Best route from Monument Valley to Albuquerque

Hi, we will be staying at Goulding%26#39;s near Monument Valley in May. When we leave there, we%26#39;ll be driving back to Albuquerque. What is the best route to take?

Thanks.

Best route from Monument Valley to Albuquerque

Hi,

Thank you for traveling to our beautiful part of the country, we appreciate your visiting.

There%26#39;s many route you can take from Monument Valley to Albuquerque. Some are more scenic than others.

If you want to travel mostly on freeways, then you will want to take hwy #163 south to Kayenta, AZ then Hwy #160 east to Hwy 59 - South on Hwy #59 to Hwy #191 at Many Farms, then South on Hwy #191 to Interstate 40, then West on I-40 to Albuquerque.

If you want a more scenic route from Monument Valley, take Hwy #163 north to Hwy #191 - just outside of Bluff, UT. South on Hwy #191 to Hwy #160 at Mexican Water, then East on Hwy #160 to Teec Nos Pos, then Hwy #64 from Teec Nos Pos East to just east of Farmington, NM and turn South on Hwy #550 which will take you through some beautiful parts of rural New Mexico to Bernalillo, NM. Here you will pickup Interstate #15 and take it south to Albuquerque.

The first route is 390 miles and the second route is 335 miles. The choice is yours, however, I would take the scenic route even though it is all two lane roads. Enjoy your trip.

Best route from Monument Valley to Albuquerque

If you take the first route mentioned, you can see Canyon de Chelly Nat Mon, Hubbell Trading Post in Ganado, Gallup NM, Zuni Pueblo, El Morro National Monument, El Malpais Nat Mon, Acoma Pueblo on your way. All interesting stops.

The 2nd route will not have as many national monuments and places to stop but include a view of Shiprock, Farmington (nice museum and shops), Aztec Ruin Nat Mon, Chaco Canyon Nat Historic Park, Coronado State Park in Bernalillo.

Enjoy your trip.

San Diego to Washington DC

Hi-

We are starting off in San diego .. we have approx. 5-7 days .. we would like to see the Grand Canyon, Denver, and chicago .. but we have no idea how long this reallly gonna take.. any suggestions on time and days ..... thanks .

San Diego to Washington DC

SD to DC in 5-7 days? Way too ambitious, unless you just plan on driving straight thru (virtually) and skimming a few attractions. You need to tell us exactly the main attractions you want to see and then pick a few, so you can spend at least several hours at each. Chicago would be out of your way. Forget that.

I think you need to pick a drive route and then let us know which way you are going, then we%26#39;d be able to help you a lot more, along with the type of things you are interested in and who is going (2 adults, any kids, etc.).

San Diego to Washington DC

..we are thinking ..

1. San Diego to Denver via 15 then the 70

*(we really wanted to see the grand canyon but realized that is gonna take a lot of time away from really wanting to get to Colorado, so we have decided to X it)

sooo if anyone knows of aprox. how much time it will take that would help. oh and anything along the way.

2. Denver/Boulder ...what to see..suggestions MOUNTAINS !!!

3. Denver to DC .. the best way ...?? 76 to the 80 does anyone have any idea how long this drive is ...

OR ..... just stay on the 70 .. i have no idea what there is to see this way .. It is 2 of us with 2 cats any suggestions on pits stops.. hotels.. that accept animals..especially along the dever to dc way ..

Welcome to the TA forums, roadtriperyeah! You have found a wonderful resource for your upcoming adventure.

Previous poster is so correct! Very ambitious - you will be doing a lot of driving. Two years ago my son and I drove from Pinetop, AZ to DC (then trains to NYC and Boston) and spent 3 1/2 weeks. We did a moe southern route -

Day 1 - 11 hours of driving, overnight in Elk City, Ok

Day 2 - 10 hours, 2 nights in Memphis, Graceland, barbeque, Peabody Hotel, downtown, etc.

Day 3 - 7 hours, overnight in Gatlingburg, TN

Day 4 - Blue Ridge Parkway (gorgeous!), overnight in Meadows of Dan, VA

Day 5 - arrive DC for 4 nights

You need to become very proficient in Google Maps. You can plot different routes, change them around, get distance and time estimations, etc.

Hope this gives you a bit of insight. Good luck on your planning. Once you do figure out your route be sure to post in different forums for some good advice.

In Colorado I would consider stopping in the mountains west of Denver and not spend too much time in the actual city. It is nice, but if your main objective is to see the mountains, then stay in the mountains!

Day 1 Drive San Diego to Grand Junction Colorado (12+hours)

Day 2 Drive Grand Junction to Summit County CO - 3hrs. (Silverthorne, Frisco, Breckenridge). Stay there for the night and enjoy the mountains.

Day 3 Drive down to Denver (1.5 hrs). See the Lodo area and then head east. I76 to I80 or I70 go through the plains states...not that much to see. If you have not seen the St Louis Arch, I would drive I70 to there. Stay in Burlington CO for the night and see the historic carousel or stay in Goodland KS. Both have pet friendly lodging.

Day 4 To St Louis MO. 10 hours.

Day 5 Visit in morning then off to Chicago. 5+ hours. Now you are headed into territory I know nothing about...

Day 6 Chicago in morning then head toward Washington DC. Maybe around Cleveland (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame) or Canton OH (home of Football Hall of Fame)

Day 7 Drive on to Washington DC...maybe 7 hours +

Flying into Phoenix & any recent info on Arroyo Roble

Just wondering if most people fly into Phoenix and then drive to Sedona?

I%26#39;m from MN and it%26#39;s a lot cheaper to fly to Phoenix. I%26#39;m just wondering with the drive time if it makes sense though. Maybe Flagstaff is a better choice.

Also, we have an RCI bonus week to use so am looking at staying @ the Arroyo Roble. What I%26#39;ve read is it%26#39;s a great location, but older. I%26#39;m okay with that, as long as it%26#39;s clean, etc. Any other opinions and/or options?

Thanks

Flying into Phoenix %26amp; any recent info on Arroyo Roble

PHX is the closest major airport to Sedona, about 2 hours by car. Flagstaff is closer by an hour, but almost all flights to Flag go through PHX and most require transfering aircraft, so the wait time usually negates any time advantage that you can save on the drive.

AR is one of the most popular TS resorts in Sedona. You can walk to the tourist shops and activities in Uptown. You%26#39;ll use your car for most sight seeing around Sedona though. And most people don%26#39;t spend much time in their rooms or hotels in Sedona. If you do that, you%26#39;re missing out on the best of what Sedona has to offer.

Flying into Phoenix %26amp; any recent info on Arroyo Roble

Thanks Redrox. We%26#39;ll look forward to visiting the area soon. Now I just need a list of the Best Eats!

We%26#39;ll be staying at the Aroya Roble timeshare for a week in June. I think you%26#39;ll be happy with the resort, as even though it%26#39;s older it%26#39;s very well maintained (very clean too). They keep this place in very good shape. This will be my fifth time staying there. It%26#39;s one of the highest rated timeshare resorts in the area on TUG2.net, the timeshare users group that I belong to. I%26#39;ve heard that they%26#39;ve recently done a few upgrades also: Granite counter tops, flat screen TVs I believe. You%26#39;ll love the location: Beautiful expansive grounds (a nice quiet Oasis) walking distance to uptown resturants and shops. We always fly into Phoenix because of good airfares there, and it is a good two hour drive to Sedona. Many of our relatives who have more vacation time than we do will fly into Vegas because fares are even cheaper to there than Phoenix. It%26#39;s a longer drive, though, so I%26#39;d recommend Phoenix unless you have extra time and want to spend a night or two in Vegas on both ends of your trip. Phoenix and Vegas are the main airports people visiting Sedona usually fly into.

so thin skinned

car rentals sky harbor, is enterprise ok? much cheaper?!

Hi noticed some posts on here about car rental at sky harbor being high........have looked at all of the websites, priceline, hotwire, etc. renting a full size car through enterprise is $350 for a week (including all taxes).........through avis, national, hertz is more like $550 or $600. seems weird. i%26#39;ve never rented through enterprise, is there a problem with them at sky harbor, or maybe they just have more cars for rent?

car rentals sky harbor, is enterprise ok? much cheaper?!

Isn%26#39;t it strange how prices vary at different times with different companies?!m I think you%26#39;re right. It%26#39;s a supply and demand thing.

I%26#39;ve used Enterprise countless times and wouldn%26#39;t hesitate to use them again.

car rentals sky harbor, is enterprise ok? much cheaper?!

Renting cars and buying airplane tickets has all become a crap shoot. Prices can vary from day to day and depend on what type of car or where you%26#39;re flying to and from. It%26#39;s not just the airline or the car company. You need to do your own research and calculate all factors. No one%26#39;s trip plan is the same as anyone else%26#39;s so unfortunately you can%26#39;t rely on what others have done.

I just got back last week from there, I found the same thing. Enterprise was $180 cheaper then the rest, so I went with them. I had no problems with them at all, they were really helpful with any questions I had.

Grand Canyon Railway Hotel/train

Is this a good way to see the Grand Canyon?

Grand Canyon Railway Hotel/train

Hi,

Thank you for traveling, we appreciate your visiting our beautiful part of the U.S.

The Grand Canyon Railway Hotel and Train are wonderful for travelers that are train buffs. The hotel is very nice and well appointed. The train and the entertainment before the train departs from Williams, AZ is great.

The equipment - cars and engines - are authentic and of real interest to train buffs. The 68 mile route the train travels today, is the original spur route the Santa Fe Railroad operated from its main line - Chicago to L. A. - from Williams to the Grand Canyon from 1901 until 1968.

I have traveled on the Grand Canyon Train many times and it is fun for me as I am interested in the history of train travel. However, I have also heard from others that it is boring as they thought the train was going to ';travel along the rim of the Canyon,'; or ';travel into the Canyon.'; This is not the case. The route it travels is from Williams, AZ to the Grand Canyon across high plains with views of the mountains, high desert vegetation, and antelope. So to make a long story even longer, if you are a train buff - - then the Grand Canyon train is for you! Enjoy your trip!

Grand Canyon Railway Hotel/train

Tourguy did a good job of describing the good points about the GC RR. However, to answer your question, IMO, it%26#39;s a terrible way to see the Grand Canyon.

First and foremost, you do not see the Grand Canyon from the train at all. Nada.

The train travels from Williams AZ to the GCNP, parralleling the highway AZ64 that takes travelers to the park by car. The train ride takes almost twice as much time as it does to drive on your own. Furthermore, when you arrive at the park on the train your can only see as much of the park as you can walk to or access via the park shuttle system in the limited amount of time according to your schedule for the return trip by train. The GC RR does offer an overnight option, but as I said, you are still limited without your own car at the park.

If you%26#39;re a train fan, then it%26#39;s a ride on an historic train. But if your plan is to see the Grand Canyon, drive yourself and see the park in your own car. You%26#39;ll save hundreds of dollars too.

I have to disagree with Redrox on this one. Especially his wording. Its not a ';terrible'; way to see the canyon. Correct that you don%26#39;t see any of the canyon from the train. What he lacks in telling you is that if you do use the train its best to go up one day and stay the night at the GC then go back the next day. if you do use the train as just a day trip you only get 3 hrs at the rim. Its basically an authentic train trip. If you enjoy trains do it the right way and say the night. AAA offers discounts if you are a member. If you do the train make sure to upgrade out of coach. We are here to educate and offer different opinions for ta members. Not to tell you what to do. Ultimately the choice is yours. If you have short time and cash drive yourself. Otherwise staying 1+ nights is always the best.

www.thetrain.com

1-800-the-train

recipes cream

Double Tree hotel, Paradise Valley, Scottsdale

We have tentatively booked a room in early April here with our 16yo daughter. We must be close to ASU b/c our 2 sons go there. We have stayed in many diff. resorts in the area, but now going for economical. Any info on this hotel???? We have stayed at Arizona Grand, but I don%26#39;t think that water park will be available all week plus they tack on resort fees daily (although close to ASU). Any news on this hotel also??????

Double Tree hotel, Paradise Valley, Scottsdale

It has been many years since I have stayed at the Doubletree. The last time I did it was lovely, room comfortable, pools nice, restaurant good. You already know it%26#39;s a good location and I can%26#39;t think of anywhere else that would give you more for less.

Why is the water park not available at The Grand? It%26#39;s forecase to be 90 here tomorrow so I can%26#39;t imagine why it won%26#39;t be open for guests.

Double Tree hotel, Paradise Valley, Scottsdale

I have stayed there several times. never had any issues. I really like the pool area. The water park should be open unless under construction. I would call the hotel itself to verify. I think there is a fee to use the water park if you don%26#39;t stay at the hotel but I don%26#39;t ever remeber paying a fee to use it while staying there. But this was a couple of years ago as well.

LV-Sedona-Gr.Canyon-Monument Val.?

We are flying into LV, spending 2 days there, then starting a 5 day road trip in AZ.ending in LV Is it too ambitious to try to do Sedona, Gr. Canyon, and MT. Valley? What route would you recommend?

LV-Sedona-Gr.Canyon-Monument Val.?

You could easily do your road trip in 5 days. Realistically it will give you one day at each attraction. People here can tell you routes, but you can also do this for yourself using Yahoo or Google maps. Doing it yourself also familiarizes you with the area. For Monument Valley, use Kayenta AZ as the destination.

LV-Sedona-Gr.Canyon-Monument Val.?

Day 1 drive to GCNP. (5 hour drive) Stay the night.

Day 2 explore GCNP leave late in the day for Monument Valley. (3 hour drive) try to arrive for sunset. Stay at MV

Day 3 MV tour, drive to Sedona

Day 4 Explore Sedona

Day 5 return to LV (5-6 hours)

Thanks so much for the response and reassurance! I%26#39;m curious: Why did you recommend this particular routing? Not knowing hte area, I assumed LV to Mt. Valley to GC to Sedona to LV was the obvious route.PLEASE advise.

That%26#39;s an option. It will take about 8 hours to get from LV to MV whether you go around the Grand Canyon to the north or the south, but you do have to go around it. I prefer to use the fastest roads to get to the destinations quickly.

Taking the southern route to the GCNP South Rim uses I-40. You can average 70-80 miles per hour all the way. Spend an afternoon, overnight and most of the next day at the GCNP and then proceed up to MV either via Page or across the reservation through Tuba City. Overnight at MV, ideally at Gouldings or Views inn if you can get a room, otherwise stay in Kayenta about 45 minutes away. Tour MV the next morning and then head down to Sedona using the Page or Tuba City route to Flagstaff and then down through Oak Creek Canyon on 89A. Enjoy Sedona as long as you can and then return to LV via Oak Creek Canyon and I-40 again.