Just starting to look into organizing a trip out West for Spring Break. We have a week give or take a day or two and I need help figuring out an itinerary. I dont know how far things are from each other. I'd love to do the Moab area with maybe Bryce or Zion in addition to GC, but I dont know if that is ridiculous! What is realistic? Kids will be 11 and 8 by trip. What is do most people see in that week? I want to make some reservations now and then I can focus on our Christmas break trip.
TIA!!

No expert here, but here's what we did on our family spring break (kids similar ages to yours): Flew into Las Vegas, drove to Grand Canyon, stopped at Hoover Dam on the way (worth a stop), three nights in El Tovar at canyon rim, drove to Arizona and had several nights at Enchantment Resort in Sedona, flew home from Phoenix.

It was a wonderful trip; kids and adults all liked it. Mid-March and we had snow at the Grand Canyon, desert sun in Sedona.

Staying in a suite at El Tovar was a highlight - would recommend you make reservations as early as you can.

Bryce & Zion are in the same area as GC. Especially the North Rim.

Moab is a drive. Things are farther apart than they appear.

Also, there are sights between Arches, Bryce, Zion & GC.

For instance, just west of Boulder, UT you have Lower Calf Creek Falls. Between Capitol Reef and Moab you have Goblin Valley. I think the kids would love an hour or so there on the way.

Two years ago I spent a week in Utah. Four days in Moab, one day in Capitol Reef (not one of my favorite places), Lower Calf Creek Falls, Willis Creek slot canyon about 30 minutes east of Bryce and a quick visit and hike to Bryce.

You don't need 4 days in Moab. You schedule with what you have.

You could start in Salt Lake City and drive to Moab. Spend 2 days there and then drive to Boulder. On the way stop at Goblin Valley.

Then hike Lower Calf Creek Falls and on the way to Bryce go 10 miles south of Cannonville (get directions at the visitors center) to Willis Creek that's a real slot canyon that's a very easy hike.

Sleep over at Bryce and get up early for sunrise at Bryce Point and hike Navajo Loop down and Queens Garden back up.

I've never been to the North Rim so others could tell you how to fit it in.

Then a day or two in Zion and return either to Salt Lake City or LV.

The long drive will be from Moab to Boulder.

Remember the South rim of the Grand Canyon is at 7000 ft elevation. The nights will be cold. Make GC reservations as soon as you can. The in-park accomodations will book up a year in advance.

http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/lodging.htm

The North Rim closes for the winter and opens in May.

I think Moab is too far for a one-week trip starting and returning to Las Vegas.

The north rim of the gC will not even be open during Spring Break. It doesn't open until May 15.

I would suggest flying into PHX and spending the week visiting the GC south rim and Sedona. With everything you mentioned in your original post, you end up spending a lot of driving time each day. Not a whole lot of fun for the kids.

You can fit the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, Bryce and Zion in a weeks time. Fly in and out of Las Vegas. Spend 2 - 3 nights at Grand Canyon. One night at Bryce (depending on when your spring break will be, there will probably be snow in Bryce but it's beautiful with snow...it just limits the hiking) Then spend the last 2 -3 nights at Zion. Spring break that is around Easter time will be busy so make your reservations early.

You don't have enough time for the Grand Canyon and Moab area.

Utahtea

Utahtea

Personally, I would head straight to Moab. I know the Grand Canyon is pretty much tops on everyone's list, but really you can see and do a lot more at the other places you mention. I think Spring Break would not be a great time for Bryce and Zion, because of the weather factor. Moab doesn't get that much snow. For Moab, I would see Canyonlands, Arches, Goblin Valley, and Deadhorse Point(somewhat like seeing the GC from the rim). checkout www.deserthighlights.com --your kids would love this, if they are adventurous.

I suppose you might do a little at Zion. For us, the highlights were hiking Angels Landing and The Narrows. The Narrows would be really cold spring break, and if there is snow or ice, they close the trail to Angels Landing. I suspect that most of the trails would be closed at Bryce on springbreak unless you wanted to snow ski. they do allow some snowshoeing in the park, but not sure exactly where. If you don't plan to hike a lot stick with you could include bryce and zion.

If you can get an early flight into Vegas, you can pack a lot into your seven days by heading out and doing Hoover Dam then on to stay in Kingman, AZ the first day. Then on to Grand Canyon before noon on the second day. Unless you do a lot of hiking, 2 nights in Grand Canyon should be enough. Then head east and stop at all the fantastic overlooks along the canyon and on to Page or Kanab for the night. If you go to Page, hike out to the Horseshoe bend overlook and/or stop in at Antelope Canyon. Next head up to Bryce, one night will be plenty as it has always had snow when we've been there in April, on to Zion for a night or two and back to Vegas for the flight out. You could do this loop in the opposite direction if getting lodging would be easier. It is about 3 hours from Vegas to Zion, 5 or 6 hours to Grand Canyon without a stop or traffic at the dam.

If you do want to stay in the parks, make your reservations now. They let you cancel up to shortly before your trip.