The Grand Canyon rewards both the casual visitor and the serious explorer. From the rim you can walk miles of paved trail between overlooks, and below the rim the hiking ranges from challenging day trips to multi-day backcountry adventures.
Kolb Studio is a restored photography studio perched right at the Bright Angel trailhead on the South Rim. Built by the Kolb brothers, who made their living photographing mule riders descending into the canyon, the building now hosts rotating art exhibitions and a bookstore. Free admission.
Tusayan Museum and Ruin sits 22 miles east of Grand Canyon Village on Desert View Drive. The small museum covers Pueblo Indian life at the canyon 800 years ago, and a self-guided trail loops through the adjacent ruin. Rangers lead guided tours of the ruin daily. Free admission.
Desert View Watchtower, designed by architect Mary Colter in 1932, stands at the eastern end of Desert View Drive. The 70-foot stone tower was modeled on Ancestral Puebloan watchtowers and offers some of the most dramatic panoramic views in the park, including the Colorado River far below and the Painted Desert stretching to the east.
Bright Angel Trail is the most popular below-rim hike, dropping from the South Rim to the river over 9.5 miles. Day hikers typically turn around at Indian Garden (4.6 miles) or Plateau Point (6.1 miles, with a direct view down to the river). Do not attempt to hike to the river and back in a single day -- the park service is serious about this warning.
South Kaibab Trail is steeper and more exposed than Bright Angel but rewards with unobstructed views the entire way. The hike to Ooh Aah Point (0.9 miles) or Cedar Ridge (1.5 miles) makes an excellent short trip. There is no water on this trail.
Helicopter tours depart from Grand Canyon Airport, less than a mile outside the park entrance. Flights range from brief overviews to longer routes that follow the river corridor, and they give you a genuine sense of the canyon's scale that you simply cannot get from the rim. Expect to pay anywhere from $150 to $350 depending on duration.