# Need advise on trip to Grand Canyon **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 11, 2011, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advise-on-trip-to-grand-canyon/602637 "2011-11-11T20:58:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advise-on-trip-to-grand-canyon/602637/21 "2011-11-14T21:18:45Z")
> [@SmellMyWort](#): > > You don’t have to do long strenuous hikes to appreciate the canyon. The various lookouts are fantastic and you can still see quite a bit just hiking part way down and back. If you are intent to go all the way down there are also helicopters and the mules, of course. > > In terms of travel you can also fly into Phoenix and rent a car. The drive might be a bit longer but there are things to see/do along the way in Sedona, Flagstaff, etc. Of course, there are also things to do in Vegas:p The drive is pretty similar, actually, we’ve done both. Via Phoenix in 2005 then via Vegas last summer (2010). IIRC, Phoenix had higher fees for things like rental cars, and we got slightly better airfares going to Vegas. We went to Phoenix the first time because we were visiting friends as part of the trip. We went to Vegas the second time because of cost, also there were other sights we wanted to see (hint: there are a lot of GORGEOUS national parks within 2 hours’ drive of Kanab, UT). I haven’t taken the plane ride into the canyon. At age 50+, with lousy knees, I’m never hiking down there either. So plane / helicopter will really be my only chance. Depending on your ultimate route etc., there’s a half-day smoothwater rafting trip that puts into the Colorado River just below the Glen Canyon dam in Page, Arizona. We did that last summer and really enjoyed it. You get about 50 feet inside the Grand Canyon National Park before the rafts are beached and you get the bus back to Page AZ. You have a stop halfway down the ride where you can walk to see petroglyphs, or (as we chose) can swim in the river. More accurately, “wade into the river, trying not to shriek from the COLD”. The water was 50 degrees colder than the air. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advise-on-trip-to-grand-canyon/602637/22 "2011-11-14T21:20:00Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Absolutely, for a sufficiently painful definition of the word “fun”. Heh - except for the plane or helicopter, you’re so right :D. And apparently the plane might not be fun either per a previous poster! You could do a whitewater trip… which is terrifying enough to me!! ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advise-on-trip-to-grand-canyon/602637/23 "2011-11-14T21:37:43Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > Heh - except for the plane or helicopter, you’re so right :D. And apparently the plane might not be fun either per a previous poster! I know whereof I speak; hiked from the South Rim to the North a couple years ago. It was the single most physically exhausting thing I’ve done in my life. A plane or helicopter ride sounds awesome to me, except I would consider it cheating in a way. As a natural wonder I feel like I need to experience it in a natural way. > [@](#): > > You could do a whitewater trip… which is terrifying enough to me!! I’m thinking of doing that. Lord knows, after the last year I need some sort of adventure to start planning for. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advise-on-trip-to-grand-canyon/602637/24 "2011-11-14T21:41:24Z")
How timely! I’m attempting to plan a trip to the Grand Canyon from Vegas around my birthday in January (or maybe a long weekend in February). I haven’t got much to add other than that I’m very interested in the posts in this thread. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advise-on-trip-to-grand-canyon/602637/25 "2011-11-14T21:47:18Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > It depends a little on your heat tolerance, how active you’ll be, and where you’ll be. The North Rim is closed in the winter and I think both sides get snow. Summer gets very hot down in the Canyon, but if you’ll just be at the rims it probably wouldn’t be too bad. Spring and fall are a good compromise. > … We were at the South Rim in December, and one day was fairly temperate, but the next day was below freezing by sundown. If you go that time of year, be prepared to adapt to the weather. And yeah, you could wind up with snow (we did not, however). If you do the Phoenix route, Sedona is less than 2 hours away from the Canyon and is a wonderful place to spend a night or so. Lots of new-agey and artsy stuff, the Pink Jeep (and similar) tours are also fun. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advise-on-trip-to-grand-canyon/602637.md?page=1)