After leaving Monument Valley, we arrived in the city of Page and spent the night at the Wingate by Wyndham Page Lake Powell hotel. I can highly recommend this hotelโit was very clean, conveniently located, and offered a generous breakfast spread. We booked a couple of nights here right away because there were several attractions in the area that we wanted to visit, such as Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon.
Horseshoe Bend
Horseshoe Bend is a stunning and picturesque meander of the Colorado River at the bottom of Glen Canyon. The name naturally comes from its horseshoe shape. Located just outside the town of Page, you can admire the breathtaking views from the edge of a cliff. However, it’s essential to be cautious as there is a sheer 300-meter drop from the rim.
Read more about our experience at Horseshoe Bend in the blog post “Horseshoe Bend – Arizona, USA โ“.
Glen Canyon Dam
Glen Canyon, a vast natural area in Utah, is a popular national recreation area. Just outside Page, you’ll find the second-largest dam in the United States, the Glen Canyon Dam. This dam regulates the flow of water from Lake Powell to the Colorado River and also serves as a power plant. The dam is truly impressive, visible from a bridge spanning the canyon and even more so from the Carl Hayden Visitor Center. At the visitor center, you can learn about the area, the dam, and its history. The center boasts enormous windows facing the dam and the canyon, offering stunning views. And best of all, it’s air-conditionedโa welcome relief, especially during the scorching summer months in this region.
For a broader view, visit the Glen Canyon Dam Overlook, also located on the outskirts of Page.
Antelope Canyon
One of the most beautiful destinations of our trip was undoubtedly Antelope Canyon! This is a place everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime. Here, you’ll explore a narrow canyon sculpted over time by water into stunning shapes, like stepping into another world. There are two sections of the canyon to choose from: Upper or Lower. Access to these canyons is only available through guided tours as the area is managed by the Navajo Nation and visiting always requires a permit. It’s recommended to purchase tickets in advance due to high demand.
For more details about our visit, read the blog post “Antelope Canyon – Arizona, USA โ“.
The Wave
Although we didn’t get to visit, I must mention “The Wave“. If you’re seeking something exclusive and limited, near Page is a highly restricted natural formation called The Wave. Its name comes from the wavelike striped rock formations, creating a breathtaking sight.
Only 64 people are allowed to visit The Wave per day to protect the natural environment. Visitors must obtain permits through a lottery system, with two types of lotteries: advance lottery held monthly for visits three months later (e.g., tickets drawn on February 1st for May) and a daily lottery where 16 lucky individuals receive permits. The schedule for the daily lottery works as follows:
– Day 1: Participation and raffle
– Day 2: Retrieve your tickets and attend the safety briefing.
– Day 3: Enjoy your visit.
So, go ahead and try your luck! Best of luck in the lottery!
Here you can find links to Advance lottery and Daily lottery.
Arizona Meteor Crater
Continuing south back to Route 66, our first stop was the Meteor Crater in Arizona. This massive crater, 1.2 kilometers in diameter, formed approximately 50,000 years ago when a meteorite struck the Earth. Despite its tranquilityโonly a few other visitors were thereโit was a fascinating site to explore. You can marvel at the crater’s rim and visit the excellent museum at the visitor center, offering detailed information about the crater and its studies.
Read more about our visit to the Meteor Crater in the blog post Arizona’s Largest Meteor Crater โ
Winslow
From the crater, we headed back up Route 66 to the charming town of Winslow. Once a thriving city along Route 66, Winslow was affected by a new highway alignment that redirected services away from the town center. However, the town has fought back by promoting tourism and celebrating its history from the heyday of Route 66. The most famous attraction is “Standin’ on the Corner Park“, paying homage to the Eagles’ song “Take it Easy”, with the lyrics “Well, I’m a-standin’ on a corner in Winslow, Arizona and such a fine sight to see…”
The park features a stylish street corner with a mural painted on a red brick building, an old red flatbed Ford parked out front, and a large Route 66 logo in the middle of the intersection. It’s a beautiful and picturesque spot worth visiting.
Grand Canyon – UNESCO World Heritage Site
Leaving Winslow, we made our way to the highly anticipated Grand Canyon. We arrived in the evening at the Grand Canyon Plaza Hotel, just a few kilometers from the South Rim, the most popular viewing area of the Grand Canyon. The hotel was excellent and highly recommended for anyone visiting the Grand Canyon.
After a restful night’s sleep, it was time to explore the world-famous Grand Canyon! This was a moment we had eagerly awaited, having heard and read about it since childhood.
We visited the South Rim, the most popular and accessible part of the Grand Canyon. Begin by exploring the Grand Canyon Visitor Center, which provides information about the area and recommendations for popular spots. There are also a few cafes/restaurants and souvenir shops. Parking is ample and well-organized. The rim offers numerous viewpoints to explore, and there’s a free shuttle bus for transportation within the area. We spent a lot of time here and visited Ooh Aah Point, which requires a short hike down towards the valley but not all the way to the bottom, as the canyon reaches depths of up to 1.5 kilometers.
In summary, the Grand Canyon is Incredible & Immense. It’s challenging to grasp the scale in person. The Colorado River has carved a canyon over 400 kilometers long, with an average width of 16 kilometers. The Grand Canyon is a UNESCO World Heritage Site
For more details about our Grand Canyon visit, check out our blog post โ
After visiting the Grand Canyon, we headed south to the town of Williams. Known as the “Gateway to the Grand Canyon”, Williams is the southern terminal of the Grand Canyon Railway, providing train service to Grand Canyon Village. The town is charming and full of Route 66-themed attractions like zip lines, museums, restaurants, shops, signs, and murals.
Next, we stopped in Seligman, where we visited the Historic Angel’s Barber Shop Museum, founded by the “Guardian Angel of Route 66” who helped establish the Arizona Route 66 Association. The village is well-maintained, unlike many other small towns along the route, clearly restored for tourists. It’s a great place for a leisurely stroll and coffee break.
That night, we stayed in Laughlin, Nevada, marking our entry into the ninth state of our journey. Our hotel, the Aquarius Casino Resort, was located on the banks of the Colorado River. Although it’s a casino hotel and not the newest, it served its purpose perfectly for a one-night stay. We didn’t visit the casino as we were headed to Las Vegas, where we’d undoubtedly try our luck with a few dollars.
Oatman
After spending the night in Laughlin, we briefly returned to Arizona to visit the delightful town of Oatman. This village is renowned for its roaming wild burros that wander freely through the streets. Oatman is an old town steeped in history, with a unique and charming atmosphere.
The highlight of the town is undoubtedly the burros, for which it is famous. For a few dollars, you can buy a bag of food to feed them, which is a fun experience and provides an opportunity to take selfies with the burros. Dueling shows are also organized here daily.
For more details about this charming burro town, read the dedicated blog post: “Oatman – Arizona, USA โ “.
From Oatman, we drove to the nearby town of Kingman, where we explored various Route 66-themed attractions. Kingman boasts many old trains and embodies the Route 66 vibe. We wanted to soak in the atmosphere of Route 66 a bit more before taking a detour towards Las Vegas and San Francisco and returning later to complete the Route 66 journey to its endpoint at Santa Monica Pier. We carefully reviewed the map to ensure we didn’t miss any essential stops that we definitely wanted to visit. Finding none, we set our course for Viva Las Vegas!
Next up: Nevada, to be continued in the next post.
