One Night in the Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon National Park is the second most visited national park in the United States, with more than six million visitors annually. But many of those visitors only stay for the day, taking a drive along the South Rim of the canyon and stopping at various viewpoints. By spending one night in the Grand Canyon, my family had the chance to experience the park in different ways, from dining at the canyon’s edge to stargazing with local astronomers to watching the sun rise above the canyon walls. Our two-day, one-night stay was the perfect introduction to this iconic destination.
Lodging
Grand Canyon National Park has several lodging options along the South Rim, including the Bright Angel, Maswik, Thunderbird, and Kachina lodges. But the grand dame of them all is El Tovar Hotel, which opened in 1905 and is now on the National Register of Historic Places. When El Tovar was built, Arizona was not yet a state, and visitors arrived at the hotel via the Santa Fe Railway. By planning ahead, my family was able to spend our one night in the Grand Canyon at this unique historic hotel.
El Tovar Hotel
El Tovar Hotel has standard rooms with one queen or one double bed, and deluxe rooms with one king or two queen beds. Each room has a full bath, television, coffee maker, and air conditioner. These amenities might not seem notable unless you’ve ever stayed in a national park lodge that didn’t have them (I’m looking at you, Yellowstone). Other than a few suites, the rooms do not have canyon views. However, the hotel sits a mere 20 feet from the canyon’s rim and offers dramatic panoramas from its porches and restaurant windows.
To get a room at El Tovar, you’ll need to be on top of making your reservations. While it’s not as difficult as getting a reservation at Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone National Park, it does require advance planning, particularly if you’re hoping to book a room with two queen beds. El Tovar accepts reservations up to a year in advance.
Front Porch 
Lobby
Before my family’s stay, I had talked up El Tovar so much that my kids weren’t that impressed when we arrived. At the ages of 8 and 10, they didn’t get the concept of historic charm. They also didn’t understand the importance of “location, location, location.” But while the extra dollars I spent and the effort I made to get an El Tovar reservation might have been wasted on my children, I patted myself on the back as I strolled outside to watch the sun set and rise over one of the seven natural wonders of the world.
El Tovar Dining Room
In addition to making your lodging reservation early, be sure to book a dinner reservation at the El Tovar Dining Room. If you’re staying at the hotel, those reservations can be made 90 days ahead. The dining room evokes the elegance of the old railway days, and menu offerings include entrees such as duck, lamb chops, filet mignon, and sea bass. Our table at the restaurant faced the picture window overlooking the canyon. After dinner, we were able to head outside for photos just as evening fell.
Grand Canyon Star Party
Once the sky darkened, it was time for stargazing at the Grand Canyon Star Party, where amateur astronomers set up their telescopes behind the Grand Canyon visitor center. The Star Party takes place one week each June and includes nightly programs starting at 8:00 p.m. Thanks to the lack of light pollution, Grand Canyon National Park is an exceptional place to observe the night sky. In fact, I’d never seen the rings of Saturn for myself until that evening when the astronomers kindly shared their equipment with me.
Sunrise at the Grand Canyon
Seeing the sunrise over the Grand Canyon couldn’t be easier when you’re staying at El Tovar. The morning of our one-night stay, I set my alarm for 15 minutes before dawn—around 5:00 a.m in June—so I could watch the rising sun transform the landscape. I was the only person in my family interested in the experience, so I crept out of the hotel with my camera, crossing the Rim Trail to the canyon edge. About 10 people were already waiting there. I wore my jean jacket because I’d heard it could be chilly, but I wasn’t prepared for just how windy it was. If I ever do it again, I’ll bring a heavier jacket and some gloves. When sunrise came, yellow and orange dramatically filled the sky and colored the canyon walls, making the brisk wait worthwhile.
The Bright Angel Trail
Staying at El Tovar also gives you the chance to get an early start on a hike along the popular Bright Angel Trail, before the heat of the day and before the trail gets crowded. The Bright Angel Trail descends six miles and 3,000 feet into the canyon, down to the Colorado River, though most people hike far less. Because of the steepness of the trail, the National Park Service recommends allowing twice as much time to hiking back up as hiking down.
The trail is a great way to get a different perspective of the canyon. Be aware though that the trail has significant drop-offs, and I do not recommend it for very young children. Even with our 8- and 10-year-old children, we hiked only to the second tunnel, after which the trail becomes steeper. The National Park Service has an excellent guide with helpful information about how to do a safe day hike on the Bright Angel Trail, including estimated times and recommended stopping points.
Mule Rides, Air Tours, and Biking
If you’re not up for a hike along the Bright Angel Trail, you can still descend into the canyon by letting a mule do the work for you. The Canyon Vistas Mule Ride is a four-mile, three-hour ride that departs twice a day, at 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. Riders must be at least 9 years old and 57 inches tall, and reservations open up 15 months ahead. Or you could use your morning in the Grand Canyon to get a bird’s-eye view, taking a helicopter or airplane tour out of Grand Canyon National Park Airport, just 20 minutes from El Tovar. Biking and guided bike tours are also popular activities at the South Rim. You can rent a bike or arrange a tour through Bright Angel Bicycles, located near the visitor center.
South Rim Drive
To end our visit to the Grand Canyon, we joined the ranks of most travelers and did the classic drive along the South Rim, stopping for pictures at the scenic pullouts, the Tusayan Museum and Ruins, and the Desert View Watchtower. We’d already hiked along the Rim Trail and made stops at Mather Point and Yavapai Point when we arrived the day before, so we left the park feeling like we’d made the most of our two-day, one-night trip to the Grand Canyon.
Desert View Watchtower 
Canyon View
Need more advice about Arizona or the US National Parks? Check out my articles on Sedona Must-Do Activities and Lodging and Grand Teton and Yellowstone in 7 to 10 Days!
