grand canyon/ mesa

[gardenmom5]

so, we are going to mesa the beginning of may.  was just to be for a very quick weekend.  dh has now suggested going a day earlier, and hitting the grand canyon (we'd be able to spend a night nearby before heading to mesa Friday evening.

so - anyone from the area have any experience with the practicality of that?  yeah, we know it's not remotely enough time, but it's all we have this trip.

 

I'm looking at flights that leave very, very early, so we'd land before lunch time on Thursday.  but it's still a 3 1/2 hour drive.  for those who have been there, would a late afternoon/eveing and a morning still be enough time to make it worthwhile from the south side?  and are there affordable accommodations nearby?

[datgh]

I think you would have enough time to really get the feel of what the Grand Canyon is all about. We saw the canyon from all the different overlooks in the park and after awhile the kids said same view different angle. By the end of day two they were really bored. We did enjoy taking in the sunrise and sunset and you could squeeze those in.  Be prepared that it will be very cold in the evening and early in the morning.  We were there the first week of May and were not prepared with warm enough clothes.  I think my kids had every sweatshirt and jacket on they had with them.  We also wished we would have had hats and mittens.  It was 27 degrees one of the nights we were there.

 

As far as lodging goes there are is a hotel in the park but I am sure it is not cheap.  I seem to remember there is a little town with a hotel or two near the national park gate.  We had rented an RV in Phoenix and this is how we saw the park. We stayed right in the parks campground for about $20/night but you would need reservations asap.  There is also a privately run RV place right in the park but it is more like a parking lot; however, it has hook ups which we wished we had when the nights were so cold so we could have run the heater.  RV's are a great way to travel in Arizona. You always have your food and privy on board which can be hard to find in Arizona.  Have fun.  The Grand Canyon really is one of the wonders of the world that everyone should get a chance to see in their lifetime.

 

Have you been to Sedona?  If traveling to the Grand Canyon seems a little daunting, Sedona is pretty spectacular in its own right and a fun place to spend some time in. There is also a lot more options for lodging there. Another place we really enjoyed was Lost Dutchman's State Park which is east of Mesa. We had never been in the desert before being from the northeast so we were easily impressed with the cactus but it can be really hot there in May already.

 

Have a fun trip.

[gardenmom5]

datgh, on 23 Feb 2015 - 9:06 PM, said:

 Be prepared that it will be very cold in the evening and early in the morning.  We were there the first week of May and were not prepared with warm enough clothes.  I think my kids had every sweatshirt and jacket on they had with them.  We also wished we would have had hats and mittens.  It was 27 degrees one of the nights we were there.

 

As far as lodging goes there are is a hotel in the park but I am sure it is not cheap.  I seem to remember there is a little town with a hotel or two near the national park gate.   The Grand Canyon really is one of the wonders of the world that everyone should get a chance to see in their lifetime.

 

Have you been to Sedona?  If traveling to the Grand Canyon seems a little daunting, Sedona is pretty spectacular

 

thank you for defining cold.  I was wondering about that - as I know it's higher elevation and does get snow in winter.

 

this will be so much on the fly -  we have to be in mesa on Friday night, and we're leaving sunday.  dh commented we're already going to be in the area - let's just add a night for GC.

 

an old favorite yoga dvd was filmed at a resort in Sedona.  I've always thought it was lovely - but I doubt we'll do anything more than pass through as dh really wants the grand canyon and time will be very limited.

[Ravin]

It's quite a ways from the canyon to Mesa, including driving through Phoenix. Why not see some stuff in Mesa or Phoenix instead? There's plenty here, like the Natural History Museum in Mesa, and the Phoenix Zoo, Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix Science Center, Heard Museum, Phoenix Children's Museum, Casa Grande museum... Many of those in Phoenix are close to the light rail, which runs into Mesa.

[Okra]

I think you could see the Grand Canyon in that amount of time.  Go see the different overlooks, and the museums.  Maybe take a short hike down into the canyon and back up.  It will definitely give you a good picture of the Grand Canyon.

 

I think finding affordable accommodations is harder.

[Miss Tick]

I agree with Ravin, go early, but spend your time in the Phoenix area, there is so much to see, and so much more enjoyable than a rushed half-day drive up and back. Just my ¢.02!

[Halftime Hope]

Of course you can do it, and I think ANY trip to the GC is worthwhile if it's a dream.  In our family we've gone twice with only 18 hours to be there, as we traveled from the heartland to the coast. (I dream of having a week there, but that will be another year.)  You can catch sunrise and sunset in that time, plus have some time to do a short hike. 

 

This was very helpful to us:  http://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/travel-tips-and-articles/76807  But dd and I thought the Navajo tacos in Cameron were a bust--not good at all. 

 

In the winter months, the area going up to Hopi point on the South Rim (a *very* good place to see sunrise) is open to cars, so you don't have to wait a long time after the buses take you up there in the wee hours.  Dd loved that, compared to our having to get on a bus at 4:30 to catch a 5:53 am sunrise in August.  Moral of the story:  call and find out when the buses run, and whether that area is open to car traffic in May. 

 

The key thing is finding lodging.  For convenience (50 feet from walking the canyon rim), the quaint rooms in Bright Angel were worth every penny and not much more money than a decent hotel. The "bathroom down the hall" thing is fine if they don't have any private baths open when you want to go.  The baths have all been remodeled.  You share a room with bathroom stalls and sinks, and they have individual shower or tub rooms, which people use as needed.  It is not like a sweaty locker room, at all.   

 

hth

 

[gardenmom5]

Okra, on 24 Feb 2015 - 11:57 AM, said:

I think you could see the Grand Canyon in that amount of time.  Go see the different overlooks, and the museums.  Maybe take a short hike down into the canyon and back up.  It will definitely give you a good picture of the Grand Canyon.

 

I think finding affordable accommodations is harder.

the accommodation's are looking okay.  it's one night during the week.  there is only one inn inside the park showing rooms available - and they're over $300.  so, it's pretty booked.  apparently there are other sites - so it may take awhile.  I just want to get things booked.  but first - we need to know how many are coming and buy plane tickets.

 

I'm finding motels/hotels 1mile outside the park that will sleep 5 to a room.  I don't need anything more than basic, as we won't be in a room very much.  (I will fork out for a minivan . . . which is currently almost 3x as much as a car. especially if we have five going up to CG.)

[Justified]

We did a two day/one night trip last summer. Crazy. But worth it. We stayed in Flagstaff for the night though. It's just much cheaper to stay there. There are two ways to leave the Grand Canyon. Taking US 89 is more scenic in my opinion. It's not any longer really even though it looks like it is longer. We took US 89 on the way back and you get lots of views of the Grand Canyon. Plus there are volcanos too everywhere as you get closer towards Flagstaff. Sunset volcano park was beautiful. If you find you do have time, there is a very short (5min) lava trail hike that was awesome. There are ancient adobes buildings too off HWY 89 that you can go inside and explore. You can see many of the volcanos from the Hwy if you don't want to stop off or if you don't have the time.

 

the Grand Canyon park has an okay museum in the main area. We picked up a free junior ranger book there. There are amazing lookout areas on the main path area around the main museum. They have a great bus system to take you to the many trail heads. one trail might be more than enough for a short trip. Honestly we didn't do any trails in the Grand Canyon. My kids are very young though. The US 89 drive has plenty of scenic pull off areas to stop and see many more spectacular views. If you take US 89, there are a couple more museums off the road too. They are small but nice. The views were great at those places.

 

We drove through the Grand Canyon area mostly the first day and then headed back to the hotel in Flagstaff and then the next day we trekked back up to Sunset Volcano park and Wupatki National Monument. Those really aren't far from Flagstaff. Of course Flagstaff has Walnut Canyon too which is a great hike.

 

I don't remember anything really exciting from the other route. The other route(180) brings you right to the main entrance of the Grand Canyon Village, where US 89 takes you to 64 to the Desert View entrance of the Grand Canyon, Both ways will bring you to the Grand Canyon Village. I just think 89 is way better. I can't believe we saw so much in two days and one night. We were so beat at the end of it. Have fun.

[Halftime Hope]

the accommodation's are looking okay.  it's one night during the week.  there is only one inn inside the park showing rooms available - and they're over $300.  so, it's pretty booked.  apparently there are other sites - so it may take awhile.  I just want to get things booked.  but first - we need to know how many are coming and buy plane tickets.

 

I'm finding motels/hotels 1mile outside the park that will sleep 5 to a room.  I don't need anything more than basic, as we won't be in a room very much.  (I will fork out for a minivan . . . which is currently almost 3x as much as a car. especially if we have five going up to CG.)

 

If you can get your (safety) reservation for just outside the park, you can keep checking with Xanterra to see when/if they have an opening if there's a place you really want to stay in GC Village. 

 

BTW, it's about an hour drive to the eastern end of the south rim, and the sunset view from the (Desert View) Watchtower is spectacular.  (It helps to be at a unblocked West-facing bluff for sunset and at an East-facing bluff for sunrise.  Watchtower and Hopi point are great, respectively.) 

 

Just to whet your appetite a bit more, this:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2015/01/29/temperature-inversion-turns-grand-canyon-into-a-beautiful-sea-of-fog/  Dd and her friend were there on their westward travels on that very morning; she has video of it, just like this video linked in the Washington Post.  What a different GC they experienced from what she and I had seen in August!  It's a pretty amazing place.

 

[NorthwestMom]

We did a two day/one night trip last summer. Crazy. But worth it. We stayed in Flagstaff for the night though. We did too. It worked great for us. It's just much cheaper to stay there. There are two ways to leave the Grand Canyon. Taking US 89 is more scenic in my opinion. It's not any longer really even though it looks like it is longer. We took US 89 on the way back and you get lots of views of the Grand Canyon. Plus there are volcanos too everywhere as you get closer towards Flagstaff. Sunset volcano park was beautiful. If you find you do have time, there is a very short (5min) lava trail hike that was awesome. Sunset Crater National Park, and its lava trails, were AMAZING and not to be missed if at all possible!!! There are ancient adobes buildings too off HWY 89 that you can go inside and explore. You can see many of the volcanos from the Hwy if you don't want to stop off or if you don't have the time.

 

the Grand Canyon park has an okay museum in the main area. We picked up a free junior ranger book there. There are amazing lookout areas on the main path area around the main museum. They have a great bus system to take you to the many trail heads. one trail might be more than enough for a short trip. We received excellent advice to take the bus out to a more-distant trailhead, and then hike to the next trailhead and pick up the return bus.  It worked really well and we escaped the crowds around the main areas. You do have to carefully plan which trailheads you use, as the return bus does not stop at them all. Honestly we didn't do any trails in the Grand Canyon. My kids are very young though. The US 89 drive has plenty of scenic pull off areas to stop and see many more spectacular views. If you take US 89, there are a couple more museums off the road too. They are small but nice. The views were great at those places.

 

We drove through the Grand Canyon area mostly the first day and then headed back to the hotel in Flagstaff and then the next day we trekked back up to Sunset Volcano park and Wupatki National Monument. Those really aren't far from Flagstaff. Of course Flagstaff has Walnut Canyon too which is a great hike.

 

I don't remember anything really exciting from the other route. The other route(180) brings you right to the main entrance of the Grand Canyon Village, where US 89 takes you to 64 to the Desert View entrance of the Grand Canyon, Both ways will bring you to the Grand Canyon Village. I just think 89 is way better. I can't believe we saw so much in two days and one night. We were so beat at the end of it. Have fun.

 

Thanks Justified for letting me piggyback on your comments! :)