Grand Canyon?

[Chirple]

We have officially booked this trip for July 5th. We are very excited to try our first ABD.. I hope this is first of many.

I am sure you will love it as much as we did. My husband would take this trip again in a heartbeat. I have commented on a couple of threads (including one of my own) regarding our experience. If you have any questions, let me know since we did this one last year over Memorial Day weekend. Obviously, our weather will be different than what you will experience; but even in May it was pretty warm in Monument Valley.

 

[Luv2trav]

I am sure you will love it as much as we did. My husband would take this trip again in a heartbeat. I have commented on a couple of threads (including one of my own) regarding our experience. If you have any questions, let me know since we did this one last year over Memorial Day weekend. Obviously, our weather will be different than what you will experience; but even in May it was pretty warm in Monument Valley.

I do have a question. We are flying into PHO the day before. Any recommendations on where to stay and why? How would we meet up with ABD the next day? Plus do we get any materials in the mail after prior to departure ? What room category do we get in Sedona Enchantment resort? Does it have a fireplace in it? suite? Thank you. We are a family of 4 with 2 DS 15 and 13.

 

[Chirple]

I do have a question. We are flying into PHO the day before. Any recommendations on where to stay and why? How would we meet up with ABD the next day? Plus do we get any materials in the mail after prior to departure ? What room category do we get in Sedona Enchantment resort? Does it have a fireplace in it? suite? Thank you. We are a family of 4 with 2 DS 15 and 13.

To answer the best I can:
1. Where to stay and why--we stayed at the Hampton Inn near the airport because I get Hilton points, the price was reasonable, and they had free breakfast (important to my husband). We actually arrived 4 days before our ABD started because we were taking a side trip to Tombstone. We picked up our car from the airport, stayed one night at the hotel, spent two nights in Tombstone, and then back to the Hampton Inn for one night, where we had an opportunity to do laundry. They have an airport shuttle.

2. Where do we meet up with the rest of our ABD group--at baggage claim in Terminal 4. We dropped off the car and took the shuttle to the terminal. Met with the greeter (not the guide) who happened to be originally from our area, and went to get lunch. This is all outlined in the booklet you will receive with your pre-trip box.

3. Materials in the mail--be on the lookout for your box. We got ours a little over 30 days out.

4. Room Category at The Enchantment--there are 3 casitas in each section. One has a king bed with no fireplace, one has a king or queen bed with a fireplace, and one has either two queen or two full size beds. Since it was my husband and me, we had a regular king bed room. One family had 3 kids so they put the parents in a casita with the fireplace and the kids in the connecting double-bed room.

Though you didn't ask, the first opportunity I had to do self-laundry was not until we reached The Red Cliffs Lodge, which might be my favorite spot.

 

[g8torlaw]

I do have a question. We are flying into PHO the day before. Any recommendations on where to stay and why? How would we meet up with ABD the next day? Plus do we get any materials in the mail after prior to departure ? What room category do we get in Sedona Enchantment resort? Does it have a fireplace in it? suite? Thank you. We are a family of 4 with 2 DS 15 and 13.

We are booked leaving June 26, the tour right before yours! Let me know if you have questions along the way. We are arriving the night before and just staying by the airport at a hotel with free wifi, shuttle, and breakfast. You should be getting additional materials prior to departure. We did the Wyoming ABD a couple of years ago and we had to fill some paperwork out ahead of time with flight arrivals and departures, etc. and it contained the info on how to meet up with the guides. We are also a family of 4 with DS 17 and DD 14. To give us a little more room, we booked 2 doubles so we are getting 2 rooms at each resort for only about $300 more total. Also driving to Denver to catch our flight home.

 

[carpenta]

We were in the small cabins. Ours did have a fireplace in it. The room was higher on the hill with a fantastictic view. The ability to wash clothes at Red rocks is great since we went on the horseback riding really stinks up your clothes. Loved this trip.

 

[Luv2trav]

We are booked leaving June 26, the tour right before yours! Let me know if you have questions along the way. We are arriving the night before and just staying by the airport at a hotel with free wifi, shuttle, and breakfast. You should be getting additional materials prior to departure. We did the Wyoming ABD a couple of years ago and we had to fill some paperwork out ahead of time with flight arrivals and departures, etc. and it contained the info on how to meet up with the guides. We are also a family of 4 with DS 17 and DD 14. To give us a little more room, we booked 2 doubles so we are getting 2 rooms at each resort for only about $300 more total. Also driving to Denver to catch our flight home.

We are considering driving to Denver to fly home because times and prices were much better than Grand Junction. We also thought about adding 2 rooms vs 1 for the extra cost. Cost seems so minimal compared to the rest of the trip. LOL

 

[sayhello]

We are considering driving to Denver to fly home because times and prices were much better than Grand Junction. We also thought about adding 2 rooms vs 1 for the extra cost. Cost seems so minimal compared to the rest of the trip. LOL

I have to say, when I did this trip years ago, those of us who were flying out of Grand Junction *wished* we were driving to Denver to fly home. Unless they've done a huge amount of improvements to the airport, it's a pretty sad little airport.

Sayhello

 

[west&east]

We take this Adventure in April! I will report back!

 

[CJinMD]

we are going in May. So far my kids are the only ones booked, and we are a small group (12). I can report back as well!

 

[Luv2trav]

I have to say, when I did this trip years ago, those of us who were flying out of Grand Junction *wished* we were driving to Denver to fly home. Unless they've done a huge amount of improvements to the airport, it's a pretty sad little airport.

Sayhello

I am not concerned about the size of the airport but do you know why many wished they were going to Denver? I want to do drive to Denver but my husband is concerned about driving through Mountains that we are unfamiliar with.

 

[Chirple]

I am not concerned about the size of the airport but do you know why many wished they were going to Denver? I want to do drive to Denver but my husband is concerned about driving through Mountains that we are unfamiliar with.

We didn't mind leaving from GJT. It is small, but I have been in smaller. Our original flight into Denver was scheduled for around 1 pm, but then United changed it to 11:30 am so we were the first people to fly out of GJT. However, the flight departing from Denver did not change so our layover was now 5 hours instead of 3. That alone might make the drive to Denver worth it.

 

[Bobo912]

Grand Junction airport had just been remodeled when we did the Arizona/Utah trip in 2011. Personally, I liked flying out of the small airport.

 

[sayhello]

I am not concerned about the size of the airport but do you know why many wished they were going to Denver? I want to do drive to Denver but my husband is concerned about driving through Mountains that we are unfamiliar with.

There was nothing there. We had to sit around & wait for them to open up the checkin/security area because there weren't any flights leaving for 3 hours. There was NOTHING out in the waiting area except a "coffee room" that was just a room with a coffee percolator that was turned off after 9am (I think we got there around 10 or 11). There was no food, no nothing. Once you checked in and went through security, there was a tiny gift shop that had sodas, frozen burritos, etc. We'd had a VERY early breakfast, and our year, we had no lunch, either. (In subsequent years, after enough complaints, they started giving folks box lunches from the resort). My flight wasn't until 3pm, but since there's only one transfer, I sat in that tiny airport, with no coffee, no real food, for almost 4 hours. And I wasn't the only one in that situation. There was one family that had chosen to rent a car in Grand Junction and drive to Denver, and we were all very jealous of them.

Grand Junction airport had just been remodeled when we did the Arizona/Utah trip in 2011. Personally, I liked flying out of the small airport.

Hopefully that means there are at least *some* amenities there now. There were pretty much none before that. I love small airports. But Grand Junction was ridiculous.

Sayhello

 

[Chirple]

There was nothing there. We had to sit around & wait for them to open up the checkin/security area because there weren't any flights leaving for 3 hours. There was NOTHING out in the waiting area except a "coffee room" that was just a room with a coffee percolator that was turned off after 9am (I think we got there around 10 or 11). There was no food, no nothing. Once you checked in and went through security, there was a tiny gift shop that had sodas, frozen burritos, etc. We'd had a VERY early breakfast, and our year, we had no lunch, either. (In subsequent years, after enough complaints, they started giving folks box lunches from the resort). My flight wasn't until 3pm, but since there's only one transfer, I sat in that tiny airport, with no coffee, no real food, for almost 4 hours. And I wasn't the only one in that situation. There was one family that had chosen to rent a car in Grand Junction and drive to Denver, and we were all very jealous of them.

Hopefully that means there are at least *some* amenities there now. There were pretty much none before that. I love small airports. But Grand Junction was ridiculous.

Sayhello

It sounds like it has changed since you were last there. Before security there isn't anything, but we arrived at least an hour or more before our 11:30 am flight. Security was open, and we breezed right through. Once through security, there is a typical airport shop and a place where you can get cold and hot food (made to order).

 

[sayhello]

It sounds like it has changed since you were last there. Before security there isn't anything, but we arrived at least an hour or more before our 11:30 am flight. Security was open, and we breezed right through. Once through security, there is a typical airport shop and a place where you can get cold and hot food (made to order).

Glad to hear it! Makes Grand Junction a way better option. The only issue remains the small number of flights it can handle, which could mean waiting around a long time for your flight. That's tolerable.

Sayhello

 

[Luv2trav]

What time do they drop you off at grand junction airport?

 

[Chirple]

What time do they drop you off at grand junction airport?

It depends on the earliest flight of an adventurer. We originally had a 1:19 pm departure, and our guide thought we could get a later start that morning, but our flight was changed to 11:30 am so we had to leave earlier. I think we were at GJT at around 10 am-ish. The other people in my group had flights a little later than us so they just hung around the airport talking to each other.

 

[Luv2trav]

Has anyone done helicopter ride over Grand Canyon? Just curiuos where I would find information to schedule this? I know it's not included in the price. Thanks.

 

[xlxo]

I did this combo at the West Rim...
http://www.papillon.com/grand-canyon-west-rim/west-rim-tours/over-the-edge-helicopter-and-boat

 

[Luv2trav]

I did this combo at the West Rim...
http://www.papillon.com/grand-canyon-west-rim/west-rim-tours/over-the-edge-helicopter-and-boat

Did you do the boat combo? Was it worth the money? How did you get to the west rim? Is it close? I am unfamiliar with the logistics involved.