1st trip to AZ...any advice appreciated

Planning a trip to Arizona for later this year, either Labor Day week or mid-October. Probably arrive in Vegas on a Friday and flying out from somewhere(?) on the following Friday. I was definitely wanting to visit the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley. Sedona and the Apache Trail outside of Phoenix also sounds good. I was wondering if someone could tell me if this is too much to do, or if someone could suggest a reasonable itinerary? I am really wanting to see the nature/historical side of Arizona.

1st trip to AZ...any advice appreciated

Hi and welcome to the forum

I would fly Las Vegas and leave from Phoenix. Hire a car and enjoy.

Maybe this helps:

Day 1 Arrive Las Vegas, Stay Vegas. At least one night!

Day 2: Drive from Las Vegas to Hoover Dam for a visit, drive to Kingman and take old R66 to Williams.

To GCNP south rim. Make your reservations asa possible. www.grandcanyonlodges.com

Day 3: All day GCNP

Day 4: Leave GCNP by its east enstrance. Make stops along east rim. Stop at Cameron Trading post for food and shopping. Drive us89 south and visit Wupatki NM and Sunset Crater Volcano NM. Flagstaff and to Sedona

Day 5: All day Sedona

Day 6: Drive from Sedona to Camp Verde, take az260 to Payson, visiting Tonto Natural Bridge SP on your way. South of Payson take az188 to Lake Roosevelt. Short visit to the new visitor center and take the unpaved part of Apachetrail (az88) to Tortilla Falt for a stop. Then drive to Phoenix. Maybe also see Goldfield Ghosttown at Apache Junction on your way. This will be a long day so start early.

Day 7: Phoenix and back home.

Monument Valley will take an extra and will be a detour. GCNP to Monument Valley is a 3-3.5 hours

drive. Mid october instead Labor Day weekend would be my choice.

Tet

1st trip to AZ...any advice appreciated

Thanks for the advice Tet.

....

Day 4 - Leave GCNP by east entrance, and head to Kayenta

Day 5 - See Monument Valley, then drive to Sedona

Day 6 - Sedona, possible side trip back to Flagstaff to see Wupatki via north entrance but skip Sunset Crater as too much slow driving in park

Day 7 - Pheonix and back home

If Las Vegas is really not of that much interest, fly into Phoenix and go directly to GCNP - 4 hours. Adjust schedule to fit in more, then fly out of Phoenix.

Hey thanks Bobbear. Vegas really isn%26#39;t a big deal for me. That was more of my sister%26#39;s plan. I%26#39;ve been looking at the Phoenix thing since seeing your post and am really liking the idea. Maybe I can get her to change her mind. Thanks again.

It%26#39;ll be much cheaper flying into and out of the same place because the car rental companies charge pretty hefty fees for one-way rentals. Phoenix is a much better place to start and end with if you have no interest in Vegas.

You should lean toward mid-October. The weather%26#39;s much better in Phoenix and the crowds have dropped off somewhat at the Grand Canyon but it still hasn%26#39;t gotten excessively cold.

hth

Also wanted to mention the whole ';history'; thing. There are a few different histories in the state, two of the more represented are the Native American legacy and the cowboy/mining history of the mainly 19th century. If you really do want history, take a trip to the Heard Museum north of Downtown while in Phoenix. They have the largest Kachina doll collection in the country (maybe the world?) and a fabulous exhibit on the various cultures which exist or once existed in the state. The Mesa Southwest Museum east of the city in Downtown Mesa is also great, but more for the cowboy/mining history. Goldfield, at the western end of the Apache Trail, is a little cheesy and really for kids, but is somewhat explanatory of that side of the state%26#39;s history as well.

BTW, I grew up in Johnson City (well, five years). Not by Gray though, a little south of ETSU. Staunchly different here, but I guess that%26#39;s what you%26#39;re expecting.

....plenty of water, sunscreen, shades and make sure you keep your gastank filled.

THere are lots of open areas from one locale to the next. Having lots of gas could save you time particularly with stops in and throughout Phoenix valley.

How much time do we need to allow for the Heard Museum?

Hey colinaz thanks for the advice. I have a Gray address but actually live in Boones Creek. I work in Johnson City about a mile from ETSU. Small world sometimes.

I%26#39;ll hopefully get up to Johnson City again sometime really soon. I miss that area.

%26gt; How much time do we need to allow for the Heard Museum?

Last time I was there with someone, we spent over 2 hours there and still had to skip some stuff. If you don%26#39;t watch all of the movies and still see everything you could probably do it in a little under 3.

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