Arizona has a ton of natural wonders and spectacular outdoor sites to see. The following one week Arizona itinerary hits several of the main cities and sites of interest. There are so many options for an Arizona road trip, you cannot go wrong with whatever path you choose. Arizona is a fantastic place for a spring break vacation, especially for teachers on a budget due to the many free and cheap things to do in Arizona.
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Table of Contents
History of Arizona
Arizona was once home to many Native American tribes such as the Hohokam and Ancestral Pueblans. They lived in the area for thousands of years until the Spanish took over the area. Throughout the years, they were booted from their land and the Spanish dominated the area.
Eventually, the land became independent from Spain and became Mexico. The land was eventually acquired by the United States with the Gadsden Purchase. After a time, it eventually became the Arizona Territory.
In the 1870s gold and silver were discovered in Arizona, which caused a flood of people to the area. The early 1900s saw several Revolutions in the area. On February 14, 1912, Arizona officially became a state. Since then people tend to visit Arizona for a relaxing escape, outdoor adventures, and more recently, for wine tasting. All of these make for the perfect one week Arizona itinerary.
Best Time to Visit Arizona
My favorite time to spend one week in Arizona is during the wintertime. However, keep in mind a lot of people usually visit during the wintertime so prices may be higher. Book early to save money! I refuse to visit in the summertime as it is way too hot and dry for me. Fall and spring are also usually pleasant.
How to Get to Arizona
Arizona has several main airports: Phoenix, Tucson, and Flagstaff. You can also opt to fly into Las Vegas and drive to Northern Arizona from there. Phoenix will most likely have the cheapest flights within Arizona. I typically find flights for around $150 from California to Phoenix. Opt to rent a car from Autoslash to find the best price to get your around Arizona.
Day 1: Las Vegas or Flagstaff to Tusayon, Arizona
Drive Time: 4 hours from Las Vegas, 1 hour from Flagstaff.
Costs: Free to $15 depending on activity choices.
Hotel: Holiday Inn Express Grand Canyon
Start your one week Arizona itinerary by flying into Las Vegas or Flagstaff. If you fly into Las Vegas, it will be a 4-hour drive to the Grand Canyon South Rim. From Flagstaff, it is a little over an hour’s drive. Opt to spend the night in Tusayan, which is 5 minutes away from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. The Holiday Inn Express is a reasonable and nice hotel to stay at in Tusayan.
Las Vegas
Depending on the time of your flight, you may have the opportunity to explore Las Vegas or Flagstaff. In Las Vegas, make sure to walk the strip, and grab a drink at the Chandelier Bar in the Cosmopolitan. The Neon Museum and the Mandalay Bay Aquarium are also fun places to visit. Also, stop and take a picture at the iconic Welcome to Las Vegas sign or head over to the 7 Magic Mountains art installation. If you have more time, opt to spend at least two days exploring Las Vegas.
Kingman
Along the way to Tusayan, you can also stop in Kingman, located along the historic Route 66. This area has a ton of murals and cool Route 66-esque signs that are perfect for photo ops. There is even a historic Route 66 Museum and a Railway Museum. Kingman also offers several breweries, distilleries, and wineries.
Flagstaff
If you choose to fly into Flagstaff, there are many things you can do there to keep you busy as well. Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument and the San Francisco Peaks offer some cool hikes to go on. Flagstaff also offers a historic downtown filled with many awesome bars, restaurants, and breweries. The Museum of Northern Arizona is also another popular stop in Flagstaff. Wupatki National Monument offers a peek into some Native American ruins.
Day 2: Grand Canyon South Rim
Cost: $25/car or free with The America the Beautiful Pass
Today, spend the day at the Grand Canyon National Park: South Rim. If you are up for a challenge, hike the Bright Angel trail into the Grand Canyon. The short version is a 3-mile round trip hike. The Bright Angel Trail offers the most amazing views of the Grand Canyon and it is quite the experience to hike into the canyon. Later in the afternoon, you can also check out many of the viewpoints of the Grand Canyon along the Hermit’s Rest Route. Make sure to catch either the sunrise or sunset (or both) along the canyon! The Grand Canyon will be the highlight of any one week Arizona itinerary.
Day 3: Grand Canyon to Page, Arizona
Drive Time: 3.5 hours
Costs: $25/car Lake Powell Entrance or free with The America the Beautiful Pass
Hotel: Best Western Lake Powell or Courtyard Lake Powell
Opt to spend some time in the morning catching your last views of the Grand Canyon, and then head out to Page. Page, Arizona is a smaller town in Northeastern Arizona that has some gorgeous outdoor sites. Page is a spectacular addition to a one week Arizona itinerary. This afternoon, spend some time relaxing on the shores of Lake Powell. The water is gorgeous and there are plenty of spots just to chill and relax. Grab dinner at Birdhouse, a scrumptious local fried chicken place.
Day 4: Page/Monument Valley
Costs: $50 Antelope Canyon Tour, $10 Horseshoe Bend Parking
Page, Arizona is such a fun area to explore and perfect for a girl’s trip. Start the morning with a tour of Antelope Canyon. After, grab some lunch at one of the many delicious local restaurants such as Big John’s BBQ. Then, head over to Horseshoe Bend to check out this big curve of the Colorado River. The lookout is just a short hike from the parking lot and there are tons of places to take amazing photos around Horseshoe Bend.
If you have more time, you can also use this day to take a drive to add Monument Valley to your one week Arizona itinerary. It is about a 2-hour drive each way. Monument Valley is a desert region on the border of Arizona and Utah with iconic sandstone buttes. It is run by the Navajo. You can opt to take a tour or do a self-drive around the park.
*Note you could also do all of the Page sites on Day 3, opt to visit Monument Valley on Day 4, and skip Lake Powell.
Day 5: Page to Sedona, Arizona
Drive Time: 3 hours
Costs: Free
Hotel: Hampton Inn Sedona
In the morning, drive to Sedona, Arizona, and plan to arrive by lunchtime. Sedona is a perfect addition to a one week Arizona itinerary for people who love hiking and the outdoors. Downtown Sedona offers a ton of cute options to eat at.
After lunch, head out on the 4-mile Devil’s Bridge hike. This hike takes you to a large natural sandstone arch. The hike out to the bridge is relatively easy. The last part ascends about 400 feet and you will have to climb quite a few rocks to get up to the bridge. Make sure to have shoes with good traction. Next, you can opt to do another iconic hike, Cathedral Rock, or if you are tired, head into Sedona to grab some lunch.
After lunch, head to the Cottonwood area for some wine tasting. Page Springs Cellars, Merkin Vineyards, and Alcantara Vineyards and Winery are popular wine tasting stops. Wine tastings cost around $10 a tasting. Tonight, grab dinner in Downtown Cottonwood at COLT 805 Grill. This restaurant has the most amazing barbecue and it is not expensive.
Day 6: Sedona to Scottsdale, Arizona
Drive Time: 2 hours
Costs: Free and Up
Hotel: Hampton Inn Scottsdale
This morning, drive from Sedona to Scottsdale. Located just east of Phoenix, Scottsdale is a great place to go to relax as part of a one week Arizona itinerary. It is home to many gorgeous resorts and golf courses. The Downtown area has adorable 1920s style buildings full of cute shops and delicious restaurants. Stop at Merkin Vineyards tasting room to try out some Arizona wine and grab a bite to eat. You can also take a self-guided public art walking tour and check out the interesting pieces of art downtown.
If interested in hiking, head a little north to the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. The trails range from easy to strenuous, so there are hikes for all levels. History lovers should visit the Museum of the West, which covers the history of the area. Architecture fans can visit Frank Lloyd Wright’s old home Taliesin West and take a 90-minute tour.
You can also opt to choose a nice resort to stay at and spend time relaxing at the resort. Many of the resorts have nice spas attached to them. Make sure to check Groupon or TravelZoo as they often have great deals for Scottsdale resorts.
Day 7: Scottsdale to Phoenix, Arizona
Drive Time: 30 minutes
Costs: Free to $25
Hotel: Hampton Inn Phoenix Downtown
Today, opt to spend the day exploring the Phoenix area. Phoenix contains tons of things to do for every type of traveler and should be part of anyone week Arizona itinerary. Start the day with a hike in Papago Park or Dobbins Lookout. Then, grab a delicious breakfast at the Morning Glory Cafe. This cute cafe is located on a farm and served farm-fresh entrees. If visiting in February or March, opt to spend some time at the Cactus League Spring Training. You can also opt to visit the Desert Botanical Gardens or the Musical Instrument Museum. Grab dinner at the Vig or Pomo Pizzeria for some delicious bites to eat.
*Note: If you prefer, you can opt to spend the previous night in Phoenix and make a day trip to Scottsdale, or opt to stay in Scottsdale and make a day trip to Phoenix.
Day 8: Fly home from Phoenix
Today, wrap up the final day of your one week Arizona itinerary with a delicious breakfast from one of the many amazing places in Phoenix. Depending on what time your flight is, you may have time to hit up a couple more of the Phoenix attractions.
More Than One Week in Arizona?
If you have more time than one week in Arizona, add on a trip to Tucson. I recommend spending at least two nights exploring Tucson, especially if you want to visit Saguaro National Park or the wine-tasting region of Willcox, Arizona. You could also skip Scottsdale to add in Tucson or Prescott. If interested in a big adventure, opt to visit Havasupai Falls, which takes a minimum of 3 days.
Shaka Guide
Shaka Guide is a GPS self-guided audio tour that you can download to your phone. Currently, they have one for several of the Utah and Arizona Parks. They provide great background information about the area. The best part is you do not need the internet to use them.
Final Thoughts on One Week in Arizona
Interested in other Arizona road trip ideas? Check out this post for some awesome ideas for road-tripping around Arizona. If you have more time, opt to head to California for a week or head to Utah to visit Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks. You could also head east to Albuquerque, New Mexico, and White Sands National Park.
6 thoughts on “One Week Arizona Itinerary: 7 Days of Fun Adventures”
Ah!! This is so awesome! I love this compilation– I’m hoping to do a big road trip out west this fall or the following so I will definitely be referring back to this when I begin mapping it out!
I had no idea that there were so many beautiful places to visit in Arizona. Thanks for the great itinerary, we’ll be adding this one to our road trip list!
It is on my bucket list to visit the Grand Canyon and WOW there are so many gorgeous places near by! It looks like an incredible trip and I am excited to visit one day!
Wow, I’ve always had the Grand Canyon on my bucket list but Monument Valley looks breath-taking! I had always planned to visit the Grand Canyon on a trip from L.A. to Vegas then the Grand Canyon, but it looks like I could definitely spend longer in the area with so many things to see and do. Thanks for the great guide!
Such an amazing road trip – it’s such a scenic part of the US! I’ve visited and loved the Grand Canyon and Page, but would love to explore Moniment Valley and Sedona.
I have been wanting to visit Sedona for so long! This might be the year I make it. Such great photos and it makes me want to visit every place you mentioned. Such a great post! Pinning so I have this guide when I do visit these places.