Our niece recently had a child, and my in-laws decided it was time to go meet their great-grandchild. It became a family event, as 5 of us flew from various locations to our niece's home in Arizona. We rented a van and took the 8 week old on her first grand family adventure, spending a weekend traveling through Sedona, up to Williams, and taking the Grand Canyon Railroad up to see the big dig.
A friend of mine recently posted a picture on Facebook of an old church in Europe, commenting "I wish we had old things like this here in the U.S." My tongue-in-cheek reply was "We do! The Grand Canyon is much, much older." It's also much more beautiful, in my opinion.
This was my first trip to the Grand Canyon, and I enjoyed it immensely. There isn't much to say that hasn't already been said. I'll toss in a few pictures of Sedona and the Grand Canyon, but pictures simply can't capture the grandeur.
We were on the South Rim, about mid-point of the canyon at Grand Canyon Village. The final picture is looking back at the entrance and the El Tovar hotel.
The canyon is 18 miles across at this location, and the North Rim is higher than the South Rim, so you look 'up' at the far side. There is no longer any private property in the area, except for whatever was grandfathered in when the park was created. At this location, the El Tovar Hotel is situated right next to the rim. We didn't stay, but it is a beautiful hotel if you enjoy the look of the rustic West (which I do).
The Grand Canyon Railroad is a good way to get to there, especially if you're a family with kids. You don't get much time at the canyon itself, about 3 1/2 hours, but it is a leisurely means of arriving. It leaves at 9:15 am from Williams, Arizona (the last town bypassed by Interstate 40, and a town chock full of Route 66 memorabilia), arrives at 11:30, and a tour guide gives a running commentary as cowboys stroll up and down the train strumming guitars and singing tunes for tips. A variety of vistas along the way, you get a great feel for just how expansive the West is (or was). High Plains, forest, ranch, and mountains are all part of the two and a half hour trip. We saw elk, antelope, and jackrabbit galore. And cows. Lots and lots of cows. I think there may have been a jackalope, as well, though I've been told they are really denizens of gas stations, tourist traps and honky-tonks. I'm sure I saw one in the wild, though.
Will follow up with pics from Sedona and Williams, Arizona.
