We opted to stay in Williams AZ so we could take the train up to view the Grand Canyon. The railway has had a rocky road, so to speak since its beginnings in the early 1900s but was restored and has been going strong since 1989, carrying almost a quarter of a million passengers a year,
Although it's only about a 65 mile trip, it takes over two hours because of the curves in the track and the speeds the train is allowed. We chose the cheapest trip--traveling in a 1923 Pullman car, and it was delightful. Entertainment is provided by the PSA (Personal Service Assistant) giving advice and history with a few corny jokes, and singing cowboys. On the return trip we survived a train robbery.
The only drawback to the train is that it leaves you with only about 3 hours to view and explore the canyon. We had not signed up for the paid bus tour because the park offers free shuttles, but the PSA warned that the shuttles are so crowded that we may have difficulty catching the train back and the cab fare back to Williams is $150. So we limited ourselves to viewing the canyon from the area around the depot. Another glitch was our restaurant choice for lunch. We got a table immediately right by a large window overlooking the canyon but waited almost a precious hour of our three for our sandwiches. But it was a beautiful day, unlike the snowstorm of the day before, and we enjoyed our time there.
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