Dates are flexible. This day-by-day plan is provisional until you choose exact travel dates.
Start early for Saguaro National Park—East District, ideally around 7:00–7:30 a.m. The Cactus Forest Loop Drive is a paved, roughly 8-mile one-way route with pullouts and short trails; allow about three hours, especially for the Freeman Homestead Trail or Mica View Trail. The park is generally open from sunrise to sunset, and the entrance fee is typically about $25 per vehicle unless you have an America the Beautiful pass. Bring water, sunscreen, and sturdy shoes—morning is cooler, but there is little shade. From central Tucson, allow 30–40 minutes to reach the Rincon Mountain District.
Continue to Tucson Botanical Gardens for a quieter late-morning change of pace. Allow about 1½ hours among the themed gardens, and check the current opening time before leaving since hours can vary seasonally; admission is usually in the $15–20 range. It is an easy drive back toward central Tucson, where El Charro Café makes a good lunch stop. This longtime family-run restaurant is known for Sonoran-style Mexican food—try the carne seca or enchiladas—and lunch generally runs $20–35 per person. Reservations are useful, and downtown street parking or nearby paid lots are more convenient than circling for a space.
After lunch, drive south to Mission San Xavier del Bac, about 15–20 minutes from downtown depending on traffic. The 18th-century mission is free to visit, though donations are welcome; allow about an hour for the church, grounds, and small museum, and dress respectfully because it remains an active place of worship. Finish at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, west of town near the Tucson Mountain District. Plan roughly 2½ hours before closing—late afternoon is especially pleasant for the animal habitats and desert trails. Check the day’s closing time, commonly around 5:00 p.m., and arrive with enough daylight; admission is usually around $30–35. The museum is spread outdoors, so carry water even when temperatures feel mild, then return to central Tucson for dinner or a relaxed evening.
After arriving from Tucson, continue east on I-10 and south toward Tombstone; allow about 1 hour 20 minutes of driving, plus time to collect the car and park. Aim to arrive around 9:00 a.m. so you have an unhurried 2½ hours in the Tombstone Historic District. Park in one of the public lots just off Allen Street—street parking can be limited—and explore the wooden boardwalks, the Bird Cage Theatre, the Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park, and the area around Allen Street. Many businesses open around 9:00 or 10:00 a.m., but hours vary seasonally, so treat the courthouse and historic attractions as the dependable anchors. Allow roughly $10–20 per person for attraction admissions.
For lunch, stay in the district at Big Nose Kate’s Saloon, a casual, atmospheric choice in a former hotel building. Expect about $15–30 per person, and allow extra time if there is live music or a midday crowd. It is a short walk from the courthouse area, so there is no need to move the car.
From Tombstone, drive north toward Chiricahua National Monument, allowing about 1 hour 15 minutes. There are no reliable food services inside the monument, so carry water and a picnic or substantial snacks; fuel up before leaving Tombstone or in Willcox. Spend roughly four hours in the monument, prioritizing the Echo Canyon and Massai Point areas. The roads are paved, but trails are exposed and can be uneven, with limited shade. If conditions and daylight permit, combine a short section of the Echo Canyon Trail with the viewpoints at Massai Point rather than attempting a long backcountry hike. Check current road, trail, and visitor-center conditions with the National Park Service before setting out; the entrance fee is generally around $10–20 per vehicle unless covered by an America the Beautiful pass.
Return to Willcox in the late afternoon and visit the Rex Allen Arizona Cowboy Museum if you still have about an hour before closing. It is a compact, local-feeling stop focused on ranching, rodeo, and the town’s Western heritage, so verify its same-day hours before relying on it. Finish at a Willcox Wine Country tasting room, where Arizona wines are usually served by the flight or glass; budget approximately $15–30 per person. Keep the tasting modest if driving afterward, and arrange a rideshare or designated driver if needed. The tasting rooms are spread through town and nearby vineyards rather than concentrated in one walkable quarter, so plan to drive between them and your overnight lodging.
Allow the planned drive from Willcox to Petrified Forest National Park, departing around 7:00–7:30 a.m. so you can spend the bulk of the day inside the park. Enter through the south entrance and begin at Rainbow Forest Museum, where the exhibits explain how fallen trees became brilliantly colored fossils; the museum and nearby visitor facilities typically open in the morning, but check the National Park Service schedule before leaving. From there, take the short drive to Giant Logs Trail, an easy loop among some of the park’s largest fossilized tree sections. The park entrance fee is generally about $25–35 per private vehicle, unless your pass covers it.
Continue north to Blue Mesa Trail, one of the park’s most memorable walks. The paved trail drops into rounded hills striped with blue, gray, purple, and rust-colored bands; allow about an hour, and bring water because shade is scarce. Roads and trails can be exposed to wind and sudden weather, so keep a light layer in the car and avoid stepping off the marked route—the fossil wood is protected.
After Blue Mesa, continue through the park toward The Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark. The preserved lodge offers a glimpse of Route 66-era travel and a good overlook toward the Painted Desert; allow about an hour, while confirming tour or interior-access hours because they can vary seasonally. Then follow the park’s scenic road north, stopping at Chinde Point and Pintado Point for broad, layered desert views. Allow roughly two hours for the drive with overlooks, and keep fuel and snacks in the car—there are no regular fuel stations or full restaurants inside the park.
Exit toward Holbrook and have dinner at Butterfield Stage Co. Steakhouse, a convenient choice near your overnight base with substantial steaks, burgers, and Southwestern-style plates, usually around $25–45 per person. Aim to arrive before the dinner rush if possible; after a long exposed day, this is best treated as a relaxed meal rather than another stop.
Allow roughly 3½–4 hours to drive from Holbrook to Sedona, leaving around 7:00 a.m. Take I-40 west, then AZ-89A through Oak Creek Canyon; the canyon road is beautiful but winding, so allow extra time for pullouts and check road conditions before leaving. Head first to Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village, where shaded courtyards, adobe-style walkways, galleries, and coffee stops make for an easy 1½-hour introduction to Sedona. Parking can fill quickly, so use the public lots near the village rather than trying to move the car between stops.
Continue south to the Chapel of the Holy Cross, built directly into the red-rock cliffs. Its small interior visit usually takes about 45 minutes, but the approach and viewpoint are the real reward. Arrive before midday if possible; the access road and parking area are compact, and a short uphill walk is required. For lunch, drive back toward town to The Hudson, a polished local favorite with Southwestern dishes and excellent red-rock views—budget about $30–50 per person, and expect a wait at peak lunch hours.
After lunch, make your main hike at Cathedral Rock Trail. This is a short but strenuous route rather than a gentle stroll: expect steep slickrock, some scrambling, and about 2–3 hours including time to enjoy the shelves and views. Wear shoes with good grip, carry water, and avoid beginning late if temperatures are warm. Parking is limited; use the trailhead shuttle when operating, or check current parking and shuttle rules before setting out. If the lot is full, do not leave the vehicle along the highway.
Finish at Airport Mesa Scenic Overlook in West Sedona for sunset. Allow about an hour, arriving 30–45 minutes before sunset to secure parking and a good viewpoint. The overlook gives a wide panorama across Sedona’s formations and is an easy, satisfying finale after the hike. After dark, drive carefully back through town—traffic on the main roads can be surprisingly slow, and restaurant waits are longest around sunset.
Plan to leave Sedona around 6:30–7:00 a.m. for the roughly 3½-hour drive to Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. The final stretch on US-163 is one of the trip’s great road approaches, with the red buttes rising dramatically ahead. Fuel up before leaving Kayenta or earlier—services are sparse around the park—and carry water and snacks. At the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park Visitor Center, spend about an hour with the exhibits and the broad overlook toward the Mittens. Check current opening hours and the park fee before setting out; this is on Navajo Nation land, and hours can vary seasonally.
Take the unpaved Valley Drive late in the morning, allowing around three hours including photo stops. A high-clearance vehicle is helpful after rain, when sections can become deeply rutted; a Navajo-guided tour is the better choice if you want access to restricted areas and local interpretation. Reserve a tour ahead if possible, since same-day availability is not guaranteed. Afterward, have lunch at The View Restaurant, where the dining room faces the Mittens directly; expect roughly $25–50 per person and allow extra time if there is a wait.
Continue to John Ford’s Point, about a 30-minute stop from the main loop, for one of the park’s classic overlooks—late afternoon light is especially flattering on the surrounding formations. Then walk the Wildcat Trail, a roughly two-hour loop around West Mitten. Start with enough daylight to finish comfortably, bring at least a liter of water per person, and expect loose sand rather than a maintained paved path. After sunset, find a quiet legal pullout near the park for Monument Valley stargazing; the lack of nearby city lights makes this an exceptional place for a one-hour skywatch. Follow posted Navajo Nation rules, avoid wandering onto closed land, and confirm your lodging’s outdoor access before staying out after dark.
Begin with your reserved Lower Antelope Canyon tour, allowing about 1½ hours underground plus check-in time. Tour operators require you to arrive early—often 30–45 minutes before the assigned slot—and the canyon is reached from the tour staging areas east of Page, not independently. The Navajo-guided walk includes ladders, narrow passages, and uneven sand, so wear closed-toe shoes and leave large bags in the car. Confirm the exact operator, meeting point, and local time when booking; tours are permit- and availability-dependent.
After the canyon, head back into Page for lunch at Big John’s Texas BBQ, a relaxed choice for brisket, ribs, and sandwiches at roughly $15–30 per person. Then drive south on US-89 to Horseshoe Bend. The parking area charges an access fee, and the exposed trail takes about 20–30 minutes each way; allow roughly 1½ hours with time at the overlook. There are no railings along much of the rim, so stay well back from the edge, especially in wind or with children.
Treat The Wave / Coyote Buttes North as a separate, permit-only outing—not a walk-up stop. The hike is strenuous, usually 4–6 hours, with deep sand, little shade, and limited route signage. Go only if you hold the required advance permit and have enough daylight; a late-afternoon start after Horseshoe Bend is realistic only with an appropriately timed permit and strong hiking pace. If you do not win the lottery or obtain a permit, do not enter the area—use the extra time for a slower afternoon in Page instead. Finish at the Lake Powell shoreline for about an hour of sunset views; Lone Rock Beach is a scenic option, though road and access conditions can vary, so check locally before driving out.
Leave Page around 7:00 a.m. for Grand Canyon National Park’s South Rim, allowing roughly 3–3½ hours door to door with fuel, the park entrance queue, and scenic pullouts. Take US-89 south and US-64 west through the Desert View entrance; this is the best approach because it brings you to the canyon gradually rather than saving the first view for the village. Start at Desert View Watchtower, where you can climb the historic tower and look across the canyon toward the Painted Desert. The park entrance fee is typically about $35 per private vehicle, unless you have an America the Beautiful pass; check current road conditions and seasonal hours with the National Park Service before setting out.
Continue west to Grand Canyon Village Historic District, about 45 minutes from Desert View depending on stops. Spend an hour around the Grand Canyon Railway Depot and the historic lodges and buildings—this is a pleasant place to slow down after the drive. For lunch, reserve or arrive early for El Tovar Dining Room; expect roughly $30–60 per person, and keep in mind that lodge dining can fill quickly, particularly during busy seasons.
After lunch, walk the Rim Trail from Mather Point to Yavapai Point. It is mostly level and paved, with constant canyon views; allow about two hours at an easy pace, though a park shuttle or local bus can shorten the return if anyone is tiring. Bring water and a warm layer—the rim is substantially cooler than Page, and wind can make the afternoon feel brisk. For sunset, take the seasonal shuttle along Hermit Road to Hopi Point, one of the broadest west-facing overlooks. Private vehicles are often restricted on this road, so confirm shuttle operating details at the visitor center and leave plenty of time for the return ride. After sunset, have dinner in the village or at your lodge rather than driving outside the park in the dark; wildlife frequently crosses the roads, and canyon-area lighting is intentionally limited.
Leave Grand Canyon Village around 7:00 a.m. for Las Vegas, allowing roughly 4½–5½ hours door to door, including fuel, photo stops, the Hoover Dam approach, and Las Vegas traffic. Follow US-64 toward Williams, then I-40 west and US-93 north; keep the tank comfortably above half once you leave the Grand Canyon area, as services are spread out. If you want to tour the dam’s interior, check the Bureau of Reclamation schedule before leaving—tickets and security screening can add time, and walk-up availability is not guaranteed. Otherwise, allow about 1½ hours for the visitor viewpoints, dam crest, and Mike O’Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge overlook.
Continue into Boulder City, the relaxed former railroad town just south of Las Vegas, and spend about 1½ hours around Nevada Way and the Boulder City Historic District. For an easy local lunch, try The Dillinger for burgers and salads, Fox Smokehouse BBQ for a quick barbecue meal, or Coffee Cup Café if you prefer a casual diner. Most meals run about $15–30 per person. Park once and walk between the cafés, antique shops, and small galleries rather than moving the car through town.
From Boulder City, allow roughly 35–45 minutes to reach central Las Vegas, longer during afternoon congestion. After checking in, make the planned quick photo stop at the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Sign on the south end of the Strip; the dedicated parking lot can fill quickly, so expect a short queue for the best photo. Then continue along the Las Vegas Strip for an evening walk—Bellagio’s fountains, the pedestrian bridges around Paris Las Vegas, and the neon-heavy stretch near The Cosmopolitan are a good first introduction. Wear comfortable shoes and expect a surprisingly long walk between resorts; rideshare pickup zones are often easier than trying to hail a taxi curbside. If you are returning a rental car, do it before settling into the Strip, since hotel garages and airport rental returns can add 30–60 minutes during busy periods.
No packing list attached yet.