Customer Questions

Hi Sherry,
I’m sure it has been done, but we do not recommend it. For one, you may not be allowed to use a backpack carrier, which means you’ll need to carry your child up the numerous stairs and ladders placed throughout the canyon. That will get old quickly! Upper Antelope Canyon remains the best choice for families with young children.
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

March 24, 2019 at 2:06 PM

Hi Denise,
Lower Antelope Canyon is open year-round with periodic closures for maintenance that usually occur in the off-season. You absolutely MUST book a tour in advance of your arrival. The Antelope Canyons have become crazy-popular in the past five years, and tours are already booking up into the fall. If you find that to be the case, you might consider touring one of several alternate slot canyons that are just as beautiful as Antelope, but a lot less crowded.
Regarding Horseshoe Bend, some construction projects are taking place that necessitate closure of the main parking area between the hours of 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM. During that timeframe, you must park in a temporary lot around the corner from the overlook, and use a shuttle for $5/person. If that doesn’t appeal, consider visiting just after sunrise when the main parking area is open as normal, and you invariably have fewer people to contend with.
As for inexpensive places to stay, our town has lower-priced hotel chains such as Motel 6, Super 8, EconoLodge, and such. Here again, advance reservations are strongly recommended. Where To Stay In Page, AZ
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

March 24, 2019 at 2:13 PM

Hi Laura,
Putting Sedona at the end of your trip would definitely make for a long drive back to Las Vegas, about 5 hours. If you wish to minimize your drive on the back end of your trip, I would suggest hitting the attractions on your “wish list” in the following order:
2 days – Sedona
1 day – Flagstaff
1 day – Page, AZ (Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend)
1 day – Kanab, UT
1-2 days – Zion, overnighting in Springdale, UT
Staying in Springdale, UT, at the end of your trip would put you only 2.5-3 hours from Las Vegas, however, there is going to be road work in progress on a stretch of I-15 through the Virgin River Gorge, which is right on the route you’d take. It would probably be wise to pad your estimated drive time back to Vegas at ~4 hours.
One observation I can make is that the Grand Canyon is conspicuously absent from your itinerary. Are you using Flag (that’s what we call it out here) as a base from which to tour the park? If so, that’s less than ideal as it’s a 90-minute drive, each way, from Flagstaff, AZ, to Grand Canyon South Rim. Better to look for lodging closer to the park, either in Grand Canyon Village, or Tusayan, just 7 miles South of the park. Grand Canyon hotels
Hope that helps! Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

March 22, 2019 at 5:21 PM

Hi Annie,
Your itinerary looks pretty fun, but still warrants a couple of “reality checks.” I also think you’re trying to cram too many destinations into a limited amount of time.
In June, Death Valley and Grand Canyon West (where the Skywalk is) are going to be scorching hot. I don’t know how well you can tolerate heat, but if I were you, I’d skip these areas this time around. Another consideration is that visiting the Grand Canyon Skywalk en route to Grand Canyon South Rim really isn’t practical. It takes ~2.5 hours to drive from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon West. It then takes ~4.5 hours to drive from GC West to Grand Canyon South Rim.

That’s at least 7 hours of driving in one day, which is not bound to sit well with 2 kids. If you really have your heart set on the GC Skywalk, you might use that 2nd day where you proposed going to Death Valley to take a tour there, particularly an airplane flight or helicopter tour that departs early in the morning to take advantage of cooler temperatures. Or self-drive, starting first thing in the morning.
On Day 5 where you indicate you’d go to the Desert View Watchtower, do the Canyon Vista mule ride, then drive to Monument Valley, you’ll need to rethink that. The drive to Monument Valley will naturally take you along the East Rim/Desert View Drive anyway, so no need to visit those viewpoints prior to going to Monument Valley, you’ll just be backtracking. In Monument Valley, plan on doing a back-country tour of some kind.
On Day 6, are you proposing to drive from Monument Valley to Page, tour Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon, then drive on to Zion? If so, I advise against it. It takes 2 hours to drive from Monument Valley to Page, AZ. It then takes at least 2 hours to tour Antelope Canyon, then 60-90 minutes to visit Horseshoe Bend. You’re then facing a 2-hour drive to Zion. If you haven’t already made Antelope Canyon tour reservations, you’re going to have a hard time finding availability at your desired time. Another thing to keep in mind is that Monument Valley is on Daylight Savings Time, but Antelope Canyon is on Mountain STANDARD Time, so you’ll “lose” an hour traveling from Grand Canyon to Monument Valley, then “regain” it as you travel from MV to Page. It would be better to spend the night in Page, AZ, go to Zion on Day 7, spend the night in Springdale, UT, then drive back to Las Vegas on Day 8. Here again, you have differences in time zones, with Arizona being 1 hour behind Utah, then Nevada being 1 hour behind Utah as well (Arizona is on the same time as Nevada during the summer months).
Almost forgot: regarding the North Rim, it’s not going to be practical to squeeze it in by driving there, but there is a possible way you can see it anyway: skip the Canyon Vista mule ride and take a flight over the North Rim. Fixed-wing airplanes and helicopters depart the Grand Canyon National Park airport daily, but mornings are the best times to fly for optimal light and less wind.
Hope that helps! Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

March 22, 2019 at 2:40 PM

You should choose two of your destinations and do the rest on different trips. If you really try to do all of this you won’t see the best of any of it. Choose Death Valley and the Skywalk, or Desert View and Antelope Canyon… choose two that are relatively close to each other.

It is going to be hot in Death Valley in June, but the skywalk will be ok. I live near there. The temps will be in the 90s by then, but it isn’t too bad. They have so much to do now, besides the skywalk there is a zipline, and helicopter tours, you can take a helicopter down to the river and then take a boat tour.

March 25, 2019 at 1:45 PM

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From Alley Keosheyan

Hi Sandra,
Thank you for contributing your insight to the discussion!
Alley 🙂

March 25, 2019 at 4:48 PM

Hi again, Manuela!
As you can see in my reply to your earlier inquiry, I recommended taking Grand Canyon West off the itinerary and doing a loop of Grand Canyon South Rim, Monument Valley, Page, and back to Las Vegas. At that time, I recommended spending 2 nights in Page so you could take one of the water-based tours, such as the Rainbow Bridge Boat Tour, Glen Canyon Float Trip, or Lake Powell Kayak Tour. If you prefer, you could take that second day I recommended spending and Page and allot it to Zion or Bryce. Unfortunately, you can’t really see both parks comfortably in one day, and Zion is right on your way to Las Vegas. Spend the night in Springdale, UT, which technically puts you ~3 hours from Las Vegas, but keep in mind that some extensive roadwork is being done on the main highway between Zion and Las Vegas at the time of your visit. It would be wise to pad your estimated drive time by at least 1 hour to be on the safe side.

RE: the time zones, Arizona is on Mountain STANDARD Time, Utah is on Mountain DAYLIGHT Time, so you “lose” an hour going from AZ to UT, but “regain” it going from Utah to Nevada as Nevada is on Pacific Daylight Time.
Hope you have a wonderful trip!
Alley 🙂

March 22, 2019 at 2:10 PM

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From Manuela

Thank you so much, your suggestions are precious for us!
Sorry for the two questions, I thought my first one was lost!
I think we’ll follow your advice and skip GC west.
At the meantime, I saw that following your itinerary we will able to visit even the Monument Valley! So cool!

Thank you very much again!
Manuela

March 24, 2019 at 12:17 AM

Hi Beth,
Sorry to hear that your chosen tour company has ceased allowing younger children. Upper Antelope Canyon is pretty much the best choice of slot canyons to tour with younger children. To my understanding, Roger Ekis’ Antelope Canyon Tours still allows toddlers on their sightseeing tours, so you might try contacting them at www.antelopecanyon.com or 928-645-9102.
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

March 21, 2019 at 9:50 PM

Hi Manuela,
You are correct that it won’t be feasible or comfortable to hit all the attractions on your “wish list” in your timeframe. You’ll need to take at least one place off the table if you don’t want to spend every day driving, and my suggestion would be to drop Grand Canyon West.
Here’s why: it takes approximately 2.5 hours to drive from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon West. Once you get there, you’re looking at a sizeable sum of money to enjoy it fully, starting with a $25/person base entrance fee, then anywhere from $100-300 per person depending on what activities you wish to partake of, such as helicopter flights to the canyon floor, the Grand Canyon Skywalk, etc. Then, you’re looking at a 4.5 hour drive to Grand Canyon South Rim. There’s not much lodging to be had at Grand Canyon West; the nearest hotels are in Kingman, AZ, which is ~90 minutes away. Besides, the South Rim is where you’re going to find the iconic “picture-postcard” views that you’re expecting to see. At Grand Canyon West, not so much. Don’t get me wrong, GC West is beautiful in its own way (more rugged and desert-like), but with your limited time, and considering that GC West is already starting to get really hot, I’d recommend either skipping it, or if you have a full unplanned day in Las Vegas, you might use one of those days to explore GC West, either with a package tour, or self-drive.
In light of that, here’s what I would suggest:
May 9th: Drive from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon South Rim, with optional stopover at Hoover Dam. ~4.5-5.5 hour drive time, overnight at Grand Canyon South Rim.
May 10th: Drive from Grand Canyon South Rim to Monument Valley. ~3.5-4 hour drive. On this section of the trip, you’ll do a large chunk of your Grand Canyon sightseeing between Grand Canyon Village and Desert View Point. There are also many points of interest in the Navajo Reservation upon leaving the park. Stop at the Cameron Trading Post for lunch/brunch, take optional backcountry tour of Monument Valley, overnight in the area (Monument Valley, Kayenta, AZ, or Tuba City, AZ). **REMEMBER THAT THE NAVAJO RESERVATION OBSERVES DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME, THE REST OF ARIZONA DOES NOT, SO YOU’LL “LOSE” AN HOUR GOING FROM GC TO MV, THEN “REGAIN” IT TRAVELING FROM MV TO PAGE, AZ.***
May 11th: Drive from Monument Valley to Page, AZ. 2-hour drive time. Tour Antelope Canyon prior to arriving in Page, AZ, overnight in Page.
May 12th: Visit Horseshoe Bend just after sunrise (5:20 AM), then do a water-based activity, such as the Lake Powell Rainbow Bridge Boat Tour, the Glen Canyon Half Day Float Trip or a kayak tour into the waterside of Antelope Canyon. Spend 2nd night in Page.
May 13th: Drive back to Las Vegas (~4.5 hours direct), optional detours through Zion National Park or Valley of Fire State Park will extend drive time to 6-7 hours. Fly home.

Be sure that you have all lodging and guided tours reserved before you travel.
Hope that helps! Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

March 22, 2019 at 2:01 PM

Hello Gina and thank you for visiting,
Let’s dig right in!
1) Yes, 4-5 hours is enough time to spend in the Grand Canyon before moving on to Page. The reason for this is because a good chunk of your Grand Canyon sightseeing will actually occur on the drive to Page. The route takes you along the East Rim/Desert View drive of the park, where there are over half-a-dozen named viewpoints of the Grand Canyon. Upon exiting the park at Desert View, you’ll then be on the Navajo Indian Reservation, where there’s even more to see, including but not limited to the Little Colorado River Overlook, Chief Yellowhorse’s souvenir stand, the Cameron Trading Post, Chinle formation views and The “Cut” Overlook. For your night in the Grand Canyon, concentrate your sightseeing on the Grand Canyon Village area, and maybe take the free shuttles out to a couple of viewpoints on the Hermit’s Rest/West Rim Drive. Hopefully you already have your Grand Canyon lodging booked!
2) A Lake Powell boat trip is definitely worth doing, but you might need a second night night in Page, AZ, to pull it off, especially if you’re wanting to do a longer tour such as the Rainbow Bridge boat tour. For a shorter boat tour, such as the Antelope Canyon waterside, that can easily be accommodated in a single day along with Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend. I recommend visiting Horseshoe Bend just after sunrise to take advantage of cooler temperatures and smaller crowds.
3) For Grand Staircase-Escalante, that’s a huge area, with a lot of dirt roads that you shouldn’t try to navigate in a rental car. The good news, however, is that you’ll drive through a sizeable portion of it between Page, AZ, and Bryce Canyon. A good, easy hike you might stop for is the Paria Rimrocks/Toadstool Hoodoos Trail, which is located between mile markers 19 & 20 on US89 between Page, AZ, and Kanab, UT.
4) There are all kinds of cool things to do in Bryce for half a day or less! Choose from day hikes, horseback rides, ATV tours, mountain biking, and much more! 100 Things To Do In Bryce Canyon
5) For Zion, here again, no shortage of family fun to be had, and a 3-night stay is perfect for taking advantage of as many opportunities as possible! If you guys are relatively fit and adventurous, you might consider hiking the Narrows. In July, you’ll probably welcome the opportunity to get soaking wet in the cool Virgin River! If that sounds like too much, there are lots of easy but spectacular hikes you can take in the park. Those staying in Springdale, UT, will be required to utilize the shuttle system to visit the main scenic drive of the park.
6) If you have an extra day to work with, you might consider making a side trip to Mt. Charleston, near Las Vegas, NV. At 7,500’+ above sea level, it will be cooler, and it’s a beautiful area to visit. There’s not much in the way of lodging there, so if you need to, you can swing through the area en route to Las Vegas. Another neat area near Las Vegas is Valley of Fire State Park, but I’d recommend getting there early in July since mid-day temperatures will be scorching hot. Another possibility would be to do the Black Canyon Adventure Float Trip from the base of Hoover Dam to Willow Beach.
Hope that helps! Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

March 21, 2019 at 1:48 PM

Hi Usha,
You have a very well-planned itinerary, and I’m glad to see that you’re allowing ample time in each destination to really enjoy it!
With teens in the party, I’d recommend the Glen Canyon Float Trip. Even though it does not go through any rapids, it includes a lot of beautiful scenery and fascinating history. The kids will even get an opportunity to swim if they so desire. Fair warning, though: the water’s cold! 😀
I’d also recommend hitting Horseshoe Bend right after sunrise to take advantage of cooler weather, easier parking, and thinner crowds.
With an extra day to work with, and seeing as though June is going to be hot, I’d recommend going somewhere to cool off: The White Mountains. Lodging is available in the town of Payson, AZ, and popular activities/sights there include, but aren’t limited to: Tonto Natural Bridge State Park, Fossil Creek Creamery, Woods Canyon Lake, and Sunrise Park. From Payson, the drive to Phoenix is about 2 hours.
Hope that helps! Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

March 20, 2019 at 4:45 PM

Hi CL,
Yes, you are correct, but to be on the safe side, I’d recommend clearing the parking lot before 10:00 AM so you don’t get caught up in a traffic jam. It takes on average 60-90 minutes to hike to the Horseshoe Bend Overlook and back, so try and get there about 8:30 AM to be on the safe side.
Alley 🙂

March 19, 2019 at 4:37 PM

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From CL

Thank you! It’s an awesome website!

March 20, 2019 at 12:47 PM

Hi Crystal,
It looks as though you are allowing enough time in both Page, AZ, and the Grand Canyon to not be rushed. The main thing is to be sure you time all drives you make so that you are at your final destination for the day by dusk. Driving at night is discouraged in Northern Arizona due to lack of ambient lighting on local roads, plus the tendency of deer, elk, free range cattle, and sometimes wild horses to graze around them after dark, bumping up your chances of getting into an accident. Sunrise in late September occurs at around 6:00 AM and sunset takes place at approximately 6:30 PM.
The drive time from Page, AZ, to the Grand Canyon is given on Mapquest and such as 2.5 hours, but in actuality, it tends to be more along the lines of 3.5-4 hours since the drive is very scenic, and you will find yourself stopping often, particularly on the section of the trip between the Eastern park entrance at Desert View Point and Grand Canyon Village.
Be sure to have all your Grand Canyon lodging and Page, AZ hotels booked, as well as Antelope Canyon tour reservations made, well in advance of your vacation. Now would not be too soon to get on this if you haven’t already. Tours for summer and fall are already selling out from what I’ve heard.
If you find yourself with more time to work with, another place you might consider adding to your itinerary is Sedona. It’s a beautiful area with lots to see and do. I can almost guarantee that once you see it, you’ll be planning a return visit when you can spend more time! Sedona is ~2.5 hours from Grand Canyon South Rim, then Phoenix is about 2 hours away. For suggestions on what to do, where to stay, etc., go to www.VisitSedona.com
Good luck and safe travels!
Alley 🙂

March 19, 2019 at 4:47 PM

Hi Punita,
The best route from Page, AZ, to Grand Canyon South Rim is to proceed South on US89 down through Bitter Springs, The Gap, and Willow Springs, then join AZ64 West in the town of Cameron, AZ. Or, reverse that if you opt to go from Grand Canyon South Rim to Page, AZ.
What you ultimately do will depend largely on availability of lodging at Grand Canyon South Rim. If you cannot find lodging at Grand Canyon Village, try for Tusayan, AZ, just 7 miles outside the park. If you cannot find any rooms there, try Williams, AZ, 1 hour South of the park. Long story short, we would discourage you from attempting to visit Grand Canyon South Rim as a “drive-by” between Page and Las Vegas. It realistically takes approximately 3.5 hours to drive from Page, AZ, to Grand Canyon South Rim, then another 5 hours to drive from Grand Canyon South Rim to Las Vegas. That wouldn’t be a very fun day, IMHO!
Hope that helps. Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

March 18, 2019 at 4:32 PM

Hey Christian,
See my reply to your earlier inquiry and recommendations for alternate slot canyons to Lower 🙂
Alley

March 18, 2019 at 3:50 PM

Hi Amy-Jae,
First off, you’ve chosen a wonderful time to be here! Temperatures are cooling down, crowds are thinning out, autumn is my favorite time of year. Two nights in each location is a good plan, we wish more people could do it that way. That said, you could scoot by with just one day at Bryce Canyon since, square mileage-wise, it is a small park, and most of the scenic highlights can be covered in a relatively short time.
That said, you could allot your extra time to any number of places in Northern Arizona or Southern Utah! Not too far from Bryce Canyon — in this neck of the woods, we consider a 3-hour drive “not too far” 😉 — is Capitol Reef National Park. More cool geological formations, and some compelling pioneer history. Torrey, UT, would be where you’d want to stay as there are no hotels in the park itself. You might include a hike to Lower Calf Creek Falls on the trip there.
Between Monument Valley and Page, you might slide in Canyon de Chelly for Native American culture, architecture, and more cool rocks! Not much lodging to work with in that area, there’s the Thunderbird Lodge inside the park, and a couple hotels in the town of Chinle, AZ. Or you might do it as a day trip from Monument Valley since it’s only a 90-minute drive from there, but getting an extra night at Monument Valley might be tricky. Between Bryce and Zion, you could hit up Brian Head, Duck Creek Village, or Cedar City so you can do the hike in Kanarra Falls. The latter does require a permit, but these tend to be relatively easy to get.
Between Zion and Las Vegas, Mt. Charleston and/or the Valley of Fire State Park would be good candidates for an extra day’s time! The latter can be easily done as a detour between Zion and LAS; Mt. Charleston is best done as a day trip from LAS, or as an overnight at the Mt. Charleston Lodge.
Hope that helps! Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

March 18, 2019 at 4:23 PM

Hi Christian and thank you for your inquiry!
Your trip looks well-planned, but I still caution against falling prey to the temptation to schedule every second of every day of your vacation. There will be moments that unfold unexpectedly, and you should allow your curiosity to guide you at a leisurely pace, rather than playing a game of “beat the clock” to get to your next scheduled activity. Hope that makes sense.
On Day 1, for example, where you want to swing through Sedona and visit Slide Rock State Park. It’s doable as long as you’re not delayed for too long upon landing in Phoenix, but the logistics of picking up a rental car and just getting out of the Phoenix metro area tend to take longer than most visitors realize. So as much as I hate to say it, I’d recommend taking Sedona off the table this time around. Instead, plan on maybe having lunch in Flagstaff, AZ, then taking the scenic loop drive through Wupatki and Sunset Crater National Monument just North of Flagstaff. Doing this will add another 90 minutes to 2 hours onto your drive time to Page, AZ. Whatever you do, just make sure you’re at your final destination for the day by sundown, which is ~7:15 PM. You want to avoid having to drive at night due to the fact that local roads are very dark, and large animals, such as deer, elk, free range cattle, and even wild horses, tend to graze around them at night.
Regarding the availability, or lack thereof, of Antelope Canyon tours, this comes as no surprise. In your case, since you were considering touring Lower Antelope Canyon, I’d recommend looking at Antelope Canyon X. As the name suggests, it’s a secondary drainage of Antelope Canyon, is comparable physically and cosmetically to Lower, and tour group sizes are kept smaller for a more personalized experience. You might also look at Mystical Antelope Canyon, an alternate slot canyon that has only been recently opened to the public, and has some unique geological features.
A slot canyon tour and a boat or kayak tour would be a wonderful way to make good use of a full day in Page, AZ. All of the kayak and boat tour operators have excellent reputations for safety and service, and are licensed by Park Service, so no need to be overly picky as to who you go with. As for where I’d put Horseshoe Bend in the mix, I’d recommend visiting just after sunrise (~5:30 AM). Earlier in the day, you’ll encounter fewer people, whereas mid-day becomes extremely crowded, not to mention the light is better when the sun is not directly overhead, washing out the colors. Another concern is that at the present time, due to some construction projects running behind schedule, the main parking area is closed between the hours of 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM, and visitors are required to use a shuttle for $5/head. It’s not certain whether that arrangement will still be in effect at the time of your visit, but it’s likely to be due to inclement weather pushing back a few project deadlines. Frankly, the shuttle is a pain, and best avoided if you can help it.
As for good hikes to take, no shortage there! In Page, AZ, the Rim Trail, Hanging Gardens, and the “New” Wave are good candidates. At the Grand Canyon, the paved Rim Trail extends for 10+ miles along the canyon rim, or you can venture down the Bright Angel Trail for a short way to get a taste for what the inner canyon is like. RE: the latter, remember that for every hour you hike down, you’ll need 2 hours to hike back out. Food and water must be carried if you plan on spending any longer than 1 hour, or hiking for more than 1 mile in the inner canyon. “Big recommendations” for the Grand Canyon? Splurge on a special dinner for you and your girlfriend at the El Tovar Hotel! Reservations are strongly recommended, they can be made up to 30 days in advance by calling 928-638-2631 x6432. And you are correct, the Grand Canyon would be the best place to do a bike rental if you desire.
For saving money on the rest of your trip, you’ve correctly deduced that food is a major expense, so you might purchase a small cooler in Phoenix and hit a grocery store before heading North. There’s a Super Wal-Mart in Page, AZ. The other major expense you’ll have is gas. Taking advantage of apps such as Gas Buddy is very helpful. As a general rule, the larger cities tend to have the lower gas prices, but check around to pinpoint where the least expensive gas is along your itinerary, and fill up whenever/wherever you get the chance. Regarding renting a car for individuals under 25, I don’t think that should be a problem as the minimum age for car rentals IIRC is 21, but according to a disclaimer on Enterprise’s website, you may incur a surcharge for being a younger renter.
Hope that helps! Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

March 18, 2019 at 3:49 PM

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From Christian

Thank you so much for the detailed information! I am going to use a lot of your ideas!! I didn’t know about the shuttle/construction so that is very helpful to know!!

My updated itinerary:

Monday:
– Land (9-10am), grab car, stop at a Walmart for a cooler and food for the next 4 days, and then head for Page.
– On the way to Page the plan is to stop and hike Cathedral Rock.
– (Horseshoe bend)
– Stay in Page

After doing a little more research, I believe that my girlfriend and I would enjoy Cathedral rock the most and it is something we could do in under a couple hours. If we feel our time is more limited, or don’t feel like hiking at all, Wupatki would most likely be our secondary plan. Depending on what time we are getting in to Page, maybe we will stop at Horseshoe Bend to check if there is parking because we will be driving right past it, and it will be something to do to kill time as well.

Tuesday:
– (Horseshoe Bend just after sunrise)
– Renting Kayaks at Antelope Point Marina, and kayaking through Antelope Canyon
– Have to be at Lower Antelope Canyon tour for 3:30pm
– Stay in Page

Wednesday:
– (Horseshoe Bend just after sunrise)
– Drive to South Rim, stopping at anything we find interesting on the way
– Hike down South Kaibab trail (Not sure what our turnaround point will be at this point, will probably stay flexible).
– See sunset (Not sure the best spot to see it at South Rim)
– Have dinner at El Tovar
– Stay at South Rim

Thursday:
– See sunrise (Again not sure best spot to see this)
– Hike down Bright Angel Trail. (I’d love to reach the plateau, but that might be very ambitious).
– Possible shower at Mather Campground
– Head for the airport

Some additional questions:
1. There is nowhere cheap-ish to stay between Page and the South Rim on our Tuesday night right? The idea would be to use some of the hours after the Lower tour before sunset, to get closer to the South Rim, to give us more time to hike the next day.
2. Do you know if it’s possible to bring a lunch on the kayak and disembark in the canyon at some point to eat? If so, what’s the best way to do it to keep our lunch secure and waterproof in case something happens?
3. If the plan is to see the sunset and then go for dinner, what time should I make the reservation for? Is 7:45pm too early? Also, what should we be wearing to this dinner? We each are only bringing a small carry-on suitcase, so space is at a premium. I love this idea by the way (my wallet doesn’t though).
4. If our flight leaves at 11pm, and we need to both fill up and return a car, at what point should we be planning on leaving the Grand Canyon? The plan would most likely be to eat in the car, and drive straight to the airport.
5. Grand Canyon = $35 | Antelope Marina = $25 | Wupatki = $25
The plan right now only includes the first two, and I know they both accept “America is Beautiful” passes. My question to you is, should we go for the 12 month pass? The chances of us visiting another park in a year is slim, but possible (We are from Ontario). I would like to make that decision while there, but if Antelope Marina is the first place we visit, I don’t believe they’d sell these 12 month passes, correct? Are there any other locations around our planned trip that accept these passes and you believe we could realistically visit with our limited time to make the full $80 worth it? We are obviously trying to save money, and paying $25 to visit a marina is bothering me a little, so that’s why I am hoping that maybe getting the 12 month pass could be the optimal solution.
6. Any idea of the best spots to see sunset/sunrise at GC?
7. Any additional feedback/critiques?

Notes:
– I was aware of the young driver fee, but was hoping there was a company or a method to reduce or eliminate it. That fee effectively doubles the price of the car. But after further research I don’t think there is a way.
– My girlfriend and I recently completed a 9-10 mile hike with 1000 feet of elevation change, so we do know how to be prepared and safe, but will also do a lot more research before our trip. I know going to the plateau is 12 miles, and 3000 feet of elevation change with a lot of direct sunlight.

Thank you so much for your help! I really appreciate it.

March 19, 2019 at 3:37 PM

Hi Chris and thank you for your inquiry.
Your trip looks very well-planned, but there are a few areas raising red flags for feasibility, time, etc. When coordinating a trip in this part of the U.S., it is essential to remember that the drive times put forth by Google Maps are “wheels turning, no stops.” That rarely happens in reality because most dries are very scenic and you end up stopping to take pictures more often than you realize. Therefore, it is prudent to pad your estimated drive times by ~20-30% to be on the safe side!
So, that said, here are my main observations:
If you can possibly drop a day in Las Vegas, I’d recommend doing so in order to spend more time in Zion. It’s a beautiful park with lots to see and do. Many visitors report spending 4-5 days there and feeling as though they’d only touched the tip of the proverbial iceberg!
Your plan for day 3 is too ambitious. You’re looking at a 4.5 hour drive, bare minimum, to get from Bryce Canyon to Moab. Attempting to add Waterpocket Fold and Goblin Valley to the plan that will double that figure. Since you’re going to pass through a lot of scenery that resembles Waterpocket Fold just as a matter of course, I’d recommend swinging up to Goblin Valley, then heading down to Moab. That puts your estimated drive time at a much more reasonable 6 hours. Remember that you want to get all your driving done by sundown due to lack of ambient lighting on many local roads, as well as to minimize your chance of encountering nocturnal wildlife such as deer, elk, free range cattle, or wild horses.
On Day 6, you could add a stop at Goosenecks of the San Juan State Park before dropping down to Monument Valley. BTW, I hope you have lodging booked at the various stops on your tour already, otherwise, you might have trouble finding availability, especially at Monument Valley. There’s not much to work with there in the way of hotels in the first place, so if you find everything sold out, you may need to look at Kayenta, AZ, or Tuba City, AZ, for your lodging.
When you cross back into Page, AZ, from Monument Valley, remember that the two areas are technically on different time zones. Utah and the Navajo Indian Reservation DO observe Daylight Savings Time, whereas Page, AZ, DOES NOT. Therefore, you will “gain” an hour as you travel from MV to Page. Be sure to book your Antelope Canyon tour in advance as well.
On Day 8, you might want to reverse the order of your activities, hitting Horseshoe Bend just after sunrise, then doing your Antelope Canyon tour before heading to Grand Canyon Village. That particular drive is a classic case of “Google time vs real time:” Google puts the drive time at 2.5 hours, but in actuality, it tends to shake out at more like 3.5-4 hours. Between Page, AZ, and the entrance to Grand Canyon National Park, there are several scenic overlooks worthy of a stop, including, but not limited to “The Cut” Overlook, Chinle formation views, the Cameron Trading Post (good lunch stop), and Chief Yellowhorse’s souvenir stands. The section of the trip between entering the park at Desert View Point and GC Village has over half-a-dozen named Grand Canyon viewpoints you can stop at as well.
On Day 9, instead of stopping in Williams for the night, you might consider a night in Sedona instead. It’s ~3 hours from Grand Canyon Village, and is a much more scenic area. From there, Phoenix is only about a 2.5 hour drive, but then again, you might find yourself wishing you’d planned for more time in Sedona. Like Zion, it’s one of those places where you could spend a week and still go home feeling as though there was still so much more to see and do. I guarantee that at the very least, you’ll be planning a return visit here!
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

March 18, 2019 at 3:17 PM

Hi Alena, and thank you for visiting!
If you have not secured Grand Canyon lodging at this point in time, you’re going to be hard-pressed to do so. You may have no other option but to stay in Flagstaff and make a day trip to the Grand Canyon. You can make it work, you just need to keep an eye on the time so you don’t find yourself having to drive back to your hotel at night. Driving after dark is strongly discouraged in this part of the U.S. due to lack of ambient lighting on local roads, and the possibility of encountering deer, elk, free range cattle, or even wild horses. Sunrise occurs at ~6:40 AM, sunset at around 6:40 PM. It takes approximately 90 minutes, each way, to drive from Flagstaff to GC South Rim.
Good activities for a family like yourselves include, but are certainly not limited to: the IMAX film presentation “Grand Canyon: The Hidden Secrets,” the NPS Junior Ranger program , walking the paved Grand Canyon Rim Trail, taking the free shuttle out to the viewpoints on the West Rim/Hermit’s Rest Drive, and maybe taking a short hike on the Bright Angel Trail, weather permitting (last I checked, there was still a lot of snow on the trail, which makes it hard to walk). I would definitely recommend the Grand Canyon helicopter tour for your family! If possible, try to fly first thing in the morning for optimal light and lack of wind.
In Page, you’ve definitely set aside enough time for the “must-do” activities. Hit Horseshoe Bend first thing in the morning because the main parking area is going to be closed from 10:00 AM-5:00 PM. During that timeframe, you have to park in an alternate lot, and use a $5/person shuttle to get there. Frankly, it’s a pain, and I recommend avoiding it at all costs! Go at ~8:00 AM at the latest so you can allow at least 90 minutes to make the walk out and back and take some pictures. For boat tours, I’d recommend avoiding anything too long so your son doesn’t get bored. A waterside tour of Antelope Canyon from Antelope Point Marina would be a good choice. If you have more time, you might tour the Glen Canyon Dam, or take a short hike around the area known as the “New” Wave.
On your final vacation day, instead of exploring Phoenix, I’d recommend making the short detour through Sedona, AZ. It’s a stunning area, and I can almost guarantee that once you see it, you’ll want to come back and spend more time there!
Hope that helps. Good luck and safe travels!
Alley 🙂

March 15, 2019 at 9:33 PM

Hi Heather and thank you for visiting!
Using Page, AZ, as a base for touring the attractions in Northern Arizona is not ideal, but if you are unable to find lodging in the various locations you’re wishing to visit, you can make it work. As you’ve rightfully deduced, you’ll have to keep an eye on the time, since you’ll want to be sure to get any driving you need to do done for the day by sunset. Nighttime driving is strongly discouraged in this part of the U.S. due to lack of ambient lighting on local roads, plus the possible presence of deer, elk, free range cattle, and even wild horses. You don’t want to have a vehicular encounter with any one of them! Another thing to keep in mind, with regard to Monument Valley, is that it observes Daylight Savings Time, whereas, Page, AZ, does not. So you’ll “lose” an hour driving from Page, AZ, to Monument Valley, then “gain” it back upon returning. Sunrise in Page, AZ, occurs at about 6:30 AM, sunset at around 6:40 PM. Move that ahead 1 hour for Monument Valley. It takes 2-2.5 hours to make the drive from Page to MV, so, on the return trip, you’ll need to leave the area by 5:30 PM MV time, 4:30 PM Page, AZ, time. I know it’s confusing!
Fortunately, Grand Canyon and Page, AZ, are on the same time (Mountain Standard). The drive from Page, AZ, to the Grand Canyon is listed as taking 2.5 hours on Google maps, however, that’s wheels turning, no stops. On the drive down from Page, take your time and enjoy the scenery. You can realistically expect to take the better part of 4 hours to do this. That way, on the drive back to Page, you can get on the road at 4:00 PM and book it back by sunset; with an earlier start, you might stop at Horseshoe Bend for that!
RE: the roads between LV and Page, Page, AZ, and GC and Monument Valley, they are fully paved, and rarely closed, unless a major snowstorm moves through the area. The 17-mile scenic drive in MV is not paved. Technically, you are not supposed to drive rental cars on unpaved roads as doing so could void your insurance contract. Many years ago, I made the trip in a Nissan Sentra (my own car) and lived to tell the tale, but, technically, I should advise you to contact a tour company to access this area. There are a number of licensed providers of backcountry tours who utilize different means of getting to the backcountry, including jeeps, horses, and hiking. Navajo Nation Parks Monument Valley Tours
Snow chains are a similar situation, rental car companies forbid customers from using them. If you encounter inclement weather on your trip, simply stay put in the area and wait it out.
All that said, you might still be able to secure lodging at the Grand Canyon and/or Monument Valley hotels at this point. Cancellations do happen. For the Grand Canyon, if you can’t find lodging inside the park, check Tusayan, which is 7 miles outside the park. Monument Valley doesn’t have much to work with, just The View and Goulding’s, but you might consider staying in Kayenta or Tuba City.
Hope that helps! Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

March 15, 2019 at 9:16 PM

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From Heather

Thank you for the response. We are now considering cancelling our reservation and re-booking, here’s the modified itenary :
March 23- Vegas
March 24- Drive from Vegas to Page, see horse shoe bend
March 25- ANtelope tour and glenn canyon dam
march 26-Drive to MV, stay in Tuba city
March 27- start from tuba city to GC, stay the night at flagstaff or Williams
March 28-start to vegas

March 16, 2019 at 5:07 PM

Hi Neringa,
Your itinerary looks very well-planned. With your already limited timeframe, there’s really not much you’ll be able to add. Plus you want to avoid the temptation to schedule every single minute of your day out here. You’ll want to leave room for the inevitable photo ops that will pique your curiosity, and trust me, there are tons of them out here!
So, I take it your visit is occurring in March? March and November are the only months in 2019 where Saturday occurs on the 30th, and seeing as though you described your trip as an “unexpected” one, I’ll go off the assumption that March it is. Which leads me to another important point: March is in the transitional zone between winter and spring out here, so you’ll need to be prepared for anything weather-wise. The Grand Canyon has received a lot of snow of late, which is sticking to the upper parts of Bright Angel and Kaibab Trails, so hiking either one of them might not be practical this time around. If that’s the case, you might consider taking the free shuttle out to some of the overlooks on the Hermit’s Rest/West Rim Drive the morning of the 31st before you head to Page, AZ. BTW, the drive from Phoenix to Grand Canyon South Rim takes, on average, ~5 hours.
The drive to Page, AZ, is listed on Google maps as taking 2.5 hours, but in reality, it can take 3.5-4 hours. It’s a very scenic drive, and you’ll find yourself stopping often! There are over half a dozen named viewpoints of the Grand Canyon to see between Grand Canyon and Desert View Point, where you’ll exit the park. From there to Page, there is even more to see, including, but not limited to the Little Colorado River Overlook, Chief Yellowhorse’s souvenir stands, the Cameron Trading Post, Chinle formation views, the “Cut” Overlook, and Horseshoe Bend. For this portion of the drive, best to take US89, and not N20/89T. The former is the more scenic drive; the latter was a temporary route established after a slide occurred on the main highway. It is now mostly used by locals to shave some time off the drive to/from Flagstaff and points South.
On Monday the 1st when you make your way to Sedona, I’d definitely recommend making the stop at Walnut Canyon. It’s very illuminating and educational to see how the Native Americans lived and be able to explore remnants of their dwellings up close and personal. If you’re into Route 66, you might consider having lunch at the Galaxy Diner, a 50’s style restaurant that celebrates the heyday of the old highway.
You’ve correctly deduced that Sedona is a destination until itself, and you’ll definitely wish you’d had more time there! But, a day is better than nothing. As for visiting Jerome on the way back to Phoenix, it’s a cool town, and won’t add a ton of time onto the drive back to Phoenix; it’ll extend it by another hour or so.
Hope that helps! Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

March 15, 2019 at 2:19 PM

Hello! We are flying into Flagstaff June 4th, and driving to Lake Powell (have hotel reservations). We will head to Mesa Verde on the morning of the 7th. The 5th and 6th are wide open—can you suggest tours? It will be myself and my 18year old daughter and her 17 year old friend. They love to hike and kayak. We want to see Lake Powell, Horseshoe, and Antelope Canyon. If we could include the Grand Canyon, that would be great as well!
Many thanks in advance for your suggestions!
Tonya

April 22, 2019 at 8:44 AM

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From Alley Keosheyan

Hey Tonya!
With the two days you have to work with, I would recommend modifying your itinerary slightly in order to accommodate most of the items on your “wish list.”
Instead of driving to Lake Powell that first day, I would suggest driving to Grand Canyon South Rim and staying overnight there. It’s ~90 minutes from Flagstaff to Grand Canyon South Rim. If possible, try to find something inside the park, or Tusayan/GC Village South if the park is booked up. Grand Canyon hotels .
Then plan to head to Page, AZ, staying there on the 5th and 6th so you can tour Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon, and get in some kayaking on Lake Powell. The drive from Grand Canyon South Rim to Page, AZ, is stated as taking 2.5 hours on Google Maps, but IRL, it ends up taking more along the lines of 3.5-4 hours because it’s a very scenic drive and you’ll find yourself stopping often to take pictures at the various Grand Canyon viewpoints on the East Rim/Desert View Drive, and on the section of the trip that occurs on the Navajo Reservation, such as the Little Colorado River Overlook, the Cameron Trading Post, Chinle formation views, and the Cut Overlook, just to name a few.

The drive from Page, AZ, to Mesa Verde takes ~5 hours, but take the opportunity to swing through Monument Valley and maybe Goosenecks of the San Juan State Park on the way.
Be sure to book all lodging and guided tours in advance. Good luck and safe travels!
Alley 🙂

April 22, 2019 at 5:46 PM

Hi Brianna,
Your itinerary looks quite well-planned, and I wouldn’t sweat about adding any more to it. It’s always best to leave room for the inevitable unplanned photo ops that pique your curiosity and turn out to be one of those unexpected surprises!
Your drive on Day 1 to Bryce is going to be quite long. Not sure what part of SoCal you’re coming from, but the drive from LA is 8+ hours, so unless you get a super-early start, you won’t have much time for sightseeing that day. Since your visit is occurring before the start of the free shuttle service, you can use the first part of the day on 4/8 to explore the scenic rim drive in your own vehicle, then head to Page.
As far as self-guided kayaking goes, it is pretty straightforward, you’ll just need to stay away from areas where large tour boats go as they kick up quite a wake. Most kayak rental outlets will take care of racking the kayak onto your vehicle, and giving you guidance on some of the better places to go. RE: the Glen Canyon Float Trip, it takes place on the Colorado River, from the base of the Glen Canyon Dam to Lees Ferry, so it’s a different experience than kayaking on Lake Powell. But, with your limited timeframe, you’d probably have to choose one over the other (kayak or float trip). If it’s just you and your BF, you’d probably enjoy the kayaking more as it’s more hands-on. The GC Float Trip tends to be a family activity since kids as young as 4 can go.
Also, I’d recommend hitting Horseshoe Bend just after sunrise. Sunset tends to be quite crowded; sunrise, not so much. Personally, I like the Wahweap Overlook better for sunset. If you take me up on that suggestion, you might consider a short hike at the “New” Wave beforehand. Whatever you do for sunrise or sunset, bring a light jacket with you as early morning/evening temperatures can be a bit nippy.
Hope that helps. Good luck and safe travels!
Alley 🙂

March 15, 2019 at 1:56 PM

Hi Beth, and thank you for visiting.
I agree that using Flagstaff as a “base” from which to tour the major attractions in Northern Arizona is less than ideal, but as you say, this late in the game, you may not have any other choice. Still, cancellations do occur, so it doesn’t hurt to check availability. If at all possible, try to find a room inside the park. If nothing is available there, then Tusayan is your next best option, just 7 miles South of the park gates. Staying in the park, or as close to it as possible, will allow you to experience sunrise and/or sunset on the canyon rim, which shouldn’t be missed! If you have to stay in Flagstaff, you’re looking at a 90-minute drive each way to the Grand Canyon, then a 2.5 hour drive, again, each way, to Page, AZ. For Grand Canyon lodging, check GrandCanyon.com: South Rim Hotels
For Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend, you’ll want to stay in Page, AZ. For availability of lodging in that area go to VisitPageLakePowell.com: Where to Stay in Page, AZ
As for how and when to visit GC and Page, there’s no preferred order. It honestly depends on availability of Grand Canyon lodging, and Antelope Canyon tours. Since you already have an Antelope Canyon tour reservation for 04/18, hanging onto it might be easier than changing it, so try to find Grand Canyon lodging for 04/17, then Page, AZ, for 04/18 and possibly 04/19.
Good attractions to visit in/around Flagstaff include but aren’t limited to Wupatki/Sunset Crater National Monuments, Walnut Canyon National Monument, the Arboretum, and Lowell Observatory.
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

March 13, 2019 at 1:42 PM

Hi Jenny!
There’s no prescribed order in which you should visit the sites on your list, honestly, it comes down to two important factors.
1. Availability of lodging at the Grand Canyon
2. Availability of Antelope Canyon tours (Page, AZ)
Reserve space when/where you can find it and plan your trip itinerary from there. For Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend, you’ll want to book lodging in Page, AZ. While you’re there, you might consider taking the Glen Canyon Half Day Float Trip. As the name suggests, the trip does not go through any rapids, but is a wonderful family-friendly activity. During August, you’ll want to take the early morning departure so you can enjoy cooler temperatures.
FYI, you might want to drop one night at the Grand Canyon and use it to visit Sedona. It’s a beautiful area with lots to see and do, and it’s just a 45-minute drive from Flagstaff. For more information, go to www.VisitSedona.com
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

March 13, 2019 at 1:32 PM

Hi Tim and Bab,
Your itinerary looks quite well-planned. Unfortunately, trying to cram every single item on your wish list into your vacation will result in some very long drives, which don’t sound like my idea of a vacation. With that in mind, and since you’ve already been there, I’d advise taking the Grand Canyon off the table this time around and maybe plan a return visit when you can give it enough time to do it justice instead of a “quickie pop-by” viewing. I guarantee that you’ll be planning a return visit to Sedona after your conference, and the Grand Canyon is an easy add-on to a vacation there!
You are correct in that the drive from Canyon de Chelly to Page, AZ, will be extended by roughly two hours if you make the detour to Forrest Gump Point. If you really want to see it, you’ll have enough daylight to work with in order to do so. The main thing is to keep an eye on the time and get all your driving done by dusk. Nighttime driving can be especially dangerous on the Navajo Indian Reservation and on the outskirts of Page, AZ, due to the lack of ambient lighting, and the possible presence of deer, elk, free range cattle and even wild horses on local roads. Another little quirk about this part of the country is that the Navajo Indian Reservation DOES observe Daylight Saving Time, whereas the rest of Arizona DOES NOT. You will “gain” an hour passing between Navajo Tribal lands and Page, AZ. So, sunrise in Chinle, AZ, will occur at around 6:45 AM local time, and sunset in Page, AZ, will occur at about 7:00 PM local time, or 8:00 PM reservation time.
On your second day in Page, I’d recommend visiting Horseshoe Bend prior to your boat tour. Right now, the main parking lot of Horseshoe Bend is closed between the hours of 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM to facilitate the completion of some construction projects that are running behind schedule, one of them being the expansion of the parking lot. During those hours, a shuttle service is required (which costs $5/head) to access the overlook. Visiting in the hours just after sunrise will allow you to take advantage of smaller crowds, cooler temperatures, and some wonderful photo ops.
In the time you have left, I recommend visiting Bryce and Zion, in that order upon departing Page, AZ. For Zion, plan on overnighting in Springdale, UT on the Western border of the park. This will place you closer to Las Vegas on the back end of your trip, and make the detour to Valley of Fire more manageable.
And yes, a RAV 4 will be fine for this trip, however, be careful before attempting any off-road driving as this will technically void your insurance contract.
Hope that helps! Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

March 11, 2019 at 2:24 PM

Hi Rebecca,
Glad it helped you and your family! Hope you have a wonderful time 🙂
Alley

March 09, 2019 at 6:07 PM

Hello, Kait!
Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, and Page, AZ, are a destination unto themselves, not really conducive to visiting as a “day trip” from Grand Canyon South Rim. Although Google maps lists the drive time from Grand Canyon South Rim to Page as 2.5 hours, in reality, it ends up taking more like 3.5-4 hours due to the very scenic nature of the drive and the frequency of photo ops. You will be much more comfortable if you were to stay overnight in Page, AZ.
Hopefully you have lodging reservations at Grand Canyon South Rim. If not, you may find the only availability in Williams, AZ, or Flagstaff, AZ, 60-90 minutes from the park respectively. Prioritize booking a hotel at the South Rim, then Antelope Canyon tour reservations, then Page, AZ, hotel reservations. As for where you might visit prior to flying back to Phoenix, Sedona might be nice, time permitting. It takes ~3 hours to drive there from Grand Canyon South Rim, then another 2-2.5 hours to drive from Sedona to Phoenix. The only drawback to this, if you can call it that, is that you’ll wish you’d had more time in Sedona. I can almost guarantee that you’ll start planning a return visit long before you leave the city limits!
Hope that helps! Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

March 08, 2019 at 7:38 PM

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From Kait

Okay thank you!

Yes I already booked lodging In the south rim and a lower antelope tour for Sunday. We will stay over in page to have maximum time.

March 09, 2019 at 12:53 AM

Hi Silvija,
You are absolutely right that the drive times put forth on Google maps rarely match what materializes once you’re on the road! In this part of the US especially, most drives are very scenic, so it’s best to “pad” given drive times by 20-30%. In light of that, you might need to scale back your proposed itinerary a bit. The trip from Las Vegas to LA takes ~5 hours, but is by no means a “day trip” from Vegas. You’d want to spend at least 3 days there in order to partake of the “must-do” attractions, such as Disneyland, Hollywood, Universal Studios, etc. If you’d rather not eat up that much of your already limited vacation time, you might drop it off the list, and do something like this:
May 2nd (assuming May 1st you’ll be overnighting in Las Vegas): Day trip to Death Valley, overnight in Las Vegas
May 3rd: Drive from Las Vegas to Sedona (~4.5 hours), overnight in Sedona
May 4th: Second day/night in Sedona
May 5th: Drive to Grand Canyon South Rim (~3 hours), overnight in Grand Canyon
May 6th: Drive to Page, AZ (~3.5 hours), tour Antelope Canyon, visit Horseshoe Bend, overnight in Page
May 7th: Drive from Page, AZ, to Zion National Park, UT (~2 hour drive), overnight in Springdale, UT
May 8th: Drive back to Las Vegas
If your friends are really wanting to make that trip to LA, you might check into the feasibility and cost of flying into or out of Las Vegas, then into/out of Los Angeles. The biggest obstacle to doing something like that tends to be rental car drop-off fees. They can be pretty hefty for returning a vehicle anywhere other than where you picked it up from, but, it could make the trip much more feasible for you. I understand it might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for your friends from overseas.
Hope that helps.
Good luck and safe travels!
Alley 🙂

March 07, 2019 at 4:44 PM

I am coming to page from Phoenix on April 20 with 3 older teenagers who are all active and my 70 year old mother who still is active and walks 3 miles per day. We will only be there for the weekend and are trying to decide what to do. We all have a very adventurous spirit and want to see the beauty of the place but not necessarily the crowds. Here are the options I have narrowed it down to. Either doing adventurous antelope canyons tour 11 (owl, rattlesnake, upper antelope) or private tour (adds mountain sheep canyon) or horseshoe bend canyon tours or cathedral canyon on 1st day and then hidden canyon kayak antelope canyon tour and horshoe bend second day. OR. Doing Dixie Ellis combo package of Lower antelope/kayak antelope canyon 1st day and the driving to Grand Canyon 2nd day. Thoughts?

March 07, 2019 at 11:15 PM

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From Alley Keosheyan

Hi Jill,
Either plan sounds wonderful, it would be hard to go wrong with either one! I’m personally partial to Cathedral Canyon because it has some features unique to it alone. It is not necessary to visit more than one slot canyon in Page, AZ, in order to have a fulfilling visit, though. If you are amenable to staying 2 days in Page, another activity you might consider taking part in is the Glen Canyon Half Day Float Trip or perhaps a 4WD tour to Alstrom Point.
If you opt to drive to Grand Canyon South Rim, be aware that although the drive time is listed as 2.5 hours on Google maps, it is likely to take more along the lines of 3.5-4 hours because it’s a very scenic drive and you’ll undoubtedly be stopping to take pictures. In light of that and other factors, it is best to stay overnight at the Grand Canyon rather than drive there as a day trip.
Good luck and safe travels!
Alley 🙂

March 08, 2019 at 7:29 PM

Hi Kelly and thank you for your compliments.
With the time you have to work with, I’d recommend eliminating Monument Valley from the itinerary. It tends to not have much of a draw for younger kids, and being on the Navajo Indian Reservation, it is quite remote. Grand Canyon South Rim, Page, Zion, and Bryce are more developed and offer more in the way of visitor services. If all the kids in your party are at least 4 years old, plan to spend a couple of nights in Page, so you can tour Antelope Canyon, visit Horseshoe Bend, and take part in the Glen Canyon Half Day Float Trip. As the name of the latter activity suggests, the trip does not go through any rapids, but is a wonderful family activity full of beautiful scenery and fascinating history!
On the way back to Las Vegas, seeing as though you can take your time, you might make the short detour to the Valley of Fire State Park. Cool rock formations, and April is a decent time to visit.
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

March 07, 2019 at 4:31 PM

Hi Robyn, thanks for this excellent question.
The greatest need for twisting and turning comes at the entrance to Lower Antelope Canyon, and at the exit. As to whether your boy would be able to handle it, I’m not really in a position to say for sure, but would recommend you watching this video: Full Walk-Through of Lower Antelope Canyon If you decide that would be a little too much at this stage of his recovery, you might consider Upper Antelope Canyon or Horseshoe Bend Slot Canyon. Neither one have ladders, but the initial buckboard truck ride on the dirt road leading to the mouth of the canyons might be something to consider before committing. People with back problems are often advised to call the tour companies and request to sit up front with the driver to minimize the bumps.
Hope that helps somewhat. Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

March 06, 2019 at 5:02 PM

Hi Stacey!
With 8-10 days to work with, you should have a wonderful vacation! If at all possible, make it 10 days, if not 12 or more. There’s a lot to see and do out here!
A good 10-day itinerary in this area could go something like this:
Day 1 – Drive from Las Vegas to Sedona, ~4.5 hour drive, overnight in Sedona
Day 2 – Explore Sedona, Pink Jeep Tour, hiking, etc., spend another night in Sedona
Day 3 – Drive from Sedona to Grand Canyon South Rim, ~2.5 hour drive, overnight at Grand Canyon
Day 4 – Drive from Grand Canyon South Rim to Page, ~3.5-4 hour drive (I know Google maps lists it as 2.5, but there are lots of photo ops on this leg of the trip!), tour Antelope Canyon, overnight in Page, AZ
Day 5 – Visit Horseshoe Bend just after sunrise, take Rainbow Bridge Boat Tour, spend 2nd night in Page
Day 6 – Drive from Page, AZ to Bryce, ~3 hour drive, overnight in Bryce
Day 7 – Drive from Bryce to Zion NP, ~3 hour drive, overnight in Springdale, UT
Day 8 – Explore Zion, spend 2nd night in Springdale, UT
Day 9 – Drive back to Las Vegas, ~3 hour drive, detour to Valley of Fire State Park, time permitting
As you can see, 8 days is easily filled in this part of the U.S. If you can add another day or two onto your itinerary, maybe swing through Monument Valley between the Grand Canyon and Page. The hard part will be finding lodging there as there aren’t many choices, so, push comes to shove, you could do it as a “drive by,” which will extend your drive time to ~6 hours. If you can tack another 3 days onto your trip, or — horrors! — sacrifice Sedona, you could add Moab, UT (for Arches and Canyonlands) between Page and Bryce Canyon. That would add Capitol Reef onto your itinerary by virtue of the drive you’d have to take.
As you can see, the possibilities are practically endless! For more suggestions, visit “14 Days In The Grand Circle” on our companion site, www.HorseshoeBend.com
Good luck and safe travels!
Alley 🙂

March 06, 2019 at 4:52 PM

Thank you for taking the time to acknowledge our efforts! Have a wonderful vacation,
Alley 🙂

March 06, 2019 at 4:26 PM

Hi Heather and thank you for visiting today.
Not surprised to hear that many Antelope Canyon tours are already sold out. However, 4:00 PM is a perfectly fine time to be in either Lower or Upper Antelope Canyon. If there wasn’t enough light to see by, the tour company wouldn’t offer a departure at that time. There’s even a local tour company that offers nighttime tours in Antelope Canyon, if you can believe that!
As for whether your family would be able to handle the physical challenges of Lower Antelope Canyon, only you can make that call. You might want to recommend that everyone watch this Full Walk-Through Video of Lower Antelope Canyon. If you think everyone can handle Lower Antelope Canyon, but cannot find availability at your desired time, consider touring Antelope Canyon X instead. It’s very similar in physicality and appearance to Lower, but tends to be a lot less crowded.
With the better part of a day to work with, and seeing as though you’re driving to Monument Valley, you really don’t have time to do much else in the area. You might be able to squeeze in a tour of Glen Canyon Dam, or a visit to the John Wesley Powell Museum. Keep in mind that the drive to Monument Valley takes at least 2 hours, and you want to avoid nighttime driving on that stretch of road. There is little to no ambient lighting, and you could encounter deer, elk, free range cattle, or wild horses. Another consideration is that Page, AZ, will be on Mountain Standard Time, and Monument Valley will be on Mountain DAYLIGHT Time. You will “lose” an hour going from Page to MV. Sunset at Monument Valley in April occurs at about 8:00 PM. Hopefully you have reservations to spend the night there and aren’t planning on doing this as a day trip.
Hope that helps — good luck and safe travels!
Alley 🙂

March 04, 2019 at 5:03 PM

Hi Margaux,
First thing’s first: it won’t make much of a difference whether you arrive on a Friday vs. a Saturday in Page, AZ. Northern Arizona and Southern Utah are busy from March through November, depending on weather, so don’t expect the town to be quiet just because you happen to be arriving on a Sunday or Monday. That won’t be the case.
In the time you have between March 29th and April 1st, I would making a stop at the Valley of Fire State Park, then going on to Zion National Park. Although it is a popular park, there are plenty of hikes you can take that will get you off the beaten path, and away from most of the crowds. Angel’s Landing and The Narrows are considered to be the “grand-daddies” of all Zion hikes in terms of degree of difficulty and views offered. April may be a little early for The Narrows as water flows in the Virgin River are quite high at this time, and that hike takes place in the river itself. Angel’s Landing warrants its own set of precautions, so be sure to do your research before committing to that hike. Springdale, UT, would be the place you would want to lodge or camp, on the Western border of the park.
Upon arrival in Page, you would be able to tour both Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend in a day, depending on availability of tours. You absolutely must visit Antelope and other local slot canyons with a guided tour, there’s no way around that. I recommend visiting Horseshoe Bend just after sunrise as the main parking lot will be closed during the mid-day hours and the use of a shuttle required to get you to the overlook. This is a temporary situation to allow for the completion of some long-overdue construction projects, but it will probably coincide with your visit. Horseshoe Bend parking restrictions
With the rest of your time, and seeing as though you are active and fit as you describe, you might consider taking part in some of the areas longer but rewarding day hikes such as to the Wahweap Hoodoos, Wire Pass and/or part of Buckskin Gulch , or you might hire a guide service to take you to Sidestep Canyon.
Regarding your desire to camp for the majority of your vacation, that will probably be fine, but keep in mind that the timeframe in which you are visiting is the transitional zone between winter and spring. Page, AZ, weather is typically pleasant, but then again, a late season rain or snowstorm could also move through, causing the nighttime temperatures to drop to near or below freezing. In the higher elevations, such as Grand Canyon (7,000′ ASL) and Bryce Canyon (8,000′ ASL), you might find camping to be somewhat impractical. Be sure to start monitoring the weather about 2 weeks before you get set to travel. Make reservations for campgrounds and/or lodging well in advance of your departure.
Hope that helps — good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

March 04, 2019 at 4:53 PM

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From Margaux

Thank you so much Alley! This has been tremendously helpful 🙂

March 04, 2019 at 7:47 PM

Hi Sofia,
Your itinerary as planned is quite achievable, and it’s good that you’re not trying to cram too many destinations into one trip.
If you don’t have lodging booked already, you might find the more popular properties booked up in the parks, so at this point in time, it doesn’t matter what I recommend, all that matters is what’s available. At the Grand Canyon, for example, it’s always most desirable to stay inside the park at Grand Canyon Village. However, the in-park hotels tend to sell out months, even a year or more in advance. If you find that to be the case, Tusayan, aka Grand Canyon Village South, 7 miles outside the park entrance, would be your next best option. If those are full, then Williams, AZ, which is ~1 hour South of the park. For information on Grand Canyon hotels in order of proximity to the rim, and hence, desirability, visit GrandCanyon.com: South Rim Hotels
In Page, AZ, you’ll have more choices, from Motel 6 to Marriott and everything in between in terms of price points and amenities. Here again, though, it’s a very popular destination, and you’re traveling during peak season, so you may already be limited as to what’s available. One nice thing about Page, AZ, is that you can look at vacation rental homes if traditional hotels are booked up. There is also a small cluster of properties in an area known as the “Street of Little Motels” where apartments have been refurbished into tourist lodging. For the price of a traditional hotel room, you get a unit with separate living and sleeping areas, and a full kitchen, so those are worth checking out, too. For more information on Page, AZ, hotels, click on VisitPageLakePowell.com: Where To Stay
On your first night in Phoenix, since you mention that your flight is arriving late, you’ll probably want to stay relatively close to the airport. Fortunately, there are literally hundreds of properties located within a 50-mile radius of Sky Harbor. I recommend getting as close as you can to I-17 since that’s the highway you’ll be traveling on to start with. There is a La Quinta property as well as a Vacation Inn located right off the highway a short distance North of Phoenix, as well as a Motel 6 and Quality Inn a bit further North.
The best route to take to Page, AZ, also happens to be the most scenic route, which is I-17 to Flagstaff, then US89 to Page, AZ. Time permitting, you might stop at Wupatki/Sunset Crater National Monuments just North of Flagstaff, as well as the Cameron Trading Post. For Horseshoe Bend, you can do this on your own if you prefer, but dovetailing onto the Horseshoe Bend Slot Canyon tour will certainly spare you some headaches, namely parking, which can be quite a bear at Horseshoe Bend. If you do decide to tour Horseshoe Bend Slot Canyon and the overlook, then you wouldn’t necessarily need to tour Lower Antelope Canyon. Instead, I’d recommend using that second day to take part in a water-based activity, such as the Rainbow Bridge Boat Tour or the Glen Canyon Half Day Float Trip. If you find you have more time to kill, other activities you might consider are Glen Canyon Dam tours, visiting the John Wesley Powell Museum, a cultural program at the Navajo Village Heritage Center, or maybe firing off a few rounds at Gunfighter Canyon, Page’s new indoor shooting range. There are lots of possibilities! Ultimate 2-Day Itinerary in Page, Arizona
A good chunk of your Grand Canyon sight-seeing will actually occur on the drive down from Page since the route will naturally take you along the East Rim/Desert View Drive of the Grand Canyon. There are over half-a-dozen named Grand Canyon viewpoints you can stop at, as well as other points of interest on Navajo Indian Tribal Lands you’ll encounter before entering the park, so what is listed as a 2.5 hour drive on Google maps can easily end up taking more along the lines of 3.5-4 hours. If you are still feeling perky enough for more sightseeing after that, a stroll along the easy, paved rim trail or a short hike on the Bright Angel Trail can easily fill up an afternoon. If you get lodging in Tusayan, be sure to catch the IMAX film, “Grand Canyon: The Hidden Secrets” at the National Geographic Visitors Center.
The next morning before driving back to Phoenix, you might catch a helicopter flight over the canyon. Though these won’t descend below the rim, they’ll still give you a truer sense of how big the Grand Canyon is, and show you areas inaccessible to even the fittest of hikers.
Another option would be driving back to Phoenix via Sedona. This will add another 2-3 hours onto your trip, and you’ll probably wish you had more time in Sedona, but if this trip is going to be a “once-in-a-blue-moon” opportunity, it’d be a good way to make the most of your time.
As for things to do in Phoenix before heading back to the airport, keep in mind that during the day, it’s going to be super-hot. Any outdoor activities should be done during the early morning hours, if at all. Anything else should probably be indoor-oriented, so you can enjoy the comfort of air conditioning. The Heard Museum would get my vote for a good indoor activity; it’s absolutely beautiful and huge. You’ll need to keep an eye on the time so you don’t get too engrossed and miss your flight. That wouldn’t be fun!
Hope that helps – good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

March 04, 2019 at 4:10 PM

Hi Elena,
Your trip looks very well-planned. Still, I’d recommend making a couple of modifications for maximum enjoyment of your vacation.
On day 2, where you say you want to do a “Bright Angel hike,” that sounds like a good plan, but, PLEASE don’t attempt to go all the way down to the Colorado River and back in a day. Simply hike as long as you feel comfortable with, and remember that 1 hour down = 2 hours back out. Food and water must be carried if you’re planning on going any further than 1-mile round-trip, or spending more than 1 hour’s time on your hike. Going down to the first rest house, 1.5 miles down the trail, and back typically takes ~3 hours for people in reasonably good health. Only you can determine your kids’ fitness and readiness for this kind of activity, so if you don’t think they can handle a 3-mile hike, maybe stop at the first tunnel. Even that small of a distance will give you an appreciation for how different the Grand Canyon looks and feels below the rim. If you have more time to work with, you might take a stroll on the easy, paved rim trail, or take the free shuttles out to the overlooks on the West Rim/Hermit’s Rest Drive.
On day 3, when you drive up to Page, AZ, get an early start so you can make the most of the day. Although Google Maps lists the drive from GC to Page as 2.5 hours, 3.5-4 hours is a more realistic figure since the drive is very scenic and you’ll be stopping to take pictures frequently. Photo ops include but are not limited to the more than half-a-dozen named overlooks on the East Rim/Desert View Drive of the Grand Canyon, the Little Colorado River Overlook, Chief Yellowhorse’s souvenir stand, the Cameron Trading Post (good brunch/lunch stop), Chinle formation views, the “Cut” overlook, and last but not least, Horseshoe Bend. You could then do an Antelope Canyon tour that afternoon, overnight in Page, AZ, then on day 4, take the Glen Canyon Half Day Float Trip . As the name suggests, the trip does not go through any rapids, but is nevertheless a wonderful family activity with lots of beautiful scenery and history. The kids will even get the chance to swim in the Colorado River! In late May, we recommend taking the morning departure of the trip (6:00 AM check-in) to avoid the searing hot temperatures in the canyon typical of the afternoon.
If you wish, you could spend a 2nd night in Page, or you might drive on to Zion National Park, and overnight in Springdale, UT. The drive back to Las Vegas the following day would then be only ~3 hours.
If you’re under the impression that Grand Staircase-Escalante NM has been left off this itinerary, it hasn’t. You’ll get to see a pretty sizeable swath of it on the drive from Page, AZ, to Zion. On the way, you might stop at the Big Water Visitors Center to see some in-depth exhibits on dinosaur discoveries that have taken place within the Monument.
Good luck and safe travels!
Alley 🙂

March 02, 2019 at 3:27 PM

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From Elena Momtcheva

Alley,

Thank you very much of your fats answer. It was very helpful and now we are planning to do one night in Page, and drive to Zion on the next day.
One last question: Would you recommend visiting both Upper and Lower Antelope Canyons? There are no noon trips available for the Upper Canyon anymore, and I know that’s the best time to go there.
So, I wonder should we use our time for something else, or visiting both Canyons, and not only one, is a must?

March 06, 2019 at 2:09 AM

Hi Lea,
So, let me get this straight: you have until noon to 10:00 PM on a Sunday and that’s it? If that’s the case, then no, you don’t have enough time to do much of anything! You could maybe make a quick jaunt up to Sedona and that’s it — it’s a 2 hour drive, each way, from Phoenix to Sedona. With 8 hours to work with, you’d be better off sticking closer to Phoenix.
If you want to visit Page and the Grand Canyon, you need to add at least another 3 days onto your trip time, and even then, you’re not giving enough time to Sedona. It’s one of those places where you could spend a week and still feel as though you’d only touched the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Please provide further clarification of your trip plans.
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

March 01, 2019 at 4:39 PM

Dear NS,
Thank you so much for taking note of our advice to avoid nighttime driving. It really is for everyone’s own good!
For your family’s safety, comfort, and enjoyment, I’d recommend NOT using Flagstaff as a base from which to explore the various attractions, unless you have no other choice. It’s a 90 minute drive, each way, from Flag (that’s what we call it here) to GC South Rim, then 2.5 hours, each way from Flag to Page. For Sedona, it’s not so bad, only ~1 hour each way. You also have to remember that your days are going to be short at the time of year you’re visiting. Sunrise occurs at about 6:30 AM, and sunset takes place about 6:30 PM. You may thing 12 hours of daylight is enough time to get your sightseeing in, but trust me, it goes by fast!
Ideally, I’d recommend something like this:
March 16th – Drive from Phoenix to Page at a leisurely pace, visit Wupatki/Sunset Crater en route, overnight in Page
March 17th – Visit Horseshoe Bend just after sunrise, tour Antelope Canyon, overnight in Page, AZ, again
March 18th – Drive from Page, AZ, to Grand Canyon South Rim, overnight at the Grand Canyon.
March 19th – Drive from Grand Canyon South Rim to Sedona, overnight in Sedona
March 20th – Sightseeing in Sedona, drive back to Phoenix that afternoon
Hope that helps and that you have a wonderful trip!
Alley 🙂

March 01, 2019 at 4:36 PM

Hi Alise,
Wow, 70 days?!? Can I come with you? LOL
With 15 days to work with between Yosemite and Boulder, you should be able to pull off just about everything on your wish list, plus a few other attractions that may not have pinged on your radar.
So assuming you leave Yosemite on 5/10, the first stop on the itinerary I recommend is Grand Canyon South Rim. Since it’s a 12-hour drive from Yosemite to GC, I’d suggest breaking up the drive in Las Vegas, NV. On the “back end” of your trip, the drive from Mesa Verde to Boulder, CO is ~8 hours. Any number of cities or towns would be good places to divide that drive if you wish, and it’s certainly worth considering since it’s such a pretty drive. Gunnison, Crested Butte, or Montrose would get my vote.
A day by day breakdown would be as follows:
05/10 – Drive from Yosemite to Las Vegas (~8 hours), overnight in Las Vegas
05/11 – Drive from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon South Rim, ~4.5 hours, overnight at Grand Canyon
05/12 – Drive from Grand Canyon South Rim to Page, AZ (~3-3.5 hours), tour Antelope Canyon that afternoon, overnight in Page
05/13 – Visit Horseshoe Bend just after sunrise, take Glen Canyon Half Day Float Trip or Rainbow Bridge Boat Tour, spend 2nd night in Page
05/14 – Drive from Page, AZ to Zion (~2 hours), do some hiking in Zion, overnight in Springdale, UT
05/15 – 2nd day in Zion, overnight in Springdale
05/16 – Drive from Zion to Bryce, ~2.5 hours, take free shuttle around rim drive, overnight in Bryce Canyon area
05/17 – Drive from Bryce to Capitol Reef, ~2.5 hours, overnight in Torrey, UT
05/18 – Drive from Capitol Reef to Moab, UT, overnight in Moab
05/19 – Explore Arches National Park, overnight in Moab
05/20 – Explore Canyonlands National Park, overnight in Moab
05/21 – Drive from Moab to Mesa Verde, CO — driving direct, the trip would take ~3 hours; you could also opt to swing through Monument Valley and Four Corners, which would extend the drive time to ~6 hours — overnight in Cortez, Mancos, or Durango
05/22 – Take Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad trip, spend 2nd night in Durango/Cortez area
05/23 – Drive from Durango to Boulder, overnight in Boulder, OR break up drive in Gunnison or other area before continuing on to Boulder
05/24 – TBA
05/25 – Drive to Boulder
You may find that Grand Staircase-Escalante is conspicuously absent from this itinerary, but in reality, you’ll drive through a significant section of it between Page and Zion, as well as on the trip between Bryce and Capitol Reef.
Another possible variation of this itinerary would have you visiting Zion first, then popping down to Grand Canyon NORTH Rim on opening day, which is May 15th. The biggest obstacle to that will be availability of lodging, or lack thereof. Not many hotels to choose from on the North Rim, so they tend to be booked out a year ahead of time. As you can see, the possibilities are virtually endless out here!
Here is a map I’ve drawn up for reference:

Hope that helps. Good luck and safe travels!
Alley 🙂

March 01, 2019 at 4:20 PM

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From Alise Rowan

This is a huge help. Thank you so much! We’ll be camping, so lodging isn’t usually much of a problem, but would that change any of your suggestions?

March 02, 2019 at 5:28 PM

Yes, that is fine 🙂

March 01, 2019 at 3:28 PM

Hi Breezy, and thank you for your compliments!
So, your inquiry begs the question, “how are you getting to Sedona?” There is no direct air service into Sedona, whatsoever. There is a small airport located there, but it’s geared toward private aircraft and aerial sightseeing tours. Ground shuttle service is provided by Groome Transportation (formerly Arizona Shuttle) from Phoenix/Sky Harbor to Sedona, but that’s about it.
Assuming your arrangements for getting to Sedona are taken care of, there are options for you to tour Antelope Canyon X from Sedona. Great West Tours offers round-trip van tours from Sedona to Antelope Canyon. Silver Spur Tours offers a similar package, but they go to Lower Antelope Canyon, and not X. IMO that shouldn’t be a deal-breaker as Lower and X bear some similarities to one another. Both companies include a stop at Horseshoe Bend in their itineraries.
Hope that helps! Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

March 01, 2019 at 3:08 PM

Hi Tonya,
Ryan is out of the office, but I’ll tell him you said “hi!”
So if I’m reading your inquiry correctly, you are visiting in the early part of April, correct? If so, check-in time for the 11:00 AM float trip is required at 10:00 AM. In theory, the 8:00 AM Upper Antelope Canyon tour should wrap up at 9:30 AM, and the Wilderness River Adventures office is relatively close to downtown Page and/or the Antelope Canyon Tribal Park entrance. However, delays do happen during peak travel season, which April definitely falls into. In order to avoid being late for either activity, and losing your money, I’d recommend doing the float trip on Thursday, then doing an early Antelope Canyon tour on Friday morning before driving to the Grand Canyon. Be sure to hit Horseshoe Bend just after sunrise, too!
For the weekend where you note that you’re “not sure yet” what you’ll be doing, if you can possibly get a 2nd night at El Tovar, that’d be wonderful, but it’s not likely to happen. So, may I suggest Sedona? It’s a stunning area, with lots to see and do. It’s about a 3-hour drive from Grand Canyon South Rim to Sedona, then the drive back to Las Vegas will be ~4.5 hours. Lodging options there run the gamut from basic bare-bones motels to over-the-top spa resorts. Where To Stay in Sedona
Another observation is that your inquiry states you’ll arrive in Vegas the night of 4-4, which is a Thursday, then depart for Zion on Tuesday. If possible, I’d recommend dropping a night in Las Vegas and going to Zion a day early. It’s a huge park, with a lot to explore, and a quickie overnight really isn’t sufficient to do it justice.
I know it’s a hard choice! Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

March 01, 2019 at 2:58 PM

Hi Rosemary,
If you’ve already booked the Horseshoe Bend Slot Canyon/Overlook combo tour, IMO it’s not necessary to book Canyon X in order to have a fulfilling visit to Page. If you would like to see it, and do so with your family, you should probably stick to the general sightseeing tour. The photography tour is just that: a tour expressly for photographers. That means that a good chunk of time will be spent setting up shots, etc. Another drawback is that the tour duration could run anywhere from 2-3 hours, so if you have any time-sensitive plans immediately afterward, the two activities might overlap. The sightseeing tour is sufficient for taking good photos. The guides know where all the good spots are, and can share tips on how to set up your camera. That goes for most of the tour companies and slot canyons.
One observation: you haven’t scheduled enough time in Sedona. Most people would suggest you stay 3 days minimum, but can spend a week and still feel as though you only touched the “tip of the iceberg.” If possible, I’d recommend dropping 1 night at the Grand Canyon, since you’ll see a good chunk of it on the drive over from Page, and give a 2nd night to Sedona.
Hope that helps – good luck and have fun!
Alley 🙂

March 01, 2019 at 2:48 PM

Hi Lauren,
No surprise to hear that you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed in planning your trip to the Southwest, there’s almost too much beauty to see here!
In order to include Sedona in your vacation plans, you might consider flying into and out of Phoenix. Another option would be to fly into/out of Phoenix, then into/out of Las Vegas. Option “B” might be quite expensive due to one-way rental car drop-off fees, so you should definitely check into that before committing.
In order to get the most out of your trip and include some “downtime,” I’d suggest something like this:
3 days – Sedona
1/2 days – Grand Canyon South Rim
1/2 days – Page, AZ (Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend)
1 day – Bryce Canyon
2-3 days – Zion
Of course, your chosen travel season will have an affect on what you can realistically see and do. For example, if your trip is coming up within the next few weeks (winter/early Spring), some water-based activities at Lake Powell will be on seasonal hiatus, but most other tours are still in full operational mode. If you’re traveling in summertime, bear in mind that areas like Phoenix, Sedona, and Page will be very hot during the mid-day hours, so you’ll want to plan any activities involving walking or hiking for the earlier morning hours.
Be sure to make all lodging and guided tour reservations well in advance of your vacation. Antelope Canyon tours are especially popular, so that should be one of the first things you check availability for.
Hope that helps make sense of things. Do let us know if we can answer any other questions for you!
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

February 27, 2019 at 3:31 PM

Hi Rebecca!
First of all, using Flagstaff, AZ, as a “base” to explore the various popular attractions in Northern AZ is less than ideal. It takes at least ~2.5 hours, one way, to drive from Flagstaff to Page, AZ. It takes anywhere from 60-90 minutes to explore Horseshoe Bend, then an Antelope Canyon tour will take anywhere from 90 minutes to 2.5-3 hours. Another thing to be conscious of is daylength: at that time of year it’s still relatively short. Sunrise occurs just before 6:00 AM, and sunset occurs at 7:00 PM. Nighttime driving is strongly discouraged in this part of the U.S. due to lack of ambient lighting on local roadways, and the possible presence of deer, elk, free range cattle, and even wild horses.
Since you are traveling with your kids, it would also be a shame to miss out on the Glen Canyon Half Day Float Trip. Though this tour, as the name suggests, does not travel through any rapids, it is still a wonderful family activity with lots of beautiful scenery, fascinating history (including a walk to an ancient petroglyph panel), and an opportunity to swim in the Colorado River. During the first two weeks in April, the float trip departs once daily at 11:00 AM, with check-in at 10:00 AM.
Long story short, it would be best if you could stay in Page, AZ, for at least 2 days so you can take advantage of all the area has to offer, without facing a 5-hour drive.
Ditto for Grand Canyon South Rim, it is best to overnight there instead of driving back and forth from Flagstaff. In this case, the drive from Flagstaff isn’t as long, only 90 minutes, but still, you should experience at least a sunrise and/or sunset on the canyon rim. That’s not so practical if you have to pack up and head back to “base camp” before dusk. Grand Canyon South Rim Hotels
As for where to stop en route from Phoenix to Flagstaff, Sunset Point is nice. It’s actually a scenic overlook located at a rest area on I-17, but it boasts a beautiful view of the mountains to the West. If you take us up on the suggestion to continue past Flagstaff and head directly to Page, other points of interest include, but aren’t limited to Wupatki/Sunset Crater National Monuments, the Cameron Trading Post, and Chinle formation views.
For Sedona, here again, it deserves an overnight instead of just a “drive-by” touring. The Broken Arrow Jeep Tour is definitely worthwhile, but only represents the “tip of the iceberg” in terms of fun things to see and do! Where To Stay Sedona AZ
Hope that helps – hope you have a wonderful vacation!
Alley 🙂

February 26, 2019 at 7:44 PM

Hi Jennifer!
So, when you say you are “in shape,” do you mean really good shape? If so, there’s a neat slot canyon in this area that might have your name on it: Cardiac Canyon. As the name suggests, it’s not for the sedentary or out of shape. As a result, only 7-14 people per day is the typical visitation to this canyon. For more information on tours, rates, etc., visit Ta’adidi’in Tours.
If that sounds like it would be a little “much,” Mountain Sheep Canyon might be more your speed. It involves managing a few ladders and some simple climbing, but is one of the more private slot canyon experiences in Page, AZ. The tour company that manages it is Adventurous Antelope Canyon Tours.
One of my personal favorite slot canyons in the area is Cathedral Canyon. While not super-hard physically, it is a lovely canyon with a few geological features that are unique to it. Chief Tsosie’s Antelope Slot Canyon Tours handles tours to Cathedral exclusively.
Hope that helps. Good luck and safe travels!
Alley 🙂

February 26, 2019 at 7:23 PM

Hi Bruce, and thank you for your compliments!
You can get all these activities in in any number of ways since Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend are relatively close to one another. First priority is to check availability for Lower Antelope Canyon. It sounds as though your family should have no problem managing that branch of the canyon. If you find Lower Antelope Canyon tours sold out, check out Antelope Canyon X. It’s simply another drainage of Antelope Creek, and very similar in looks and physicality to Lower.
The Horseshoe Bend Overlook can get very crowded during the mid-day hours, so I recommend visiting it just after sunrise. The light is beautiful then, and there tends to be fewer people around that time, which is a definite plus. Then schedule your Antelope Canyon tour for whatever open time slot you can find. As for other things you might do that afternoon, possibilities are practically endless. One thing you can easily do is pop over to the Antelope Point Marina and take a boat tour or kayak tour of the waterside of Antelope Canyon. Or perhaps treat yourselves to a nice dinner and views of Lake Powell on the Canyon Princess Dinner Cruise. You might even fire off a few rounds from a variety of weapons at Gunfighter Canyon, Page, AZ’s indoor shooting range, or enjoy a historical and cultural presentation at the Navajo Village Heritage Center.
If you do the morning departure of the Glen Canyon Float Trip, allow 60-90 minutes to grab some lunch, then you should be able to make your 2:00 PM departure time easily.
Hope that helps — good luck and safe travels!
Alley 🙂

February 26, 2019 at 7:12 PM

Hi Gail,
Since The Antelope Canyons are located on Navajo Indian Tribal Lands, you must book a guided tour to explore them. You cannot simply hike them on your own. For more information, visit “How To Book A Tour For Antelope Canyon.”
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

February 26, 2019 at 7:01 PM

Hi Brittany,
All I can say is WOW! You’re bound to have a wonderful time, while getting in some good exercise.
One thing to keep in mind is that you’re going to be running at high altitudes, 8,000′ ASL for Bryce, ~5,000′ for Zion, and ~4,500′ for Page. Depending on how accustomed you are to running at these kinds of altitudes — or not — you may find yourself wanting to rest up after your run rather than partake of other activities, and there’s nothing whatsoever wrong with that! Just something to keep in mind; play things by ear instead of committing to anything time sensitive on the afternoon following your run.
That said, if you do have more energy to burn after your morning runs, a good activity in Bryce is the rim trail. It connects all the scenic overlooks from Fairyland Point to Bryce Point. Total distance is 5.5 miles, but you certainly don’t have to commit to the entire length of the trail, just walk as far as you want to go. If you finish your run prior to 1:00 PM, and don’t feel like walking or hiking, you might take the free guided tour to Rainbow Point. Bryce Canyon Park Shuttle Bryce Canyon Day Hikes
In Zion, you might cool your feet by hiking a short ways up The Narrows. You would need to ride the free in-park shuttle to the Temple of Sinawava, and walk 1 mile to the end of Riverside Walk. If this does not appeal, you might take a trip to the nearby ghost town of Grafton, or watch whatever movie is being shown at the IMAX theatre in Springdale.
After the portion of your run in Page, AZ, Lower Antelope Canyon would certainly be a worthwhile activity, but since you’ll have already gone through Waterholes Canyon (which is a slot canyon), you’d be OK skipping that as well. Instead of doing another walking/foot tour, maybe head on down to Antelope Point Marina for a boat tour or kayak tour of the water-side of Antelope Canyon. Or perhaps treat yourself to a nice dinner, and some beautiful views of Lake Powell, on the Canyon Princess Dinner Cruise.
You are correct in that Mesa Verde is a bit too far afield to realistically fit in this time around. Best to save that one for another trip.
With another free day before heading back to Las Vegas, you might swing over to the Grand Canyon for a night. Both the North Rim and South Rim are open at the time the Grand Circle Trail Fest is running. You’ll find that lodging is easier to come by at the South Rim than the North Rim, but do check both. The North Rim closes for the season on October 15th, so this would be a wonderful opportunity to enjoy a side of the canyon that only a fraction of visitors get to see! South Rim Hotels North Rim Hotels
Good luck, safe travels, and happy running!
Alley 🙂

February 26, 2019 at 6:59 PM