One other Tucson foothills resort is Loew's Ventana Canyon. Not sure if there are other newer ones.

We had a great vacation last spring at the Westward Look resort in Tucson, we also did a day at the desert museum - it's a great place to get to know the desert flora and fauna. Our 8 and 6 year olds had a great trip.

Westward Look was great, but there is another resort hotel (maybe a Marriot? not sure) that I heard also has great pools and waterslides.

Depends which side of the Canyon you're going to. I think that 5 hour figure includes driving around it (which is a long drive) to get to the South Rim.

But the South Rim is where the Park visitor center and the tourist stuff is, which is what a first-time visitor would want, so you're right Phoenix is more convenient. I forgot about that.

Anonymous wrote:

We stayed in Phoenix for a day or two as part of a road trip, and I wasn't impressed. It just seemed like a large, generic city. It would be a good place to fly into to go to the Grand Canyon, though.

Vegas is closer to the Grand Canyon than Phoenix.

No it isn't Phoenix is 3.5 hours. Vegas is almost 5.

This is Op - thanks, this is a lot of great information. I will give you all an update after we take this trip.

We stayed in Phoenix for a day or two as part of a road trip, and I wasn't impressed. It just seemed like a large, generic city. It would be a good place to fly into to go to the Grand Canyon, though.

Vegas is closer to the Grand Canyon than Phoenix.

^^^
Oops, Salt River Canyon. I keep forgetting. It's been a long time.