Please give feedback on my itinerary to Northern AZ & Southern UT

[ruadisneyfan2]

So we only have 1 week and can't get more time off work. Also it's really nice to be off the day after to unpack, unwind, recover from jet lag so we can't fly home Sunday. I guess no matter how long you go, there's so much to do, it's never enough time.

Am I spending too much time in any particular place? We enjoy nature but aren't super-outdoorsy types. (Can't do tent camping and probably wouldn't have hiked to the floor of the Grand Canyon even if we had more time.)

What are the "must-do" things at Zion and Bryce? We really didn't have our heart set on Zion but it's kind of on the way to Bryce. I always worry that I allow too much time for the places that are just meh and not enough time for the places that are WOW!

I'd appreciate any tips. Thanks!!


Saturday –
Fly into Las Vegas. 6:10am -9:35am
Drive to Zion National Park (3 hours drive) 11:00am -2:00 pm
-OR-
Drive straight to Hampton Inn- Zion, Springdale, UT (2h, 45m drive) 2 nt stay.
http://hamptoninn3.hilton.com/en/ho...ingdale-zion-national-park-SGUZIHX/index.html

Sunday –
Explore Zion National Park (5 mins from hotel)
http://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/things2do.htm

Monday –
Check out of Hampton Inn -Zion
Drive to Bryce Canyon (2hr drive)
Check into Stone Canyon Inn (Cabin) 2 nt stay
http://www.stonecanyoninn.com/cabins.html
Explore Bryce Canyon National Park (22min. drive)
http://www.nps.gov/brca/index.htm

Tuesday –
Explore Bryce Canyon or find some excursion. ATV rides?
http://brycecanyonatvadventures.com/index.html
http://www.grandstaircaseatv.com/

Wednesday –
Check out of Stone Canyon Inn Cabin.
Drive to Page, AZ. (3 hours drive)
Check into Days Inn (2 nt. stay)
http://www.daysinn.com/hotels/arizona/page/days-inn-and-suites-page-lake-powell/hotel-overview

Thursday –
½ day Colorado River rafting. Be there by 12:30pm $91 pp
https://raftthecanyon.com/raft-the-river/half-day-raft-trips/

Friday –
Check out of Days Inn
Slot Canyon/Hummer Tour 11:20 AM – 2:30 PM
http://www.hummeradventures.net/tours
Drive to Las Vegas (4.5 hours drive)
Check into Hampton Inn LAS Airport
http://hamptoninn3.hilton.com/en/ho...d-suites-las-vegas-airport-LASETHX/index.html

Saturday – Fly home.

 

[bcla]

Zion is amazing, and Bryce is pretty good. I think that's reflected in the visitation numbers, although part of it is that Zion is closer to Las Vegas.

Honestly - I think the best national park in Utah is Arches. Hiking up to Delicate Arch was amazing. I swear I started tingling as soon as we popped through the hole and could see it with our own eyes.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Nice looking plans.


I second bcla. Zion is amazing. The walks you do there will depend on what type of walking you want to do. With one full day there, you may find just hitting some of the sights along the bottom of the canyon will be sufficient to fill up your day. The NPS will probably be best to provide you with the advice on which walks to do. All the easy trails along Zion will provide you with decent scenery; although I do like the Weeping Rock. A trip to the Emerald Pools/The Grotto trails might also be something worth considering.

We saw Zion and Bryce in winter (didn't do a lot of walking) and again in late Spring. We had perfect walking weather for Zion; and by the time we hit Bryce it was hot. So we didn't cover a lot of walking at Bryce. Finding an excursion to see Bryce/Escalante might be a good option.


We LOVED Page. We finally managed a return trip to Page in September last year. The Float trip down the Colorado was great.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=50300006&posted=1#post50300006


I was going to book the Hummer tour; but we stayed at a B&B and the hosts recommend a different company instead. We hit 3 different slot canyons instead of Secret Canyon; and because we were still in the Antelope Canyon "light beam" season, our hosts suggested we include Antelope Canyon as well. If you're not hitting the light beam season, then I guess Secret Canyon may be a great option to avoid the zoo of Antelope.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=50310107&posted=1#post50310107



If time allows, head out to the lookout point for Horseshoe Bend. http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=50323635&posted=1#post50323635


I haven't spent time in Arches; but it does look amazing.

If it were me and if I couldn't find a tour that I wanted to do at Bryce, I may be tempted to stay one night there and spend an extra night at Page. There are heaps of things to see around Page; and it may give you the option to check out Vermiliion Cliffs or Arches.

 

[kacaju]

We are from New Jersey also...Have you ever been out West before?? We did a loop of Grand Canyon, Page (Antelope canyon), Bryce and Zion back in 2006. We started and ended in Vegas. We went during Jersey Week in Nov.
Each place it more amazing then the next...truthfully I liked Zion best

I do think everything out there is WOW...so I do not think you will be disappointed in any way.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

We are from New Jersey also...Have you ever been out West before?? We did a loop of Grand Canyon, Page (Antelope canyon), Bryce and Zion back in 2006. We started and ended in Vegas. We went during Jersey Week in Nov.
Each place it more amazing then the next...truthfully I liked Zion best

I do think everything out there is WOW...so I do not think you will be disappointed in any way.

Yes! We love it out west.
In 2008 we spent a week in Sedona with a day trip to Grand Canyon on the GC Railroad (our kids were 8 & 11 then) which was not nearly enough time there and I do want to go back but I think we're too old/out of shape for a 3 day rafting trip.

Then in Sept 2012 we went to San Fran & Yosemite.

I did try to squeeze in more GC on this trip but I can only get one week off work, Mon-Fri, and I don't want to make the whole thing feel so rushed, like running from one site to another, barely having time to enjoy and just soak it all in. That's how our Med cruise was last summer and this year we'd like a little more down time.

How was the weather over Jersey week? We usually go somewhere that week but I have competition now at work for that week which I didn't used to. I work in Philly. I gave back those days for 2013 when we booked the Med cruise and someone has it already for 2014. Maybe for 2015?
Did you get any snow? We looked into GC for our honeymoon back in Oct 95, pre internet, and I heard they sometimes have snow by Oct. That's all I had to hear and quickly looked elsewhere.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Nice looking plans.


I second bcla. Zion is amazing. The walks you do there will depend on what type of walking you want to do. With one full day there, you may find just hitting some of the sights along the bottom of the canyon will be sufficient to fill up your day. The NPS will probably be best to provide you with the advice on which walks to do. All the easy trails along Zion will provide you with decent scenery; although I do like the Weeping Rock. A trip to the Emerald Pools/The Grotto trails might also be something worth considering.

We saw Zion and Bryce in winter (didn't do a lot of walking) and again in late Spring. We had perfect walking weather for Zion; and by the time we hit Bryce it was hot. So we didn't cover a lot of walking at Bryce. Finding an excursion to see Bryce/Escalante might be a good option.


We LOVED Page. We finally managed a return trip to Page in September last year. The Float trip down the Colorado was great.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=50300006&posted=1#post50300006


I was going to book the Hummer tour; but we stayed at a B&B and the hosts recommend a different company instead. We hit 3 different slot canyons instead of Secret Canyon; and because we were still in the Antelope Canyon "light beam" season, our hosts suggested we include Antelope Canyon as well. If you're not hitting the light beam season, then I guess Secret Canyon may be a great option to avoid the zoo of Antelope.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=50310107&posted=1#post50310107



If time allows, head out to the lookout point for Horseshoe Bend. http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=50323635&posted=1#post50323635


I haven't spent time in Arches; but it does look amazing.

If it were me and if I couldn't find a tour that I wanted to do at Bryce, I may be tempted to stay one night there and spend an extra night at Page. There are heaps of things to see around Page; and it may give you the option to check out Vermiliion Cliffs or Arches.

Thanks for sharing! Love your pictures! It makes me want to go now!

 

[kacaju]

Yes! We love it out west.
In 2008 we spent a week in Sedona with a day trip to Grand Canyon on the GC Railroad (our kids were 8 & 11 then) which was not nearly enough time there and I do want to go back but I think we're too old/out of shape for a 3 day rafting trip.

Then in Sept 2012 we went to San Fran & Yosemite.

I did try to squeeze in more GC on this trip but I can only get one week off work, Mon-Fri, and I don't want to make the whole thing feel so rushed, like running from one site to another, barely having time to enjoy and just soak it all in. That's how our Med cruise was last summer and this year we'd like a little more down time.

How was the weather over Jersey week? We usually go somewhere that week but I have competition now at work for that week which I didn't used to. I work in Philly. I gave back those days for 2013 when we booked the Med cruise and someone has it already for 2014. Maybe for 2015?
Did you get any snow? We looked into GC for our honeymoon back in Oct 95, pre internet, and I heard they sometimes have snow by Oct. That's all I had to hear and quickly looked elsewhere.

Yes parts of our trip was cold. we had winter jackets with us.