I ditched my car and hopped on a train to the Grand Canyon. Getting there took twice as long, but the $80 ride was worth it.

Last year, I was sick of driving during a road trip, so I hopped on the Grand Canyon Railway. The train departs from Williams, Arizona, and drops travelers off at the park's South Rim. The ride took twice as long as driving would've, but it was a new way to explore a national park.

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You can opt-out at any time by visiting our Preferences page or by clicking "unsubscribe" at the bottom of the email. Advertisement By the time I reached Williams, Arizona, my hands felt permanently bound to my van's steering wheel. My back ached, making me feel decades older than I actually am, and my legs cramped from being in the same position for hours.

It was only day four of my 13-day road trip . I had already covered 800 miles and spent far too long in my rented Ram ProMaster van . Simply put, I was done driving.

Thankfully, that's why I was in Williams in the first place. The small Arizona town is home to the Grand Canyon Railway . Related Video A single trail takes hikers to 10 waterfalls near Portland, Oregon — and you can walk it in less than a day Instead of driving another two hours round-trip to.