Every tourist destination has its attractions. However, because every tourist is different, these attractions have greater or lesser value. In this series Gary gives his reasons for traveling to a particular place. Hopefully some of his thoughts will entice you to consider adding this particular location to your itinerary. The entire series is being categorized under the heading, “Spotlights.” However, you may find more about these locations in the archives of this website, under headings such as, “Great Places,” “Things to Do in,” “Best of,” “Top 10” and “Places of a Lifetime.” In addition, “Walking Tours” of many of these destinations may be available for purchase on the website for the low price of $1.49 each.

It is truly GRAND, this canyon formed by the erosive action of the Colorado River as it makes its way to the Pacific Ocean. Grand Canyon National Park actually preserves only a small portion of the 200-mile long, incredible system of canyons, mesas, and buttes that are found in northern Arizona. The main public access area is the South Rim which contains a roughly thirty mile road with frequent overlooks into the canyon. The North Rim is more remote and has fewer visitors. At the South Rim, the canyon is over a mile deep and approximately ten (10) miles wide. Specific reasons for including the Grand Canyon in a national park itinerary are as follows:

1. Views of the canyon from the park overlooks are stunning and difficult to completely comprehend.

Grand Canyon

2. Vistas change as the sun moves across the sky, making each photo different from the one before.

Grand Canyon Vista

3. Rainstorms at the canyon can be spectacular.

Approaching Storm