Grand Canyon & Route 66
Ride a historic train to the canyon rim and walk the Rim Trail at sunset. Stop in old Route 66 towns on the way.
11.5–12 hrs drive · 6 days · Best for little kids to teens · Apr–Jun & Sep–Oct & Dec
Day 1: Drive to Barstow
- 8:00 Leave the Bay Area on I-5 south
- 12:00 Lunch near Bakersfield
- 2:00 Cross Tehachapi Pass on Hwy 58
- 4:00 Check in for the night in Barstow
Day 2: Route 66 to Williams
- 8:00 Take I-40 east toward Kingman
- 12:00 Lunch and a stretch in Kingman
- 2:00 Take old Route 66 through Seligman for diners and kitschy signs
- 5:00 Settle in Williams and walk the historic downtown
Day 3: Grand Canyon Railway
- 8:45 Watch the Wild West show at the Williams Depot
- 9:30 Board the train (about 2 hrs 15 min each way)
- 11:45 Over 3 hours on the rim at Grand Canyon Village
- 3:30 Train back, arriving in Williams at 5:45 pm
Day 4: South Rim by car
- 8:00 Drive about 1 hr to the South Rim
- 9:00 Walk an easy stretch of the Rim Trail near the village
- 12:00 Picnic, then ride the free Hermit Road shuttle to Hermits Rest
- 6:00 Sunset from a rim viewpoint, then sleep in Williams or Tusayan
Day 5: Head west
- 8:30 Drive back west on I-40
- 12:00 Lunch in Kingman
- 4:00 Overnight in Barstow
Day 6: Home
- 8:00 Drive home on Hwy 58 and I-5
- 12:00 Lunch break near Bakersfield
- 4:00 Home
From parents who have been
- A day trip on the train gives you only about 3 to 3.5 hours at the rim. Several families said it felt rushed. If the rim is the main event, stay a night in the park and ride back the next day. Train Conductor HQ
- You can't see the canyon from the train, only flat desert. Some kids were bored apart from the musicians and the staged robbery on the way back. Bring activities, and frame the ride as a fun old train, not a canyon view. Train Conductor HQ
- Pullman cars have open windows and no air conditioning. In summer, Coach or First Class is worth paying for. Kids can't ride in the top luxury dome and parlor cars. Train Conductor HQ
- Book the same seats both ways and you can leave jackets and bags on the train while you explore. Food on board is limited, and bringing your own snacks is allowed. Waggle blog
- On Hermit Road, Hermits Rest sells only packaged snacks, so bring food. Around sunset the shuttles come about every 30 minutes, not every 10 to 15, and lines can mean letting a few buses pass. Strollers must be folded, and jogging strollers aren't allowed. Six Suitcase Travel
- Many edges along the rim have no fence. Parents suggest assigning each child to one adult, and keeping toddlers in a stroller or carrier. The Rim Trail turns to dirt between Monument Creek Vista and Powell Point. Six Suitcase Travel
Good to know
- From Jan to Oct, the train leaves Williams daily at 9:30 am and gets back at 5:45 pm. In Nov and Dec it leaves at 8:30 am. Coach was listed at $89.98 for adults and $57.98 for kids 2–15. Under 2 rides free.
- Hermit Road is closed to private cars Mar 1 to Nov 30. Free shuttles run then, so you can walk a stretch of rim and ride back.
- The South Rim sits at about 7,000 ft. Kids under 8 are among those most at risk from heat, so skip below-rim hiking from 10 am to 4 pm.
- In Nov and Dec, the railway runs a Polar Express evening ride, about 90 minutes, leaving at 5:30 pm. It's a fun holiday-break add-on.
Sources: Grand Canyon Railway schedule · Grand Canyon Railway Coach Class · Grand Canyon Railway Polar Express FAQ · NPS Hermit Road · NPS Grand Canyon heat warning · PlanetWare: 2026 nonresident park fee