Just Amazing! Go to the visitors center first and watch the videos. Checkout the first two viewpoints behind the visitors center to get your first look but don't worry about the crowds. They thin out. Use a full day to check out any of the bus routes. Desert View and Hermits Rest are very nice. You could drive your own car too (except for Hemits Rest) if you didn't want to wait for the buses which come by frequently. At the village or visitors center, Parking is awesome early in the day but by noon you'll be circling the lots. The bus routes are really very convenient.
The lodges are nice and most offer a canyon view except Maswik. It however is set back away from the rim and the crowds and not a far walk from the rim. Mather campground is really nice also (Site 18 is great).
All the eateries/restaurants are decent or better with good service. No matter where you stay the personnel really try to make your stay great. The cultural displays and showings around the village are very informative. The trails into the canyon can be steep at times with sheer drops + take into account the higher elevation. If you have any question about your ability to do them talk to a ranger at the visitors center.
We stayed in the campsite. All sites really close together and in the very fine red sand which will get in your tent and clothes. I would highly recommend staying in a cabin or possibly the hotel if you spend the night. The cabins looked like they had better views of the buttes. Your stay does not include the entrance fee so expect to pay around an extra $20 to get in for a car. The small museum is definitely worth a visit. There is also a scenic road you can drive but it is very bumpy. If your car sits low you may bottom out here or there.
Beautiful part of the scenery. Swing by for a picture or two. It's not too far off the highway and there is a fry bread stand here also. They sell other food as well.
The ruins are very great and interesting. The park does a good job of informing guests of the significance. Great place for camping and stargazing. North road is terribly bumpy but I'm told it's preferable to the south road. If raining or just rained both are going to be very slick. We thought we might slide off the road at one point. If a monsoon has just come through you have to be prepared of flash floods blocking access to the road. I wish the park would do a better job however of warning about the roads with signs or the park radio station AM 1610. Have water available while exploring and it's a good idea to have a hat and sunscreen. Visitors center has bathrooms and drinkable water.
Great place to camp and stargaze. The pueblos are really cool and they offer tours a few times a day of Pueblo Bonita. Be warned though the roads to get to the park are TERRIBLE! They are manageable for sure in dry weather but bumpy as hell. Rain is another story. If it's raining or has rained recently the roads are going to be really slick. Thought we might slide of the road once. All the RVs were having a rough go of it. Our little civic managed in a low gear doing about 8-10 mph in the slick spots. Also told by the ranger that the north road is always preferable unless really heavy rains make the wash impassable.
Pretty standard Holiday Inn Express which is just what my wife and I needed. All standard amenities and right off of the highway. It isn't the easiest place to find just because it's tucked away off of the outer road but, it's not terribly difficult either. There is a theatre next door and the hotel has a decent restaurant with happy hour drink specials. There was a sign in our room that said happy hour appetizers also but that turned out to be bogus.
This was the nicest Holiday Inn Express I've ever stayed in. It's new (about a year old) with a modern design. Very clean. Otherwise has standard services and amenities (pool, workout room, computer, comp breakfast). Also the staff is very nice.
It's exactly what you see in the picture. Nothing more, nothing less. Slightly out of the way if your traveling 44.
Nice Holiday inn with good location right off of the highway. Has most if not all standard amenities. Staff was courteous. Free Breakfast. Wife and I just stopped here for a room for the night so we were in and out.
Very important to check the weather. We went later in the day because we were going to eat dinner there. Weather great all day but the minute we arrived they were shutting it down due to winds. Our server at the restaurant said that happens maybe 5% of the time. Santiagos restaurant has decent food and a pretty good view itself.