I am going to visit Grand Canyon about in one weak, and stay at Yavapai lodge for 5 days. I want to save money, so thinking to buy some foods and water before I enter the park. Is there a microwave in each room of the Yavapai lodge? Or, do you have any good idea for the meals inside the park?
I just stayed at Yavapai Lodge about a month ago. My room did have a small refridgerator, but no microwave oven. That is probably true of most of the rooms at Yavapai, but you would be wise to call and validate.
Yavapai Lodge is nothing fancy, but it is nice and comfortable (and less expensive than the others). Its biggest downside is that of all the park lodges, it is the only one that is not within easy walking distance of the rim. But it is still inside the park, in a nice pine-tree area, and being away from the rim means a bit more peace and quiet. I personally pefer Maswik lodge which is very similar to Yavapai, but near the rim. Yavapai is fine though.
From a saving money on food perspective, one big advantage to Yavapai Lodge is that it is located in the market area - where the small village grocery store is, as well as the post office, etc. You could probably eat pretty cheap by buying stuff at the grocery store - which will be a bit more expensive than one in a big town, but still much cheaper than eating at one of the park sit-down resturants. The store also has a small snackbar area that is probably the cheapest prepared eats at the canyon.
As far as the canyon restuarants go, the cafeterias at Yavapai Lodge and Maswik are the cheapest, but still a bit expensive by outside standards. It depends on what you get, of course, but $8-12 per meal there is probably a pretty normal range for food and drinks. Some of the little tourist resturants outside the park gate at the little roadside community of Tusayan are probably a bit cheaper than the park ones, but not by much and you have the hassle of having to leave the park to reach them. Tusayan has a McDonalds which is probably the cheapest option there.
The nearest _real_ towns with large grocery stores and a wide range of eating options are Flagstaff (.15 hours away) and Williams (1 hour away).
If you are really concerned about food costs, than I would say stock up non-cooking items in Flagstaff (trail mix, a loaf of bread, lunchean meat, PB_J, jerkey, fruit) to keep in the fridge. Nobody goes to the Grand Canyon for the food - do what you need to do to get by and enjoy the sights.
That being said, if you do have a little extra money to splurge a night or two, than I would recommend the Arizona Room grill on the east end of Bright Angel Lodge (have to enter from the outside) - excellent food, great views of the rim, less expensive that El Tovar and better food that Bright Angel.
Have fun!Yavapi does not have microwaves. It is about a mile from the rim, but there i a free shuttle that will take you all over the park. I recommend taking it because parking at the rim is a nightmare any time of the year. As for food, water, ect. everything in the park is more expensive than if you bought it at home. Mostly because it_s so far from the rest of the world and most companies have to provide housing for their employees. So don_t be surprised if you go to McDonald_s (just outside the park) and have to pay a lot more than normal for you big mac. Also, if you are use to soft water, bring some bottled. The water out of the tap is very _hard_ meaning it contains a lot of minerals and has been known to upset some people_s stomachs.
As for eating inside the park, the El Tovar is the 4 star restaurant in the park and is pricey for dinner, however breakfast is less expensive and they really feed you (you could share a plate). For a good dinner I recommend the Arizona Steak House (they are also a little pricey, but the food is good and you get what you pay for). Also, the Yavapi and Maswik (Maz-wic) have cafeterias. Yavapi has really good fried chicken and Maswik has a little bit of everything. I hope this helps you out.
