How to Experience the Grand Canyon’s South Rim with Your Toddler

We could see the dark grey storm clouds approaching. It wasn’t originally in the forecast to thunderstorm, but the sky turned quickly and we knew our time was limited. Within a couple minutes from when we decided to leave the rim and make our way to our car, heavy rain drops began sprinkling on our heads and our path. It then rained harder and turned into a downpour, which left us soaked and debating whether to make a run for it or wait it out under an awning or in the little cafe. Cafe. Definitely, always, cafe.

Read on to hear how we escaped the storm (complete with a musical interlude) during our trip to the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park!

We respectfully acknowledge that the land in and around Grand Canyon National Park is the stolen land of the Havasupai, Hualapai, Hopi, Southern Paiute, Zuni, Yavapai, Western Apache, and Navajo people.

Trip Purpose

We visited the South Rim (~4.5 hours from Las Vegas) to get the most iconic and popular views of the Grand Canyon, especially since it was my partner Lenny and our kid’s first time at the park. We wanted to see what both the South Rim and North Rim each had to offer. In the end we felt that while the South Rim was beautiful, accessible, and great for ticking off your list of National Parks to visit, the North Rim was much less overrun with tourists and ultimately felt like a more authentic experience.

BASE COST

Campground/accommodations: $18/night per tent site
Park entry: $20/vehicle, or use your America the Beautiful pass ($80 annually)
Gas or Transportation

ADD-ONS: meals & incidentals

DESTINATION: South Rim of the Grand Canyon; “In the original languages of the land, the Grand Canyon is called Hagavđe Jikmi: (Hualapai), Wikatata (Havasupai), Mat K’i:la (Yavapai), Ongtupqa (Hopi), Tsékooh Hatsoh (Navajo), Ge da’cho (Western Apache), Chimik’yana’kya (Zuni), and Piapaxa ‘Uipi (Southern Paiute).” –The Decolonial Atlas

AGE OF THE KID: 4 years

SUGGESTED LENGTH OF STAY: 2+ days (but you can do it in one, if you had to!). We drove from Las Vegas (a five-hour drive away, yeesh) so it really cut into our sightseeing time.

TIME OF YEAR: Autumn (temps varied from 80°F all the way down to 20+°F); we’d recommend early-fall or -spring to skip the heat of the summer and while it’s not too cold. At the same time, we’d love to catch the canyon during a snowfall!

Before You Go

If possible or desired, make reservations for your accommodations
Download offline google maps; eading up to the canyon viewpoints you might lose signal but there is cell service (and sometimes WiFi!) at each rim

What We Packed

Standard camping essentials
Stroller or carrier (optional)
Packed lunch

Recommended Activities

Number one: don't get caught in a thunderstorm!

Mather Point

Free, paved walk along the rim with epic views

Mather Point is one of the most popular viewpoints on the South Rim, and at the Grand Canyon, generally. (This is probably where many of us went on our first-ever visit to the Canyon.) It is very accessible and the views of the Canyon are breathtaking. Park in the lot and walk the paved path to multiple viewpoints at the rim—just be sure to keep an eye out for your kid getting too close to the edge. (“Too close” is subjective; of course our kid knows how far too far is, it’s just that we adults had a tough time letting go). If you have time, check out one of the nearby visitor’s centers (see below). Our kid enjoyed walking up and down the rocks that made up a small amphitheater on one corner of the point. Be wary of hungry, unabashed squirrels approaching your lunch!

Grand Canyon Railway

Free to watch, $50+/person to ride

If your kid loves trains like mine does, be sure to try and catch the Grand Canyon Railway. Check the train schedule for arrivals or departures, which are limited to two each per day. (We left Vegas around 6 a.m. and were able to catch the train arriving close to noon). We had fun walking along the railway tracks and getting as close as we could to the tall, tall train that was parked on the tracks. If you want some extra adventure, plan for a round trip to the train’s other depot at Williams, Arizona for $80+/adult and $50+/kid. It was difficult for us to find any parking in the middle of the day, but thankfully there were a number of spots on Village Loop Bypass, just on the other side of the tracks.

Where to Stay

We unfortunately weren't able to stay at the South Rim due to inclement weather, but here are some options!

Mather Campground ($18/night)

Had it not rained, we would’ve stayed a night at Mather Campground, which seems to be the most accessible campground on the South Rim with close proximity (less than two miles) to the main part of Grand Canyon Village. (Since it did rain, though, we opted for a hotel stay closer to our actual destination at the North Rim—read about our visit here!)

Grand Canyon Village hotels ($100+/night)

Maswik Lodge, Yavapai Lodge, and Kachina Lodge seem to be the cheapest options in the main part of Grand Canyon Village, or you can also splurge and stay at Bright Angel Lodge or El Tovar Hotel (both $200+ per night). There are also a few other hotels near Grand Canyon Airport.

If You Have Time

While not essential, these activities were fun additions to our trip

Itinerary

Leave Las Vegas at 7 a.m.
Arrive at Grand Canyon Railway station for the train’s arrival at 11:45 a.m., eat a packed lunch
Explore Mather Point
Set up camp at Mather Campground
Go on a hike or drive to a viewpoint to watch the sunset + stargaze

Wishlist for our Next Visit

Spend more time than we did in each place to take a more leisurely pace
It would’ve been nice to do a little hike (the 1.7-mile South Kaibab Trail or any part of the Rim Trail looked promising)
Go to Hopi Point to catch a sunset
See the Canyon during the winter time after snow has fallen

Mishaps

Will we make it out of the rain?

So we’re at the cafe. I ordered a dirty chai while we watched the rain pour. I wondered if it’d be raining at camp, too. Eventually, as with all long waits, Lenny pulled out his ukulele and began jamming, even harmonizing with another park visitor to Ain’t No Sunshine.

Maybe if we could just wait a couple minutes, the storm would be gone as quickly as it had come in…wishful thinking! The storm raged on, and eventually we cut our losses and made a break for it. We were fairly soaked when we arrived back at the car, and took our time making the slow, steady, and wet drive towards the North Rim.

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Road Trip Series

This was one of several stops on our Southwestern U.S. road trip--click the map icon for more!

Angelica

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Angelica (she/her) is of Cebuano(Pilipinx)-descent and was born and raised in Huchiun Ohlone territory (the East Bay Area--pay your Shuumi Land Tax!), where she also now resides with her partner and their toddler. She loves to spend her time sipping on boba and dirty chai lattes (sometimes together), and eating pescetarian goodies at BIPOC-owned cafes and restaurants.