Hi, I just posted a trip report from our trip last week traveling with our 3-1/2-year-old. We did not find the over 100 degree weather that unbearable since we stayed in the parks and were able to get early starts and take breaks during the day. I do suggest you consider at least staying in Springdale if possible. This will save you a lot of time each day. We loved hiking down into the Hoodoos of Bryce and our son really enjoyed that adventure. I had been to Grand Canyon South Rim before and enjoyed the intimacy of the North Rim much more, but it depends on what your expectations. This change especially if you could budget in a stay at the memorable Grand Canyon Lodge would allow you to fit in a day at Bryce. Bryce from Springdale could be done but better to stay at Rubys just outside if you are not able to do Bryce Canyon Lodge?

Any chance you can get lodging at the north rim of GC on 7/30?
See Bryce in between Zion second day and north rim.
Don't go back to St. George for a second night.
There is no sense in driving to Williams to take the train to the South Rim. Just drive to Yavapai if you have a reservation secured there. You might enjoy doing something in the Page area (river rafting?).

1) Do not stay in St. George and drive back and forth to Zion. St. George will be intolerably hot and is an hour away, so that doesn't help with your plan to hike early. Try to get lodging in Springdale.

2) Bryce is about 2 hours from Springdale. 3 hours from St. George. It is not realistic to do it as a day trip, considering you don't really have that much time in Zion as it is. Most people spend a day/overnight at Bryce, and 2-3 days at Zion.

3) Grand Canyon Railway is generally regarded as a waste of money and/or tourist trap. It departs from Williams and goes to the Grand Canyon - since you'll already be at the Grand Canyon, there's really no point in riding the train to Williams. Scenery is nothing to get excited about.

4) Most people just spend one night at the Grand Canyon. Unless you are doing a lot of hiking, that is plenty. I would guess with 3 small kids you won't do any major hikes, and they will not be real impressed with the views after a few hours. I'd stick with just an overnight and use that extra day elsewhere.

Here is what I would suggest:
7/28: arrive in Vegas
7/29: Drive to Springdale, visit Zion
7/30: Zion
7/31: Morning in Zion, drive to Bryce, overnight there
8/1: Drive to Page, Arizona with a possible side trip to Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park. Near Page, visit Antelope Canyon, do a float trip down the Colorado River or splash around in Lake Powell.
8/2: Drive to the Grand Canyon, enter at the East Entrance, sightsee all day.
8/3: Grand Canyon in the morning, drive back to Vegas with a stop at Hoover dam in the afternoon, hit the hotel pool to cool off.
8/4: Fly back to HI

There is lodging available at the Grand Canyon on 8/2 (Maswik Lodge).

You can go tubing down the Virgin River just outside Zion in the afternoon to give yourselves a break from hiking and the heat.
http://www.zionadventures.com/gear-rentals/zion-tubing/

Your original itinerary had you driving from St. George to Grand Canyon - that drive is just as long as the drive from Bryce Canyon to the Grand Canyon. But with my itinerary, you eliminate the 2 roundtrips from St. George to Zion which saves you 4 hours of driving. So with my plan, you would drive less and see more. The only obstacle is finding lodging in Springdale and Bryce.

There is availability at Ruby's Inn (right outside Bryce) on 7/31. The catch is if you enter 2 adults and 3 children it says they are booked, but if you enter 2 adults and 2 children they have available rooms. I would think Ruby's would fit well with you since you have children and Ruby's has some touristy stuff that might appeal to them.

I didn't look to see if there's lodging in Springdale or Page but I would suspect there is.

Um, the OP has 3 small children. Can't imagine they can do river rafting with such little ones.

I hope that you'll follow the great advice everyone is giving you - don't stay in St George. You'll waste so much valuable time for no reason. Plenty of lodging options in Springdale - just need to do a little research.

WhereAreWe provided a great itinerary - don't skip Bryce! It is so incredibly beautiful and the hiking is amazing - it might end up being the kids favorite! If there is room at Ruby's, grab it! There are plenty of kid-friendly activities there too.

I can't say much about Page but the lake might be fun in July. If you haven't been to the Grand Canyon, you should definitely do the south rim. It is MUCH more crowded than north rim, but the views are significantly more dramatic. North Rim is lovely and way less people but views are limited.

I really hope that you'll decide to stay in Springdale - you will be so glad that you did. Have a great trip!

One other thing: I would make a reservation for Springdale but then try to get a room inside the park at the Zion Lodge.

http://www.zionlodge.com/

It is booked up right now but call every day, maybe even twice a day to try to get a room. It will be so much easier for you to stay inside the park - the only cars allowed in the main canyon are lodge guests, everyone else must park in Springdale, then either walk or take a shuttle to the visitor center in Zion, then take another shuttle into the main canyon. That will be a pain with 3 children and it will take extra time every morning to do all that shuttling around. Staying at the Zion Lodge would eliminate a lot of hassle and wasted time. Even if you can only get it for one of the 2 nights it would still be worth it.

Other than the rafting with little ones WhereAreWe has a good itinerary.

Bryce is much cooler than Zion due to an extra 4,000 feet of elevation. The whole family will enjoy Bryce.

Stay inpark where ever possible. Call, call, call for cancellations. This is prime cancellation time for your period.

Just to be clear, I was referencing the smooth water trips on the Colorado near Page, not a whitewater rafting trip. I figured it would be ok with kids but certainly not a necessity, just a suggestion.

Take a look at this recent trip report for some ideas as well.

http://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/bryce-canyon-n-rim-grand-canyon-zion-with-preschooler.cfm

Thank you, everyone!! I did read your trip report, Chris--many thanks. Encouraging about the heat. WhereAreWe--have completely revised our itinerary to mimic the one you suggested. I've tentatively booked a few places in Springdale (had chosen St. George as a timeshare option that touted proximity to Zion), and intend to continue calling Zion Lodge twice daily. I've booked Ruby's in Bryce, and a Courtyard in Lake Powell. Am thinking of doing the half-day afternoon rafting trip near Page as well--thanks, WhereAreWe! Most of the outfitters require a minimum age of 5, but Colorado River Discovery allows 4-year-olds. That will be great since we cut out the GC Railway (son is a train fan, but I think the rafting will more than make up for it!) It should also satisfy DH since he was hoping to hike a bit into the Canyon--not sure if would be doable with our tribe.
Can anyone recommend a couple of good maps--one that shows all these locations, and perhaps a detailed driving map?

On my wife's laptop so all thumbs - but google away and you can find plenty of maps - but there is pretty much one way to get to Bryce from Zion and then you double back a bit on that road to go to the South Rim. There is also a road to the North Rim but for your first trip - recommend the South Rim with more lodging, free buses that go along the canyon rim, etc.

To Page is about a 3? hour drive from the South Rim and the float trip is fun.

Your DH can go below the rim - and hike a little on the Bright Angel? trail if he wants - while you all hang back at the room, go to the IMAX, have ice cream floats, whatever.

Also - try www.mapquest.com for detailed driving instructions.

I agree. I use Google Maps and it's a very easy route.

In you situation with the kids I'm a bit conflicted about Rubys versus inpark lodging.

Rubys is right outside the entrance and is almost a resort though not the level of a resort.

Inpark puts you right on the Canyon rim between Sunset and Sunrise points but no pool.

Then again, Bryce doesn't usually have the heat of the lower elevations.

Great, sounds like the drives are pretty straightforward. Thank you, tomsd! So i've been double-booking everywhere in case something in park opens up...near Zion I've got Pioneer Lodge in Springdale, but via Park reservations system I've asked for 1st choice Zion Lodge (no luck so far) and 2nd choice Zion Mountain Park (which says it's 3 miles east of Zion Park?) I just received confirmation for the latter, but am wondering if anyone has any advice on this. Hold out for Zion Lodge? Pioneer Lodge or Zion Mt. Park?

fyi, I just spoke with reservations at Zion Lodge, and a tip for those looking for last minute reservations--people apparently have until 48 hours before arrival to cancel without penalty, so it's best to wait until close to the date of your arrival before calling daily (or twice daily) to see if there is availability...I think on their recommendation we will stick with Zion Mt. Resort...

You want to hold out for Zion Lodge. Zion Mtn Resort may be 3 miles from the eastern border of the park but it is not a convenient location. To get to Zion Valley you'll have to go back into the park among slow traffic as newbies ogle the landscape then wait at the one way tunnel entrance which can be a long wait if you have to wait for a convoy of RVs to come through. Then down the switchbacks to the valley floor. Staying in Springdale would be much quicker and you have multiple dining options. There's not much out toward Mt. Carmel Junction.

Keep calling the Zion Lodge....I'd be amazed if you don't snag a cancellation. It may be a nail-biter but hang in there.

I'm sharondi's husband btw.

Also, I'd be calling every day or twice a day now...don't wait...you ARE close to your date of arrival. You may not get cancellation until the last couple of days but it would be a shame if you missed one that came up earlier.

Here is my trip report on zion with children:
http://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/zion-with-kids-report.cfm

Best lodging for kids near Zion: Desert Pearl Inn or Cable Mountain Lodge (see trip report referenced above). Lots of room, pool, in Springdale so easy to get to restaurants etc.

Are you talking about Zion Mountain Ranch?

No matter, I agree with peterboy. Either the Lodge inside the park or Springdale, but not something east of the park.

We stayed at Cliffrose Lodge in Zion this past April and thought it was very nice. Beautiful pool and gorgeous view from our deck.

tracilee, thanks for the recommendation--I now have re-booked in Springdale at Cliffrose in case Zion Lodge doesn't pan out (stantonhyde--Desert pearl inn and cable mt. lodge were booked. I read your trip report before I even posted my question--was very useful, thanks!) will keep trying Zion Lodge...

I just checked Zion Mountain Lodge web site and interestingly they don't show a map of where they are. They're trying to be in the middle of all area parks. Not good.

I'd rather stay in Springdale than east of the park and drive back.

Call twice a day until you get your inpark reservation.

I think your kids will enjoy the pool and other amenities at Cliffrose more than they will being at Zion Lodge. Yes it's nice being in the park but no tv, no pool - for small children, it is nice to have those things. Springdale (and Cliffrose in particular) is right near the park entrance. It will take just a few short minutes to enter the park on the shuttle or by car. You'll also have a lot more food options in Springdale - the food at the in park lodge was ok but not great.

Any other nat'l park, I would recommend staying in the park but at Zion with young children, Springdale has a lot to offer and is so close, it barely makes a difference. Either way, you'll have a great trip.

Just a correction that there are tv's available at Zion Lodge. And to I had a different experience/opinion staying in park vs. Springdale per my recent trip report. Our young son liked splashing in the river and playing on the lawn. But again it's what your family likes. We liked the ease and being so close to all the attractions. Enjoy either way!

Saw a lot of kids by/around the Zion Park Resort/Lodge - te one in the park about halfway up the tram ride, and if they had a tv and could walk/swim in the river, would they miss not having a swimming pool? I know the big kids would probably much prefer staying in the park at the lodge/resort vis a vis commutuing from the burg of Springdale is it?

The hotel rooms/suites have tv's but the cabins do not.

"commuting in" is not hard--the bus is nice and you have to take the bus anywhere you want to go anyway. Add to that--the weather will be HOT in July/August--and I would want my kids in a cool pool. The river is fun to play by but not exactly where I want my young kids swimming. By the end of the day, mommy needs a cocktail and the kids need to cool off--for everybody's sanity

The morning we arrived in Vegas was 105 degrees. We got limo service to my parents’ condo, and as soon as we stepped in the door, were greeted with the sound of rushing water—a leaking pipe in the kitchen! We left for the strip after a short nap, and walked around and had lunch at The Venetian. Then we met up with some friends at the Mirage pool and swam and played for a bit before retiring early due to jet lag.
The 2nd day of our trip, we drove to Zion (a bearable 97 degrees). We totally lucked out with two nights at Zion Lodge—we were lucky enough to have scored one night a few days before our departure, and when we got there, they surprised us with another night! Thankfully, Cliffrose Lodge graciously accepted the cancellation of our reservation so that we could stay at Zion Lodge. It was really a blessing to stay there—it made things so convenient—like being able to go back to the Lodge to nap between hikes, and also participating in the nightly ranger talks. We spent the morning at the Temple of Sinawava, doing the riverside walk…continued up The Narrows—we did 4 crossings up to the kids’ waists! We’re thankful we got to do that—after the thunderstorm late that afternoon, it seems it was closed the next morning due to flash flood warnings. We had a quick lunch on the river of PB&honey sandwiches, then back to the Lodge for ice cream and naps (only then did we realize there was a one-hour time difference between Zion and Vegas!)
In the afternoon, we hiked to Weeping Rock, then got dinner from the café. We ate in our room while watching Olympics . At 9pm we went to the main lodge for the ranger talk evening program on nocturnal skies, and the kids found out about the Junior Ranger program.
The 3rd day of our trip was also spent at Zion. We joined a 9am Kayenta Trail ranger walk (we were the only ones, so it was like having a private tour guide to ourselves!) The kids loved it. We hiked to the Middle and Upper Emerald Pools on the Grotto Trail. There was construction on the trail so that the Upper Pool was not joined to the Lower Emerald Pool, but the kids and I did that hike after lunch (PB in our room) while Dad napped (!) There was a slight rain off and on, which made the hike nice and comfortable. After that short hike, we returned to the room so the kids could join Dad in a short nap. After everyone awoke, we did the Kolob Canyon drive during a thunderstorm. On the way back to Zion Lodge, we had dinner at Café Soleil in Springdale. Yummy! We highly recommend the pineapple coconut smoothie. I had a great soup and sandwich, DH had a gyro, and the kids had pizza. Reasonable, too.
Back at the Lodge, we attended a 9pm talk about birds (we saw many of them on the trip, including a plethora of ravens!)
Day 4: On to Bryce! We stopped at the Visitor Center to get the kids their Junior Ranger pins, and did the Canyon Overlook Trail on our way out of Zion (we had to double back to the trailhead—it’s a bit easy to miss—thankfully we didn’t have to go through the tunnel traffic again). We were rewarded on the hike with viewings of bighorn sheep (or “Horn heads!” as my four-year-old named them.)
We arrived in Bryce and checked in at Ruby’s Inn before heading to Bryce Canyon Visitor Center. We watched the 22-minute film and then hiked the Queen’s Garden/Navajo Loop Trail through the hoodoos—the kids powered through in 90 minutes! Very impressive. We then drove to Rainbow Point, stopping at Agua Canyon and Natural Bridge viewpoints. We had dinner at Fosters Family Steak House (there was a looong wait everywhere). The restaurant had good trout and pie.
On our 5th day, we woke for sunrise at Bryce Point (it was a bit cloudy, but still pretty.) We had breakfast at Bryce Canyon Lodge’s Valhalla Café (a rip-off) and then went to the Visitor Center to get the kids their Junior Ranger badges and a special pin for doing a 3+mile hike.
We drove to Page and arrived at the Colorado Discovery Raft Center at 12:30pm—one hour early due to the time change! Again, we did not realize the time change until dinner—we had arrived back at the Center after the rafting trip by 6pm, but I had told other riders that it was 6:50pm—oops! The rafting trip was wonderful. We saw bighorn sheep, blue herons, and wild stallions. The weather was cool and overcast. The kids loved it when our guide sped up and went fast, driving over our own wake. Maybe in a few years we’ll take them back for white water rafting. We had dinner at Fiesta Mexicana—we made a reservation for 8pm, but showed up at 7pm—oops! The food was delicious and plentiful, but there was an hour wait for food and a half hour wait for the check, unfortunately.
On day 6, we missed sunrise (had hoped to go to Horseshoe Bend for this), but it was at 5:30am, not 6:30am—oops!! DH rushed and drove there, but did not know there was a half-mile hike to the overlook. Oh well, so much for sunrise. We did Lower Antelope Canyon which was amazing. Got some great pics there. Then back to Horseshoe Bend to do the actual “hike” and see the actual rewarding view!
Then on to Grand Canyon! We arrived at Watchtower first and did the Desert View Drive, though we didn’t stop at any of the views—just headed to the Visitor Center and walked a bit of the Rim Trail. After we checked in at Malwik Lodge, we hiked Bright Angel Trail to the first rest house. We had hoped to get to Hopi Point for the 7:30pm sunset, but logistics were a bit strained. We scarfed a quick dinner at the Malwik Cafeteria, and tried to hop on a 7:15pm shuttle to Hopi Point, but it left literally 5 seconds before we arrived at the stop. There was a sign posted that said the last shuttle left the opposite end at 7:15pm, which really confused me. I thought if we got on a shuttle out to Hopi, we’d have to end up walking back (2+ miles in the dark), but apparently the shuttle takes 40 minutes to come back, so it would have picked us up at Hopi Point around 7:40 or so…anyway, the whole thing was really confusing and left us a bit disappointed.
I ended up waking up early the next morning to catch the 5:30am sunrise on Day 7 instead. That was also not very well thought out, since it was pitch dark when I arose, and had to try to find my way to the shuttle stop in the dark. After running around for about 10 minutes, I thankfully ran into some hikers who pointed me in the right direction. Sunrise was beautiful and peaceful (well, except for the tour bus) and it was great to start the day that way. By the time I got back to Malwik Lodge and woke DH and kids, we had missed the S. Kaibab trailhead ranger talk / hike to Cedar Ridge. We ended up doing the Bright Angel Trail again, this time all the way to the 1.5 mile rest point. The hike uphill was pretty tough and very hot, but the kids did great again, and we were lucky enough to see a few condors! Got back in time for lunch at El Tovar and to watch some of the Native Indian dance performance.

Then it was back on the road to Vegas, the longest drive of our road trip (and yet, the only one during which the kids did not nap!) We went to a late dinner at Komex (DS finally fell asleep during the drive there, and slept all through dinner), then went to hit the town (DDs fell asleep while we drove to the strip and tried to find parking). By the time we parked the car, all 3 kids were asleep. Against all parenting rules, we woke them all up (it was now about 10pm) to see the water fountain shows at Bellagio and the volcano at the Mirage. It was midnight and disgustingly hot (110 degrees!)when we decided we needed ice cream, but ice cream eluded us—the kiosks had shut down, and even McDonald’s turns off their ice cream machine at midnight! I thought Vegas was The City that Never Sleeps?!
The next morning, we took a quick dip in the condo pool before heading to the airport and back home. What a wonderful trip—lots of nature and adventure, beautiful sights, outdoor exercise, and family bonding time!

I've very much enjoyed your trip details, kf. What a treat for your whole family! You might wish to re-post this as a trip report; otherwise many who would otherwise enjoy reading this won't see it.

You should really take out your trip report and create a new thread flagged as a report.