TURNIPSEED TRAVEL
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About Us
  • Resources
  • Partner With Us
  • New Visitors
  • Social Media

Grand Canyon National Park: Cheap n’ Calm in Peak Season.

24/5/2012

 

Updated in 2021! Our very best Grand Canyon travel tips await... If you want to see the Grand Canyon on the cheap, you're going to love this post.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase through said link we are paid a small commission.  This post also contains a sponsored post from one of our supporters.

Grand Canyon with a view down to the river Picture
Whether you see the Grand Canyon on the cheap or splurge all the way, the real gem is the incredible views.
Grand Canyon National Park is a beautiful and exciting destination. The natural beauty and the unique landscape make it a trip to remember. Unfortunately, it’s one of the busiest National Parks in the US, with mid-day line ups at the South Gate lasting several hours. It can also be incredibly expensive, with deluxe rooms at the historic El Tovar lodge running into hundreds of dollars a night. Tusayan village, located right outside the main gates, has a bit of reputation for overpriced hotels and restaurants – a real tourist trap. So how can the coffeecan financier make the most of this legendary destination? 
Rock formations in the Grand Canyon Picture
The legendary Grand Canyon.
Consider Flagstaff
First, consider NOT being in the Grand Canyon all the time. Flagstaff, Arizona, is a terrific university town often overlooked as an overnight base for park visitors because it is an hour away. 

Flagstaff is a gateway to Sunset Crater Volcano, Walnut Canyon, and Wupatki National Monuments.​ All three offer tremendous examples of the unique geography and geology also found in Grand Canyon National Park. No crowds, passionate staff, easy access – a few hours at any monument gives you the kind of intimacy with nature and history that can be lost in the Grand Canyon crowds. 

As an added bonus, Flagstaff boasts a wide range of accommodations and restaurants, terrific museums, and a real gem in the Lowell Observatory – the perfect late night activity for a family or solo traveler  The observatory hums with excitement as both young and old check out the telescopes and science displays. While Flagstaff has many beautiful B&Bs, during our trip we opted to stay at a Day’s Inn in the center of town. 

We booked nearly half a year in advance and used an internet promo-code. In the end, we paid $35 for a serviceable, clean, unexciting room which included a basic breakfast that we made the most of. (See our update at the end of this post for current prices.) By choosing to stay night in Flagstaff we saved about $100 in accommodation and food costs and we really enjoyed our visit. 
Panoramic shot of the Grand Canyon Picture
Where to Start
After a restful night in Flagstaff, venture forth early in the morning for Grand Canyon National Park. Instead of automatically following the signs for the main gate of the South Rim, head instead towards the nearby east gate entrance. The distance is about the same, but the east gate offers three key advantages. 
Map Grand Canyon National Park East Entrance and Desert View Drive
To begin, the drive itself is delightful, as you pass by beautiful National Forests and Little Gorge, an incredible natural feature in the landscape. Secondly, the gate itself will be quiet, with virtually no wait. Thirdly, beyond the east gate is the start of the famed Desert View Drive, offering the best views of the park. 

At the start of the Desert View Drive is the Watchtower. There are often special ranger presentations at the Desert View Watchtower in the early morning, giving the value seeking traveler their best chance for some quiet, intimate interactions with the National Park and their staff- a great start to the day! 

During my last visit, an inspiring female ranger gave a great tour about “alien” visitors to the park! Entering by the east gate saved us several hours of waiting elsewhere and allowed us to really maximize our time in the park, giving us the best bang for our buck.

Remember, you don't have to go the DIY route if that's not for you. An organized tour like those from MaxTour helps you avoid crowds and chaos and lets you get the best possible value. They offer a combined tour of Grand Canyon and Antelope Canyon, which is spectacularly beautiful and should be on everyone's travel bucket list.  

Where to stay inside the Grand Canyon

Bedroom at Bright Angle lodge with a grey flowered bed spread Picture
Wash stand and dresser in our Bright Angel Lodge bedroomPicture
The Grand Canyon “village” offers a wide range of accommodations; from historic cabins to more generic, 1970’s style residences. Given the popularity of the destination and the historic nature of the beautiful park lodges, accommodation costs can easily destroy a fragile budget. 

One of the best values in the park is the Bright Angel Lodge – specifically its adjacent, motel-style rooms without the en-suite bathrooms. The rooms are just a few steps back from the considerably more expensive rim side cabins and are perfectly positioned for all your exploring needs. By not taking an en-suite room, you will save considerably and the adjacent shared bathrooms are sparkling clean, thoroughly up to date, and shared with only a few other guests. 

You can chose from private bedrooms with no toilet and just a sink for about $80 or private bedrooms with ensuite powder room (but no shower or tub) for about $95. You won't see the $80 room on the main reservations page but it will appear as an option when you go to make an online booking/check availability. (2021 Update! We did a mock booking for a date several months down the road and found prices as low as $77 -REALLY - for rooms without ensuites. The price has actually gone down a smidge in since this post was written 9 years ago!)

Other Bright Angel accommodations can go for nearly $450 (the rim side cabins) and the most basic rooms (with no view) at El Tovar are about $200. Given how clean the shared bathrooms were and how we were just a one minute walk from the rim, I count the 'secret' cheap rooms at Bright Angel as one of my best travel deals, ever.

What to do in the Grand Canyon

Horse back riding outside the Grand Canyon Picture
Sunrise against the rocks Picture
The early morning light.
Rocks a few minutes post sunrise Picture
Just after sunrise.
Shot of the Colorado River Picture
The Colorado River.


You can also avoid crowds and costs when you eat. While visiting the Grand Canyon, it pays to be the early bird when it comes to meals.

A mule ride to the canyon floor was WAY out of our budget! But we still found plenty of amazing travel experiences. At night. there are a wide variety of free ranger- led presentations in the evening – and indeed all throughout the day as well – and you will never lack for entertainment after dark. During my visit, the ranger gave an outdoor presentation on ancient Canyon art. Getting around after dark wasn’t a concern, as the park offers a series of free shuttles which allow you to ride around with ease.

During the heat of the day, when Grand Canyon National Park is at its busiest in the early afternoon, I like to escape the crowds hop the free park shuttle and head into the adjacent town of Tusayan. While Tusayan is a bit of a tourist trap town, it’s also home to the IMAX Theatre. Watching Grand Canyon – Hidden Secrets is an amazing experience and gives you a bird’s eye view of park. While a bit pricey at $13.50 a ticket, it makes for an affordable alternative to a personal helicopter ride while providing you with the same great views – all while enjoying air conditioning. (2021 Update: Prices have not changed. Yay! You can save 20% by booking online or 10% in person by showing your AAA card.) Try to resist the temptations of the nearby gift shops and overpriced concessions in order to protect your budget.
Vanesss wears a black shirt and looks over the Grand CanyonPicture
Deer on the path at night Picture
Canyon walls at sunset Picture
Where to Eat
You can also avoid crowds and costs when you eat. While visiting the Grand Canyon, it pays to be the early bird when it comes to meals. In addition to avoiding the lines, you can expect to often get a table with a view, and attentive service that doesn't feel rushed. My choice for dinner is the Arizona Room, (now officially called the Arizona Steakhouse) which opens for dinner at 4:30pm. The wait staff is professional and friendly and the meals come with a unlimited cornbread and your choice of salad or southwest corn chowder included in the price. When we visited, we were one of the very first to arrive, and we had a table right in front of the windows, which gave a partial view of the Canyon.  Costs range from $22-38 per entree, compared to at least 20% more at El Tovar.  

The historic El Tovar hotel dining room offers beautiful meals but requires advance reservations, with no guarantee of a table with a view. Try arriving early for breakfast if your heart is set on one of their famous window tables. Better yet, have a light breakfast at the Bright Angel Lodge’s pub, which converts to a coffee house in the morning. Their lattes, hot chocolate and cinnamon buns are all about $1 less than El Tovar. A couple can easily save a few bucks and enjoy a perfect view simply by walking 100 feet to the rim path.

Some Final Thoughts...

A visit to the Grand Canyon requires some careful pre-planning, as popular accommodations can book up 13 months in advance. Those planning to hike to the bottom require cautious preparation and hikes should not be undertaken lightly. No one should hike down alone and the canyon poses many dangers. Ranger-led hikes are a safe, enriching alternative. In addition to sun hats, sunblock, water bottles and sturdy shoes, the savvy traveler will bring along a warm layer for the evening, when it can be quite cool, even in the summer.

With a few insiders tip, anyone can enjoy a relaxed visit to this jewel of a park. Far from being overwhelming, Grand Canyon National Park can be great a visit, even during peak season. A stimulating gateway town with a terrific observatory for evening fun, secure and affordable accommodations in the best part of the park, free and safe transportation, incredible opportunities for education and outdoor appreciation with the ranger staff, and amazing night-time presentations make Grand Canyon a dream destination.

UPDATE! March 2021: It's been MANY years since we published this post, one of our first and one of our favourites. We have updated it slightly to ensure prices are more accurate. We tried to once again replicate our booking steps that led to our $35 a night deal in Flagstaff and we're happy to report some success. With some diligent searching you can find basic 2 star hotels and motels in Flagstaff for $65 a night. With an advance booking rate (and armed with a coupon code that we found after about 20 minutes of searching) we were able to 'fake' book a night for  around $50. Lesson learned: be patient, be prepared to search, and book well in advance. Sure, it's not $35 but it's still really good.


As always, I welcome and encourage your comments. Have you ever been to a famous landmark like the Grand Canyon?
​


If you enjoyed this article, you'll also like:
Tales from the Anti-Adventurist: Exploring the Grand Canyon
Zion National Park: Photo Essay
Travel Memories Are Made When...I Explore The Great Outdoors



Comments are closed.
    Recent Posts
    Posts by Location
    Turnipseed Travel Category Canada
    Turnipseed Travel Category USA
    Turnipseed Travel Category Europe
    Turnipseed Travel Category Africa
    Turnipseed Travel Category Australia
    Turnipseed Travel Category Asia

    Post Categories

    All
    $200 Challenge
    200m Challenge
    Accommodation
    Africa
    Amsterdam
    Anti Adventurist
    Asia
    Australia
    Belgium
    Business Travel
    Camping
    Canada
    Central Counties
    Cozy Travel
    Destinations
    Europe
    Experiences & Activities
    Female Travel
    Food And Drink
    Gear And Packing
    Golf
    Greece
    Guest Posts & Interviews
    Health
    Inspiration
    Making Travel Memories
    Montreal
    Most Popular Posts
    National Parks
    Norfolk County
    Ontario
    Ottawa
    Paris
    Partners
    Pet Travel
    Photo Essay
    Preparation
    Press Trip Portfolio
    Reviews Accommodation
    Reviews Gear Packing
    Round The World
    Saving
    Toronto
    Transportation
    Travel Cooking
    Travel Memories Series
    UK & Ireland
    United States

    Posts by Date

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012

Disclaimers, Privacy, and Cookie Policy

Top 100 Travel Influencer
As named by the Obama White House in 2014.​
White House Study Abroad Logo 2014
Turnipseed Travel Logo 2019
DMCA.com Protection Status
© COPYRIGHT 2022. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About Us
  • Resources
  • Partner With Us
  • New Visitors
  • Social Media