The Grand Canyon was one of the main reasons we decided to come to Arizona, so there was no way we were going to leave without seeing it. This was a very long day with lots of time in the car, but it was well worth it. As funny as it might sound, the drive to the Grand Canyon and back was almost as awe-inspiring as the canyon itself. Arizona is so varied in elevations and scenery that there is always something new to see.
We left early in the morning, from our resort in Scottsdale, taking the Interstate 17 to Flagstaff. During this section, you will constantly be going up hill, from a desert environment, through lush forests until you see the snow capped mountain, Humphrey's Peak. From Flagstaff, we took the 180 to Grand Canyon Village. You park your car at Grand Canyon Village and check out the sites.
I think it was the vastness of the canyon that struck me the most. It is as if you have reached the edge of the world. We walked along the paths that follow Hermit Road and hopped on the shuttle bus when our legs were tired. After an afternoon of some of the most spectacular sites we have ever seen, we started on our way back to Scottsdale.
Instead of taking the same route home, we decided to follow highway 64 (Desert View Drive) east. This turned out to be a great idea as it is a lot less crowded on this route. At many of the look outs we stopped at, we were the only ones there. This route also takes you through the edge of the Painted Desert, which is also not to be missed. All in all, a fantastic day. Expect to be gone the whole day. We didn't get back to Scottsdale till around midnight.