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. 

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.

Instead of driving another two hours round-trip to the national park, I decided to let someone else do the driving and hopped on the train.