10 Things You Can’t Miss at the Grand Canyon’s South Rim!

I’ll be honest with you…it’s a little overwhelming to plan a trip to the Grand Canyon National Park. There’s basically a million web pages out there with tons of suggestions on what to see, where to eat, what to wear, what time to wake up, and how many pairs of underwear you should pack. It’s a monumental task just to sift through all that information alone!

So what did I decide to do?? Write another post about it!

I mean seriously, can you really call yourself a travel blogger if you visit the Grand Canyon and you don’t write a post about it?? I think not.  So even though this information is somewhat repetitive, I feel like this is a good, concise list of the major attractions at the Grand Canyon’s South Rim.  My list shows all the things you can do on your own without any guidance and without any fees – well, other than your entrance fee, that is.

In other words, this list is for those of you who made the South Rim your last stop, and if you get any more hits to your wallet before going home it’s probably gonna start gushing blood.

So without any further ado, here’s my list of the top things you can’t miss on your trip to the South Rim!

To read all my posts on Page and the Grand Canyon, click here!!

1.Grand Canyon Village & Visitor Center

Grand Canyon Village is “where it’s at” when you visit the South Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park.  There’s a lot of history in the Grand Canyon Village – not to mention lodging, gift shops, restaurants, attractions, hiking!  The Village deserves a couple of hours in your afternoon to visit the historic hotels, see the impressive viewpoints, and visit several of the other stops on this list!  I highly recommend dining in both the Bright Angel Lodge and El Tovar for at least one meal! We also ate at Maswik Lodge and were not disappointed with their cafeteria styled food court!

(For those of you who are staying in the Village, please note that it has an Urgent Care/Family Practice office, and a grocery store called the “Market Plaza”  that sits close to the Post Office.)

2. El Tovar

Speaking of El Tovar, this is definitely a spot you won’t want to miss when you visit! This hotel was built in 1905 and is still considered a “world class travel destination” even to this day! We didn’t stay here, but we did have meals here and walked around the inside and outside of the hotel.  The hotel is perched right on the South Rim and offers fantastic viewpoints into the canyon.  I definitely recommend walking around in its oh-so-rustic lobby and having a look-see in its gift shop.  When you’re done, maybe you’ll consider grabbing a bite to eat in the Dining Room!  My husband and I didn’t find their food to be better or worse than the Bright Angel Lodge’s Dining Room, but the style and decor of El Tovar’s Dining Room itself are worth experiencing.

3. Hopi House

The Hopi House is yet another classic staple of the Grand Canyon.  Built in 1905 by Mari Colter, the Hopi House was built to resemble a Hopi Pueblo, with the intentions of being the display area for Fred Harvey’s Indian Arts.  Now it’s a display for beautiful Native American arts and crafts, and is a really interesting shop to look through! It’s centrally located right next to El Tovar, so there’s really excuse not to see it! The architect alone makes this stop a Must-see!

4. Bright Angel Trail

While there’s certainly more than one trail to hike in the South Rim, what could be more iconic than the Bright Angel Trailhead?? Located just west of the Bright Angel Lodge, the Bright Angel Trail is what a lot of “Rim-to-Rim” hikers embark on every year!! But you don’t have to hike all the way to the North Rim or even to Phantom Ranch in order to enjoy this trail! Here’s a fantastic article giving you all the info on hiking this trail, including all the different points of interest on the way to Phantom Ranch! If you don’t take away anything from this, just remember that you will need lots of water!

5. Hermit’s Road

Hermit’s Road is definitely a Must-See while visiting the South Rim! It offers amazing viewpoints of the canyon and is a great opportunity for hiking and biking! Hermit’s Road starts right next to the Bright Angel Trailhead.  The road is only open to shuttle buses during tourist season and is open to personal vehicles during winter. Our favorite viewpoint was Hopi Point, but is there really a bad spot to look at the Grand Canyon?? I think not. Click here to read more about the different views along this historic road!

6. Hermit’s Rest

Hermit’s Rest is the crown jewel of Hermit’s Road…guess that’s why they named the road after it! Hermit’s Rest was built on the edge of the Canyon at the end of Hermit’s Road.  It’s an interesting building with lots of history! We really enjoyed walking around inside Hermit’s Rest and taking in the views! Click here for all the information you’ll need before visiting Hermit’s Rest!

7. Desert View Watchtower at Sunset

Desert View Watchtower was my favorite spot at the South Rim! I mean – just look at the above picture!!! Seriously though it is, in my opinion, the most picturesque spot along the South Rim.  Colorado River? Check. Dramatic cliffs? Check. Distant Views?? Double check.  Plus the Watchtower itself is a really unique and interesting place to explore all on its own!!  I highly recommend coming here at sunset.  The light of the setting sun really creates some dramatic coloring along the Tower and the cliffs! I wrote a post detailing everything you needed to know to visit the Desert Watchtower, so make sure and check it out before you go!

8. Desert View Drive

Desert View Drive is right next to the east entrance where many people enter the Park from, so it’s kind of impossible to miss! Desert View Drive has some pretty incredible views.  My favorite along this drive, not including Desert View Watchtower, is Grandview Point.  We stopped at all but one of the points along this road and got some great pictures! I suggest starting out on this drive later in the afternoon about 3-4 hours before the sun goes down…that way you can hit all the viewpoints and end at Desert View Watchtower to watch the sunset!

9. Lookout Studio 

The Lookout Studio is yet another creation from the mind of Southwest architect Mary Colter.  Designed in 1914, this multi-level stone and timber structure provides a great spot to gaze over the Canyon.  It doesn’t take a lot out of your time to stop in the studio and see the art and any possible events taking place.  It’s located in the main hub-bub of Grand Canyon Village and it’s definitely worth a look around to admire the studio that’s stood the test of time – over 100 years!!

10. Experience Wildlife

So, I know you can’t really plan to experience wildlife, but you have pretty good odds of seeing it at the South Rim! We saw huge Bull Elk every single night we were there! We even saw two bulls spar, which was kind of awesome.  Make sure you drive around in the early evening to increase your odds of seeing the different wildlife!

The Grand Canyon is a stunning National Park, and you don’t have to go overboard on bus tours, jeep tours, or even helicopter tours in order to enjoy its timeless beauty! I hope my list has helped you better plan your trip!

Don’t forget to leave me a comment and let me know what you think!!

Until next time!