If you are looking for things to do in Williams AZ you have landed on the right page. We have been to Williams several times so all the information you get here is from lots of personal experience, not general statements you get from global travel websites.
May I ask you why are you looking for things to do in Williams AZ? Probably, because you are going to be spending a day or two here due to your trip to Grand Canyon National Park. And that’s fine. But let me tell you that Williams AZ deserves attention on its own, not just as a pass through junction on your way to bigger things.
And don’t get me wrong, Grand Canyon is totally worth a trip, in fact, we are going to talk about it later in this article, but so is Williams. Yes, Williams – Flagstaff area deserve a lot of time exploring on their own. Grand Canyon is big and crowded, Williams, on the other hand, is full of beautiful hidden gems.
I already have a detailed article on this blog on Things to Do in Flagstaff and today I am adding another wealth of resources to the blog for your Northern Arizona trip.
Things To Do In William Arizona
Things to Do in Williams AZ: #1 Keyhole Sink Trail
Imagine a beautiful easy hiking trail (about 1.5 miles out and back) with a mystery at the end. Will you be able to find the ancient petroglyphs letter on the wall of the Sink and interpret it?
Keyhole Sink trail hike is at its most beauty after rains when a creek and a waterfall form in the Sink and in winter when parts of the water freeze to make beautiful icy patterns. This hike is doable in summer too because it goes through the pine forest so there is enough shade.
The biggest trick is how to find those almost 1000 year old petroglyphs left by Native Americans. Here are the tips:
1.Face the waterfall or the wall where waterfall would otherwise be (you can see the difference in stone wall color, it is almost black here)
2. Walk to the left side of the waterfall
3. Look a little up, above you normal eye sight level – there it is!
This is almost like a time capsule: you can see how many hunters were there, what was the weather like and what wildlife they encountered… It was fascinating for both kids and adults in our group that’s why I added this attraction to my list of things to do in Williams AZ.
And the best part? It is absolutely FREE!
PRO TIP: How to find Keyhole Sink trail: park at Oak Hill Snow Play Area and then cross the road to the other side, open the gate, and start walking.
Things to Do in Williams AZ: #2 Sycamore Falls Trail
Did you like my Keyhole Sink Trail idea? Then you will love Sycamore Falls trail too. It is also a secluded trail, when we visited there was only 1 other car parked at the parking lot (the parking lot is big and there is also a restroom there).
This is a short easy trail, about 0.5 miles, to see the Sycamore Falls and the Gold Pond. The Falls will be running only after lots of rains or lots of snowmelt. But it is still a great trail any time of the year to see beautiful rock formations.
We visited in winter and the flow of water was frozen which added additional charm.
This is another absolutely FREE hidden gem!
Things to Do in Williams AZ: #3 Grand Canyon Deer Farm
Do not let the name of this place confuse you, this farm and petting zoo is located in Williams, Arizona, not in Grand Canyon. It is just about 10 min drive from Williams downtown.
If you have animal lovers in your family then this is one of the best this to do in Williams AZ. How fun is it that you can feed and pet the deer that are roaming free all around you at Grand Canyon Deer Farm?! It may be a little intimidating for young kids because once deer see food in your hands, they are pretty demanding. They crowd you and try to get it from you. My 10 year old was a little taken aback first but then got used to the deer. I would not suggest giving deer food to toddlers, it can be a stampede.
Bigger type of animals on this farm are in big enclosures. You can see camel, reindeer, llama, and many others.
My personal highlights of this farm were:
1.Peacock roaming free
2. Petting enclosure with baby goats
3. A talking parrot – this guy was my absolute FAVORITE. He LOVES to interact with people, he is a big clown copying people AND animals. He was SO MUCH FUN!!
Things to Do in Williams AZ: #4 Bearizona Wildlife Park
Since we started talking about attractions in Williams AZ for animal lovers we absolutely have to mention Bearizona Wildlife Park.
It is much bigger than Grand Canyon Deer Farm (and twice as expensive) and provides unique encounters with much more “serious” animals: bison, bears, wolves and others. I love the idea that you drive through the Park in the car and the animals roam relatively freely.
There is also an area of the park with smaller animals, which is more like a zoo. I can talk a lot about this place, we have been here several times, but one short video is worth a thousand words. Check out our Bearizona video report below:
Things to Do in Williams AZ: #5 Train to Grand Canyon
If you have been following me for a while you know that I am not a fan of 1 day trips to National Parks, unless it is a small park (ex. Pinnacles National Park) or a special arrangement needed (ex. boat trip to Channel Islands). A national park deserves more of your attention than just a few hours, especially a park like Grand Canyon.
So why I put a train trip to Grand Canyon National Park on my list of best things to do in Williams AZ? Because we have already spent several days in Grand Canyon during our previous time in Arizona and we were embarking on this journey not so much for the Canyon but for the train ride itself.
If you approach it with this mentality then you will have a great time. Grand Canyon Railway experience is more than just a scenic train ride, it is a show, an entertainment program, a historical experience – all in one.
It is also comfort and convenience. Our train car seats was super comfy and we didn’t have to queue for a long time in the car to get into the Park. In the end you will have about 4 hours at the National Park itself. Which was a win-win overall.
PRO TIP. A more detailed review of the entire experience is coming up next so stay tuned! I will link it here once it is live.
Things to Do in Williams AZ: #6 Canyon Coaster Adventure Park
I have to be honest, I have to thank Guy Fieri for this one. I was watching one of his “family road trip” programs a couple years back and saw him on the mountain coaster and thought: “Wow, this must be fun! I have to visit it.”
So what is Canyon Coaster Adventure Park? It is 2 thrill rides in 1 place: the Coaster itself (similar to a roller coaster experience but you can control the speed of your cart) and a tubing hill.
My kids tried both and loved them. The tubing hill in particular, during winter, with freshly made snow when there is no snow outside, is an absolute treasure. I didn’t try it but as I said, my kids had a blast. What I loved about it has a flat fee for the entire day.
As for the Coaster, I did ride it and I can say am not a fan. Too expensive for $20 for just 1 ride and too scary for me. Ok, I hate roller coaters in general and so I knew I would not enjoy it but I had to try it to write this review. However, if you are a fan of roller coasters, then you will LOVE it but the price tag may still be an issue.
My kids concluded that they definitely preferred the tubing hill to the Coaster and that it was true winter fun. I don’t know how it feels in summer (the tubing hill is open in summer with some special synthetic material surface coverage and carpets for riding down)
PRO TIP. If you are visiting during winter break, avoid visiting Canyon Coaster Adventure Park on December 25. All other local attractions and shops are closed on Christmas Day so all tourists congregate here. The lines are way too long and it is just not worth it. Stop by on the 26th for the entirely different experience.
Things to Do in Williams AZ: #8 Downtown Williams
Williams is a quirky little town. It is much smaller than Flagstaff and it is all tourist centered, may be too much so. Which was a little disappointing. I was expecting small shops of local artisans selling local things: may be fudge, or pies or wooden crafts or whatever the area is famous for but instead almost every single store sells the same cheap, useless souvenirs of Route 66 and Wild West or other tourist junk that has no relation to the area whatsoever.
There was 1 store that was worth exploring selling Native American jewelry. All the items were gorgeous and of high quality and this store represents various jewelry makers, not just one. Everything was way too expensive for me but may be you could find something on your budget.
On the flipside, I loved the little outdoors “wild West” point of interest called Wild West Junction. It is kind of like a small outdoor area organized by an inn, a saloon and a restaurant. You can check out some wild West exhibits here like a jail, mannequins dressed up in period clothes, old buildings representative of the era. It is hard to describe it, you have to see it. You can also catch a special event here during peak season, such as an outdoor live music concert.
it is FREE just to walk around and check it out.
Things to Do in Williams AZ: #9 Welcome and History Park
If you have a train buff in your family you absolutely have to check out Welcome and History Park next to Williams Downtown are. There are several cool train cars there and a huge Route 66 sign to take picture with. It is absolutely FREE to see these.
If you walk a little further on Historic Route 66 towards the 1st street, check out the most awesome Santa Fe real Railcar Bridge.
Things to Do in Williams AZ: #10 Visit Flagstaff
If you have time, I urge you to explore around Flagstaff, which is only 30 min drive from Williams on HW 40. It has its own huge set of attractions so we keep coming back to the Northern Arizona because there is so much to see and do here.
I had several more things planned for our Williams AZ itinerary but we lost a couple days because all of us got flu and some of these things were not doable anyway because of the lack of snow at the time of our visit even though it was the end of December.
So we will have to come back again and bring you more fun things to do in Williams.
Conclusion
I would love for you to look at Northern Arizona area for everything it has to offer, not just Grand Canyon National Park. There are so many things to do in Williams and Flagstaff and Sedona is just a stone throw away too. If you are an outdoorsy, adventurous family like we are, you will love it. I am sure of that.
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Our recent posts that you may also find helpful:
- Grand Canyon Railway Review
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