Grand Canyon Tours from Williams

Canyon Dave Tours Picks Up in Williams

Williams is a good choice, maybe the best, when you are planning a Grand Canyon trip. It is the closest sizable town, only 45 minutes from the Canyon. There are numerous activities for vacationers in and around Williams. The town is located about equidistant from Phoenix and Las Vegas, roughly 4 hours drive one way.

Williams is a town of only about 3,000 people. It is mountainous and pine-forested at 7,000 feet altitude, the same as Grand Canyon. The air is clean and clear, and it snows in winter—a surprise to Arizona visitors. Many local shops and activities revolve around the Route 66 mystique, the former "Mother Road" from Chicago to the west coast. Williams was the last Route 66 town bypassed by Interstate 40.

Williams is a great starting place to visit the surrounding forest and several nearby lakes. We recommend Kaibab, Dog Town, or Whitehorse Lakes.

Williams is home to Bearizona, a wonderful wildlife park with many bears right on the road—don't open the windows! It is a pleasant surprise and a must-see for kids. It starts as a drive-through park exhibiting animals in natural settings. Bearizona also has a walk-in zoo with traditional enclosures. You will see a bird flight presentation and three huge grizzly bears.

Hotels and Restaurants

We recommend staying at one of the charming bed and breakfasts in Williams. You can take Canyon Dave's Grand Canyon Tours from Williams starting at The Sheridan House. This eclectic BnB offers adults-only a cozy and elegant English-style hospitality. They have exceptional food and ambience--just wait 'til you try their amazing breakfast! Another nice B&B, the Canyon Country Inn, is on Route 66.

There are many inexpensive motels in Williams, so it is a life saver when Grand Canyon hotels are booked up. Among the motels, we enjoy the Lodge on Route 66, the Days Inn, the Comfort Inn, and the Best Western of Williams. There is also a new Holiday Inn Express, a new La Quinta, a new Hampton Inn, and many more.

Eating places in Williams are eclectic, with fine dinners at the Red Raven restaurant and Best Western Hotel's Western View Steak House. Pine Country is locally famous for its generous and delicious pies, and both El Corral and Fiesta Mexican Grill have great Mexican dishes.