help me with tween travel agenda out to AZ for spring break-late March

[Anonymous]

planning last minute spring break and I think we are going to fly to Las Vegas arriving late Friday and renting a car so really only 4 days, 5 nights out there. with a 14 and 12 year old. We need to be back Wednesday night. We definitely want to see Grand Canyon and Antelope Canyon we heard was good for these ages, where should we go first and any recs of places to stay?

Would we have time to see?
Joshua Tree
Sedona

I dont know this area so welcome any and all recommendations! Thx

[Anonymous]

Yes, you have time for Sedona. Joshua Tree is 350 miles from Grand Canyon, so there is no way I’d go there in the same trip.

[Anonymous]

Start with the Grand Canyon. Plan nothing else until you get that done.

[Anonymous]

If you can get a room on the rim, like El Tovar, that is great. There are a few hotels right on the rim that are right near el Tovar but be warned they can be very basic and not all rooms have bathroom included so check on that. The hotels are fine just know what you get. (El Tovar is considered the deluxe one and is very nice but is historic which some people hate.). It’s great to be right there though as you can see sunsets etc.

Have at least one meal at El Tovar dining room. There is a grocery type store that is great for sandwiches, fruit, snack stuff.

If the weather is nice, rent bikes and ride along the rim. You can also hike down Brigjt Angel trail — plan on it taking 2x as long to come back up, so if you want a 3 hour hike turn around after 1 hour. Make sure you have water bottles and anticipate it will get warmer as you walk down — it’s often 20 degrees warmer at the base.

Check out the junior ranger program at the visitor center and try to attend at least one ranger program.

There are usually nice jewelry stands set up off road between Grand Canyon and Sedona run by native Americans from nearby reservations.

Sedona has tons of hotels, all of which are fine. Lots of restaurants too. People love the pink jeep tours but I’ve never done that.

Definitely pack layers and things likes hats and gloves — it might be really warm or might be really cold.

[Anonymous]

Book Antelope Canyon very early, like now. It easily sells out.

[Anonymous]

It’s more driving than you think. If you really want to go to Sedona, fly to Phoenix instead of Vegas. Or into one city and out of the other.

[Anonymous]

If you want to go down the trails you may need to pack hiking poles or at least crampons for your shoes. It snowed when we went for spring break in 2023. Lots of signs saying the crampon things for your shoes were needed if trails had snow or ice on (which they did).

Also, like PP suggested we flew into Phoenix and then out of Vegas.

[Anonymous]

Step one: look at a map and driving times.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you want to go down the trails you may need to pack hiking poles or at least crampons for your shoes. It snowed when we went for spring break in 2023. Lots of signs saying the crampon things for your shoes were needed if trails had snow or ice on (which they did).

Also, like PP suggested we flew into Phoenix and then out of Vegas.

It’s just very unpredictable. If it’s snows probably best not to do hiking but might be able to do horseback riding along rim. But the weather might be sunny and nice. You won’t know until the week before.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Step one: look at a map and driving times.

+1. It will be frigid. Plan accordingly. The best part of our spring break trip to the GC was arriving back at our sunny hotel pool in Scottsdale.

[Anonymous]

For Antelope Canyon we did Antelope X and it was less crowded but still excellent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Step one: look at a map and driving times.

+1. It will be frigid. Plan accordingly. The best part of our spring break trip to the GC was arriving back at our sunny hotel pool in Scottsdale.

Average March temps at the South Rim are 55/35. Warmer if you hike down into Canyon. Also warmer in late Match.

That doesn't sound frigid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Step one: look at a map and driving times.

+1. It will be frigid. Plan accordingly. The best part of our spring break trip to the GC was arriving back at our sunny hotel pool in Scottsdale.

Average March temps at the South Rim are 55/35. Warmer if you hike down into Canyon. Also warmer in late Match.

That doesn't sound frigid.

Averages are misleading because Winter in Arizona is very unpredictable. You can get 70s or you can get snow. Sometimes in the same week! We visit frequently as all my family lives in Arizona and I grew up there. We just bring lots of different clothes and layers. Summer is very oredoctable, however.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Step one: look at a map and driving times.

+1. It will be frigid. Plan accordingly. The best part of our spring break trip to the GC was arriving back at our sunny hotel pool in Scottsdale.

Average March temps at the South Rim are 55/35. Warmer if you hike down into Canyon. Also warmer in late Match.

That doesn't sound frigid.

We went last Spring Break to the GC and it was definitely cold. The main trail down by Bright Angel lodge was closed. There was frankly not much to do and our teens were bored after 1/2 a day. Again, it was cold so being outside was uncomfortable. Suggest going for no more than 1 day.

Phoenix was great - also worth a couple of days - there are hikes and great resorts. Sedona is also nice but sooo crowded.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Step one: look at a map and driving times.

+1. It will be frigid. Plan accordingly. The best part of our spring break trip to the GC was arriving back at our sunny hotel pool in Scottsdale.

Average March temps at the South Rim are 55/35. Warmer if you hike down into Canyon. Also warmer in late Match.

That doesn't sound frigid.

Just last year, highs in Sedona and GC were 30’s and 40’s and windy during spring break, which was the last week of March. It was not fun.