How do I plan for a huge expensive trip?

How to plan a trip to the Grand Canyon?

• My friends and I are planning a trip from Ohio to celebrate our graduation, I'm looking for advice about: rate of travel (how far/long should we drive at a time), where to stay, what part of the canyon to see, what time of year to go (summer vs. spring break), route/sights to see along the way, recommended stops and interesting Native American points of interest. Anything three H.S grads would need to know to have a fun, safe, economical first (real) road trip. I'm also wondering how much you would recommended budgeting for a week long trip, we have a bit over a year to plan.

• Answer:

  Try to stay inside the park if you can, on the South Rim. There are a few lodging & food options, and you can easily use the shuttle system to get around. If you're really serious about this, you should book your rooms as soon as you have your dates settled. They book up very quickly. When is your spring break? I went last year in mid-March and it snowed. It was also freezing cold. How much you drive per day is totally up to you. How long are you comfortable driving? I also suggest you repost this under Other - United States travel.