Tell me about your trip to the Arizona/The Grand Canyon

[Anonymous]

Where did you stay? What did your visit look like?

We would like to visit the Grand Canyon, and afterwards, a stop in Sedona, before we head back and stay at a nice resort in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area.

I’m assuming you fly into and out of Phoenix. We’d probably immediately head towards the GC. Where do you stay? I’m assuming Flagstaff? Is there decent lodging there?

If you’ve made this trip, please tell me all about it.

[Anonymous]

We flew into Phoenix and drove up to the Grand Canyon. We stayed in the park; there are lots of lodging options. Then we drove down to Sedona and stayed a few days at an hotel and hiked around. We flew back home from Phoenix.

[Anonymous]

Did a Vegas/GC type trip
flew into Vegas stayed a few days
did a day trip to Hoover dam then got a place in flagstaff (little america I think) did two days at he GC first day was foggy and snowy and couldn't see 1/4 mile next day was crisp and clear.

then ended up in sedona, phoenix, and tuscon.

one way into Vegas, then 10 days later out at Tuscon.

[Anonymous]

Doing this for spring break next April. I booked two nights at one of the south rim hotels to get the best views. Planning to fly into Phoenix, overnight there, then drive the 4 hrs to GC next day, two nights there, then 3 nights in Sedona area, flying back out of Phoenix.

Hotels in the park are mostly booked up for spring break, but you can supposedly call them directly to check on availability because the websites don't necessarily update when folks cancel their reservations...

[Anonymous]

Did this last April for spring break

Flew into phoenix. Have Marriott points, stayed at the Phoenician resort 2 days. Saw the desert botanical garden.

Drive to Sedona. Very crowded for hikes, but beautiful. Stayed at the element Sedona. Did pink jeep tours.

Drove up to page, saw antelope canyon and horshoe bend. Stayed at the courtyard page. This part was awesome.

Drove through east entrance of Grand Canyon. Stayed overnight at yavapai lodge.

Drove back to phoenix, stayed at the Westin Kieland resort.

Warning, it was 82 degrees in phoenix and the pool was awesome, but it was 27 degrees at then Grand Canyon. Bring a coat, hat and gloves and a bathing suit.

Loved the trip. Also don’t go into the summer, too hot.

[Anonymous]

We went in August two years ago. (Due to another event, that was just the time we were going to be there anyway.) We didn't stay in PHX, so can't help you there.

We drove PHX to Sedona, and stayed in something like a Garden Inn type place. It was nice enough and had a pretty view and pool, but it was a 15-20 minute drive to the strip with restaurants, which I found irritating. We did a short hike, but the kids were fussy, so half went back to the pool and half went to the artsy souveneir/jewelry stores.

We drove up through Slide Rock park and stopped there to swim, which was fun. We also stopped at a Native American roadside market that was a few miles north of Slide Rock, and spent a long time picking out some nice jewelry.

Grand Canyon stayed at El Tovar with a suite that overlooked the south rim. This is like a bucket list thing -- it is so great. If you can afford it, it's a great splurge. Wonderful to see the canyon after everyone has gone, and jsut sit on your patio eating breakfast or dinner and watching a condor swoop over the canyon. We only had one night reserved in advance, but I kept checking the cancellations and was able to grab a second night, so it's definitely worth checking for cancellations. We rented bikes and rode along the rim one day, and the other day we did a short hike down from the rim (maybe an hour and then headed back -- during the summer I would not recommend going all the way down). We also visited the visitor's center and i think we did a ranger talk or two. If you have kids, they can earn the Junior Ranger badge.

I definitely would not stay in Flagstaff -- way too far. Williams would be better. My sister couldn't get into a NPS site (or wasn't willing to play the game of trying to get a cancellation) so she staying at a Glamping place right outside the park that she said was great. But it means you have to go through the line to get into the park in the morning.

From GC, we drove to Vegas (stopped at Hoover dam, but kids were car sick and anxious to get to vegas so we didn't do the tour). I think we all collectively hated Vegas, but maybe there's a better way to do it. We say Cirque du Soleil, swam in the pool, and went to this weird indoor place that had great reviews but we all found sort of loud and overpriced and overstimulating. The kids' favorite part was the absolutely terrible buffet at one of the old school vegas resorts.

Phoenix will be scorching in the summer but if you intend to spend the whole day in the pool or a mall or a mexican restaurant, that won't matter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Doing this for spring break next April. I booked two nights at one of the south rim hotels to get the best views. Planning to fly into Phoenix, overnight there, then drive the 4 hrs to GC next day, two nights there, then 3 nights in Sedona area, flying back out of Phoenix.

Hotels in the park are mostly booked up for spring break, but you can supposedly call them directly to check on availability because the websites don't necessarily update when folks cancel their reservations...

I just posted about being able to grab a cancelled reservation for the El Tovar Suite. IME, the websites did update pretty regularly with cancellations. I was able to switch around and upgrade actually a few times. (Note that El Tovar has 4 suites, each with a unique name -- the two on the second floor have larger balconies than the two on the third floor, but they are all pretty great.) I also thought the food at the El Tovar restaurant (breakfast and dinner) was really good.

[Anonymous]

My other suggestion for Grand Canyon is that, other than El Tovar, the restaurants in the park really stink. You're better off going to the Canyon Village Deli & Market and getting sandwiches or charcouterie/fruit/humus/etc. for a meal. Note that the sandwich counter closes before dinner time. Also note that the Deli serves the frybread taco at LUNCH -- the Maswik Food Court which in years past served the frybread taco does NOT serve it anymore, which is a crying shame.

[Anonymous]

I've been twice, flying into Vegas both times. I love it out there. Stayed in the park the first time, and just outside the park the second. It was nicer to stay in the park.

We also did the bike tour -- awesome. Totally agree that hiking an hour down is a good idea unless you are quite experienced. Enjoy!

[Anonymous]

We flew into Phoenix, drove to Grand Canyon, stayed at El Tovar overlooking the south rim, then hiked to the bottom of the canyon and stayed in a cabin at the Phantom Ranch. You need to enter a lottery to do this about a year in advance and your odds increase if you can be flexible with dates - definite bucket list item if you can do it. Cabins have plumbing and A/C and the ranger talk that night was one of the best I have ever attended. We hiked back up the next day and it was amazing - the canyon looks vastly different at the different elevations.

If you can do the hike, it is definitely the best way to experience it.

[Anonymous]

Sedona is much prettier and more interesting than Flagstaff. In fact, I know its blasphemous but I prefer Sedona to the GC. Take the local road north from Sedona to GC - it has these awesome curves and switchbacks and views. You don't need more than a day or day and half at the GC unless you want to hike down into it. All the different lookout points looked pretty similar to me.

[Anonymous]

hated gc!

[Anonymous]

We went last year for spring break. We flew into Phoenix and stayed first night there, then drove to Sedona and stayed at the Enchantment Resort. We took a day trip , by a tour operator, to Antelope Canyon ( you could do Grand Canyon instead). Spent maybe 4 days in Sedona then drove back to Scottsdale and stayed at Grand Hyatt. So we never went to GC bc I know my kids would only be interested for about 2 minutes.

[Anonymous]

We flew into Phoenix and drove straight to Sedona. We stayed there three nights (AirBnB) and spent one day hiking and another did the Pink Jeep tour.

We then spend two nights in Page at a cool AirBnB. We did Antelope X and a Navajo show.

Next we spent one night at El Toval and hiked the Grand Canyon.

Finally spent one night at a resort in Phoenix before flying home.

It was a great trip!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sedona is much prettier and more interesting than Flagstaff. In fact, I know its blasphemous but I prefer Sedona to the GC. Take the local road north from Sedona to GC - it has these awesome curves and switchbacks and views. You don't need more than a day or day and half at the GC unless you want to hike down into it. All the different lookout points looked pretty similar to me.

Yeah but you can use Flagstaff as a base for both Sedona and GC and not be surrounded by all the rich a+holes who stay in Sedona.