We got an early start at Grand Canyon National Park and decided to hike the South Rim until we ran out of gas or out of trail. It was another hot and sunny day so the prospect of tackling a hike down into the canyon and back out didn't appeal to either one of us. It was a first time visit for both of us so we took in as much as we can. One of the recurring National Park themes that stood out to us once again was the diversity in languages being spoken. It seems that more Europeans visit American National Parks than Americans!!
We ended up with an amazing 8 mile hike along the rim of the canyon and Ryan scouted the entire time for the optimal spot to take his favorite photo!!
After a full day of sun and heat we left the Grand Canyon for our destination hotel in Winsow, AZ, another historic Route 66 town. Winslow seems to have been saved from the fate of other Route 66 ghost towns as it still sits on the new Interstate 40 and it even has an Amtrak station (which just so happened to be at our hotel).
We chose the La Posada Hotel because it had a Tesla Destination Charger but fell in love with this little hotel for a multitude of other reasons. This hotel never had a glamorous existence as it opened in 1930 just after the stock market crash of 1929. Having been designed by renowned architect Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter it is strikingly beautiful but only remained open for 27 years before closing and being converted into office space by the Santa Fe Railroad. Nearly demolished, it was saved and restored and now has a place on the National and State Registers of Historic Places. This hotel vaulted to the top of our list of most enjoyable stays during our trip.
