This was my third trip to the Grand Canyon and by far the best. They would have had to shoot me to lose a star.
Maybe.
I took the hotel/train package and it was worth it in every way. What I did not get was the agony of traffic, parking and parking again. What I did get was service and appreciation that rivaled the legendary Disney.
The staff at the hotel, on the train and at the park went above and beyond to deliver the best experience. They do the same tour and answer the same questions every day but seemed thrilled to help. It may take a few minutes in the check-in line because they give each guest the information they need to most enjoy the stay.
The hotel is delightful and the rooms comfortable and clean. My package included dinner and breakfast – buffet, which I am not a fan of. Fried food has a half-life of minutes in a steam table and nothing fares well with the passage of time. On the other hand, they offered lots of choices, a carving station, pasta station and omelet station at breakfast. There were lots of families and kids consider wizened corn dogs and chicken tenders a treat.
The train ride is a delight. I was in town in early January and it was too cold and dark to explore the Town of Wilson. On the departing train It looked very inviting, Route 66 meets the Old West. I decided next time (Oh yes, there will be!) I would explore the town and maybe find a alternative to buffet for dinner.
On the way, a staff member talked about what to do at the Canyon, told jokes and answered questions. Food and drink, some for sale was available in our car and a café car a few away.
There was also entertainment. A fiddling singing cowboy of the way out and a guitar playing singing cowboy on the way back. They were both great entertainers. If you think that may be hokey, I live in Tucson and have many real cowboy friends, working and rodeo. This is really how we roll.
The train stop is just a short walk from the canyon rim. We had a person in a wheelchair, so we took the Grand Bus Tour, which accommodated her very well. Next time (Yes!) I’ll walk the rim and have lunch at the El Tovar Hotel or Bright Angel Lodge. You can get a description of the dining choices online by searching with one of those place names. One party on the train planned to stay there overnight and take the train back the next day. Worth considering.
In my opinion, the Grand Canyon is the only thing the word “Awesome” applies to. It is so grand that it is hard to get your brain to accept it. Depending on the direction you look, the other rim, which looks close enough to touch, is ten to fourteen miles away and over a thousand feet higher! The air in the Canyon is about the cleanest in the world, so the view is clear through the distance.
There is so much detail. Walk only a few feet and the view changes with details being revealed and hidden. Awesome, awesome and awesome. There is no “best view”. They provided us with National Park Service maps on the train and gave us helpful tips on how to get around.
Folks, this is the longest review I have ever written here but it still does not do the experience justice.