Have a GRAND time.
Leslie

Cheryl, have a great time. How long are you going to be gone? I've never been to the Grand Canyon, but the photos I've seen of it are awesome. We'll be waiting to see your pictures.

Linda

Oh I envy you. That sounds like a great trip. How close will the train take you? Will you need to rent a car?

What a fun trip....you'll love it! Beautiful! We went about 8 years ago....loved it!

I know whaat you mean about Illinois and humidity. I grew up in a river valley there before air conditioning. Peoria had summer and winter, and it seemed like spring and fall lasted a week or so. I don't miss the snow or the humidity, though nothing beats the beauty of the first pristine, deep snowfall.

Have a wonderful fabulous trip!

Have fun! Nothing like 110 degree "dry" heat-lol!

Have a good time and take plenty of pictures to share with us!

The Grand Canyon is an awesome place! If you can, plan on seeing the IMAX presentation, It is located at the south entrance Visitor's Center. It is only 34 minutes but you will learn so much. It is the most awesome IMAX I have ever seen.
The last time we were at the Grand Canyon, we stayed in a little cabin on the North Rim. The Univ. Of Arizona had a program using high powered telescopes with astronomers available to show stars, novas, supernovas, planets and other interesting sights. And it was FREE! The next night we saw the most amazing lightening over the South Rim.
A trip DH and I will never forget.
Have an adventurous trip and enjoy every minute!

so are you going on the glass bridge?

did a little search...looks like great fun...

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.thetrain.com/

Grand Canyon - What a hoot! I was there once. We were taking my young children on a camping trip "out west" and included the Grand Canyon. That was back in the '70s but I remember the scenes like it was yesterday. I'm going back if I get the chance.

The best views are from the south rim and I suspect that is where you are headed. The north rim is less crowded, but very much out of the way. On the north side, make sure that you have plenty of gasoline for the round trip in and out, and do not attemp if your car is not in tip-top running order. Check the spare tire - is it properly inflated and holding air? Take plenty of water and some for the vehicle too. The water is more important than food.

Make sure that your cameras are in working order - we want pictures!!! if you more than one camera, take along an extra for a spare.

Hopefully, your tain ride will travel alongside the Colorado River as it tumbles out the west side of the Rockies. Glenwood canyon (of the Colorado River) is unforgetable. Its a place that you will want to stop and tarry for a few minutes - a great place to picnic - but you will be on the train so make sure you are in position to take in the view. The train will pass through this canyon all too soon. The tracks cross the river several times as it switches from one side of the stream to the other.

I believe that the Park Service now restricts auto traffic along the west part of the view sites. However, a shuttle is available. You can get off the shuttle at points of your selection and get back on another shuttle as long as those run during the day.

If you plan to take a mule ride to the bottom and back, check first about weight limitations. When I was there, the operators of these mule trains resticted the load to 150 lbs per animal including the person and his gear.

I am certain that you will learn about many features of this canyon while you are there - just reading all the signs is an education.

Be prepared to meet people of other lands; try to be a good American ambasador. We camped at the next town s outh of the canyon and the tent site next to ours contained a trio of 20 somethings: 1 guy and 2 gals and 1 tent. It turns out the guy was a Dutch Police Officer. i got to know him when he inquired of about speed limits, customs, etc. he was wondering about his rented car. It had lost some of its power and he was concerned there was something wrong with it, and then I reminded hin that he was at 9000 ft elevation and that little Ford 4 cylinder was down to 1/2 to 2/3 of its sea level power, and it didn't have a lot to begin with. Being from Holland, he never experienced this loss of power in his police vehicles.

I'm so jealous!
I've been everywhere from Maine to Florida to California and never made it to the Grand Canyon, despite the fact that we're so close (relatively). It's on "the list," though. Enjoy!

Wow, great tips everyone! Thanks! We will only be there a few days. Our train leaves Glailsburg IL Sunday eve. and we get to Flagstaff AZ late Monday eve. We will catch our train for home next Saturday Morning. We will be renting a car while there.
Carol, when we were there years ago with our kids we did see the IMAX, it WAS awesome. I would love to see it again. Watching it makes me feel like I am really riding on the rapids and thats as close as I'll ever come to doing that.LOL.
We won't be doing the glass bridge. Too much money. I would do it though if not for the cost.
Jemdandy, thank you for all the info. I went to the Grand Canyon when I was a teen with my parents and sister in the 70's and then again with my own family in the late 80's. It is an awesome place.
I don't think we will be taking the train tour while there as we will probably be tired of riding trains by the time we get there. We'll see, maybe we'll decide to once we are there.
Umm, as for the mules......, well lets just say that that weight limit thing kind of limits me.(insert blushing smile) We are taking a Jeep tour to the bottom of the canyon though.That's where we spent some extra dollars but it will be the chance in a life time.
I plan on taking my digital camera and my sister who has a camera with lots more zoom is lending me hers. I am also taking our camcorder. I love taking pictures and can't wait to get some great shots. There is something about the Grand Canyon though, no matter how beautiful it looks in photos, the photo's can never capture what you see in person. Looking out at the canyon is just kind of surreal. Anyone who has seen the Canyon knows what I mean.
Sheilajoyce, I live just a litte over an hour from Peoria, in Mason County. We got so much rain in the night last night and that makes for another hot humid day today. I am ready for some dry air!
Thanks again everyone for the great tips and good wishes.

Here is a link that might be useful: Jeep Tour