Follow along on our six-day roadtrip through Death Valley, Page, AZ, Kanab, Utah, and back to Las Vegas.
Are you visiting out west and looking for new or different things to do? The west is excellent for road trips. There is so much open land; rent an RV and camp everywhere or stay close to the national parks in a hotel. My favorite thing when traveling is exploring small towns and finding hidden gems most don’t know about.
Day 1
This day was a washout for us. When our flight landed and we received our rental car, it was around 4 pm in Vegas, and we still had an hour’s drive to Pahrump, where we planned to stay the first night. We planned to explore some Death Valley National Park today before heading to the canyons the next day. We stayed at the Best Western Pahrump. The town did not have much to explore, but it was the closest hotel we could find to Death Valley at the time. The hotel is motel-style and immaculate, and the staff was friendly. There was complimentary breakfast and a restaurant/ casino attached to the hotel. We used this time to stock up on water and snacks for the days ahead.
Day 2- Death Valley and Page, Arizona
We woke up very early and started the day. We drove about 45 minutes to Death Valley National Park, stopping along the way to soak up the views. I recommend heading there early in the morning. The air was still crispy, and there were no crowds. After our morning in Death Valley, we had the most extended leg of the trip to tackle to get to destination #2. We crossed three state lines that day. Our destination for the day was Page, AZ. This spot was one of my favorites! If I were to go again, I would do another day here. We stayed at the Courtyard by Marriott Lake Powell and stayed two nights. All the hotels in Page are located next to each other on a hill overlooking the landscape. I wouldn’t say there was a bad hotel to pick from.
Sights:
- Horseshoe bend- must see absolutely breathtaking it is a slight walk but there is a walking paths and shaded areas with benches
- Lake Powell: water sports, boat rentals
- Glen canyon
- Glen canyon dam
- Antelope canyon
Must try restaurants: Big John’s texas BBQ and El Charro Loco
Day 3- Grand Canyon South Rim
We started the day with some Starbucks and fit the road to the Grand Canyon’s south rim. Helpful hint: there are multiple locations for the Grand Canyon—research before heading to the canyon to get the experience you want when visiting. Feeling adventure, you can hike from the north rim to the south.
I was not fascinated with the Grand Canyon. It was so grand yet so far away. It was like looking at a photo, but you couldn’t touch it. You can walk along the south rim; there are trails with interactive sites and educational plaques. You are not walking into the canyon at this park, unlike other national parks where the trails are in the canyons. This site was kid-friendly as well as handicap accessible. We did not visit the other Grand Canyon locations; those sites might have had more to offer. Do some research on the different areas of the Grand Canyon. After spending the day at the Grand Canyon, we traveled back to Page, AZ, to spend one last night before hitting the road to the next stop.
Day 4- Kanab and Bryce Canyon
We checked out of the hotel and hit the road again. This time, we were heading toward Bryce Canyon. We made a pit stop at the coral-pink sand dunes state park on the way. Well worth the visit. You could spend a day if you choose. There is a viewing deck where you can watch people ride ATVs in the dunes or rent an ATV or Sand boards to have fun in the sand. Admission is $10 to enter the park, plus additional prices for the rentals. Beware, you will have sand in your shoes and clothing. After leaving the sand dunes, we made our way to Bryce Canyon. The road to the canyon had so much to offer; it was a small village with resorts, shops, and restaurants, reminding me of a small ski village layout. Bryce Canyon has several hiking trails for all levels of hikers, depending on how intense or experienced you are.
We opted for the most popular trail: Queen’s Garden and Navajo Loop combination( we had no plan going into the park; we were taking it all in and picking what felt right to us). This trail was a fantastic experience as you zig-zag your way down the canyon and work your way back up. The pictures do not do it justice. We also did the mossy cave trail and drove down to the Rainbow Bridge point. To end the day, we checked into our Airbnb in Kanab, UT, called Zion’s Shadow Suite. I highly recommend this Airbnb, which is close to downtown Kanab but far enough away to enjoy coffee with a view. We ate dinner at the Wild Thyme cafe. I highly recommend this place.
Day 5- Las Vegas
From Kanab, UT, we returned to Las Vegas to stay the night before returning to reality. Coming from the Northeast, we can drive to multiple states in a day, and fast food chains are on top of each other; I was in awe when we drove 20-plus miles, seeing nothing but land and a few houses along the way. We stopped at a grocery store to rest, and the place was incredible. It had a brewery, winery, restaurant, and coffee shop all under one roof. I was amazed! When we got to Vegas, we stopped and had In and Out Burger because when in Rome, do as the Romans, am I right!? We spent the day walking along the Vegas strip, taking in all the sites. We stayed at the Hyatt Hotel, a 5-minute drive from the stripe. Helpful tip: Planet Hollywood offers free parking.
Day 6
Flight back Home
Side note: two different time zones (Navajo time zone vs. Mountain time zone) overlap the area we traveled. During the day, you can quickly go back and forth through both time zones.
Get a national park pass for the year. It is $80 and covers all the national parks listed in this post and other national parks in the country. You can purchase it at the first national park you enter on this trip. It is well worth the money; some parks cost $30-40 per day to enter.
Beware, renting a car has increased in price, and companies want to make the most money possible. If you head to the national parks and the vehicle has clay on it, quickly go through the car wash before returning it. This tip will save you a service fee of up to $200.
Most likely, you are reading this post-pandemic. This trip took place in May of 2021. Many hotels and attractions were closed during this time.
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