Grand Canyon Road Trip: Epic Itinerary From Vegas

A Grand Canyon road trip from Vegas has been on my bucket list for years. After living and road-tripping every inch of England far more than the USA, it was time to explore my home country as much as my former expat one.

If a Grand Canyon road trip is calling your name, here’s everything you need to know for combining this 7th natural wonder with Vegas, Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, Bryce National Park, and Zion National Park.

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How Much Time You Need For This Vegas to Grand Canyon Road Trip

While you can do it in 7 days, 8 is ideal to allow yourself downtime. This is a super busy itinerary that starts in Vegas to the Grand Canyon, onto Page, up to Bryce, down to Zion, and back to Vegas again. It’s a full loop where the amazingly scenic drive is 100% different the entire way.  (Tip: Click the star next to the map to save to your own Google Maps)

Be sure to consider your own family’s limits as it pertains to driving, walking, and even eating. Time factors to be aware of for this road trip and planning tours:

• 3 states: Nevada, Arizona & Utah
• 900+ miles ~ 15 hours of driving
• Time zone changes

8 days allow for a full day in Vegas, offering a completely different kind of fun before the nature experience kicks in. We also chose 8 due to the cost of flights (as high as $1300+ per person from Houston!) which can have an impact on your schedule. For us, the high flight costs also meant committing to all the parks we wanted to see in 1 go versus taking multiple trips and needing to spend a lot more money.

We flew Frontier Airlines for the first time since it was the most economical option for our family of four. Kids under 15 fly free with the purchase of Frontier’s Discount Den and would 100% do it again.

You can eliminate a park if you don’t have 8 days or cut out a day in Vegas, but every park on this Vegas to Grand Canyon road trip offers a completely different experience. No 2 parks are identical and offer a unique memory unlike the one before.

When To Go To The Grand Canyon, Antelope, Bryce & Zion

Shoulder months are the best time to visit the Grand Canyon and other parks in this Vegas Canyons road trip. Shoulder months are March, April, October, November. This post is entirely based on visiting in March. Although the weather at the Grand Canyon is best between April and June, I can’t imagine visiting any other time than March or October.

Deciding when to visit the Grand Canyon is the reason why it’s taken me nearly 20 years beyond my bucket list goal to get there. Summer has always been out of the question since my family spends it in Maine (where Acadia is, the other top USA National Park, a Maine bucket list destination), winter break is certainly too cold and most areas/roads surrounding national parks are closed, and spring break is typically dedicated to skiing.

This year we moved skiing to President’s Day weekend in Park City Utah (btw, a long weekend in Park City costs nearly the same as this 8 day Vegas to Grand Canyon road trip) so that we could finally hunker down and visit the Grand Canyon.

Why this year and not years past? My hesitation has always been about the weather. Fearful of freezing temps and not being able to see the Grand Canyon in all its glory, we continually delayed my Grand Canyon goal until this year. The inspiration? A friend who went last year in March and experienced t-shirt weather.

While we didn’t exactly experience the same warm weather conditions, especially at the Grand Canyon or Bryce National Park, that’s what made the entire road trip so varying, different, and fabulous. Sunny, warm, and jacket-less on some days, and bundled up in layers the next. The weather in Arizona and Utah is definitely volatile in March, but as long as you pack for it, you’ll be totally fine. And most likely love it.

In addition to the cooler weather, shoulder months are a great time to visit these national parks due to how busy they are in the summer. In March by noon, parking lots at the Grand Canyon National Park and Zion National park are full. People park illegally, queues to get into parks are extremely long, and by mid-afternoon walking paths and trails are crowded.

If you choose to do this road trip outside of shoulder months, arrive at the park by opening time and pack lunches. The Grand Canyon, Antelope, and Zion have places to eat inside the park but they are very limited in capacity. Pack protein bars, other snacks, and plenty of water for day hikes, and enjoy a huge meal at the beginning and end of each day.

8 Day Vegas To Grand Canyon, Antelope, Bryce & Zion Road Trip Outline

Massive shoutout to Earthtrekkers for their depth of expertise on Grand Canyon road trips. Earthtrekkers offers 5 sample itineraries that inspired this 8-day one in the event you’re looking for a different loop.

Day 1: Arrive early & spend 24 hours in Vegas
Day 2: Drive to the Grand Canyon via Hoover Dam
Day 3: Grand Canyon
Day 4: Drive to Antelope Canyon & Horseshoe Bend
Day 5: Drive to Bryce Canyon
Day 6: Bryce Canyon in the morning, then drive to Zion National Park
Day 7: Zion National Park
Day 8: Return to Vegas & fly home

Day 1: 24 Hours In Vegas

Arrive in the early morning and spend 24 hours in Vegas. Be sure to rent a car with unlimited mileage upon arrival at LAS. Consider renting an SUV with 4-wheel drive if visiting during non-summer months.

If you arrive in Vegas early (before 10) head to the Welcome to Las Vegas sign to kick off your epic road trip. There is a parking lot dedicated to taking a photo at this famous sign so it’s easy to pop in for a photo. If you arrive after 10am, stop on your way to the Grand Canyon on day 2. The lines for a photograph can take 30+ minutes if you arrive after 10.

Kick off your road trip with a Welcome to Vegas photo

If you’re traveling in Vegas with kids there are a number of surprising things to see and do outside the floors of a casino. The top 2 favorite activities in Vegas for my 10 and 13-year-olds include the Mat Franco magic show and the NY-NY roller coaster. Hotel-wise, Ceasar’s Palace is the most interesting shopping Mecca for this age group.

Where To Stay In Vegas

With only 24 hours in Vegas, stay at an impressionable hotel if it’s your first time. The Venetian Resort is the world’s 2nd largest hotel where MGM Grand Las Vegas takes 3rd, Wynn is 8th and Mandalay Bay Resort is 10th. While I’ve stayed at New York New York, The Bellagio, and Paris Las Vegas, The Venetian is a favorite. It’s centrally located so it allows you to see a lot in 24 hours. The indoor and outdoor gondola, along with the setup of the Venetian itself was my kids’ favorite of all the hotels they toured. Parking is free at the casinos in Las Vegas!  For the full Vegas itinerary, read How to Make the Most of One Day in Las Vegas.

Grand Canyon Road Trip: Vegas Budget

I chose to splurge on the hotel at the beginning and end of the trip. At the beginning to pump up the kids about the trip and at the very end to reward us for all the hiking accomplished and to allow for relaxation too. Most reservations for this trip were made by mid-January for a mid-March trip. You can save more money on reservations by booking further in advance.

• The Venetian Resort: $585 (room was huge on a split-level with its own sitting area)
• Car Rental via Hertz: $358
• Mat Franco Magic Show at LINQ: $400
• The Big Apple Coaster & Arcade at New York-New York Casino: $100. It’s cheaper to ride the roller coaster before 6pm. After 6pm ticket prices go up but ironically it’s far busier.
• Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay Resort: $106

Without food and souvenirs but with the rental car for a week, Vegas expenses totaled $1549.

Day 2: Drive to the Grand Canyon via Hoover Dam (4.5 hours)

Hoover Dam is just under 1 hour from Vegas on the way to the Grand Canyon South Rim. Stop at the overlook at the border of Nevada and Arizona to look down onto Hoover Dam and Lake Mead. Then return to the lower bridge level for a closer view of Lake Mead water levels and views overhead. There is parking available at both bridge levels and it’s free.

View of Hoover Dam and Lake Mead from top bridge

Continue on driving to the Grand Canyon for a late afternoon, early evening arrival. The only pinch in traffic that could cost you additional time is a traffic light in Kingman, which is where 93 traffic dead ends. You have to go through this traffic light to connect to 40. There is an alternative to getting around this traffic light but blink and you’ll miss it! Set Waze upon departure leaving Hoover Dam to avoid an additional 45 minutes to an hour of driving.

Kingman also offers a Route 66 alternative. Take a Route 66 photo in Kingman or in Williams, as you get closer to the Grand Canyon.

Area Of The Grand Canyon To Visit: South Rim

The South Rim is the most popular section of the Grand Canyon to visit. This is where the Grand Canyon Village is located with a Visitor Center, Market Plaza, and operating shuttles that take you point to point between Hermits Rest to Yaki Point. There are paved trails and dirt trails which is what makes the South Rim attractive for all ages and abilities. This post is directed towards a visit to the South Rim.

If you’re seeking the Grand Canyon Skywalk, drive to the Western side of the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon Skywalk is the best choice for an aggressive same day road trip from Vegas. A Grand Canyon Skywalk ticket is required to enter.

The North Rim has a higher elevation (8000 feet) and prone to more precipitation than the South Rim. As a result, it’s closed in the winter and reopens in May. The North Rim is only visited by 10% of park visitors and therefore the “road less traveled” Grand Canyon option.

Grand Canyon South Rim: Pipe Creek Vista

Where To Stay In Grand Canyon South Rim

The Grand Canyon South Rim is located in the 595 population town of Tusayan, Arizona. Despite how small it is, it’s equipped with its very own Starbucks attached to a well-stocked Grand Canyon grocery and souvenir store. The Grand Hotel is a short walk away with on-site amenities and a steakhouse restaurant that make getting settled in easy after a long drive or hike along the rim.

Highly recommend staying at The Grand Hotel, especially for Tesla drivers. For anyone with the courage to drive a Tesla from Vegas to the Grand Canyon, there is an entire row of Tesla Supercharger stations in The Grand Hotel parking lot.

Other best where to stay options are located in the Grand Canyon Village itself. Choosing to stay at 1 of the 5 hotels inside the park means access to the shuttles and trails faster than the 7 mile drive to the South Rim Visitor Center Parking Lot from The Grand Hotel. Staying inside the park is more expensive but can be worth it should parking be problematic.

Day 3: Grand Canyon

Start your day on the South Rim as early as possible to maximize your one day at the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon South Rim is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. In order to see the entire South Rim in 1 day, mix up walks with shuttle rides. Mather Point is a great starting point for that breathtaking moment as a family.

My very first view of the Grand Canyon – EVER!

Since this was a family trip with a 10 and 13-year-old we mixed up our walks to be sure to not overdo it. To give you an idea of options you can take where each stop offers a shuttle if you want to stop walking or go to a different South Rim point:

• Mather Point to Pipe Creek Vista (Pipe Creek is the most photographed point of the Grand Canyon): 1.4 miles
• Pipe Creek Vista to South Kaibab Trailhead: .9 miles
• Mather Point to Yavapai Point: 1.4 miles

For an epic hike with switchbacks, do Ooh Aah Point. Ooh Aah Point trail entrance is located at the South Kaibab Trailhead. It’s 1.8 miles round trip and took our family an hour to complete. It can be difficult in March with the slippery snow and is advised to tackle with crampons and poles. We had neither but hiked it carefully and was the highlight of our Grand Canyon trip. It’s terrifying once you reach the point but entirely exhilarating.

Intimidating at first, but do it!

The National Park Service will provide a South Rim map upon entering and advise what trailheads are closed. Be sure to ask for recommendations on where the best points are to see the sunrise or sunset for the time of year you visit. For March, the best sunset is at Hopi Point.

The South Rim NPS map will outline the shuttle routes and trail options, making it super easy to navigate for any first-time Grand Canyon visitor.

Where To Eat Lunch In The South Rim

For lunch, the tavern at Yavapai Lodge is the best option for a sit-down meal after several hours of hiking. Be mindful of the time of day attempting to eat at Yavapai Tavern given the few in-park lunch options relative to visitors. We arrived at 1:30 for lunch and didn’t leave until 3:30 so it limited our hiking options on the western side of the Visitor Center for the rest of the day.

Grand Canyon Road Trip: Grand Canyon South Rim Budget

• The Grand Hotel: $660 for 2 nights
• Annual National Park Pass: $80 (covers all National Parks on this road trip)

Without food and souvenirs, Grand Canyon expenses totaled $740.

Day 4: Drive to Page / Antelope Canyon & Horseshoe Bend (2.5 hours)

Day 4 includes the scenic 25-mile Desert View Drive along the Grand Canyon exiting the park at the East Entrance on your way to Page Arizona. Time a tour at Lower or Upper Antelope Canyon that allows you time to enjoy Desert View Drive viewpoints without the pressure to hurry.

The Most Important Thing To Know About Driving From Grand Canyon to Antelope Canyon

The most important thing to know about your drive from the Grand Canyon to Antelope Canyon is the time zone changes. The time zone in Arizona varies depending upon where you are in the state which can cause quite a panic if you aren’t aware of this on your drive to Page.

Most of Arizona observes Mountain Standard Time year round except for the Navajo Nation. The Navajo Nation, upper northeastern corner of Arizona, observes Daylight Savings Time. So, if you think you miscalculated when to leave the hotel to arrive at your Antelope Canyon tour on time, don’t sweat it. The time switches back as soon as you arrive in Page.

Lower or Upper Antelope Canyon?

Decisions decisions about whether to visit Lower or Upper Antelope Canyon. Upper is where “Phantom”, the most expensive photograph in the world, was sold for $6.5M whereas the peak photo for Lower sold for $1.4M. I had my heart set on Upper Antelope Canyon but due to its rising popularity tickets are more expensive and sell out far in advance. I managed to purchase tickets from Ken’s Tours for Lower Antelope Canyon just in time. Truthfully, I couldn’t be more thrilled that this was the Navajo Park slot canyon that we got to explore. You won’t be disappointed either way.

Lower Antelope Canyon – an absolute MUST on your road trip!

Of all the parks on our Vegas to Grand Canyon road trip, this one is best for the Gram and my daughter’s favorite overall.

It takes 1-1.5 hours to complete a tour through Lower Antelope Canyon. After your tour, experience a Navajo taco, and be sure to buy native jewelry, a dreamcatcher, or a craft from the tour shop. 100% of your purchase goes back to the Native American artist who made it. Love that!

Horseshoe Bend

Visit Horseshoe Bend after an Antelope Canyon Tour, at sunset, or even at sunrise on day 5. Horseshoe Bend is only a 10-minute drive from Lower Antelope Canyon so it’s super easy to visit before or after checking into your Page hotel.

Horseshoe Bend is managed by the City of Page so there is a $10 entrance fee per vehicle. It’s a 1.5-mile walk round trip from the parking lot to the Horseshoe Bend overlook. Only one tiny section of Horseshoe Bend has a railing, while the rest is entirely exposed. The overlook is a1000 foot drop down to the Colorado River. It’s by far the scariest Arizona landmark due to its vast unprotected openness compared to all the parks on this itinerary.

There will be influencers at Horseshoe Bend doing crazy things. Best advice is to keep your kids close to you and set limits in advance on how close they can get to the edge.

Horseshoe Bend’s openness is shocking when you see it for the 1st time

Where To Stay In Page Arizona

We stayed at Hyatt Place Page Lake Powell which offered more space compared to some of the other hotel options. Views from our Lake Powell side room were fabulous and the room included breakfast but it’s located in what feels like a neighborhood. Secondly, construction is about to begin so some of the Lake Powell rooms will be blocked by a new building soon enough.

Hyatt Place Page Lake Powell’s fun photo box – Antelope Canyon & Horseshoe Bend are nearby

Now that we’ve been to Page and seen other hotel options, the Marriott Courtyard Page at Lake Powell is situated with ideal unobstructed views of Glen Canyon Dam. Should we go back, I’d consider staying there simply for the separation from the suburb and construction.

Grand Canyon Road Trip: Page Budget

Hyatt Place Lake Powell: $222 for 1 night
Lower Antelope Canyon Tour: $267 for 4
Horseshoe Bend: $10

Without food and souvenirs, Page expenses totaled $499.

Day 5: Drive to Bryce Canyon (3 hours)

On day 5, stop at the Glen Canyon Dam bridge that’s been in your hotel view for the last 24 hours. Then drive straight to Bryce Canyon through Kanab and Mount Carmel for time at the park in the afternoon. This drive, not unlike the others, is gorgeous.

The terrain drastically evolves compared to Arizona, along with the temperature. In March we left Page in sneakers and the closer we got to Bryce the weather shifted from rain to sleet to full-on snow squalls. This can feel uneasy when snow is unexpected but just roll with it and you’ll be surprised how much fun exploring Bryce National Park can be in these shifting weather conditions.

As soon as you see Red Canyon, the starting point for Scenic Byway 12, you’re incredibly close to Bryce National Park. Stop at the Bryce National Park Visitor Center for a visitor guide map and ask for recommendations from a park ranger on where to go per the weather conditions. Because of the Bryce Canyon National Park Ranger, we discovered Mossy Cave Trail.

Mossy Cave & waterfall at Bryce Canyon are a hidden favorite

If you have time to explore the park upon arrival (and the kids are willing), Mossy Cave Trail is an easy 3-mile round trip to a beautiful waterfall in one direction and cave in another.

Another thing to do at Bryce upon arrival is to walk from Sunset Point to Sunrise Point. You can park at Sunset and it’s only a mile round trip. This is where you’ll see Thor’s Hammer. However, if you plan to do the full loop, you can wait on this walk until Day 6.

Thor’s Hammer Hoodoo can be seen at Sunset Point

Where To Stay At Bryce National Park

Stay at Ruby’s Inn Best Western Plus for convenient access to the park and other amenities. Ruby’s Inn has a massive general store and offers a lodge environment. There is a little wine shop too for anyone wanting to celebrate that end-of-day hike.

About 10 minutes away in Tropic Utah is Bryce Canyon Inn. Bryce Canyon Inn offers charming cabins and larger houses if you’re looking for something more spacious. There is a super cute coffee shop and pizza parlor on site. Bryce Canyon Inn is located a few minutes beyond the Mossy Cave Trail parking lot.

Day 6: Bryce Canyon Then Drive To Zion National Park (2 hours)

A fun thing to do while at Bryce Canyon National Park is the “I Hiked the Hoodoos” benchmark challenge. Although it’s more for the kids, anyone can do it. To meet the Bryce National Park benchmark challenge take a photo of yourself with at least 3 of the benchmarks (the benchmark will have a metal disc) and then show the photos at the visitor center to receive a cool “I Hiked The Hoodoos! Bryce Canyon National Park” sticker. We all got one.

The 3-mile loop from Sunset Point along Navajo and over to the Queens Garden Trail has 2 benchmarks along the way. Thor’s Hammer, Two Bridges, and the Queen Victoria hoodoo are just a few reasons why this loop is so spectacular.
Hiking Bryce after a snowstorm on a bluebird day made it feel quite magical. Of all the hikes, Grand Canyon included, this Bryce Canyon loop was our family’s favorite.

Queen Garden’s Trail side of the Sunset to Sunrise loop

Be sure to see Bryce’s Amphitheater before leaving the park. You can park at Bryce Point and it’s a short walk from there. Due to Bryce Point’s elevation (8296 ft), it’s windier than other points and therefore can be quite cold in March. For us, it was a quick stop to see and back in the car again.

By midday or early afternoon, drive to Zion National Park.

From Bryce, you’ll arrive at Zion from the East Entrance. Once you’re through the Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel, take advantage of the lookout areas to pull over. Be sure to turn around and look behind you up towards the tunnel. This is the best time to stop for views and photos of this side of the park since you won’t have time on day 7.

Stop at Zion Canyon Visitor Center for an information guide and current suggestions from a park ranger. They will advise what’s best given the time of day you arrive if you feel like squeezing in a hike before settling into your hotel.

Where To Stay At Zion National Park

As mentioned at the beginning of this post, the last hotel on our Vegas to Grand Canyon loop is a splurge. After 7 days of hiking, staying somewhere convenient and with lush amenities is exactly the kind of reward and relaxation everyone needs.

We stayed at the Cliffrose Springdale Curio Collection by Hilton. The Cliffrose has multiple pools, hot tubs, spa, restaurant, complimentary coffee with scones daily, and is backed up to the Virgin River. Some first-floor rooms have walk-out patios to enjoy firepits by the river at night. The clear night skies and constellations are amazing!

The most convenient part of staying at the Cliffrose is the walking path to Zion’s South Entrance. Being so close to the park means you can park the car and leave it – a welcome break after all the driving. The Cliffrose Springdale parking lot has Tesla Supercharger stations, also.

Grand Canyon Road Trip: Bryce Canyon Budget

Bryce Canyon Inn: $158 for 1 night

Without food and souvenirs, Bryce Canyon expenses totaled $158.

Day 7: Zion National Park

The Zion National Park information guide makes it easy to plan your day at the park. Hikes are organized from easy to moderate to strenuous. You must use the Zion shuttle buses to access any of the hikes north of Canyon Junction or to enjoy the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. The shuttle buses primarily run from 7am to 7:15pm daily. It takes 40 minutes to go from Zion Canyon Visitor Center to Temple of Sinawava, but it goes by quickly because interesting facts are shared along the way.

We chose to start at the top, Temple of Sinawava, and work our way back down to Zion Canyon Visitor Center.

The Narrows is closed in March – you hike entirely thru the Virgin River

Our 1 day in Zion included:

• Riverside Walk, at Temple of Sinawava, leads you to the starting point of The Narrows, the Zion hike through the river. Although The Narrows is closed in March, it’s fun to see the starting point. And the irony is that this is the only place where my husband accidentally fell in.
• Weeping Rock. This is a short and steep trail that leads you to Weeping Rock waterfall. Beware of the spray when visiting in cooler months.
• Upper, Middle, and Lower Emerald Pools Trails. We started at Kayenta Trail The Grotto and finished at Zion Lodge.
• Watchman Trail, which is the only trail during our Zion visit that didn’t include a waterfall or river.

Lower Emerald Pool Waterfall is my fav of the 3 (Lower, Middle, Upper)

In order to hike Angels Landing you must have a permit and that permit cannot be granted on the same day as the hike. You can apply for a permit via QR code on the Zion information guide or at the Visitor Center.

Grand Canyon Road Trip: Zion Budget

Cliffrose Springdale Curio Collection by Hilton: $1500 for 2 nights

Without food and souvenirs, Zion expenses totaled $1500.

Day 8: Drive to LAS and Fly Home (3 hours)

The drive from Springdale, Utah to Las Vegas Airport (LAS) is 3 hours.  Be sure to factor in the time zone difference to allow yourself plenty of time to refuel and return the rental car.  The drive leaving Zion is actually a very pretty one – you’ll travel through Arizona again before entering Nevada.

Epic Vegas to Grand Canyon Road Trip Summary

If you do all of the above, your road trip stats could look something like this:

• 46.8 miles of walking and hiking
• 923 miles, 15 hrs of driving, partially on Route 66
• 3 National Parks
• 2 Navajo Tribal Parks
• 2 Dams
• 3 States
• 5 hotels
• 20+ deer, 3 elk & 1 California Condor (we are pretty sure!)
• More hoodoos than you can count, including 1 Queen Victoria one!

Grand Canyon bucket list complete! Beyond worth it!

From a budget perspective, the cost for Vegas, Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon, Bryce National Park, and Zion National Park totaled the following for 2 adults and 2 kids (13 and 10) in March 2023:

• Airfare: $2756
• Car Rental: $358
• Fuel & Tolls: $341
• Hotels: $3125
• Park Fees: $90
• Tours & Entertainment: $873
• Food: $2135. This includes Starbucks or a local cafe for breakfast every morning, some sit-down lunches but mostly packed snacks, and a huge meal with wine and dessert at dinner.
• Souvenirs: $95

Total cost for 8-day Vegas to Grand Canyon road trip 2023: $9773.

Every park offers a different experience and therefore different superlatives when you see them back-to-back on a road trip.
While my family voted each stop on this itinerary something different, would love to know your own “best voted for” awards after your own road trip experience:

• Best View & Most Inspiring: Grand Canyon. Seeing the Grand Canyon for the very first time is a highlight memory for my family.
• Most Unique & Best for The Gram: Antelope Canyon
• Most Scary: Horseshoe Bend
• Best Hike: Bryce Canyon National Park
• Most Majestic: Zion National Park

There you have – a fully detailed itinerary starting from Vegas to the best national parks in Arizona and Utah and back again.  Have you done this Vegas to Canyons loop? Or have questions on any of the above?  Post in the comments.

Looking for bucket list travel?  Try these.

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