If you’re curious to see the real Grand Canyon, consider booking a two-day Grand Canyon Field Institute Learning & Lodging Program through Grand Canyon Lodges, part of Xanterra Parks & Resorts. The package includes two nights’ lodging, two days of guided hiking and tours, reading materials, breakfast, box lunches, dinner one evening, and gift shop coupons. Rates during high season are $672 (or $336 per person). If you’re bringing the kids along, per-child rates come in at $205.

The value of this package, according to SmarterTravel.com Managing Editor Josh Roberts, lies in the experience itself. “Every year, millions of people come to the Grand Canyon’s South Rim. Surprisingly, the average visit only lasts about 15 minutes,” says Roberts. “Many visitors spend more time at the Grand Canyon IMAX movie playing just down the road than in the park itself! The canyon is best experienced up close, but since it can also be a dangerous place, your family will get great bang for your buck with the Grand Canyon Field Institute’s Lodging & Learning programs. By exploring the canyon hands-on with expert guides who’ll be looking out for your safety as well as your canyon education, you get an affordable, worry-free family adventure in the crown jewel of America’s national park system. And your kids will come away with a vacation they’ll never forget.”

This package is available at the $672 price through November 2, after which it drops slightly to reflect low season. For reservations, call 928-638-2525. Read more about the promotion on the Grand Canyon Lodges website.

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