Pack your hiking boots, sunscreen and selfie stick. You’re going to need all of them for what promises to be your Best. Week. Ever.
If you have seven full days to explore the star attractions of the area of the American Southwest known as the Grand Circle, you already know how lucky you are. What you may not know is which order to visit them in, how many days to spend at each place, and what you can do there. Well, grab your tablet, phone or – gasp! – pen and paper, sit back and relax and get ready to start planning the ultimate 7-day vacation to the Grand Canyon and beyond!
Before we dive into it, there are a few things to keep “front and center” in your mind:
- Since Las Vegas, NV is a popular “jumping off” point for a good majority of travelers to this area, this itinerary will be based on the assumption that you’re staging your trip from there as well.
- Buses, trains and other mass transit options are scarce to non-existent in this part of the country, therefore, this will be a self-drive itinerary. Click here if driving is not an option.
- Speaking of driving, drive times are on the long side. That’s how we roll in this part of the country, and you should be ready to do so as well. You’ll also notice that we give rather wide variations on drive time estimates. The first number is an estimate for “direct drive,” which rarely happens. You always have to factor in bathroom breaks, meal stops, and the inevitable “oh, wow, look at that!” moment.
- Grand Canyon South Rim lodging will be the most time-sensitive element of your trip plans. Hotel availability in this National Park should be the “lynchpin” around which your plans revolve, and evolve. Though this itinerary will go off the assumption that it will be the first stop on your tour, be prepared to hit these attractions in reverse order should Grand Canyon hotels be fully booked for the first part of your trip. Don’t worry, you’ll still have a great time!
- This itinerary includes several National Parks which charge anywhere from $20-$30 per vehicle to enter. Save money and time by purchasing the “America The Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass.” For just $80, this handy little card grants you access to all National Parks, Monuments and other Federal Fee Areas for 1 year’s time. Exclusions: Native American Tribal Parks such as Monument Valley, Antelope Canyon, the Little Colorado River Overlook, Moenkopi Dinosaur Tracks. Pre-order online (allow 6-8 weeks for processing) or simply purchase it in-person at the first National Park you visit.
- Book everything in advance, and we do mean everything, especially if your visit will take place during the peak visitation times, which is typically between March and November. Hotels, tours, dinners at higher-end restaurants, all should be prearranged. You can’t just “wing it” and hope for the best. Trust us, we live here.
Here’s how we’re breaking down your week:
- Day 1 – Las Vegas to Grand Canyon
- Day 2 – Grand Canyon to Monument Valley
- Day 3 & 4 – Page/Lake Powell
- Day 5 – Bryce Canyon
- Day 6 & 7 – Zion National Park
So let’s do this!
Day 1
Morning: Drive from Las Vegas, NV to Grand Canyon South Rim: 
driving time – 4.5-6.5 hours.*
Head Southeast on US93. With an early enough start, you might stop at Hoover Dam, tour the visitor’s center and watch a short film presentation on the construction of this enormous yet elegant structure that made the West what it is today. If making good time is your first priority, proceed directly over the Pat Tillman-Mike O’Callaghan Memorial Bridge and enjoy the view of Hoover Dam from a lofty perch of 900’ above the bedrock!
Continue South to Kingman, AZ and head East on I-40. If you’re getting hungry at this point, Kingman has a good number of restaurants to choose from. Mr. D’s Route 66 Diner is a favorite in this area for its retro decor and hearty Mexican and American fare. You might also use this opportunity to stop into a grocery store, purchase a small cooler and stock up on supplies for a rimside picnic at the Grand Canyon. More on that later.
In Williams, AZ, head North on AZ64. Train, history or Route 66 buffs may also enjoy a stop in this Grand Canyon gateway community that is home base of the Grand Canyon Railway.
3 miles South of the entrance gate of Grand Canyon South Rim is the small town of Tusayan, AZ, also known as Grand Canyon Village South. Here you can stop and see the world-famous IMAX film presentation, “Grand Canyon: The Hidden Secrets” or do a little shopping before you head into the park.
Upon arrival at Grand Canyon South Rim, stop at the Canyon View Information Plaza located near Mather Point. Browse the informational displays to learn more about how the canyon was formed, talk with a helpful park ranger on how to make the most of your time at the South Rim, or hop on the free Village Loop Shuttle and tour the Grand Canyon Village Historic District. Don’t forget to grab that cooler and sandwich fixins you bought earlier. Park restaurants tend to get crazy at mid-day, so better to enjoy a relaxing “al fresco” lunch than to waste valuable sightseeing time waiting for a table at a restaurant.
Early afternoon: check into your Grand Canyon hotel and do a little decompressing from the day’s drive and activities. Not ready to downshift? Take in more Grand Canyon views on the free Hermit’s Rest/West Rim (Red) shuttle (or self-drive the route if you’re visiting between December 1st and February 28th), walk the easy paved Canyon Rim Trail, or get a taste of the inner canyon with a short hike on the Bright Angel Trail. If you take us up on the latter, remember to double your time down as your estimated time to hike back out. 30 minutes down = 60 minutes out. Water and sun protection must also be carried.
Sunset: be somewhere – anywhere – on the canyon rim! Try to get to your chosen spot 30 minutes prior to sunset, and remain for another 30 minutes afterward to experience the full range of light changes, and the best photo ops. Popular viewpoints for Grand Canyon sunset viewing include, but are not limited to:
- Hopi Point (accessible only by the Hermit’s Rest/Red Line shuttle bus March 1st-November 30th)
- Yavapai Point
- Mather Point
- Yaki Point (accessible only by the Kaibab/Orange shuttle bus)
- Moran Point
- Lipan Point
For dinner, choose from one of six restaurants within Grand Canyon Village, the deli at Grand Canyon Market Plaza, or the diverse array of options in Tusayan/Grand Canyon Village South.
In the course of your trip plans, you may have heard that dinner at El Tovar Hotel is a culinary don’t-miss, and you’d have heard right! Reservations are required for lunch and dinner can be made 30+ days out for guests of El Tovar and other Xanterra properties. Guests at non-Xanterra properties may book within 30 days of their stay. Click here for contact information. If the prospect of lunch or dinner here doesn’t appeal or work out, breakfast at El Tovar is just as memorable and seated on a first-come-first-served basis.
Day 2
Sunrise: If you missed sunset the night before, or even if you didn’t, greet your day in “grand” style by witnessing sunrise over the Grand Canyon. Like the sunset, there’s no such thing as a “bad” place to be for sunrise, but there’s no denying that the best views are on the Desert View/East Rim Drive, which you’ll be conveniently passing through on your way to your next destination: Monument Valley!
Morning: Drive from Grand Canyon South Rim to Monument Valley, UT: Drive time: 3-5 hours
Note that the Navajo Indian Reservation observes Daylight Saving Time whereas the remainder of Arizona does not. You will “lose” an hour traveling from Grand Canyon South Rim to Monument Valley.
Head due East on AZ64 toward Cameron, AZ. Time permitting, stop at:
- Grandview Point (the author’s personal favorite for sunrise!)
- Navajo Point
- Zuni Point
- Moran Point
- Lipan Point
- Desert View Watchtower
Upon exiting the park, you’ll be on Navajo Indian Tribal Lands. A stop at the Little Colorado River Overlook will give you a greater appreciation for the beauty and complexity of the Colorado River ecosystem, and its spiritual significance to the native peoples of this area.
Visit the Historic Cameron Trading Post at the junction of AZ64 and US89 for a bathroom break/leg stretch, or breakfast. The Navajo Taco with an egg on top must be seen (and eaten) to be believed! Don’t be surprised, or concerned, if you end up with leftovers. Remember that cooler you bought? Grab a to-go box and enjoy your leftovers as a snack later on.
Head north on US89 for a short distance, then turn off on US160 East toward Tuba City and Kayenta. Time permitting, you might stop at the Moenkopi Dinosaur Tracks just West of Tuba City. One of the largest sites of its kind in the world, you can see clearly where a three-toed dinosaur left its indelible mark in the sandstone millions of years ago.
In the mood for some hiking? Make a detour off US160 to AZ564 and visit Navajo National Monument. A 2.5-mile round-trip hike up the Sandal Trail (no, that doesn’t mean you should wear sandals on it!) rewards you with a bird’s eye view of the Betatakin/Talastima cliff dwelling complex, one of the most sophisticated and well-preserved examples of Ancestral Puebloan architecture in the Southwest.
Continue East-Northeast to Kayenta, AZ, then proceed due North on US163 toward Monument Valley. Time permitting, and/or if you’re craving a Whopper®, stop at the Kayenta Burger King and learn more about the Navajo Code Talkers, a group of 29 soldiers who used their native language to help the U.S. transmit coded messages that were virtually indecipherable to Japanese and German radio operators during World War II. Featuring authentic artifacts and first-hand accounts, the Navajo Code Talkers’ Exhibit is regarded as one of the best and most comprehensive exhibits on the subject matter in Northern Arizona – and it’s free, how cool is that? Other local restaurants include but are not limited to:
- Amigo Cafe
- Reuben Heflin (in the Hampton Inn)
- Blue Coffee Pot
- Pizza Edge
Early afternoon: arrive in Monument Valley. **Note that effective 2022, entrance tickets for self-driving the 17-mile scenic loop drive must be purchased in advance*** Stop at the Tribal Park Visitor’s Center and take in the iconic views of Merrick Butte and the Mittens. One look at this dramatic panorama and you’ll know why movie producers fell in love with this area! The displays here will inform you about how these formations were made, and acquaint you with the traditional “Blessing Way” lifestyle observed by many residents of this area. If you’ve followed our advice at the beginning of this article, you’ll have purchased a Tribal Park Entrance Ticket (link provided above) OR made advance reservations for a guided tour of Monument Valley. If not, the staff at the Visitors Center can advise you about available options and make bookings for you.
Monument Valley Guided Tours:
- Monument Valley Safari, LLC ph. 435-220-0539
- Three Sister Navajo Guided Tours ph. 602-327-2472
- Blackwater Tours ph. 928-429-1479
- Monumental Tours ph. 435-444-9529
- Tinhorn Tours ph. 928-383-0783
- MV Dineh Bekeyah Tours ph. 928-409-0088
- MV Twin Warriors Tours ph. 928-429-8628
- Sandstone Tours ph. 435-200-5450
- Monument Valley Rain God Mesa Tours ph. 928-606-9422
Check into your Monument Valley hotel, relax or enjoy dinner at your hotel’s on-site restaurant, or one of the local spots in Mexican Hat, UT or Kayenta, AZ.
Day 3
Morning: rise early, eat a good breakfast, and enjoy a guided tour of Monument Valley. The valley interior can only be accessed by a 17-mile dirt road. Though private vehicles are allowed to drive on this road by advance purchase of an entrance ticket, the practice is discouraged, especially for those driving rental cars. Car rental contracts expressly forbid off-road driving and any damage sustained by disobeying this rule will be your responsibility. A guided tour is not only safer, but will be more informative and memorable since they are conducted by local Navajo guides.
Depending on your traveling party, personal preference, physical fitness, interests and budget, you can choose from:
- Guided jeep or 4×4 tours
- Horseback rides
- Guided hikes
Tour durations vary from 2 hours to all day. Horseback tours are typically conducted on gentle trail horses walking nose-to-tail; age and weight requirements may apply. Hiking tours may require previous desert hiking experience and may not be suitable for younger children. Click here for more information on guided Monument Valley Tours.
Late morning/early afternoon: Drive from Monument Valley, UT to Page, AZ – Drive time: 2-3 hours.
Note: Page, Arizona does not observe Daylight Saving Time. You will “gain” an hour as you pass from the Navajo Reservation to Page, AZ. Even though Antelope Canyon is situated on Navajo Indian Tribal Land, most Antelope Canyon tour operators go by Mountain Standard Time for the convenience of Page visitors.
From Monument Valley, UT, head South on US163, West on US160, then Northwest on US98. Unfortunately – or fortunately, depending on your point of view – this stretch of road doesn’t offer much in the way of points of interest to stop at, until you hit Antelope Canyon Navajo Tribal Park just outside of Page, AZ. This world-famous slot canyon is on the “must-do” list for 99.99999% of travelers to Northern Arizona. Consequently, it’s become very popular. Advance reservations for tours is a must!
From the Tribal Park Entrance gate on US98, you can tour Lower or Upper Antelope Canyon, or both. Lower is the more physical of the two, requiring some stair climbing and mild boulder scrambling. Upper is mostly a cakewalk, 100 yards of flat, easy trail, punctuated by some areas of deep sugar sand depending on weather conditions at the time of your visit. ***Effective July 2021, all passengers are required to walk a 1/4-mile long network of metal walkways from the exit of the canyon back to the tour vehicle parking area. Video***
Though mid-day is considered “prime time” to tour these canyons, there is no such thing as a bad time to visit. Touring Antelope Canyon during the later afternoon or earlier in the morning has several advantages. The shapes and colors of the canyon walls are still beautiful, morphing into richer, deeper hues as the sun sinks lower in the sky. The biggest plus is not paying “prime time” ticket prices.
Allow 90-minutes to 2 hours to experience each side of Antelope Canyon. Antelope Canyon Tour Reservations
If all that walking has made you hungry, take a late lunch or early dinner at the Sandbar, a lakeside restaurant in the Antelope Point Marina complex, or pick up some hand-made sandwiches for another “al fresco” picnic lunch from the Deli at Big Lake Trading Post.
Late afternoon: After touring Antelope Canyon, head West on US98 to US89 and turn left. Between mile markers 544 and 545 you’ll see signage for the Horseshoe Bend Overlook, another natural wonder that has helped put this corner of Northern Arizona “on the map.”
A .6 mile walk on a dirt trail will take you to a stunning view of a hairpin turn of the Colorado River, or an “entrenched meander” in geologist-speak. Be sure to allow 60-90 minutes to enjoy the view, maybe even take in the sunset (or a few bites of your sandwiches from Big Lake), but be sure to keep children and pets under control at all times. There are no guardrails here and it’s a long drop to the river! Also, remember to pack out your trash. “Leave no trace” is your M.O. for this trip.
Though manageable for most people in good physical condition, the uphill incline at the beginning of the Horseshoe Bend Overlook trail may be a challenge for anyone with mobility issues. Tips for those unable to walk to Horseshoe Bend. This area is also completely exposed to the elements, so water, hats and sunscreen should be carried with you.
Evening: Check in at your hotel in Page, AZ, get a good night’s rest, or a good dinner at one of many quality Page, AZ restaurants.
Day 4
Sunrise (optional): Does your day back home usually start with a brisk walk or jog to get the motor running? Just because you’re on vacation doesn’t mean you have to take a vacation from your fitness regimen. Here, you can get some exercise and do a little sightseeing on the Page Rim View Trail. Popular with local walkers, runners and cyclists, this unpaved trail makes a 10-mile circuit around Manson Mesa, Page’s original townsite. Most adults and children who are at least moderately fit report enjoying this walk that offers beautiful views of Lake Powell (but no lake access). Springtime visitors are treated to a visual bonus of desert wildflowers in bloom. Once on the trail, you aren’t committed to doing the full 10 miles! There are several paths back to “civilization” you can take if you wish. Keep in mind it is completely exposed to the elements, so bring water, wear sunscreen, and of course, appropriate walking or running shoes.
Your day is going to be busy, and a good breakfast will keep your energy up. Select Page, AZ hotel room rates include continental or cooked-to-order breakfast. Guests at vacation homes or repurposed apartments can do their own cooking. Groceries can be purchased at Super Wal-Mart or Safeway. Hot & Sweet Coffee & Donuts, the Ranch House Grille, and Canyon Crepes are among Page’s most popular breakfast stand-bys.
Option 1 – 6.30 AM: Check in for the Glen Canyon Half-Day Float Trip. This scenic raft trip travels 15 miles down a flat stretch of the Colorado River, through Glen Canyon and Horseshoe Bend. Suitable for children 4 and up, rafts launch from the base of the mighty Glen Canyon Dam. At Petroglyph Beach, you can take a cool dip in the river, and ponder the meanings of carvings in the canyon walls left by Ancestral Puebloan people thousands of years ago. This is also the perfect time to enjoy a snack or bag lunch from one of the local grocery stores or restaurants. After disembarking from the your river raft, a motorcoach will pick you up at Historic Lees Ferry, and bring you back to Page at approximately 11:30 AM.
After lunch, or a quick bite, drive to the Glen Canyon Dam & Steel Arch Bridge to peer 700′ down to the base of the dam. Then head over to the Hanging Garden Trail for an easy and scenic hike to a stalwart colony of plants and flowers, eking out a life off the precious drops of water provided by a nearby underground seep.
Option 2 – 7:00 AM: Check in for the Antelope Canyon Waterside Kayak or Paddleboard Tour at Antelope Point Marina. This 4.5-hour excursion will take you to where Antelope Canyon joins with Lake Powell. Paddle and hike with a knowledgeable local guide as you explore beautiful sandstone canyon walls on sapphire blue water.
**This tour is open to both kayakers and paddleboarders. It covers approximately 2.5 miles (5 miles round trip) to the waterline, from there you hike through the NPS section of Antelope Canyon (approximately 2 miles round trip). Due to the distance and physical requirements, this tour is not for beginner paddleboarders. Kayak experience is helpful but not necessary.***
Afterwards, everything from light appetizers and custom coffee beverages to gourmet entrees with a world-class wine list can be had at Antelope Point Marina, in the town of Page, AZ, or one of five on-site dining outlets at Lake Powell Marina. Wherever you decide to go, the food is bound to be delicious, and the view might be pretty tasty as well!
Relax and reflect on your day’s discoveries back at your hotel, shop for mementos of your visit, or check out your options for dinner. Those with energy to burn later might take the short drive off the mesa to the Glen Canyon Dam Overlook, also known as the “White House” overlook, or put on your dancing shoes and cut a rug to some great local bands at Gone West Family Restaurant (formerly Ken’s Old West), the Dam Bar, or State 48 Tavern before hitting the hay.
Day 5
Early morning: Drive from Page, AZ to Bryce Canyon National Park, UT – Drive time: 2.5-4.5 hours
Note: Utah does observe Daylight Saving Time, whereas Arizona does not. You will “lose” an hour traveling from Arizona to Utah during DST.
Grab a breakfast burrito or bagel and cream cheese from your hotel’s continental breakfast spread and hit the road for Bryce Canyon. A straight-through drive is unlikely to happen as there are several points of interest to stop at along the way, including, but not limited to:
- The “New Wave:” just past the Glen Canyon Dam and opposite the Lake Powell Resort turn-off on US89 is an unmarked road to a small cluster of rock formations that bear an uncanny resemblance to “The Wave.” Unlike the “Old” Wave, the “New Wave” doesn’t require a permit, or charge admission. Because the road is not regularly maintained, it does wash out occasionally. If signage states “no admittance,” you’ll have to skip it.
- The Big Water Visitor Center: 15 miles Northwest of Page, AZ and just over the Utah border on US89, this unassuming facility offers up some impressive surprises, such as dinosaur bones excavated locally, a topographical relief map of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, and paleontology and geology displays kids and adults will love.
- The Paria Rimrocks-Toadstools Trail: Between Page, AZ and Kanab, UT on US89 between mile markers 18 and 19 is a 1.5 mile round-trip trail leading to an unearthly rock garden where bizarre hoodoos, balanced rocks and other geological oddities grow. A moderate walk, don’t stop at what appears to be the end of the trail; the main hoodoo area is located up a short rock scramble.
- Kanab, Utah: a charming small town with a star-crossed path of a different sort, Kanab was once a popular site for Western movies and television shows. These days, tourism gets top billing on the economic marquee. A good stop for shopping or dining, the Rocking V Cafe and Houston’s Trail’s End Restaurant are popular among locals and visitors.
Option 1 – 1:30 PM UTAH TIME (12:30 PM Arizona Time): Check in at the Bryce Canyon Lodge for your horseback ride to the very bottom of Bryce Canyon! From Sunrise Point, well-trained trail horses will descend into the canyon as local cowboys orient you to the compelling history and fascinating geology of Bryce Canyon. Go ahead and bring your cameras, because you will be able to take pictures and experience the Canyon at your fingertips on this ride that is safe for people of all riding experience levels, even none at all! Bryce Canyon Horseback Riding Reservations
Option 2 – 1:30 PM UTAH TIME (12:30 PM Arizona Time): Take the free National Park Service tour to Rainbow Point. From Rainbow Point and its “neighbor” Yovimpa Point, you can see a good portion of Bryce Canyon to the North as well as some impressive cliff formations and hoodoo structures in the distance. You can board the buses at any one of six shuttle stops:
- Ruby’s Inn
- Ruby’s Campground
- Shuttle Parking and Boarding Area (across the street from Ruby’s Inn)
- Bryce Canyon Lodge
- North Campground
- Sunset Campground
The tour consists of approximately eight stops at scenic viewpoints in the southern section of the park. Visitors are advised to dress appropriately for the weather and bring lunch, snacks, water, etc. Reservations are required and can be made in advance by calling 435-834-5290 between the hours of 8:00 AM and 7:00 PM local time.
Option 3 – 2:30 PM UTAH TIME (1:30 PM Arizona Time): Check in at the Bryce Canyon Car Care Center (Sinclair Station) for a guided ATV ride. In just one hour, you’ll experience the lesser known areas of Bryce Canyon in a manner that’s fun, exciting and best of all, very safe. This guided ride on well-maintained ATV’s will get your blood pumping, while providing you with views of a primeval alpine landscape, and Bryce Canyon itself. Bryce Canyon ATV Tour information
Enjoy dinner at Bryce Canyon Lodge or one of the dining establishments at Ruby’s Inn, Bryce Canyon City, or nearby Tropic, Utah before retiring for the night and getting a good rest before the next day’s adventures!
IMPORTANT: PLEASE TAKE THE ROUTE FROM PAGE TO BRYCE CANYON MARKED IN BLUE! THE ROUTE MARKED IN GRAY IS AN UNPAVED, INCONSISTENTLY MAINTAINED ROAD THAT IS PRONE TO WASH-OUTS, ROCK FALLS AND OTHER WEATHER RELATED DAMAGE. TAKING A RENTAL CAR ON THIS ROUTE WILL VOID YOUR RENTAL INSURANCE AND YOU COULD BE HELD LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGE SUSTAINED.
Day 6
After breakfast, explore Bryce Canyon a bit more before going on to Zion National Park.
Option 1 – Ride the free hop-on/hop-off park shuttle to some of the viewpoints you might have missed on your first day here. The voluntary shuttle can be picked up at the shuttle station north of the park, or at Ruby’s Inn and the Grand Hotel. It then stops at:
- Bryce Canyon Visitor Center
- Sunset Campground (Southbound/does not enter campground)
- Bryce Point
- Inspiration Point
- Sunset Campground (Northbound/on main road/does not enter campground)
- Sunset Point
- Bryce Canyon Lodge
- Sunrise Point (General Store & High Plateau Inst. are nearby)
- Bryce Canyon Visitor Center
Option 2 – Take one of several easy but spectacular hikes along the canyon rim, such as:
- Mossy Cave (.8 mi / 1.3 km round trip) – a streamside walk up to a mossy overhang and small waterfall
- Sunset Point to Sunrise Point Trail (1 mi / 1.6 km round trip) – see the amphitheater and its hoodoos via a paved and fairly level trail
- Bristlecone Loop (1.0 mi / 1.6 km round trip) – a hike through a spruce-fir forests to bristlecone pine-adorned cliffs and canyon vistas
- Queens Garden (1.8 mi / 2.9 km round trip) – the least difficult trail into the canyon, featuring ‘Queen Victoria’ (use your imagination) at the end of a short spur trail
Option 3 – Take one of several moderate scenic hikes into the canyon:
- Navajo Trail (1.3 mi / 2.2 km round trip) – this trail begins at Sunset Point and goes through a slot canyon where tall Douglas Firs reach skyward in a quest for sunlight and water, ending down in Bryce Amphitheater
- Tower Bridge (3 mi / 4.8 km round trip) – ancient Bristlecone Pines and the China Wall whet your appetite for the 1/4-mile shaded spur trail leading to the Tower Bridge formation
- Hat Shop (4 mi / 6.4 km round trip) – observe a cluster of balanced-rock hoodoos after the descent to the Under-the-Rim Trail; not for visitors with bad knees
Note: what goes down must come up! Remember to double your hiking down time in order to calculate your hiking out time (1 hour down = 2 hours out) if you venture onto inner canyon trails. Adequate footwear, sun protection and water must be brought on any of the listed hikes.
Grab lunch to go (remember, you have that cooler!), then drive to Springdale, Utah: 2-3.5 hours
Afternoon: check into your Springdale, UT, hotel, take the free Springdale shuttle, then transfer to the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive Shuttle (mandatory for those not staying at in-park lodging) to the Zion Human History Museum. Here, you can get an excellent “pre-trip briefing” on the scenery and sanctuary that have made Zion National Park so famous. A free 20-minute video provides an overview of activities and park facilities, plus rangers are on hand to answer any questions you might have.
Get back on the shuttle and head up to Zion Lodge. Even those that are not staying at the historic hotel are welcome to stroll the grounds, dine at the on-site restaurants, or rent bikes for one hour or a full day from Xanterra Parks & Resorts, the authorized in-park concessioner. But as they say, the best things in life are free, and one of the best things about Zions is that the most fun can be had without spending a penny, in the form of hikes ranging in difficulty from “easy-peasy” to “are-you-kidding-me?” One of our favorites is the Upper Emerald Pools trail, a 3-mile round-trip hike requiring some uphilll walking, leads to a picturesque waterfall and pond. Swimming is not allowed, but generations of families have enjoyed this iconic Zion Canyon trail for many years. The Riverside Walk, also known as the “Gateway to the Narrows,” is an easy, scenic walk from the Temple of Sinawava to the shores of the Virgin River. Wear Tevas, Chacos or other footwear that hold up to water, but are still good for hiking. You’ll definitely want to get your feet wet! Easy Zion National Park Hikes
Head back to Springdale, UT for dinner. Restaurants are plentiful here, so choosing might be hard, but enjoying your meal won’t be. Get some sleep, and be down for some serious adventure in the morning!
Day 7
Option 1 – Hike the Narrows. This is the hike to take in Zion National Park for the ultimate bragging rights. Traversing a cool riverbed through a narrow slot canyon, a hike in the Narrows can be virtually whatever you want to make of it: a quick hour’s jaunt to get your feet wet (pardon the pun), or a 10-mile round-trip all day slog. Doing the hike from the “bottom up” (from the Temple of Sinawava as far as Big Spring) does not require a permit and is therefore the easier way to go; the “top down” approach (from Chamberlain Ranch to TOS) does require a permit, and more in the way of advanced planning. Don’t want to do any planning at all? Hire a licensed guide to hike the Narrows and let them do all that for you! Caution: The Narrows are subject to flash flood dangers, especially during the monsoon season of late July – early September. It may be closed to hikers during this or any other timeframe, or in weather conditions determined to be dangerous.
Option 2 – Hike to Angel’s Landing. This is the grand-daddy of all Zion National Park hikes, which effective 04/01/22, will require a permit obtained 3 months in advance through an online lottery held on Recreation.gov. It’s not for the faint of heart, out-of-shape, or terrified of heights. Don’t believe us? A few people have fallen off the trail. We’ll just leave that there. Named for a terminus that evoked images of an angel landing on the head of a pin, Angel’s Landing is not a super-long hike (5 miles round-trip), but it’s a strenuous one on a steep uphill grade. Chains are placed on either side of the trail to aid those who might need extra leverage on the section between the Hogsback to the Landing. For those who initially think they might be able to handle it, but change their minds midway, Walter’s Wiggles makes for a good turn-around point. The trail begins and ends at the Grotto in Zion Canyon. Do your research, watch YouTube videos, and do more research before you commit to this hike. As with all hikes in the Southwest U.S., water and snacks should be brought, and appropriate broken-in footwear worn.
Option 3 – Take a spa day. Prefer an activity for your last day of touring that’s a little more kickback and relax-y and a little less huffy and puffy? Book a massage, rejuvenating facial, aromatherapy, or any number of therapeutic indulgences at one of several day spas in Springdale, UT. Your hotel may even have a spa right on the property!
Option 4 – Go horseback riding. Rides of one and three hours in length show you natural wonders of Zion National Park both out in the open, and behind the scenes such as the Three Patriarchs, the Beehives, and beautiful cactus gardens. The 1 hour ride (open to children 7 and up) follows the Virgin River to the Court of the Patriarchs and back to the loading corral. For those more adventurous (and at least 10 years old) the three-hour trip will take you around the Sandbench Trail, gradually ascending 500,’ culminating with a breath-taking view of the Southern portion of Zion National Park. Advance reservations strongly recommended. Book a Zion National Park Horseback Ride.
Go back to your hotel, and if it has a hot tub, enjoy a nice long soak, order in for dinner, then rest up for the 2.5 hour drive back to Las Vegas.
Like the sound of this, or did we leave anything out? Feel free to leave us a comment below. And remember, your experiences – the good, the bad and the ugly – will always be of help to future travelers in the area. Travel-related sites like TripAdvisor, Frommer’s, Fodors, even Facebook and Instagram love trip reports. Don’t forget to post one when you get back home!
413 Responses
Hi!
Thank you for all this great information. I am in the very beginning phases of booking a trip to do a Utah Roadtrip and am overwhelmed with the amount of information available. Being in the beginning phases I am trying to figure out what a reasonable time frame might be to get the most out of this trip without being super rushed? Also, I really want to make Sedona a part of my trip do you have any advice on how to include Sedona? My time frame can be pretty flexible.
Thanks!
Lauren
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 🙂
Hi – my family and I (including my parents + 2 children 15 & 12) are travelling over from New Zealand late May/June for a wedding in Las Vegas. We have a rental car from LA and have our LA, Anaheim, Las Vegas part all sorted. We then have 8 nights from the 8th June to do a road trip and explore some of the national parks, drive over the Hoover dam and get back to LA by just after lunch on 16 June to fly home. I did look at your itinerary and then tried to adapt moving us down to LA through Sedona but not sure if I have bitten off too much. The trip would be Vegas – Grand Canyon Village – Page – Bryce Canyon via Springdale- Arches National Park – Monument Valley – Sedona – to maybe Joshua Tree NP – LA?? This does mean we are travelling everyday. Where would you suggest cutting out and maybe spending more time or is this doable??
I want to see it all now that you have put up all the amazing things to do!!
Many thanks in advance for any advice you can offer me. K:-)
Hi Kelsey and thank you for visiting our site!
In light of what you’re trying to accomplish, I’d recommend dropping Arches from your itinerary. Not that it isn’t an amazingly beautiful park (it is!), but you really need about 4-5 days to do it justice, as well as nearly Canyonlands National Park. It’s simply too “far afield” in order for you to do that this time around.
I’d recommend giving at least 2 days to Page, AZ, so you can tour Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, and do either the Glen Canyon Float Trip and/or the Rainbow Bridge Boat Tour. Then give Sedona 2-3 days of your time as well as there is a ton to see and do in that area. Going back to LA, you could easily incorporate a stopover at Joshua Tree as it’s right on your way.
When you say “go to Bryce via Springdale,” Springdale, UT, is actually on the Western border of Zion National Park, which is another park that deserves 2-3 days of your time!
In light of all this, I’d recommend revising your itinerary as follows:
Day 1: Vegas to Sedona
Day 2: 2nd day at Sedona
Day 3: Sedona to Grand Canyon
Day 4: Grand Canyon to Monument Valley
Day 5: Monument Valley to Page (Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon)
Day 6: Page (Glen Canyon Float Trip or Rainbow Bridge Boat Tour) OR Page to Bryce Canyon
Day 7: Bryce Canyon OR Zion
Day 8: Zion to LAX via Joshua Tree
If you were to drop another destination off this itinerary, it would be Monument Valley, again, not that it isn’t beautiful and worthwhile, but lodging there is hard to come by.
Good luck and safe travels!
Alley 🙂
Wow this looks amazing. How important is it to have “everything” booked in advance? We like to kind of be flexible to allow for extra hiking time, and the unexpected adventure, but don’t really want to miss out on these great sites. Our trip is April 22-28. We are flying in and out of Las Vegas and renting a car.
Hi Mary, and thank you for your inquiry.
Your trip is occurring during what is, for many, the Spring Break holiday. Therefore, it is vitally important to have everything booked in advance. We’d hate to see you miss out on the best attractions, or have to drive for hours to find lodging in this very remote part of the U.S. For a first-hand account of how one family’s vacation was almost ruined by lack of planning, check out “Bryce Canyon: Why Being Spontaneous Is Not As Great As It Sounds”
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂
Hi guys,
thanks for the great info. I’m actually planning a 5 day trip in mid April with a friend of mine. I have been to the Wave and Escalante a few years ago and loved it. We originally were thinking of doing zion and bryce as well but it doesn’t look like we’ll have enough time. Especially since I read that the Narrows in Zion may be flooded and inaccessible at that time. So if we have 5 days (flying in 4/16 and leaving 4/21) from Las Vegas, what do you think would be feasible? I was thinking of arriving on 4/16 and driving to Grand canyon south rim. Looks like the hardest thing is getting a place to stay there? WE don’t need permits do we? My biggest goal of this trip is photography and hiking. We are an adventurous group. From there may drive to Page, AZ and doing Horseshoe Bend and Anteleope anyone. The next day go to monument valley then head back. Where do you think a side trek to sedona may fit in all of this? Our biggest goals are the grand canyon south rim, antelope and monument valley but it looks like we have extra time. Should I do Sedona on the way back or before Page, AZ or is there a must other place to visit? If I go to Sedona, should i fly out of phoenix home? Any help appreciated!
Cheers,
Jade
Hi Jade, and thank you for your inquiry!
If you want to include Sedona in your itinerary, with only 5 days to work with, that will mean sacrificing one item on your “wish list.” Seeing as though The Narrows might not be doable at the time you’re traveling, I’d recommend crossing Zion off the list as an overnight, but you might still include it on your itinerary. More on that in a minute…
Assuming you already have flights booked in and out of Las Vegas, you can accommodate Sedona into your itinerary by doing something like this:
Day 1 – Travel from Las Vegas to Sedona, approximately 4.5-5 hour drive, overnight in Sedona
Day 2 – Drive from Sedona to the Grand Canyon, approximately 3.5 hour drive, overnight at Grand Canyon (no, you do not need a permit just to stay on the rim)
Day 3 – Drive from Grand Canyon South Rim to Monument Valley, approximately 3 hour drive, overnight in Monument Valley
Day 4 – Drive to Page, AZ (~2 hour drive), visit Horseshoe Bend, tour Antelope Canyon, overnight in Page **Monument Valley will be on Daylight Saving Time, Page, AZ, will be on STANDARD TIME in April, you will “gain” an hour going from MV to Page.**
Day 5 – Drive back to Las Vegas, with a detour through Zion National Park, ~6-7 hour drive.
As you have correctly deduced, availability – or lack thereof – of Grand Canyon lodging will probably be the biggest determining factor on the feasibility of your plans. If you find Grand Canyon hotels booked on Day 2 of the above itinerary, you might consider “flip-flopping” the order in which you visit these sites, and hit Page, AZ, first, then Monument Valley, Grand Canyon, Sedona, etc. Another option, though not ideal, would be to visit Grand Canyon as a “drive by” between Sedona and Monument Valley. That would mean making a 6-7 hour drive in one day’s time.
As you can also see, the above itinerary has you packing up and moving every day. If you want to build some “chill time” into the trip, Sedona would be the place to do it, but you’d probably end up sacrificing one of your stops in order to pull it off. The most likely candidate would be Monument Valley, not because it isn’t beautiful (it definitely is!), but lodging is also relatively scarce in that area.
Whatever you decide, be sure to make all lodging and Antelope Canyon tour reservations well in advance of your visit.
Hope that helps. Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂
Hi Alley,
I will arrive Las Vegas in early morning April 14 and will be back to LA in April 19, I can stay at my friend’s house at Gilbert city. I’m looking for these places if it fit with my schedule, would you please give an advise where I need hotel to stay and which park i need to book a tour .
-South Rim
-Sedona
-Arches National park
-The wave
-Horseshoe bend
-Antelope
-Bryce canyon
-Glen canyon…
Thank you very much Alley
Hi Alley,
I will arrive Las Vegas in April 14 and will be back to LA in April 18 I can stay at my friend’s house at Gilbert city. I’m looking for these places if it fit with my schedule, would you please give an advise where I need hotel to stay and which park i need to book a tour .
-South Rim
-Sedona
-Arches National park
-The wave
-Horseshoe bend
-Antelope
-Bryce canyon
-Glen canyon…
Thank you very much Alley
Hi Sang,
Unfortunately, with your limited timeframe, there’s no way you can fit all these destinations into your itinerary. To pull off the trip you’re wanting to accomplish per your post, you need at least two weeks. This time around, you realistically have three full days to work with. Assuming that April 14th will be a travel day, I’d recommend the following:
April 15th: Drive from Las Vegas to Page, AZ (~5 hours), tour Antelope Canyon, overnight in Page Optional detour through Zion National Park, add 60-90 minutes onto your drive time.
April 16th: Drive from Page to Grand Canyon South Rim (3.5-4 hour drive factoring in sightseeing, bathroom breaks, meal stops), overnight at the Grand Canyon
April 17th: Drive from Grand Canyon South Rim to Gilbert, AZ, with a detour through Sedona (~6 hour drive), hang out with your friend.
April 18th: back to LA
Hope that helps and that you have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Alley 🙂
Hi Alley,
I’m sorry that I accidentally send you the old message. I make little change for my plan. I will start from Las Vegas in early morning April 14 and will be back to LA in April 20 from Gilbert city. I’m looking for these places if it fit with my schedule, would you please give an advise where I need hotel to stay and which park do I need to book a tour .
-South Rim
-Sedona
-Arches National park
-The wave
-Antelope
Thank you very much Alley
Hi again, Sang,
Thanks for clarifying some of the finer points of your itinerary. You’re going to have to do a LOT of driving in order to pull this off, but it can work.
First thing to get out of the way: The Wave. Realistically, your chances of getting there are VERY slim. For one thing, a permit is required to hike there. Only 20 people per day are allowed to do so. 10 are chosen via an online lottery, which you must apply for 4 months in advance. Another 10 people are chosen via a walk-in lottery, held the day prior to when you wish to hike at the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Kanab, UT. If you don’t succeed at getting a permit through the online lottery, then trying your hand at the walk-in lottery will basically mean sacrificing a day when your vacation time is already limited as it is. Honestly, I’d take The Wave off the table, or explore the possibility of flying over it. Fixed-wing airplanes and helicopters can be chartered out of the Page Municipal Airport by advance arrangement.
So, getting on to the rest of your “wish list,” here’s what I would advise:
April 14th – Drive from Las Vegas, NV, to Moab, UT (gateway city for Arches/Canyonlands National Parks). Drive time: ~7 hours. If desired, you could make a detour through Zion National Park, and/or Capitol Reef National Park, but this will tack more time onto an already long drive. Overnight in Moab, UT.
April 15th – Explore Arches National Park. This park is easy to tour on your own, or you can choose to go on a guided tour through the Moab Adventure Center. Time permitting, pop over to Dead Horse Point State Park. 2nd night in Moab.
April 16th – Get an early start and drive to Page, AZ. Drive time ~5 hours. If desired, good photo stops include, but aren’t limited to, Goosenecks State Park and Monument Valley. Tour Antelope Canyon before getting into town (by advance reservation). Overnight in Page, AZ
April 17th – Visit the Horseshoe Bend Overlook just after sunrise, head to Grand Canyon South Rim. Minimum drive time: 3 hours. Good scenic stops: the “Cut” overlook, The Gap Trading Post, Chinle formation views, Cameron Trading Post, the Little Colorado River Overlook, half a dozen+ Grand Canyon Viewpoints between Desert View Point and Grand Canyon Village. Overnight at Grand Canyon, preferably inside the park, or Tusayan/GC Village South if park is booked up. Grand Canyon hotels
April 18th: Drive from Grand Canyon South Rim to Sedona. Drive time ~3 hours. Here, you can opt to spend one night or two. Lots of activities and sights to enjoy, the #1 “must do” is the Pink Jeep Broken Arrow Tour.
The drive back to LA from Gilbert, AZ will take approximately 7 hours.
Good luck and have fun!
Alley 🙂
Hi Alley, I’m so appreciate for your help.
Best wishes for a Happy Holiday Season!
Sang
Hi Alley,
Just wanted to give you a “Grand, Monumental” T-H-A-N-K Y-O-U!!!!! We are just back from touring this itinerary in Mid November, and it was awesome!!! Your advice was spot on, and a wonderful help in planning, particularly the part about the pit stops and the NPS annual pass…. Also, noteworthy is how much fun and easy, and head turninglingly amazing the whole drive was as the landscape continuously changes and morphs throughout the whole way…the road of this road trip was great!
I thought that you and your readers may like a late fall perspective of how your itinerary may be experienced because of the very varying temperatures and limited daylight. We did a few tweaks, primarily by driving mid day except for Day One. This made it so we could visit each place by mid afternoon and again in the morning, which with the varying light during am and pm parts of day, made each place magically different for each experience. And made even better use of the NPS pass, since by your third entry, all your next entries are”free” and easy…Also dress in layers, as we went from + Mid 20s Celsius to -14 Celsius plus windchill… need a full gamut of hot and cold clothes including tuques and gloves..
Since we did start and end in Vegas, we also added in a Valley of Fire day trip the day before this itinerary and for good measure, added a Death Valley day trip from LV at the end, instead of doing two days in Zion. Both of these of course are wonders too in their own right, and enjoyable to do in late fall. But not likely during summer months…
The Grand Canyon one hour helicopter tour was great, and definitely worthwhile and worth the cost. And the red line bus tour was great, but it was also easy to drive yourself on the west side of the park towards Desert Watchtower with plenty of jaw dropping stops in between. Lodging last minute was no issue either.
Monument Valley, with its majestic, timeless, quiet, mysterious presence was impressive and moving.
As for the Page stop, we were uncertain that it was worth two days, but what a pleasant surprise this stop turned out to be! Again, given the time of year, we did a Horseshoe bend afternoon with a sunset on Day 1. On day 2, instead of a full 1/2 day boat tour, since it was pretty chilly, we took an AM one hour boat tour of Antelope Canyon starting from the Antelope Canyon Marina, which was just enough to capture the beauty of a water tour experience of Lake Powell. This was followed by a noontime Upper Antelope Canyon tour upon local recommendation, since the morning and afternoon tours have much less light, and would not have given as great an effect. The vermillion cliffs national park entrance near house rock road was an unpaved path, and while the drive to it was fantastic, but it is not recommended to go forth after to the park entrance without a 4×4. … Lake Powell is undescribably beautiful with all its curves , and Lone Rock Beach was magical in the dusk hour. The toadstool park was neat, but a little disappointing, probably because there was very little signage (is this the right way and are we there yet? ) and only a few toadstools. Glen canyon dam was impressive, and since we visited that, did not feel the need to go to the hoover dam later which though taller, is smaller…
Bryce was overwhelmingly beautiful, mind boogling and other worldly. This was a highlight unique landscape not to be missed. It was easy to drive from point to point, but given the altitudes, the trails and look outs were very cold indeed and blustery.
Zion was much more than we expected, even though many have spoken to its likability… The fall colours of the forest actually accentuated the kaleidoscope of colours of these powerful majestic peaks and canyons. Lots of wildlife too could be spotted.
All in all, you can probably sense how much we were thrilled by this itinerary, and once again , thank you for your great insight and advice!
Dear Theresa,
All I can say is “W-O-W!” Thank you so much for letting us know how your vacation went, and that our trip planning advice helped you get the most out of it. That’s cool that you were able to add Death Valley and the Valley of Fire to your itinerary; that’s just one of many advantages to traveling in late fall. They’re both beautiful places, but I certainly wouldn’t want to go to either one of them during the scorching heat of summer!
If you have the time, you might also post reviews of the hotels, restaurants, tour companies, and other businesses you patronized on your vacation. They always like to hear what they did right and what they might have gotten wrong in order to serve future customers better.
Thank you again and best wishes for a Happy Holiday Season!
Alley 🙂
Hi Alley,
Thank you for this. I am excited to visit this area for the first time. I’m looking to plan the trip for one of the following time frames, could use your thoughts:
1. April 2019 (spring break) with kids 10, 8, and 6. Concerned that my youngest will be too young to enjoy some of the activities.
2. Late August, 2019. Concerned that it will be too hot and too crowded in late august.
3. Wait until April 2020.
What do you think?
Jen Galperin
Hi Jen!
I think that your youngest is not too young at all to enjoy most of the popular family activities in the area. I wouldn’t recommend taking him/her on any long, difficult hikes, certainly, but kids as young as 4 can take part in the Glen Canyon Float Trip. Younger kids are also welcome on Antelope Canyon tours (the main branches, Upper, Lower and X); age limitations may apply on some of the alternate slot canyons. Lake Powell boat tours and kayak tours are also an option, but you’d probably want to keep these on the short side.
As for when you visit, I agree that August is way too hot and way too crowded. April 2019 should still be doable as long as you get a couple of important elements reserved: Grand Canyon lodging and Antelope Canyon tours. If you are able to pick and choose when you visit, though, honestly, the absolute best time of year is autumn, meaning late September/early October. I realize that that may not be conducive to your kids’ school schedules, however.
Anyway, good luck and safe travels, and have a Happy Holiday Season!
Alley 🙂
Hi Alley,
Ok I have been planning and since I came across your itinerary feeling much better about our trip. I am coming with my four children in June 2019. They are 14 – 24, we plan to see everything we can and love the history,
Here’s my plan:
Day 1 – Fly into Vegas, Drive to Southern Rim.
Day 2 – Drive from Southern Rim to Monument Valley, guided tour, sleep at Goulding Lodge
Day 3 – travel to page, Antelope Canyon Lower Canyon, Dinner at Sandbar, Horseshoe bend overlook, Sleep in Page
Day 4 – Page River trail, Drive to
Bryce Canyon, Explore
Sleep at Bryce view Lodge
Day 5 – Morning at Bryce, Travel up to Zion National Park
Catch 1st free shuttle Zion Canyon Scenic Drive shuttle, 20 min video,
Springdale Utah for Dinner Sleep at Zion Lodge
Day 6 – Morning at Zion., then…
Does this all seem good so far?
Here is where I am stuck. We are ending our trip at Family’s in Hemit California, On the way through I plan to stop at Joshua Tree State Park. But this itinerary doesn’t include any time on the North rim, which is part of my desire to see. Is there a better way to route to see everything and make the last day ending at Hemit (about an hour and half West of Joshua Tree State Park). Please advise. Thank you so much for all your details, I have saved all of the points of interest along the way! Can’t wait!!
Hi Melissa, and thank you for your visit!
Your itinerary looks quite well-planned. Since you specify where you’re staying for most of your itinerary, that makes me wonder: do you have your Grand Canyon hotels reserved? If not, I’d get on that pretty soon, as lodges inside the park tend to book up a year in advance. If you can’t find availability in Grand Canyon Village, then Tusayan/aka Grand Village South is your next best option.
Regarding the North Rim, it is not necessary to go there in order to have a fulfilling visit to the Grand Canyon. Don’t get me wrong, it’s beautiful, but 1. lodging options are extremely limited there, and 2. there’s only a small area, square mileage-wise of the Grand Canyon that you can realistically and practically see from the North Rim. The South Rim has much more to offer in those respects, and is easier to navigate by car. If you insist on including it in your itinerary, you’ll need to find a place to stay, if not in the park, then somewhere nearby, such as Kanab, UT or St. George, UT. Otherwise, you’ll make an already long drive even longer: Zion to Hemet, CA via Joshua Tree is ~430 miles, 8 hours.
Throw the North Rim into the mix, you’ll tack on another 225 miles and another 5 hours onto the trip.
A way you can “have your cake and eat it too” here would be to fly over the North Rim from Grand Canyon South Rim. Airplane and helicopter tours depart from the Grand Canyon National Park Airport and include enough flight time over the North Rim for you to get a sense of how different it is from the South Rim.
Good luck and safe travels. Have a Happy Holiday Season!
Alley 🙂
Thank you and I LOVE the idea of the helicopter ride over! Of course I do want to have my cake and eat it too!
I took your advice and reserved all my hotels now, because I saw some of my choices are already taken!!! (yikes)
They do sell out early.
I did make a change based on the hotels, which may flow better. New itinerary is:
Day 1: Drive from Vegas to Bryce Canyon, we wont have too long in the park but can enjoy the shuttle and sunset at inspiration point 🙂
Day 2: Zion National Park! Cant wait to hike and explore.
Day 3: North Ridge, and Page. Antelope Canyon
Day 4: Sunrise at Horseshoe Bend overlook, Riverview Trail hike, Monument Valley
Day 5: Drive to South Rim! Hike Explore
Day 6: Wake up on Southern Rim, enjoy sunrise, And drive through Joshua Tree State Park to Hemet CA.
Thank you for everything.
Hi again, Melissa!
I’m glad to hear that you have all your hotels booked, but I’m still concerned that you might be trying to bite off more than you can chew, not to mention that you’re having to pack up and drive to a different destination every. single. day.
On Day 1, for example: driving from Las Vegas to Bryce Canyon will take you 5-6 hours, plus you’ll “lose” an hour due to the time difference. If I remember correctly, you’re flying into Las Vegas that day, so hopefully a. your flight is scheduled to land sometime before noon and b. that it gets in on time. Keep in mind, too, it will take you another hour or so to get into your rental car, and another 30-60 minutes to make your way out of town (Las Vegas traffic is always a nightmare).
If it’s not too late to switch things up a bit, you might consider going to Zion first. It’s only ~3 hours from Las Vegas to Springdale, UT (the gateway city on the Western border of the park). From there, the drive to Bryce is only about 2.5 hours.
I can understand why you put things in the order you did, though, if you still insist on going to Page via Grand Canyon North Rim. If you can’t be swayed to take it (North Rim) off the table, then LAS-Bryce-Zion-GC North is the better way to go. Still, you’re looking at 5 hours minimum behind the wheel. If you come down from Bryce, add another hour onto the total drive. Fortunately, the days are longer at that time of year, if you were traveling in December, I’d say “forget it!”
The trip from Page to Monument Valley is ~2.5 hours, and again, you’ll “lose” an hour here as the Navajo Reservation observes Daylight Savings Time, but Page, AZ, does not. You’ll “gain” the hour back on the trip to the South Rim, which according to Google Maps, takes 3 hours and change, but in reality, you could take anywhere from 4-5 hours because there are many viewpoints at which you’ll invariably stop, especially as you enter the park via Desert View Point.
Upon leaving Grand Canyon South Rim, you’re still facing a 7+ hour drive back to Hemet via Joshua Tree, but with sunrise occuring shortly after 5:00 AM at that time of year, plus “gaining” an hour going back into Cali, you should make it to your destination well before dark.
Best of luck to you, and if you happen to think about it, let us know how things went!
Alley 🙂
P.S. I don’t recall if I mentioned this before, apologies if I’m repeating myself, but be sure to pick up an “America The Beautiful Federal Lands Access Pass.” For just $80, this card gets you access to ALL National Parks, Monuments, and Federal Recreation Areas for 1 year’s time. The only areas it won’t work are State Parks and Native American Tribal Parks (like Antelope Canyon and Monument Valley, but be sure to save your tribal park entrance fee receipt from Antelope Canyon as it will carry over to MV). If you live in the US, you can pre-order the pass by mail, or simply pick it up at the first National Park you hit on your tour.
I actually printed all of your suggestions and put them in our travel folder. We will get the America the Beautiful Pass. I am actually using Christmas to get everyone hiking shoes and some other traveling items. I don’t think I could have planned this with out your input! Thank you – I will let you know how it all goes.
My son said the same as you, and we will fly in a day earlier to “chill” in Vegas – this way we can get off the plane and get the rental car, and stock up the cooler with out the hurry to get on the road. Early start the next day! I guess the older kids wanted to see Vegas, who would have known?
Hi Melissa,
Thank you for your follow-up.
Hiking shoes and travel items are sure to be well-received under the Christmas tree! However, be sure that your family uses the time between Christmas and your vacation to break in those hiking shoes. Long hikes in brand new boots are a surefire recipe for painful blisters. Even so, be sure to pack some moleskin and other first aid items just in case.
Good call on incorporating a “chill day” in Las Vegas. Everyone should see the town at least once in their lives.
Have a wonderful holiday season, and vacation!
Alley 🙂
Alley,
THANK YOU for all of your recommendations and help in making this trip of a lifetime for my family!!
We are back home in Florida but thoroughly enjoyed every minute of our journey. It was all that and then some.
Day 1: Flew into Vegas. I was not excited at all about spending any time there but my kids were. So after renting the car and checking into the LUXOR we hit the town and walked the strip. It was awesome!
Day 2: My daughter and I went to Walmart while the boys slept and got a cooler and stocked up on lunch meat and car snacks! We scoped up the boys and started the long drive to Brice. We had a few pit stops, it was very scenic. We enjoyed a snowball fight (on June 1) and rock tower building by the river/ creek we were following. Awesome drive. Then we checked into our log cabin and headed into Brice. We were able to hike up to Inspiration Point – AMAZING! And watched the sun set on the rim.
Day 3: We weren’t done with Brice yet. We did the Mossy Cave hike and an hour’s worth of the Queen’s trail.
Then we drove to Zion, we were on the road by 12 noon – and enjoyed the science route. It was a creat ride through the tunnel and into Brice and we LOVED all of the red – we felt like we were in a different planet.
We checked into our hotel, ate lunch, then took the free shuttle into Zion. We went to the last stop and were planning to hike the narrows but it was closed 🙁 so we settled for Hanging Gardens and Emerald pools. HOW FUN!!!!!
That night we ate our left overs from lunch, got ice cream in Springdale and slept really well!
Day 4: woke up, grabbed some bumble berry pie and head out! We topped and grabbed subs and went to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. We went to the highest point and enjoyed our subs. We had a short rim hike and then got back in the car for Page – we booked a 4:00 hike of Water Holes Canyon. We pit stopped along the drive for ga, and climbing random boulders n the middle of no where and arrived at 3:59!
Water Holes Canyon was amazing – I heard it was much like Antelope Canyon but that it was less crowded. It was just us and a couple on th tour so we had a great time with our guide. Jason helped us take pictures and told us everything about the area and history – such a rich experience.
Afterwards we checked into our hotel in Page, ate at the Dam Bar, sopped at the Levi Outlet next door, and got a great night sleep.
Day 5: Horseshoe bend at sunrise – we were leaving before 7 am and saw the droves of tour busses rolling in! Great timing!! Stopped at Clen Canyon Dam and falls and Walmart to stock up – and fill the cooler – then headed to the Navajo National Monument. This was great. The kids loved the trail we hiked where we saw the ancient cave dwellings. We were not in a hurry because we didn’t know how lucky we were about to get. We went and checked into our hotel and decided to try and get a monument valley tour (I was not sure if my budget was going to allow – but SOOOOO glad it worked out). Larry from Navajo spirit guides agreed last minute to a family tour and we met him at 6:00. The next few hours we will never forget as he drove us through the most amazing land telling us all about the relevance of the things we were seeing.
Day 6: Work up and went to Burget King for the Navajo Code Talker exhibit ! The kids bought some souvenirs
Then stopped at Cameron Trading Post
And South Rim of the Grand Canyon!
We went to the Dessert Tower and loved all the Hopi history. We saw moose! We saw elk!!
We checked in to our hotel an then took the shuttle back into the park to explore the rim and caught sunset, elks, and geology. Happy satisfied mom moment.
Day 7: We were going to have a sunrise tour of the Grand Canyon but I did not want to drive in the dark after all of the wold life I saw – so we came shortly after sunrise and hiked. Then we packed up and left headed to Hemet Cali to visit our family there. We went through Joshua Tree NAtional Park just after 5 pm and the kids climbed skull rock, and saw a rattle snake! We had a great trip. So much clutter and history. It was a,axing.
We spent the next 10 days in Cali 0 and spent some time exploring San Diego, Los Angeles, and made it up to Pismo Pier and Morro. It was an amazing trip and I know I could not have done it all with out you – THANK YOU!!!
Hi again, Melissa,
OMG thank you SO MUCH for taking the time to report back to us about your trip! Sorry to hear that The Narrows was closed, but the mountains that feed the local rivers just got slammed with snow this winter, and the resulting volume of water would have made the hike too dangerous. Guess you’ll have to come back one of these days. What a shame *sarcasm*!
Have a wonderful summer, and don’t hesitate to contact us again if we can be of further assistance,
Alley 🙂
Hi Alley, what an amazing resource you are! Your itinerary and responses on here are awesome.
I am planning a trip late Sept 2019 with my husband and 12 yo son and would love your guidance…. we will have 6 or 7 nights and hopefully be flying in and out of LV. My wish list is….hoover Dam, DG south rim, Antelope Canyon, lake Powell, Bryce Canyon and Zion.
Another option would be to fly into Phoenix and out of LV but may miss Hoover Dam…
Your opinion would be very welcome.
Jenny 😊
Hi Jenny and thank you for your compliments!
With your timeframe, you should be able to pull off everything on your “wish list.” Before committing to flying into Phoenix and out of Vegas (or the other way around), check rental car drop-off fees. They can be pretty steep for returning a vehicle to any other location besides where yo picked it up in this part of the country due to the distances between cities. Also, if you do manage to find a decent deal for doing a PHX-LAS loop, you should build more time into your itinerary so you can include Sedona. It’s a stunning area with lots to see and do, so you should plan on spending at least 3 days.
Since Hoover Dam is so close to Las Vegas, it’s pretty easy to include a stop there on your tour. It just depends on what’s most convenient for you.
The “lynchpin” around which all your plans should evolve, and revolve is Grand Canyon lodging. Hotels at the South Rim book up to a year in advance, so now is not too soon to start checking availability. Ideally (IMO), you should hit the Grand Canyon first as that will be the longest drive of the trip (4.5-5 hours). You could hit Hoover Dam on the way. You could do a tour of just the Visitor Center or go down deeper into the Power Plant, depending on your curiosity. Those cost money; however, it costs nothing at all to just drive over it and take a look. Hoover Dam Tours
After visiting the Grand Canyon, go on to Page, plan to spend at least 2 days, especially if you want to take part in water-based activities like the Glen Canyon Float Trip or the Lake Powell Rainbow Bridge Boat Tour. Then head over to Bryce for 1 night, Zion for 2. In Zion, plan on staying in Springdale, UT, as there are more hotels there to choose from than inside the park, and it will put you just 3 hours from Vegas for the final leg of your trip.
Be sure to purchase an America The Beautiful Federal Lands Access Pass as well. For $80, this card grants you access to all National Parks, Monuments, and Federal Fee Areas in the U.S. for 1 year’s time. It doesn’t work for Native American Tribal Parks, such as Antelope Canyon and Monument Valley, but it would still pay for itself on a 7-day trip through the major sights of Northern Arizona and Southern Utah.
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂