Williams is a good choice, maybe the best, when you are planning a Grand
Canyon trip. It is the closest town, only 45 minutes from the Canyon. There
are numerous activities for vacationers in and around Williams. It is
located about equidistant from Phoenix and Las Vegas, roughly 3.5 hours
drive.
Williams is a town of only about 3,000 people. It is mountainous and pine-forested at 7,000 feet altitude, the
same as Grand Canyon. The air is clean and clear, and it snows in winter—a surprise to Arizona visitors. Many
local shops and activities revolve around the Route 66 mystique. Williams was the last Route 66 town bypassed by
Interstate 40.
Williams is a great starting place to visit the surrounding forest and
several nearby lakes. We recommend Kaibab, Dog Town, or Whitehorse Lakes.
Also,
Williams is home to Bearizona, a wonderful new wildlife park.
It is a pleasant surprise and a must-see for kids. It is a drive-through
park exhibiting animals in natural settings. Bearizona also has a walk-in
zoo
with traditional
enclosures.
We recommend staying at one of the charming bed and breakfasts in Williams. The
Sheridan House offers adults-only a cozy and elegant
English-style hospitality. They have exceptional food and ambience-wait 'til you try
their amazing breakfast! Another nice B&B, the Canyon Country Inn, is right on Route 66.
There are many inexpensive motels in Williams, so it is a life saver when Grand Canyon hotels are booked up. Among
the motels, we enjoy the Lodge on Route 66, the
Days Inn,
the Comfort Inn, and the
Best Western of Williams.
There is also a new Holiday Inn Express, a new La Quinta, a new Hampton Inn, and many more.
Eating places in Williams are eclectic, with fine dinners at the Red Raven
restaurant and Best
Western hotel's steak house. Pine Country is locally famous for its generous and
delicious pies, and both El Corral and Fiesta Mexican Grill have great
Mexican dishes.