Looking for a great place to spend you family vacation? Try the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. This National Park is packed with a variety of physical and educational activities that will appeal to kids of all ages. Here's a list of ten activities to get your planning "juices" started:
Ranger Programs - Rangers are trained naturalists who love to share their knowledge about the Canyon. Topics range from the California Condor restoration program and geology to fossils and astronomy. The Junior Ranger program is specifically designed for kids, and includes adventure hikes, field classes (teaches how to use binoculars, field guides, and other tools or a naturalist), and games based on local ecology. Kids can get sworn in as Junior Grand Canyon National Park Rangers once they complete the program.
Museums - The Canyon View Information Center, near Mather Point, provides a number of outdoor exhibits about the Park. Inside, Rangers man the information desk and are happy to help you decide what you want to do when you arrive. The Center also houses a number of interpretive exhibits. Similar in purpose is Verkamp's Visitor Center, located east of the El Tovar Hotel. Built in 1906, this building started out as a gift shop, but was converted into a visitor center and features some excellent pioneer history exhibits. Learn how the Canyon was formed and how old it is at the Yavapai Observation Center's Museum of Geology. The Center's Canyon-facing wall is all glass and provides intense views of the Gorge. Kolb Studio, built on the edge of the Canyon's rim in 1905, hosts free art exhibits and houses a huge early 20th-century movie camera used by the Kolb brothers.
Ride the Shuttle - Shuttle busses are free and go to all key South Rim points of interest. The system is comprised of three color-coded routes: Blue (Village Route), Red (Hermit's Rest), and Green (Kaibab Trail). The blue route is between the red and green and connects them. Recommended rides: Hermit's Rest (red), Mather Point (green), and Yaki Point (green)
Day Hikes - There are several great hikes for kids. Bright Angel Trail is located next to Kolb Studio in Grand Canyon Village. The well-maintained trail is a delightful stroll down. It's the hike up via steep switchbacks that will determine how far you will go (consider taking the Ranger-led adventure hikes for kids). Two places to consider: Mile-and-a-Half Resthouse and Three-Mile Resthouse. The South Kaibab Trail, too, is in excellent condition and offers several outstanding lookout points for kids. The Rim Trail skirts the Canyon's edge from Hermit's Rest to South Kaibab. For the most part, it's flat terrain and never goes into the Canyon. It's excellent for strolling and includes access to the key South Rim lookout points. Note: Dress according to the season and bring plenty of water, sunscreen, and foods like salty trail mix.
Mule Rides - These trips fill up fast. There's a cancellation sheet maintained at the Bright Angel Lodge, and you might get lucky, but it's not likely as these popular trips are booked 13 months in advance. The best trip for kids is the Three Hour Abyss Overlook Mule Ride, which follows the Rim through Ponderosa Pine forest and a Juniper and Pinon Pine woodland chock full of wildlife.
Horseback Riding - One- and two-hour trail rides led by Apache Stables, located outside the Park's main gate in Tusayan. These rides traverse the Ponderosa Pine forest outside the South Rim. Twilight trips and wagon rides are also available.
Digital Photography Workshops - Limited time only. Call Park to get dates and times. Professional photographers lead photo walks in the Park and discuss how to best use your digital camera to take stunning landscape and wildlife pictures.
Helicopter Tours - Get a bird's eye view of the Canyon. Helicopter tours depart from Grand Canyon Airport in Tusayan. Routes fly over the South Rim's pine forest and over the Dragoon Corridor, the deepest, widest section of the Canyon. See rock temples and shrines and the North Rim before returning to the airport.
IMAX Theatre - See in 34 minutes what would take a lifetime! The IMAX screen is huge. Seats are stadium style. The cumulative effect is similar to actually being there. The Theater, managed by National Geographic, features excellent exhibits, a knowledgeable staff, and a food court. Raft trips can be booked here as well. Ticket cost: Adults (11+): .50. Youth (ages 6 - 10): .50.
Grand Canyon Village - The hub of the South Rim, the Village includes Bright Angel Lodge, gift shops, restaurants, museums, a snack bar, information centers and more. Perfect for starting the day or ending it. Check out the snack bar behind the Lodge for inexpensive eats for kids. The restaurant in the Lodge is outstanding and serves big portions. The Lodge's gift shop is the best on the Rim for affordable souvenirs, bottled water, t-shirts, hats, and more.
The Grand Canyon is a great place for a family vacation. From camping and junior ranger programs to day hikes and museums, there's something to do for all ages. There are some fabulous canyon air tours, too, ranging from a helicopter trip across the gorge to an airplane flight to Glen Canyon Dam. The Grand Canyon has it all. Just make sure to pack your sense of adventure.
