West - Honeymoon help - Grand Canyon

Hi everyone,

I am getting married in late July and we are planning on going to the Grand Canyon for our honeymoon.
We are planning on leaving NY on Tuesday and flying back on Saturday, so thats 4 nights/3 days.

I would love some help on planing out our schedule.
I always wanted to see Hoover Dam, but that is probably impossible with the short timeline, oh well.

So here are some items I thought about doing:
Grand Canyon - 1 day. It will the be South Rim, thats the one everyone says to go to.

Everyone talks about watching the sunrise, that probably won't happen for us.
But Im sure we can stay late and watch the sunset and then drive back to the hotel. (we are allowed to stay for sunset right? there are traffic lights to drive when it is dark, right?)

What else should we do there? Short hike? Short tour?


The Meteor Crater sounds cool...but is there anything to do there?
Or is it just look at the crater from the edge?
Worth it?

Painted Desert

Hot Air Balloon over Red Rocks in Sedona


Anything else we should check out?

3 logistical items:
Airport - Makes the most sense to fly into Phoenix (hopefully I can use Delta points!)

Car - will rent from either Hertz or National. Will use points/rental credits.

Hotel - I am thinking of staying at the Hilton in Sedona. (using points)
BUT...I have 2 Marriott certs that expire in Sept. But no Marriott in Sedona.
So 2 nights in Flagstaff (which Marriott do you recommend) and then 2 in Sedona?
I think Flagstaff and Sedona are close enough that its not a big deal to stay in one over the other, right? (in terms of saving on travel time)
According to the Sedona website, Flagstaff is about 25 miles away.

Thanks for any help!

Personal suggestion, make sure that you can cash in your Delta points and Marriott certificates ASAP. July is big travel season for the Grand Canyon because of tourists and kids on break with their parents. Yes, staying in either Flagstaff or Sedona will give you good access to both, it is a short drive through a pretty part of AZ between the two (Oak Creek Canyon). Once you're sure that you have your flights and lodging booked successfully, I'm sure you'll get some more advice.

Yes, you can stay and watch the sunset at the Grand Canyon. Driving at night also shouldn't be an issue.

Personal suggestion, make sure that you can cash in your Delta points and Marriott certificates ASAP. July is big travel season for the Grand Canyon because of tourists and kids on break with their parents. Yes, staying in either Flagstaff or Sedona will give you good access to both, it is a short drive through a pretty part of AZ between the two (Oak Creek Canyon). Once you're sure that you have your flights and lodging booked successfully, I'm sure you'll get some more advice.

Good point.

But for the hotels...is it better to do:
2 nights Flagstaff, 2 nights Sedona
or
2 nights Sedona, 2 nights Flagstaff
or
1 night Flagstaff, 2 nights Sedona, 1 night Flagstaff

Of course the night we go to the Grand Canyon should be Flagstaff, as I think Flagstaff is a bit closer to the Grand Canyon than Sedona.

Good point.

But for the hotels...is it better to do:
2 nights Flagstaff, 2 nights Sedona
or
2 nights Sedona, 2 nights Flagstaff
or
1 night Flagstaff, 2 nights Sedona, 1 night Flagstaff

Of course the night we go to the Grand Canyon should be Flagstaff, as I think Flagstaff is a bit closer to the Grand Canyon than Sedona.

I would agree that staying in Flag before going to the Grand Canyon is better than staying in Sedona. Try for 2 and 2, minimize checking in and checking out on your honeymoon.

Meteor crater has a museum which covers space flight as well as the history of the crater; surprisingly good. Well worth seeing. Painted Desert is fantastic for about 2 weeks of the year (in the spring, when flowers bloom -- an astonishing profusion); in July it will be hot, bleak and miserable (as well as hundreds of miles from anywhere). If you do go that way, keep going to Canyon de Chelly which is great, maybe stay at the Thunderbird Lodge http://www.tbirdlodge.com/

Possible itinerary:

Tuesday: Take the earliest flight to PHX that you can, arriving in PHX in the a.m. or early afternoon, if possible. Rent a car and drive to Sedona (about 2 hours). July in Phoenix will be stifling (110 degrees +) so no need to linger.

Possible stops include Montezuma's Castle and Well. Before you get into Sedona, stop by the Red Rock Ranger station in Oak Creek to buy a Red Rock pass and get a map.

Check-in to your hotel in Sedona (I can personally recommend the Sunset Chateau B&B, but there are tons of other places in Sedona. Or consider staying in Oak Creek, just south of Sedona, to avoid the traffic). Explore the immediate area. If you have time, go on a hike. I personally recommend the Bell Rock/Cathedral trail that begins in Oak Creek. It's about 5 miles and takes about 2 or 3 hours. It's a beautiful hike and not too challenging. If hiking is your thing, there are tons of hikes in this area, from short to long, from easy to challenging.

OR, if hiking isn't your thing, register EARLY (as in now) for a late afternoon Pink Jeep tour. Great fun!

Shower and change and go to one of the many restaurants for dinner.

Wednesday
Early a.m. hot air balloon ride. We used Northern Lights, IIRC. Alternative is Pink Jeep tour.

Lunch and shopping at Tlaquepaque.

Afternoon hike. Or head to Jerome, an old mining town.

Stargarzing at Airport Mesa.

Thursday
Check out and head to the Grand Canyon National Park. This will take the better part of a day. If it's daytime, drive through Oak Creek Canyon as it's a beautiful drive. It's probably too late to book reservation to stay in the park, but that would be ideal. If not, Flagstaff is about 60-90 minutes away. Drive up to the Grand Canyon one way (SR 64 through Coconino Plateau to the Grand Canyon Village) and back the other way (SR 89 at the edge of the Painted Desert). If you have enough time, visit Wupatki National Monument.

Friday

Walnut Creek Canyon National Monument - this is a great place to see cliff dwellings that you caught just a glimpse of at Montezuma's Castle.

Sunset Crater National Monument

Either head to Phoenix to spend the night if you have an early morning flight home, or leave Flagstaff in plenty of time for the drive back to Phoenix. Rental car return adds another 15 or 20 minutes and TSA can get quite backed up at PHX.

P.S. Consider buying an America the Beautiful pass, which gets you and 3 other people in to all national parks/monuments for one year. GC alone is $25. The others are around $5 apiece.

P.S. Consider buying an America the Beautiful pass, which gets you and 3 other people in to all national parks/monuments for one year. GC alone is $25. The others are around $5 apiece.

+1 on the parks pass. Additionally, not sure if you have one, but each of the parks and national monument visitor centers have a unique stamp with the date of your visit. They have Passport books for sale to collect the stamps. It's a fun way to record all of the National Park units you guys visit. The larger parks and monuments also carry stickers for the passport books which makes the book really neat.

Flagstaff is not next door to the GC. A good 90 minutes or more each way. Rather than staying in Flagstff, especially for 2 nights, I would stay in the park (lodging right at the rim can be pricey but the one or two places a bit further from the rim cost less), or next door in the town of Tusayan (lots of hotels, including major chains, there), if at all possible. I would suggest spending at least two full days at the GC. Certainly not just part of one day. Best times are morning and evening (best in terms of views, wildlife and smaller crowds of people). I would make that my priority and then fit in the other things, including Sedona, as time permits. For me, Sedona had lovely scenery but was overcommercialized with expensive boutiques, New Age shops, etc. Worth seeing? Certainly, but it does not compare with the Grand Canyon. I'd spend a night in Sedona if necessary to give more time to the GC, etc. Meteor Crater? Sure, why not, if time permits. What do you want to see from the balloon? You won't go over the GC, of course. Painted Desert, Petrified Forest are easy to visit in a short amount of time.

Alternative idea: fly to Las Vegas (often less expensive to fly to than to Phoenix) and drive to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon (reserve lodging at the lodge at the rim right away, otherwise nearest options are Kaibab Lodge and Jacob Lake Inn). You will drive through Zion National Park on the way, and could spend a night there (or in the adjoining town of Springdale). The North Rim is higher (by 1,000'), greener, cooler (a factor to consider in July) and less crowded than the South Rim. Vegas will be hot, but so will Phoenix (and Sedona won't be exactly cool). I'd rate Zion as even more scenic than Sedona, though admit others could reasonably disagree.

Im back, now that all the travel plans are done.

Recreation - thanks for that detail plan.
How does it change with my new schedule:

Tuesday morning - Arrive in Phoenix
Tuesday and Wednesday night - Marriott in Flagstaff
Thursday and Friday night - Hilton in Sedona
Saturday night - flight back.

Now sure what we can do Saturday.
Our flight isn't until 10pm. So counting backwards.
Arrive at airport at 8...takes about 2 hours to get to Phoenix from Sedona.
So we have until 5pm or so to do stuff in Sedona.

But no hotel room, so no shower...so things like Hiking or any outdoor stuff, etc are out.


Thanks everyone

Now sure what we can do Saturday.
Our flight isn't until 10pm. So counting backwards.
Arrive at airport at 8...takes about 2 hours to get to Phoenix from Sedona.
So we have until 5pm or so to do stuff in Sedona.

But no hotel room, so no shower...so things like Hiking or any outdoor stuff, etc are out.


Thanks everyone

Have you looked into a jeep tour in Sedona? There's several companies, but most people recommend Pink Jeep. They have several tours, from as little as an hour I think to up to 4 hours. I'd opt to do it fairly early in the day, to avoid too much heat and sun. I did the Pink Jeep I think 2 or 3 years ago, the crazy one (where the jeep goes near vertical climbing and descending), then the rim. These tours do sell out, so if you're interested, book ASAP.

When leaving Sedona, you can take the back way, through Cottonwood, Jerome, then over the mountain to Prescott. I really love Jerome...just a cute town to walk through, check out some artwork, great views of the Verde Valley, and grab a coffee. Then plan a late lunch in Prescott (Prescott Brewing Company on the main square is a good reasonable choice).

If you really want to avoid the I-17, you can take the back way from Prescott to Wickenburg, more old Western towns, then take US 60 into the PHX area through Sun City.

If you still have time to kill, maybe catch a move, or even an IMAX. Or go to Mill Ave, walk around a bit, walk the lake, take a boat on the lake, go to the botanical gardens, etc. All of this is really dependant on temps.
Or perhaps you can visit with some local Flyertalkers :p

Trying to consolidate the plans for the trip (last minute, I know.)

I figure, when we land tomorrow, we'll drive straight to Flagstaff and hang around there.
Weds go to Grand Canyon. Now, whats the best route? There seems to be 3, whats the pros/cons of each:
* Take I-40 west to Highway 64. Take Highway 64 north directly to the South Rim.
* Take Highway 180 west to Highway 64. Take Highway 64 north directly to the South Rim.
* Take Highway 89 north to Highway 64. Take Highway 64 west to the East Entrance on the South R

I heard 180 goes through a forest?

Trying to consolidate the plans for the trip (last minute, I know.)

I figure, when we land tomorrow, we'll drive straight to Flagstaff and hang around there.
Weds go to Grand Canyon. Now, whats the best route? There seems to be 3, whats the pros/cons of each:
* Take I-40 west to Highway 64. Take Highway 64 north directly to the South Rim.
* Take Highway 180 west to Highway 64. Take Highway 64 north directly to the South Rim.
* Take Highway 89 north to Highway 64. Take Highway 64 west to the East Entrance on the South R

I heard 180 goes through a forest?


I've done all 3 routes, and I guess it all depends. Are you in a hurry to get there? Will you need to stop for gas/snacks/food on the way?

This time of year, when there could be lines at the Main/south entrance, I'd opt for the 89/64 route. You enter via the East gate, which is far far less busy than the main gate. Desert View is right there, with a castle-type lookout, picnic tables, etc. It is fairly calm.

I'm not even sure if you can drive in from the South/main entrance? I know for a while they were limiting driving, and wanting to put people on shuttle buses. I vaguely remember hearing that went away, but I'm not 100% sure.

It is faster to go via the south/main gate. I like the 180/64; I did the 40 once, and it just seemed longer. But via the main gate, you get dumped into Grand Canyon Village, which can be rather busy, parking difficult. You'd probably end up here eventually anyway, but I'd rather go the other way and enjoy the smaller crowds.

Tuesday

My advice is to take your time driving to Flagstaff tomorrow. There are a few hiking trails in Flagstaff, but it's not a very pretty city. So I'd still advise driving up through Red Rock country (take the signs to Sedona) and stopping at Montezuma's Castle, which is short and fairly shaded. Then I'd stop in Sedona for either lunch or dinner.

If time permits, drive through Walnut Creek Canyon on your way to Flagstaff as it will be the most scenic, and cooler. Slide Rock State Park is on the way and that's pretty cool. But I'd not advise driving through Walnut Creek Canyon when it's dark, because the roads are really steep and winding. If it's late, just stick to the highway.

Wednesday

Get as early as a start as possible, which should be easy cause you'll be on East Coast time. Sunrise is ~5:30am this time of year, and sunset is ~7:30pm. The eastern route through Cocino Forest is nice, as is the western route on the edge of the Painted Desert. But both will get you there, so don't sweat the details. Pack a picnic lunch, if possible, and enjoy it at one of the roadside picnic areas around the Canyon. Another option is to eat at one of the restaurants in the Park, but plan to visit during off-hours, such as 3pm. 11am to 2pm is probably going to be very crowded, so plan accordingly.

Do I have to tell you to pack water bottles? Well, I just did. A small soft-sided cooler filled with hotel ice can make life so much easier when you're planning an active vacation.

GCNP offers tons of hikes, which you can sign up for at the Visitor Center. I'd definitely sign up for one of these as early as possible in the day. That way you won't feel tethered to that one area all day, waiting for the hike to start.

FYI, my favorite scenic pull-off was Lipan Point. Don't miss the views from here. You can see the Green River winding through the canyon floor.

Thursday and Friday

Sedona

Hopefully you booked a Pink Jeep tour and a hot air balloon ride already. If not, you can visit the state parks and hike some of the many trails. There's also shopping at Tlaquepaque Plaza, Jerome, etc. Light a candle in celebration of your marriage at the Chapel of the Holy Cross if that's your thing.

And don't forget star gazing. Airport Mesa is great, but a hotel hammock works just as well.

Saturday

You have a few options. I like Aztimm's suggestion. Another option would be to book a massage or spend the better part of the morning at a day spa in Sedona or even Phoenix. I loved the Camelback Inn's Day Spa in Phoenix, but you should probably stick to Sedona because Phoenix is boiling right now. There are some nicer restaurants in Phoenix that will help end your honeymoon on a good note, so you might plan to arrive in time to have a nice meal before your plane ride.

Good luck to you and congratulations!

Thanks for all the suggestions!

I should be going to sleep (my flight is in 7 hours) but Im on here...
Here is some ideas I have based on various posts:

Tues:
Drive from Phoenix to the hotel, check in and shower.
Maybe go to the Meteor Crater (I believe it is closer to Flagstaff than Sedona)

Weds:
Go to Grand Canyon.
Maybe I will hike the side that is near the Painted Desert (knock off 2 sights with 1 hike) =)
Stay in the Grand Canyon until sunset (7:30) to check it out.
Any particular place to get the awesomest view of the sunset?

Thursday:
Drive up to Sedona

Friday:

Saturday:
Drive back up to Phoenix.
I believe on the way to Phoenix, I will pass through Jerome.
So we will stop there.

Now, there are a few things I want to check out in Sedona, but not sure the best way to group them with other activities: (I have most of thurs and friday free)
Vortexes (thats what people keep talking about)
Airport Mesa to watch the sunset and stars - but Im a bit confused...is it an airport? or is it desert, where you hike?
Bell Rock / Cathedral trail.

Maybe put in a Jeep tour or a Hot air balloon (I know, I should have booked. have not yet)

We are staying at the Hilton Sedona, which is supposedly a good spa, so maybe we might hang there for awhile too.

Thanks!

Airport Mesa is the name of the Mesa. Like Cathedral Butte or Bell Rock.

Re the Grand Canyon: Please don't go with the intention of hiking to the bottom and back up on the same day. That requires planning and tons more water than you'll have packed. Plus it's the middle of the summer where temperatures will soar (it'll be over 100 degrees on the bottom) the farther down you go. There are also very few rest stops (e.g. port-a-potties) on major trails. We hiked for about 3 hours and never did reach one. If you want to go to the bottom, hire a helicopter. I'd have recommended looking into a mule ride, but that would have required at least two full days plus planning a year in advance.

If you haven't booked the Pink Jeep tour, the best you can hope for is a cancellation. Call for a Hot Air Balloon reservation as soon as you get to Flagstaff.