be a destination that requires more than a “once in a lifetime” visit.  When traveling to the area, make sure to check out our other favorite Arizona and Nevada destinations.