Grand Canyon National Park Quick Guide


The Grand Canyon is one of the most beautiful places we have ever seen.  Pictures truly do not do justice to the magnificence and vastness of the Grand Canyon. It is definitely a must see in-person experience.  This park holds a special place in our hearts as we got engaged while hiking on the South Kaibab Trail.  We recommend spending 2-3 days here, depending on how much hiking you want to do.  Here is our quick guide on Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona.

Grand Canyon National Park

FYI: This post was written based on a trip taken in mid-March

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. That means that, at no cost to you, we may get a small commission if you purchase through these links. This helps us keep providing travel resources for you!


What to do in Grand Canyon National Park


South Kaibab Trail

South Kaibab Trail, Grand Canyon National Park

This hike affords gorgeous views of the canyon the entire trail.  Beware though, it may be an easy hike into the canyon but the climb back up is very steep. 

Skeleton Point, Grand Canyon National Park

We hiked down into the Canyon, just beyond Skeleton Point (where we got engaged) before turning around.  Our hike totaled approximately 6 miles with about 2,000 feet of elevation gain on the way up. You could easily shorten this day hike to any length you felt appropriate for your fitness level. 

South Kaibab Trail PDF

Looking for great hiking boots?  Here are links to the ones we’ve used for 7+ years and highly recommend: Men’s Keen Waterproof Hiking Boots & Women’s Keen Waterproof Hiking Boots


Bright Angel Trail

Bright Angel Trail, Grand Canyon National Park

This hike offers further astounding views of the Canyon.  Again, beware that the hike back out of the Grand Canyon is harder than the descent into the canyon.  

We hiked to Indian Garden.  Our hike totaled approximately 9 miles total with about 3,000 feet of elevation gain on the way up.  Again, this hike is easily shortened. 

Bright Angel Trail PDF


Helicopter Ride 

We did not do this, we felt we saw enough of the canyon hiking. However, we have friends who have done helicopter tours and they rave about it.  If you are short on time and cannot hike as much, this might be a great way to see more of the canyon. 

We only visited the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.  If you are looking to extend your trip, you may consider visiting the North Rim but we’d recommend planning on at least a week trip in that case. 

If you are visiting the North Rim, consider also visiting Horseshoe Bend in Page, Arizona. Please see Epic 10 Day Utah National Parks/Southwest Road Trip for more information on this location. Another option, if you are feeling physically ambitious, is to backpack and hike rim to rim.  


Tip on Weather: The amount of daily hiking you can complete will be dependent on your conditioning but also the time of year you visit. We visited in March when the weather was much cooler and dehydration is much less of a concern. Expect more challenging hiking if you visit in the hot summer months.


What/where to eat in Grand Canyon National Park


Cameron Trading Post and Motel Restaurant 

Here, you can order traditional Navajo tacos and we’d highly recommend this unique, as well as delicious, menu item.  A Navajo taco is basically a traditional Mexican taco but served on fry bread. Calories don’t count when you are doing a hiking trip right?


Restaurants Inside the Park

There were about 5 different restaurants on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.  We ate at two below:

Maswik Food Court: A casual place to get breakfast, lunch or dinner. This location is the most economical place to get a hot meal, and we ate both breakfast as well as lunch here one day. Certainly nothing fancy but it was nice to be able to get some fresh food after hiking. 

Arizona Steak House Engagement Dinner

Arizona Steak House: Go here for a more elegant dining experience, located on the rim of the canyon near the Bright Angel Trailhead. We ate here to celebrate our engagement and were not disappointed with our food or views of the Grand Canyon.  

Grand Canyon National Park Restaurants


Where to stay in Grand Canyon National Park


Cameron Trading Post and Motel 

Views Outside Our Room at the Cameron Trading Post Motel

Located 30 minutes from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park, this accommodation is a perfect place to stay before your first day in the park. If you are arriving at the Grand Canyon from Phoenix or anywhere else south of the park, it will help break up your drive.  The next day, we were able to get an early start to head into the park.  The restaurant here, as noted above, is excellent.  The trading post has a large gift shop that was fun to explore as it has an extensive array of traditional Navajo art and items. 

Cameron Trading Post


Accommodations in the park

Although a bit more pricey than staying outside of the park, staying within the park is the best way to get an early start on hiking and exploring in the park.

We stayed at the Thunderbird Lodge but there are several different options on the South Rim.  

Tip: Make sure to make reservations early as accommodation options are limited and fill up months is advance.

Grand Canyon Lodging


We hope this post helps you plan your trip to the Grand Canyon.  Consider heading south and visiting Sedona, Arizona as well (see Sedona, Arizona Quick Guide for all our tips).

Anything else you’d add to our guide on visiting Grand Canyon National Park?  We’d love to hear your feedback and questions.  Please send leave us a comment!

And remember, Always Have A Trip Planned!


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Sedona, Arizona Quick Guide


Red Rocks State Park

Sedona, Arizona is well-known for its phenomenal hiking trails in Red Rock State Park as well sacred, powerful and healing vortexes. These vortexes have largely influenced the culture of Sedona that is strongly centered on being connected with the earth and alternative healing. We recommend spending 2-3 days here, depending on how much hiking you want to do.  Here is our quick guide on Sedona, Arizona.

FYI: This post was written based on a trip taken in mid-March

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. That means that, at no cost to you, we may get a small commission if you purchase through these links. This helps us keep providing travel resources for you!


What to do in Sedona


Hike Trails in Red Rock State Park

We’d recommend doing several hikes while here. There are hikes available of all different elevation gains and lengths.  We did 2 shorter hikes every morning and loved having a picturesque morning workout followed by a day of exploring this fun, eclectic town. 

Several of these trails lead to Vortexes. Vortexes are thought to be natural centers of energy that aid with healing, meditation and inspiration.  We hiked to two of the most famous of these vortexes–Bell Rock and Cathedral Rock.

Bell Rock: We hiked the Lower and Upper Bell Rock trail.  If you are up for a challenge, you can climb a bit further to the ascent.

Bell Rock, Sedona, Arizona

Cathedral Rock: This is a less than one mile but is a very steep hike. 

Cathedral Rock, Sedona, Arizona

Red Rocks State Park Website

Looking for great hiking boots?  Here are links to the ones we’ve used for 7+ years and highly recommend: Men’s Keen Waterproof Hiking Boots & Women’s Keen Waterproof Hiking Boots


Sedona Farmers Market

We stumbled upon this farmer market and we were glad we did. We always love a good local farmer’s market and this one was overflowing with its Sedona flare.  

Sedona Farmers Market


Chapel of the Holy Cross

Chapel of the Holy Cross, Sedona, Arizona

This church is built atop the red rocks with stunning views of Red Rocks State Park.  We also liked visiting this location because you are able to peek at some of the impressive mansions built in the red rocks below the church.  

Chapel of the Holy Cross Website


Explore shops in the downtown area

There are many different shops in downtown Sedona where the metaphysical movement is well reflected.  We had fun exploring these shops for several hours. 


Bonus: Hot Air Balloon Ride 

We did not do take a hot air balloon ride but think Sedona would be a perfect place to take a hot air balloon ride with the beautiful scenery.  Definitely something to consider, especially if you are traveling to celebrate a special occasion. 


What/where to eat in Sedona


There are plenty of food options in Sedona.  We had delicious pizza, BBQ and Thai food while here.  You can really get anything you are craving and we’d recommend trying out whatever your heart desires. 

Visit Sedona Website


Where to stay in Sedona


There are some really cool accomodations in the area with astounding views of Red Rocks State Park.  If your budget allows for it and you plan on spending a lot of time at your accommodations, the extra cost of these may be worth it. 

We stayed in a Hotwire hotel so we had budget accommodations. As we spent most of our day hiking and exploring the town, this was the right option for us but you may consider staying at a more scenic spot.  


Tip: We use Hotwire frequently when we plan on spending less money and less time at a hotel.  We have used this website 20+ times and only had one bad experience at a 2 star hotel.  Once we actually scored a beachfront property in San Diego (coming soon…see San Diego, California Quick Guide Post) for less than $100 per night.  As long as you book 3 star or above hotels, we think you should always be satisfied with your experience.  (Coming soon…see How to Book Accommodations for a Trip post) 


We hope this post helps you plan your trip to Sedona, Arizona.  Consider going a little further north and checking out Grand Canyon National Park while you are in Sedona as well (see Grand Canyon National Park Quick Guide for all our tips).

Anything else you’d add to our guide?  We’d love to hear your feedback and questions. Please leave us a comment.

And remember, Always Have A Trip Planned!


Did you find this post helpful? If so, please share it with a friend, like our Always Have a Trip Planned Facebook Page, follow our Always Have A Trip Planned Instagram and subscribe to our emails below.

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