We are flying into Phoenix the end of Nov. Want to see Sedona,Flagstaff and Grand Canyon. What are other "not to miss" sights we may not want to miss along the way? We are with 4 couples and none of us have been to AZ. We could use all the advice and help anyone could give us. We have 5 days. Is it worth traveling to the GC and risking weather at that time of year? Thanks

We've visited the Grand Canyon during Thanksgiving week several times and love it! The most we've ever seen is just a dusting of snow and that was a memorable sight! Of course, weather will vary, but we've normally had sunny days in the 50s and pretty chilly nights. I love being at the Canyon without the summer crowds.

We've done the Grand Canyon twice and like Mary, both times at Thanksgiving and will probably be going back this Thanksgiving as well. It's a wonderful time weatherwise, even for us Floridians! It'll be cool at the top of the GC, but if you hike, you couldn't ask for better temperatures.

Whether or not you plan on hiking would govern how much time you'll need in various locations. We've spent a couple of days in Sedona, one of them hiking, one exploring the shops. Other trips we have driven through Sedona and stopped for lunch on the way to Flagstaff (last year) then stopped to hike just north of Slide Rock in Oak Creek Canyon before heading on into Flag. Rte 89A between Sedona and Flag is absolutely beautiful and I would make a point of taking it either on your way from Sedona to Flag, or on your way back.

There is a tremendous amount to do in the area, especially for first timers, but with 5 days you will just have to hit the highlights this trip, and if you are like us, it'll keep you coming back to explore more.

The 3 most impressive sights you could plausibly hit in 5 days would be Sedona, the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley. I'd take one or two nights in Sedona, one or two at the Grand Canyon, then one in Monument Valley making sure you take a drive through the valley...then plan on a return visit for more in depth exploration. I hope you'll be able to hike the GC, if only for a couple of hours. It makes for an entirely different experience than just seeing it from the rim.

There are a few things to do in Phoenix and Scottsdale, but 5 days doesn't give you a lot of time, and my own preference is to spend it away from the city exploring those things which are totally alien to experiences you've had previously. I love to shop, and Scottsdale has some great shopping, but heck I can do that most anyplace.

The sheer logistics of 4 couples getting up and out early could be overwhelming. If you find you must omit something, I guess it would be Monument Valley and concentrate on Sedona and the GC. Not that it's any less spectacular, but it is adding to the over all travel time and you may find that it's just too much. Have a great trip, and maybe we'll see you there.

We did that area in 5 days/4 nights - we were in a different local each night and on the road quite a bit, however we mapped it out so that we never drove more than an hour or two without stopping to see something somewhere. We did the most driving on the first day, and enjoyed a slower pace after that. My sister-in-law is not into hiking, she wanted to "see the sights and go" so we did a lot. The pace didn't bother me, I mean, how long can you stand and stare at the GC or a monument? Well, I live in Phoenix so I can go back and spend an entire weekend in GC anytime (we want to go in winter, which I've heard is just gorgeous), but this was a good overview:

Day 1) left phx early am, drove to Walnut Canyon Nat'l Monument, Sunset Crater, Wupatki Nat'l Monument, Dinosaur Tracks, Elephant Feet (those last two were "stop along the road and take a photo" ops) and ended up in Keyenta, where we spent the night (warning: you'll be on the reservation and alcohol is illegal, i.e. not sold in stores or restaurants).

Day 2) Did the Monument Valley drive, stopped at Navajo National Monument, then Antelope Canyon (the upper slots). Stayed the night in Page (I'd suggest the Lake Powell Resort right on the lake, it's beautiful!).

Day 3) Lake Powell and Glen Canyon Dam; we just looked, sis-in-law is scared of boats, but I'd suggest an early morning boat ride to Rainbow Bridge (one of the "natural wonders", I believe). Drove to Grand Canyon, entered at the East enterance, drove the rim, stopped for a million photos, stayed the night there.

Day 4) Drove to Sedona (you could spend more time at GC if you got there last the prior day); went to slide rock (it was summer!), drove around to a bunch of kodak spots and hiked (yes, we really did!) Boynton Canyon. Spent night in Sedona.

Day 5) Shopped Tlaquepaque, drove around again - Schnebly Hill, Red Rock Loop, etc. then headed south to Tuzigoot Nat'l Monument, spent time trolling the antiques shops of Jerome and head home late afternoon.

Whew! I'm tired just writing it. Fodor's guide covers all of that (it was my bible that trip); read the descriptions and pick and choose what interests you the most. This trip was truly an amazing variety of sights though, just just "Sedona and the Grand Canyon" - there really is much more to the area. Have fun and good luck!

Something fun and different is to take a train from Williams (20 min outside of Flagstaff) to the Grand Canyon. You can stay at the canyon a few hours or make arrangements to stay overnight. It's especially beautiful if there is snow, which shouldn't be too heavy that time of year and might be a nice break from driving. Lots of wildlife to look at too.

Another great stop is in Jerome, an old mining town about 1/2 hour west of Flagstaff. It was a ghost town and has been turned into an art colony. P.S. Don't be afraid of the bikers that hang out around the Spirit Room (a fun bar), they are mostly doctors and lawyers from Scottsdale playing outlaw on the weekend!