motionsick

We are planning a trip to Bryce, Zion, and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. We are thinking of flying into Las Vegas and then hitting Zion for two days, the North Rim for two days, and then Bryce for one night. We have two more nights to figure out. Here are our options (and give us others!):

1. Fly into Las Vegas and use one night there, Fly out of Salt Lake City, use another night there. Con: rental cars are double to return in another city
2. Fly into LV or SLC and fly out of the same and use hotels at beginning/end of trip in the selected city
3. Should we try another park? Arches, Antelope Canyon, etc and use at least one night there?

We love to hike, we have a son who will be 10 and a daughter who is 8. They are known to get car sick (hence my name) at times on long car trips. We have confirmed the lodges at each National Park. Yay! We are traveling in mid-July 2018

Any other hikes, restaurants, stopping places along the way also appreciated. I think we will try to do Hoover Dam on the way to Zion. What else?

Thanks!

emalloy

Here is a map that I have found helpful which was posted several years ago by another fodorite:

http://ohiohickstraveltips.weebly.co...-utah-map.html

As you can see adding Arches and/or Antelope canyon will add to your driving times. This might make for some discomfort for the kids.

I Would suggest flying in/out of Vegas and heading to Zion right away. On the way back you could drive through Valley of Fire state park and then out and along the end of Lake Mead and Visit Hoover Dam. Perhaps stay in a hotel closer to the dam and maybe take a boat ride on Lake Mead.

Then start planning another trip or two to visit Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Antelope Canyon, South Rim of Grand Canyon, Canyon de Chelley, Bandelier, Mesa Verde, etc.

isabel

I did a trip that included Las Vegas, Zion, Bryce, and GC north rim a few years ago. We had wanted to do Antelope Canyon but had not reserved in advance and so couldn't. Here's the trip report from that trip - https://www.fodors.com/community/uni...parks-trip.cfm

A few years later we did another trip, which included some places you aren't considering but did include Antelope Canyon and Valley of Fire. Those two places were amazing and I highly recommend adding them. But make sure you make reservations (on line, free) for Antelope Canyon. Just one of the most spectacular places I have ever been. It's not a national park probably because it's on Navajo land and also very small compared to a whole park, but it is fantastic. Here is the trip report I wrote that included those - https://www.fodors.com/community/uni...ath-valley.cfm

The photos I took of all those places are here: http://andiamo.zenfolio.com/f764149109

mabella101

I did the same trip several years back. LV, BRYCE, ZION GCNPNR, LV. In 7 days.

It worked for us. We stayed first night in Vegas, drive to Bryce in the morning, overnight,morning horseride to bottom of canyon, afternoon hike Queens/Navajo loop, overnight, BRYCE, morning drive to Zion, hike emerald pools all 3 pools, overnight Springdale, next day hike Narrows, overnight Springdale, next day day trip to GCNP north rim. It's a long day but totally doable. (Full disclosure, as beautiful as it us, GCNP, is my least favorite of the NP, I've been too, because of all the drop offs. With kids, we tend to stick to the view points and not do any heavy hiking in the Canyon.) Overnight in Springdale, drive to Vegas in morning, tour Hoover Dam, overnight in Vegas, head out the next day.
We are planning a similar trip this year and trying to incorporate Antelope canyon & lake powell but are making it a 10 day excursion.
I think if you start with Bryce you can stop for lunch halfway at St. George, to break up the drive. That will leave you a shorter drive back to Vegas from Zion.
Not sure you have enough time to add arches or any of those park. Plus you'll save money on a round trip from Vegas and on drop off fees from your rental.

Good luck!

bachslunch

Did you do a site search? There are a ton of good threads on this, and in fact it might be the most asked question in the US forum.

WhereAreWe

>>We have two more nights to figure out.