I'm getting married in Sedona, AZ on October 5th. For our honeymoon, we are leaving Sedona on 10/7 and will spend 5 days driving/exploring southern Utah ending up in Las Vegas on 10/11 for two nights. We're thinking about visiting Monument Valley, Lake Powell, Bryce and Zion. I'm unsure about driving distances and how much we will be able to comfortably fit in in 5 days. Any suggestions on a driving route? What is a must see and what is ok to miss? Also, we are booking rooms in Sedona and Vegas but were going to "wing it" on the rest of our lodgings. Is this smart, or should we book ahead? Any help/suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

Cindy,
If you and your husband-to-be are into hiking, I would try to get to the North rim of the Grand Canyon. (Just returned from all the places you mention this past month).
Staying in a cabin at the rim, and having dinner in the lodge would be something you would always remember.
If I were you, I would make the north rim my first stop, then head to Zion and Bryce. You will need reservations for staying inside any of the parks.
If you try to fit too much into 5 days, you don't come away with the feeling of knowing any one place intimately. (o.k. so intimately would take a lifetime) Anyway, you will want to mingle. The village at the base of Zion looked very quaint and inviting. We had only planned 1/2 day for Zion. What a mistake! I was wishing we were at least spending 1 night there w/an entire day to explore.
For the fun of it, try to go horseback riding. We went w/wranglers through Red Canyon, near Bryce and had an unexpected great time! The scenery was awesome. Read what others say, look very carefully at a map, and have fun planning. Oh, and congratulations!! Tricia

Congradulations on your upcoming wedding. October is a great month to get married. I was married on Oct. 8 thirty years ago

Sedona, to S. Rim, to Mounument Valley, to Lake Powell, to Bryce, to Zion to Las Vegas is 755 miles. If you leave out Mounument Valley it will save you 160 miles but it is a beautiful area so I guess you will have to make that decision.

Sedona to S. Rim is 120 miles and it will give you plenty of time to explore the Grand Canyon. Next morning check out the different over looks as you exit the park by the Desert View exit.

S. Rim to Monument Valley is about 175 miles. There are accommodations in Kayenta if you spend the night.

Monument Valley to Page is about 130 miles. Plenty of accommodations in Page, AZ. If you make the time the all day or half day boat trip to Rainbow Bridge National Monument is fantastic! If you don't do the boat trip then you can move on to Bryce in the same day.

Lake Powell to Bryce is 80 miles. If you want to stay inside the park you should make reservations but if you want to have more freedom you can stay outside the park and not make reservations.

Bryce to Zion is about 90 miles. Same with Zion as with Bryce for getting accommodations.

Happy Honeymoon!

Utahtea

To give you more time in Zion and Bryce I would skip stopping for any length of time in Lake Powell. Driving the extra 160 miles to inclde Monument VAlley is worth it. You could plan your trip as follows:
10/7 - Sedona to South RIm. I would leave Sedona early and spend most of the day exploring the West Rim drive and GR. Canyon Village. I would make advance reservations for a lodge in the park. If nothing is available I would stay in Tusayan
10/8 - Explore the East Rim drive as you leave the GR. Canyon exiting through the EAST Entrance. If you start in the morning you can be in Monument VAlley By late afternoon. Overnight in Kayenta or at Gouldings Lodge near the Valley.
10/9 - Take a two or three hour tour of the Valley and head for Bryce going through Lake Powell. Overnight in Bryce.
10/10 - spend the whole day in Bryce and then head for Zion in late afternoon or early evening. Overnight in Springdale if lodge in the park is not available.
10/11 - spend all daylight hours in Zion before heading for Las vegas.

You could wing it with the accomodations, but if you want to stay in the parks, you need reservations. Zion told me (when I was there in June) that they were full thru Oct. I would call rather than internet to see if they have any rooms. That would be a nice treat on your honeymoon.

Near bryce, we stayed in a cabin at the Bryce Canyon Inn, a nice alternative if you don't get into Bryce Lodge (I wouldn't stay at Ruby's outside the park on my honeymoon).

It's alot of driving if you go to Monument Valley. If you think that you will be in Arizona again sometime, I would skip it in order to have a more relaxed honeymoon.

AVOID DONNER PASS

Thank you all for your responses and your advice. I think we are going to skip the Grand Canyon altogether because we have both been there in the past. I am also leaning toward skipping Monument Valley to avoid too much driving and time on the road. That would leave Lake Powell, Bryce and Zion. Thanks for suggestions on lodging. I am hesitant to book rooms between Sedona and Vegas because I don't want to lock us in if we want to spend more time in one place or the other. I want this to be an adventure, but not wear ourselves out in the process. Any other comments, suggestions, criticisms? Thanks again.

P.S. What and where is donner pass?

cindy, your history deficit is showing. Donner Pass is the site of an infamous wagon train in the 19th century that was stranded in a snowstorm. (Correct me someone if I get something wrong.) The survivors ran out of food and started eating the bodies of the people who didn't make it to stay alive.

Unbelievable,

Donner Pass is on HGY 80 between Sacramento, CA and Reno, NV.

Not too relevant to cindy t's request, which she could look at a map and figure out the drive part.

Cindy,

We always camp but I don't think you will have problems finding rooms in October as long as you don't mind not being in the parks.

If you decide to take a drive from Bryce you might take Scenic Hwy 12 to Boulder and back. It's 150 miles round trip but you have some really breathtaking views.

Here is a great web site on S. Utah.

http://www.so-utah.com/contents.html

BTW, I know that Donner pass has been explained that it's a California Mountain Pass. Today it is one of the easiest Sierra mountain passes to cross in California.

Utahtea

WHile in Lake Powell, go to Antelope Canyon (a slot canyon). It is incredible!! You can take a half day trip for about $25 per person. Check it out at www.antelopecanyon.com and
www.mysteriousplaces.com/canyons/antelope.html.

A hotel suggestion for Zion: The Desert Pearl in Springdale. Huge, stylish, comfy rooms, great location. Ask for a room overlooking the river. You'll be happier spending less time in the car and more time out wandering amongst the red rocks in Zion and Bryce. October should be lovely.

just got back from Sedona. I would really recommend enchantment. We were there 4 nights. It is really worth the extra money--the location is spectacular compared to the other places--We did Zion and Bryce last summer. Zion is wonderful and worth at least two nights--perhaps even 3. It is a really lovely park with lots of great hikes and the town of psringdale is fun--good restaurants (not expensive) If you can, stay at the Desert Pearl Inn in Springdale. It is a really nice place and only about a mile from the park. It has a nice heated pool, large beautiful rooms and a great setting. The lodge is okay but nothing special. bryce is very interesting--however the accomodations are really basic--I think one night is enougth to see Bryce. There arent many places to eat and the lodge food is okay but expensive for what you get. ANy questions--post them here