Grand Canyon South Rim Advice

Planning a VERY short, overnight drive from Flagstaff to the south rim next month. All of the big hotels are sold out. Any advice would be appreciated.

If it’s short you could consider camping? If campgrounds are booked I think there are areas you can camp of the grid legally. I did this a very long time ago so not sure what part of the Grand Canyon I was at.

Plus if you were considering to spend money on Hotel… you could get reasonable good gear to have more of a glamping experience. It’s a beautiful part of the world.

As the date of your visit approaches, it’s worth calling to see if there are any last-minute cancellations at any of the Rim hotels. Xanterra, which runs the hotels, requires cancellation 48 hours in advance for refund. Some rooms on the second floors of Kachina and Thunderbird lodges have decent views of the canyon.

We got rooms at Kachina on the second floor. Both had views. We had reservations at El Tovar for dinner which we made weeks ago and the earliest was 4:30. When we got there to check in we asked for push back to 6:00 and they gave us that. Just one night but it wasn’t bad as far as accommodations and dinner. The dining room had multiple empty tables which we attributed to staffing shortages. The Grand Canyon was spectacular and the weather was fantastic. The wine list at El Tovar was limited and overpriced, as you might expect. They had a 2018 Mt. Veeder for $80 which was probably one of the better values.

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if still there, Chez Marc Bistro in Flagstaff is a standout. cordon blue trained chef in a casual setting.