Documenting Lovely Moments
Perfect 7-Day Itinerary For An Epic Fall Break In Arizona
Our trip to Arizona last fall was everything we expected it to be and more. We spent a week immersing ourselves in nature and breathtaking sceneries, from the majestic Grand Canyon, serene Sedona Red Rocks, to the ethereal Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend. We also visited Glen Canyon and the Wahweap Marina in Page, and stargazing under the clear desert sky. The trip ended in Phoenix, where we spent our time at the famous Desert Botanical Garden. We were mesmerized by the towering cacti and walked among hundreds of live butterflies.
7-Day Arizona Adventure Itinerary
DAY 1
Phoenix, AZ to Sedona, AZ
- Arriving in Phoenix International Airport (PHX)
- Dinner in Phoenix
- Driving to Sedona
► Arriving at Phoenix International Airport (PHX)
Our flight arrived around 6 pm. We picked up our rental car, grabbed dinner, and drove to our hotel in Sedona area.
DAY 2
Grand Canyon National Park
- Breakfast at hotel
- Grand Canyon National Park South Rim
- Lunch at El Tovar
- Grand Canyon Village
- Dinner in the village
► Breakfast
We had breakfast at the hotel before checking out and started our 2.5 hour-drive to Grand Canyon South Rim.
► Arriving at Grand Canyon
We arrived around 9 am and the line to enter Grand Canyon National Park was not bad at all. We used our America The Beautiful pass to waive the $35/car admission fee. It was too early to check into our hotel but we were able to park our car at the hotel parking lot, and left our luggage in the car until our room was ready.
► Exploring Grand Canyon
We took the complimentary village shuttle to start exploring Grand Canyon South Rim. After a short walk from the Maswik Lodge parking lot to the Village Route Transfer Point, we took the Hermit Rest Route (Red Line) bus and stopped at Powell Point, Hopi Point, Mohave Point, and Pima Point. Each view point offers an amazing view of the canyon. Of course we took many photos, although none could truly capture or describe what we saw and felt while standing next to the rim.
► Lunch at El Tovar
After the sightseeing, we took the bus to the historic El Tovar hotel and enjoyed a late lunch at El Tovar dining room.
► Check into hotel
Our room was ready by the time we finished eating lunch. We stayed at the Maswik Lodge Hotel at the Grand Canyon Village.
► More sightseeing and dinner
After unpacking and freshening up, we headed to Mather Point to watch sunset, then had dinner at Harvey House in the village.
DAY 3
Grand Canyon to Page, AZ
- Sunrise breakfast
- Hiking the Bright Angel Trailhead
- Lunch in Grand Canyon Village
- Shoshone, Grandview, Moran, and Desert View Point
- Driving to Page, AZ
- Dinner and Stargazing in Page
► Sunrise at Grand Canyon
We brought snacks, coffee, and hot chocolate and drove our rental car to Yavapai viewpoint to catch the sunrise while enjoying a little picnic at the bench.
► Hike the Bright Angel Trailhead
Because we had to check out of the hotel and had a limited time, we hiked the Bright Angel Trailhead to the first lookout point only before hiking back.
► Lunch
Before leaving the village, we grabbed a quick lunch at the Maswik Lodge food court.
► Desert View Drive
Leaving Grand Canyon village, we did the scenic Desert View Drive, making several stops at Shoshone Point, Grandview Point, Moran Point, and Desert View Point.
► Driving to Page, AZ
We were ready to leave Grand Canyon and continued our trip with a scenic drive to Page, AZ, which took about 2 hours.
► Dinner and Stargazing
We checked into our room at Country Inn & Suites by Radisson Hotel, then went out to dinner in Page. Afterwards, we drove around Page and found a dark viewpoint area near the Glen Canyon. We stopped there for a nice stargazing away from city lights before heading back to our hotel to rest for the night.
DAY 4
Page, AZ
- Horseshoe Bend
- Brunch at Rainbow Room
- Wahweap Marina
- Glen Canyon
- Dinner in Page
► Horseshoe Bend
We spent the morning hiking the iconic horseshoe-shaped meander of the Colorado River for a view of towering cliffs and the shimmering green waters below. You can read our separate post about visiting the spectacular Horsehoe Bend.
► Brunch and Wahweap Marina
Following the hike, we drove to Wahweap Marina and enjoyed a delicious brunch at the Rainbow Room. Afterwards, we walked around the area enjoying the water view at the Wahweap Overlook.
► Glen Canyon
In the afternoon, we visited Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, which was not far from Wahweap Marina.
► Dinner
We spent the rest of the day swimming and relaxing at the hotel, and went out to a nice dinner.
DAY 5
Page, AZ to Sedona, AZ
- Breakfast
- Upper Antelope Canyon Tour
- Lunch in Flagstaff, AZ
- Route 66
- Red Rock Scenic Byway
- Dinner in Sedona
► Breakfast
We had breakfast at the hotel, then packed our stuff and left them at the lobby to be picked up later.
► Upper Antelope Canyon
It was time to go on the much anticipated tour of Upper Antelope Canyon, which had been in our bucket list for some time. The tour did not disappoint and you can read our separate post about our experience at the Upper Antelope Canyon.
► Flagstaff and Route 66
After the tour, we went back to our hotel to pick up our luggage and started heading to Sedona, AZ. On the way, we made a lunch stop in Flagstaff and explored historic Route 66 attractions, like classic diners and unique roadside stops.
► Red Rock Scenic Byway
Moving south toward Sedona, we enjoyed the scenery changes from pine forests to striking red rock formations approaching this famous desert town.
► Check into hotel
We checked into our room at the Holiday Inn Express Sedona, then went out to a Thai restaurant within a walking distance from the hotel, before going back to rest for the night.
DAY 6
Sedona, AZ to Phoenix, AZ
- Breakfast in Sedona
- Bell Rock
- Chapel of the Holy Cross
- Lunch in Downtown Sedona
- Montezuma Castle National Monument
- Driving to and dinner in Phoenix
► Breakfast
In the morning, we grabbed a quick breakfast at the hotel before exploring Sedona Red Rocks. You can read our detailed post about our wonderful day in Sedona.
► Bell Rock Trailhead
We started the day by driving to Bell Rock Trailhead parking lot. From there we hiked towards the adorable bell-shaped red rock formation. The desert air felt so nice in the morning, and the trail was not too crowded yet.
► Chapel of the Holy Cross
Afterwards, we hopped back in the car and headed to the Chapel of the Holy Cross. We wanted to check out this Roman Catholic chapel that was built into the rock, which we thought was very cool.
► Downtown Sedona
Our next stop was Downtown Sedona. We ate lunch there and spent the afternoon walking around Main Street, shopping for souvenirs, and stopping for ice cream.
► Montezuma Castle National Monument
Before leaving Sedona, we stopped to visit Montezuma Castle National Monument and had a great time learning about its cultural significance and history.
► Driving to Phoenix through Red Rock Scenic Byway
After sunset, we started driving to Phoenix, again through the Red Rock Scenic Byway while enjoying the amazing red rock sceneries.
► Dinner in Phoenix
When we arrived in Phoenix, we just grabbed a quick dinner and checked into our hotel.
DAY 7
Phoenix, AZ
- Breakfast at the hotel
- Desert Botanical Garden
- Lunch in Phoenix
- Flying Back from Phoenix International Airport (PHX)
► Desert Botanical Garden
After breakfast at the hotel, we visited the popular Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, which exceeded our expectation. It was like stepping into a vibrant desert wonderland. Along the trails, we saw towering saguaro cacti and colorful blooms of prickly pear and cholla, each plant more fascinating than the last. The butterfly pavilion was a highlight, with hundreds of live butterflies fluttering around us and landing on our bodies. What a fun experience it was. We had planned to visit Papago Park in Phoenix afterwards but decided to cancel it because we had spent time at the Botanical Garden much longer than expected.
► Lunch before going home
After stopping for lunch in Phoenix, we headed to Phoenix International Airport (PHX). The trip had come to an end. Although it only lasted for 6 days, we covered a lot of must-see places. We planned to come back someday to see more of Arizona.
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I'm a happily-married mom of two. Our family enjoys an active lifestyle and spending quality time together. We love creating memories through travel, learning about different cultures around the world.
