Flying into Phoenix on the early morning 24th and leaving on the night of 30th. Planning on hiking the Grand Canyon during the weekdays and partying on the weekend. Any advice or suggestions on the hikes or places to visit? Also, which neighborhood around downtown would be best to AirBnB without worrying too much about noise complaints from neighbors if any! (I know this is a very specific question - but worth a shot!) Thanks in advance!
I just did a 3 day trip from Vegas to Phoenix this past weekend. Sedona is a must! Also, make sure you drive down 89A between Flagstaff and Sedona. It's a fun and beautiful drive through Coconino Forest that weaves through the mountains.
I took my kids to AZ a couple of years ago and it was a blast. One of the best vacations ever and we've done some fun ones. We did a ton of driving ... this is Route 66 country, so we didn't spend a single night at a chain hotel. - North to Sedona - as mentioned 89A is outstanding - Keep north to Flagstaff - some of the best stargazing in the world ... high elevation, no humidity, the Lowell Obervatory contains the telescope that discovered Pluto - East on I40 - Lots of Route 66 stuff ... Wigwam Motel, Downtown Williams, Standin' on the Corner Park in Winslow, Meteor Crater, all the way to Painted Desert and Petrified Forest NP - North at Gallup, NM past Shiprock to the Four Corners - West through Monument Valley ... this place is incredible, you've seen it in tons of movies (stop beforehand at Goosenecks State Park if you have the time) - Keep west to the Grand Canyon, stopping to see some awesome dinosaur tracks literally on the side of the road in Tuba City - After the Canyon, keep west for a few hours to the Hoover Dam, then spend a day in Vegas! - The only time we actually spent in Phoenix was to catch a D-backs game ... otherwise, there really isn't much there
If you want to party, go to and stay in Old Town Scottsdale. They've turned it into a super degenerate adult Disney World. Bars on top of clubs on top of bars.
The south kaibab trail was really nice. It's a little less crowded/busy than bright angel. I only went down to cedar point due to time constraints but I would have liked to done skeleton point. I heard hermit point was great as well but again, time constraints kept us from doing that I would highly recommend Sedona hiking. Cathedral rock is a short and fun hike. There are parts that are challenging. Be sure to get there early though because it gets crowded quick. West fork trail is a must as well. One of the best trials there is. But again get there early!
Be sure not to wear sunscreen and stand in the middle of a asphalt road at high noon. The dry heat does wonders for recharging the batteries.
