I like hiking but absolutely not camping. I had a similar experience. IMO the canyon is too wide for its width which creates a similar effect to it just being a valley. I found it much more spectacular to stand on pretty much any mountain in the Alps.

Funny enough driving up to the grand canyon there are some arms of it that in essence narrow, deep cracks in the ground. I absolutely loved those!

I-15 out of Vegas hits a small part of Arizona on the way to Utah, and the freeway runs up a river gorge - it's an amazing drive and in no way comparable to the Grand Canyon - but it has its own charm.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mj0dvrBiuX8

Maybe I'll tell my kids this is the Grand Canyon so I can go to In-n-out ;)