Aug 30

Grand Canyon for Kids: Fun Stuff for the “Under-Fives”

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Grand Canyon National Park ArizonaGood afternoon everyone, how’s it goin’?  Here at the Grand Canyon, we’re getting rather antsy and distracted.  Why?  Because it’s getting to be that time of year when we have a real hard time being cooped up indoors.  With temperatures running about 75 degrees during the daytime, can you blame us?  Days like these are just perfect for a brisk stroll on the Grand Canyon’s rim trail, or maybe for a short hike down the Bright Angel or Kaibab Trail.  Rain is predicted towards the end of the week, which is not at all unusual in late August/early September.  But that close-to-picture-perfect autumn weather is just around the corner, though and we can’t wait!  For those of you lucky enough to be here around late September/early October, get ready: you may find yourself not wanting to leave. 

After Labor Day, crowds at the Grand Canyon invariably start to thin out as the temperatures cool down.  This time of year you see a lot of young couples and retirees travelling around Arizona, having purposely timed their visits to when most kids are back at school.  But if you happen to be the parents of pre-school children, this is a great time for you to visit the Grand Canyon, too!  Not only is the weather great, but what with the older kids back to the academic grind, the atmosphere in the park is much more relaxed.  Leah V., a GrandCanyon.com reservationist and mom to two “wee ones” gives us her favorite things to do with children in the Grand Canyon area:

1. Let your children (ages 4-14) become Junior Rangers.  The Junior Ranger Program provides activities to foster an understanding of the Grand Canyon.  There are 4 steps to becoming a Junior Ranger at the Grand Canyon, all of which are described in detail at www.kaibab.org/kids/gc_kids.htm or http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/ranger-program.htm  There is a fee of $1.50 per person.

2. The Grand Canyon Deer Farm holds a great deal of excitement for children.  The petting zoo has been in operation since 1969.  There are birds, goats, deer (who will eat from your hand), antelope, wallabies, llamas, pigs, chickens, turkeys, peacocks, and a buffalo.  Children 0-2 are free. Children 3-13 are $4.50, adults are $7.50, and senior citizens (62+) are $6.50 (taxes are not included).  The deer farm is located in Williams, Arizona, less than an hour drive from the South Rim. For hours and location, check out: www.deerfarm.com or call 1-800-926-DEER.

3. Explore the Colorado River on a Half-Day Smooth Water Float Trip.  Your trip begins in Page/Lake Powell, Arizona when you check in at the Wilderness River Outfitters’ Store.  You then board a motorcoach that takes you to the base of magnificent Glen Canyon Dam, where you board 22 passenger pontoon rafts.  During the 15.5 mile float trip an experienced Wilderness River Guide will make you an expert on the Glen Canyon and its history. After a brief stop to marvel at ancient petroglyphs, your next destination is the ever unique Lee’s Ferry, a historic crossing of the Colorado River.  There your Motor coach will be waiting to pick you up and return you to the Wilderness River Outfitters’ store via the beautiful Navajo Indian Reservation.  Here’s an insider tip: though it’s tempting to fall asleep on the trip back to Page, stay awake at least long enough to observe the gravity-defying balanced rock formations of Marble Canyon on the ride back.  Trip duration is about 5 hours, and because this stretch of the Colorado River has no rapids, the tour is appropriate for children age 3 and up.  $62/adult, $52/child, including tax and beverages.  Watch a video right now! 

4. Take a walk.  Along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon is a trail that extends from the Yavapai Observation Station to Maricopa Point. It is flat, mostly paved, and accessible from several parking areas in the park.  Check the newspaper guide you receive at the entrance station for more information.  At the Tusayan Museum, near Desert View Point on the South Rim, you can also take a walk through an Anasazi Indian Ruin.  You can follow a self-guided trail or have a ranger take you.  There are several trails at both the North and South Rim that actually go down into the canyon, too.  Keep in mind, however, that inner canyon hikes are not recommended for small children.  As you descend into the Grand Canyon, it will take twice as long to get back up.  A short hike that will give you a feel for the inner canyon without undue stress or strain is to take the Bright Angel Trail on the South Rim to the “first tunnel,” then turn back.  This typically takes maybe half an hour for an adult, but may take longer if you have little ones.  Make sure you have extra water, a camera and are wearing appropriate walking shoes.  And WATCH YOUR KIDS AT ALL TIMES!  Many areas of the canyon rim have no guardrails.  For more information on Grand Canyon trails, visit www.grandcanyonhiker.com, or  www.grandcanyon.org/fieldinstitute/default.asp.

5.  See a cool Grand Canyon movie!  Stop by the National Geographic IMAX Theater in Tusayan and see the 35 minute film Grand Canyon – The Hidden Secrets. Hourly shows run from 8:30am to 8:30pm, March through October, and 10:30am to 6:30pm, November through February.  ***Ask how GrandCanyon.com can save you 20% on your IMAX Tickets with advance purchase.***

6. For a guided educational tour, you can join a tour with the Grand Canyon Field Institute.  There are rim based tours (for both North and South Rims), single day classes, and a package deal that includes accommodations.  Each class or tour is led by an expert instructor.  Some of the topics covered are geology, ecology, archeology, history and photography.  Most of the institute’s tours and classes originate at the South Rim. Visit www.grandcanyon.org/fieldinstitute/default.asp or call 1-866-471-4435 for lists of classes, topics, and packages available.

7. Go bowling or play some video games at the play center at GrandCanyon.com’s preferred hotel, the Best Western Grand Canyon Squire Inn on Route 64 just south of the Entrance station.  This hotel also has two on-site restaurants, an outdoor pool and Jacuzzi (open through mid-September) and for the adults, a sports lounge, cocktail bar, salon, and a masseuse who is onsite 3-4 days a week.  Even if you are staying at another Grand Canyon hotel,  you are still invited to come over and enjoy the amenities at the Best Western Grand Canyon Squire Inn.

8. Climb the Desert View Watchtower. Located on Route 64 by the East Entrance into the Grand Canyon stands the watch tower designed and constructed by Mary Colter 1933. In the gift shop you will find the stairway up to the top of the tower where you can peer out across the magnificent Grand Canyon.  A good overall description can be found at www.scienceviews.com/parks/watchtower.html or you can view an Adobe file with beautiful images of the walls and ceiling at www.infomagic.net/~rockart/RCS_Watchtower.pdf.

9. What kid doesn’t love a) trains, b) cowboy characters or c) both?  If this describes your kids, they would LOVE to take a ride on the Grand Canyon Railway. The vintage steam train leaves from Williams, Arizona and transports you up to the Grand Canyon South Rim.  Once dropped off at the train depot inside the Grand Canyon National Park, you have approximately 3.5 hours of free time to tour the gift shops, art gallery and museum before returning to the depot for the ride back to Williams. There is a book in the gift shop called Rails to the Rim which gives a mile by mile account of what you’re passing as you travel. Just before you depart the Williams depot, you do get to experience a “wild west shootout” and on the return trip, you may experience a “hold-up” (all “pretend” of course!)  The train runs every day except Christmas and often has a special events like Thomas the Tank Engine week as well as a Polar Express ride where your kids can visit with Santa Claus himself!

Before you leave for your trip, go to your local library and find books on the Grand Canyon.  Also visit the National Park website: www.nps.gov or the National Geographic website: www.nationalgeographic.com/grandcanyon/kids.html.  Then, find out what your kids are into and discover the Grand Canyon together! 

Aug 20

“Once you dig in…” Food for thought when planning your Grand Canyon vacation

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Arizona Navajo taco Good morning, traveller’s howzit goin’?  For those of you out here now, hope you’re loving this beautiful weather.  For those who’ll be here in the near future, you have some of the year’s best conditions to look forward to.  

Right now, though, we’re mostly talking and writing to those of you planning your vacations for late fall and into next year.  What I hear from a lot of you is that food and drink are not just a necessity for survival on your vacation, but an integral part of your whole experience. 

We understand, ’cause we’re that way, too.  My husband and I plan our vacations down to what restaurants we plan to go to.  GrandCanyon.com’s president reports taking two hours to decide where to have lunch on a downtown street on a recent vacation to Sydney, Australia.  You, too, huh? 

Now, how’s this for ironic: I, Alley K, non-drinker extraordinaire, had actually invented a drink at a bar?  It’s true!  Flash back to around this time in 2001 and there was a restaurant in Page, Arizona called the Lake Powell Brewing Company.  Great concept: locally-made microbrews, good, reasonably priced food, friendly atmosphere, etc. 

Beer was never my thing, like I said, 99% of the time, I pass on the spirits, but darned if I didn’t find myself partial to the beers they served.  As any self-respecting microbrewery would do, they served a beer called hefeweizen, a wheat-brewed beer that they serve in Germany. 

Well, this place also served a pear cider that I fell in love with too.  It was hard to choose between the two, and one day I thought, why not mix them?  And voila, the “Prickly Heffer” was born.  And I heard that other people actually started ordering this little concoction of mine.  Alas, it didn’t have a chance to “take off” as the Lake Powell Brewing Company sadly closed its doors after only a year or so in business.  *sigh*  

Reflecting on that period in my life, which I reckon was inevitable seeing as though it kinda centered around 9/11, it occurred to me that some of the best dishes, drinks, desserts, etc., at restaurants have been things that were not on the menu.  Some were invented by customers, others by the staff.  I think the Rueben sandwich came about in such a fashion.  A good friend of mine in Phoenix, a foodie to the core, turned us on to a New York kosher deli-style eatery called Chompie’s and he orders a variation on matzo ball soup.  I can’t recall what it is, but supposedly the waitresses all remember it.   

We have a restaurant out here called the Paria Outpost that is truly unique.  They’re only open two evenings a week, Friday and Saturday, 5 to 8 pm Arizona Time.  On Saturday they serve pizzas and they got me hooked on pizza with pesto sauce.  A few years back, this guy invented a totally awesome pizza: grab a few cubes of Steve’s bbq chicken or maybe some morsels of tender beef brisket, grate up some mozzarella cheese.  The difference came when you sauced the pizza: instead of tomato (marinara) sauce, you’d instead slather on some of Steve’s spicy barbecue sauce.  It gave the pizza an unexpected tanginess.  This gent has since left the area, but his pizza occasionally lives on. 

Hopefully you have a place – heck, several! – you’re this fond of in your hometown.  It’s cool when you can find a restaurant like that, one that you like hanging out at and are proud to send out-of-town visitors to.  Speaking of secret treats that are not on the menu, we’ve got a few of those up our sleeves here at GrandCanyon.com.  What, you think what you see is what you get?  Uh uuuuh.  Some of our favorite “off menu” offerings are:

1. The American Dream Tour.  This half-day tour is an in-depth look at the South Rim from not only the popular vantage points, but from a few that are a bit “off the beaten path.”  Uncover the hidden secrets of the Grand Canyon as some of the industry’s best guides, with the help of binoculars and telescopes, take you inside it (without stress or strain).  Conducted in 15-passenger vans, service available from Flagstaff, Williams, Tusayan or Grand Canyon Village.  $88/adult, includes delightful picnic lunch. 

2.  The Black Canyon Adventure.  Staying in the Las Vegas area?  You’ve got to try the “other” Colorado River Float Trip.  Descend to the great river at the base of massive Hoover Dam, then relax as you drift between towering canyon walls, past waterfalls and hot springs.  Keep an eye out for herons, ospreys, big horn sheep.  $85/person if you drive to the Hacienda Resort in Boulder City; $115/person to include pick-up on the Strip or Fremont Street.  Lunch included.

3.  Pink Jeep Tours – a veritable cornucopia of four-wheelin’ fun in the Southwest!  In Sedona, the Broken Arrow tour is the ultimate must-do (for those free of back and neck problems).  In Las Vegas, a tour of the surreal Valley of Fire just might make you forget you’re in the “other” city that never sleeps.  Yes, many of these tours are big on “yee-ha” factor, but do ask about “mild” tours, too.  Starting at $75/person, 2 hours and longer.

4.  The Rainbow Bridge Scenic Cruise Adventure on Lake Powell.  The largest stone arch on Earth is only one of many incredible sights you’ll see on this amazing journey up Lake Powell.  You’ll wonder how anyone ever found this incredible handiwork of nature, but you’ll certainly be glad YOU did.  7 hours, $120/person, does involve a bit of walking. 

So when talking to your GrandCanyon.com reservationist about how to get the most out of your Grand Canyon vacation, feel free to ask about what other things we might be able to offer besides what you see here.  Likewise if you’re looking for something kinda sorta specific, but you don’t see it.  Ask if it’s offered anyway.  The full range of tour offerings is no way limited to what’s on the website.   

What can I say?  We’re a work in progress.  Oh hey – speaking of works in progress and “off-menu” offerings.. well… more like menus, be on the lookout for GrandCanyon.com’s latest project, “The Insider’s Guide to Grand Canyon Dining.”  In-depth dining information not only for the Grand Canyon area, but everywhere else you might go on your Grand Canyon vacation, like Vegas, Phoenix, Flagstaff, Page.  Seeing as though we’re all foodies, we’re having fun putting it together! 

Hungry for this guide already?  Got a suggestion for a restaurant you’d like to see included?   Reserve an advance copy for yourself or drop me a line.  E-mai me at alleyk@grandcanyon.com 

Til next time, Happy Travels!  L8R :)

Aug 15

A Secret Revealed: The Grand Canyon Indian Cave Paintings Jeep Tour

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This past week, my family and I went on the Indian Cave Paintings tour with Grand Canyon Jeep Tours and Safaris.  If you’re seeking a little history, a bit of mystery and a different perspective on life at the Grand Canyon, this tour is a really fun experience – and even more exciting when it rains! 

It had started raining early in the morning and was drizzling steadily by the time we met at the Grand Canyon McDonalds to catch the tour. Yes, the Jeep is covered and has plastic roll down windows, although when you’re driving down the highway, some water may drip on you if it’s raining.  And for those who might get chilled, each Jeep is supplied with warm blankets.

We headed south on Arizona Route 64 and around the Grand Canyon National Park Airport to a dirt trail. Just as we started heading down the road, a young passenger with good eyes excitedly called out that she saw an elk.  Our guide, William, backed the Jeep up a few feet until everyone had a good view of an extremely large bull elk standing near a group of other males.  Later we again stopped to get a glimpse of some mule deer.

Within a few minutes, William warned us to make sure our seatbelts were tight and then we headed down into the rough part of the tour. Muddy water splashed up and over the Jeep as we dropped into a mud hole and hopped back out.  Now this was four-wheeling!  The kids on the Jeep began laughing and giggling. We hit several more “bumps” on the way down to the cave paintings and rained the muddy water up the windows each time. When Williams brought the Jeep to a stop, everyone was smiling and laughing.

Once stopped, we climbed out of the Jeep and walked down a path littered with small mud puddles that were easy to skirt around. The smell of the sage brush and junipers was refreshing and the colors of the rocks were more vivid than average.  As with most “caves” in the area, it’s more of a concave overhang versus a tunnel of rock.  There is a bit of an uphill walk required to get to the cave, equivalent to about 4 flights of stairs. 

Inside the cave, you will see a wall of rock covered with pictographs.  Anthropologists speculate that several different groups of native people used this wall as a means to communicate with one another hundreds, maybe even thousands of years ago.  You’ll be asked not to touch the walls so as to preserve the iron oxide pigments and to refrain from touching the ceiling where the soot from fires has covered the stone.  You may, however, feel the stones in the center that were used to prepare meat obtained from hunting.

One of the most interesting parts of the tour was the explanation of the paintings.  Our guide William is Hopi and is well versed in the traditions and history of his ancestors (Editor’s note: the Hopi Indians are said to be the descendants of the Anasazi people, who occupied the Southwest until their somewhat sudden and mysterious departure in about 1200 AD).  It was refreshing to hear an  interpretation of the paintings from someone who knows the traditions of the people versus hearing it from an outsider’s viewpoint, which is not always correct.

After William’s discourse, he then played some native songs on a wooden courting flute.  Due to the rain earlier, the air was clear and the notes of the flute echoed through the forest with a charming clarity that created a bond with the people who had utilized this place long ago.

As we began our hike (not quite a ¼ mile) back to the Jeep, the rain started again. We buckled in and prepared for the ride back through the mud puddles and dips as though we were in a Jeep commercial.  The smiles at the end of the trail seemed to be payment enough for William (but we did express our appreciation with a tip, as you are welcome to do too).

Even though this tour does not actually go to the canyon rim, we still enjoyed it thoroughly.  If you’re itching to do some four wheeling, don’t mind a little hiking and want a closer look into the lives of those who inhabited the Grand Canyon area thousands of years ago, you’ll enjoy it, too.  It’s the Indian Cave Paintings Tour and it is a ton of fun! 

Leah V., Reservationist, GrandCanyon.com

Book it now!

Aug 02

Time For a Cool Change: Grand Canyon residents anxiously await autumn’s arrival

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Good morning everyone, what’s up?  Besides the temperature, I mean.  Is it hot or WHAT?  When most people think of places to go to escape the summer heat, Tucson probably wouldn’t be the first place to come to mind.  But the other day, I swear it was actually predicted to be 95 in Denver and 85 in Tucson.  That’s just wrong!  And New York city?  Fuggeddabouddit!  Those poor guys are dealing with the ultimate double whammy: heat plus humidity.  I don’t know how they handle it. 

Contrary to what’s said about Arizona’s notorious dry heat, there is actually a certain time of year when we too gripe about humidity, and that time is now.  You see, Arizona is in the midst of what’s known as “monsoon season.”  This distinct Southwestern weather phenomenon occurs on an almost daily basis during the afternoon hours when warm air from the Southern Arizona desert collides with moist tropical breezes from the Gulf of Mexico.  The result: thunderstorms – BIG ones.  They can be intense, often dropping heavy rain, usually with lots of lightning and noise.  Thunder will echo for what seems like an eternity, bouncing off the canyon walls.  Another curious facet of these storms is how brief they usually are.  The other day was a typical example: in Page/Lake Powell, a cell moved through that must have dropped half an inch in the course of half an hour.  Then just like that, the clouds parted, just enough to make for a stunningly beautiful sunset. 

Other things that make us laugh: gals like me with stick straight hair can actually coax a little curl into their locks; paper comes out of the printer with a slight curl as well…. and while we make it sound like we’re just dripping with moisture, in reality, our humidity is maybe 50, 60% at most. 

Gradually we’re seeing those little reminders that the “dog days of summer” will soon draw to a close: the urge to turn off the cooler at night, the shortening of the days, the Sunset Jeep Tour going out at 4:45 instead of 5:00.  From here on out it’ll get earlier and earlier, eventually going out at 2.30 by the time their season wraps up at the end of November.  

Another few weeks, and we’ll start to see that telltale glint of gold on the trees, feel that slight nip in the air and revel in days that are so close to perfect that you WANT to be outdoors - all the time.  I believe, and most of us at GrandCanyon.com believe, that the Southwest is at its absolute best during the fall.  The Grand Canyon is certainly no exception.  In the fall, not only are temperatures cooling, but kids are getting back into the school routine, providing a much more relaxed atmosphere in the park. 

Autumn is also prime time to hike the canyon.  The blazing hot inferno of summer gives way to temperatures that are balmy but bearable.  Now, that’s NOT giving anyone license to hike down to the river and back in a day.  We don’t advocate doing that EVER.  But it’s sure a heck of a lot more comfortable hiking back up the Bright Angel Trail when it’s 85 degrees than it is when it’s 120 degrees! 

I actually had the pleasure of hiking from the North Rim to the South Rim during the third week of September many years ago.  That week is prime time to visit Grand Canyon’s North Rim.  At 8,000 feet, the North Rim supports a more diverse group of plant life than the drier South Rim, such as birches, aspens, oaks, even some species of maples.  During the fall months, these trees put on a display of color to beat the band (boy, I’m dating myself with THAT expression!).  I am very anxious to see what this looks like against the areas that were recently scorched by the Warm Fire earlier this summer.  It could be quite the photo op.  We’ll find out soon enough on our annual company trip to the North Rim to celebrate the end of the season as we enjoy dinner at the historic Grand Canyon Lodge.  Maybe we’ll see YOU there! 

Til next time – happy, and SAFE, travelling,

Alley Kaye, GrandCanyon.com

P.S. ”The Insider’s Guide to the Grand Canyon” for Fall is here!  We’ll have it available to download on our website really soon, but in the meantime, you can order a special advance copy by e-mailing me at alleyk@grandcanyon.com.  It’s ABSOLUTELY FREE!