Grand Canyon National Park is one of the most famous and most iconic natural wonders in the United States. Measuring 1900 square miles, Grand Canyon National Park is divided into the South Rim, North Rim, and West Rim. The South Rim is the official location of the National Park. A family trip to Grand Canyon National Park is an absolute must! To help guide your adventures around this iconic natural formation of giant layered red rock canyon walls, our adventure travel family is bringing you our list of 15 must-see stops for a family trip to Grand Canyon South Rim! Join our adventures as we guide you through the South Rim of the park.
Visitor Information
| Address | 20 South Entrance Road, Grand Canyon, AZ 86023 |
| Entrance Cost | National Park entrance pass required (included in your America The Beautiful annual pass) |
| Hours | Vary by season |
| Tour Time | Varies greatly! We spent 1.5 days in the park, but could have easily spent more, especially it we added additional hikes to our itinerary. |
Disclaimer: Always make sure to check out the latest information from the park website before you arrive.
Must-See Stop for a Family Trip to Grand Canyon South Rim #1:
South Rim Visitor Center
We arrived late the night before at the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. After some rest at Yavapai Lodge, we were up early and anticipating our first glimpse of the majestic views! We picked up breakfast to go at the Lodge and took the shuttle to the Visitor Center. A stop at the Visitor Center is an essential first stop at any National Park! Here we picked up a map and check the park’s weather conditions.
Must-See Stop for a Family Trip to Grand Canyon South Rim #2:
Joining the Rim Trail
From the Visitor Center, we trekked out the short path to the rim. Here we sat for a brief period and had had a picnic breakfast while taking in the views. The girls also took the opportunity to work on their Junior Ranger books.
The Rim Trail actually starts a couple miles away at the South Kaibab Trailhead. It stretches 13 miles along the top of the rim of the canyon west to Hermits Rest. Since we were not planning to cover the entire 13 miles, we joined the trail outside of the Visitor Center.
During our picnic breakfast is where we had our first animal friend encounter of the day. An overly friendly squirrel was very intent upon stealing what it could out of our bags. These squirrels mean serious business and have zero fear of humans! There are signs all over that warn about them, but they really do chase you trying to get some of your food. The “crazy squirrel” is what Spider Monkey remembers most of our Grand Canyon visit lol!
Must-See Stop for a Family Trip to Grand Canyon South Rim #3:
Mather Point
We followed the Rim trail west to Mather Point. This is a very popular overlook since it is easily accessible and located near the Visitor Center.
From here we took in the views at the various overlooks while we made our way along the trail.
Dustin even got to enjoy some rock hopping while Spider Monkey kept yelling at him to be careful.
Must-See Stop for a Family Trip to Grand Canyon South Rim #4:
Yavapai Point & Geology Museum
Yavapai Point & Geology Museum
The next stop on the Rim Trail was a short visit to the Yavapai Point & Geology Museum. The museum provides panoramic views of the canyon. It also has displays that teach the geologic history recorded in the rocks. We explored the exhibits, worked on the Junior Ranger activities, and took in the views.
The animals are pretty interesting at Grand Canyon National Park! The girls and I could spend hours of our family trip to Grand Canyon National Park watching them. The elk have learned how to turn on the drinking fountains, so they are commonly seen around the restrooms. This pregnant elk was enjoying a cool drink from the fountain before the rangers moved her away from the crowds.
Must-See Stop for a Family Trip to Grand Canyon South Rim #5:
Trail of Time
The Rim Trail continued with the “Trail of Time” section. The Trail of Time is an interpretive walking trail that focuses on Grand Canyon’s vistas and rocks. It encourages visitors to think about the magnitude of geologic time. Think about it … if the canyon rock layers could speak … what kinds of stories would the tell?
You start by walking the “Million Year Trail”. This transitions from human time scales to geologic ones.
Then the main Trail of Time starts, where each meter equals one million years of Grand Canyon’s geologic history. Along the trail are a series of rocks and exhibits that explain how Grand Canyon and its rocks formed.
Must-See Stop for a Family Trip to Grand Canyon South Rim #6:
Hopi House
From the Trail of Time section, we continued to Hopi House. Hopi House is a multi-story building designed by Mary Colter, one of the few women architects in the early 1900s. The house is modeled after the 1,000 year-old pueblo dwellings of the Hopi village in Old Oraibi.
Must-See Stop for a Family Trip to Grand Canyon South Rim #7:
El Tovar Hotel
Next, we had lunch at the El Tovar dining room. The hotel was designed by Chicago architect Charles Whittlesey as a cross between a Swiss chalet and Norwegian villa. It was built from local limestone and Oregon pine, costing nearly $250,000 to build. When it opened its doors in 1905, many considered it the most elegant hotel west of the Mississippi River.
Must-See Stop for a Family Trip to Grand Canyon South Rim #8:
Ranger Talk
After lunch, the girls attended a Ranger talk on the canyon rim. The Ranger taught the girls about the local plants and pollinators before taking them on a short walk around the native gardens.
Around this time a pair of California Condors flew through the area. In 1982 there were only 22 California Condors left in the world. In 1992, when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service began reintroducing captive-bred condors to the wild. In 2001 the first wild nesting occurred in Grand Canyon National Park since re-introduction. Today there are nearly 500 – more than half of them flying free in Arizona, Utah, California, and Baja Mexico.
Must-See Stop for a Family Trip to Grand Canyon South Rim #9:
Lookout Studio
We ended our Rim Trail hike at the Lookout Studio. This is also where we ended our first day of our family trip to Grand Canyon National Park. We enjoyed some last views of the canyon and spotted a mule deer enjoying her lunch on the side of the canyon.
Lookout Studio was designed by Mary Colter to provide visitors an opportunity to safely view and photograph the beauty of the canyon. There are telescopes and outdoor viewing platforms, as well as a small gift shop.
Must-See Stop for a Family Trip to Grand Canyon South Rim #10:
Duck on a Rock
We left Grand Canyon National Park through the east entrance to the park early the next morning. We drove along the Desert View Drive stopping at the various lookout points along our way. The first of our stops was at Duck on a Rock. Duck on a Rock is a Kaibab formation, which some say resembles a duck on a rock. I can kind of see it, but its bill was worn off long ago.
Must-See Stop for a Family Trip to Grand Canyon South Rim #11:
Grand view Point Overlook
Then we stopped at Grand View Point Overlook. This viewpoint offers panoramic views of Grand Canyon from east to west. You can also see several bends of the Colorado River to the east.
We also spotted some grazing some grazing elk and a heard of grazing horses in the forest along our drive.
Must-See Stop for a Family Trip to Grand Canyon South Rim #12:
Moran Point Overlook
Our next stop was the Moran Point Overlook. Moran Point was named after painter, Thomas Mora. It provides a view of the 3 main rock groups in the Grand Canyon – sandstone, shale and limestone.
Must-See Stop for a Family Trip to Grand Canyon South Rim #13:
Lipan Point
We continued along the Desert View Drive to Lipan Point. Lipon Point is a must see! You can see some of the widest and most expansive canyon views along the South Rim.
You can look down to the very bottom of the canyon to get some great views the Colorado River!
You can also see the tilted layers of the Grand Canyon Supergroup. These unique rocks are exposed in just a few places within the canyon. Hidden in the titled layers is the Unkar Delta, where ancient Puebloan people once grew beans, corn, and squash.
Must-See Stop for a Family Trip to Grand Canyon South Rim #14:
Navajo Point
Next up is the highest overlook on the South Rim … Navajo Point. From here, we were able to take in panoramic views of the canyon and view Desert Watchtower in the distance.
Must-See Stop for a Family Trip to Grand Canyon South Rim #15:
Desert View Watchtower
Our last stop on our family trip to Grand Canyon National Park was Desert View Watchtower. The Desert View Watchtower is the eastern-most developed area on the South Rim. From here, you can see some of the best views of the Colorado River as it bends to the west. The Watchtower was designed by Mary Colter. It’s design is influenced from the architecture of the Ancestral Puebloan people of the Colorado Plateau.
The Family Verdict
It is hard to grasp the sheer size of the Grand Canyon! We spent a lot of time traveling through the Colorado Plateau on our trip through the southwest. So, we have been experiencing the grandeur of the Colorado River. But, from the peeks of the south rim of the Grand Canyon, the Colorado River is a tiny spec in the distance! We loved our family trip to Grand Canyon National Park!
If you loved this family adventure guide, check our family adventures at nearby Petrified Forest National Park, Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend. Also, follow along on our road trip through the American Southwest!
Follow along on our other amazing family travel adventures at www.adventureisinoursouls.com.
Recommended Supplies
Don’t miss out on these recommended supplies for your family trip to Grand Canyon!
For Packing:
For the Airport / Airplane:
Basics:
Outdoors:
- Pocket Binoculars
- Travel Umbrella
- Adult Hiking Hydration Backpack
- Kid’s Hiking Hydration Backpack
- Water Bladder Cleaning Tablets
- Microfiber Towels
- Women’s All Around Jacket
- Women’s Water-Resistant Hiking Pants, These and These
- Women’s Quick Dry Pants and These
- Women’s Quick Dry Shirts
- Women’s Long Sleeve UV Rash Guard
- Women’s Hiking Socks
- Women’s Rain Jacket
- Kid’s Quick Dry Pants
- Kid’s Quick Dry Shorts
- Kid’s Quick Dry Shirts
- Kid’s Long Sleeve UV Rash Guard
- Kid’s Hiking Socks and These
- Kids Rain Jacket
- Kid’s Rain Pants
- Foldable Kid’s Hat
- Men’s Rain Jacket
