The Grand Canyon
Once upon a time not long ago
a family trip to the Grand Canyon
would mean loading the vehicle
with luggage, food, games and family then heading out for a grueling
26 to 36 hour drive across the Great
Plains from Indianapolis to the
Southwestern US. Along the way
there would be motels, meals at
greasy spoons, and stopping occasionally for a myriad of roadside attractions such as the St Louis Arch,
Amarillo’s Cadillac Ranch, The
Tallest Man in the World’s Shoe,
The World’s Largest Catsup Bottle
and more.
Times have changed, and nowadays most families will fly to the
great southwest. Many will fly into
Las Vegas for some family time
(yes, Las Vegas can be for families
too) and then take a couple of days
to go see the Grand Canyon on their
own – or via a helicopter day trip
from Vegas. Others will schedule
an informal tour of not only the
Grand Canyon but other US national parks in the area – renting a
vehicle in Vegas and driving around
for several days to check out
The Hoover Dam, and other
National Parks and Monuments as well as The Grand
Canyon.
Many will opt for a formal tour.
Collette Vacations offers 9 days
with guides offering deep insights
and enrichment on the history of
the sites visited. A typical tour
might start in Phoenix and in addition to visiting The Grand Canyon,
other trip highlights might include
visits to Old Town Scottsdale, Sedona, Monument Valley, Lake Powell,
Bryce Canyon, and Zion Canyon,
among others.
One of the highest quality options
for a family vacation Out West is
an itinerary offered by Adventures
by Disney. Adventures by Disney
is a relatively new entrant into
the world of guided tours offering the same high quality, family
friendly experiences that you have
come to expect from all things
Disney. Instead of an amusement
park though, you might visit The
Galapagos Islands, Costa
Rica, The Great Pyramids
of Egypt, Australia, China’s
Great Wall, or our own
Southwestern United States.
A tour out West with Adventures by Disney would
include, among other things,
a welcome dinner in Se-
TRAvEl PlANS
dona, guided stargazing when the
sun goes down, and a back-country
4x4 Jeep tour. Upon arrival at The
Grand Canyon you would experience a Western BBQ dinner while
overlooking the South Rim of the
canyon followed by a Native American dance performance, and a jet
boat ride down the Colorado River.
Then you could enjoy a cowboy
cookout and white water river rafting down the Colorado – now that is
an adventure!
A tour with Adventures by Disney would include most dinners,
lunches and breakfasts along with
many additional experiences and
options.
Pricing for 7 nights / 8 days
starts at about $3400 per person
Other more budget-friendly
guided tours start at around
$1900 per person.
Going independent on a selfdrive starts at under $1000 per
person.
– By Scott Jones
Scott Jones is owner of
EZTravelPad – a travel agency
located in Indianapolis focused
on helping people explore their
world.
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