When I retired from teaching my wife and I wanted to treat our three daughters and their husbands to a trip that would make a ton of memories.
As the girls were growing up we never took a major trip as a family and my wife and I wanted to do something that no one would forget.
I love the southwestern/western states and so I wanted to do a trip that would be geared towards the west. At first, I was thinking that we would do a trip through Colorado but over time it evolved into the trip that we ended up taking, which was traveling through Arizona and Utah.
I was not sure how long the trip would be but I knew that it had to be long enough that we didn’t feel rushed. In the end, the trip was 16 days long with two of the days being travel days.
Below, I have provided our 16 day trip itinerary for the adventure. I cover what we did, what we saw, where we stayed and places we ate. There are also some suggestions about each area we stayed.
Sedona Days 1-3
Day 1 – Travel Day
The day started off by having lunch at a local restaurant and then we drove to the Columbus, OH airport.
Next, we flew from Columbus to Phoenix and we got into Phoenix around 7:00 pm. We stopped and got something to eat, then drove a couple of hours to Sedona and called it a night.
Day 2 – Hiking to Devil’s Bridge
The first morning we got up and ate breakfast at the hotel we were staying at, which was the Sedona Inn and Suites.
For breakfast, they had some of the standard hotel breakfast fare like cereal, fruit and the like but there was an older couple that fixed hot dishes and sides that were restaurant quality. Out of all of the hotels that we stayed at, it was the best breakfast by far.
After breakfast, we hiked to the Devil’s Bridge. Devil’s Bridge is the largest sandstone arch in Sedona. They do have some parking towards the trailhead but it fills up fast so we ended up parking our cars on Dry Creek Road/Boynton Pass Road.
We had a little hike to get to the trailhead since we parked on the road but not too far. You can follow Dry Creek Road to get to Devil’s Bridge or take the Dry Creek Trail.
We did the trail going to Devil’s Bridge and walked back Dry Creek Road going back to the cars.
The hike is rated easy/moderate with an elevation change around 400 feet. The trail to get to Devil’s Bridge is relatively flat. As you get closer to the bridge that is where you will have to do some climbing on some stairs.
The hike was well worth it. Some members in our group were MIA and we found out that they climbed up higher from Devil’s Bridge to get a better view of the area. I believe that Zach, my one son-in-law, labeled it as the armpit of God.
If you want to get a picture on the bridge, you will need to wait in line since it is a very popular spot. The trip out and back took between 3 and 4 hours.
We ended up going to Berry Divine to get a snack after the hike. People shared acai bowls and according to my daughters, they were some of the best that they have ever tasted. I will take their word for it. The rest of the afternoon, we lounged at the hotel and swam.
For supper we went to the Wildflower restaurant. They have sandwiches, soups, salads and pasta dishes. The food was very good and it would be a place I would go again if ever in Arizona.
Day 3 – ATV’s – Golf – Shopping
The second full day in Sedona we rented four ATVs for the morning. I had a friend who told me this was something we should do and my one son-in-law said that it was something he would like to do so we went for it. I booked the ATVs about two weeks before we were in Sedona to make sure that we got what we wanted.
We rented the ATVs through The Sedona Off Road Center. There are a number of different places to choose from in Sedona, but we had a great experience with them. The front desk person at the hotel we were staying at said that they were the best one to use.
The first trail that we went on was up a mountain. When I pictured off roading, in Sedona I thought about red sandy trails that were smooth. Can you say “not?”
The first little bit of the trail was what I had pictured but it did not take long to see the rocks and boulders that covered the roadway. If you had loose fillings, they would need to be strapped in tight. Nonetheless, we had a lot of fun.
There was a stopping area part way up the mountain which gave us a great view of the area. It was a view that you would not get, otherwise. We then headed back down the mountain the way that we came.
We ended up driving across town and going on another trail. This trail was much smoother than the first. No filling issues on this trail. We ended up at the Honanki Ruins.
We had to pay a small fee to go back to see the ruins which were built into a hillside. This little pitstop is not something we honestly recommend as it wasn’t as grand or interesting as we thought it would be.
We then headed back to drop off the ATVs after seeing the ruins. No one wrecked and everyone still had their limbs so it was a good day.
For lunch, we got food from the Outlaw Grille. They had burgers, various other sandwiches, salads and the like. It was really good and the prices were very reasonable.
In the afternoon, my son-in-laws wanted to golf so they found a golf course to get in nine holes, and the ladies went to do some window shopping during that time.
After, we took a scenic drive around the Sedona area. We took SR 179 South out of town. We then caught Beaverhead Flats Road. Next, we headed into Cornville on E. Cornville Road. In Cornville, we took S. Page Springs Road. That took us back to 89A which we took back to our hotel.
It was a nice drive and we got to see some nice scenery along the way. S. Page Springs Road is pretty windy, so if someone in your party gets car sick, you may want to skip that road.
For dinner, we got food from Picazzo’s Healthy Italian Kitchen. They had pizza, salads and quinoa bowls, baked dishes, pasta and obviously pizza. Everyone in the group got various dishes and everyone enjoyed them.
Sedona Recommendations
If you are going during the summer months and you want to beat the heat, you will want to make sure that you get out early.
I love the heat but most everyone in our group did not share my love. Plus, getting out early will help you to miss some or most of the crowds.
When we took the ATVs out, we did so first thing in the morning. It was nice from the standpoint that when we climbed the mountain on the first trail, we saw very few people on the way up. It was a different story when we headed down the mountain.
Many of the vehicles going up the mountain were for large groups of people. It would have taken some of the fun out of it if we had to battle traffic going up the mountain.
If you are wanting to do things like driving ATVs or other things that take reservations, you will want to reserve your spots before getting to Sedona. Many places have free cancellations, so you won’t get stuck paying if something happens.
If you are doing any hiking or going outside much, you will want to have some type of water with you. Bucket hats can help keep the sun off of you and keep you cool. We all made sure to have them and used them frequently throughout the trip.
I would recommend staying at the Sedona Real Inn and Suites. The rooms that we had were a little small, but we didn’t have a suite. We were not in the rooms much so I didn’t mind that aspect.
The hotel has good reviews. It has a 4.5 rating out of 5 on Google/Trip Advisor and an 8.8 out of 10 on Booking.com. The price was cheaper than many of the other hotels in the Sedona area. As I mentioned before, breakfast is very good for a hotel.
The pool itself was large and there was seating around the pool. There was also an area that was fenced in that had outside furniture and was for humans and dogs. For one evening, we played music, ate dinner and threw frisbees.
Grand Canyon Days 4-6
Day 4 – Scenic Drive 89A North – Oak Creek Vista – Grand Canyon
We left Sedona and headed to the Grand Canyon. It is a little over a two hour drive. SR 89A North out of Sedona had beautiful scenery. It was actually prettier than the drive south out of town that we took.
We also stopped at Oak Creek Vista. It was worth the stop. It was a great view of the surrounding area. It was about a half an hour north of Sedona.
When we got to the Grand Canyon, we stopped at the visitor center for a bit and went to the canyon. We then headed to the Grand Canyon Village.
It took us a while to find a couple parking spots. There is parking along the street and there are other lots a short distance from the rim.
They have a number of places to eat at the village and they have a food court a short distance from the rim that we went to. The issue was that all of the restaurants were closed including the ones at the food court because of COVID.
Needless to say, tensions were running a little warm since people were getting hangry, including myself. We ended up walking to the rim with the kids. We then decided that we were going to drive outside of the park to get some lunch.
Tusayan is a town just outside of the park. It is a 10 to 15 minute drive from the village. We wanted to get something quick so we ended up getting Wendy’s.
We drove back into the park and we parked in the El Tovar Hotel parking lot. When Tonya and I talked about this trip the one splurge that we wanted to do was stay in the park.
We made reservations to stay in the Kachina Lodge. Tonya and I went to the El Tovar Hotel because that is where you check in when you stay at the Kachina Lodge.
We took a break in the rooms for a bit. We then headed to the South Rim General Store which is located in the park at the Grand Canyon Market Plaza.
They have groceries, a deli, bank, and post office there. We picked up some snack food for the rooms. As you can imagine, the prices were a little higher than normal since it was located in the park.
.It was supper time and right by the plaza is the Yavapai Dining Hall. They have southwest food. We ordered it and took it back to the room. The sandwiches were delicious. They were reasonably priced and they were nice and big.
The rest of the night we took it easy. People sat on the wall at the rim and just gazed at the canyon and the beauty of it. Most of us took walks along the Rim Trail, also.
Day 5 – Watch Sunrise Visitor Center – Hike South Kaibab Trail
To start out day 5, we all got up nice and early and went to the Grand Canyon Visitor Center and watched the sun come up. It was a little chilly but it was worth it.
There were quite a few people there and it is supposed to be one of the better places to see the sun rise in the park.
For breakfast, we went back to Tusyana and went to a restaurant called Foodie Club. It was basically a diner. The service and food were both good.
The big event for the day was taking a hike on the South Kaibab Trail. There is no water along the trail and very little shade. We all had water bottles or water backpacks. Everyone in the group also had bucket hats.
The trail was well defined and is classified as a moderate trail. Some places had switchbacks and other places it was more straight and steeper. The trail offered wonderful views of the canyon.
Tonya and I made it to Ooh Aah Point. The kids went down to the next point which was called Cedar Ridge.
After everyone made it to the top we went back to Tusyana for lunch. I am sure that you are seeing a pattern here. Some of us got food at We Cook Pizza and Pasta and others got food at Plaza Bonita Mexican Restaurant.
Each of the restaurants had food that was pretty good. It was not the best we have ever had and it was by far not the worst.
The rest of the day we took it easy around the hotel since the hike took it out of us. People could walk around and take in the canyon from different vantage points.
Day 6 – Overlooks Herman Road – Hermit’s Rest
The Foodie Club was visited by us again for breakfast to start the day. After breakfast, we went back into the park and we took the bus on the Hermit Road to Hermit’s Rest.
You can bike on the road to Hermit’s Rest but you cannot drive your car for 9 months out of the year on the road. The only months you can take your vehicle on the road is December through February.
You can also hike to Hermit’s Rest. We chose the easy way out and took the bus. The buses are free and a new bus comes by a stop about every 10 to 15 minutes.
From the bus stop to Hermit’s Rest is around 7 miles. On the road, there are 8 different vantage points to get off to see the canyon before you get to Hermit’s Rest. Each stop gives you a different view of the canyon.
The trails at each of the stops were well maintained and it was nice to see different perspectives of the canyon.
Once you get to Hermit’s Rest there is a gift shop and places to hike around and take in the canyon. I would highly recommend going on this road when you are in the park.
Once we got back to the hotel, we rested up and for supper we went back to Yavapai Dining Hall. It was as good the second time around as it was the first time that we ate there.
Grand Canyon Recommendations
I would highly recommend staying in the park if you can. There are 4 hotels located on the south rim and two others that are not on the rim.
As I mentioned before, we stayed in the Kachina Lodge. The rooms were more than adequate. They were clean and well maintained.
One of the rooms we stayed in had a nice partial view of the canyon while the other had a tree in the middle of the view. Bummer!
The nice thing about staying in the park was the fact that around 4:00 or 5:00 the park really cleared out from people that were not staying in the park.
You could go out and sit on a bench or take a walk and not run into very many people at all. It was like having the park to yourself.
If you are wanting to stay in the park and you are going during the busy season, you will want to call to make reservations as soon as possible.
For example, if you know you want to stay in the park at the end of June 2023, you can call to make a reservation for your stay June 1, 2022. Hotels in the park fill up pretty quickly for the busy season.
If you are not going to stay in the park, there are a number of hotels and campgrounds in the Tusayan area to stay at.
If you are wanting to have food to snack on in the park, you will want to purchase it outside of the park. It is pretty pricey at the market in the park.
You can take buses to get around the park. We drove everywhere and the traffic was not really that bad when we were in the park.
Day 7 Page, Arizona
Day 7 – Horseshoe Bend – Pontoon boat Lake Powell
We got up early on day 7 and stopped at Foodies one last time to grab a quick breakfast before we hit the road to head to Page, AZ.
The drive from the Grand Canyon to Page is roughly 2 ½ hours. We had two different activities on the agenda for the day. The first was going to Horseshoe Bend and the second was renting a pontoon boat on Lake Powell.
We got to Horseshoe Bend around 10:00. It costs us $10 per car to park to go see it. The hike from the parking lot to the bend is around a mile one way. It was a nice wide path and overall an easy hike.
Horseshoe Bend did not disappoint and like with most things, pictures don’t do the Bend justice. There are all kinds of places to take pictures along the edge. There is a spot that has railings but most of the area does not.
We were at Horseshoe Bend for an hour or so. Once we left there, we stopped at a Walmart to pick up food, snacks, sun tan lotion and other necessities for the pontoon boat.
We rented the pontoon boat from Antelope Point Rentals at the Antelope Point Marina. We had 8 people in our party and we got a 26 foot boat that had a partial covering on it.
There was good storage and the boat was plenty big for the eight of us. We rented it for the full day which is 12 hours.
We parked the car and Tonya and I headed down to the rental place. Let’s just say we underestimated the distance from the parking lot to the rental place. It is quite a walk.
They do have people that drive people down to the marina from the parking lot but we missed that memo. We got off easy since the kids had to bring all the stuff from the cars to the pontoon boat. They were young and could handle it.
We ended up on the water between 12:00 and 1:00. Let me just say that this activity was the highlight of the trip for everyone in our group.
The views on the lake are just breathtaking. You have sheer red cliffs and sandy beaches to pull off to. The water was a little cool but refreshing.
We were on the pontoon between 6 and 7 hours. It is something that we would all like to do some other time. Going back to the parking lot, we wised up and got a ride with a guy to the parking lot.
I have a blog post titled “7 Reasons to Rent a Pontoon Boat on Lake Powell.” So, if you want to get a little more detail about being on the lake you can checkout that post.
We stayed in Page at the Hyatt Place. The hotel was located in a quite neighborhood. It was a very nice hotel and the rooms that we had were huge.
For supper, we got food from Big John’s Family BBQ. We drove by it going to the hotel and you could see the smoke billowing from the place and you could definitely smell it. The food was excellent and reasonably priced.
Page Recommendations
We were only in Page a day but it was well more than worth it. Horseshoe Bend is a must stop.
When planning the trip, I wanted to see Horseshoe Bend and go to Antelope Canyon when we got to Page.
Antelope Canyon is located on an Indian Reservation and it was closed. I was holding out hope even when we were at the Grand Canyon. It was still closed two days before we were supposed to be in Page.
We talked to the kids right after our hike in the Grand Canyon and we decided then to try to get a pontoon boat for Lake Powell.
After numerous calls to places, it was not looking very promising in getting a pontoon. We eventually found one at Antelope Point Rentals.
As I mentioned before, it was the highlight of the trip for us. It is one of those things where you need to see it in person to really appreciate it.
If you want to get a pontoon or other boat on Lake Powell, I would recommend reserving it much earlier than two days out.
We wanted to get some styrofoam coolers for the time we were going to spend on the pontoon but Walmart did not have any. We did not want to have to lug a new cooler home, either.
Fortunately, they had reusable thermal bags that we bought. They did a good job keeping food and drinks cool. We had four of them, so we gave one to each of the girls and their husbands. We would do that same thing again.
As I mentioned before, the hotel we stayed at in Page was the Hyatt Place. We will stay there again the next time that we are in Page. Besides the rooms being large and clean, the breakfast in the morning was also good. They had a nice selection of food to choose from.
Days 8-11 Moab, Utah
Day 8 – Drive to Moab – Watch sunset Dead Horse Point State Park
We got breakfast at the hotel and then headed on our way to Moab. The drive from Page to Moab is around 4 ½ hours. We were going to go to Four Corners but it was closed because of COVID.
I also wanted to go through Monument Valley since it is such an iconic part of our country. I thought that the road that we were taking was the road that Monument Valley was located on.
The key word is thought. We came to a T in the road and it showed that Monument Valley was the opposite way that we were going. We were not on the right road.
This is where the palm of my hand comes into contact with my forehead in a forceful manner. I was more than a little disappointed that we missed it entirely. It will have to be something that we do at another time.
I love the scenery of the southwest and so it was enjoyable to drive from Page to Moab. It did not seem like a 4 ½ drive. We got to our hotel late afternoon. We stayed at the Hyatt Place Moab which was on the northern edge of town.
For dinner, we got food from the Arches Thai restaurant. It was the first time that I had Thai food. Everyone enjoyed all of the dishes that we got from the restaurant.
After dinner, we headed to Dead Horse Point State Park. We went there to see the park and it was supposed to be a great place to see the sunset. Plus, the final scene of Thelma and Louise was filmed in the park.
The park was a little over 30 miles from our hotel which took us around 40 minutes to get there. It was a pretty drive to get to get to the park.
It costs $20 per vehicle to get into the park. I thought that was a little pricey for a state park but I digress.
We stopped at the visitor center and walked around for a bit to look at the canyon. The canyon had a deeper richer red color versus the Grand Canyon.
Just like the Grand Canyon, it was large enough to not be able to tell the true size of things and distances away because of the size of the canyon.
We drove to the end of the park to get ready to see the sunset. There is a small parking lot at the end of the park but people were parking in little pull offs and even on the side of the road.
The canyon at the end of the park had a unique look to it. There is a river that runs through part of it. It looks like a smaller version of Horseshoe Bend in one part of the river.
You are overlooking the canyon when the sunsets, which does make for a very good spot to watch the sun go down.
Once we got back to Moab we went to MOYO. It is a place that serves frozen yogurt, gelato, custard, smoothies and Italian Ice. It was kind of late but it was busy. The frozen yogurt was really good.
Day 9 – Arches National Park
We got up early and headed to Arches National Park. We were in the park just after 6:00 am.
Our first stop was at Balance Rock. As the name implies, it is a very large rock that is balancing. It looks like it is defying gravity. There is a nice trail that circles the rock and it is flat and .3 miles in length.
Just down the road from Balanced Rock are a number of arches. Depending on what part of the day it is, it can be tough to get a parking spot. We were in the park early and the parking lot was full.
We first did the Windows Loop and Turret Arch trail. It is a 1.2 mile loop trail that is rated easy. The Turret Arch and North Window Arch are located on the trail.
One of the things that I liked about these arches and the other arches is the fact that you can stay on the trail to look at the arches or you can climb up rocks to get a better view and some better pics.
After seeing the Turret and North Window Arches, we went to see the Double Arch. The trailhead is on the other side of the parking area.
The trail is .6 miles out and back. It is rated easy and has a slight elevation change. There are plenty of rocks to climb on too. You cannot only see the arch but see on the other side of the arches.
You can also see the Parade of Elephants and some other features from the Double Arch. After doing some exploring at the Double Arches, we headed down the road and went to see the Delicate Arch.
The parking lot at the Delicate Arch Trailhead is pretty big. It was pretty packed but we found a couple spots without searching for long.
If you need to go to the restroom, you will want to do so since you won’t have anything but bushes to do your business along the trail. Plus, there is little shade on the trail. Water and some kind of cap is a necessity.
The Delicate Arch Trail is a 3.2 mile out and back trail and is rated as moderate with an elevation change of over 600 feet. The trail starts off relatively flat and wide. You will eventually get to slickrock which is steeper. Once you get up the rock it starts to flatten back out.
The trail narrows as you get closer to the arch and the trail winds a bit. For 10 minutes, we kept having people tell us that we were almost there. After the 20th person told us that, I was ready to start throwing punches.
Besides the fact that I was ready to go Mike Tyson on someone, it was worth the effort to get to the arch. It is unique compared to all of the other arches in the park since it is a stand alone arch.
There is plenty of space to spread out once you get up to the arch. You can get your pic taken under the arch but you will have to wait awhile since that was a popular thing to do.
After seeing the Delicate Arch, we headed to the back of the park to Devil’s Garden Trailhead to see some more arches. There are a bunch of arches at the end of the park.
The parking lot at the end of the park is pretty big and we had no issues finding spots to park.
We ended up going to the Tunnel Arch and Pine Tree Arch. The trail to the arches is 1 mile out and back trail that is wide and mostly flat.
Pine Tree Arch is unique in that it is right at ground level. It makes for a good photo op. If you wanted to do the full loop of Devil’s Garden Trail, it is a 7.9 mile loop trail and is considered challenging.
We did not have the energy to do that kind of loop after doing the other hikes that we already did. The only regret that I had was that we did not go a little further to see the Landscape Arch.
We ended up heading out of the park in the early afternoon. We had a great time in the park and it was very memorable.
For lunch, we went to the Moab Diner. I love diners because most of the time they serve breakfast all day long and breakfast is my favorite meal of the day.
The restaurant had a retro vibe. It was busy the whole time that we were in the diner. I got french toast with ham. It was excellent and the service was very good, also. The rest of the day people went shopping or lounged around the pool area.
For dinner, the kids treated Tonya and I for our anniversary which was a few days prior. We went to the Sultan Mediterranean Grill. The food and service were both good.
Day 10 – Canyonlands National Park
This day was supposed to start off with the thing that I wanted to do almost more than anything else on the trip and that was to zip line.
We were to do the zip lines through Raven’s Rim Adventures. You can check out the video here. They take you back to the zip lines on ATVs. You zipline on 6 different lines.
You also cross a suspension bridge. It takes around 2 ½ hours. I called the day before to make sure everything was a go. I had made the reservations almost a year in advance.
The woman told me that she was about ready to call me to tell me that we may not be able to zip line since the guy that does the morning times quit. I felt like someone stabbed me in the back.
She said she was going to do some calling to find out for sure. She called back later and told me it was a no go. I asked about other days and times but nothing was open. You can add the other knife in the back here.
We were going to do Canyonlands National Park after zip lining so we just did that first. From our hotel it was around a 30 minute drive to the entrance of the park.
We left the hotel just after 7:00 in the morning. When we got to the park there were not that many people in the park yet. We stopped at the visitor center briefly and then drove to the back of the park. At the back of the park is the Grand View Point Trail.
It is a 1.8 mile out and back trail. The trail was mostly flat. There is an area where you need to climb some steps but nothing major. The trail is considered an easy trail.
What is nice about the trail is the fact that a good portion of the trail goes along the edge of the canyon. So, you get this beautiful view of the canyon as you are walking.
At the end of the trail, there is a rock feature that you can climb to get a different perspective on the surrounding area. Once we got back to the parking lot, we headed to the Mesa Arch trail. It is a .7 mile loop trail that leads to the Mesa Arch.
The Mesa Arch is unique in the fact that it is at eye level as you approach it. You can look through the arch and see down into the canyon.
On the upper end of the arch, you can sit down and relax on the arch and look down into the canyon. Some birds were putting on a show for us when we were there.
After seeing the Mesa Arch, we were ready to go explore another part of the park. We loaded up both cars and were ready to go.
That is when we got a call on the walkie talkies from Maddie that they were down to 19 miles of gas. The issue was that the nearest gas station was 30 miles away.
I have a blog post titled “Making Memories in Canyonlands National Park” that tells you what happened next.
For lunch, we went to an Italian spot called Antica Forma. They make Neapolitan pizza and pasta in a wood fired oven. The atmosphere was very relaxed and laid back. Their service was really good and the pizza and pasta were top notch.
The rest of the afternoon was open. Some people went shopping and others just enjoyed some relaxing time around the pool.
Day 11 – Drove Scenic Byway U–128 – Rest Day
I built in a day to really not do much. People could go do something if they wanted to. The only thing that we did together this day was take some time and drive part of the Scenic Byway U–128.
If you have never heard about this stretch of road, you may have seen it. TV shows like Westworld, music videos, such as Bon Jovi’s “Blaze of Glory” and a scene from Austin Powers were filmed on the road. Yeahhh Baby!!
The road is just before the entrance to Arches National Park. It is around 45 miles from the start of the road to Interstate 70.
The road follows the Colorado River for the first ¾ of the road. We ended up driving about the first 15 to 20 miles of the road before we turned around.
You have sheer red cliffs on either side of the road when you start out. There are numerous places to pull off the road to get some pictures. As you go along, there are places to take hikes, a museum and there is even a park at the beginning of it close to Moab.
It was a beautiful stretch of road and I am glad that we took some time to drive a good stretch of it.
The rest of the day was to chill and relax. What I did not want to happen is that we all needed a vacation from our vacation when we got home.
For lunch, we headed back to the Moab Diner. It was just as good the second time as the first time.
For dinner, we went to the Moab Food Truck Park. The park had 10-12 different food trucks to pick from. They also have metal picnic tables to sit at and they are covered.
The park had trucks that served pizza, hot dogs, Mexican, and Chinese food along with others. They also had other trucks that served gelato, milkshakes and sundaes. The food that we all got was really good. Plus, it was nice to be outside and enjoy the evening.
Moab Recommendations
We stayed at the Hyatt Place, Moab. It was a really nice hotel. They altered how they served breakfast because of COVID but it was all you could eat and it was good.
The rooms that we had were quite large and the bathrooms were twice the size of most normal hotel bathrooms.
They had a nice shaded outside area with couches and coffee tables to eat and play games. There was also a nice area inside to gather. We played a game in this area one evening.
The pool area was nice and well maintained. The pool was a good size and there was also a large hot tub. When we go back to Moab, we will be staying there again.
Arches National Park stopped allowing people in the park after a certain time when we were there. Now you need to make a reservation to enter the park if you go between April 3rd to October 3rd.
This is a pilot program so it may change over time. You can click on the Arches National Park link to see what the current policy is. Canyonlands is not as popular as Arches National Park so you don’t need to make a reservation to enter the park.
There are all kinds of outdoor activities that you can do around the Moab area. So, if you are into the outdoors it is a great place to go to.
Out of all of the areas that we stayed in on the trip Moab was the most enjoyable. This was the sentiment of the whole family. The whole vibe of Moab was laid back even though it was touristy.
Day 12 Bryce Canyon City
Day 12 Coral Reef National Park – Bryce Canyon National Park
We got breakfast at the hotel and were on the road around 7:00. On the way to Bryce Canyon, we drove through Coral Reef National Park.
We did not stop when we drove through. The main reason that I went through the park was for the kids to be able to determine if it was something that they may want to come back to some other time.
The main objective for the day was to get to Bryce Canyon. Before we entered the park, we ate at a Subway that was located just outside of the park.
We entered Bryce around noon. This was the latest that we entered a park and there were a lot of people in the park. It took us a while to find a parking spot but we eventually found two of them.
I had been to Bryce a couple of times before but Tonya and the kids had not been. I will never forget the reactions of the kids when we walked up to the canyon.
They just stared at the canyon in awe. I heard one of them say that it looked way different than what they were expecting.
We wanted to do the Queen’s Garden/Navajo Loop trail. It is the most popular hike in the park since it goes through a spectacular part of the park. The trail is 3.1 miles long and is considered a moderate hike. There is an elevation change of 600 feet.
We started at Sunrise Point. The first part of the trail you are going down into the canyon. The trail is fairly wide as you descend. Once you get down into the canyon, you go on a relatively flat stretch of the trail. The last part of the trail is where you are going to have to climb.
There is a section as you climb that has a number of switchbacks. It makes for a great photo when you get to the top of the switchbacks and look back down into the canyon.
Out of all of the hikes that we did on the trip, I believe that this was my favorite. I think it was because I felt like I was so much part of my surroundings.
You were walking close to and could touch hoodoos as you were going. There were places where you walked through archways. Plus, the beauty of the canyon is just breathtaking.
Once we were done with the hike, we got in the cars and drove the length of the canyon. We stopped at different overlooks as we went.
You got a little different perspective of the canyon at each stop. We made it to the end of the park to the Yovimpa/Rainbow Points. They are the highest points in the park at over 9,100 feet. You get an excellent view of the canyon and it looks different from the part of the canyon where we did our hike.
We then headed out of the park and went to the Ruby’s General Store which is not too far from the park entrance. They have a little bit of everything in the store but we loaded up on snacks.
We went and checked into the hotel. We stayed at the Bryce View Lodge. Once we got freshened up we went to Bryce Canyon Pines to eat dinner.
We live in Amish country in Ohio. This restaurant reminded me of restaurants in our area from the standpoint that you got large servings of home cooked style meals. The food was good and you got big portions.
Bryce Canyon Recommendations
As I mentioned before, we stayed at Bryce View Lodge. It is located 1.5 miles from the entrance of Bryce Canyon. The rooms were decent. They were clean but just a little dated. They do have an indoor pool with a hot tub. We did not have the time to take advantage of that.
I shared my thoughts on the Queen’s Garden/Navajo Loop hike. After enjoying that hike so much, it would have been nice to have another day or two to do some more hiking in the park.
Bryce Canyon National Park is at a high elevation. The rim of the park ranges from around 8,000 feet to around 9,100 feet. You will have to keep this in mind if you or someone in your party is sensitive to higher altitudes.
Days 13-15 Springdale, AZ
Day 13 – Angel’s Landing – Drove SR 9/Zion Park Scenic Byway
The drive from Bryce Canyon to Zion National Park visitor center is around 2 hours and we wanted to be in the park by 6:00 am. Needless to say, it was an early morning.
We got to the visitor center right around 6:00 am. The parking lot was already very full. There was a very long line to get onto the buses.
We wanted to do the hike to Angel’s Landing for the day. Even though we were in line just after 6:00, it took us an hour and a half to get on the bus once they started running.
While you are in line there are pavilions with benches that you can sit down on. The upside is that we met new people and even a family from Ohio that were Buckeye fans. O-H!
The trailhead to Angel’s Landing is at stop number 6 which is the Grotto stop. It took about 15 to 20 minutes to get there. They do have restrooms and water fountains right there as you get off the bus.
The hike to Angel’s Landing is a 5.4 mile out and back hike. It is rated as a strenuous hike. There is a little over 1,600 foot elevation change.
As you start out on the hike, there is a nice wide trail that slowly climbs as you go. There are two areas of switchbacks as you go on the trail. The last set of switchbacks are a little steeper.
There are 21 of them and they are known as Walter Wiggles. Right after Walter’s Wiggles is the Scout Lookout area. There are restrooms and places to sit. This is the point where you had to decide if you were going on or not.
Tonya ended up stopping at this point and the rest of us continued on. This is the part that is the strenuous part of the hike.
I do have to admit as I looked up the side of the mountain I thought we were going to have to go all that way. Even though it did look intimidating, it was not as hard as it looked.
There are chains that you can grab on to help pull yourself up as you are walking. The terrain is very rocky and uneven.
There are people coming down the mountain while others are going up. Most of the areas two people passing each other does not work. People usually travel in packs and people were courteous in that one group would let the other group go and vice versa.
Once we got to the top, all the climbing and waiting on people was worth it because of the view. You are able to see all down through the valley and the other surrounding higher elevations.
We stayed up on the top of Angel’s Landing for an hour or so. We then all headed back down and met back up with Tonya.
Next,we took the bus back to the visitor center and then headed to check into the hotel. We stayed in Springdale at the La Quinta Inn and Suites.
Springdale is located right outside of the south entrance to Zion. The hotel itself was located a mile from the entrance.
For lunch, we walked to Deep Creek Coffee. They had various smoothies, baked goods, sandwiches and of course coffee. The food and smoothies were good.
We lounged around the pool in the afternoon. Later in the day we took a drive on SR 9/Zion Park Scenic Byway. It is the road that runs east/west through the park.
It is the only road you can drive on in this part of the park unless you are staying at the Zion Lodge which is located on the north/south road.
The road is pretty windy but it is a nice scenic drive. There are places that you can pull off of the road to take pictures, explore and hike.
For supper, we got food from Oscar’s Cafe. They have Mexican food, sandwiches, and burgers. The servings were good size and the food was really good.
Day 14 – Coral Dunes State Park – Peek-a-Boo Canyon
The first part of the day, Tonya, Kenzie and I drove Andrew to Las Vegas for him to fly home. He was in his residency and needed to get home for some commitments.
We got back around lunch time. For lunch, we walked down to Meme’s Cafe. It is right across the street from Deep Creek Coffee. They have sandwiches, crepes and salads.
The restaurant has a covered counter area outside of the restaurant where we placed our order. They have an outside covered area and an inside area if you eat there. The restaurant was hopping but it did not take too long for us to get our food. The sandwiches were very good.
In the late afternoon, we wanted to stop by to see Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park before we headed to Peek-a-Boo Canyon.
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park was around an hour from our hotel and is located close to Kanab, UT. It costs $10 per car to get into the park.
The park is unique in the fact that you have these pink sand dunes that seem to appear out of nowhere. You can rent sandboards and sand sleds to ride down the dunes. You can hike, go on an ATV tour or go on a rappelling tour.
We saw people that were just coming back from sledding and they looked exhausted. We were there for about 30 minutes before we had to leave.
Because we did not do the ziplining in Moab, I wanted to do another activity. We landed on an ATV tour to Peek-a-Boo Canyon in Kanab. It was also a nice substitute for Antelope Canyon.
We did the tour through the Kanab Tour Company. We went to the office and signed all the papers and got helmets. Next, we drove a few miles out of town to meet the guide who was going to take us on the tour.
Three of us rode with the guide and the remaining four people drove another ATV. There was one other family that went along.
The trails were made of the pink sand that we saw at Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park. This was what I was picturing when I thought of ATVing. The guide did not hold back.
He would push it hard and then would wait for people to catch up. Eventually, we made it to Peek-a-Boo slot canyon. It was pretty cool to see. The guide that we had knew his stuff and he was funny.
After we spent some time in the canyon, we loaded back up to do some more ATVing and to see more sights. He took us to a place where we could get a nice view of the surrounding area. We finished up driving more of the sand dunes.
The tour was around 3 hours total. It was a nice combination of ATVing, seeing the slot canyon, and surrounding area. It was worth the money.
Day 15 – Hike the Narrows
After getting to the park at 6:00 the first morning in the park, we decided to get to the park at 5:30 to hike the Narrows. We figured that would make a major difference in our wait time.
Unfortunately, that was not the case. We were amazed at the amount of people already in the park. Don’t people sleep anymore!?
We got in line but we still had an hour to wait before we got on the bus. The Narrows is stop number 9 which is known as the The Temple of Sinawava stop. It took around 30 minutes to get to the stop. They have restrooms and drinking fountains as soon as you get off the bus.
To get to the water part of the Narrows, you follow a relatively flat wide trail. You travel on this part of the trail for a mile before you get to the river where you get in the water.
You can go over 16 miles if you do the whole trail. Most people do not do the whole thing. Tonya and I went about 1.5 miles in the water before we turned around. The kids went further.
It was different from the other hikes that we took because we were walking in a river. Plus, you have sheer cliffs on either side of you. It is quite beautiful.
Some places are easier to navigate than others because of the depth of the water and the rocks that you are walking over on. The deepest part of the water that I traveled in was up to my upper thighs.
I wore my Chacos for the hike. Other people wore regular hiking shoes. Some people wore shoes especially made for walking in water. You can rent those kinds of shoes in the park.
You will have to dodge people on the hike. It was quite busy but everyone was friendly and people will help other people if they need it. The water was a little chilly at first but you get used to it after awhile. It did not take away from the enjoyment of the hike.
We left the park after hiking the Narrows and we got some lunch once again at Oscar’s Cafe. This time we ate at the restaurant. They had some seating on the side of the restaurant that was outside so that is where we ate. The food was excellent again and the service was very good.
The rest of the day some people went shopping and others of us took it easy around the hotel. For dinner, we walked back down to Meme’s Cafe and picked up our food. The food was just as good the second time around as it was the first time.
Springdale/Zion Recommendations
We stayed in Springdale because I wanted to be near Zion. If you want to save money, there are places a little further away that are cheaper. I was willing to pay a little more to have the convenience to be right near the park. So, it is totally up to the person’s situation.
The La Quinta that we stayed at was nice and the rooms were clean and well kept. The pool area was very large and the scenery was fantastic. Everywhere you looked were beautiful mountains.
This hotel was the only hotel that we stayed in that had boxed breakfast and I would imagine that they would be back to regular service by now. If you did not want to drive to the park, you could take the bus which you could get on right in front of the hotel.
In the spring of 2022, you must have a permit to hike Angel’s Landing. You can walk up to the Scout Lookout area of the trail but once you get there you need to show that you have a permit.
They did this because of people complaining that it was too crowded going up the trail. This is a pilot program so it may change over time.
They have seasonal and day before lotteries in getting a permit. You can click on the following link to learn more.
Zion is one of the more popular national parks. Pack your patience when you go there. There is going to be traffic. When getting on buses at the visitor center, there are going to be lines. There will be all kinds of people on the hikes you take.
Most people are great but tempers can escalate, for example, we pulled out one day from our parking spots and there were people that were ready to throw down over it.
There was a guy that was standing in our open spot and the car he was with was nowhere around. There was a car right there ready to pull into the spot.
The people were yelling at the guy standing in the space, while he ignored them and acted like he was looking at his phone. I would have loved to stick around but we got out of Dodge before any guns were pulled out.
I would recommend eating at Meme’s Cafe and Oscar’s Cafe. They were both very good but I enjoyed Meme’s Cafe more.
Day 16 – Travel Day
We got breakfast and loaded up the cars to drive to Phoenix to catch our flights. We were flying out late in the afternoon so we did not have to leave early in the morning.
It took us a little over 6 hours to drive from Springdale to the Phoenix airport. We fueled up the rental cars and dropped them off.
We got into the Columbus airport just after midnight and got home around 2:00 am. The trip was awesome but it was great to be home.
Overall Recommendations
If you are renting a car make sure to take pictures of the inside and the outside of the car. Make sure to take photos of the top of the car, also. Taking a video also is a good thing to do.
When you return the car, you will want to do the same thing. Plus, you will want to take a picture of the gas gauge and the odometer.
This can save you headaches if the rental car company comes back and says there was damage to the car because of your driving or there was not a full tank. You have physical evidence to help your case.
To help save some on the eating out budget, we stayed at hotels that had free breakfast. The only hotel that did not was the Kachina Lodge in the Grand Canyon.
You can also save on food costs by buying lunch meat and other things to eat from the room instead of going out all the time. Going out for lunch versus supper is usually cheaper, also.
Since this was a once in a lifetime trip for us, we did not worry about trying to save a ton on the other meals of the day.
If you are going during the busy season and want to do extra activities, you will want to make a reservation. Most places offer free cancellation so you don’t lose anything if you change your mind.
We were traveling in two cars so we got some walkie talkies to use. We knew that we would be in areas with spotty cell service. They were a good investment.
If you plan on doing some hiking, you will want to invest in a good pair of hiking shoes, a hat of some kind, we all had bucket hats, sunglasses and a water camel or water bottles.
I liked the pace of the trip that we took. We did not try to do too much but we still saw and did many things. I did not feel like I was exhausted when we got home.
We knew that we were going to go on this trip for a couple of years. So, we saved up our Speedway gas points over that time. We earned $200 worth of free gas.
Arizona has Speedways located throughout the state. So, we were strategic when and where we filled up so that we could use the gas cards. It ended up saving us $200.
We also used credit card points to book all of the hotel rooms, except the three nights in the Grand Canyon, and most of the flights. I will be writing a post on how we did that soon.
We were traveling with our adult children. I wanted their input on things that they wanted to do. If you have kids, I would recommend getting them involved in the planning process as much as you can.
The trip is something that we all still talk about and it is something that we won’t forget. I was glad that Tonya and I could do this for our kids, their husbands and for us. It was a true blessing.
