Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon is the most visited natural attraction in the Southwestern USA and one of the seven natural wonders of the world. If you have time for only one day trip from Phoenix and have not seen it before, you should definitely make time to visit the Grand Canyon. From Phoenix, by car, this trip takes a full day, but the drive is spectacular. You can do this drive as a quick there-and-back trip along the interstates or plans a few detours and turn the trip into a loop.

The most scenic option on the way to the Grand Canyon is to drive north on Highway 17, breaking off at Highway 179 to 89A to see the red rock scenery of Sedona, and then drive through scenic Oak Creek Canyon to Flagstaff. From Flagstaff, you can either take Interstate 40 West to 64 North, which is the fastest route, or Hwy 180 North to 64 North for a more scenic option. Once you reach Grand Canyon National Park, you can spend a few hours seeing the sites and lookouts along the Canyon Rim and admiring the views. If you want to relax and not worry about planning the trip on your own, you can easily join an organized tour of the Grand Canyon from Phoenix, including a helicopter flight over the canyon.

Distance from Phoenix: 229 miles
Travel time: 3 hours 20 minutes

Location: Cocono and Mohave, Arizona, United States

Tripadvisor Rating: 4.5/5