Driving from Grand Canyon (south rim) to San Diego

Our family are driving from GCNP south rim to San Diego and need to break up the trip. Any suggestions on where to stay overnight and leg stretches along the way? We will have 3 chn with us and not looking forward to this leg very much at all now seeing the BIG distance! help! Thanks karen

Driving from Grand Canyon (south rim) to San Diego

overnight in las vegas - stay for 2 nights if you can - the kids will love it!!

stop off at the hoover dam on the way from south rim

on the drive to san doego stop off at teceluma

Driving from Grand Canyon (south rim) to San Diego

Hi

It%26#39;s a long desert drive yes. There are also more scenic drives between GCNP and SD. Joshua Tree NP is one of them, but it will take extra time.

The fastest drive will be az64/I40/I15. But there%26#39;s not much accomodation esp. not between Needles and Barstow. My advice is to drive afa Barstow (6 hours from GCNP) and the other 3 hours to San Diego next day. Maybe the kids would like a visit to Galico Ghosttown near Barstow before the drive to SD. Barstow has ample lodging.

So maybe:

Leave GCNP and drive to Williams, maybe a cup of coffee along R66 in Williams. Maybe stock up in Williams. There%26#39;s a Safeway along R66 at the west side of Williams (warm soups and a Starbucks as well) Then drive to Kingman and Needles. There must be a place for lunch. GCNP to Needles will app. be 4 hours (without stops). Then the last 2+ hours to Barstow. Along the route will be parkinglots where you can stretch your legs. They are signposted.

Tet

I have a few that we have done:

- Drive from GC to Sedona, then on to Cottonwood through the ghost town of Jerome to Prescott. Stay there for the night. The next day head sw to I 10 then across to Palm Springs area and then to San Diego.

Another option, head south out of GC to Phoenix area. Stay there and drive on to San Diego via I10 or drop down to I8.

Thanks for all your advice. Would the route via Phoenix be longer? Karen:)

It would be a bit longer via Phoenix but not that much.

Depending on Phoenix traffic maybe 30-60 minutes.