Here it is guys, the post we’ve all been waiting for.  The last post about my trip to the Grand Canyon.  I won’t lie to you, I didn’t think this day would ever come.  I’ve written multiple posts since October about my travels through Page, the North Rim, and the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, and I’m excited to finally be writing a piece that ties them all together!

If you’re just starting out planning your trip to the Grand Canyon, then I want to stop right here and offer my condolences.  Seriously!! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – it’s a monumental task to plan a trip to this area!! Let me see if I can guess what’s going on in your head right now…”Should I skip the South Rim and see Zion/Bryce Canyon after the North Rim? Should I see “the Wave” while I’m near Page? Should I skip Page and the North Rim and see the South Rim, Havasu Falls, the West Rim, Emerald Cove, and the Hoover Dam? Should I incorporate Flagstaff and Sedona and just see the South Rim?

See what I mean? Mon-u-mental. And mental is exactly how you’re gonna feel once you start to plan it.  I only know because I’ve been there!

Overall, I’m very happy with the way I planned this trip – with the one exception of Havasu Falls (which I will see in the future).  Before I get into my itinerary, I want to talk about why I didn’t choose some of the other options that are out there.  You could plan to incorporate Utah into some semblance of a Grand Canyon trip.  But Utah, meaning Zion and Bryce Canyon at the minimum, would make it really difficult to fully experience the Grand Canyon unless you’re gonna take a really long trip.  Besides, Zion and Bryce Canyon are kind of the best Utah has to offer, and they deserve their own trip – in my opinion.  As for the West Rim, well, anyone who has done their research knows that most people suggest to skip it.  The West Rim is not actually a part of the National Park services, and thus every time you so much as turn around and blink inside the West Rim it’s going to cost you.  I’m cheap, and so the West Rim is out.  Now you could plan to fly into Phoenix, go to the South Rim first, then travel West to Havasu Falls, hit Emerald Cove, continue through the Hoover Dam and fly out of Vegas.  I won’t lie, I thought very heavily about that option.  Ultimately I didn’t choose that one because Havasu’s 8-mile one-way hike did not sound good to my parents, and I couldn’t make time for both Page and the North Rim while fitting all the other stops in (like Havasu and Emerald Cove).

So now that I’ve digressed quite a bit about the existential crisis that planning this trip gave me, I can describe to you in some detail what an awesome Itinerary I ultimately came up with!

I chose to fly into Phoenix and make Page my first stop. There are a lot of iconic activities to do in Page, and we spent three incredibly busy days there! We then drove on to the North Rim and spent a couple of nights there, followed by three nights at the South Rim.

Click here to see a complete list of all my posts on Page, the North Rim, and the South Rim of the Grand Canyon!

Day 1: Arrive in Arizona, Drive to Page

So in order to be completely transparent, I did not spend my first night in Page.  We flew into Phoenix and spent the first night in Flagstaff in order to break up the drive to Page. Despite this, I would suggest flying into Phoenix early, getting your rental car, and driving straight to Page.  The drive is roughly 4.5 hours clocking in at around 275 miles, but at least the drive is behind you and you can spend the next three nights in one place! If you do it this way, you won’t have time to do many activities on the first day, but you will have time to do a few things!  Specifically: Glen Canyon Dam Overlook, Wahweap Overlook, and Horseshoe Bend at Sunset.

Day 2: Page

Day two will be your first full day at Page – and it’s gonna be busy! I would suggest starting out with an awesome Stand Up Paddle Board excursion through Antelope Canyon on Lake Powell! You’ll want to do this the very first thing in the morning – like as soon as the shop opens! We were told that morning was the best time to do this because the winds are a lot lower at this time than they are in the afternoon.  Besides, you’re gonna have to start this early so you make it in time to the Lower Antelope Canyon!  The Lower Canyon is not known for its light beams – so if you miss the prized midday reservations it’s ok. (Don’t want to pay for both the Upper and Lower Antelope Canyons but not sure which one to pick? Check out the article I wrote detailing the differences to help you decide!)

Day 3: Page 

My suggestion for Day three will probably not be done by a good many of you, so I’ll lay out two options.  You could do the Upper Antelope Canyon tour – just make sure you plan it for midday so you see the awesome light beams! Or you could do a boat tour of Lake Powell that takes you to Rainbow Bridge National Monument! I suggest the boat tour for a day that you will be there the entire day.  We saved it for our last day – the day we were leaving and driving to the North Rim – due to scheduling conflicts, and it really ate our whole day up.  Seeing Lake Powell from a boat tour is actually really spectacular, with views you just aren’t going to see anywhere else! We chose the tour that included the Rainbow Bridge National Monument.  It’s a longer boat ride than some of the others (and more expensive), but Rainbow Bridge is a really neat experience! Check out the above links on the boat tour and Rainbow Bridge to decide if it’s something you want to do!

Day 4: Leave Page, Arrive at North Rim of Grand Canyon

For those of you who did not opt to do the boat tour of Rainbow Bridge, you will have already done the Upper Antelope Canyon Tour and will be ready to head out bright and early in the morning! For those of you who did do the boat tour, this will be your last chance to see the Upper Antelope Canyon!  Midday is the best time to view the Upper Canyon, which will leave you plenty of time to make the drive onward.  (Make sure you have checked out the most “Instagrammable” spots in Page before you leave!)  The North Rim is your next destination, which is a little less than a three-hour drive at 123 miles.  Be sure to fuel up and snack up when you leave Page – the service stations are few and far between on this road!  Once you arrive at the North Rim head to the patio on the Lodge and you’ll be rewarded with what I think is the best view of the whole Grand Canyon!

Day 5: North Rim of the Grand Canyon

Day five is going to be pretty busy (what’s new??) because it’s your only full day at the North Rim. Don’t let that worry you though – if you start early and run until the sun goes down, you’ll have plenty of time to check out all the highlights!  I wrote a One Day North Rim Itinerary for those of you who will be there only one day – so make sure and check it out! Basically, you are going to watch the sunrise, sunset, hike, go on a scenic drive, and enjoy the patio on the Lodge! The North Rim is a really special place and I really think most of you will find it to be a highlight of your trip! (Click here for all the information you’ll need to plan your trip to the North Rim!)

Day 6: Leave the North Rim and Drive to the South Rim

So I know what you’re thinking….”I feel like I just got to the North Rim!”  That’s certainly how I felt, but even though it was hard to leave I knew I was heading on to another new adventure! We left the North Rim in the morning – after breakfast at the Lodge, of course – and started out on our 187-mile journey to the Eastern entrance of the South Rim.  We arrived in the afternoon, checked in, grabbed a bite to eat, and then walked to the South Rim to enjoy the views! We had enjoyed some scenic points along Desert View Dr on our way to the Grand Canyon Village, so it wasn’t our first view of the day, but we did see Bright Angel Lodge, El Tovar, and bought some ice cream to eat as the sun went down! Click here for everything you need to know to plan a trip to the South Rim!

Day 7: South Rim

This will be a more leisurely day then the time spent at Page and the North Rim! I suggest having a nice breakfast at the Bright Angel Lodge, and walking around El Tovar, Lookout Studio, and the Hopi House!  In the afternoon you may want to drive down Desert View Dr stopping at all the scenic spots to your heart’s content! My favorite was the Desert View Watchtower – which in my opinion is the best view of the whole South Rim – with Grandview Point coming in second! Make sure and time your visit before the Watchtower closes but as close to sunset as you can get! The setting sun creates a beautiful rose and purple glow on the Tower and the Canyon walls!

Day 8: South Rim

Head out early to hit the shuttle buses to get a tour of Hermit’s Road! There are several great viewpoints from this road, so make sure you take drinks and snacks to tide you over! Since you are waiting on the shuttle buses, seeing all the viewpoints is doable, but will take up your morning and possibly early afternoon.  The road culminates in the Must-See Hermit’s Rest, which has a snack shop that sells food and drinks.  When you get back to the Village, grab yourself a bite and rest – you’ll need it! For dinner, I suggest trying El Tovar’s Restaurant, which requires reservations in advance.

Day 9: Pack up and head back to the Airport

Well, as they say, all good things must come to an end! Day 9 is the day you pack up and leave the Grand Canyon! The Phoenix  International Airport is roughly 234 miles south, so you’ll want to head out early and plan your departing flight for sometime after 2 or 3 to be safe!

I know this itinerary sounds exhausting – and believe me, it was exhausting – but it really packs a lot of wonderful sights and experiences into one trip! I hope that this itinerary has helped some of you out there in planning your Grand Canyon Vacation!!

Don’t forget to leave me a comment and let me know what you think!!

Until next time!