If you’re planning to visit the Grand Canyon from Phoenix, here are some interesting stops along the way and some great hikes inside the park.

Note: If you’re planning on a day trip (returning in one day), keep in mind that it’s about 4 hours each way. You’ll need to leave early and reserve some energy for the drive back after a couple hikes in the Grand Canyon.

This well preserved cliff dwelling, once inhabited by ancestors of the modern Pueblos, is a five story structure built right into the mountain. It was mistakenly labeled as a castle of the Aztec King Montezuma by early explorers, but make no mistake it’s quite a sight and worth making the short detour for.

Give yourself about an hour to check out the site and then get back on I-17 North.

Before making your way to Flagstaff, an option is to go through Sedona to see the architectural wonder, Chapel of the Holy Cross.

Built by a Frank Lloyd Wright student, the chapel looks like it’s jutting out right from the red rocks of Sedona. Its large glass windows make for a stunning, spiritual view from the inside and from the road.

An interesting contrast with the desert - Flagstaff is surrounded by pine trees and sweeping vistas.

Make sure to take a stroll through downtown Flagstaff and to stop by Stronghold Coffee for a great cold brew and delicious food.

For delicious Mexican food, stop by MartAnnes Burrito Palace. Don’t stuff yourself silly though, because you’ll want to save room for the next stop.

From here, I recommend entering the Grand Canyon from the East Entrance, as it tends to be less crowded and has some lovely scenery on the way.

A great stopping point before entering Grand Canyon - this is one of the oldest and most historic general stores in Arizona. You’ll see a wide range of Navajo items on sale including rugs being woven in the shop.

But, one of the main draws here is the restaurant which serves up something called a Navajo Taco which is a bit of a blend of Mexican, Indian, and American cuisine. Piled high on top of Navajo fry bread is a generous heaping of ground beef, beans, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and green chile sauce - enough to share depending on how hungry you are.

After this, continue on to Route 64 to the East Entrance of the Grand Canyon.

Offering a unique view, the Desert View Point contains part of the Painted Desert, the Colorado River, and parts of the Rim.

In addition, the Watchtower, built in 193 by Mary J Colter is an interesting structure modeled after Pueblo architecture. At the top, you can look thru telescopes into the canyon, the river, and the Painted Desert below.

This is a great stopping area before the main Visitor Center for sweeping views of the South Rim showcasing the endless layering of canyons and ridges with the Colorado River below.

After 30 mins here, continue on to the Visitor Center.

The South Kaibab Trail contains a couple of the best ‘bang for your buck’ hikes with the Cedar Ridge (2.8 mi) and Ooh Aah Point (1.7 mi) being top two that come to mind. They’re both relatively short hikes with amazing, sweeping views.

The Grand Canyon Rim Trail (5.4 mi) is an easy, paved hike with markers showing you the whole way how far you’ve walked.

For a longer hike that is relatively flat, you can also try out the West Rim Trail 12.8 miles).

If you’re an experienced hiker and are staying overnight - the Bright Angel to Bright Angel Campground and River Trail is a grueling but rewarding 18.4 mile hike. It should be started early in the morning to avoid the brutal daytime sunlight.

Remember to always bring more water than you think you need and to wear sun protection.

Parking is limited at some of the trails. Check ahead to see if you’ll need to use the free shuttle bus system in the park to get to the trails.

Staying inside Grand Canyon Village is the most convenient but rooms fill quickly.

Just outside the park there is lodging in the gateway community of Tusayan. The park’s free shuttle service reaches Tusayan between March and September.

You can also find lodging at Valle (30 miles south), Red Lake (43 miles south), and Williams (60 miles south).

A bit further out is the city of Flagstaff, but I’d consider it too far away for convenience since it’d be an hour and half drive to the entrance of Grand Canyon.

On the way back to Phoenix, if you’re driving at night try to stop at Lowell Observatory. Established in 1894, there are a few different telescope to look at the night sky with. You can even use the telescope that found Pluto in 1930!