After months of planning a trip to Arizona next April, I have finally set an itinerary for the trip. I will spend three nights in Phoenix, two in Sedona, one apiece at the Grand Canyon(south rim), Bryce Canyon and Zion and the last two nights in Las Vegas. I know it probably sounds pretty busy, but I am not sure if or when I will ever get back to this area, and would like to see as much as possible. My question is, considering the area I will be covering and the time of year(I will be arriving in Phoenix April 21st), what I will be able to expect weather-wise and how much it will vary from place to place?

I've been to AZ three times around that time of year, and from my experience, here's what to expect.

Phoenix should be warm -- good for swimming, golf, etc.

Sedona is likely to be nice, too -- but cooler than Phoenix. As you head north of Sedona to the Canyon, the weather is a crap shoot. In April of one year, we actually hit a snow storm on our drive up there. However, I'd say all in all, it's a good time to visit the Canyon and Sedona. But dress in layers at the Canyon.

You can go to www.weather.com to get the average temps in those spots for April.

I was in Sedona in late March a few years ago. Bright sunny skies - the temperature was 63 degrees. It felt much warmer as we were at 4,000 feet above sea level with NO clouds. Phoenix was in the 80s - hot. Sedona still had some residual snow left from a storm the week before.

If you go in April, expect to being a light jacket or sweater for the evenings for the mtns. Sedona is cool at night but the days will be quite warm.

I would forgo some of the time in Phoenix and spend time in Tucson, there is actually more to do and Tucson is much quainter. That time of year has may festivals and such.

There's more to do in Tucson than Phoenix? Now neither of these towns is Rome or Paris, but there's still more to see and do in and AROUND Phoenix than Tucson (and I don't even like Phoenix. I went to school in Tucson).

Agree with Jason. Locals in Tucson have a sort of inferiority complex when it comes to Phoenix, so they're always saying, "Oh, Tucson is better." Fact is, neither place is paradise, but Phoenix has more to offer.