1. Getting the “America the Beautiful” pass is so worth it
On our road trip, we went to 5 national parks. The “America the Beautiful” Pass costs $80 for one year. We visited the Grand Canyon 3 times, which if we had paid individually would’ve cost $35 each.
2. The town of Tusayan doesn’t have much
We struggled to find restaurants besides fast food and convenience stores. The town of Tusayan, at the entrance of the Grand Canyon, is very small and only has a few restaurants and hotels. We stayed in Valle, which is 30 minutes south of the park entrance.
3. The Grand Canyon is a 4 Hour Drive from Phoenix
From Phoenix, it is about a 4-hour drive. Once you get to Flagstaff it is about halfway, and there is only one route to Tusayan RT. 66. There is not much service on the route, so make sure you load the GPS before.
4. The South Rim to North Rim is a 4 Hour Drive
Although the South Rim and North Rim are only 10 miles apart, since you cannot drive through the canyon, it's a four-hour drive to go from one to another.
**Note** You can cut through Cameron usually but it is closed now due to covid.
5. Mather Point is Beautiful, But Check out Desert View Drive
Mather Point, by the visitors center, is a great place to watch the sunrise, but for fewer crowds, turn right onto East Rim Dr Rt 64., toward Cameron, once you enter the South Entrance. These are many turn off spots like Grandview Point with beautiful views and fewer people.
