Grand Canyon Railway Adventure

[Grand Canyon Tours]

We spent the night at the KOA campground just outside Williams, Arizona. This was a really nice campground - the kids hit the pool the second we got there and I couldn't wait to get in the shower. The showers were very clean. The office has a well-stocked store and there is a small outdoor cafe for those who don't feel like cooking. Service was excellent - an attendant drove us to our campsite, which was a big pull-through site.

We were up at 6:00 am the next morning, had a quick breakfast and packed up camp. Williams was an easy six minute drive from the KOA. We found the large parking lot for the Grand Canyon Railway and parked our RV for the day. We walked across the street to the train station and retrieved our tickets which had been reserved by phone the previous day. We had plenty of time to prowl through the gift shop and have a good look at the restored historic train depot from inside and outside. Really a lovely building, with lots of the original fixtures. (The gift shop at the train station is open for 30 minutes after the train returns at the end of the day, so we never bought anything before our trip. We appreciated having the option to do some comparison shopping before we bought!)

The Wild West show started promptly at 9:45. This is an outdoor show. You'll want to arrive about ten minutes early if you want a seat on the bleachers. We had to stand, but as the show is only about 15 minutes long, we really didn't mind. The performance is a little hokey, but our kids really thought it was funny.

After the Wild West show, we headed towards the train to find our car. Boarding started at 10:00 am. The inside of the train was like taking a step back in time - everything inside was original - even the windows! We found our seats in coach class and settled in. (The seat backs are reversible, so if you are travelling in a group, you can flip one seat around so that you sit facing one another, in groups of four. This makes the conversation a little easier.) We just had a few minutes to get settled before the train departed from the station. How exciting! After we left town and picked up speed we quickly settled into the rhythm of the train's steam engines. (The steam engines only operate in the summer .) We rode in silence for a short time, just enjoying the "clickety-clack" of the wheels on the rails.

Each car has a guide who is knowledgeable about the area you are travelling through. They offer some tidbits of information as the trip progresses. They also passed out free cans of pop (soda), which our kids thought was great. As the trip progressed, the kids talked me into making the arduous journey back to the cafe car, for a snack. The cafe car also houses a small selection of souvenirs. (One more opportunity for the kids to beg for something!) When we returned to our car with food in hand, we found a banjo player there, picking some pretty good tunes for our enjoyment. Send Picture as a PostCard. Grand Canyon Railway Train Station After a trip of about 2 hours, we arrived at the train station in the Grand Canyon village - finally! We only had 3 1/2 hours to explore before we had to get back on the train to return to Williams.

We departed the train and headed across the street and up the stairs. Reaching the top, we briefly admired the El Tovar Hotel, and then made our way across the grass, towards the small retaining wall that stood between us and the Grand Canyon. I will never, ever forget that moment, when I reached the wall and saw the Grand Canyon for the first time. What a powerful experience. I was filled with a feeling of wonder that was absolutely overwhelming. My eyes filled up with tears that spilled over and rolled down my cheeks. I heard my son whisper to my step-daughters "See - I told you she'd cry!" We all stood there quietly for several minutes, enjoying this amazing work of nature. Thankfully, Allan never snapped any pictures of me crying at the Grand Canyon!

We set out on foot for the shuttle stop. It was about a five minute walk to the stop, near the Bright Angel Lodge. I was glad we did this immediately, as we had to wait about 15 minutes for a shuttle. Some people behind us had to wait for the next shuttle. The free shuttle took us to Hermit's Rest and back, stopping at several lookout points along the way. You are welcome to hop off at any stop and walk or get on the next shuttle that comes along. We did this twice, at Hopi Point and again at Hermit's Rest. Our 3 1/2 hour layover did not allow us anymore time than that. We got some good views of the Canyon along the drive, and arrived back at the village loaded down with souvenirs, with ten minutes to spare before the train left for Williams.

On the train trip back to Williams, we were once again entertained by minstrels, and there was even a train robbery! (Keep some small change in your pocket for that.) We tried to give the robbers Canadian money, but they wouldn't take it ...... ? It was so nice after a day of exploring to be able to sit back and relax for 2 hours while someone else transported us.

When we arrived back at the station, we stopped into the gift shop long enough to buy a few "absolutely can't live without it" souvenirs. Then, because we hadn't eaten since our morning snack on the train, we went in search of some food. We walked about 1/2 block south from the train station into the downtown area and stumbled into Pancho McGillicuddy's Mexican Restaurant. The cervezas were cold and refreshing, just what we needed after a long hot day at the canyon. The assortment of Mexican food which we tried was all excellent. The service was very efficient, and the decor of this place is beyond eclectic. You just have to go there at least once. We were able to get a table outside, where a one-man band was playing tunes to entertain the patrons.

A day at the Grand Canyon, a cold beer, good music and a plate full of Mexican food. It just doesn't get any better than that.

If I had this trip to do over, I would take the train to Williams, spend two days at the Canyon and take the train back. 3 1/2 hours is simply not enough time to do this amazing place justice.

Paradise Found Tours maintains a website for The Grand Canyon at http://www.paradisefoundtours.com. The site provides information for Grand Canyon tours, special news, fees and other pertinent information.

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