Arizona
5
Day Itinerary •
USA
Five days in Arizona lets you explore the full extraordinary breadth of the Grand Canyon State, from the most extraordinary geological feature on earth at the Grand Canyon to the red rock vortex country of Sedona, the extraordinary Navajo Nation monuments, the finest slot canyons in the world and the saguaro cactus forests of the Sonoran Desert. This route covers the complete Arizona experience. The extraordinary South Rim sunrise and Bright Angel Trail descent, the red rock cathedrals of Sedona, the iconic Monument Valley and Antelope Canyon, the extraordinary Petrified Forest and Painted Desert and the extraordinary Saguaro National Park and Tucson food scene.
Best Time To Visit
March to May or September to November
Getting There
Fly into Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX) or Las Vegas (LAS)
Getting Around
Rental car essential throughout
Budget Per Day
Approx $120 to $190 per person per day
Difficulity
Easy to moderate, some canyon hiking
DAY 1
GRAND CANYON AND SEDONA
MORNING
GRAND CANYON SOUTH RIM AT SUNRISE
The Grand Canyon South Rim at sunrise is the most extraordinary natural spectacle on earth, its 277-mile-long, 18-mile-wide and 6,093-foot-deep chasm filling with extraordinary shadow and light as the sun rises over the Painted Desert. Mather Point gives the finest sunrise view. The extraordinary Rim Trail connecting 11 viewpoints from Mather Point to Hermit's Rest is the finest accessible walk in Arizona. The Desert View Watchtower at the east end is unmissable. Entry $35 per vehicle. Drive: 15 min walk
MIDDAY
BRIGHT ANGEL TRAIL AND THE INNER CANYON
The Bright Angel Trail is the most extraordinary canyon hike in America, its descent from 6,860 feet to the Colorado River through a billion years of geological history exposed in extraordinary horizontal bands. Day hikers should turn back at Indian Garden 3 miles down for an extraordinary 6-mile round trip through the Tonto Platform. The extraordinary Supai Tunnel and the Garden Creek oasis are unmissable. Carry extraordinary amounts of water. Free with entry. Drive: 2 hr drive
AFTERNOON
SEDONA AND THE RED ROCK SUNSET
Sedona's extraordinary formation of ancient red sandstone buttes, mesas and spires rises from the high desert floor in colors that intensify dramatically at sunset. The extraordinary Airport Mesa viewpoint gives the finest 360-degree panorama of the red rock country. The Cathedral Rock reflection in Oak Creek at Crescent Moon Ranch is the most photographed sight in Arizona. The extraordinary energy of Sedona at dusk is unmistakable. Entry free.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Desert View Watchtower at the eastern end of the South Rim is the finest hidden viewpoint on the canyon, its extraordinary 70-foot stone tower by Mary Colter giving views east over the Painted Desert entirely different from the main visitor area. The Hopi murals inside are extraordinary. Entry free with park pass. Far fewer visitors than Mather Point.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: El Tovar Hotel dining room The most extraordinary breakfast setting in Arizona. Coffee overlooking the Grand Canyon at 6,860 feet. | Lunch: Bright Angel Restaurant, Grand Canyon Outstanding canyon-edge lunch. Navajo tacos, prickly pear lemonade and canyon views. | Dinner: Elote Cafe, Sedona The finest Mexican restaurant in Arizona. Extraordinary local ingredients and the finest green chile in the state.
DAY 2
SEDONA AND MONUMENT VALLEY
MORNING
CATHEDRAL ROCK AND BELL ROCK, SEDONA'S FINEST FORMATIONS
Cathedral Rock is the most extraordinary red rock formation in Sedona, its twin spires rising 4,967 feet in a landscape that concentrates the electromagnetic energy Sedona calls a vortex. The extraordinary Cathedral Rock trail gives a challenging scramble to the saddle. Bell Rock with its perfect circumnavigation trail and the extraordinary Courthouse Butte Loop are the finest easy hikes in Sedona. The Crescent Moon Ranch reflection of Cathedral Rock in Oak Creek is extraordinary. Trails free. Drive: 20 min drive
MIDDAY
OAK CREEK CANYON, THE FINEST RIVER CANYON IN ARIZONA
Oak Creek Canyon north of Sedona is the most extraordinary river canyon in Arizona, its extraordinary 16-mile gorge of red and white sandstone above a clear perennial stream giving the finest riparian oasis in the Southwest. The extraordinary Slide Rock State Park natural water chute through red sandstone is the finest swimming hole in Arizona. The West Fork of Oak Creek trail through a narrows canyon is the finest shaded hike in the state. Slide Rock entry approx $20. Drive: 2 hr drive
AFTERNOON
MONUMENT VALLEY NAVAJO TRIBAL PARK
Monument Valley is the most iconic landscape in America, its extraordinary West Mitten, East Mitten and Merrick Butte rising 1,000 feet above the desert floor. The 17-mile Valley Drive gives the finest panoramic views. John Ford's Point is the exact camera position from which the greatest Western films were shot. A Navajo-guided tour gives access to off-road areas entirely different from the Valley Drive. Entry approx $20.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Boynton Canyon trail in Sedona is the finest hidden hike in the red rock country, its 6.5-mile round trip through a wide canyon to the vortex site giving views of Kachina Woman spire, sacred to the Yavapai-Apache. Almost entirely uncrowded compared to Cathedral Rock. Entry free. The finest hidden gem in the Sedona trail network.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Coffee Pot Restaurant, Sedona The finest breakfast in Sedona. 101 varieties of omelet with extraordinary red rock views. | Lunch: Tlaquepaque Arts Village, Sedona Outstanding Southwest lunch in the finest arts marketplace in Arizona. | Dinner: The View Hotel Restaurant, Monument Valley Dinner with the most extraordinary view in America. The Mittens at sunset from your table.
DAY 3
ANTELOPE CANYON AND THE PAINTED DESERT
MORNING
ANTELOPE CANYON, THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY SLOT CANYON IN THE WORLD
Antelope Canyon near Page is the most extraordinary slot canyon in the world, its narrow passageway of wave-formed Navajo sandstone carved by flash floods into extraordinary flowing curves of orange, red and purple that shift with the movement of the sun. Lower Antelope Canyon is the finest and most accessible for independent travelers. Upper Antelope Canyon has the famous light beams in summer. Both require Navajo-guided tours. Approx $50 to $80. Drive: 20 min drive
MIDDAY
HORSESHOE BEND AND THE COLORADO RIVER
Horseshoe Bend is the most extraordinary river meander in America, the Colorado River looping 270 degrees around an extraordinary sandstone peninsula in a horseshoe 1,000 feet below the canyon rim. The view from the clifftop, reached by a 1.5-mile round trip trail from the US-89 parking area, is the most extraordinary free viewpoint in Arizona. Sunrise and sunset are the most extraordinary times to visit. Entry free. Drive: 1 hr drive
AFTERNOON
PETRIFIED FOREST AND THE PAINTED DESERT
The Petrified Forest National Park is the most extraordinary geological park in Arizona, its extraordinary crystallized logs of 225-million-year-old trees scattered across a landscape of extraordinary purple and red badlands called the Painted Desert. The Blue Mesa trail gives the closest access to the extraordinary petrified wood formations. The Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark is extraordinary. Entry $25 per vehicle.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Lower Antelope Canyon can be experienced without the crowds at the first entry of the day when the canyon is lit exclusively by reflected light rather than direct sun beams. The extraordinary color is actually superior to the light beam shots in the upper canyon. Book the earliest available slot with Ken's Tours. Approx $50.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Dam Bar and Grille, Page Coffee and breakfast in the finest diner near Antelope Canyon before the morning tour. | Lunch: Navajo taco at Monument Valley visitor area The finest Navajo frybread taco in the Southwest. Extraordinary and entirely authentic. | Dinner: Butterfield Stage Co., Holbrook Outstanding Southwest steakhouse near the Petrified Forest. Local beef and Arizona craft beer.
DAY 4
TUCSON AND THE SONORAN DESERT
MORNING
SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK WEST, THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY CACTUS FOREST IN AMERICA
Saguaro National Park West in the Tucson Mountain District is the most extraordinary cactus forest in America, its extraordinary stands of saguaro cacti up to 200 years old and 50 feet tall covering the bajada slopes of the Tucson Mountains in the finest example of the Sonoran Desert in existence. The Valley View Overlook trail gives the most extraordinary panoramic view of the cactus forest. The Signal Hill petroglyphs are extraordinary. Entry $25 per vehicle. Drive: 30 min drive
MIDDAY
MISSION SAN XAVIER DEL BAC, THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY SPANISH MISSION IN AMERICA
Mission San Xavier del Bac south of Tucson is the most extraordinary Spanish mission in America, its extraordinary white baroque facade rising from the Sonoran Desert floor in extraordinary contrast to the surrounding saguaro cactus landscape. Built by Franciscan missionaries between 1783 and 1797, its extraordinary painted interior of saints, angels and religious scenes is the finest colonial religious art in the American Southwest. Entry free. Drive: 20 min drive
AFTERNOON
TUCSON DOWNTOWN AND THE 4TH AVENUE DISTRICT
Tucson is the most extraordinary food city in the Southwest, its extraordinary concentration of James Beard Award-recognized restaurants, Sonoran-style Mexican food traditions and innovative farm-to-table chefs giving a culinary culture unlike any other city in Arizona. The 4th Avenue arts district, the Barrio Viejo historic neighborhood and the extraordinary University of Arizona campus are all extraordinary. Tucson is a UNESCO City of Gastronomy. Free to explore.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Biosphere 2 north of Tucson is the most extraordinary science facility in Arizona, its extraordinary glass-enclosed ecosystem built in 1991 to house eight researchers for two years in complete ecological isolation. Now operated by the University of Arizona as a research facility, its extraordinary rainforest, ocean, savanna and desert biomes are open for tours. Entry approx $23.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Prep and Pastry, Tucson The finest breakfast in Tucson. Extraordinary local eggs, Arizona produce and outstanding pastries. | Lunch: El Guero Canelo, Tucson The home of the Sonoran hot dog. The most extraordinary local food tradition in Arizona. Cash only. | Dinner: Cafe Poca Cosa, Tucson The finest Mexican restaurant in Tucson, one of the finest in America. Extraordinary rotating menu.
DAY 5
CHIRICAHUA AND TOMBSTONE
MORNING
CHIRICAHUA NATIONAL MONUMENT, THE WONDERLAND OF ROCKS
Chiricahua National Monument in southeastern Arizona is the most extraordinary rock formation park in the state, its extraordinary balanced rocks, towering columns and extraordinary spires of volcanic rhyolite created by an 18-million-year-old eruption and eroded into the most extraordinary landscape in Arizona outside the Grand Canyon. The Massai Point overlook and the Echo Canyon loop trail are extraordinary. Entry $25 per vehicle. Drive: 1 hr drive
MIDDAY
KARTCHNER CAVERNS, THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY LIVING CAVE IN THE SOUTHWEST
Kartchner Caverns State Park contains the most extraordinary living limestone cave in the American Southwest, its extraordinary stalactites, stalagmites, soda straw formations and cave bacon still actively growing in a humid underground environment maintained at extraordinary precision. The cave was kept secret for 14 years after its discovery in 1974 to protect its extraordinary formations. Entry approx $23 with tour. Book ahead. Drive: 1 hr drive
AFTERNOON
TOMBSTONE, THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY WILD WEST TOWN IN AMERICA
Tombstone is the most extraordinary preserved Wild West town in America, its extraordinary Allen Street of authentic 1880s storefronts, saloons and the OK Corral preserved in the town too tough to die. The reenactment of the Gunfight at the OK Corral on October 26, 1881, plays multiple times daily. The extraordinary Boot Hill cemetery and the Bird Cage Theatre with its original bullet holes are unmissable. Entry free to town, tours extra.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Colossal Cave Mountain Park southeast of Tucson is the finest hidden cave attraction in Arizona, its extraordinary dry cave system used as a hideout by outlaws in the 1880s and containing extraordinary formations of aragonite crystals entirely different from the calcite caves of Kartchner. Entry approx $10. Almost entirely unknown to visitors who go only to Kartchner.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Mariscos Chihuahua, Tucson The finest Sonoran seafood breakfast in Arizona. Extraordinary shrimp, octopus and fresh tortillas. | Lunch: Big Nose Kate's Saloon, Tombstone The finest saloon lunch in the Wild West. Local beef, cold beer and live country music in a historic bar. | Dinner: Le Rendez-Vous, Tucson Outstanding French bistro in the finest restaurant in southern Arizona. Local Arizona produce and French wine.
Where To Stay
Grand Canyon or Flagstaff, Night 1 El Tovar on the rim or Little America Hotel Flagstaff. Approx $130 to $350. Sedona, Night 2 Enchantment Resort or L'Auberge de Sedona on Oak Creek. Approx $200 to $400. Tucson, Nights 3 to 5 The Biltmore or Hotel Congress in downtown Tucson. Approx $120 to $220 per night.
Top Tips
1. Grand Canyon South Rim at sunrise from Mather Point is the most extraordinary 20 minutes in Arizona. Arrive before dawn.
2. Never hike below the Grand Canyon rim without 2 liters of water per hour. Heat kills unprepared hikers every year.
3. Book Antelope Canyon tours well ahead. Morning light beams in Upper Antelope Canyon are extraordinary in summer.
4. Sedona's Cathedral Rock at sunrise before the tour groups is the most extraordinary red rock experience in Arizona.
5. Tucson is the finest food city in the Southwest. The 4th Avenue and Downtown districts are extraordinary.
6. Saguaro cactus blooms in May are extraordinary. The Sonoran Desert at sunset in spring is unmissable.
Total Budget
$120 to $190/day