In this Grand Canyon Weekend Trip guide, I will share where to stay near the Grand Canyon for a trip to the South Rim, what to pack for a trip to the Grand Canyon, and our detailed weekend trip itinerary with tons of tips and what we learned from our experience.

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Along with a full day and a half exploring the Grand Canyon, our itinerary also included stops at Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend. This itinerary is the perfect way to explore Arizona’s top natural wonders in a weekend.

As you probably know by now, Peter and I love hiking and enjoying the beauty of our National Parks. To name a few, we’ve recently been to Joshua Tree National Park, Yosemite National Park, and Zion National Park a couple of times now. But I had yet to visit one of America’s most famous, one of the natural wonders of the world: Grand Canyon National Park. This was my first time visiting the Grand Canyon. And now I can say, it is indeed “Grand”.

The Grand Canyon was so grand in fact that it was almost unbelievable, like some painted backdrop from an old TV series. It was unfathomable to me. Whether it was because of the distance to the opposite rim (which is an average of 10 miles wide), or the tiny river I could only just make out below (the Grand Canyon is a mile deep), I don’t think it ever really fully hit me as being real.

I believe that everyone should visit the Grand Canyon at least once in their lifetime to experience this unimaginable landscape. May this blog post assist you in doing that!

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you make a purchase through one of these links we will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you, helping to fund our future travels. For more information, read our Disclosures page.

Where to stay near the Grand Canyon

Here is a list of options of where to stay near the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. These are the very same options that I researched for our own weekend trip to the Grand Canyon, but most of which were already booked because we didn’t plan the trip far enough in advance.

Note: Star ratings for hotels are according to Google’s star ranking.

Lodging inside the park

Lodging inside the park is the most convenient, though it comes at a higher price and is highly sought after. Whether you get a hotel or a camping site, make sure to book long in advance. The lodging inside the National Park sells out quickly. Especially if you’re planning your weekend trip to the Grand Canyon over a holiday weekend! Try to book 6 months in advance.

Hotels

3-star: El Tovar Hotel
2-star: Yavapai Lodge, Maswik Lodge, Kachina Lodge
1-star: Bright Angel Lodge, Thunderbird Lodge

Camping

Mather Campground, Trailer Village RV Park, Desert View Campground (first come, first served)

Lodging outside the park

Booking lodging outside of the park will require a drive to get into the park each day but will offer more options. The small town of Tusayan is only 7 miles south of the Grand Canyon Village. The further from the Grand Canyon you get, the cheaper accommodation you will be likely to find.

Hotels in Tusayan

4-star: Best Western Premier Grand Canyon Squire Inn
3-star: The Grand Hotel at the Grand Canyon, Grand Canyon Plaza Hotel, Holiday Inn Express
2-star: Red Feather Lodge

Hotels in Valle

3-star: Dumplin Patch Bed & Breakfast
2-star: Grand Canyon Inn and Motel (where we stayed)
Glamping: Under Canvas Grand Canyon

Camping vs. Hotel

Camping at the Grand Canyon gives you a more in-depth experience of the park, closer to nature night and day. It can also be much cheaper than staying at a hotel. Especially if you pack food and cook some of your own meals over the campfire. Camping is also a lot of fun! Talk about an excuse to make some s’mores. Next time we visit the Grand Canyon we are hoping to try camping inside the park at the Mather Campground.

Of course, the question of camping vs. hotel all depends on your travel style and priorities for your weekend trip. We decided we wanted the convenience of a hotel so we wouldn’t have to spend any of our limited time setting up a tent, etc. We also considered that after a long day of hiking, a comfortable mattress to sleep on might allow us to recover better and be refreshed and ready to start the next day. Not to mention that all of the camping sites at the park were already sold out by the time we went to book…

Tip: The National Parks’ onsite camping sites sell out quickly, so book far in advance! A general rule of thumb I’ve heard for all National Park campgrounds is to try to book 6 months in advance.

Where we stayed

For our weekend trip to the Grand Canyon, we stayed at the Grand Canyon Inn & Motel in Valle, Arizona. It’s about a 40-minute drive north to the Grand Canyon Visitor Center at the start of the National Park. It was a nice, “ma and pa” establishment with a lot of charm. Much more interesting than staying at one of your standard, big name hotels.

Best of all: it was much cheaper than anything we could have booked inside the park. And it was conveniently located next to a gas station, and across the road is the strange Flintstone’s Park.

The Grand Canyon Inn has an attached restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner as well as a cocktail lounge. On our final morning before our drive home, we got breakfast at the hotel and it was delicious. Nothing beats a classic, diner-style breakfast.

Book your stay: Grand Canyon Inn & Motel on Hotels.com

What to pack for a trip to the Grand Canyon

Here are my general recommendations on what to pack for a trip to the Grand Canyon. Especially for a first-time visitor like us just doing some moderate difficulty hiking and sightseeing. If you plan on doing more intense hiking or pack-in, pack-out overnight hikes, you’ll need to supplement this list with your specific needs.

You can see my full list of travel gear as well as my camera equipment over on the Gear page.

What season you visit

Your clothing and gear will vary depending on what time of year you visit. Of course, if you’re going in the dead of winter or anything crazy like that this list would have to be modified with warmer apparel suitable for hiking, crampons, and hiking poles.

Temperatures vary a lot at the Grand Canyon

Our weekend trip was near the end of May, and the weather was very finicky. During the day the temperatures were in the low 70s and high 60s (Fahrenheit), while at night they dropped to the 40s. This meant on the days we stayed out to watch the sunset we had to be prepared for both. And on our hike down into the canyon, there was at least a 10-15 degree difference from the top of the canyon to the bottom.

On our final day, during the start of our drive back home, it actually snowed! The temperature dropped to 33 degrees Fahrenheit (about 0.5° Celsius) and the canyon got a blanket of snow. But after a couple of hours of driving to a lower elevation, the temperatures climbed to 80°F (about 27°C). We were lucky that this snow storm didn’t happen during one of the main days of our weekend trip, but just so you know the weather can be somewhat unpredictable thanks to the high elevation of the Grand Canyon.

Clothing – Bring layers

Here is a general list of what clothing to pack for your trip to the Grand Canyon. I recommend bringing layers to prepare for the varying temperatures. For a weekend trip, you only really need 1-2 sets of hiking clothing and, if you’re anything like me, 1 cute outfit for the times you’re not hiking.

Light athletic jacket
Breathable top
Athletic pants
Athletic shorts (if you’re visiting in the summer)
Light gloves (if you’re visiting in the cooler months, we brought them and they came in handy for sunset and at night when temperatures dropped)
2-4 pairs of thick, tall socks (I layer 2 pairs each day to avoid blisters)
Cute outfit for pictures (for Day 2 where there are no difficult hikes)
PJs, undies, etc. Duh!

Hiking Essentials

Hiking Boots

A quality pair of hiking boots will lock your ankles in place and provide awesome grip to help you climb the steep inclines with ease. Peter and I both have the Oboz Bridger boots.

Hiking Bag

A good, comfortable hiking bag is important to carry your water, snacks, sunscreen, phone, and extra clothing, and camera gear. I use the Osprey Daylite Plus hiking bag, which has a specific pocket and clip designed to fit the Osprey water reservoir too.

Water

Bring lots of water. I recommend a water bladder that fits into your hiking bag for easy access to water throughout the hike without having to stop. We have a 2.5lt Osprey Hydraulics reservoir.

Sunscreen

Remember to bring sunscreen since you’ll be outside all day. Especially if you burn easily like my and Peter. My favorite sunscreen is COSRX Aloe Soothing Sun Cream SPF50 because it goes on light like lotion, without those dreaded white streaks.

Sunglasses / Hat

Keep the sun out of your eyes with some polarized sunglasses and maybe even a hat. I brought my Sloggers Wide Brim hat and it was perfect. Peter wore a baseball cap.

Snacks

Make sure to bring some snacks to keep your energy up. Talking to a park ranger, they specifically recommended having salty snacks. We packed Goldfish, Turkey jerky, and Clif bars.

First Aid Kit

You can get a small first aid kit that will fit in your bag (like this mini Coleman First Aid Kit), or DIY one with items around the house. We brought tons of Bandaids, just in case of blisters. It’s good to have some antiseptic like Neosporin and maybe some Advil or Tylenol too.

Day 1: Hiking in the Grand Canyon, Sunset at Powell Point

Our first full day at the Grand Canyon! We woke up bright and early at 6:30am to make the most of our day and to get ahead of the inevitable crowds due to the holiday weekend. Along the drive from our hotel in Valle to the Grand Canyon National Park entrance about 40 minutes away, we stopped at the McDonalds in Tusayan for a quick breakfast and coffee.

Admission Fee to the Grand Canyon

At the entrance to the park, you’ll need to pay the admission fee or present your Annual Park Pass. Admission is $35 for one vehicle, $30 for a motorcycle, and $20 for an individual on a bicycle or walking in. Peter and I have the “America the Beautiful” pass that costs $80 for a year for entrance to all National Parks and Federal Lands. Well worth the money if you’re planning on visiting a few National Parks within a year.

Check the Fees & Passes page on the Grand Canyon NPS website for current prices and information.

Vistor Center

First stop of the day: the Grand Canyon Visitor Center. Whenever we first get to a National Park, or any park for that matter, we like to stop at the visitor center to get a lay of the land and talk to the park rangers for recommendations.

Plan Your Hikes

During our planning for this trip, we had determined that we would have time for one full-day hike. We were stuck between doing a portion of either the Grandview Trail or the Hermit Trail. After discussing it with a park ranger, we quickly learned that the Grandview Trail would be much more difficult and as we were hiking with a friend who is new to hiking (she just bought her own pair of Oboz Bridger boots and was breaking them in on this trip), we decided against it.

Another Option: Bright Angel Trail

Another very popular trail that you may consider for your own trip to the Grand Canyon is the Bright Angel Trail. The entire trail is 17.7 miles, but you can make it as easy or difficult as you would like. There are many different rest houses along the trail at various mile markers such as 1.5 Mile and 3 Miles that most people opt for as their endpoint before turning around. Check out the NPS Day Hike Bright Angel Trail guide for more information.

The reason we didn’t consider the Bright Angel Trail and were instead contemplating between the Grandview and Hermit trails was that it is perhaps the most popular hike at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. And as our weekend trip was during a holiday weekend (Memorial Day) it was sure to be even more busy and crowded. After doing our research, we learned that these other trails would be just as beautiful and rewarding but with less of the crowds.

The Bright Angel Trail begins right beside the Visitor Center. Its convenient access is probably another reason it’s so popular. The other two trails require some driving or riding a shuttle bus to get to their trailheads.

Shuttle Buses

From the Visitor Center, we hopped on one of the free Grand Canyon shuttle buses, riding the Blue Route to the Hermit’s Rest Transfer where we then took the Red Route to the end. It was about a 45min trip. Along the way, we had plenty of amazing views of the canyon from our window as well as a couple stops for elk crossing!

Check out all of the South Rim shuttle bus routes on the Grand Canyon NPS Shuttle Bus page.

Hiking Hermit Trail

Hermit Trail Day Hike

The Hermit Trail is a 15.4 mile, out and back trail that takes hikers into the canyon down to the Colorado River. For a Hermit Trail day hike, you can pick one of the points along the trail as your final destination before heading back. This way you can tailor the hike to suit your desired distance and available time. Check out this NPS Day Hiking Hermit Trail guide which includes a list of destinations with time and distance mapped out. It’s actually the same guide that the park ranger at the Visitor Center gave to us.

Hiking Down The Canyon

Before embarking on our hike, we chose Santa Maria Spring (2.5 miles in with an estimated roundtrip time of 4-6 hours) as our endpoint. With gravity on our side, hiking down wasn’t too draining. The constant pressure on my knees did eventually start to hurt though and I could see how a pair of hiking poles would have come in handy!

In what felt like no time we were on level ground at the bottom of the side canyon. From there, a little more hiking down, around a corner, and we were beginning our way along the inside of the canyon toward the Colorado River. Once we reached Santa Maria Spring – a little spring of untreated natural water beside a shaded rest shack – we left the main trail and found a nice rocky outcropping to have our lunch of granola bars and nuts.

Normally on a hike, you’re going up and earn yourself an incredible view at the endpoint or summit. It felt a little counterintuitive to be moving down into this side canyon away from the grandeur at the top of the Grand Canyon. I do think when we get the chance to return, making the entire hike to the Colorado River would provide this sort of reward. Nonetheless, the view from the Santa Maria Spring rest stop, peaking around the corner into the main portion of the Grand Canyon, was stunning.

The Hike Back Up

From Santa Maria Spring we turned back towards the trail from which we had come. We made our way around the inside of the canyon wall and through the flat oasis of the side canyon. But that was the easy part. Now we had to hike back up the side of the canyon, some 1,680 feet of elevation change completed over steep switchbacks.

Hiking down was certainly easier than going back up. The rocky steps of the trail before us were like a StairMaster on steroids. Soon enough, we were out of breath and our thighs and calves were burning. Every few switchbacks, we stopped to sit and catch our breath. Especially for our friend that wasn’t used to such strenuous hiking, the stops were necessary. Peter used a mixture of bullying, bribery, and encouragement to get her through the entire hike. (Proud of you, Melina!)

Eventually, with heaving breath, we reached the top. We completed the entire roundtrip hike to Santa Maria Spring in 4.5 hours. Not too shabby!

Hermit’s Rest Snack Bar

To celebrate our ascent, we stopped into the Hermit’s Rest Snack Bar at the beginning of the trailhead for some ice cream. Peter had a chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich and I had a chocolate-covered Häagen-Dazs ice cream bar. Yumm. From the patio of the cafe, we had a wonderful view of the area we had just conquered while enjoying our ice cream.

It was time to catch the bus back into the Grand Canyon Village for some real food. And maybe a beer. The 45-minute bus ride gave us the chance to rest our tired feet.

Where to eat in the Grand Canyon Village

After our long hike, we were starving (ignore the ice cream that we had just eaten). A quick search made it clear that our only sit-down food options in the Grand Canyon Village area, so we wouldn’t have to drive to a nearby town and back in time for sunset, were pretty much at the lodges. I might be missing something, but below are all of the dining options I could find in the Grand Canyon Village.

Canyon views, higher prices: Arizona Room (Bright Angel Lodge), El Tovar Dining Room (El Tovar Hotel), probably should make reservations ahead of time for these
Mid-Range: Yavapai Tavern (Yavapai Lodge), Harvey House Café (Bright Angel Lodge)
Cafeteria Dining: Yavapai Restaurant (Yavapai Lodge), Maswik Food Court (Maswik Lodge)

Another cheaper option would be to grab some snacks from the Canyon Village Market and have a picnic at one of the overlooks. But since we brought our own snacks for our lunches, this would be our only meal at the Grand Canyon during our weekend trip and we wanted to treat ourselves.

Dinner at Yavapai Tavern

For our dinner, we chose to eat at the Yavapai Tavern. Mostly because we wanted good food and a local craft beer at a nice sit-down environment. Not to be confused with the main Yavapai Lodge Restaurant, which is more of a cafeteria style, casual eatery with tons of food options.

The Yavapai Tavern has a relaxed but hip setting and an outdoor patio, where we ended up sitting. There are even some lawn games outside for patrons to enjoy. The tavern offers your standard bar fare with some Arizona flair (such as Bison Sliders). I was happy with our decision to eat here for our one meal in the Grand Canyon. High-quality and fun, but didn’t break the bank.

Grand Canyon Village Market

Fully recuperated from dinner, we made the short walk from Yavapai Lodge to the Canyon Village Market. The market is a general store and deli selling tons of nice Grand Canyon souvenirs, camping and hiking supplies, and groceries.

I picked up a set of postcards and a Grand Canyon emblazoned hoodie sweatshirt – it was chillier at the Grand Canyon than I had anticipated and it would only be getting colder! We also bought some snacks to enjoy while we watched the sunset. For those that may be wondering, unlike our experience in Yosemite, we were told that drinking inside the Grand Canyon National Park is not allowed. They probably don’t want anyone drinking too much and falling into the canyon. Fair enough.

Watching the sunset at Powell Point

That morning during our stop at the Visitor Center, we had asked the park ranger where she recommended going to watch the sunset over the Grand Canyon. She told us to go to Powell Point and find a spot between Powell Point and the nearby Hopi Point to sit and watch. You can get to Powell Point on the Red Route of the free Grand Canyon shuttle bus system.

It was really busy

During the crowded bus ride to Powell Point and upon arrival, it was clear that we weren’t the only ones who had the bright idea to come here for sunset. The entire area including and between Powell Point and Hobi Point was busy. To be completely fair, we were visiting the Grand Canyon during a holiday weekend and everything was much more crowded than usual. Visiting during any standard weekend would likely be less crazy.

Get there early to secure a spot

Come early to secure a good spot. If you’re planning on sitting and enjoying the view like us, look for a spot where no one can walk in front of you.

Our initial spot had some walking room in front of us because we didn’t want to sit directly on the edge of the canyon, but for the duration of time we were there, people were constantly walking through to get a picture. At one point there was a line of people right next to us waiting for a picture (I’m talking there was a butt a few inches from my face). Some people don’t have spacial awareness or courtesy so don’t set yourself up for this.

Safety First

We hadn’t sat directly on the ledge in front of us for a reason – it was a rock overhanging the canyon and didn’t really seem safe to be right on the edge of. But we had to watch group after group sit and hang their legs over the side for a picture. It was nerve-wracking. I’m amazed no one fell. It put me in a bad mood and was ruining my experience before we decided to move.

Pick a spot where no one can walk in front of you but is still a safe distance from the edge. After realizing the faults of our first spot, we moved to an area off the path by a tree. There was some brush that blocked anyone from walking directly in front of us but didn’t obscure our view.

Alternatively, stake out a spot along the railing at one of the overlooks. There, no one can block your view, but you’ll have to stand for the entirety of sunset and if it’s a busy weekend like ours was, you’ll likely be very crowded.

Our Plan For Sunset Next Time

Next time we’re at the Grand Canyon for sunset, we decided we would drive to one of the overlooks further away that aren’t reachable by the free shuttle bus system. If you have a car, driving 30min to the East and stopping at one of the many other overlooks between the Grand Canyon Village and the Desert View overlook would provide just as beautiful of views. And because it isn’t quite as easily accessible, they surely wouldn’t be as busy.

We thought of this on our second day at the Grand Canyon during our drive to see the Desert View Watchtower. There were SO many designated overlooks and even just simple car pull-off areas where one could go to watch the sunset in a more peaceful setting.

Watching the Sunset Over the Grand Canyon

Despite the initial headache of dealing with the crowds, it was all well worth it in the end. Witnessing the sun set over the Grand Canyon was beautiful. We watched as the sun painted the canyon in striking oranges and reds before it dipped below the horizon. In its absence, the landscape cooled to hues of blue and purple as the sky grew darker. This was definitely a highlight of our Grand Canyon weekend trip.

Check out this gif I made by combining multiple images of the Grand Canyon that I took while we watched the sunset! It compressed the file so the image quality isn’t so sharp, but it’s fun right?

Day 2: Half day Grand Canyon, Day trip to Page

Day 2 began much like Day 1 of our weekend trip to the Grand Canyon – with an early alarm. We wanted to make the most of our short trip. It was already the second and last full day of our trip and we had a TON planned. Not only were we going to explore some more of the Grand Canyon, but we were driving to northern Arizona to see two of the state’s other natural wonders: Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend.

Desert View Watchtower

I had seen images of the Desert View Watchtower on various Grand Canyon postcards and travel guides and wanted to see the ancient-looking structure for myself. It was in the direction we would have to be driving to get to Page, Arizona, later that day, so it worked into our schedule seamlessly. And it was well worth the visit!

Despite the holiday weekend, it was quite peaceful here. This was likely due in part to the early morning start we had and also because to get here required a drive.

How to get to the Desert View Watchtower

Unlike the sites we had visited the previous day, the Desert View Watchtower was not reachable by the Grand Canyon’s free shuttle bus system. To reach the Desert View point where the tower is located, you must drive east of the Grand Canyon Visitor Center for 22.4 miles, about a 36-minute drive. Here is the route from the Visitor Center to Desert View on Google Maps.

Tip: Throughout our weekend trip to the Grand Canyon, all of our cellphone service’s were pretty spotty. I would recommend downloading some of the Google Maps of the area before your trip if you’re not so great with directions.

Once you arrive at the Desert View point, there is a large parking lot to park your car. From there it’s just a short walk to the Desert View Watchtower. No hiking required. Here you can also find the Desert View Campground, a picnic area, and the Desert View Market and Deli.

History of the Watchtower

The Desert View Watchtower was built in 1932, designed by Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter, who was known as the “architect of the southwest”. Her goal was to design the structure so that is would blend into the environment. She said, “First and most important, was to design a building that would become part of its surroundings; one that would create no discordant note against the time eroded walls of this promontory.” Read more about the tower and its creation on the NPS Desert View Watchtower page.

Inside the Watchtower

Inside of the 70-foot tall tower, you will find the walls and ceilings decorated with striking murals. The murals on the main floor were created by Fred Kabotie, a member of the Hopi Native American tribe from second Mesa. According to the Desert View Watchtower NPS web page, these murals “represent the physical and spiritual origins of Hopi life“. And the ceiling paintings, by Fred Geary, “are recreations of images from Abo Rockshelter, now part of Salinas National Monument in New Mexico“.

Our Experience

Somewhat to my surprise, this was probably my favorite out of all the things we did in our time at the Grand Canyon during our weekend trip. Usually, the hikes of a trip have more of a lasting impression on me, but the Desert View Watchtower was magnificent. Mary Colter succeeded in creating a structure that not only blended in with the landscape of the Grand Canyon but also added to it. The beauty of the canyon and the watchtower itself made for an unbeatable picturesque view.

Once we had walked through the Watchtower and explored its seven levels and lookout deck, we found a bench a short walk away from the tower and stopped to enjoy the view. Here we sat in awe and quiet contentment for quite some time. We watched the people, the hawks dancing overhead, and marveled at the canyon. But eventually, we peeled ourselves away and head back to the car to begin the next leg of our journey.

Day Trip to Page, Arizona

Why Page, Arizona?

While we could have easily spent this entire day further exploring the Grand Canyon, we decided to split up our weekend trip with a day trip to Page, Arizona. But we weren’t necessarily interested in the city of Page itself. Along with the Grand Canyon, Arizona is home to many other natural wonders worth visiting. From Page, it’s only a short drive to visit the famous American landmarks of Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend.

We had visited Horseshoe Bend briefly during our road trip to California, but Antelope Canyon was high on our bucketlist and we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to visit. There are also a ton of other beautiful sites to see in the area thanks to Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.

Our Day Trip to Page

Driving east towards the Desert View Watchtower gave us a head start on our drive to Page, Arizona. The drive would only take about 1 hour and 50 minutes rather than the 2 hours and 40 minutes it would have taken from our hotel, the Grand Canyon Inn in Valle.

During our day trip to Page, we stopped at Lone Rock, Glen Canyon Dam, toured Antelope Canyon, and watched the sunset at Horseshoe Bend. It was a very busy day!

Antelope Canyon

Our favorite part of our trip to Northern Arizona was taking a tour through Upper Antelope Canyon. There were a lot of things that we didn’t know ahead of time (did you know that a guide is required to visit Antelope Canyon?) so it was somewhat stressful, but everything worked out and it was completely worth it in the end. Antelope Canyon was breathtaking. I definitely recommend visiting if you have the opportunity during your own Grand Canyon weekend trip.

Other things to do in the Grand Canyon

If you’d rather not drive to Page to visit Glen Canyon, Antelope Canyon, and Horseshoe Bend, fear not! There are a million options of other things to do in the Grand Canyon to fill the rest of Day 2 of your weekend trip. Here are just a few ideas.

Half Day Hikes

After spending the early morning visiting the Desert View Watchtower, we still had a couple of hours until lunchtime and the entire afternoon left of Day 2. If you’re staying in the Grand Canyon, one could easily fit another hike or two in!

Listed below are just a few of the other hikes we were interested in doing but didn’t get to do during our weekend trip. With all of these hikes, like the Hermit Trail hike, you can make them as long or short as you would like depending on when you turn back.

Bright Angel Trail
Grandview Trail
South Kaibab Trail to Ooh Aah Point

For more hike options, check out AllTrail’s list of Best Trails in Grand Canyon National Park.

Have a Picnic

For lunch or dinner, it would be fun and cost-effective to have a picnic at the Grand Canyon. At nearly every viewpoint and all along the rim there are stops with picnic tables for visitors to relax and enjoy the view. Even without a picnic table, you could pack a blanket and lay it out somewhere off the beaten path along the rim (similar to our setup to watch the sunset at Powell Point).

If you didn’t bring food for a picnic on your weekend trip, you can easily stop at the Canyon Village Market and pick up what you need. They offer a full market and deli selection. I’m actually kind of sad we didn’t get to do a picnic like this during our trip!

Rent a Bike and Ride the Paved Trails

During our weekend in the Grand Canyon, we noticed the same rental bicycles lined up at trailheads and being ridden by visitors throughout the park. We learned that there is a bike rental company called Bright Angel Bicycles that operates within the park. Wouldn’t that be fun to rent a bike and ride along the many paved trails that follow the Grand Canyon’s rim? If you’re not sure where to start, they offer guided tours as well.

Bright Angel Bicycles can be found adjacent to the Grand Canyon Visitor Center. Bike rental rates are available for 1-hour, half day, full day, and multi-day. One adult bike rental for a full day costs $40 plus tax. Check out the Bike Rental Rates page on the Bright Angel Bicycles website for all of the pricing.

Take a Helicopter Tour of the Grand Canyon

This option ain’t cheap. But if you have the money to spare, I imagine it would be totally worth it. We talked to one tourist who had taken a helicopter tour of the Grand Canyon and they swore it was the best part of their trip around the United States thus far. The Grand Canyon is just so big it almost looks the same from any viewpoint along the South Rim, so a change in perspective would probably have a dramatic impact.

A few of the top Grand Canyon helicopter tour companies include Maverick Helicopters, Papillon, and Grand Canyon Helicopters. The helicopter tours generally range from 30min to an hour long. Expect to pay anywhere from $175 to $300 per person depending on which tour you choose.

End of our Weekend Trip to the Grand Canyon

It was about a 3-hour drive back to our hotel from Page. We got back to the Grand Canyon Inn & Motel around 11pm and immediately went to bed, exhausted from the long day full of adventure.

This was the end of our weekend trip to the Grand Canyon. The next morning we would be leaving first thing after breakfast to drive the 7-hour (8 hours with traffic) stretch back home to Southern California. While I wish we could have stayed longer than a weekend, I am so grateful for the time we got to spend exploring the Grand Canyon and other natural wonders of Arizona. A weekend trip to the Grand Canyon is a weekend well spent!

Have you ever been to the Grand Canyon?

Have you visited the Grand Canyon before? Or are you planning a weekend trip to the Grand Canyon and have a question about my experience? Please let me know in the comments below.

I hope that you found this Grand Canyon Weekend Trip itinerary useful in planning your own trip to this beautiful National Park. Save it for later using one of the Pinterest images below or share it with your travel buddy using the social share icons. Thanks for stopping by!

Make sure to check out the dedicated post about our day trip to Page, Arizona and what you should know before visiting Antelope Canyon.