Road Trip: From Sedona to The Grand Canyon

The mountains, or rather red rocks, are calling.. and it’s time to answer! Arizona is home to the Grand Canyon, but it’s also bursting with other beautiful gems that are ready to be explored. So book your flight, pack your bag, and steal my road trip itinerary. No travel agent fees required. ;)

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Day 1: Travel Day

We left the ATL and a little over 4 hours later we landed at Phoenix Sky Harbor, where the real trip began... well almost. We got in our little rental Ford and headed straight to In-n-out. (sorry not sorry. We live on the east coast so it was a priority).

After we stuffed our faces with milkshakes, burgers, and fries galore, now the real road trip could begin. We headed to Sedona, about an hour and 30 min away. Once we got into town, we decided to go straight to the Chapel of the Holy Cross. It was perfect timing too because they were about to close for the night and we could actually find a parking spot in their limited lot. The Chapel itself isn’t that exciting, it is teeny tiny, however, since it lies on a massive hill, the views alone are worth the trip up.

From here we decided to find our hotel, Arabella Hotel Sedona. In my opinion, this hotel had it all. It was centrally located so we could walk to restaurants or shops, they had complimentary bikes, they had hiking trails right near by, a delicious breakfast in the morning, oh and a nice room and friendly staff. I would highly recommend it.

Day 2: Sedona

Bundle up, ladies and gents! It is a wee bit chilly in the early morning in Sedona. Especially when you're speeding through town on your hot new ride--that's right--an ATV!

You will see plenty of ATV rental places in Sedona, but after researching prior to the trip, we decided to rent from Red Rock ATV Rentals for 4 hours. The only mistake we made was not renting them for 8 hrs. Seriously. It is fun for any age and you know what they say--time flies when you're having fun. They offer single and double ATVs, but also buggies for families. We decided to each get a single because let's be honest, no one wants to give up the fun of driving. You can go anywhere, but they give you a map and a couple of recommendations on where to go with the time you have. We decided to go to Honanki Cliff Dwellings... and we got slightly lost.... and almost got a speeding ticket. But it's all good. We had fun.

We worked up an appetite after our ATV adventure, so we went to grab a quick bite to eat, then headed straight to the trails. There are dozens of trails, but we decided on Devil's Bridge.

Parking is very limited near the trail head, so many people park off the side of the road then walk. I mean you're about to hike so what's another quarter mile? The views are gorgeous as you continue to hike up the trail to the very top. Just don't forget to bring your agua. Note: This hike is not for the klutzy or faint of heart.

(Segment of the Trail)

(Views on fleek.. do the kids still say that?)

Following our hike, we did a little exploring in town. Get in losers, we're going shopping.. at the Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village. This little village is so cute and almost has a mix of a French and Spanish theme to it. It is full of beautiful galleries, which make it an art lovers paradise.

The last of the day: dinner. I'm always down for a good meal and 'Javelina Cantina' left me extremely satisfied. Not only does it have a cute name, but the hustling staff and delicious food make it a must meal in Sedona if you love Mexican food.

Day 3: Grand Canyon

We checked out, hopped back in our rental car, and made the two hour drive to the Grand Canyon. Make sure you tinkle before hitting the road as there aren't too many stops along the way.

Once you get a few minutes out from the park, you'll drive through a toll-booth entrance where it costs $35 per car to enter. No worries! You don't have to pay $35 every time you enter and leave the park. The pass lasts for 7 days.

You'll notice real fast that parking is extremely limited close to the canyon itself, but they have a great bus system which is free, frequent, and easy to use. We ended up parking near the Market Plaza where they have a little grocery store (perfect to grab picnic items) and they have a food court as well. From here the bus took us directly to the Visitor's Center by the canyon.

The Visitor's Center has plenty of maps so you don't get lost (still no guarantees.. I get lost with a map more than I'd like to admit). There are endless trails to choose from, but we decided on part of The Rim Trail to get an overview (and since we got there later in the afternoon). It is exactly like it sounds, the paved trail goes right along the rim, so you can expect plenty of beautiful views and photo ops!

As the sun was starting to set, it became a wee bit nippy out. We picked up a hot cocoa at a cafe by the Visitor Center and found a rock to sit on by the edge of the canyon to watch the sun go down. (Insert Kenny Chesney's "When the Sun Goes Down")

Following this we headed to our hotel for the night, The Yavapai Lodge. We decided to stay in a lodge inside the park since we were only there for 2 days and wanted to be in the middle of the action. There are only a few lodges inside the actual park and they book up FAST! So if you're considering a trip to the Grand Canyon book early. The 2 lodges right on the rim are the Bright Angel Lodge and El Tovar (both booked fully months in advance).

Day 4: Grand Canyon

We woke up bright and early, grabbed a quick bite to eat, and hit the trails for our first (and only) full day at the Grand Canyon! First trail: The South Kaibab Trail (if you thought about a kabob on a skewer when reading that, you're not alone).

We hiked the trail for about 3 miles--1.5miles down to Cedar's Ridge then back up 1.5miles. I would be lying if I said this hike was a walk in the park. Going down isn't bad, but allow for double the time coming up. We didn't realize how steep it was when we were going down, but you'll be huffing and puffing your way back up guaranteed. Bring lots of water! Don't be afraid to drink too much, because--good news-- there is a bathroom at Cedar's Ridge if you need it!

Once we got back up to the trailhead, we took the bus to Bright Angel Restaurant for lunch. I would rate this restaurant a "meh" in my books. The food was mediocre nothing crazy, but the convenience is why people go. It's right on the rim of the Canyon.

Right outside the restaurant is the Hopi House, which is fun to walk through and explore. (or if you're waiting for them to call you at the restaurant it gives you something to do to kill time)

Also right there is the Bright Angel Trail. We planned on hiking part of this, but unfortunately it was extremely icy in places, which led us to decide not to risk it. Don't want to end up dead in the canyon from slipping, ya know?

Since Bright Angel Trail was a no-go, we decided on a whim to rent bikes from the Visitor's Center. So we took the bus back that way. They reminded us how to ride (lol) and gave us helmets, then we were on our way. We rode on the paved path along the rim. This pathway can get busy during the afternoons, so the bells on the bikes come in handy to warn people to 'mooove bitch get out the way'.

After riding around for a few hours, we headed back to the Yavapai Lodge and Market Plaza area. We had a hot cocoa and hit the hay in prep for the next day of travels.

Day 5: Page

We drove a little under two hours to arrive in Page, Arizona. What's in Page, you ask? Well, if you have a window's screensaver or have been on Pinterest lately, you've seen the beautiful pictures of Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend. It just randomly blew up on social media and well, I wanted to see what the rave was about.

In order to see Antelope Canyon, you are required to have a tour. There is an upper and lower canyon, but after research we decided on the lower. We chose Dixie Ellis Lower Antelope Canyon Tour. It was well organized, small groups, and they give you plenty of time to enjoy and take pictures while down there (as well as give you photo tips!). Due to the high demand of people who want to experience the canyon, It seems the prices have gone up tremendously for the tour since we were there.

It's crazy how you wouldn't even know it existed if you were just walking along. My sister in the picture below is coming out of the canyon. How wild is that?

Only about a 20 minute drive from here is Horseshoe Bend, another picturesque site in Page.

There is a free parking lot right by and then it's a short walk (5-10min) to get to the view point. It is amazing to see the contrast of the blue water with the red rocks. Be prepared for a lot of people though. Especially when it's close to sunset time.

These are the only two major 'must sees' in Page, so we headed to our hotel after. We stayed at the Comfort Inn & Suites Page, which had just opened when we were there so it was all brand new. On our way we passed the downtown area, which was so dead I thought I was going to see a tumbleweed roll on by. It looked like they were starting to develop it though (probably for tourists), so in a few years the town will probably do a complete 180. yay, economy!

Day 6: Phoenix

We woke up and had a delicious continental breakfast at the hotel. (What is it about hotel waffle makers? They make the waffles 10 times better). We then made the long four hour trek back to Phoenix, stopping at yet another In-n-out along the way, of course. Gotta get it in while you can!

We stayed at a hotel near the airport and spent the night unwinding and packing up everything ready for our flight tomorrow.

Day 7: Travel Day

Rental car returned-- Check!

Boarding passes in hand-- Check!

Flight back to Georgia-- Check!

Planning a road trip can take some time to research, but hopefully with this itinerary, you'll have one less thing to worry about and have more time to get in the vacation mindset!