1 Day Grand Canyon Itinerary
The author’s daughter at Maricopa Point
Explore one of the great wonders of the world with this 1 day Grand Canyon itinerary!
While you won’t be able to do and everything in a short visit, you’ll be able to get a taste of this incredible national park.
With beautiful hikes, incredible overlooks, free ranger led tours, and a deep history, there’s something here for everyone.
My family’s first visit to the Grand Canyon was just over a day, but it sparked a love of Arizona and national parks that we are still chasing years later!
Below, you’ll find out how to best spend your short time in Grand Canyon National Park, how to get to the park, where to eat, what short hikes are best, and more.
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Planning What to See at the Grand Canyon in 1 Day
Since your time here is extremely limited, you’re going to have to pick a specific area of the park to focus on.
The Grand Canyon is massive and covers 1.2 million acres, and you’d be lucky to see a fraction of that even with a week or 2.
For a one day trip, you’re going to have to make some tough decisions. Luckily for you, the Grand Canyon is incredible, so you really can’t go wrong with any time spent here!
Grand Canyon National Park has 3 main areas: South Rim, North Rim, and West Rim.
For the first time visitor with limited time, I’d suggest concentrating on the area around the Grand Canyon Village on the South Rim.
Not only is this historic area one of the most accessible from areas like Williams and Flagstaff, but it also has the most amenities of any area in the park.
Here, you can find multiple trailheads, a bike path, multiple restaurants, a visitors center, and several gift shops.
It’s the Grand Canyon experience in a microcosm with more than enough to do to fill your day.
All of the suggestions below focus in this area, so all you have to do is determine your method of transportation to the Grand Canyon Village and then fill out your itinerary with our family friendly suggestions in this post.
How to Get to the Grand Canyon on a Short Trip
For a short, 1 day trip, you have 2 options:
1) Drive from a nearby town into the Grand Canyon.
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If you’re adding on a day in Grand Canyon National Park as part of a larger road trip adventure, you’ll be driving into the park from another area.
If you’re doing a road trip from Colorado or Utah, like our suggested Denver to Grand Canyon road trip, you’ll be entering the park from the east entrance.
If you’re on a road trip south of the canyon, like on our Albuquerque to Las Vegas road trip, you’ll enter via Tusayan and the southern entrance.
In either case, you’re going to need a rental car because there isn’t public transportation into the national park via any of the entrances.
>> Check rental car rates here. <<
If you come in via the east entrance, that will add about an hour’s drive through the Grand Canyon to the Grand Canyon Village. However, it is a beautiful drive with multiple overlooks, so you’ll just be adding to your overall experience this way.
By taking your own car, you’ll have the flexibility to start and stop each adventure when you’re ready, and to move freely within the park until you’re ready to leave.
2) Take a tour into the national park.
If you’re already vacationing in Williams, Las Vegas, or Flagstaff, you might want someone else to do the driving.
In this case, a tour is an excellent choice since the tour companies have a 1 day Grand Canyon visit down to a science.
The only downside to a tour is that you’re going to be limited by the tour company’s schedule on when they arrive and leave the park.
But if you want a visit that’s truly stress free, a guided tour might be the way to go.
Best Grand Canyon Tour for Families
If you choose to go the tour route, I’d highly recommend the Grand Canyon Railroad tour from Williams, Arizona.
The single best Grand Canyon tour when you’re traveling with kids is the Grand Canyon Railway.
With this tour, getting there is half the fun. Your family will gather at the historic Williams train depot, where you’ll see a Wild West shootout.
Then, you’ll board the train to the Grand Canyon, where your train will take you along the beautiful route to the park.
Once you arrive at the national park, you can choose to complete your own itinerary (might I suggest mine, found below?) or hop on the guided tour, which is an optional upcharge.
On the way back, you’ll participate in a cowboy singalong before you arrive back in Williams after an excellent day out!
For more family friendly tips, explore my Grand Canyon with kids guide!
Grand Canyon 1 Day Visit: Hour by Hour Itinerary
This itinerary assumes that you’ll be staying off property and only traveling into the Grand Canyon for the day.
However, if you are staying the night before or after your one day in the Grand Canyon, I’d suggest the Bright Angel Lodge, which is more reasonable than the other hotels at the South Rim and has an incredible history.
Morning at the Grand Canyon
Aim to be in the park no later than 8 AM as we’re looking to make the most of our single day here.
The Grand Canyon hasn’t gone to a reservation system yet, but you’ve got a much better chance of getting parking and uncrowded trails if you’re up and moving early.
NOTE: If you’re planning to spend your entire day hiking down into the canyon, you’ll want to be at the trailhead before 8 AM especially if you’re doing so in the summer. The canyon gets brutally hot from late July to early September, so be prepared.
If this if your first trip to Grand Canyon National Park, I’d suggest diversifying your activities during this day so you get a better idea of what the park has to offer.
Audio Tour of Grand Canyon
Instead, head into the park early, and turn on your GuideAlong tour for the Grand Canyon South Rim.
The GuideAlong tours are on of our must-haves when visiting national parks. The tour is GPS based, so you don’t need wifi once the tour is downloaded to your phone.
The tour then progresses automatically as you arrive at each point in the audio tour. We love being able to pause and repeat the tour as necessary.
Make your way along the South Entrance Road (Highway 64) from the south entrance and Tusayan.
Alternatively, if you’re entering from the east entrance, you’ll travel west on Desert View Trail towards the Grand Canyon Village.
Visitors Center
Once you’ve arrived at the South Rim, you’ll want to quickly orient yourself. First, head to the Grand Canyon Visitors Center (not to be confused with Verkamp’s Visitors Center a bit further west on the South Rim).
You’ll find a parking lot here, as well as needed information for the rest of your day in the park.
Pick up a map of the park and Junior Ranger booklets for the kids (or kids at heart) in your group.
>> Not sure what the Junior Ranger program is all about? Check out my national parks for beginners guide here. <<
This is also a great time to check out the ranger program times and meeting locations for later in the day.
Grand Canyon South Rim Exploration
While it is cooler in the morning, we want to get out and see as much of the rim as possible.
In order to do this, I’d suggest either hiking along the Rim Trail or biking the paved Greenway Trail.
You can rent bikes at the Bright Angel Bikes shop near the visitors center. The bike shop offers up trailers and tagalong options for the younger members of your family.
Biking is an excellent way to see the Grand Canyon since you can cover so much more ground, but choose the sightseeing method that’s right for your family.
I’d suggest a 1-2 hour bike rental or hike along the Rim Trail.
Doing so will have you ready for your next activity around 10 AM.
NOTE: If at all possible, walk over from the visitors center to the Grand Canyon, which is a fairly short hike along the Rim Trail.
If you absolutely must move your car, do so now as the parking lots tend to fill up by 11 AM on most mornings.
Bright Angel Trail
At this point, if it isn’t too hot, I’d suggest hiking down into the canyon for a bit.
The Bright Angel trail is accessible from the Rim Trail and is clearly marked. Since you’re limited for time, you won’t want to hike the entire trail (which is difficult).
Instead, hike down to the second rock tunnel, which is about 3/4 of a mile down the trail one way. You’ll get excellent views of the canyon and a quick taste of what a true hiking trip into the canyon would be like.
Remember, what goes down must come up, so you’re looking at the hardest part of your hike on the second half. The return 0.75 mile trek will be harder than the trip down into the canyon, so take plenty of water and go slowly if necessary.
If you’re new to hiking and don’t know how to prepare, check out my guide to hiking for beginners on a budget.
Mid-day at the Grand Canyon
As you come up out of the canyon, you’re likely getting hungry for lunch, so let’s head over to one of the many restaurants in the Grand Canyon Village.
For a quick and easy lunch with historical ambiance, I suggest the Harvey House Cafe which is located in the Bright Angel Lodge.
In addition to their yummy fare, the restaurant’s location at the Bright Angel trailhead makes this incredibly convenient.
While you’re inside and sitting down, have your kids work on their Junior Ranger booklets.
After lunch, shop for a souvenir in the Bright Angel Lodge, El Tovar Hotel, or Thunderbird Lodge.
Afternoon at the Grand Canyon
If you have a moment after lunch and shopping, poke your head into the Kolb Studio and Lookout Studio.
Kolb Studio and Lookout Studio
Both are perched on the side of the South Rim, and were built for similar purposes.
The Kolb Studio was original a private residence and photography studio for the Kolb brothers, who offered access to tourists early on in the Grand Canyon’s tourism history. It was built in 1905.
Today, you can take tours of this historic home on select days each week. Check with the visitors center for times and dates.
Lookout Studio was built in 1914 and nearly blends into the canyon backdrop. It served as the studio of architect Mary Colter, who drew inspiration from local Hopi buildings.
The studio now has a gift shop in it, so poke around to see what initially drew Colter to this location. (Hint: the views are incredible!)
Ranger Program
There’s usually a ranger tour around 1 or 2 PM, and you’ll want to hop onto that.
These tours rotate and can cover anything from geological features in the park to the fossil bed near Maricopa Point to the animals you’re most likely to see.
They are led by a ranger and focus on his or her speciality or area of interest, so you’re sure to have an engaging, informative host.
Every ranger tour we’ve taken—both at Grand Canyon and the other national parks we’ve visited—has been excellent.
When you add in the fact that these 1-2 hour tours are completely free, there’s really no reason NOT to make use of them.
Junior Ranger Program
My daughter with her completed Junior Ranger booklet and badge
Your kids will need at least one ranger program to finish up their Junior Ranger program, so have the ranger sign the booklet before you leave.
Have your kids complete their required pages for the Junior Ranger booklet, and then carry it to the closest visitors center to get sworn in and to receive the free badge.
Yavapai Museum of Geology
If you have time and want to squeeze in one more activity before you leave, head over to the Geology Museum on the Rim Trail.
Located on Yavapai Point, this museum carries visitors through millions of years of geological history to showcase how and why the canyon was formed.
You’ll learn about the different geological eras that the park has experienced while looking through massive plate glass windows into the canyon itself.
The museum is accessible to all of its guests, with everything from hands-on interactive exhibits for kids to higher level science-based interpretive materials for adults.
Access to the museum is free with your entrance fee to the park.
After that, you’ll continue on the Rim Trail as you’re treated to incredible sunset views over the canyon.
Continue back to the Grand Canyon visitors center to get your car and head onto your next destination.
Optional: Evening at the Grand Canyon
Depending on your travel schedule, you might already be on the road by the time that the sun sets.
However, if you’re staying in Tusayan or Williams (and don’t mind a late night drive back), I highly recommend one of the free ranger-led evening programs.
These programs focus on anything from noctural animals in the park to the incredible star gazing on the Rim.
The park empties out around 4 PM, so you’ll have fewer crowds and quieter experiences if you’re able to stay into the evening.
Ask in the visitors center for the meeting time and location of the evening programs on the day you’re visiting.
If you want to explore more of the park, see my 7 day Grand Canyon itinerary from Las Vegas, where you can dive into multiple areas of the park.
