Instead of taking the usual drive straight to the Grand Canyon, flip the switch and take a nostalgic ride aboard a train, the way folks did a century ago. But today, thankfully, you’ll ride the rails in comfort with air conditioning and entertainment.

The Grand Canyon Railway offers rides on vintage trains from Williams, Arizona to the canyon. My family decided to forgo driving from Phoenix to the canyon and just drive a couple of hours to Williams for the train ride.

The railways to the canyon had operated for more than 60 years until it closed in 1968. It was resurrected in 1989 as a tourist attraction.

Folks can ride in the morning and sightsee at the canyon for the afternoon before returning, or stay a few nights (the Grand Canyon Railway has its own hotel) and return to Williams on a later day. The train runs every single day of the year except Christmas Day.

Trains, Cowboys and Desert

Before the trains depart in the morning, a handful of cowboys perform a Western comedy show to get riders ready for the trip. You might get a few chuckles here and there with their jokes as the Cataract Creek gang get into several fights and have a fateful ending.

But if watching wacky shows isn’t your thing, you could skip the show and drop by the coffee shop for cocoa and cappuccino as you wait at the train depot.

And then, it was all aboard the train for the two-hour-and-15-minute trip to the canyon.

Just like in the glory days of railway travel, the passenger cars are distinguished by class: coach, first class, observation dome and luxury parlor class. The Observation Dome offers fabulous views of the scenic lands, thanks to a panoramic glass window that stretch high above you.  

The fares run from US$70 per adult for coach and the luxury parlor at US$190.

We reserved the first-class seats, which were comfortable and more than adequate. The highlight was the endless snack and drink table with yummy cheese, chocolate and fruits.

There is so much to see on any ride to the Grand Canyon, and the train is all the better for catching all those spectacular sights—no one in your party needs to keep their eyes on the road while driving.

Watch for mountain lions, elks, and skunks along the way.

On-board Cowboy Entertainment

You’d think with all the amazing scenery to behold, the entertainment portion would be covered. But Grand Canyon Railway pays homage to the rail and cowboy history with a slew of fun and friendly entertainers throughout the trip.

Guitar players and singers perform as they walk from one passenger car to another. The sheriff (a retired-LAPD cop on our trip) not only tries to keep the peace; he offers various cowboy and Western trivia to the riders.

A tip: be sure to clap for the entertainment because the sheriff on board will point out if you don’t clap.

At one point, bandits on horses rode alongside the train and demanded spare change from our train car. One bandit asked a rider for her money, and she replied, “Later.” The bandit yelled, “LATER???!” and the riders were in a laughing riot.

Gems like these made that trip on Grand Canyon Railway a fantastic memory for my family—and made me appreciate the journey just as much as the destination.