a weekend in Arizona
Arriving to AZ
We flew into PHX and rented a car right there at the airport. We got in late (hence the cheap flight), so for our first night we stayed at a random cheap hotel just a few miles from the airport.
Official Day One
We woke up early the next morning and began our journey towards the Grand Canyon, with a few stops in between. Our first stop was Sedona, but first a few mini stops on the way.
The first stop we made was at Montezuma Castle. Here you learn a lot about the history of this beautiful monument and there is a trail about 1/3 of a mile long. There is an entry fee of $10 per person and a small indoor museum to check out. Great stop to stretch your legs and learn some history.
Our next stop was at Chapel of the Holy Cross. This is a beautiful chapel tucked in the red rocks of Sedona. You can go inside (free of charge) and respectfully observe. This is an active chapel so be mindful of the hours of operation and services.
Our next stop was Devil's Bridge Trailhead. This hike was BREATHTAKING (literally). The trail is a total of 1.8 miles round trip and it started out as a fairly easy hike, but there is a 400 foot climb to make it to the bridge. It was completely worth it as the views were incredible but keep this in mind in case you have any physical restrictions. We spent a total of 3 hours here including the hiking and soaking in the views.
We then went into downtown Sedona to grab a bite to eat. Downtown is a cute area with lots of shopping and places to eat. We ate at Outlaw Grill and it was delicious. Great atmosphere in the city.
After a long day our next stop was at our AirBnB in Grand Canyon Junction. This is a remote area but still a beautiful one. Here is where we ended our first day.
Day Two
We woke up bright and early on day two to make our way to The Grand Canyon which was about a 30 minute drive.
There is a shuttle that takes you all around the park. We first took it to Yaki Point which is a overlook spot. Beautiful views and great spot for photos!
We then began our day hike on South Kaibab Trail. This was one of the best experiences of my life. This trail will take you all the way to the bottom on the canyon where some people spend the night! Unfortunately, we didn't get to that, but we did take the trail to Skeleton Point. We hiked a total of ~6 miles round trip and it took us about 4 hours. There are many stops along the way so do what works for you! I can't say enough good things about this hike.
We finished the day by getting dinner at one of the restaurants at the park before heading back to our AirBnB. Our flight left super early the next morning so we had a long drive back to PHX but it was an amazing trip and totally worth it!
Just Some Advice
1) If you are visiting different cities in Arizona, please check the weather. The climate and weather varies SO much from city to city. Phoenix vs the Grand Canyon was like two different seasons!
2) We visited the Grand Canyon in February and weren't totally prepared for the weather. The trails were very snowy, icy, and muddy. The only things on our feet were some Nike running shoes. We had to go to a souvenir shop to buy crampons to attach to our shoes (thanks to our bus driver for warning us).
3) The more the snow melted, the muddier it got... so yes our rental car got stuck in the mud in the very remote area of Grand Canyon Junction. Just be cautious of the weather and your surrounding. :)
I hope this guide helped and enjoy your trip! Below I linked the YouTube video I made on this trip. Safe travels!
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