The South Rim of the Grand Canyon is by far the most popular part of the canyon (and the national park). This is the most accessible area, the place with the most facilities, and the easiest to get around. It also has plenty of things to do.
I keep going back to the Grand Canyon – and I never get bored. Here are my favorite things to do at the South Rim.
If you are planning to visit Grand Canyon National Park by yourself, make your planning easy and stress free with a detailed itinerary. I have 1-, 2- and 3-day Deluxe Itineraries for the South Rim and a 1-2-Day Basic Itinerary for the North Rim that include all the park highlights, give you choices based on your preferred activity level, and take all the stress out of planning your trip
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Table of Contents
1. Take a Tour
What is the best way to see the Grand Canyon? For many people, it’s to travel there independently.
However, for many others, the best way to see Grand Canyon National Park is is on a tour. These have the advantage of being easier to arrange and having an expert guide with you at all times.
Here are a some of the best tours of Grand Canyon National Park.
6-Hour Tour from Tusayan
If you think that the best way to visit Grand Canyon National Park is with a guide, then this tour is for you. Visit all of the main viewpoints along the South Rim, with an expert guide to explain the history, geology and ecology of the canyon and national park. It includes pickup from Tusayan and accommodations in Grand Canyon Village. Maximum 9 people.
➡️ BOOK A 6-HOUR TOUR FROM TUSAYAN OR GRAND CANYON VILLAGE
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Best Things To Do in Grand Canyon
2-Day Tour of Grand Canyon and Route 66 from Las Vegas
An overnight trip from Vegas will give you more time at the canyon. One of the best tours of the Grand Canyon, this two-day tour includes an optional helicopter tour, plus time to visit several viewpoints and hike below the rim. It also includes a photo stop at Hoover dam, a quick visit to the historic town of William, and a drive along part of legendary Route 66.
➡️ BOOK AN OVERNIGHT 2-DAY GRAND CANYON TOUR FROM LAS VEGAS
7-Day National Parks Tour from Las Vegas
Take a small group tour from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce, Arches, and Canyonlands National Parks as well as Monument Valley. Grand Canyon vacations packages don’t get much better this.
➡️ BOOK A 7-DAY TRIP TO GRAND CANYON, 4 UTAH PARKS AND MONUMENT VALLEY
Self-Guided Driving/Walking/ Shuttle Tour
If you prefer to travel independently, but want some expert information about the major viewpoints and sites, then this downloadable app is the perfect solution. It includes all the main viewpoints and trails.
➡️ GET A DOWNLOADABLE SELF-GUIDED SOUTH RIM TOUR
2. Enjoy the Views
The highlight of any trip to Grand Canyon is, for sure, the views. Nothing can quite prepare for just how awe-inspiring and immense it is. The views vary depending on where you are. There are dozens of viewpoints along and below the south rim, and it is worth seeing the canyon from different vantage points.
➡️ For all the best places to see Grand Canyon, read my guide to the Best Grand Canyon Viewpoints.
3. Take a Hike
One of the other best things to do at the Grand Canyon South Rim is to hike. From an easy stroll along the rim, to a challenging overnight trek down to the Colorado River and back, there are several truly amazing hikes to do. Highlights include:
Rim Trail
The Rim Trail is exactly that – a well-defined and easy, mostly flat, trail along a 13-mile stretch of the South Rim. It starts at the South Kaibab Trailhead east of Grand Canyon Village and goes all the way to Hermit’s Rest west of Grand Canyon Village.
Most of the trail is paved and wheelchair accessible. You can walk the entire length, but it is easy to hop on and off the shuttle bus and walk part(s) of the rim.
➡️ Read more about the Rim Trail here
Bright Angel Trail
This is the most famous and most popular trail from the South Rim down to Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the canyon.
To do the full 9.9 miles each way out-and-back hike, you should stay overnight in the canyon, either at a primitive campground or at Phantom Ranch. However, you can hike half way as far and Indian Garden and back in a day.
Other places to turn back sooner include a tunnel about 0.75 miles in, 1.5-mile Resthouse and 3-mile Resthouse. A slightly longer day hike (strenuous, but doable if you’re fit) is the side spur to Plateau Point, where you can see the Colorado River below.
➡️ For a full trail description, read my Guide to Hiking Bright Angel Trail.
If you prefer not to hike alone, you can book a couple of guided hiking trips:
Bright Angel Trail Guided Day Hike
Hike with a guide to any of the turnaround points, depending on your comfort and fitness level.
➡️ BOOK A GUIDED DAY HIKE ON BRIGHT ANGEL TRAIL HERE
3-Day South Kaibab – Bright Angel Trail Guided Hike
This 3-day guided trip includes the 2 main trails from the South Rim spread over three days. It starts with a transfer from Scottsdale before you head down below the rim on the South Kaibab trail to the bottom of the canyon.
The first night is spent camping at Bright Angel Campground. The second day includes a hike up the first half of the Bright Angel Trail, with a side trip to Plateau Point, camping at Indian Garden, half way up the trail. The third day is the second half of Bright Angel Trail and then a transfer back to Scottsdale.
➡️ BOOK THIS AWESOME 3–DAY GUIDED RIM-TO-RIVER HIKE WITH CAMPING HERE
South Kaibab Trail
This is the other main trail from South Rim to the Colorado River. The trail was blasted out of the canyon walls back in the 1920’s. At 7.1 miles each way, it is shorter, but also steeper, than Bright Angel Trail. Popular turning back points for day hikers include Ooh Ahh Point (0.9 miles each way), Cedar Ridge (1.5 miles each way) and Skeleton Point (3 miles each way and the farthest point recommended for a day hike).
If you plan to hike all the way to the river and overnight in the canyon, many people choose to hike down South Kaibab and up Bright Angel.
There are several guided options for South Kaibab if you prefer to hike with a guide:
Guided Day Hike on South Kaibab Trail
Head down as far as Skeleton Point (or a shorter hike depending on your fitness level) with a guide who can explain the history and geology of the canyon along the way. Includes lunch.
➡️ BOOK A FULL-DAY GUIDED HIKE ON SOUTH KAIBAB TRAIL
Day Tour Including Hike to Ooh Aah Point on South Kaibab Trail
If you aren’t up for a full-day hike, but would like to experience the South Kaibab Trail, this tour is perfect for you. It includes a guided hike down to Ooh Aah Point (1.8 miles return), then an afternoon spent visiting several viewpoints along the South Rim.
➡️ BOOK A DAY SOUTH RIM TOUR INCLUDING HIKE TO OOH AAH POINT HERE
4. See the Sunrise
The canyon is especially beautiful at sunrise. See the sun peak over the top and then slowly bathe the canyon’s outcroppings in a gorgeous soft golden glow of early morning light.
Some of the best spots to see the sunrise over Grand Canyon include Maricopa Point and Hopi Point along Hermit Road.
What’s the best place to see sunrise at Grand Canyon South Rim?
The most popular place to see the sunrise at Grand Canyon is Mather Point. It’s an outcropping with expansive views in all directions, so it gives you a great view of the sunrise and early morning views.
5. Soak In the Sunset
The other best time to view the canyon is at Golden Hour (the hour before sunset), when the light is soft and glowing, and the sunset itself.
What’s the best place to see sunset at Grand Canyon South Rim?
The most popular place is also Mather Point. However, this is also the most crowded and definitely not the only place to see the sunset.
Other best sunset Grand Canyon spots include:
📷 Lookout Studio
📷 Hopi Point
📷 Yaki Point
📷 Yavapai Point / the Geology Museum
📷 Lipan Point
📷 Grandview Point
📷 Desert View Watch Tower
Want to take a tour?
Off-Road Sunset Safari to Sunset Spot
This tour leaves Tusayan 2 hours before sunset and enters the national park via a backroad entrance. Stop off at Yavapai Point, Pipe Creek Canyon, and Duck on a Rock Overlook before ending up at the stunning Grandview Point to see the sunset.
➡️ BOOK A 3-HOUR GRAND CANYON OFFROAD SUNSET TOUR
6. Get On A Bike
One of the most fun things to do at the Grand Canyon National Park is to rent a bicycle and cycle along the South Rim, stopping off at viewpoints along the way. Faster than walking, more convenient than the schedule and healthier than driving, it’s a great way to spend an hour or a day enjoying the canyon’s views.
Bicycles and e-bikes are allowed on all paved and unpaved roads on the South Rim. There are 13 miles of roads and Greenway Trails along the rim. You can hop on and off a shuttle bus at any of the stops (they take bicycles and e-bikes) so you don’t need to cycle the whole way.
Highlights include the 7-mile Hermit Road and especially the Hermit Road Greenway Trail, a 2.8-mile bicycle path between Monument Creek Vista and Hermit’s Rest away from the road and, in some places, along the rim of Grand Canyon. In the other direction, there’s a paved Greenway Trail from the Visitor Center to the South Kaibab Trailhead.
You can rent bicycles and e-bikes and book bicycle tours with Bright Angel Bicycles.
➡️ If you’re looking to invest in an e-bike, check out e-bikes on REI here.
7. Take a Mule Ride
Since they were first offered in 1887, more than 600,000 people have taken a Grand Canyon mule ride and it remains one of the most fun things to do in Grand Canyon, Arizona. There are two types of trips. One goes into the canyon along Bright Angel Trail, with an overnight stay at Phantom Ranch. The other is a shorter Canyon Vista Rim Ride.
The Canyon Vista ride is three hours (four miles), with two hours in the saddle. You ride one hour through a ponderosa pine forest, spend an hour at a viewpoint overlooking the canyon, and then another hour riding back. Wranglers accompany you and stop at least six times to provide information about the canyon’s geology, history, fire ecology, etc.
If you’re not used to riding, two hours in the saddle is probably enough!
There are age and weight restrictions. ➡️ Book a mule ride here.
8. Drive Desert View Drive
Another of the top things to do in Grand Canyon National Park is Desert View Drive. The 23-mile scenic drive extends from the East Entrance of the national park along the South Rim to Grand Canyon Village. Along the way, there are six developed viewpoints (with parking), five unmarked pullouts, four picnic areas and the Tusayan Museum.
Tusayan is the remains of a small Ancestral Puebloan village. A short 0.1-mile trail goes around the ruins. There are interpretative signs explaining about the people who lived there.
This is one of the most scenic drives in American national parks.
9. Climb the Desert View Watchtower
One of the premier Grand Canyon sightseeing spots, Desert View Watchtower is a four-story, 70-foot-tall stone tower. There are stunning views of the canyon from the top. There are 85 steps.
The tower was designed by Mary Colter in 1932 to resemble an Ancestral Puebloan watchtower. The stone tower is built in what is designed to look like the rubble of old ruins.
Inside, the main space is the Kiva Room, a large circular room with a (false) ceiling built from logs salvaged from the old Grandview Hotel, and with a fireplace and large picture window. There is a shop inside the room these days.
The watchtower isn’t the only thing at Desert View. There’s a campground, large parking area, gas station, deli, bookstore, and a Trading Post selling Native American crafts, coffee and ice cream.
➡️ Read More: How to Get to Grand Canyon National Park
10. Walk the Trail of Time
If you’re interested in geology and natural history, one of the best things to do in South Rim Grand Canyon is to walk the Trail of Time.
The Trail of Time is an interpretive walking trail along the rim that’s designed to be a geologic timeline. In addition to providing frequent views of the canyon itself, each meter walked on the timeline trail signifies one million years of Grand Canyon’s geologic history. Along the timeline trail are a series of rocks and exhibits that explain how Grand Canyon and its rock formed.
The Trail starts at Yavapai Geology Museum and goes back in time as you head towards Grand Canyon Village. First up is the “Million Year Trail”, which transitions from human time scales to geologic ones. This is immediately followed by the main Trail of Time where each meter equals one million years of Grand Canyon’s geologic history. It’s 1.3 miles to Grand Canyon Village and then another 1.5 miles further long.
The trail is paved, mostly flat, and wheelchair accessible.
Guided Walking Tour of the Trail of Time
While it’s possible to walk the Trail of Time on your own, reading the signs along the way, if you’d prefer to go with a guide to help explain it, then you can take a tour. Start with a visit to the Yavapai Geology Museum before heading on the Trail of Time for a 2-hour guided walk. It includes pickup and drop off in Tusayan and IMAX movie tickets.
➡️ BOOK A GUIDED WALKING TOUR OF THE TRAIL OF TIME
11. Rest at Hermit’s Rest
Visiting Hermit’s Rest is another of the iconic things to do on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. It lies at the end of Hermit Road and the western section of the Rim Trail.
Designed by Mary Colter in 1914 to resemble an old miner’s cabin, it uses local stones and has a front porch. The most impressive thing, though, is the enormous alcove fireplace – it’s big enough to stand inside.
Today, there’s a giftshop and snack bar (open 9:00AM – 5:00PM), as well as restrooms and drinkable water to fill your water bottles. It’s also the trailhead for the Hermit Trail.
12. Get Your Photo Taken
What can you do at the Grand Canyon to keep your memories alive? If your trip to Grand Canyon National Park is for a special occasion, then having professional photos taken with the canyon as a backdrop is the perfect way to permanently capture the occasion.
➡️ Book a professional photographer here. Rates vary by length of shoot/ how many photos you get.
If you are planning to visit Grand Canyon National Park by yourself, make your planning easy and stress free with a detailed itinerary. I have 1-, 2- and 3-day Deluxe Itineraries for the South Rim and a 1-2-Day Basic Itinerary for the North Rim that include all the park highlights, give you choices based on your preferred activity level, and take all the stress out of planning your trip
Travel Insurance for Grand Canyon
In addition to answering “What is there to do at the Grand Canyon?”, you should also get travel insurance. This is true whenever you travel, but especially when visiting national parks.
If you hike, you’ll want to make sure your insurance covers medical repatriation in case you get injured on a remote trail. But even if your trip just includes more relaxing things to do at Grand Canyon National Park, travel insurance can cover trip cancelation, loss or theft of property, etc.
➡️ A great insurance option is Travelex. It has coverage for all you’ll need. You can choose the best travel insurance plan for your trip here or get a quote right now:
Enjoy Grand Canyon National Park!
Additional Planning Resources for Grand Canyon National Park
⭐ Grand Canyon Guide
⭐ Grand Canyon South Rim Deluxe Itinerary
⭐ Grand Canyon North Rim Basic Itinerary
⭐ Planning A Trip to Grand Canyon National Park: 7 Mistakes to Avoid
⭐ How Long to Stay in Grand Canyon National Park
⭐ White Water Rafting In The Grand Canyon
⭐ 15 Top Tips for Visiting Grand Canyon National Park
⭐ Best Grand Canyon Viewpoints
⭐ Guide To Making Reservations For Phantom Ranch
⭐ The Complete Guide To Hiking The Bright Angel Trail
⭐ How To Get To Grand Canyon National Park
⭐ The Best Airports Near The Grand Canyon
⭐ The Airport Nearest Grand Canyon National Park
⭐ The Best Time to Visit Grand Canyon National Park
⭐ Visiting Grand Canyon National Park: What To Expect Throughout the Year
⭐ Best Books about the Grand Canyon
⭐ Vacation Rentals In and Near Grand Canyon National Park
⭐ Vacation rentals in Flagstaff
⭐ Vacation rentals in Sedona
⭐ 12 Fun Facts About the Grand Canyon
What are your top Grand Canyon things to do? I’d love to know. Join my private Facebook group National Parks Collectors and comment and let me know (you can also pick up extra planning tips, share your photos and stories with other national park lovers and more).
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Best Things To Do in Grand Canyon
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About the Author
James Ian is a national park, camping and hiking expert.
He has dedicated his life to travel, visiting more than 80 countries, all 7 continents and most of the national parks in the United States. With over 35 years experience in the travel industry, James has worked on cruise ships, at resorts and hotels, and as a travel planner who’s helped hundreds of people plan successful trips to US national parks.
Based on his experience visiting our national parks multiple times, in-depth research and expertise as a travel planner, James has published detailed itineraries for many of the major national parks in the US. These itineraries, as well as in-depth park guides, and other resources will help you have your own incredible trip to US national parks without stress and hassle.
As a national park expert, James has contributed to many publications, including USA Today, Time Business News, Savoteur, Best Trip, and Wired.
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