Grand Canyon Trip 2021

This past week I had an incredible vacation with family to see the Grand Canyon for the first time. It's a place I've had on my bucket list for some time, and can say it was very well worth the long trip. I've been in the southwestern region several times for football gigs, visiting cities such as Forth Worth, San Antonio, Phoenix, and Tuscon, AZ. I also had a very memorable visit to Las Vegas for my first time in 2008 with the Palmer family and our friend EJ. However despite all this traveling out west, I had still not seen the Grand Canyon until now. It was about the last major American landmark remaining on my bucket list, and I feel so very gratified to have now seen it. 

I use to think of the Grand Canyon as a giant crater, however it's so much more than that. It's a very long and deep ridge that runs along the Colorado river. While it appears to be high up in the air (at an elevation of around 7000 feet), it actually falls very low into the earth, making for a deadly drop. With it's vast array of mountains, rocks, and winding ledges it's quite frankly one of the most incredible sights I have ever seen. It's a sight that truly needs to be seen with one's own eyes. The photos and videos just don't quite do it justice. It's an overwhelmingly immense and breathtaking site that makes it such an iconic natural wonder. 

Each summer our family tries to make a summer trip to some place new and I'm very grateful we still keep this tradition alive. Last summer our options were limited due to Covid, and we had a mini 4-day wknd in West Virginia. So this summer we decided to go big, and take a flight out to Las Vegas for a week long adventure in the area. Our starting point was in Vegas, then a few days in Flagstaff AZ, and then back to Vegas for the return trip. Our focal point of the trip was of course the Grand Canyon. It was my parents, Gabriel, Andres, my grandma Ofelia, and myself that made the trip. I can gladly say that the vacation was a total memorable success and among my favorite family vacations ever (up there with New York 05, New England 12, and Europe 17 and 18). 

Day 1 and 2: Las Vegas

My parents, Gabriel, and grandma arrived on a separate plane before us on Monday morning. Andres and I had decided to get separate tickets because we wanted to return before Sunday. We caught an Uber from my place and flew via Spirit Airlines (it was a fairly good flight and I played Switch to pass the time). We arrived around noon local time, welcomed by the immense heat of 110 degrees. We once again caught an Uber to our hotel at the Venetian. Although I would have preferred to stay at the Bellagio, this was also a hotel I really wanted to experience. It did take not long to be absorbed by the euphoric allure of a hotel resort and casino. Once we met up with my parents, Andres and I got some lunch and an expensive 9$ beer. Then we checked into our hotel rooms, where I was sharing a room with Gabriel. 

Later that day after a little bit of rest, the four of us guys went outside to the pool. For a little bit I was captivated by the scenery and the many attractive women in bikinis, but it did not take long for the heat to take precedence. We eventually found a spot with some shade and I joined Gabriel and dad in the pool. I also ordered a beer for Gabriel and we hung out in the pool for a bit. It was maybe for about an hour that we all decided the heat was too much and were ready to return inside. We met up with my mom and grandma and decided to take a stroll and find some dinner. We settled on an Asian place and I had Pad Thai. However the place was not Keto-friendly so after dinner we had to find a place for my mom.

It was around evening time that we began to stroll on the iconic Vegas Blvd., loaded with incredible sights and architecture. We eventually found her a Chipotle, and I was glad to see a beer sold at only $4. We then continued our walk to see Caesar's Palace and the Bellagio. The fountains of Bellagio were as incredible as ever, and we watched several shows overlooking the Paris Hotel as the sun set. That evening we walked around a little more and my mom won 18$ on her first attempt at slots. That was really about the only gambling we did. I felt some minor temptation to try, but gladly never gave in the whole trip. I remember that night walking home in the heat was exhausting, especially for my dad and grandma. We eventually made it back around 10pm too tired to continue to party (considering we had traveled all day and it was around 1am on eastern time).

The next morning I awoke early around 6am and ventured down to the lobby to find a coffee spot. I was quite amazed too see so many people awake and gambling on the casino floors so early in the morning. I bought some overpriced coffee and tea for my dad, grandma, and myself. We didn't really have much of a breakfast, minus some snacking in the hotel room. I then joined Gabriel to pick up our car rental at the airport. Once we left our hotel, I was glad to convince everyone to see Old Vegas on our way out of town that day. We found a parking spot and walked along the famous Fremont Street. I remember having a very fun night in 2008 at this place when I visited Vegas with the Palmer family. However this time around I was quite disappointed to see the street so trashy and empty. Could have been because it was daytime and it still had it's iconic LED ceiling. 

Day 2: Hoover Dam and Flagstaff, AZ

That afternoon we left Las Vegas and made a stop along the way at the iconic Hoover Dam. We found a look-out spot of which dad, Gabriel, Andres, and I ascended a path to this very high up bridge. The bridge offered us a clear look at the Hoover Dam in all it's glory. it was a glorious sight, yet the deathly height at which we stood made it for a rather quick view after some photos. After this we visited the actual Hoover Dam and walked around the structure for a while. The biggest reference on everyone's mind was of course the classic Chevy Chase scene in the movie Vegas Vacation, where he climbs up the dam. We walked from one end of the dam to the other, yet once again were quickly exhausted by the immense heat. Ofelia and dad were especially looking fatigued and we had to rest frequently. 

After our visit to the dam, we decided to bypass our visit to the Grand Canyon skywalk and head to Flagstaff. We finally had a late lunch at a gas station, called the Last Stop, which I think helped everyone feel re-energized. I ordered some very tasty wings here. After lunch I took on a driving shift that was loaded with hilly roads, rainy weather, and other obstacles. We hit a total road block coming into Flagstaff and the GPS took us on an epic detour thru a muddy forest. The area was unlike anything we'd seen before, an open forest with random campers and cows walking along the road. My greatest fear was getting stuck in the mud, and after 30 minutes was glad we made it back on road. However when we arrived to Flagstaff, there was an even worse problem of mudslides. I had to quickly find us another detour thru the many road-blocks in the city. Once we arrived to our hotel at the Best Western Inn, we ate dinner at a nearby Mexican food truck. That night Gabriel and I swam at the pool and hot-tub for a little bit before bed.

Day 3: Horseshoe Bend 

The next morning we got to enjoy some Continental Breakfast at the hotel which was quite nice. Afterwards Gabriel drove us to the iconic Horseshoe Bend located in northern Arizona near the town of Page. It was about a 2 hour drive and when we arrived to the parking lot it appeared like it was going to be a major disappointment. As we hiked to the lookout point, there was really nothing to be seen except open fields of desert and mountains in the distance. However once we got to the lookout spot, it immediately became worth the trip. To everyone's astonishment the view was submerged and we were actually standing on a plateau overlooking a river in a canyon. This view was so incredible, because the river was making a very sharp turn to create the shape of a horseshoe. 

The drop-off from the ridge was the most deep and straight rock formation I had ever seen, and made for an incredible yet equally frightening feeling. There was no railings along the ridge, and to fall off the edge would be instant death. Nonetheless we still took many photos and got as close as we could to the ledge. My dad and I climbed up a very large boulder nearby which made for some different views. We spent some time overlooking and enjoying the incredible sight that stood before us. The heat was not as bad as Vegas, but was still a hot one in the 90s. We took our time on the upward return trek to the parking lot. 

I once again volunteered to drive the return trip, which was once again loaded with unique obstacles. Aside from the twisting mountainous roads, we got hit by a very strong storm as we approached Flagstaff. The city was once again overrun by mudslides and road-blocks. I was able to once again navigate us thru the road-blocks however we could not reach the hotel due to traffic, and decided to park in the plaza next to it. Afterwards Gabriel and I walked to a nearby Chinese restaurant to pick up food for everyone. That evening we walked around Flagstaff for a bit, but the rain was an issue. Afterwards we relaxed at the hotel, drank some beers, and watched the Gold Cup on TV.

Day 4: Williams and Sedona, AZ

The next day after some continental breakfast we skeptically planned to visit a wild-life park named Bearizona. The park was like a unique zoo that mixed a drive thru experience with a walk-thru experience. The first stage was the drive thru park where we saw bears, wolves, bison, and various other animals in their natural habitats. We actually got very close to the wild bears in our car, which was very cool, and reminded me of that scene in Jurassic Park. The 2nd stage was a walk-thru which was more like your typical zoo with unique exhibits. Here we saw basic zoo animals with some very cool exhibits of brown bears and a beautiful black panther. I learned right then and there that panthers are actually jaguars with different skin pigment. All-in-all it was an enjoyable visit and I bought some souvenirs when we were finished.

That afternoon we visited the city of Williams, which was renowned for it's Grand Canyon Railway yet more-so it's location at the heart of the iconic Route 66 highway. The city was a hot-spot during the olden days along the main road to-and-from the west. It was now loaded with souvenir shops, bars, and restaurants. We found a nice diner restaurant and sat outside overlooking all the activity. I treated my mom to some beef ribs (that were slightly burnt but still tasty). Our waitress was very friendly with us and with the setting it was a very enjoyable lunch. We returned to the hotel by around 2 or 3ish and rested for a bit, unsure what to do next. That was until our receptionist convinced my dad to visit Sedona. 

So after a little bit of rest we climbed back in the van for a 3rd activity that day to the city of Sedona. This time my dad did the driving and it consisted of some very challenging twists and turns up-and-down the mountains. We decided to pull off at a park, which was pricey but a great discovery along the river. The area was loaded with people swimming in the creek along the rocks, and it was such a cool place. However the rain was really pouring at the time, and our visit there had to be cut short. We returned to the car and continued into the city of Sedona, which just like Williams was a busy tourist strip. The main street was loaded with shops, restaurants, and bars while the view of the distant mountains and cliffs were astonishing. It made for a very impressive sight, and I decided to buy a t-shirt there. 

We returned from Sedona that evening and decided to eat dinner downtown in Flagstaff. We walked around town for a bit, however the Indian restaurant my mom wanted was closed, so we find another one slightly outside of town. I ordered an IPA beer with the butter chicken, and requested it be the top level of spiciness. It was tasty with a bit of a kick, and I was only able to eat half of it (more-so because I was still full from lunch). Afterwards we returned to the hotel, had a couple more beers, and watched the Gold Cup before bed.

Day 5: Grand Canyon National Park

We had considered the train ride all along, but were unsure what exactly it entailed. I for one thought it would take us near the canyon, but after some research it was only a trip to the canyon. However the real sell of the Grand Canyon Railway (located at Williams) was the interactive entertainment it provided. So we all agreed to buy the 80$ tickets that would give us a guided journey of history and entertainment. Our train was scheduled to leave Williams at 10:30am, so we arrived early to catch the opening western shown. While the cowboy actors were good, the story was fairly weak and it was hard to hear them speak. The story ended in a typical sheriff/bandit shootout in the town center. After the 15-min show was over we then boarded our train. 

Onboard the train, each coach had it's own tour guide, ours was a friendly old patriot named Jerry who had was a natural talker. We were also treated to some musical entertainment, mostly folk songs. The train did not get over 40 miles an hour, but still made for an enjoyable experience as we got closer to the park. Once we arrived, we were allowed 3 hours to tour the park before the train departed at 4:30pm. After we got off the train, we had to take some stairs upward, until finally there stood before us the incredible Grand Canyon. It was an unreal sight almost like something out of a fantasy world such as Zelda's Hyrule. Layers and layers of rocks, mountains, craters, and ledges. From our central view at the southern rim we could not even see the river down below. 

We decided to first hike westward along the rim until we got to the Bright Angel Trailhead. Here we were able to descend a winding path, which was a 9-mile downward route to the river. Unfortunately since we were pressed for time, we only went about half-a-mile before we turned around. I then treated everyone to some hot dogs and veggie burgers at a food truck. Afterwards we walked eastward for a bit along the rim, taking as many pictures as we could. It truly felt like we were on top of the world, looking out into some sort of heavenly world. It was an experience I wish could last a life-time, and truly hope to see again with more free time.

Our return trip on the train, was also quite eventful. After some musical entertainment and an interactive train robbery (via the cowboy actors) our train experienced some mechanical difficulties. For nearly 45 minutes we lost power and were at a stand still, maybe 10 miles outside of our destination at Williams. Finally the problem was fixed and we were glad to finally get back to Flagstaff. Despite this hiccup, the train ride was still worth the money and a great way to take on some of the local culture. That evening we had leftover Chinese and Indian food for dinner and went to bed early. The next morning my dad drove Andres and I to the airport. Each day of the vacation was very memorable, enjoyable, and action-packed experience. It was more than just a vacation, rather an adventure in a far off western land that I will never forget.