The kids would likely enjoy the train. If your budget will allow, spring for the extra cost for the dome car or parlor car (or both - one each direction). Activities at the Canyon: hiking, mule ride (make reservations well ahead of time!) That's pretty much it.
Have stayed at both Trailer Village and the RV park adjacent to the train. Both are great. The train ride up and back allows about 3.5 hrs at the South Rim which may or may not be enough time for mule rides, and much hiking. While we have not done it you can take the train up to the SR, stay overnight at the hotel and take the train back the next day. Staying at Trailer Village has the advantage of doing everything at your own pace. Very nice campground and lots to see and do.
WE did a cross country trip this year in May. Went East to West. We spend three days at the Grand Canyon and they were three FULL DAYS! That would be my minimum time there! You could spent many more. My time was definitely spent trying to determine the best things to see in just three days!
We have been to North Rim and South Rim both. I much prefer the North Rim. The South Rim is much more commercialized. The North Rim is a LOT less crowded and has a large campground in the trees and woods. There is also a very large nice lodge there with a huge dining area with full glass walls right on the rim with a great view.
As a side note - if you go to the GC North Rim, you will also be in a relatively good position to go to Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon NP which are both well worth a trip.
If you like a lot of people traffic, buses, tourist shops, noise, paved roads etc. - go to the south rim. If you want a spot in the woods, trees and lots of nature and a little more isolation go to the north rim.
The advantage of the south rim is there is more commercialized activities like the train for the kids. Maybe spend a day or two on the south rim and then head to the north rim and go to Zion and Bryce from there. You would definitely get two different perspectives of the GC.
2003 Newmar DSDP 4005 dual slide king bed Spartan 350 Cummins 2004 Jeep Liberty 4X4 tow, SeaEagle boat in basement
We were on a two week trip back in May and stayed in Williams, AZ for three nights at Railside RV Ranch. Decent park at a decent price. No posh RV resorts in Williams if that is your thing.
We drove to the south rim of the Grand Canyon for a day. It takes about 45 minutes to get there. We drove thru some of the park and stopped at various overlooks, and rode the tram up into an area where they don't allow you to take your own vehicle, and hiked around the rim for a while. Ate at Bright Angel Lodge. It was a great day at the Canyon, but had there been more time we would have come back a few more days.
The train ride seemed like a cool thing to do but was out of our budget for this trip. I understand if you stay at Railroad RV Park (not to be confused with where we were staying) you can get a package deal with a site for so many nights and train tickets, and save some money that way.
On our trip we did stop at Four Corners because it was on the way. It only cost a few dollars to get in with no extra charge to get up on the platform to take photos. While there were some Native Americans selling some jewelry and other items, and we bought some stuff, they were very friendly and not pushy at all.
Vegas is all about glitz and glitter, shows and extracting money from adults. Kids are tolerated in order to extract money from the parents. Why take your outdoor kids there? You could instead visit some of the greatest parks in the world like Zion, Bryce, etc instead.
And yes I took my kids to Reno as I learned what's important. Haven't seen the London Bridge but how could it possibly compare to some of the above parks?
BTW Beg, borrow or steal the AAA map Indian Country Guide (hope that is the right name) that is the best detailed map I've ever seen of all these areas.
If you have kids the train ride may be worth the time and money but my DH and I rode it and regretted it. Not enough time at the canyon to do anything! We couldn't even get into the restaurant to eat lunch, it was to busy and they will tell you if you miss the return train to bad for you! You have to call a cab and it's over $100.00, you don't want to miss the train. If you don't want to stay at the canyon there are several campgrounds on the hwy from Williams to the canyon. We though the KOA looked nice but I would stay at the canyon next time. One afternoon and the train trip wasn't enough time to see everything. I would stay at least 3 days there!
Papy-you mention cross country tip and your post sounds like while heading East you'd like to poke your head over the side and see what all the fuss is about t the GC. If thats true then you only need the better part of a day in and around the South rim. I would not go out of my way to see the London bridge, unless your driving right by it.Prescott, Jerome, Sedona, and Flagstaff all have much more to see while being close to the interstate system. You just might want to come back from Weed sometime and see what there is at Lake Powell and Utah
Bob & Sue (Driverman & SignLady)
2004 Allegro Bay 34xb
2008 Jeep Liberty
I think we will scratch the london bridge thing. Kind of out of the way, and not really part of our "see america" theme we got going on. Thanks for all the ideas on the campsites. Will the north end of the canyon be closed around the 1st part of may/end of april? We have to be at Disneyworld on the 18th of may. And I think 2-3 weeks from the canyon to florida via the southern route should be suffecient. I hate commericalism in an environmental environment! So the south end kind of scares me. I'll have to check into the train ride thing. weigh the cost vs. expected excitment reaction from the family.
We went two summers ago, with our then 10 year old daughter. We were at the Grand Canyon south rim May 23. The weather was great, a light jacket in the morning and afternoons. We stayed at the Grand Canyon Railroad RV Park in Williams. You have access to the hotel's indoor pool and hot tub, which is great for the kids. It was really a very nice place. Sure, the sites were about like a parking lot. But to have the indoor pool, a restaurant on site, and the train (which puts on a free outdoor reenactment), it was perfect for us. We didn't take the train ride to the canyon though. It was rather pricey, and also we wanted to go early and stay late at the canyon. The tram system there is great & free! When you get tired of walking, you can just hop on the tram for a while.
Our only regret is that we only spent one day at the Grand Canyon. We were so tired, after hiking all day. We wish we would have rested a day, and then went back a 2nd day. It's hard to see it all in one day.
If you are about dusk, coming back to Williams, watch at Tusayan for elk. They tend to come to town, and the locals were having to try to run them back into the woods. We got some great pictures & video.
One of the favorite place we took our daughter was Sliding Rock State Park in Sedona, AZ. It cost $8 per vehicle to get in. We stayed all day at this natural water slide. Take your swimsuits and be careful!
We too stayed only one night in Las Vegas. We wanted to experience it, but soon learned it wasn't a place for children. When we were on the strip, we felt like we were on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. We are glad we went, though, and our daughter really had a ball at Circus Circus. We stayed at the Koa, and walked to Circus Circus. We walked out on the strip for a short time, and was handed small cards with nude call girls, etc. We went back to Circus Circus and stayed there. They have a huge arcade, and the games were SO Cheap. Our daughter won a lot of very nice, large stuffed animals. And they had free circus acts every 30 minutes. They also had a floor with rides, etc.
Not sure how far east you are going before heading to Florida, but we came across a very nice place in Hays, Kansas. They have a city owned Hays Aquatic Center with is a very nice water park that only cost $2.50 per person for all day. They had 2 nice water slides, a lazy river, olympic size pool and diving boards.
Sorry for such a long reply, but I know with children it's a little different traveling. You have to make sure they are entertained along the way as well.
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