What if there's no gcnp lodging available?

I%26#39;m surprising my hubby with a trip to Sedona for his big 4-0! I had originally planned to take just a day trip to the Grand Canyon but since have found out that an overnight stay is highly recommended, and yes we LOVE sunrises! We%26#39;ll be there in mid June and the inside the park lodging is all full (except for a few rooms with no tub/shower...what??!) So should I go back to my original plan of just making it a long daytrip, or stay outside the park (and if so, where)? And I can%26#39;t wait to see if there%26#39;s any cancellations because I need to book and confirm at our Sedona b%26amp;b asap.

Okay, that%26#39;s it for now. Trip Advisor is quickly becoming my best friend (as is RedRox!) as I%26#39;m planning this trip. I%26#39;m sure I%26#39;ll be back with more questions!

Thanks!

What if there's no gcnp lodging available?

There are often cancellations in the park lodging which do not show up very quickly. Call them and ask.

There are some rooms in the Bright Angel Lodge with access to a shared shower.

There are hotels in Tusayan outside the park entrance. I can%26#39;t recommend any of them because I%26#39;ve not stayed in them very recently. Based on brand, the Holiday Inn Express and Quality Inn Suites (have eaten in their restaurant ... was pretty good) are probably OK. I have heard quite negative things in the forum about the Grand Lodge and Red Feather Lodge.

What if there's no gcnp lodging available?

My advice would be to take the room at Bright Angel with the shared bath. You really only need a place to sleep and for one night you can make the sacrifce and share a bath/shower. It%26#39;s all about location and being inside the park, especailly if you want to enjoy the sunrise. You can literally wake up and walk out of your room to the rim of the Grand canyon to see the sun come up. If you settle for a room outside the park in Tusayan, you will need to wake up get in your car, drive to the park, park your car, and hike to the rim.

Always stay inside the park if you can, no matter what the room is like. So book the BA room and then keep calling Xanterra to see if a better option opens up.

We generally stay at the Holiday Inn Express. Tusayan is close enough that you can still get up, grab coffee and a cinnamon roll and get to the canyon for sunrise. Plus, make sure you have a cancellable room and then if something opens up in the park you can grab it.

Well, my husband Hates the idea of a shared bath, but I can definitely say I would much rather stay inside the park than outside. It is just so great to walk out of your room and see sunsets, sunrises, the view, etc, etc without driving, then go for breakfast and enjoy the view again. Then you can drive when you feel like it.

I%26#39;m with you ipad. It%26#39;s only one night and the trade off between inside the park (especially on the rim) vs outside is worth it. I%26#39;d sleep on a porch swing inside the park without a bath, rather than stay in Tusayan.

Call me crazy but think I%26#39;ve decided to just make the Grand Canyon a long day trip. I%26#39;ve read some great posts about how to make that happen, and feel real good about doing it that way. This go around Sedona is our main focus. And one of these days we%26#39;d like to bring the whole family back to do the Grand Canyon together. Thanks for the input. It really did help with my decision making process.