Two active couples in 40s to grand canyon and sedona for 6 days in july . First time to the canyon. Where should we fly into? We want to stay at el tovar on the south rim. What would be the best place to stay in sedona? Thanks

We've stayed in Sedona area once and hope to go back as we really enjoyed it. We chose Junipine Resort it's not actually a resort, but it is very nice. The unit we had was a creekside townhouse with a hottub on the deck overlooking the creek. The location is great as you are about 9 miles from Sedona on 89a in Oak Creek Canyon.

In Sedona you can stay "Uptown" which is generally the tourist area with shops, on the outskirts of town in condos, places just a little off the beaten path but still in Sedona, etc. I've been there three times, and my personal favorite is the Sky Ranch Lodge. If you like ritz and glitz, this is NOT for you! But the views are magnificent (you can get a room or small apartment right on the cliff), the staff is friendly, the grounds are nice, you can walk to the restaurant at the airport for a very decent meal, and at sunset you don;t have to travel to the best observation point in town - you're on it!

Fly into Phoenix or Las Vegas. I prefer Phoenix because it's a bit closer and I like the airport better. It seems I have to wait longer for luggage at Las Vegas. You could also fly into Flagstaff if your willing to spend a bit more money and have a connecting flight somewhere.

If you're planning to stay at El Tovar, note that it get fully booked up months in advance. I'd make the reservation there BEFORE I got my plane tickets. Since you're visiting Sedona as well as the Canyon, I'd recommend flying into Phoenix.

Also note that July at the Canyon can be miserably hot and crowded. Don't be surprised by either conditions.