Ah, the Grand Canyon. One of the natural wonders of the world, and it just so happens to be right here in my state, Arizona!
I have visited the canyon many times but never in winter. My boyfriend and I visited the South rim for the day in November and it was freezing! Although, on the plus side, it was a less busy time so we got to avoid crowds.
There's no avoiding the entrance fee of $35 per vehicle good for 7 days, even if you're only there for a couple hours. I personally think they should have a lower hourly rate!
TIP: For lunch, stop at the Cameron Trading Post for authentic Indian fry bread, YUM! (It is basically fried bread with beans, cheese, and everything you would put on a taco)
If you only have a short time to see the canyon, like we did, I suggest hiking the Kaibab Trail (3 miles).
We stayed the night in a Tiny House on the way back home at Thousand Trails Park. The park was cute and the Tiny House was perfect for one cozy night.
The next morning we stopped at Arcosanti on the way back home, the utopia in the middle of nowhere.
Arcosanti is an urban laboratory that started back in the 70's. It really feels like a hippie utopia in the desert with a community of people living together. The architecture of the place is also amazing, it was built to be eco friendly. They have internships, classes, festivals, and much more! Acrosanti has survived on generous donations over the years and also creating and selling Soleri windbells.
Acrosanti offers daily tours at every hour from 10 am to 4 pm. The tours are free and last one hour, but don't forget to tip! There are also specialty Architecture Tours that last 2 hours.
There is also a chance to stay overnight at Acrosanti with one of their Air bnb's. I definitely want to go back and stay a night, the good vibes there are contagious!
