LoveHorses

We are planing on landing in Las Vegas Airport and visiting the Grand Canyon and Sedona for 5 days before going back to Las Vegas for my brothers wedding. Does anyone have any advice on an itinerary for us. (Family of 4 with kids 12 & 17). Where to stay and things to do. We like to horseback ride a lot. Maybe some restaurant advice. Also Sedona the same advice. Please help.

Thanks

mwessel

We did similiar trip two years ago and loved it!

Stop at Hoover Dam on your way from Vegas to Grand Canyon.

We stayed overnight the first night in Williams at the Canyon Motel in a refurbished train car (caboose). Very fun and memorable and it was nice to break up the drive from Vegas to Grand Canyon after flying in that morning.

Kachina at Grand Canyon was wonderful. Right on the rim and close by to all the action. I would definately stay in the park. Eat at El Tovar, its awesome. Take the shuttles around to the various viewpoints.

Leave the park by way of the eastern viewpoints (Hwy 64) and head toward Cameron. Lots of great little roadside stands with Native American jewelry and pottery along the way.

Head south on Hwy 89 and then take the Hwy 395 loop and stop off to see Wupatki National Monument (indian ruins) and Sunset Crater (volcano).

Be sure to see Chapel of the Holy Cross in Sedona and Slide Rock State Park. Also Montezuma's Castle was very cool.

Sedona Hilton Resort and Spa was a great place to stay. Nice pool, great service, lovely rooms.

Lots of great hikes there. We loved the one at Boynton Canyon.

momjay5

We visited Sedona & Grand Canyon last year w/my 18, 16, 13, and 11 yr old. The kids loved walking the trails at the Grand Canyon and also viewing the sunset was fabulous! We visited Williams AZ,. about 1 hr from GC. Old fashioned town w/a "shoot out" on Main Street. In Sedona, the entire family loved Slide Rock State Park, a natural water slide, spent most of the day there. Sedona has a great old fashioned ice cream store called The Black Cow right along the main strip. Great place for ice cream and they even make their own whipped cream. Also went to Chapel of the Holy Cross which was beautiful inside with a beautiful view of Sedona. Montezuma's Well was recommended, did stop there but was not impressed. Montezuma's Castle was a good place to stop too. Also between GC and Sedona there were random places to stop and buy from the Indians, great prices.

tinamidon

We did this same trip on July 04. It was awesome..kids were 13 & 9. Flew into Vegas; spent the night (I did miscalculate how exhausted we would be after flying from East Coast--WOW! went to bed about 6pm 1st night). Anyhow, next day, we got in car & drove to GC for 2 nights at Bright Angel Cabins---they were awesome--no luxury but what a classic family vacation experience! Incredible to walk out & look at the canyon. We did not like El Tovar...it was smelly...maybe its been refurbished...2 nights there was enough for us as we are not big hikers. From there, we drove to Sedona (what a gorgeous drive!) and spent 2 nights at Enchantment (splurge!). Drove from there to Zion & spent 2 nights @ Desert Pearl (per recommendations on this site--it was perfect); drove back to Vegas for 4 nights of fun & relaxation at JW Marriott (just outside town which was nice for us as a family). Went to "O".

P.S. We did the Hoover dam tour leaving vegas..it was cool. Also, we traveled in July, so it was sooo hot in Vegas, but everywhere else was comfortable. Cool nights.

fun4all4

Lots of great suggestions. We visited the Grand Canyon and Sedona along with renting a houseboat on Lake Powell when our kids were a little younger (8 and 11). It is a fabulous trip.

El Tovar is really stunning and it has been recently remodeled (although I have not seen it since it has been redone).

Another idea for Sedona is a Pink Jeep Tour....that was probably the favorite activity of all 5 of the kids in our group. It is also pretty cool for the adults!

Have fun!

LoveHorses

Wow, really great advice from all of you. Thank you so much. Anyone have any horseback riding recommendations. Thanks

spunki

I posted a thread earlier asking about the same trip ("Vegas-Grand Canyon-Phoenix weekend in April) -- hubby taking his parents (baby and I are not going).
When are you going? Lodging in the Canyon is booked MONTHS in advance. I couldn't even find them a room for near end of April in Tusayaan (right outside of the Canyon entrance; hubby and I stayed there when we went a couple yrs ago.) So I booked their 1st night in Kingman, not far past the Hoover Dam. The next morning he's driving to the Canyon, spending the day, then after dark driving to their lodging in Sedona.

LoveHorses

Spunki:

We are not going until the end of June. Looking into maybe a fairfield inn in flagstaff and maybe the matterhorn in sedona. we would love to stay at the enchantment but maybe next time. Too much other stuff going on this year. Still wanting to find out about horseback riding if anyone has any suggestions.

thanks again

LindainOhio

If you haven't made your airline reservations, you may want to fly into Phoenix and out of Las Vegas--no backtracking. Budget Car Rental does not charge a one way drop off fee.

spunki

Budget's weekend rate must be a lot higher, because even without a 1-way drop off fee, the final rate we were quoted for pick-up in Vegas and drop-off in Phoenix was still higher than that of Dollar rent-a-car. So husband's car is reserved with Dollar.



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gcmaven

Sorry to say there is no longer any horseback riding in the GC area.

LoveHorses

What about sedona area? Any horseback riding there or near Las Vegas?