Arizona Trip
 

Will fly into Phoenix mid-June with wife and 2 teenage daughters for sightseeing. Using points @ Holiday Inn's. Any problems with Holiday Inns? How about ballon rides that are affordable? Is the 4-corners region worth going to? Will have rental car and 6-nights...don't want the girls to get bored with rocks and sand.........plan to go North to GC and then East to 4-corners before returning to Phoenix.

There is "Four Corners" monument which will take all of 5 minutes to view. It's where the 4 states of Colorado, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico meet. Fun but not really worth the drive.

Now the "Four Corners Region" is a whole nother thing. Lake Powell (Glen Canyon National Recreational Area), Monument Valley, Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Petrified Forest & Painted Desert, Walnut Canyon National Monument, Montezuma's Castle National Monument and a lot, lot more like Mesa Verde National Monument in SW Colorado, Bryce and Zion National Parks in S. Utah. There is a big varity out there and to tell the truth...six days won't even scratch the surface!

Utahtea

I totally agree with Utahtea. We spent 2 weeks doing the 4 Corners area & barely scratched the surface. As for the balloon ride, on another trip to Arizona, we did a balloon ride in Sedona. The cost at that time was about $135/pp. They pick you up before dawn to get the best winds. The basket of the balloon is only big enough for 6 people plus the pilot. It was a great ride. I think the name of the company was Northern Lights. They give you a champagne light breakfast upon landing & certificate of proof of flight as a souvenir.

Don't forget Sedona - especially Oak Creek Canyon. Plenty of great hiking and swimming spots.

We did our balloon ride in Sedona with Red Rock Ballooning and went right thru the middle of the "comb" on Cockscomb Rock. It was absolutely incredible!

if you were going to drive as far as 4 corners, skip it and go to monument valley and yes, take the private tour, the locals that run these do take into back areas you don't get to see. it is spectacular (but i admit it's sand and rock! - native american shopping on the access road....)

Thanks for the info! With a family of four......is it worth the approximate $550 for the ballon ride ? Also, I've been told to head North after leaving Page into Utah and leave the 4-corners region for a later trip..any thoughts ?

The actual four corners is not worth the drive. Your daughters will love Sedona - make sure they go to Slide Rock in Oak Creek Canyon where they can slide through the creek. Have them bring shorts or cut-off jeans to wear over their bathing suit as the sliding can wear holes in their suits.

How long did you plan on spending at the Grand Canyon. With only 6 nights it doesn't give you much time to explore a lot of Utah and then get back to Phoenix.

Utahtea

I was told by a past "local" we might enjoy going into Southern Utah for about two days once we leave Page vs heading to the 4 courners region. Thought we could do the 1/2 raft trip and maybe a quick stop by the North Rim while based out of Page. Spend about a day or so in Southern Utah and head back to Phoenix before heading heading home (East Coast).

There won't be anything quick a day trip to the N. Rim. It's only 121 miles but plan on it taking close to 4 hours to drive (one way). There are two other fantastic parks in the area and since you will have seen the S. Rim of the Grand Canyon, I highly recommend either going to Bryce or Zion National Park instead of the N. Rim. Bryce is 155 miles and approx. 3 1/2 hours one way and Zion is 120 miles and a little over 2 1/2 hours driving time one way. If you could spend one night in Zion or Bryce it would be much better.

The float trip on the Colorado River is well worth it. There are other things to do in Page - Lake Powell area if you decide to spend your time there instead. The boat tours on Lake Powell are beautiful...even with the lake low. Upper Antelope Slots Canyon and the short hike to Horseshoe Bend are another two activities to do in the area.

On the way back to Phoenix you can check out Wupakti National Monument & Sunset Crater just take the loop of Hwy 395 off of Hwy 89. Also Montezuma's Castle National Monument is just above Camp Verde.

Utahtea

You MUST do a Pink Jeep Tour in Sedona. The "Broken Arrow" ride was one of the funnest things I've ever done. Your girls will love it.

Utahtea, does a float trip take place on a raft with a guide on calm water? What is the typical cost for something like that? Thanks!

I second the Pink Jeep Tour (Broken Arrow tour), the Colorado float trip and Upper Antelope Slots Canyon!!! Both are fantastic. We went last summer with 22 and 10-year old boys. The older one did NOT want to look at rocks and sand all day. He absolutely loved the trip; especially Sedona and the jeep tour and the float trip. We still talk about all three and and the younger one still is taking pictures of the trip to school to show his teachers. There was even a picture of Antelope Canyon in his Science book.

Of course, the GC was beyond compare, but I think your kids will love doing those 3 activites in additon to the GC. You can probably do all three of them for what a balloon ride would cost.

Lynda

seetheworld,

In 2003 it cost $59.00 per person and that included tax for the Colorado Float Trip out of Page, AZ. There is only one licences operator and that is Wilderness River Adventures.

http://www.lakepowell.com/tours_riveradventures.php

The tour takes place on calm waters in a motorized raft. Infact the waters are so calm, they have to use motorized rafts to get you down the 14 miles of river in half a day. This also includes the bus ride to the bottom of the dam though a tunnel build for building the dam and then the bus ride back to Page, AZ. The buses are big, new, air-conditioned greyhound type buses.

Here are my pictures taken on the raft trip:

http://www.utahtea.lithium.com/pages...2003/float.htm

Utahtea

Utahtea, thank you for sharing those fabulous pictures! A float ride would be something I would definately want to do!

Initially I was thinking of making Sedona our "home base" but there is so much to see and do, I'm not sure which area to stay in. I bought a guide book, so this weekend we'll try and figure things out. Thanks again!

seetheworld,

There is so much to see and do over a vast area, that it's really best to stay in a couple different locations, then try and do it from one base location.

Utahtea

Whatever you do avoid Holiday Inn Midtown Phoenix at all costs! Just stayed there this past weekend. Pre-paid through Priceline for 2 rooms/3 nites. Left after one night and am out $400. Truly an awful hotel. We did notice the other holiday inns around town looked fine. Scottsdale Holiday Inn Express looked to be especially nice...was near the hotel we went to after we left H.I. Midtown.