Can you do a day trip to Grand Canyon from Phoenix?

Explore the Grand Canyon South Rim in this incredible tour from Phoenix that covers the deepest and widest parts of the Grand Canyon. This day tour of the South Rim spends approximately three hours in Grand Canyon National Park and some time in Sedona. Walk the rim and visit El Tovar, Hopi House, and more!



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The views, along with the adventures in between, are certainly worth the drive. No matter where you start in Phoenix, Interstate 17 (I-17) is your road to the Grand Canyon — with one or two detours along the way. What is great about the 1-17 is it ends in Flagstaff, only an hour-and-half to the Grand Canyon.

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Driving is the cheapest way to get to the Grand Canyon since you can get there and back on less than two tanks of gas. A four-hour drive without any stops, it is also the fastest way to get there. From Phoenix, find the shortest route to I-17 North, take 1-17 North to 1-40, and head west on I-40 to Highway 64.

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Las Vegas is closer to the Grand Canyon at only 128 miles to the West Rim vs 222 miles from Phoenix to its closest rim, the South Rim.

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The Grand Canyon's Best Scenic Viewpoints
  1. Mather Point, South Rim. ...
  2. Redwall Bridge, North Rim. ...
  3. Hopi Point, South Rim Trail. ...
  4. Plateau Point, Bright Angel Trail. ...
  5. Shoshone Point, South Rim. ...
  6. Desert View. ...
  7. Angel's Window, North Rim. ...
  8. Black Bridge or Silver Bridge view from the River.


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Safety: Taking a guided tour can be safer than driving yourself, especially if you're not familiar with the terrain or weather conditions. However, there are also some downsides to taking a tour: Cost: Tours can be expensive, especially if you're traveling with a large group or booking a luxury tour.

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Groome Transportation (previously called Arizona Shuttle) provides scheduled daily van shuttle service on five routes traveling between Phoenix and the Grand Canyon area. Contact: groometransportation.com/arizona; advance purchase of tickets is recommended.

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Tours and Activities: National Park (North and South rims) entrance fees - $30 per vehicle. West Rim entrance package - $46.65 per person. Helicopter tours - South Rim - $199 per person. Helicopter tours - West Rim - $299 per person.

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Both the South Rim and the North Rim offer rim trail hikes that have spectacular views of the inner canyon, some on paved trails. Or you can choose to day hike into the canyon. Permits are not required for non-commercial day hikes.

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You don't need to take a tour. When you enter the park you get a park newspaper with all the ncessary information. There's also a tourist center, and there are rangers along the rim who'll provide information and answer questions. Grand Canyon National Park South Rim is a “Do it Yourself” place for visitors.

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The south rim of Grand Canyon National Park is a 3.5-hour drive from Phoenix. Take Interstate 17 north from Phoenix to Flagstaff. From Flagstaff take Route 180 northwest to the south entrance and the park's visitor center. Or take Highway 89 to Route 64 to the park's east entrance.

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The best times to visit the Grand Canyon are March through May and September through November, when daytime temperatures are cool and crowds are thin.

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It really depends on what you want to see and do! Some visitors stop by a couple of viewpoints and arrive and leave within a day but there are so many more fantastic things to do at the Grand Canyon. We recommend spending at least one full day at the Grand Canyon South Rim and ideally two if time permits.

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For people looking to book a Grand Canyon tour, it's best if you do it in advance. This will give you the chance to be more selective, searching for the best tour for your tastes. The popular tours won't be sold out yet and you'll have a wide range of dates to choose from. Plus, you're more likely to get discounts!

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Though you can't actually drive through the Grand Canyon as each part of the structure has to be conserved, you can drive to and around the region, as well as to the entrances to the North and South Rims.

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Distance from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon The West Rim is the closest rim to Las Vegas. It is located about 130 miles from the heart of Las Vegas. On average, the drive takes approximately two and a half hours. Both the North Rim and South Rim are located over 270 miles from the Las Vegas Strip.

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Best Times to Visit the Grand Canyon for Smaller Crowds If you can visit during the low season, from November to March, you won't encounter crowds, but you'll need to plan ahead since parts of the park may be closed.

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Phoenix, AZ to Grand Canyon South Rim is 229 miles, a 3 hour 30-minute drive. Phoenix, AZ to Grand Canyon West Rim is 265 miles, a 4 hour 25-minute drive. Phoenix, AZ to Grand Canyon North Rim is 351 miles, a 5 hour 40-minute drive.

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Most Grand Canyon visitors fly into Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport because it is the closest major international airport to the South Rim, the most visited part of the National Park; just over 3.5 hours' drive (231 miles).

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The two major cities closest to the Canyon are Phoenix and Las Vegas. Flagstaff, AZ is only 1.5 hours from the South Rim and although it is a smaller city, it does have an international airport. Tusayan is the closest town to Grand Canyon Village and also has a small public airport.

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