Places worth seeing near Mather camp groud (Grand Canyon)

Horseshoe Bend is worth a look. Take a hiking staff with you.

We enjoyed Antelope Canyon outside of Page

If you're going to North Rim consider Zion or Bryce national parks for the rest of your time. Don't try to cram too much in that one week.

Zion, try to get a campsite on the river and the kids would have fun spashing... it's 'usually' a wadeable stream - not deep, unless there happen to be monsoon rains. Also, at the end of the shuttle bus drive in a 'trail' of sorts but it's a river trail and very popular to do in summer. Water shoes and a walking stick are advisable. Again, during monsoon storms it would be closed off because it would be dangerous but other times, just fine.

Bryce - temperatures would be cooler than Zion but no water play. Instead, hike down into the hoodoo formations. It's like a fairy wonderland down there. Go down 'Wall Street' trail and up another one... or up again on Wall Street to test your lungs!

Thank you all . Your recommendations are highly appreciated. We have booked 2 days at North Rim . We have 7 days trip so we are looking for near by places to continue our journey .

I agree see the North Rim. .... and travel 89 towards Page, Just before Page, watch for the pull off to hike over to the Horseshoe Bend in the Colorado River. Worth the short hike. Then on to Kanab UT. We stayed in Kanab and did a day trip to the North Rim. Then on to Zion, thru Springdale and back to S. Cal. Oh and if you like old westerns, Kanab was where many were filmed such as Outlaw Josey Wales, Gunsmoke, etc.

If you decide to try the North Rim, you might want to keep heading north on US89 to Page, AZ first. The Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell rec area is there, if you like that sort of thing. It's about 2.5 hours from Mather CG one way.
On the same (dam) theme, in the opposite direction, along I-40 towards Kingman, AZ then north on US93 to the Hoover Dam. It's a bit of a drive from GC, about 4 hours, so you could stop there before you head to Grand Canyon Village/Mather CG on your way out from Socal, if you have time for a side trip.

CodyClassB wrote:
Hi there,

We are planning to drive from Southern CA to Mather camp ground (Grand Canyon) this July. We will stay at Mather camp ground for 2 days. After that, we have another 4 days to wander around before we head home back to Southern CA. Any suggestions on near by places (around 400 miles) we should visit? We are a young family with 3 kids. Thanks

Two Words...North Rim!

Besides being cooler than the South Rim, it's a completely different experience. Rather than being in the crowds of the South Rim, there's more of a rustic feel. There's the North Rim CG inside the park, as well as bookdocking and other places to camp outside the park. There's sights to see there, some great hiking, and the views are quite different from the South Rim. The kiddos might enjoy seeing the Navajo Bridge on the way there, some terrific views there as well as the historical information.