If you want to make your trip to the Grand Canyon be the easiest, then you’ll want to check out flying into Grand Canyon Pulliam Field (FLG) in Flagstaff. The prices aren’t unreasonable to fly into the area, but many of the flights going into this airport have at least one connecting (at least two if you’re flying from the east coast) flight before reaching your destination. Your other options are flying into Las Vegas or Phoenix. Both of these airports give you decent pricing with non-stop routes from major U.S. cities. The tradeoff of flying into LAS or PHX is you’ll be driving for up to four hours to reach the park.

You’ll be able to find several nice lodging options for your Grand Canyon vacation. A strong option for those wanting to stay near the park can go with the Grand Hotel at the Grand Canyon, which offers up modern amenities with a rustic charm. Hualapai Ranch is another awesome hotel to think about staying at to get a touch of western hospitality. You also can opt to stay in Las Vegas and either drive to the park, take a helicopter ride, or take a bus tour.

Grand Canyon National Park is one of the busiest parks in the country, so you want to make sure you go when the foot traffic is lightest and the temps aren’t stifling. We suggest planning your trip to the Grand Canyon from either March through May or September through November. Both of these time frames have temperatures cooler than what you’d get during the summer, along with smaller crowds and cheaper hotel rates.

Whether you’re going to the North or South Rim, a mule ride is a must to see the canyon. Taking the trail tours aboard these mules lets you see the Grand Canyon with a lot less walking than what you’d do on a hike. The North Rim rides last for an hour, while South Rim tours will go for three hours. Also, the South Rim also has overnight rides. Just remember to book ahead of your trip to make sure you can take the tour.

Seeing the Grand Canyon from the rim is awesome, but what if you could actually walk over the chasm? Head out to Grand Canyon West to take a stroll on the Hualapai Tribe’s Skywalk. This horseshoe shaped observation deck juts 70 feet out from the rim, and 4,000 feet from the canyon floor. Oh, and the floor of the walkway is glass to give you that feeling of Wile E. Coyote... without that whole fall-the-moment-I-look-down feeling from old Looney Tunes cartoons.

Photo by Brian Woychuk/Flickr.

There’s nothing wrong with getting a picture of the canyon from above, but taking a rafting trip at the bottom of is something truly special. Thrill seekers can embark on whitewater rafting trips that last anywhere from three days to three weeks, while smoothwater trips last only a half-day. Regardless of the option you choose you’ll be getting some beautiful images of the Grand Canyon from the Colorado River.

Take a trip near Desert View to learn more about the life of the Pueblo Indians that lived in the Grand Canyon around 800 years ago. This free museum is home to impressive indoor and outdoor exhibits dedicated to preserving this community’s history. You’ll also find a free self-guided tour an 800-year-old Tusayan ruin.

Photos supplied by the National Park Service, unless otherwise noted. Thanks, NPS!