I have shared before that I live in a small town.  Living far from places I like to visit has turned me into quite the driver.  Give me a destination and I am there! 

I have really grown to cherish my time on the road, I love being alone with my thoughts and of course my music! When I travel, I always make sure to rent a car to get around. Some of my most memorable drives have been around Hawaii and most recently on my trip to the Grand Canyon.

Surprisingly the drive from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon is less than 4 hours and the route goes straight through one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE cities of Sedona.  I had good company (my kids) and good music to go along with the scenic views. 

Check out our ride and some of the landscape in the video below.

Grand Canyon

At the Grand Canyon we signed up for a jeep tour with Grand Canyon Jeep Tours and Safaris.  Although we enjoyed the tour, I recommend skipping the pricey jeep tours and heading straight for the Visitors Center where you can easily build an itinerary according to your time available and personal preferences.  There are hikes and view points to accommodate all ages and interests.  They also have a cute and FREE Junior Rangers program for the kids to keep them engaged!  Two things to keep in mind when visiting the Grand Canyon: it’s COLD, you are between 7000 and 9000 feet high, bring layers, it was 41 degrees the day we went in October. Secondly be sure to catch the sunrises and sunsets, they are breathtaking.  Whether you watch the canyon light up in the morning or turn down for the night, the overwhelming beauty that is the canyon is really captured at these hours. 

Sedona

On our way back we stopped for a while in Sedona.  This incredibly beautiful and unique city has had my heart since I first visited ten years ago.  Something about its isolation, desert landscape, and tall red rocks just captivates me.  Unlike in the Grand Canyon, in Sedona I HIGHLY recommend a jeep tour.  Getting up and around these rock structures is not easy, but with the Pink Jeep tours its fun and scenic! We had lunch at the tasty Oaxaca Restaurant that has the most beautiful view in the city.  Be sure to swing by the Fine Arts and Crafts Square where there are interesting boutiques and art galleries, live music, cafes, and more!

This drive was truly one for the books and with the beautiful Arizona sun on our side. We enjoyed every minute we spent on the road.  Now, I am off to plan my next #RoadTrip.

Your Chick,

Rina