Family trip to Sedona and Grand Canyon via Phoenix
 

Does anyone have any insight into the best way for a family of 5 to spend their vacation time? Trip is 5 days in mid-October, flying into Phoenix, hoping to stay and hike in Sedona and see the grand canyon. Any insight is much appreciated!

First off, book your night at the GC. One of the rim lodges, if possible (El Tovar, Kachina, Thunderbird, or Bright Angel). Then book the rest of your trip around that. Check this site for availability, if nothing available now, keep checking and calling:

http://www.grandcanyonlodges.com/

Unless you plan on doing a lot of hiking at the GC, one night should be enough. Then spend the rest of your time in Sedona. Lots to see and do in that area.

Pink Jeep Broken Arrow tour first day. That will give you a good overview of the area's geology and flora and fauna.

Jerome is good for several hours

Verde Canyon Railroad.

Sightseeing:
Red Rock Crossing, hike to Cathedral Rock
Hike Bell Rock / Courthouse Butte loop
Visit the Chapel of the Holy Cross
Hike Boynton Canyon trail

Here is a website that gives info on all the trails around Sedona:

http://www.hikearizona.com/interestDEX.php?ID=42&RID=9

Thanks Mike! Was just coming to the same conclusion re hotels at the rim. Sounds as if it's well worth hauling our stuff from hotel to hotel in order to spend the night there, vs in Sedona and do a day trip to the GC. The more I read, the more time I wish we had! Are there restaurants that require early reservations at the rim or in Sedona? The kids are between 8 and 12. Also, would you just fly into Phoenix and drive directly to Sedona area or spend one night in Phoenix?
Many Thanks!
S

At the GC, I would suggest eating at the Arizona Room for dinner and the Breight Angel Restaurant for breakfast. Neither takes reservations. If it were just adults, I would suggest El Tovar, which does require reservations. You can check out the menus here. Just mouse over the heading "Dining" and click the drop down menu for the different restaurants. The menus are there:

http://www.grandcanyonlodges.com/dining-420.html

If possible, book the GC for the first or last night. That would minimize the moving around. I would skip Phoenix and head straight to either Sedona or the GC.

Restaurants in Sedona (and I'm suggesting these with the kids in mind):
Cowboy Club -- no reservations
Red Planet Diner
Picazzo Pizza
The Hideaway Restaurant
Red Rock BBQ
Oak Creek Brewery & Grill at Tlaquepaque

If you do the Verde Canyon Railroad, there is a very good Mexican Restaurant just around the corner from the depot -- Su Casa. You could do that either for lunch before the train or for dinner after. I believe they still open at 11:00AM. The train leaves at 1:00PM and gets back at 5:ooPM

Hi - we took a family of 5 to GC and stayed at the Buckey O'Neill cabin of the Bright Angel Lodge - fantastic cabin right on the rim... amazing.. I would try to stay there.

Thanks WG! I called today for reservations and was able to get one at the Kuchina Lodge with a partial view. Will keep trying for the Buckey O'Neill. Did you hike the Bright Angel Trail while there?

no we didnt get to! would have loved to. good luck with ressies and your trip in general. btw - i would eat at el tovar for dinner! we did.

given a choice, it is much better to drive down Oak Creek Canyon to Sedona rather than drive from Sedona up the canyon

Thanks bigtyke, duly noted!

Hi - a lot of Sedona hotels have great family packages, including Enchantment Resort, perfect for families and it's in Boynton Canyon which is AMAZING and you can hike all day. www.enchantmentresort.com

Thanks Alison! Enchantment looks amazing, however is out of our budget at 1,400 for two nights using the family package.

I would drive directly to Sedona since it is so close to Phoenix. Car rental is expensive at the Phoenix airport--book your car as soon as you can and then keep looking for cheaper rates. I think we ended up using Hotwire.

Enchantment Resort is beautiful but there are no special rates in Oct. Lunch on their patio is very nice though. You could hike Doe Mountain, which is really a mesa--a short switchback trail to the top and then walk to the edges of the mesa for great views. Or you could do the Boynton Canyon Hike which is right at Enchantment.

We also enjoyed hiking the Brins Mesa Trail and walking around Red Rock Crossing. Your children and you would enjoy the Pink Jeep Broken Arrow tour.

We drove up Oak Creek Canyon to get to the Grand Canyon. I thought it was a beautiful drive. We headed directly back to Phoenix after visiting the Grand Canyon so never drove back down the Canyon to Sedona.

At the Grand Canyon, it is nice to hike the top part of Bright Angel Trail, remembering that it takes longer to go back up. Beautiful views as you walk down the trail.

It's also nice to take the shuttle bus out to Pipe Creek Vista and then walk the rim trail back, stopping at Mather Point(great views),the Visitors Center, Yavapai Observation Center.

You can also take the shuttle out the Hermit's Rest Route, which is beautiful. I took it one morning at 5:30 am, out to Hopi Point to see the sunrise. Many shuttles head out there for the sunset. It was very quiet, not as crowded for the sunrise. We stayed at the El Tovar and I loved taking my coffee outside and walking the rim around sunrise--all alone. I'm the early riser in my family.

Everyone stays out on the rim for sunset so the restaurants are all busy after sundown.

Fly into Phoenix and rent your car from the Toyota dealer 5 miles south of the airport. You'll save about 50% and they provide a shuttle service. In Sedona, check out condos on vrbo.com. You should be able to get good rates in October and plenty of room for all.

ChiDad

Do you have a contact for this Toyota dealer?

I can second MikePinTucson's recommend of Su Casa as a restaurant to eat at if you do the Verde Canyon Railroad trip which I enthusiastically recommend.