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Planning a Romantic Getaway: Couple’s Activities in the Grand Canyon

Planning to visit the Grand Canyon with your special someone? Whether you're planning a Grand Canyon vacation or are simply visiting on a day trip from Las Vegas, you can create a truly romantic experience for the two of you to cherish forever. Check out these ideas to make a couple's trip to the Grand Canyon even more special.

a couple smiles at a picnic table at the bottom of the Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon West

If you're visiting Las Vegas, you can easily reach the Grand Canyon with enough time to enjoy a full day of adventure. The West Rim is the nearest region of the canyon to Las Vegas, and just a thirty-minute helicopter ride away. This area is home to the Skywalk Bridge, a Native American cultural center, and unique sightseeing opportunities. You'll find plenty of memorable activities to share with your special someone during a trip to the Grand Canyon West.

Private Flight

Helicopters used in tours from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon normally hold up to 6-7 passengers, but you can upgrade your flight to reserve the entire aircraft for just the two of you!

Flights from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon also include views of Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, and the Mojave Desert landscape along the way!

Toast Champagne on the Bottom of the Canyon

Another incredible option available only at the Grand Canyon's West Rim is the opportunity to land at the very bottom of the canyon. This is the only area of the park where helicopters are permitted to do so. After your helicopter descends all the way to the very bottom of the canyon, you can spend time exploring along the bank of the Colorado River while your pilot prepares champagne for the two of you. You can toast to your love surrounded by the colossal canyon walls on either side!

a man kneels while proposing to a woman at the Grand Canyon

Propose at the Grand Canyon

Does your Las Vegas vacation have a secret motive? There are plenty of unique places along the Strip where you can pop the question, but if you're looking for a truly unforgettable and private moment, you can arrange a marriage proposal at the bottom of the Grand Canyon!

This luxury Grand Canyon proposal helicopter tour includes private transportation from the Las Vegas Strip to our air terminal nearby. You'll enjoy a helicopter flight reserved for just the two of you that flies over Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, and the Mojave Desert before arriving at the Grand Canyon West. Your aircraft will even land all the way on the very bottom of the canyon upon a secluded plateau overlooking the Colorado River - the perfect place to ask for their hand in marriage!

a couple stands on a plateau at the bottom of the Grand Canyon during a wedding ceremony

Grand Canyon Wedding

Already engaged? If a Las Vegas chapel wedding or elopement isn't exactly your style, you and your future spouse can exchange vows at the bottom of the Grand Canyon.

This Las Vegas wedding package includes luxury transportation from your Strip hotel to our state-of-the-art air terminal. You'll board a private helicopter and fly over the desert scenery en route to the Grand Canyon's West Rim. You'll land on a secluded plateau on the canyon floor and say your vows between the massive ancient stone walls. Best of all, a wedding photographer and a licensed minister are included in your package! Lean more about what's included in a Grand Canyon wedding.

two women smile and pose at a Grand Canyon lookout point at sunset

Grand Canyon National Park

The Grand Canyon National Park, also called the South Rim, is the region that most people are familiar with, known for its sweeping viewpoints and lush forestry lining the rims of the canyon walls. This is the most developed region of the park, offering visitors plentiful shopping and dining opportunities, multiple hotels and lodging options, museums, historic buildings, and more.

You can enjoy a full vacation at the South Rim with plenty of activities to occupy you each day. If you're visiting Las Vegas and only have one day to spend at the Grand Canyon, you can fly to the South Rim and enjoy all of the sights from both the sky and the ground.

Whether you're planning a long Grand Canyon vacation or just want to visit for a day, you can create a truly romantic experience that you and your partner will remember forever.

Find the Best Views from Your Hotel Room

There are several hotels located along the edge of the South Rim, offering rooms with a view of the canyon scenery just outside your window. Amenities can also include dining, bell service, pools, and ADA-compliant rooms.

El Tovar Hotel

The El Tovar Hotel is a National Historic Landmark that has been operational since 1905, providing an rustic, upscale ambiance that's perfect for a couple's trip. The log cabin interior is both elegant and cozy, and each of the 78 rooms is uniquely decorated and furnished. Enjoy exquisite fine dining at the El Tovar restaurant or sip a cocktail in the El Tovar lounge. If you don't feel like dressing up, you can also order room service for both breakfast and dinner.

Bright Angel Lodge and Cabins

Bright Angel Lodge offers casual dining, a saloon, and a relaxed atmosphere to both overnight guests and daytime visitors. One of the must-see features of this hotel is the fireplace in the history room, which is built from authentic rock layers from the canyon itself. Surrounding the hotel are two century-old cabins that are also available to rent, but book in advance as these are very high-demand accommodations.

Kachina Lodge

The Kachina Lodge is the perfect option for outdoorsy couples who love to hike, as it rests right on the Rim Trail. It's also walking distance from several restaurants, souvenir stores, and other attractions. This hotel also contains several rooms offering incredible canyon views from your window. Imagine waking up and enjoying a warm cup of coffee with your loved one each morning while gazing out at the rippling canyon walls outside!

an exterior shot of the El Tovar Hotel at the Grand Canyon National Park

Enjoy an Upscale Dinner

There are plenty of casual eateries to be found along the canyon’s edge and in the nearby town of Tusayan, Arizona - including food trucks, a food court, and a variety of family restaurants.

After a long day of exploring and activities, nothing completes a couple's trip than a romantic dinner at an intimate restaurant. Whether you're celebrating your arrival at the Grand Canyon National Park or if you want to toast to the end of a great vacation, at some point during your trip you must experience the rustic elegance of fine dining at the South Rim.

El Tovar Dining Room

The El Tovar Dining Room offers the Grand Canyon's most exquisite fine dining experience. The restaurant serves both breakfast and dinner and features a lounge and a beer garden. This world-recognized restaurant has served the likes of Paul McCartney, President Bill Clinton, and President Theodore Roosevelt (who championed the preservation of the Grand Canyon). The dining room's large fireplace and unique artwork lining its pine walls offer a cozy atmosphere with plenty of stunning views from the windows.

Reservations for the El Tovar Dining Room can be made up to a month in advance and upscale dress is required. Enjoy a variety of classic, refined dishes including steak, elk, duck, seafood, pasta, as well as gluten free and vegetarian options.

Arizona Steakhouse

Arizona Steakhouse offers an opposite experience from the El Tovar Dining Room, equal in its luxury but with sleek modern furnishings and decor. Here the lunch and dinner menus are designed to highly incorporate local produce and meat from local Arizona and Native American farmers. Enjoy steak, ribs, seafood, Italian-inspired dishes, and plant-based meals from your luxurious seat providing canyon views. You can also toast a glass of local wine or beer or try out one of the restaurant’s famous craft Mule cocktails.

a couple sits at the edge of the Grand Canyon watching the sunset

Find Grand Canyon Views at Sunset

If you think the Grand Canyon National Park is beautiful during the day, wait until you see it at sunset! There are tons of perfect lookout points to experience the canyon walls change color as the sun sets, and you may even be able to see it from your hotel or restaurant window if you're lucky.

If you want to actually stand on the edge and enjoy the golden scenery, you can reach several of the most famous lookout points aboard a customized military-style Hummer touring vehicle. This South Rim ground tour is operated by a professional driver that will seek out the best and least-trafficked lookout points located along the canyon's edge. At each stop, you'll have time to explore the area and take photos. Best of all, this tour can be arranged to take place at sunset for even more impressive and romantic views of the landscape.

Grand Canyon Star Gazing

The Grand Canyon National Park area rests under some of the darkest skies in the United States. Removed from light-polluted major cities, this park allows overnight visitors to see some of the brightest densest starscapes possible. The best lookout areas to stargaze are Desert View Point, Moran Point, and Lipan Point. If you time your couple's trip properly, you can also participate in a free group stargazing excursion operated by the Tuscon Amateur Astronomy Association.

a couple sits facing an expansive Grand Canyon landscape

Create the Perfect Romantic Getaway with Papillon!

Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters offers daily departures from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon National Park and the Grand Canyon West, as well as a variety of tours departing from both sections of the park. We also offer private Las Vegas tours for a more intimate sightseeing experience. We can't wait to be a part of your journey to the most beautiful and romantic natural landscape in the United States!