4 days: Grand Canyon and Route 66
- Length
- 4 days
- Base
- Williams → South Rim → Flagstaff
- Best time
- Apr–May · Sep–Oct
- Stops
- 13
Arizona keeps the longest unbroken stretch of old Route 66, and it happens to lead straight to the Grand Canyon. This four-day loop from Las Vegas combines both: neon diners and vintage gas stations on the way out, two sunsets and a sunrise on the canyon rim, and the high-country town of Flagstaff before heading home.
Hour by hour
Day 1 · Hoover Dam and old Route 66
8:30
Hoover Dam
Walk onto the Mike O’Callaghan–Pat Tillman bridge for the view down onto the dam, then the dam crest itself.
11:30
Kingman
The Route 66 museum in the old Powerhouse; detour to Oatman’s wild burros if you have an extra two hours.
13:30
Hackberry and Seligman
The old highway leaves the interstate: the Hackberry General Store, then Seligman, the town that inspired the revival of Route 66, with its diners and souvenir shops.
17:30
Williams
The last Route 66 town bypassed by I-40, with a neon main street. See our Route 66 road trip.
Sleep: Williams
Day 2 · The South Rim
8:00
Mather Point and the visitor center
An hour’s drive north (or the Grand Canyon Railway from Williams). Your first view, then the Rim Trail west.
10:00
A short hike below the rim
Down the South Kaibab Trail to Ooh Aah Point or Cedar Ridge — turn around early; the climb back takes twice as long.
14:00
Grand Canyon Village
The historic El Tovar and Hopi House, lunch, the Bright Angel trailhead.
Sunset
Hermit Road, Hopi Point
Take the free shuttle along Hermit Road (closed to cars most of the year) to Hopi Point for sunset.
Sleep: Grand Canyon Village or Tusayan
Day 3 · Desert View to Flagstaff
Sunrise
Yavapai or Mather Point
The canyon fills with light from the top layers down.
9:00
Desert View Drive
Grandview, Moran and Lipan points, then the Desert View Watchtower and the first view of the Colorado River.
13:00
Flagstaff
Lunch in the old downtown on Route 66, the Museum of Northern Arizona or Walnut Canyon’s cliff dwellings.
20:00
Lowell Observatory
Where Pluto was discovered, in the world’s first International Dark Sky City.
Sleep: Flagstaff
Day 4 · Back to Las Vegas
Morning
I-40 and US-93
About 4 hours. Or swap for a day in Sedona, two hours south of Flagstaff, and fly home from Phoenix.
If you only have one day
From Las Vegas, the South Rim is about 4 h 30 each way: too far for a comfortable day. If you must, leave at 5 am, take the Rim Trail between Mather Point and the village, and drive back after sunset — or fly over the canyon on a helicopter tour instead.
The stops on a map
Where to sleep
Williams
Route 66 motels and the Grand Canyon Railway depot, an hour from the South Rim.
Hotels in Williams partner linkGrand Canyon Village & Tusayan
In-park lodges on the rim (book a year ahead) or hotels in Tusayan just outside the gate.
Hotels in Grand Canyon Village & Tusayan partner linkFlagstaff
A real mountain town with restaurants and breweries, 1 h 30 from the rim.
Hotels in Flagstaff partner link
Budget, roughly
No made-up totals: prices move with the season and the day. Here is what costs what, from $ (cheap) to $$$$ (splurge), and where you can save. Our USA budget guide has typical ranges.
Lodging
$$$$
Rim lodges and Tusayan are the expensive nights; Williams and Flagstaff are cheaper.
Park entry
$$$$
The Grand Canyon charges the $100 non-resident surcharge per adult: the $250 annual pass usually wins. See our pass calculator.
Car & fuel
$$$$
Return rental from Las Vegas, about 600 miles of driving.
Extras
$$$$
Optional: the Grand Canyon Railway, a helicopter flight, the Skywalk at Grand Canyon West (a different place, run by the Hualapai Tribe).
Grand Canyon & Route 66: your questions
Is 4 days enough for the Grand Canyon and Route 66?
Yes for the South Rim and the Arizona stretch of Route 66. The full Route 66 from Chicago takes two weeks or more.
Where does Route 66 meet the Grand Canyon?
At Williams, the gateway town an hour south of the South Rim.
Is the Grand Canyon Skywalk at the South Rim?
No. The Skywalk is at Grand Canyon West, on Hualapai land, about 4 hours’ drive from the South Rim.
When should I go?
April–May or September–October. See when to visit the Grand Canyon.
Written by Kylian Dev · Last reviewed October 21, 2026. Times are indicative; opening hours change with the season.