Summer expedition - your opinion please
 

Here's our plan... your opinions please. We're traveling with 2 great young teenage kids.

NY to Sedona - two nights (Slide Rock, Broken Arrow Pink Jeep)
Sedona to Grand Canyon - two nights @ Bright Angel (modest hikes)
GC to Monument Valley - one night at Gouldings
MV to Page - one night at Lake Powell
Page to Bryce - two nights at the Canyon (horseback ride, hikes)
Bryce to Vegas - where to stay with kids? any shows appropriate?
Vegas to Phoenix - two nights at Squaw Peak (baseball and ??)

I know it's a lot of moving but we want to see everything we can within reason. Thanks in advance for your ideas.

When?

Make sure the AC in the car is in top condition -- you'll be wearing it out in that area.

Many people doing this loop in summer months would choose to begin/end in Vegas instead of Phoenix. Rental cars are usually cheaper and you will miss out on the hottest temps, which can easily be 110 - 115 F or higher in Phoenix (Vegas is also hot but usually 5-8 degrees cooler than Phoenix).

But if you want to catch a Diamondbacks game or two, and want to stay in a highly rated resort in Phoenix at bargain rates then your itinerary works fine. Maybe add a night in Zion if you can fit it in?

Bill - you're right on. We're doing the D-backs and Squaw Peak in Phoenix based on game schedule and vacation availability from work. The rental car part is AWFUL since the airport charges in Phoenix are through the roof!!!! Thanks for your reply.

Russ - it's late June/early July. Hopefully not peak heat. Thanks for your reply.

I like your plan. The only thought that comes to my mind is that to go from Monument Valley to Bryce Canyon via Hanksville, Torrey, Boulder, and Escalante is one of the most beautiful drives in the contiguous forty-eight states.

HTTY

If you take the route happy describes above, you may want to make stops for Lower Calf Creek falls and Devil's Garden Escalante.

<b>The rental car part is AWFUL since the airport charges in Phoenix are through the roof!!!! </b>

Here's a Fodors' thread discussing ways to lower the rental car costs from PHX airport, in case you haven't yet seen it:

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...in-phoenix.cfm

I'm in N. Texas. One month from now I expect every day to be at least 95 degrees. It's hotter in Phoenix.

Bill and others are right about the car rental rates in PHX.
5* resorts in Vegas and PHX/Scottsdale are such a bargain that we go annually for the 4th of July to $700-$1k a night rooms for around $100.
Squaw Peak is ok..you can get a new room at Montelucia 5* resort for $99 with free breakfast, or the Phoenician for around $100+ and the pools are great.
Where are you staying in Sedona? (Sedona Rouge & Hilton, Hyatt)
Vegas, I love the Wynn and you can get rates of around $129 a night.

www.wynnlasvegas.com
www.expedia.com

"<i>late June/early July. Hopefully not peak heat.</i>"

There is a reason 5* resorts go for 2* room rates in June/July/August. Most days you won't want do much of anything outdoors between about 10 AM and 7 PM in Phoenix or LV or some other places along your route.

NY to Sedona - two nights (Slide Rock, Broken Arrow Pink Jeep)
there is a small local aiport up on a mountain where everybody goes to watch sunrise/sunset (2nd parking lot)

GC to Monument Valley - one night at Gouldings - in the restaurant there they sell "fry bread" - native bread, I think they make pizza with it, see if you can buy it plain with cinnamon sugar - maybe elsewhere in a reservation

Bryce to Vegas - where to stay with kids? any shows appropriate? - they usually have daytime shows, there is also 1/2 price same day tix near M&Ms world

Yeah, there is no question that its going to be stinking hot but its a dry heat.
;)