Last summer we flew into Salt Lake city, rented a van and did a big road trip through Utah. We did the "Mighty 5" (Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Bryce and Zion) Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon, the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam and a five days at
Disneyland, before flying home from there.
We spent 2 nights at the Grand Canyon. We stayed right on the rim, in the Kachina Lodge, in a room facing the canyon. We could have spent a third night easily. We LOVED staying on the rim!! Both evenings after sunset, we sat for awhile in the lobby of the El Tovar. Both nights there was a young lady playing her guitar and singing. It was so relaxing sitting there!
We rented bikes which we loved and I would highly recommend. I reserved our spot about a month before the trip. I choose the option where they dropped us off at the beginning of the road that is closed to traffic and then they picked us up at Hermits Rest and drove us back. We would bike into every overlook and take in the view, before hopping on our bikes and continuing on. It was a great time!
We drove into the park from Cameron AZ and stopped at Desert View where we spent an hour or so and then we stopped at every viewpoint on the way to the Grand Canyon Village area.
Even though the OP isn't going to be is this part of Utah, I have to give a shout out to Capitol Reef National Park for anyone else planning a trip to see the National Parks in Utah. It seems like when people visit Utah, they visit the other four parks and skip Capitol Reef. We LOVED Capitol Reef!!! If you have time stop by when you are traveling from Canyonlands to Bryce!! You won't regret it!!