The Open Road Travel

Best Place To Stop On The Ultimate Las Vegas To Grand Canyon Road Trip – Williams, Arizona

With less than 5 hours of driving on a road trip from Vegas to Grand Canyon, many people aim to complete it in one day. However, anyone wanting to make the most of their road trip to the Grand Canyon will be best served by breaking it into two parts. People in that second group will find there’s a perfect place to stop on a Grand Canyon road trip from Vegas, and that is Williams, Arizona.

Established in 1881, Williams was named after the famed local trapper William Sherley "Old Bill" Williams. Although it ranks among the smallest cities in Arizona, with a population just exceeding 3,000 residents, it remains a highly sought-after destination for tourists.

As the westernmost city on Route 66 to be bypassed by I-40 and the southern starting point of the Grand Canyon Railway, Williams has become closely associated with attractions, Americana-themed shops and restaurants, and the Old West. It has even earned the moniker "Gateway To The Grand Canyon."

Williams features numerous roadside attractions that provide both educational and entertaining experiences centred around these themes. Additionally, it is home to two sites listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places: Urban Route 66 Williams and the Williams Historic Business District/Historic Downtown District.

With attractions such as Pete’s Route 66 Gas Station Museum, which includes a museum and a collection of classic vehicles, the Route 66 Zipline that allows you to soar above Route 66, and Bearizona Wildlife Park, where you can observe bears, bison, mountain goats, raptors, and more, there is an abundance in Williams to keep everyone engaged and amused.

In fact, it has so much to offer that we even composed a full article on the town, which can be read here.

Best Hotel To Stay At In Williams, Arizona – Trapper’s Rendezvous

Trapper’s Rendezvous is an excellent 4-star Wild West-themed establishment that allows you to embrace the essence of Williams during your visit. From the charming wood-panelled rooms to the elegant entrance, it offers a wonderful way to experience the Old West.

The rooms feature breathtaking views, generous seating areas, air conditioning, and Wi-Fi, along with conveniences such as flat-screen satellite TVs, hairdryers, refrigerators, tea and coffee-making facilities, and complimentary bathrobes and bottled water. Additionally, all reservations include free parking.



In the common areas, guests can enjoy complimentary hot and cold snacks and drinks in the dining room throughout the day, as well as access to BBQ facilities and a fire pit, providing the chance to host your own Old West cookout on your road trip from Vegas to Grand Canyon.

Top Attractions On The Ultimate Las Vegas To Grand Canyon Road Trip

Henderson, Nevada

Nevada’s second most populous city, Henderson, is just a 15-minute drive southeast into your Grand Canyon road trip from Vegas, but provides a significantly more peaceful atmosphere. Numerous bars, casinos, and restaurants can still be found to keep you occupied, along with an enhanced array of shopping centres, movie theatres, and concert locations to enjoy.

Henderson is also the site of many of Nevada’s most famous golf courses, country clubs, resorts, and scenic attractions. Lake Las Vegas is a 320-acre reservoir offering activities including boating and swimming, surrounded by upscale resorts and facilities. The River Mountain Loop trail showcases some of the region’s most stunning vistas.

Clark County Wetlands Park and the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve help protect the local wildlife and landscape. The Ethel M Botanical Cactus Garden and Acadia Demonstration Gardens are delightful spots to explore some of southern Nevada’s indigenous flora.

Boulder City, Nevada

Boulder City, Nevada, is an attractive desert town famed for its unique history and relaxed atmosphere, situated just 30 minutes into our road trip to the Grand Canyon. Founded in the 1930s to house employees building the Hoover Dam, it retains a small-town feel with historical buildings, shaded streets, and a ban on gambling within city limits.

Visitors can explore the Boulder City/Hoover Dam Museum, which details the dam’s construction, or stroll through a delightful downtown featuring charming shops, local art galleries, and inviting cafés. Experiences such as kayaking and boating on Lake Mead or hiking and biking in the desert hills are available. The Nevada Southern Railway Museum offers picturesque train rides through the Mojave Desert.

The Hoover Dam

Built between 1931 and 1936, the Hoover Dam is a renowned concrete gravity-arch structure located 30 miles into a road trip from Vegas to Grand Canyon. Celebrated for its unique design, construction techniques, and scale, it stands among the largest dams globally, reaching a height of 726 feet (221 meters) and extending 1,244 feet (379 meters) in length.

Nestled in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, the Hoover Dam houses the largest reservoir in the United States, Lake Mead. It supports a hydroelectric plant that supplies 29% of southern California’s electricity, 23% of Nevada’s, and 19% of Arizona’s.



As a popular tourist site that caters to a wide range of visitors, it offers stunning vistas, iconic design, guided excursions, informational plaques detailing its history, and tributes to those who lost their lives during its notorious construction.

Arizona Last Stop

Arizona Last Stop is a popular roadside attraction and adventure hub located in White Hills, Arizona. While perhaps not as vital on a Grand Canyon road trip from Vegas as it is when heading north, where it is recognised as the final place to refuel or grab snacks in Arizona, it is still more than worth a visit.

A convenient resting spot with a café, a souvenir shop, and stunning desert views, guests can savour a meal, pause for a break, and browse unique Route 66-themed memorabilia while enjoying the rugged landscape of the Mojave Desert.

Arizona Last Stop is also especially renowned for its outdoor activities. The most prominent is the Bullets and Burgers experience, where visitors can responsibly handle various firearms under expert supervision. The site also offers off-road adventures, helicopter tours to the Grand Canyon, and package options that combine excitement with sightseeing.

Grand Canyon West Skywalk

Despite being just a short way into our road trip to the Grand Canyon, the Grand Canyon West Skywalk is among the most breathtaking ways to see the legendary chasm. This horseshoe-shaped glass structure extends 70 feet beyond the edge of the canyon, allowing visitors to stand 4,000 feet above the Colorado River with panoramic views all around.

For safety reasons, personal cameras are not allowed on the bridge; however, professional photographers are available to document your visit. The location also features exhibits about the culture and history of the local Hualapai Tribe, along with various other viewpoints and attractions.



Eagle Point features a natural rock formation resembling a flying eagle, and Guano Point offers spectacular 360-degree views of the canyon and hiking trails. Guests can also take helicopter tours, go river rafting, or enjoy Native cultural performances and excursions to Hualapai Ranch.

Chloride, Arizona

Chloride was founded in 1863 as a silver mining community, making it Arizona’s oldest continuously occupied mining town. Now home to approximately 230 people, it also features the state’s longest continually functioning post office. Unfortunately, much of the original settlement was lost in a fire during the 1920s, so it isn’t possible to see exactly how it looked during its prime.



Nonetheless, a variety of mines, buildings such as a playhouse, bank, and jail, along with murals crafted from brightly painted boulders, still make it a fascinating place to visit on a road trip from Vegas to Grand Canyon. We recently ranked it among the top ghost towns in Arizona and California, and it stands out against the rest of the nation’s offerings too.

Santa Claus, Arizona

Santa Claus, Arizona, is a captivating ghost town and roadside curiosity. Founded in 1937, it was once a cheerful Christmas-themed community that attracted land buyers and tourists making a Grand Canyon road trip from Vegas with whimsical decorations, candy-striped buildings, and a year-round holiday atmosphere.

Visitors could meet Santa, dine at the Santa Claus Inn, and send postcards stamped from "Santa Claus, Arizona." Once a beloved stop for holiday travellers during its peak in the mid-20th century, Santa Claus now lies abandoned, with only a few dilapidated structures and graffiti-covered remnants of its formerly lively decorations.

Although it is no longer a functioning attraction, it continues to draw photographers, history enthusiasts, and curious adventurers enchanted by its eerie yet sentimental ambience, serving as a quirky reminder of roadside Americana.

Kingman, Arizona

Kingman, Arizona, is a friendly desert town recognised as the "Heart of Route 66," providing travellers on a road trip to the Grand Canyon with a nostalgic experience along America’s historic roadway. The city’s delightful downtown is adorned with murals, antique shops, and traditional diners that embody the essence of mid-century Americana.

Guests can visit the Arizona Route 66 Museum and the Powerhouse Visitor Center, which feature classic automobiles and artefacts from the golden era of road travel. The nearby Locomotive Park showcases a refurbished 1920s steam engine that represents Kingman’s rich railway history.



Other attractions include the Mohave Museum of History and Arts and the Kingman Railroad Museum. The nearby Hualapai Mountains offer cooler climates, picturesque hiking trails, and chances for wildlife observation. The Monolith Garden Trail presents stunning desert vistas just a short drive from the town.

Hualapai Reservation

The Hualapai Reservation offers visitors on a road trip from Vegas to Grand Canyon a unique opportunity to experience Native American culture and the natural beauty of the Grand Canyon region. Home to the Hualapai Tribe, whose name means “People of the Tall Pines,” the reservation covers nearly one million acres along 108 miles of the Grand Canyon’s western rim.

Cultural exhibits, traditional performances, and local crafts give travellers an authentic insight into Hualapai heritage and traditions. Those willing to embark on a lengthy hike or horse ride through Havasu Canyon can also experience one of Arizona’s most breathtaking natural wonders, Havasu Falls.

Renowned for its breathtaking turquoise waters flowing over red sandstone cliffs, the waterfall forms an impressive desert oasis that draws hikers and photographers globally. With crystal-clear pools ideal for swimming and unwinding, and very few people, it is a genuinely memorable experience for those pursuing both adventure and tranquillity.

Seligman, Arizona

Seligman is yet another Arizona town along Route 66 that honours the legacy of this iconic roadway. The Seligman Commercial Historic District was designated a historic highway by Arizona in 1978 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. It showcases a variety of businesses and structures that date back to 1903, including a gas station, general store, post office, pool hall, and theatre.

With some of these historic buildings still operating today and others maintained as museums, alongside several themed bars, shops, and restaurants that also celebrate the town's heritage, it serves as an excellent stop on a Grand Canyon road trip from Vegas for anyone interested in "the mother road" of America.

Kaibab National Forest

Situated right at the end of our road trip to the Grand Canyon, Kaibab National Forest encompasses 1.6 million acres and extends to both the North and South rims of the Grand Canyon. In contrast to the predominantly arid, rocky terrain of the Grand Canyon, Kaibab features a diverse array of aspen, fir, juniper, oak, pine, and spruce forests, along with a variety of shrubs and wildlife.

The area also contains several prominent attractions, including the breathtaking Scholz Lake and the Historic Spring Valley Cabin, constructed in 1917 for the park rangers. All of this makes Kaibab National Forest an excellent destination for further discovery of the finest natural sites Arizona has to offer.

Final Thoughts On The Ultimate Las Vegas To Grand Canyon Road Trip Itinerary

That concludes our guide to the ultimate Las Vegas to Grand Canyon road trip itinerary. You should now have all the necessary information to complete the journey, including when to go, which route to take, how long it is, where to stay, and what to see along the way.

We also published guides on exploring Grand Canyon National Park, where to stay in Las Vegas, the top attractions in Las Vegas, and how to enjoy Las Vegas on a budget, which you may find helpful. All that’s left is deciding what to take with you, and then you can start budgeting and booking everything, so you can look forward to enjoying it all for yourself as soon as possible.