Day 1: Southwest Intro
Begin your American Southwest road trip journey in Las Vegas. While technically I started my trip in Los Angeles, if you’re flying in, Las Vegas is the most practical place to start. If you arrive early in the day, consider a stop at Valley of Fire State Park on your way out of town. This park is teeming with beautiful red rock formations and desert flora and fauna to enjoy.
After your visit, head north on I-15 toward Zion National Park, another 2 and a half hours northeast. Springdale, Utah is just outside the park entrance, but the supply and demand can drive room prices up. Hurricane, Utah offers more affordable and some brand new options, but it is a half-hour drive to Zion. You can also choose to stay within the park boundaries, either camping or at the lodge.
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Stay:
Hurricane, Utah – Best Western Plus Zion West Hotel, La Quinta Inn and Suites La Verkin, Coral Springs Resort
Springdale, Utah – Majestic View Lodge, Desert Pearl Inn, Cliffrose Lodge and Gardens
Zion National Park – Zion Lodge, Watchman Campground, South Campground (reserve any campsite far in advance if visiting during high season)
Day 2: A Day in Zion
Spend a whole day exploring Zion National Park. One day won’t even scratch the surface of what there is to do there, but you can at least cut your teeth on one or several of the park’s amazing hikes. If it is your first time visiting, see my post A First-Timer’s Guide to Zion National Park.
Eat:
Breakfast – Springdale: Deep Creek Coffee Company
Hurricane: River Rock Roasting Company
Lunch
Red Rock Grille in Zion Lodge, or pack a picnic
Dinner
Springdale: Oscar’s Cafe
Hurricane: Stage Coach Grille
Day 3: One Southwest National Park or the Other
There are two great options to consider for day 3, either spend another half-day exploring Zion, or drive an hour and a half out of your way to see Bryce Canyon National Park (which is well-worth the detour, in my opinion). I actually ended up doing both on my road trip, it ended up being a very long day and I didn’t get to spend much time in Bryce. I’m still glad I did it, however. For the sake of not spreading yourself too thin, however, I suggest picking one. You’ll just have to do another southwest road trip to come back for the second one.
A detour to Bryce Canyon National Park will take you about 3 hours out of the way, plus however much time you spend in the park. Kevin and I thought it was definitely worth a visit, but we were sad that we didn’t get to spend more time there exploring. Plus, it was a very long day. Once you’re satisfied with your visit to Bryce, continue east on Highway 89 toward Kanab, Utah. As the day ended up being such a long one, we opted to stay in Kanab for the night instead of hauling all the way to Lake Powell.
Stay:
Eat:
Day 4: East to Lake Powell
If you chose to spend the night in Kanab, head to Coral Pink San Dunes State Park as a quick day trip. This Utah state park is often overlooked for the more popular Southwest attractions, but I think it’s well worth a visit. You can just admire the dunes with the pink hue, or for the more adventurous, go out on an ATV or dune buggy tour.
After a visit to the state park, keep heading east on Highway 89. If you’re feeling ambitious, an hour east of Kanab is a detour to Paria townsite. There used to be an old western ghost town there (which has since been destroyed), which was used to film several old western movies. The real draw for me were the incredible rainbow mountains, sporting so many shades of beautiful red, orange and purple.
After your day trip detours, continue your southwest road trip to the east on Highway 89 for one more hour to your destination of Lake Powell. Lake Powell is one of my favorite places on earth, having gone there many times on family vacations as a kid. It’s a man-made lake that fills Glen Canyon and straddles the Utah/Arizona border (and more confusingly, the time zone between the two as well). The lake is a haven for water sports enthusiasts and warrants a longer vacation, but you can see the highlights in a couple of days. The town nearby is Page, Arizona, and offers anything you might need during your stay. After your day of driving, have a relaxing swim in the lake, and then visit Horseshoe Bend for sunset for that perfect Instagram shot (just make sure you know the time of sunset in Arizona time).
Stay:
Lake Powell Resort, Wahweap Marina RV & Campground, Days Inn & Suites Page Lake Powell
Eat:
Strombolli’s Pizza, any dining option at Lake Powell Resort
Day 5: Lake Powell and Antelope Canyon
Spend a day getting to know the lake and the surrounding Southwest desert. Lake Powell is best seen from the water, as it has more shoreline than the west coast of the United States. This is due to a multitude of canyons and fingers of the lake, allowing boaters to find isolation fairly easily. There are many places from which to rent a boat to explore on your own, or you can join a boat tour.
One must-do, whether part of a comprehensive tour or on its own, is Antelope Canyon. There are Upper and Lower Antelope Canyons; Upper is larger and can accommodate more people, Lower is narrow and not accessible to those with mobility issues, as you must climb up and down steep ladders. As both areas are on Navajo Nation land, an organized tour is required.
I highly recommend booking in advance, as tours sell out during the high season. I have taken Ken’s Tours before, and they have highly knowledgeable guides who know the best photo spots! Make sure to wear sturdy shoes, as you’ll be walking on sand and dirt the whole time.
Day 6: Onward to Monument Valley, an absolute Southwest Road Trip MUST
Monument Valley is quite a bit out of the way of our original route, but no Southwest road trip can be complete without it. The landscape is the stuff of old western movie dreams, and it’s easy to conjure a memory of John Wayne sauntering into the golden sunset.
Monument Valley is a 2 hour drive from Lake Powell. Kevin and I only stayed one night, and we found that to be sufficient, as we had both been there before. I think that if you get there early enough, one night is enough, but that’s up to you. There isn’t much to do or see on the drive there, so that kept us pretty much on track as far as side trips and detours go, and we’re always down for those!
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The main activities in the Valley are centered around the beautiful and famous rock formations. The Monument Valley Tribal Park and Visitor’s Center is worth a visit, and is a jumping-off point for the dirt drive that winds around the area. This drive is 17 miles long and provides up-close and spectacular views of the buttes and formations, but it is all dirt so make sure you’re comfortable driving in that situation. If you’re not, you can hike or ride on horseback to see the sights.
The drive does close in the late afternoon, so head further north to experience the Forrest Gump road, where Tom Hanks famously told his followers “I’m pretty tired, I think I’ll go home now”. Any angle of the valley is beautiful at sundown, when the rocks glow golden and red. When you go for dinner, make sure you try a Navajo fry bread. It’s fried, puffed dough with powdered sugar, kind of like a Navajo beignet. I like the version of the fry bread that’s made into a taco!
Stay:
Goulding’s Lodge Campground and RV Park, The View Hotel, Campground and Cabins
Eat:
Day 7: Southward Bound
This was a long travel day for us. Not only did we travel 3.5 hours from Monument Valley to Sedona, Arizona, we made a long detour to Grand Canyon National Park. Our reasoning was that we couldn’t be that close to a National Park and not visit it. This was the same reason we used for visiting Bryce Canyon! We like to buy an America the Beautiful Annual Pass, which at the time of writing is $80. For as many parks as we visit in a year, this is definitely worth it as each one-week entry is about $35.
This added another 2 hours of driving, plus the time we spent in the park. This will be a long day and if you’re not into it, skip it. If you’re up for more adventures, it’s a great detour. If you have more time, staying in the park would allow you more time to explore. We didn’t have the time to properly explore, however, so we just passed through.
Once passing through Flagstaff, the way down to Sedona is very scenic and a nice break from the barren desert landscape. The canyon is green and lush from Oak Creek that runs through it. At the end of the canyon, the bright red rocks of Sedona loom large and imposing over the town. Spend whatever remaining daylight hours you have exploring the town and deciding what activity you’d like to take on tomorrow.
Stay:
Eat:
Wildflower Bread Company, Hideaway House
Day 8 – A Day in Sedona, a Southwest gem
Sedona is worth a full day of exploring! It’s beautiful and there are many hiking trails and tour opportunities to check out. A Pink Jeep tour will take you all around the best spots, and some great trails to get those Instagram shots are Cathedral Rock Trail and Devil’s Bridge Trail. Make sure you get an early start to any hiking if you go in the late spring or summer, as it can get very hot and uncomfortable, like a lot of places around the American Southwest! Sedona is also famous for its vortexes, which are specific spots where the energy of the earth is said to swirl and help with healing and meditation. There are also a couple of state parks nearby, as well as numerous spas and wellness centers to keep you plenty busy.
Day 9 – Route 66
If you’re still following along on my Southwest road trip, head west today to Laughlin, Nevada. If you head north from Sedona to Flagstaff go west on I-40. You’ll be following a large chunk of the Mother Road, Route 66. If this doesn’t interest you, continue on I-40 the whole way, as it’s a lot faster than the dilapidated highway.
One stop worth making along Route 66 is Williams, Arizona. This town is right off I-40 and has capitalized on Route 66 nostalgia, with everything from themed ziplining to diners to a gas station museum. If you venture far into the isolated desert (along a scenic ride), you’ll eventually reach Oatman, Arizona, which holds duel history as a gold mining town and later the honor of being directly on Route 66. Here you will find an Old West town with plenty of charm, as well as wild burros running around the streets like they own the place.
Continue west and across the Colorado River to the gambling town of Laughlin, Nevada. Rooms here are very inexpensive, making it a good final night. It’s an easy drive back to Los Angeles or Las Vegas. The town has a funky vibe, and is reminiscent of the way Vegas used to be before all the big money built the glitzy mega-casinos of today. Plus, it sits on the Colorado River so it affords the pleasure of water sports aplenty, if you have time.
Stay:
Laughlin – Aquarius Casino Resort, Edgewater Hotel and Casino
Eat:
Oatman: Olive Oatman Restaurant
Laughlin: Saltgrass Steak House, Bumbleberry Flats
Day 10: Heading home
Our southwest road trip was finally coming to an end. We headed back to Los Angeles on day 10, about a 4.5 hour drive from Laughlin. If you are flying out of Las Vegas, that is only an hour and a half from Laughlin. By now I hope you’ve had quite your fill of Southwest driving, desert, food, national, and state park adventures!
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