Need help with Itinerary - Will be in AZ for 6 nights

Thanks in advance. I need help with developing an itinerary, here are the details.

*Two couples in mid-30%26#39;s

*Home base will be Scottsdale, I rented a condo Sat - Friday. We will have a car.

*Expect most of what we do will be around outdoor activities. We will not be shopping. May visit one nice resort just to check it out.

*Expect to stay overnight somewhere north of Scottsdale for a couple nights so we don%26#39;t have to drive so much.

*Enjoy visiting hot springs after a long day hike

*Not much into expensive meals, but do like to try local eats

*Enjoy new adventures

*Never been to AZ, so we want to see it all within reason.

Here are some of the things that seem interesting, but don%26#39;t know how to schedule each day so we are not running to get places.

Sunday: Arrive to Phoenix in AM

Camelback - Hiking

Monday: Drive up to Grand Canyon for the night

Spend time on the East side of GC Canyon. Mainly drive/explore Desert View Drive: Yaki Pt., Yucatan ruins, Lipan Pt, Watch Tower, Cameron Trade Post, etc.

Tuesday:

Venture down to Red Rocks. Stay night in the area and go to Wutpaki National Monument %26amp; Sunset crater.

Wednesday: Back to Scottsdale.

Desert Botanical Garden

Heard Museum

?

Thursday:

Walnut Canyon

Oak Canyon Drive

Stop to hike West Fork Hike

Head to Montezuma Castle (closes at 5pm).

OR

Take a ride on the Verde Canyon Railroad (a scenic, four-hour trip through an otherwise inaccessible canyon)

Friday: Fly home

Thanks,

Craig

Need help with Itinerary - Will be in AZ for 6 nights

Hi Craig and welcome to the forum

I don%26#39;t get it. You rented a condo for 6 nights and you%26#39;re on the road for couple of days.

Driving from Cameron Trading Post to Sedona (RedRocks) you%26#39;re passing through Wupatki NM, Sunset Crater Volcano NM and Walnut Canyon NM is just a few miles east of Flagstaff. Plus, places like Montezuma Castle and Well, and Verde Canyon RR are better visited from Sedona. It will be a lot of extra driving if you do this from Scottsdale.

From Scottsdale you can make a wonderful loop to Goldfield Ghosttown, Apache Trail (partly inpaved), Lake Roosevelt, Globe, Superior and back to Phoenix.

Driving Phoenix-Williams-GCNP app. is 4-4.5 hours and you can visit GC Village and enjoy the sights. Then next day drive east rim to Cameron and to Sedona.

Tet

Need help with Itinerary - Will be in AZ for 6 nights

Thanks for the info. The condo in Scottsdale only cost me $150 for the week.

Rather than repeat the trip up north, you may want to think of doing 2 nights in Flagstaff. I like Flag, it is a big enough town that it has plenty to do (many places to eat), but not huge so not overpowering. On your Monday, get an early start (like being on the road by 7 or 8am at latest), head up to the East Entrance of the Grand Canyon (stop along the way to pick up sandwiches), do a picnic lunch near the East entrance (there are tables). Then just take your time driving/stopping to the main village area (near the El Tovar). Maybe stop and have a hot chocolate/snack in that area, then head back to Flagstaff (via the main/South exit). There are many good restaurants in Flagstaff, Beaver St Brewery is a good favorite of mine for pretty cheap pub grub. If it is open, the planetarium is well worth a visit at night. If you%26#39;re just doing 1 night in Flag, you can then head down the 89A through Oak Creek Canyon to Sedona, and explore that area. Or if you are doing 2 nights, take an extra day to go back to the Grand Canyon and explore further west than you did the day prior.

Montezuma Castle is just north of Camp Verde, you can hit that on your way to the Grand Canyon, or while visiting the Sedona area.

If you have an extra day, head out to do the Apache Trail. Take the 101 South from Scottsdale to US 60, go East to Apache Junction. Take the Idaho Rd exit, go North, and follow the signs. You can go as far as Tortilla Flat on paved roads, much further if you go on dirt.

The Desert Botanical Garden is great....but going after you%26#39;ve been in the area a few days you%26#39;d have seen most of the plant life already. You may want to do that on your first day, along with Camelback Mountain (they aren%26#39;t far from each other).

Hope you have a good trip, and let us know if we can help with anything else.

Yes, please let us know. BTW that%26#39;s a great price for the condo. Must be in the heat of summer. You%26#39;ll pay $ 150,-- per night in Sedona and GCNP. And staying in Flagstaff is good idea as well. And don%26#39;t forget to visit Old Town Scottsdale. The free trolley is a/c.

In november last year we were the only ones in it and the 70+ years old driver told us all about Old Town and Scottsdale. Nice guy.

Tet