In late May my husband and I make a weekend trip to visit the Grand Canyon. Of course, I’ve seen many pictures of the Grand Canyon over the years, but I was quite curious to see if the beauty witnessed in person could possibly measure-up to what I’ve seen on TV over the years. People from all over the world come to visit this natural beauty, so it must be something really, really special – right?
It was a long drive from Phoenix. We left around 9:00 AM and reached Flagstaff, the largest city near the Canyon, around 11:00. The road from Flagstaff was only two lanes and had surprisingly little traffic. The cost to enter the Grand Canyon Park was $25 per vehicle. When you think about it, $25 was not much to pay for such a famous attraction.
Once we paid our entrance fee, it only took about ten minutes to reach a place to park our car and begin hiking toward one of the many viewing spots. I know it sounds like a cliché, but seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time in person, really does take your breathe away. It is so very, very huge – much larger than I imagined. Once you adjust to the shear size of the Canyon, you begin to appreciate the great variety and beauty of the colors in the rock formations.
Now I understand why people from so many nations come to witness the Grand Canyon. It really was worth the trip. However, now that I seen it, I’m not so anxious to make a return trip. One additional stop, just a couple of miles outside the Grand Canyon Park that really was worth some time, is the IMAX theatre presentation about the Canyon. A friend strongly recommended watching the 30-minute presentation after visiting the Grand Canyon in person. During the first few minutes of the IMAX show, you really get the feeling that you jump off the side of the Canyon, are diving down to the bottom, and pull up just before crashing into the Colorado River. The IMAX show was really thrilling and a great way to compliment visiting the Grand Canyon in person.
On the way back to Phoenix, we stopped in Flagstaff where we stayed in a hotel that left a great deal to be desired. It seems the hotel was in the midst of remodeling – which was long overdue. Many dozens of guests had to pack into one of the small guest rooms to have breakfast, rather than enjoy breakfast in a dining room. The BBQ we had the previous night was not much better. The ribs I ordered were badly burned on one side and generally not delicious at all. All I could really taste was the BBQ sauce – not the smoked meat. At least the waitress replaced the burned ribs with another order, but they were only marginally better.
All in all, the Grand Canyon was fantastic. You really do have to see it in person to fully appreciate what a miracle of nature it truly is. To complete the experience, I would also recommend taking in the IMAX presentation – but avoid spending the night in Flagstaff or having BBQ there