A Grand Canyon Trip Itinerary

This is our basic itinerary for the seven day a Grand Canyon trip. It will be in late summer 2007 and we'll be flying into Las Vegas, Nevada. Mom really wanted to see Bryce Canyon, which is on the north side of the Grand Canyon, so we're making a clockwise loop. The main stops are Bryce Canyon, the North rim of the Grand Canyon, the South rim of the Grand Canyon, and Sedona, Arizona.

We'll be arriving in Las Vegas at about 6:30 p.m. so we'll stay there the first night. Then we proceed:

Day 1

Drive north to Bryce Canyon, which looks to be around 180 miles. On the way there we get to drive through either Zion or Cedar Breaks, haven't decided yet which one. We'll get to Bryce in the afternoon and look around there; then drive the 30 miles or so south to Kanab, Utah and stay the night.

Day 2

Wake up in Kanab and drive 67 miles to the north rim of the Grand Canyon. We spend the day here and have dinner at the Grand Canyon Lodge. I'm really going to make the most of this day, because it's the only one we have at the North rim. No sleeping on the rim this night, but I got a room at the Kaibab Inn which is only 5 miles from the park entrance (that makes it around 18 miles from the rim).

Day 3

Today we make the long drive from the North rim to the South rim. I think the shuttle takes about five hours, so I figure that'll be our driving time. Add in a couple of stops, and we should arrive at the South rim by mid-afternoon. Check in to our magnificent rim top room at the Thunderbird Lodge. Relax and stroll around the Grand Canyon Village!


Day 4.

We have all day at the Grand Canyon today. We'll probably do some hiking, and take a lot of pictures. We might try the Arizona Steak House for dinner tonight. When we just can't see any more, we'll go to our hotel in Tusayun for the night.

Day 5

When we wake up the Grand Canyon will only be about 5 miles away, so we could go back there in the morning. All I know for sure is it we have all day to make it down to Sedona, where we're staying for the next two nights. We may visit Wupatki and Sunset Crater, or maybe Walnut Canyon.

Day 6

Today we wake up in Sedona. We go look at some rocks. We climb on Bell rock. We get energized by the vortexes and rest up for a long drive tomorrow. We go to sleep in Sedona.

Day 7

His final day of our trip, we have a 311 mile drive to Las Vegas. We've got all day to get there since our plane doesn't leave until 11:59 p.m. Woohoo! We're on the redeye flight which will take us all the way the Cincinnati, Ohio before it brings us back west to Kansas City, Missouri. I think we get into KC I at about 10 in the morning. That's the price you pay for cheap tickets.

Well that's it, our big Grand Canyon trip. I'll be posting more on the itinerary and information about each of our stops, so stay tuned for the exciting Grand Canyon adventure of 2007.

Skywalk Price, Final Update

So the mystery was solved on March 28 when the skywalk opened to the public. There is one tour that includes the skywalk, and that tour is $74.95 per person. Well to be accurate, there is another tour that you can pay $25 (in addition to the normal charge of $49.95 per person) to walk on the skywalk, but then it's the same exact tour at the exact same price.

The Sky Tour includes walking on the skywalk and costs $74.95.
The Spirit Tour costs $49.95, and you can add a walk on the skywalk for $25.

Here's a link to the tour listings for Grand Canyon West:
http://www.destinationgrandcanyon.com/tours.html

My Mom and I are planning a seven-day Grand Canyon trip in late summer and I already know we won't be seeing the skywalk. It was on the original itinerary, but there was just too much to see.

We're going to Bryce Canyon, the north and south rims of the Grand Canyon, and Sedona. Of course, there's lots of neat stuff along the way, and I'll be reporting on it here.

The Skywalk is Up and the Astronaut Has Walked

The fat lady has yet to sing, that will come on March 28, only two days away! That’s when the skywalk is scheduled to open to the public. So far, just Buzz Aldrin and some news people have been out on skywalk.

I had reported the price as $75 and now have seen the same price quoted on Fox News. Nearest I can figure, you have to pay for a tour just to get out to Eagle Point, then have to pay to get out on the skywalk.

The Hualapai had previously set the price at $25 for the skywalk, then you had to pay to get out there (you can’t drive). The cheapest tour I found back then was about $30, so the total cost would have been about $55. Still no news on their site about the new price, and no, I didn’t “call for pricing”.

You can read more and see a video (The Making of the Skywalk) on the official site; http://www.grandcanyonskywalk.com

Grand Canyon Skywalk Price

This is a correction on the price that I reported for a Skywalk tour. The Hualapai have been stating that the charge would be $25 for a long time. I found the price of $74.95 quoted in a news article and assumed that the price had been changed. I don't have a verification for this, so I'll say that the price is at least $25. Maybe I made up the whole thing! Sorry for any confusion.

Do you know that former astronaut Buzz Aldrin is helping with the unveiling? He walked on the moon in 1969, and now he's going to be one of the first to walk in midair over the Grand Canyon. The opening ceremony is scheduled for March 20, and the bridge is supposed to be open to the public on March 28, 2007. I think I'll wait until the spring winds die down myself!

But wait a minute, isn't this thing supposed to withstand 100 mile an hour winds from eight different directions? Is that eight different directions at the same time I wonder?

Anyway, enjoy your weekend, I know I will mine!

Tammy

PS. There's a new page on the Grand Canyon Vacations Website. It is Grand Canyon Backpacking Trip Reports.

The Skywalk has been Officially Thrust Out

Well, they've done it! The Hualapai Tribe of the western Grand Canyon rolled the glass bottomed skywalk out over the Grand Canyon today. It's been fastened to its permanent position on the canyon rim. Its permanent position just happens to have it jutting 70 feet out into space.

The Grand Canyon skywalk is a U-shaped bridge that will let visitors walk out 70 feet over the 4000 foot crevice. On six inch-thick glass and wearing special booties, you'll pay $75 for the privilege of standing suspended over the Canyon for about 20 minutes.

This project has been delayed so many times, the actual dates snuck up on me. The skybridge is supposed to be open to the public on March 28, 2007. I can't wait to get the first look at photos taken from atop the bridge.

You can see a picture of how it looks in this news story
Skywalk Fastened to Canyon

The official site for the Grand Canyon Skywalk hasn't been updated since the skywalk was bolted into place.

To read more about the Grand Canyon, click:
Grand Canyon Vacation Information