Top Grand Canyon Attractions

Visiting the Grand Canyon should be on anyone’s Top 10 vacation list. This awe-inspiring geological wonder offers sublime vistas across the shockingly beautiful one-mile deep, 18-mile wide and 277-mile long chasm.

The views are so expansive and the colors of the stone and bright blue sky so vivid that it’s easy to spend hours simply staring into the canyon—and there are seemingly limitless vantage points from which to do just that. In addition, there are historic sites along the canyon rim, hiking opportunities throughout the park, rafting trips, pristine nature to be experienced, and any number of family adventures to be had, from participating in a Junior Ranger program (visit any ranger station for an activity booklet), to wildlife spotting and campfire programs. [Read more about Grand Canyon hiking.]

Sightseeing Overview

The South Rim is the most popular destination within the park, and arguably offers the most picturesque views of the canyon, as well as the most visitor amenities for great Grand Canyon sightseeing. You’ll find the majority of lodging and dining options here, and plenty of shops that offer souvenirs, artwork, and books—and everything is clustered together within easy walking distance.

 

• Visitors take in a wintery sunset at Mather Point on the South Rim.

Mike Quinn, NPS Photo

The quieter North Rim is accessible only in the warmer months, from late spring to early fall, and provides a more relaxing Grand Canyon vacation—although it is prohibitively far from the South Rim (about four to five hours by car), so it’s best to pick one or the other for shorter vacations. The canyon floor itself—which is accessible by foot, mule or river raft—holds untold treasures for the hearty souls who are up to discover them. [Read about Grand Canyon tours.]

About a four-hour drive from the South Rim, and well beyond the national park boundaries, is Grand Canyon West, a tourist destination being developed by the Hualapai Tribe, which owns the adjoining Native American reservation. This destination offers tours and curiosities not available within the park itself (i.e., it’s possible to catch helicopter and plane tours from here that dip beneath the rim of the canyon—something that’s prohibited within the park borders). It makes for an interesting day trip, but it should not be visited instead of the park itself, which offers the lion’s share of Grand Canyon attractions.

 

• A ranger teaches visitors about the Grand Canyon’s earliest inhabitants at the Tusayan Ruins and Museum.

NPS Photo

Getting There

The jumping-off point for the South Rim is from Flagstaff, Ariz., about 90 miles away via U.S. Highway 180. If you prefer to visit the North Rim or Grand Canyon West, it’s best to start from Las Vegas. Note that much of the South Rim is closed to automobile traffic from March to November, but free shuttle buses run regularly to overlooks, trailheads and park lodging.

Next: South Rim Attractions and Architecture