Are you ready to plan the most epic Arizona road trip ever! Then you’ve landed in the right place! My family and I set out on our first road trip adventure ever in the great state of Arizona! We explored Scottsdale, Sedona, Cottonwood, Williams, Grand Canyon, Flagstaff, and Page in 7 days, and you can too! Or just pick and choose a few for a shorter adventure.
Day 1: Botanical Garden-Doughbird-Canopy Hotel Scottsdale
We arrived in Phoenix at 3:30 pm, snagged the rental car, and were off to the Botanical Garden. Y’all, this place is beautiful and wowed us! We had never seen cacti like this in our lives. News Flash! Phoenix is hot, so this is great to do in the morning or later in the afternoon. We had dinner at a cute little place called Doughbird that looked straight off Instagram. They specialize in rotisserie chicken, awesome pizzas, salads, and have a pervasive wine/beer list. Lastly, it was time to check in to our hotel. We stayed at The Canopy in Scottsdale. Listen when I tell you to stay here. It’s new, cute, has a rooftop bar and pool with an incredible view, and truth be told, I didn’t want to leave it!
Day 2: Cave Creek Outfitters-Sonoran Desert-Downtown Scottsdale
We woke up early on day 2, grabbed a quick breakfast at our hotel (the hotel restaurant is yum), and headed out for a day of fun at Cave Creek Outfitters, where we went on a guided ride through the Sonoran Desert! It was epic! The scenery was breathtaking, and we saw a jackrabbit, owl, coyote, and hawks on our ride. The horses at Cave Creek Outfitters were great, even for a novice rider! After the ride, Cave Creek had a really great cowboy lunch, followed by cowboy games such as ax throwing and archery, just to name a few. It sounds a bit cheesy, but I promise it was actually a lot of fun for any age! We headed back to downtown Scottsdale to walk around, shop, and grab dinner at Diego Pops.
Day 3: Sedona-Pink Jeep Tour-Flagstaff-Little America
We woke early, checked out of our lovely Canopy Hotel, and headed to Sedona (an easy 2-hour drive). We had just a little time to explore before we headed out on a Pink Jeep Tour of the Broken Arrow trail. Note: Pink Jeep has exclusive rights to this tour. It was expensive, and yes, it’s worth it! The views, in my opinion, are more beautiful than the Grand Canyon and it’s so much fun! Think off-roading but safe! Our kids squealed in delight the whole time! We headed to Flagstaff straight after the tour because I had read to make sure not to travel in the dark for two reasons. First, it’s dangerous at night due to the lack of cell service, winding roads, and no light. And second, it’s known to be the most scenic drive in America, and you’ll want to see everything! We arrived in Flagstaff (a 45-minute drive) and checked in to The Little America Hotel. It is also recently renovated and nice. We stumbled upon what I like to call a “happy accident.” Flagstaff is known to be one of the best places in the world for stargazing, and they were having their FREE annual stargazing party that night. It was one of my favorite things we did in Arizona. I’ve never in my life seen stars so clearly!
Day 4: Williams-Route 66-Grand Canyon Railway-The Grand Canyon
We woke up and had a quick breakfast, and then it was off to Williams to catch the train to the Grand Canyon. I have to say, the ride to and from is not very scenic, but they do have some on-train entertainment, and it’s a no-stress way to travel. The Grand Canyon was so peaceful! You don’t realize all the background noise in your life until there’s not any; if I had a hammock, it would’ve been the best nap of my life. They have a fun little junior ranger program that helps kids and parents learn all about the canyon, and they can earn a badge at the end. Plan to spend several hours there and make lunch reservations in advance. Otherwise, your only option will be a food truck or bringing your own. The hotel in Williams near the train is precious, and note that if you have kids into trains, they would love the whole experience of the train and the hotel. We drove back to Little America and had dinner at the restaurant on site (excellent).
Day 5: Page-Horseshoe Bend-Antelope Canyon-Cameron Trading Post
I woke up early and headed to Page (a 2-hour drive). We stopped at Horseshoe Bend before our Antelope Canyon tour was scheduled. We boarded the buses to the canyon and headed off for our guided Antelope Canyon tour. We chose to do the upper canyon. There is a lot of walking involved, but our girls did fine. The canyon is majestic, and the guides are all from the Navajo tribe. They are great at helping you get the best shots of the canyon and were great with our kids! The drive is really beautiful on this day because you will travel through the painted desert. Also, make sure to stop at the Cameron Trading Post to experience authentic Navajo tacos (so good) and pick up an authentic Navajo-made souvenir! Off to Cottonwood!
Day 6: Sedona-The Tavern Hotel-Bell Rock-Shops of Tlaquepaque
Okay, y’all! Sedona is cool, but Sedona is very expensive for what you get in the hotel department, and it is incredibly touristy! Listen carefully; stay a short 20-minute drive away in the quaint town of Cottonwood at a bit of gem of a hotel called The Tavern Hotel. It’s seriously adorable, walkable to restaurants, and again you won’t want to leave this one either! The service is top-notch, right down to the welcome drinks at the neighboring bar to the “best brunch ever” that just so happens to be complimentary with your stay. Need I say more? Stay there, trust me! On this day, we took it easy and went to Bell Rock to experience the vortex (BTW, we felt nothing). Lastly, we headed to Tlaquepaque and enjoyed a leisurely day of exploring shops and galleries and taking in the area’s culture. We very much enjoyed the onsite swimming pool too at The Tavern Hotel.
Day 7: Scottsdale-Fairmont Princess-Pumpkin Fest
It’s back where we started! We splurged for a one-night stay at The Princess Fairmont since we had a late flight and could really spend two days there enjoying the amenities such as the kids club, resort pools, and the included admission and skip the line passes for Pumpkin Fest! The resort has a lot to offer on its own, but Pumpkin Fest is only once a year, and it’s a big deal in Scottsdale! They have rides, unique food offerings, and entertainment, as well as the entire property being decorated for the big holiday! It was a great way to have fun, relax, and reflect on our awesome epic Arizona adventure!
