11 Fun Things to Do in Grand Canyon National Park

A trip to see the Grand Canyon will stay with you forever, especially if you go beyond what the typical visitor does in the park, which rarely strays from taking in a few of the scenic viewpoints.

There are so many other fun things to do in Grand Canyon National Park that will enhance your visit and really enable you to see the vast and incredible beauty of this place. It makes a great addition to a National Parks driving tour in the U.S.

» See our full Grand Canyon Trip Planner and Exploring the Grand Canyon: North Rim vs South Rim for more information.

In this post, we’re going to share 11 of the top activities you can participate in during your visit to the Grand Canyon. A little bit of pre-planning will go a long way to making sure you can get in on tours, find hiking guides, and book a stay nearby.

» Looking for more travel inspiration in the United States? See our U.S. Summer Vacation Ideas and 12 U.S. National Parks to Visit. Here are a few more fabulous U.S. Cities to visit.

Full-Day Tours in the Grand Canyon

It’s fairly simple to make your own plans for visiting the park. But if you would rather take a full-day tour of the park, where an expert guides you and builds your itinerary of things to do, that’s something a lot of visitors will do.

Here are two tours that we recommend, depending on whether you prefer a group tour or a custom tour. Each  are about 13-15 hours (a full-day tour).

• Grand Canyon South Rim Small Group Tour
• Custom Grand Canyon Day Trip

Best Things to Do in Grand Canyon National Park

1. Hiking

The Grand Canyon has many hiking trails of different difficulties so that everyone can take a stroll and enjoy the scenic surroundings of the park. So if you only have time to do one thing in the Grand Canyon, I’d suggest making it a hike.

• The Rim Trail is an easier hike. It’s a quiet path that extends from the village out to Hermit’s Rest, a series of rock buildings built in the early 1900s. There is a bus route near the Rim Trail, so you can easily customize how far you hike, since you can ride the bus back. The trail is level and shady.
• The Bright Angel Trail is a maintained dirt trail that is 12 miles long roundtrip. It has some shade coverage depending on the time of day. There may be ice on the trail in winter and early spring. It gets quite steep in some sections, and may not be suitable for all hikers. Here’s a great guided hike of Bright Angel Trail.
• The North Kaibab Trail is the only maintained trail on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. It reaches all the way to the Colorado River, making it 28 miles roundtrip.
• South Kaibab Trail: Another popular trail into the canyon, offering different views than the Bright Angel Trail.
• Rim Trail: This relatively flat trail follows the rim of the canyon and offers numerous breathtaking viewpoints.

If you’d rather go on a guided hike, we can recommend this full-day hike

2. Grand Canyon Village

The Grand Canyon Village, located on the South Rim of the canyon, is a beautiful place to stay or just visit. It’s where many of the main attractions and activities are or begin from.

This historic town was founded in the early 1900s with the arrival of the first steam-powered train. Since then, it’s been a hub of activity for Native Americans and homesteaders. There are several cultural centers and places to see antique Native American crafts and culture.

There are also great lodging options inside the town, including hotels (read reviews on Trip Advisor), RV parks, and campgrounds that make it a perfect gateway to the park.

Grand Canyon Village Activities & Attractions

Grand Canyon Village, located on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, is the primary entry point for most visitors to the park and offers a variety of attractions and activities. Here are some of the main ones:

1. Grand Canyon Visitor Center: Begin your trip here to get maps, information, and to watch an informative video about the park.
2. Mather Point: A short walk from the Visitor Center, this viewpoint offers one of the most iconic vistas of the Grand Canyon.
3. Historic District: This area has several buildings that date back to the early 20th century, including the El Tovar Hotel, Hopi House, and Bright Angel Lodge.
4. Bicycle Rentals and Tours: Rent a bike or join a guided bicycle tour to explore the Canyon trails. These tours often leave from the village.

3. Mule Ride into the Grand Canyon

One of the most unique and fun ways to see the Grand Canyon is on a mule ride. You can take a mule ride down into the Grand Canyon or just along the rim trail, if you’re not keen on riding downhill.

This is a great way to see the park and dig in deeper than the viewpoints offer, if you can’t or don’t want to hike. The mule tours are completely guided and you’ll learn how to ride and proper safety before heading out. On the ride, you’ll learn more about the park and it’s history.

Learn more about mule trips in the Grand Canyon.

4. Train Ride into the Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon Railway has been running since 1901 and it departs daily from Williams, Arizona, at 9:30am. On board the vintage train, there are western musicians and cowboy characters who entertain you as the train heads to the Grand Canyon. You’ll be dropped off in the Grand Canyon Village, where you’ll have about 3 hours to enjoy the canyon, before the train departs back to Williams.

Not only is it a wonderful and historic way to travel, but it helps keep the cars going into the park to a minimum to preserve the land. See more about the train and book your tickets here.

5. Helicopter Tour Over the Canyon

What better way to see the entirety of the park than from a birds-eye view on a helicopter ride? Take an exhilarating helicopter flight that whisks you from the Grand Canyon’s South Rim to the North Rim. Through the ECO-Star helicopter’s panoramic windows, see the world’s largest ponderosa pines in Kaibab National Forest and the mighty Colorado River.

Snap photos of the Painted Desert, Desert View Watchtower, Marble Canyon, and Point Imperial before your return flight takes you through the dramatic backdrop of the Dragon Corridor. Choose from a wide selection of departure times to suit your schedule. ✔ Book a helicopter tour here.

6. Hummer or Jeep Tour

Make the most of limited time and see the highlights of Grand Canyon National Park in just a couple of hours on this sightseeing tour. Ride in a windowless, open-air Hummer and listen to commentary from your guide as you visit some of the canyon’s best lookout points, where you can hop out, take photos, and explore. Book this tour here.

Explore the desert around the Grand Canyon on a guided Jeep tour. Many of these tours take visitors along the canyon and into the Kaibab National Forrest.

See incredible views and ride along with a tour guide. Some tours even have an option to go at sunset to see the awe-inspiring sunset along the rim of the canyon.

7. White Water Rafting

White water rafting is one of the most popular ways to see the Grand Canyon. Rafting along the Colorado River is a fun and thrilling experience. Some rafting tours span multiple days, and some are just a single day so visitors can choose what fits their schedules and interests best.

See beautiful views while careening down a river. Rafting in the Upper Canyon is often preferred, as passengers will watch the canyon walls rise around them.

We recommend this planned white-water rafting tour. Make your way to Peach Springs, Arizona, home of the Hualapai Indians at the gateway to the Grand Canyon. Then, challenge the mighty Colorado River’s varied rapids on a 40-mile (64-kilometer) journey through the canyon. Learn more about the rafting trip.

8. See the Skywalk

★ See Bucket List Deals at Grand Canyon West!

Located at Grand Canyon West, on the Hualapai Indian Reservation, is one of the coolest ways to see the vastness of the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon Skywalk extends almost 70 feet over the canyon in a horseshoe-shaped, glass-bottomed overhang.

The Skywalk, with its four-inch-thick glass bottom, allows visitors to peer over the railing or just look down directly into the canyon to see its 4,000-foot vertical drop. But don’t worry. Skywalk is strong enough to hold seventy fully loaded 747 passenger jets.

Learn more about the Skywalk and book your tickets here.

9. Havasu Falls

Havasu Falls, located in the Havasupai Indian Reservation is a gorgeous waterfall that is definitely worth a visit. Havasupai itself means ‘people of the blue-green waters’ and that gives a pretty good description of the waterfalls on their land.

A hike away from a main road, this waterfall is a beautiful stream flowing down the side of Havasu canyon. The falls also includes several pools of the shimmering turquoise waters it’s famous for.

10. Horseshoe Bend

This bend in the Colorado River – Horseshoe Bend – is located approximately 140 miles from both the South Rim and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, but it’s only 5 miles from the beginning of Grand Canyon National Park.

If you’re traveling from rim to rim on a Grand Canyon road trip, you can add a side trip, just 18-miles off the main road, Highway 89, to see Horseshoe Bend in Page, Arizona.

11. Desert View Drive

The Desert View Drive is a scenic road located on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. It’s a 23-mile scenic road between the Grand Canyon Village and Desert View, passing by many scenic points and trails. The road is named after the Desert View Watchtower. There are many points along the way for tourists to stop at. The East Entrance to the park at Desert View is open 24 hours/day, 7 days/week.

• Desert View Watchtower
• Tusayan Pueblo
• Tusayan Museum

Frequently Asked Questions

CONCLUSION

With so many fun things to do in the Grand Canyon, you’ll surely find some interesting ways to experience this beautiful natural wonder. If you’ve been before, we welcome your comments and tips, below.

10 Top Things to See in Yellowstone National Park

14
Jun

Utah National Parks Road Trip: Explore Utah’s Mighty 5

25
Jun

Ultimate Yellowstone National Park Itinerary & Guide (1-5 Days)

05
Jun

12 Best U.S. National Parks to Visit

24
May

Like this post? Why not save it to Pinterest?
FOLLOW US on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook for more great travel inspiration and tips.

Laura Lynch

Laura Lynch, creator and writer of Savored Journeys, is an avid world traveler, certified wine expert, and international food specialist. She has written about travel and food for over 20 years and has visited over 75 countries. Her work has been published in numerous guidebooks, websites, and magazines.