This is perhaps the main reason tourists flock to Arizona. One of the seven natural wonders of the world, The Grand Canyon is 277 river miles long and up to 18 feet wide. It is home to a host of species indigenous to the state including: elk, bighorn sheep, bison and mule deer, not to mention nearly 400 species of birds. Visitors never run out of interesting sights and sounds to take in. So how do you best enjoy the wonders of the Grand Canyon? Pretty much any way you want. Of course, there are a multitude of overlooks from which you can record the amazing scenery. You can also whitewater raft down the river which runs straight through the canyon. You can opt to hike, rent bikes, book a guided tour; you can even schedule a mule trip through Phantom Ranch or Bright Angel Trail.
While the most popular and accordingly, touristy spots along the Grand Canyon are those of the South Rim, for the more adventurous, the North Rim is open during certain times of the year. The North Rim is over 8000 ft in elevation and due to heavy snows is closed in the winter. Desert View Drive which follows a good stretch of the South Rim offers plenty of views, picnic areas and even a ruin site.
The rafting is legendary... so much so that you have to get a permit to take a trip through the rapids. The raft trips range from one day to 25 days.
There are places for tourists to stay right within the park limits. Grand Canyon Village is extremely popular and is composed of half a dozen lodgings as well as RV parks and campgrounds. It is advised to make reservation for park-based lodgings well in advance.
Market Plaza represents the business center of the park. Here you can find grocery stores, as well as restaurants and taverns. In just about every major section of Grand Canyon National Park there are places to eat, drink and relax.
Certain parts of the park can get quite cold (and even snowy) during the winters. It is an off-season for the park.
Spring is considered a great time to see the Grand Canyon. May is mild, dry, and fairly predictable weather. Daily highs are in the 70s.
Summer is the park's peak season with all of the summer break travelers. The temps only top out in the low-80s, so the weather is fine, but you may want to visit before or after summer to avoid the crowds.
Early fall is another highly-recommended time to visit the park. Again, the objective is to hit good weather while missing the crowds. September may be the best month of the year to achieve both.