The Ultimate 7 Day Arizona Road Trip Itinerary (2024)

Welcome to the ultimate 7 day Arizona road trip itinerary!

Arizona has some of the most breathtaking (and Instagrammable 😊) landscapes in the world.

Road tripping is one of the best ways to see this state, and you’ll make so many amazing memories!

On today’s post, I’m sharing all the tips and things we learned to help you plan your 7 day Arizona road trip.

Let’s dive in.

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How To Get To Arizona

If you’re flying into Arizona, you’ll probably fly into Phoenix (PHX) for the best selection of nonstop flights.

From there, pick up a rental car and head north.

Of course, you’ll need to have a car for your Arizona road trip.

Make sure to reserve your rental car in advance on RentalCars.com.

Related: 10 Best Things To Do In Phoenix, Arizona

When To Visit Arizona

In my opinion, spring and fall are the best times to take a 7 day Arizona road trip.

Summer is very hot and winter can get pretty cold, due to the high desert climate.

Also, temperatures can change dramatically between day and night, in any season.

Think 40º differences!

That means packing layers is key here.

If you do plan your road trip for the summer, make sure to do outdoor activities early in the morning, and stay hydrated.

Ideally, try to visit around mid-October so you can catch the fall colors and mild temperatures.

We visited in the last week of October, right as a cold front blew through, and woke up to a surprise dusting of snow.

Related: Road Trip Instagram Captions

7 Day Arizona Road Trip Highlights

In this guide, I’ll detail all the highlights of Arizona you can easily visit in one week.

• Sedona
• Flagstaff
• Grand Canyon
• Page/Lake Powell
• Horseshoe Bend
• Antelope Canyon
• Optional: Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

Days 1-3: Sedona

About 2 hours north from Phoenix, you’ll find the famous town of Sedona.

Sedona is beloved for its stunning red rocks and being located in a spiritual vortex.

It’s a MUST on any Arizona road trip, and I recommend spending at least 2-3 days here.

For one, there are sooo many beautiful (and Instagrammable) hikes in the area, like Devil’s Bridge.

Also, there’s a charming downtown, with shops like the Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village.

For a unique way to explore the gorgeous landscape, try taking one of the famous pink jeep tours.

After all of your adventuring, tap into Sedona’s wellness scene and enjoy a spa day or yoga class.

Related: Sedona Instagram Captions

Where To Stay In Sedona

• Arabella Hotel Sedona
• Red Agave Resort
• Whispering Creek Bed & Breakfast

Days 4: Flagstaff

Heading further north, you’ll find yourself in Flagstaff.

This is a vibrant little city, with a thriving local and outdoorsy culture.

Its beautiful alpine setting is also very different from “stereotypical” Arizona.

Here, you’ll find mountains, pine forests, and even skiing in the winter.

It’s about halfway between Phoenix and the Grand Canyon, so it’s a perfect stop on a Arizona road trip.

I recommend spending at least 1-2 days here, and enjoying this unique part of the state.

I love that Downtown Flagstaff is big enough to have delicious restaurants and great shopping, but small enough to still be charming.

There are also activities for every season here.

Flagstaff is home to the Arizona Snowbowl, which offers some of Arizona’s best skiing and a great scenic chairlift.

In the warmer months, you can enjoy beautiful hiking through the mountains and aspen groves of Coconino National Forest.

If you’re interested in astronomy, visit the renowned Lowell Observatory.

Read more: 10 Best Things To Do In Flagstaff, Arizona

Where To Stay In Flagstaff

• Little America Hotel Flagstaff
• Hotel Aspen Flagstaff
• DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Flagstaff

Day 5: Grand Canyon

How to visit the Grand Canyon could fill an entire guide in itself, which I have here!

I go into a lot more detail there, which is helpful if you have at least a full day to spend at the park.

But if you’re limited on time, here’s everything you need to know.

Grand Canyon National Park has two points of entry: the more popular South Rim, and the remote North Rim, which closes in the winter months.

In this post, I’ll detail visiting the South Rim, since it’s most accessible and receives 90% of the park’s visitors.

Related: Arizona Instagram Captions

Grand Canyon South Rim

The Grand Canyon South Rim Entrance is a 1 hour 25 minute drive north from Flagstaff.

Shortly after the entrance, you’ll come across the visitor’s center.

This is a perfect place to park and walk over to Mather Point to get your first glimpse of the canyon.

It’s so vast, it almost makes you dizzy when you look into it.

There’s so much for your eyes to take in!

From there, you can continue on the relaxing, paved Rim Trail.

For a unique way to explore this trail, bikes are available for rent near the visitor center.

Leashed dogs are welcome on this trail, which is nice.

There are also nifty shuttles that run between different points on the South Rim, making transportation super easy.

Pro Tip: If you’re looking to catch a sunrise or sunset, I’ve heard from locals that Powell Point and Hopi Point are best for sunrises. Mojave Point and Pima Point are best for sunsets.

Read more: The Ultimate Grand Canyon South Rim Travel Guide

Where To Stay At The Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon Village is a collection of hotels, restaurants, and shops inside the park.

Hotels Inside The Park

• El Tovar
• Bright Angel Lodge
• Yavapai Lodge

Lodging inside the park books up pretty quickly, so an alternative is to stay right outside the park, in the tiny town of Tusayan.

Hotels In Tusayan

• Holiday Inn Express & Suites Grand Canyon
• Best Western Premier Grand Canyon Squire Inn
• Grand Canyon Plaza Hotel

Unless you’re an avid hiker, one night at the Grand Canyon is plenty!

There honestly isn’t much to do in the area besides visit the canyon, and the nearby food and amenities leave much to be desired, lol.

Related: Travel Instagram Captions

Days 6-7: Page/Lake Powell Area

Continuing on to our next stop, the town of Page is about a 2.5 hour drive northwest from Grand Canyon South Rim.

It’s nestled on the shores of Lake Powell, conveniently close to all of your next stops!

There’s a bunch of affordable lodging in Page, and the food is a slight improvement from Tusayan.

We had some great Mexican food at Fiesta Mexicana, and sushi at Blue Buddha Sushi Lounge.

I recommend spending 1-2 days in the Page area, depending on how much you’re interested in here.

You can visit both the nearby Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon in one day.

Pro tip: If you’re visiting in the off-season, some of the restaurants in Page have odd hours or close early. I recommend calling to make sure restaurants are open before you go.

Related: Adventure Instagram Captions

Where To Stay In Page

• Wingate by Wyndham Page Lake Powell
• Best Western View of Lake Powell Hotel
• Hampton Inn & Suites Page – Lake Powell

Lake Powell

In the warmer months, one of the best things to do on a 7 day Arizona road trip is paddle Lake Powell.

This lake connects to the Colorado River, and exploring it by kayak or SUP offers a unique way to view the area’s stunning landscape.

You can even rent houseboats and stay on the water, for a really adventurous experience.

Related: Camping Instagram Captions

Horseshoe Bend

You’ve probably seen pictures of this famous spot all over social media. And somehow… it’s still even MORE beautiful in person.

I recommend grabbing breakfast, then heading out to Horseshoe Bend in the morning or midday.

Morning golden hour will give you the best lighting for pictures.

However, midday is when the sun will be at the best angle for showcasing all of the bend’s vibrant colors.

Horseshoe Bend is just a 15 minute drive outside of Page.

There’s a $10 entrance fee and a parking lot, after which you’ll have a short hike down to the viewing area.

Just know there’s no shade, and it gets really crowded and hot in peak times, so bring water and plan accordingly.

I recommend visiting during the off-season if you can.

We visited mid-weekday in late October, and found no lines for pictures and plenty of parking.

Plan on spending 1-1.5 hours at Horseshoe Bend.

This gives you plenty of time to take pictures, and maybe even stray a little off the beaten path.

Climbing around the surrounding rocks is really fun!

Related: Scenery Instagram Captions

Antelope Canyon

When you’re done at Horseshoe Bend, head back into town to catch your ride to the next stop, Antelope Canyon.

This is the site of the famous Windows 7 wallpaper, as well as the most expensive photograph EVER sold.

This slot canyon of swirling sandstone was carved by water erosion over millions of years.

We were trying to trim down our itinerary, and Antelope Canyon almost didn’t make the cut.

(Because of reviews complaining about it being overpriced, overcrowded, etc…)

But I’m SO glad we went anyways.

We were in awe! The canyon is simply incredible, and totally worth the visit.

Related: Photography Instagram Captions

Upper vs. Lower Antelope Canyon

There’s actually an Upper Antelope Canyon, and a Lower Antelope Canyon to choose from.

The upper is more popular and iconic, while the lower is less crowded.

Also, the canyon is on Navajo land, so booking a tour is required to visit.

There were many tours going on at the same time, but the tour guides did a nice job of spacing out the groups.

This gave everyone time to take their own pictures with as few photobombs as possible.

We booked through Antelope Slot Canyon Tours By Chief Tsosie, whom I highly recommend.

They were well-organized, and one of the only companies with air-conditioned shuttles.

This made the ride to the canyon very comfortable.

Our tour guide knew all the places to take bomb photos, and even helped us adjust our camera settings so we could get the best pictures.

Midday is supposed to be the “best” time to visit the canyon, as this is when you can see the iconic beams of light that filter down through the canyon.

Even though we went at midday, we didn’t happen to get the light beams (something about the time of year, I think), but it was still beautiful.

Related: 20 Best Things To Do In Arizona

Optional: Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

This stop is optional, but I’m adding it for those that really want to get off the beaten path.

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is much less visited than the other stops on this guide.

So if you want amazing hikes and stunning scenery, with NO crowds, this is the place for you.

If that’s calling your name, I recommend making the 45 minute drive from Page to the Cathedral Wash Trailhead.

This trail is a hidden gem, and is seriously SO much fun!

Be prepared for a challenge and some rock scrambling.

The trail takes you down to the Colorado River, where you can even swim.

Hiking out and back took us a few hours.

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Posted By: Arabella · In: arizona, travel, usa