Route 66 Grand Canyon Detour Tours

View tour gift certificates

Visit Grand Canyon from Route 66

Importance of Route 66

Constructed in 1926, U.S. Highway Route 66 was a vital element in connecting rural towns in the Midwest and Southwest to major cities across the nation. Stretching 2,448 miles from Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, California, Route 66 quickly became a symbolic representation of freedom, escape, and the American dream.

Although Route 66 is no long a major highway, several sections throughout Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California are designated as Historic Route 66 Scenic Byways. Additionally, travelers along Route 66 can visit more than 250 destinations listed on the National Register of Historic Places, like diners, vintage gas stations, motels, museums, and monuments.

Route 66 Grand Canyon Detour

Did you know the Grand Canyon National Park (also known as the South Rim) is located just 2 hours off Route 66? The 1-40 exit in Williams, Arizona leads right to the park entrance! Whether you have a few days or even just a few hours free during your Route 66 road trip, a visit to the Grand Canyon National Park is one of the most valuable experiences you can give yourself.

Driving to the Grand Canyon

Cars are welcome to enter the park and entry fees at the Grand Canyon can be paid by card upon arrival with no need for a reservation. There are three large parking lots surrounding the Visitor Center just past the entrance.

Best Time to Visit the Grand Canyon South Rim

The South Rim is open year-round, 24 hours a day. Because of its location in the Arizona desert, warmer months between late spring and early autumn bring the most visitors. Additionally, weekends and holidays like Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day draw higher traffic than weekdays. There’s no bad time of year to visit the Grand Canyon National Park – even in winter, guests are often treated to a beautiful dusting of snow across the canyon walls.

Grand Canyon National Park Activities

No matter how much time you have available to spend at the Grand Canyon, you can enjoy a variety of unique activities that include magnificent sightseeing opportunities. At the South Rim, guests can enjoy:

• Helicopter tours over the deepest and widest parts of the Grand Canyon landscape
• Airplane flights offering aerial views of the canyon gorges, the Colorado River, and the Kaibab Forest
• Ground excursions aboard a military-style open-air Hummer vehicle
• Hiking along 136 different trails ranging in length and difficulty
• Mule rides that travel into the depths of the canyon
• Bicycle and e-bike rentals
• Educational activities at the Visitor Center and the Yavapai Geology Museum
• Plentiful restaurant options from fast food to fine dining
• Multiple gift shops for souvenirs

Lodging at the Grand Canyon National Park

Planning to take a few days off from your road trip? There are a variety of overnight options surrounding and within the national park, including hotels, an RV park, and campgrounds. Some hotels are even located right at the edge and feature rooms with canyon views!

Grand Canyon National Park Tours & Activities

Grand Canyon National Park Helicopter Tours

Flying over the Grand Canyon is one of the most high-demand activities for visitors to the South Rim. Our state-of-the-art helicopters are designed specifically for sightseeing, offering large windows for viewing and photography, climate control, and headset communications between the passengers and the pilot. You’ll depart from the Grand Canyon Airport and fly over the deepest and widest gorges in the entire park, including some of the oldest exposed rock on the planet. See the Colorado River cutting through the ancient stone and the Kaibab Forest lining the canyon’s surface.

South Rim Airplane Flights

Visitors to the South Rim also have the unique opportunity to experience aerial views of the park aboard a sightseeing airplane. Relax in comfort in a plush seat in the climate-controlled cabin and enjoy headset music and narration that accompanies the incredible scenery beneath you.

Ground Excursions at Grand Canyon

There are nearly limitless sightseeing locations lining the edge of the Grand Canyon. One can wander the Rim Trail and enjoy the expanse of the landscape on foot, or you can visit several of the most beautiful lookout points on a ground excursion. Aboard a modified military-style Hummer vehicle, you’ll be transported by a professional guide to multiple stunning areas of the park with time to explore and take photos at each. This tour can also be booked at sunset for an even more ethereal experience.

Day Trips from the Grand Canyon

Visitors who are planning to spend a few days at the Grand Canyon National Park also have an incredible opportunity to travel to other nearby natural destinations like the world-famous Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend, both located in Page, Arizona. This day-long adventure flies from the Grand Canyon Airport to Page, where transportation will bring passengers to the ancient Antelope Canyon. Enjoy a guided tour led by a member of the Navajo Nation and wander the depths of the winding sandstone corridors. After, you’ll stop at Horseshoe Bend, a curve in the Colorado River carving out an incredible 1,000-foot near-circular canyon. After a full day of once-in-a-lifetime photography opportunities, passengers will return via airplane to the Grand Canyon National Park.