WhereAreWe,

This is our current plan/schedule.

Las Vegas 20, 21 Apr

Las Vegas to Grand Canyon 22, 23 Apr 270 miles

Grand Canyon to Sedona 24, 25 Apr 108 miles

Sedona to Tucson 26, 27, 28, 29 Apr 232 miles

Tucson to Flagstaff 30 Apr 262 miles

Flagstaff to Monument Valley 1, 2 May 171 miles

Monument Valley to
Canyon de Chelly 3, 4 May 93 miles

Canyon de Chelly to Albuquerque 5, 6 May 232 miles

Albuquerque to Santa Fe 7, 8, 9, 10 May 63 miles

Santa Fe to Durango 11, 12, 13, 14 May 212 mi

Durango to Mesa Verde 15 May 36 miles

Mesa Verde to Moab 16, 17, 18 May 124 miles

Moab to Torrey 19, 20, May 156 miles

Torrey to Bryce Canyon 21, 22, 23 May 107 miles

Bryce Canyon to Page 24, 25 May 151 miles

Page to North Rim GC 26, 27 May 149 miles

North Rim GC to Zion NP 28, 29 May 111 miles

Zion NP to Las Vegas 30, 31 May 153 miles

This is the current plan. However changes will likely occur depending upon the availability of accommodation, etc.
The second location mentioned is where we plan to stay eg "Page to Bryce Canyon" means we are staying in or near Bryce Canyon on the 28 and 29 May.
I've included the driving distances because that impacts on time available.

hetismij2
Thanks for your input. Yours is quite an alternative route and the ‘area not much visited by tourists but is quite beautiful, in a desolate sort of way” has great appeal. However it is the iconic attractions like Monument Valley, Route 66, Zion, Bryce, Mesa Verde, etc which drew us to the south west. We sense that many people on this thread return regularly to this area, or even reside in the area. For us, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity – we probably will not return. There are certain things we need to tick off; probably things which you nearly take for granted. We have listened to your advice – 2 nights in Tucson; treat the heat with respect. As a kid I was a fountain of knowledge on Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp and the gunfight at OK Corral. The narratives came via factual comics. Interestingly, I only knew Big Nose Kate by the name of Mary Cummings. Obviously political correctness has a long history. Again, thanks for your input.

Your opinion of the Pima museum is much appreciated. Such things are very subjective. However when a decision needs to be made in regard to what to do (or not do), this type of information is vital. Thanks.

Cd
The next few days will be given over to working out our accommodation. Lynn takes responsibility for the accommodation and , to be honest, she has never got it wrong. In the past we have relied on Airbnb which has never let us down. When we are away for long periods, self-contained apartments afford us the pleasure of preparing our own breakfasts, occasionally cooking a home cooked meal, washing and ironing, and they tend to be more spacious and homely. In the past we have tended to stay in large cities usually in one place for at least 5 days. This trip is different and we may find that airbnb will not provide the answers. If this is the case, then hotels, motels and lodges will hopefully provide the alternatives. We’ve already learnt that booking online has it hazards. An online “No vacancy” sign does not mean there is no vacancies; it just means you need to contact them directly. All part of the learning process.

Thanks for the phone number. I very much liked your recommendations. However, I will let Lynn follow through on this. “A happy wife is a happy life”. Hotels, motels and lodges will be part of our American experience. Not experiencing them is like bypassing Monument Valley.

Peterboy
Thank you for sharing the links and your vacations. Last night I got immersed in your slideshows. You have provided us with a tremendous amount of information. It will take us days to sift through it. Attractions like the Sand Island Petroglyphs could easily be overlooked. A petroglyph is a bucket list item. Thanks and looking forward to delving further into your material.
Your advice on the Grand Canyon and Mesa Verde and the in park lodging has been noted. Thanks.

WhereAreWe
Does the level of water affect the boat trips to Antelope Canyon and Rainbow Bridge in any way?
I just did a quick Google on Antelope Canyon and Rainbow Bridge. Obviously two are separated geographically and would require separate trips.
There seems to be 2 Antelope Canyon type tours, an upper Antelope Canyon and a lower Antelope Canyon – and you can get there either by vehicle or boat. Lots of options.
Any suggestions or advice about how to approach it? I’m not sure if 2 nights in Page will be sufficient.
Obviously great minds think alike. About once a week we have set aside a lay day to achieve some sense of flexibility. In Sante Fe and Tucson we’re hoping for apartment style accommodation through airbnb.

Jayne:
My wife and I are/were elementary school teachers. Last year when the kids found out I was going overseas, one girl (who a teacher couldn’t help but like), piped up and asked quite seriously if I was crossing off things on my bucket list. I asked her to explain what she understood a bucket list to be. “Mr C, it’s things you do just before you die!” She wasn’t a student renowned for making errors, but heck, I hope she got this one wrong.

As for customizing the trip to meet our interests, I don’t think we need to. Everything, and I mean everything, will be interesting, a discovery, an adventure. To stand on a street corner in a foreign country and watch people pass, is exciting. I’m really looking forward to it.

Lynn and I choose to do longer holidays because of Australia’s geographical isolation. Once we’re in the US we might as well make the best of it because we’re not going to be flipping back and forth between the two countries. We envy the close proximity the European countries enjoy.

Thanks everyone. I’ll respond to the other posts when I have some more time.

WhereAreWe / peterboy
From your comments it seems we have chosen a reasonable time to visit.

Lateagain
The Missile museum sounds interesting/different. Have made a note of it.

Hetismij 2
I was surprised the heavy snow fall in May. It ‘s not what we would have expected. Good to know.
If it’s Silver City east of Tucson, it’s beyond our driving limits. Thanks anyway.

Today we started looking at the accommodation. We booked a Bright Angel cabin at the Grand Cabin and are compiling a list of possibilities in other places.

Just one more urge that you book Far View in Mesa Verde--and as soon as possible.

That's funny about the bucket list!

You are really smart to give yourself lots of time to "do" an area. I hear you about savoring even the smallest experiences. Sometimes I see the U.S. states as similar to countries in Europe-- with their own customs, accents and quirks. You will have many opportunities to get off the Interstates, too, which will give you a better experience with the local flavor in various towns and cities.

For Antelope Canyon, you can just drive into the parking lot; there will be guides there to take you in. It's on the reservation, so you aren't allowed to go in by yourself. We've only done Upper Antelope Canyon, but it was pretty spectacular.

Lee Ann

It's the 'customs, accents and quirks' especially the quirks that enrich the experience.
If the Antelope Canyon is half as good as the Google Images, it must be truly spectacular.

If you have not already done so, book the View Lodge at Monument Valley asap!! We tried every day for 6 months to get reservations there but were unsuccessful.Had to opt for Goodings instead. They were Okay, but I would much much prefer the View!! It is purely amazing!

Thanks chinana. Booked the View Hotel today and got what we wanted. Hoping for good weather (no rain) during our stay. We assume that it is mostly dry all year round, but read an review by someone who visited during a weather period. Low cloud and poor visibility. My heart went out to them.

So glad to hear that! Rainy weather is indeed rare and brief in that area, so here's hoping you won't have any! Your trip sounds wonderful and so well thought out. Have a great time.

I will comment on this part of your plans:
Albuquerque 2 nights; Santa Fe 4 nights;

Frankly, while Santa Fe is a real gem, you can see all of its important attractions in a single afternoon of strolling. A day in Santa Fe will be all you need. Why not use the other three days to explore the "High Road" to Taos, stay in Taos overnight and explore the "Low Road" back to Santa Fe the following day. The High Road is a mountain road that takes you past some of New Mexico's most historic small towns like Chimayo (a must see) Taos - http://abqstyle.com/taos-new-mexico/ has a beautiful and very walkable downtown along with the historic Taos Pueblo. The Low Road from Taos to Santa Fe follows the Rio Grande and takes you past charming vineyards and farms lots of great local cafes, and alot of history. You will come away with a much greater appreciation for the people and culture and history of New Mexico.