Atlanta to Grand Canyon with 10 days
My wife and I are celebrating 30 years of marriage on December 1. We would like to take a memorable trip, and would like some assistance from those who have made this trip before with the planning (i....
Forum Discussion
The first time we went to the Grand Canyon we did it in 10 days. From South Mississippi it took 2.5 to 3 days of driving to get to Williams, AZ. This was with no stopping at attractions. While there we spent one day taking the train from Williams to the south rim. We took one day to drive to the south rim and then two days seeing the surrounding National Monuments (Sunset Crater, Wupatki, Walnut Canyon, Petrified Forest/Painted Desert). We then spent 3 days driving back home. It is a major "driving" vacation when done this way, but we don't mind driving long distances.
With that being said, we have since returned to the Grand Canyon three more times. We now take more time getting there to do all of the Route 66 towns and attractions and other things like El Morro National Monument for example. All of our trips have been in the summer in good weather and thankfully have been trouble free. My worry for you is winter weather. I would think that it could make this trip much tougher no matter how long you take to do it. There are stretches of I40 with very high winds during the summer and I'm not sure if that gets better or worse in the winter.
So bottom line: I would do a 10 day summer trip. I don't think I would try a 10 day winter trip unless the weather was really good. (I will say that I have no idea what the weather in that area is like in early December but I'm sure that you would have to be ready for anything from warm temps to freezing with snow)
With that being said, we have since returned to the Grand Canyon three more times. We now take more time getting there to do all of the Route 66 towns and attractions and other things like El Morro National Monument for example. All of our trips have been in the summer in good weather and thankfully have been trouble free. My worry for you is winter weather. I would think that it could make this trip much tougher no matter how long you take to do it. There are stretches of I40 with very high winds during the summer and I'm not sure if that gets better or worse in the winter.
So bottom line: I would do a 10 day summer trip. I don't think I would try a 10 day winter trip unless the weather was really good. (I will say that I have no idea what the weather in that area is like in early December but I'm sure that you would have to be ready for anything from warm temps to freezing with snow)
