| Looking for a great place to spend you family | | | | and includes access to the key South Rim lookout |
| vacation? Try the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. | | | | points. Note: Dress according to the season and bring |
| This National Park is packed with a variety of physical | | | | plenty of water, sunscreen, and foods like salty trail |
| and educational activities that will appeal to kids of all | | | | mix. |
| ages. Here's a list of ten activities to get your | | | | Mule Rides - These trips fill up fast. There's a |
| planning "juices" started: | | | | cancellation sheet maintained at the Bright Angel |
| Ranger Programs - Rangers are trained naturalists | | | | Lodge, and you might get lucky, but it's not likely as |
| who love to share their knowledge about the | | | | these popular trips are booked 13 months in advance. |
| Canyon. Topics range from the California Condor | | | | The best trip for kids is the Three Hour Abyss |
| restoration program and geology to fossils and | | | | Overlook Mule Ride, which follows the Rim through |
| astronomy. The Junior Ranger program is specifically | | | | Ponderosa Pine forest and a Juniper and Pinon Pine |
| designed for kids, and includes adventure hikes, field | | | | woodland chock full of wildlife. |
| classes (teaches how to use binoculars, field guides, | | | | Horseback Riding - One- and two-hour trail rides led |
| and other tools or a naturalist), and games based on | | | | by Apache Stables, located outside the Park's main |
| local ecology. Kids can get sworn in as Junior Grand | | | | gate in Tusayan. These rides traverse the Ponderosa |
| Canyon National Park Rangers once they complete | | | | Pine forest outside the South Rim. Twilight trips and |
| the program. | | | | wagon rides are also available. |
| Museums - The Canyon View Information Center, | | | | Digital Photography Workshops - Limited time only. |
| near Mather Point, provides a number of outdoor | | | | Call Park to get dates and times. Professional |
| exhibits about the Park. Inside, Rangers man the | | | | photographers lead photo walks in the Park and |
| information desk and are happy to help you decide | | | | discuss how to best use your digital camera to take |
| what you want to do when you arrive. The Center | | | | stunning landscape and wildlife pictures. |
| also houses a number of interpretive exhibits. Similar | | | | Helicopter Tours - Get a bird's eye view of the |
| in purpose is Verkamp's Visitor Center, located east | | | | Canyon. Helicopter tours depart from Grand Canyon |
| of the El Tovar Hotel. Built in 1906, this building | | | | Airport in Tusayan. Routes fly over the South Rim's |
| started out as a gift shop, but was converted into a | | | | pine forest and over the Dragoon Corridor, the |
| visitor center and features some excellent pioneer | | | | deepest, widest section of the Canyon. See rock |
| history exhibits. Learn how the Canyon was formed | | | | temples and shrines and the North Rim before |
| and how old it is at the Yavapai Observation Center's | | | | returning to the airport. |
| Museum of Geology. The Center's Canyon-facing wall | | | | IMAX Theatre - See in 34 minutes what would take |
| is all glass and provides intense views of the Gorge. | | | | a lifetime! The IMAX screen is huge. Seats are |
| Kolb Studio, built on the edge of the Canyon's rim in | | | | stadium style. The cumulative effect is similar to |
| 1905, hosts free art exhibits and houses a huge early | | | | actually being there. The Theater, managed by |
| 20th-century movie camera used by the Kolb | | | | National Geographic, features excellent exhibits, a |
| brothers. | | | | knowledgeable staff, and a food court. Raft trips can |
| Ride the Shuttle - Shuttle busses are free and go to | | | | be booked here as well. Ticket cost: Adults (11+): |
| all key South Rim points of interest. The system is | | | | $12.50. Youth (ages 6 - 10): $9.50. |
| comprised of three color-coded routes: Blue (Village | | | | Grand Canyon Village - The hub of the South Rim, |
| Route), Red (Hermit's Rest), and Green (Kaibab Trail). | | | | the Village includes Bright Angel Lodge, gift shops, |
| The blue route is between the red and green and | | | | restaurants, museums, a snack bar, information |
| connects them. Recommended rides: Hermit's Rest | | | | centers and more. Perfect for starting the day or |
| (red), Mather Point (green), and Yaki Point (green) | | | | ending it. Check out the snack bar behind the Lodge |
| | | | for inexpensive eats for kids. The restaurant in the |
| Day Hikes - There are several great hikes for kids. | | | | Lodge is outstanding and serves big portions. The |
| Bright Angel Trail is located next to Kolb Studio in | | | | Lodge's gift shop is the best on the Rim for |
| Grand Canyon Village. The well-maintained trail is a | | | | affordable souvenirs, bottled water, t-shirts, hats, and |
| delightful stroll down. It's the hike up via steep | | | | more. |
| switchbacks that will determine how far you will go | | | | If you're looking to do something different this family |
| (consider taking the Ranger-led adventure hikes for | | | | vacation, consider the South Rim of the Grand |
| kids). Two places to consider: Mile-and-a-Half | | | | Canyon. The National Park loaded with activities that |
| Resthouse and Three-Mile Resthouse. The South | | | | target kids ranging in age from six-years-old to |
| Kaibab Trail, too, is in excellent condition and offers | | | | teenagers. From the Junior Ranger Program, |
| several outstanding lookout points for kids. The Rim | | | | horseback riding, and geology museums to adventure |
| Trail skirts the Canyon's edge from Hermit's Rest to | | | | day hikes, an easy-to-use shuttle bus system and |
| South Kaibab. For the most part, it's flat terrain and | | | | helicopter tours, there's something for everyone and |
| never goes into the Canyon. It's excellent for strolling | | | | every budget. |