bellabee03 Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 We are planning a trip in a few weeks to see the Grand Canyon, and I desperately need help with the other parts. We know we want to see Hoover Dam and the Four Corners. What else is a must see in that general area? We're coming from about an hour south of Sacramento, Ca. I was thinking maybe taking the first day to drive to Vegas and stay there for our first night. Then the following morning it will be a short drive to Hoover Dam....and then what?? LOL We only have a week, so the first and last Saturdays are pretty much driving days. Would you plan for 2 days seeing the Grand Canyon or just one? Also, is there anything neat to see near 4 corners, or would that be a round about loop taking us nowhere else? I don't have my heart set on it so we can possibly take that part out. We don't really want to explore So Cal, just Nevada and Arizona. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
besroma Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 I would definitely plan time in Zion NP and Bryce Canyon. We camped several days at Zion and *loved* it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 The price of the Grand Canyon is good for 7 days, so you might want to consider spending more than one day there. Also, Lowell Observatory is in Flagstaff, just 80 miles south. I thought it was worth seeing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
love2read Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 Pueblo village, petrified forest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWOB Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 :bigear: We will be going to the Grand Canyon in a few weeks as well. We'll be coming from Nebraska. I'll be watching this thread closely, hoping for some neat suggestions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellabee03 Posted August 18, 2012 Author Share Posted August 18, 2012 Ooh, I love these ideas! So it seems like if we made Flagstaff our "base" for a few days we could easily drive to all of this? Now I wish we had more time. I love living in California, but it takes so long to drive out of state to see things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EppieJ Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 check out the Carlsbad Caverns. I was ten the last time I was there, but it was memorable! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitestavern Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 We are in the planning stages of a cross country trip, so there's no experience backing this up, although I did get some input from people who have visited the area. Anyway, here's our list of stops: from CA, Vegas-Zion-Bryce-Grand Canyon-Mesa Verde-Pagosa Springs-Santa Fe. I have 8 days allotted for this so I'm hoping that's doable! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltop Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 Are you planning to go to the north rim of the Grand Canyon or the south rim? If you have time, I would definitely go to either Zion or Bryce. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BakersDozen Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 Lowell Observatory is in Flagstaff It is worth going to as is Riordan Mansion (I think it has reopened). Flagstaff is one of my most favorite places and could easily be a "base camp". Sedona is neat, Snowbowl is a beautiful ride, Montezuma's Well is one of our dc's favorite (the Castle can be skipped...nothing really spectacular about it, imo). Prescott is pretty but not worth the drive (although there is a friendly WTMer there ;)). Anyway, here's our list of stops: from CA, Vegas-Zion-Bryce-Grand Canyon-Mesa Verde-Pagosa Springs-Santa Fe. Santa Fe...probably my second favorite place to visit! If you have time and your dc are interested/studying WWII make a trip to Los Alamos. It is so beautiful up there and the museums (FREE!) are wonderful! There is a free trolley on the weekdays that takes you all over. I may be a bit biased but really, the historical aspect of Los Alamos is fabulous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cornelia9805 Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 We traveled from the central coast of CA (so probably 4-5 hours south of you) to Houston, TX and stopped at the Grand Canyon on the way. I have to be honest and say a week is a very short time to cover the area that you want to. I would figure out how much you would like to drive in a day because that is what will dictate where you can go. From what you said I would probably drive to Las Vegas the first day. The Hoover Dam would be a short drive (an hour or so). I am not sure what would be a reasonable amount of time to spend there, but you could make it to Flagstaff by the evening. The third day go to the Grand Canyon. We found all day at the Grand Canyon to be very reasonable. You really want to be there for sunset. ;). The fourth day you can go to the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff before heading out and stopping at the petrified forest on the way to Four Corners. I would plan on a few hours in the Petrified Forest. You drive through fairly extensive roads if I remember correctly. On the fifth day you could drive to Zion in Utah. On the sixth day you could sightsee and the seventh drive would be a really long drive home. If I was you (which I know I'm not) I would drop Four Corners. It forces some back tracking w/o a lot of things to do there. It would free up a lot of your time if you headed to Zion from the Grand Canyon. So this is probably more info than you wanted. I love planning road trips. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellabee03 Posted August 18, 2012 Author Share Posted August 18, 2012 Thanks everyone for all the good suggestions. I think I have a good picture of what we will do. Saturday we will drive to Vegas, Sunday meander to flagstaff. Monday south rim of grand canyon. Tuesday petrified forest. Wednesday Montezemas well and Castle, maybe see what else is around there. Thursday Lowell Observatory. Friday I don't know ye, but Saturday we will leave super early and spend the whole day driving home. I really wish we had more time, but it will be fun. We have a lofty goal of taking the kids to each state before my oldest is in college. We did Oregon last year, and Minnesota a few years ago. At this rate we wont make it, lol. I know I have typos but I'm on the iPad and doing the one fingered typing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltop Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 If you are making Flagstaff your base, you might consider going to Walnut Canyon National Monument and/or Wupatki National Monument. Your kids can earn Junior Ranger badges at both of these places, as well as the Grand Canyon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mandymom Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 check out the Carlsbad Caverns. I was ten the last time I was there, but it was memorable! That might be a bit of a drive. It's around an 11 hour drive between Flagstaff and Carlsbad. But I agree...Carlsbad Cavern is really cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Random Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 Thanks everyone for all the good suggestions. I think I have a good picture of what we will do. Saturday we will drive to Vegas, Sunday meander to flagstaff. Monday south rim of grand canyon. Tuesday petrified forest. Wednesday Montezemas well and Castle, maybe see what else is around there. Thursday Lowell Observatory. Friday I don't know ye, but Saturday we will leave super early and spend the whole day driving home. I really wish we had more time, but it will be fun. We have a lofty goal of taking the kids to each state before my oldest is in college. We did Oregon last year, and Minnesota a few years ago. At this rate we wont make it, lol. I know I have typos but I'm on the iPad and doing the one fingered typing. On Wednesday, you should add Sedona and Jerome to your itinerary. On Thursday, you could spend the afternoon walking around downtown Flagstaff, and maybe some of the museums. Maybe you could leave Flagstaff on Friday and go home through Zion? It's gorgeous! Safe travels! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellabee03 Posted August 18, 2012 Author Share Posted August 18, 2012 Maybe you could leave Flagstaff on Friday and go home through Zion? It's gorgeous! That's what I think we might do, since everyone has suggested seeing it. I really like the idea of the kids earning the Junior Ranger Badges, too. Thank you everyone for all the good suggestions! I honestly didn't know there were so many neat places to see in northern Arizona besides the Grand Canyon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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