Grand Canyon - Looking for Recommendations

Planning a family trip to the Grand Canyon for fall with two teens and we're looking for suggestions of what to do and where to stay.  Any favorite activities?  Any lodges/cabins/motels you'd recommend?  We don't have any specific plans yet, so we're open to ideas, bargains, any and all suggestions appreciated. Thank you!

Walk down using the South Kaibab Trail rather than the trail that starts right where the hotels are:

https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/upload/South_Kaibab_Trail.pdf

The North Rim is usually less crowded.

http://grandcanyon.com/category/planning/north-rim-planning/

Definitely recommend staying in one of the official park lodges if possible.  They tend to book up a year in advance, but they have lots of cancellations.  If your trip is soon, I'd recommend that you book something else, but then keep calling the park lodging folks the week before your trip to see if something has opened up.  We did this and ended up with a spot right on the rim.  

I wouldn't plan on spending too much time at the south rim unless you are real hikers and can plan some big trips off the rim.  Otherwise, it is a beautiful view and thronged with tourists.  

if you want to take the mules down to the bottom, book now.  Reservations fill up a long time in advance.

Stay at the park if possible, especially if you go to the South Rim.  

Stayed in one of the rim cabins. Tiny - but so cool. Had one with a fireplace and a partial view. Called the NPS and just took two open nights and built the vacation around it. Flew into/out of Vegas. Drove to GC - 3 days/2 nights then onto Page AZ for 3 nights then back to Vegas. While at the GC - we did walks, ranger programs, looked at the stars - since it's a Dark Sky location, watched a sunrise and a sunset, ate meh food, had good ice cream. Did not go down into the canyon. 

So helpful.  Thank you!

Last time I went there we stayed at the El Tovar Lodge in the park and really enjoyed it. It was just a quick one night trip. We had breakfast there and it was pretty good.

(I grew up in Phoenix, and usually go back to Arizona for a week every year. This was part of a side trip to show my wife other parts of the state. We went to Monument Valley as well, which is wonderful, but not really too close.)

We LOVED El Tovar! We booked a room with 2 weeks notice (there was a cancellation).  So, if it's booked solid, try calling back every couple days.  http://www.grandcanyonlodges.com/lodging/el-tovar/

After watching the sunrise over the canyon (we literally rolled out of bed), I ran 10 miles along the rim on the (mostly) paved trails.  It was amazing.

This was the best family vacation ever, the night sky from the bottom of the canyon is amazing.

http://www.westernriver.com/grand-canyon-rafting

We're making a similar trip in the fall. In-canyon lodging was all booked up. Booked a stay in a hotel in Tucsyan, which is where I stayed when there before about 10 years ago.