The schools in Michigan usually have days off in February for “winter break”. This is an ideal time to travel to a warm destination to escape the winter blues.  Because of the Covid pandemic, traveling in Feb 2021 was still somewhat limited.  But options were much better than when the pandemic first hit.  After some research and hearing positive stories of others that have traveled, we decided to give it a go.  We packed up the crew and headed to sunny Arizona!

We had a jam-packed itinerary with lots of adventures!  Here are the highlights from our time in the Grand Canyon, Flagstaff and Sedona.

Our trip started with a travel day flying from Detroit to Phoenix.  Arriving late in the day, there was not much time to explore so we checked into the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Phoenix – Airport North for the night.  After a restful evening, we started the following day with brunch at the Bread and Honey House.  With over 300+ positive Yelp reviews, it seemed promising and after eating there, it did not disappoint!  It was good to start the day with a hearty and delicious meal before our leisurely, all-day drive from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon.  The outdoor seating was a wonderful spot to soak in the warmth of the bright sunshine.

Driving on I-17 from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon is miles of desert sand, rolling foothills, cactus and big blue sky.  It’s a grand introduction to the Arizona landscape if you’ve not visited before.  It’s just the tip-of-the-iceberg of even more amazing scenery to come.  Sunset Stop Rest Stop along the freeway is a perfect spot for pictures of the landscape. 

Montezuma’s Castle National Monument is about 90 miles north of Phoenix and was another great place to stop and stretch our legs on our way to the Grand Canyon.  A synopsis from the national park system website says: “Established December 8, 1906, Montezuma Castle is the third National Monument dedicated to preserving Native American culture. This 20 room high-rise apartment, nestled into a towering limestone cliff, tells a story of ingenuity, survival and ultimately, prosperity in an unforgiving desert landscape”.  Looking upwards toward the mountain side, I thought how difficult it must have been for the settlers to climb up there on a daily basis.  But the paths in the park were pretty flat which made pushing Caitlin in her transport chair fairly easy.  We spent about an hour touring the grounds and gift shop.

Did you know that if you have a permanent disability, you can get a free lifetime America the Beautiful Access Pass?  This gives you free admission or discounts to all National Parks and Federal Recreation areas.  We were able to get one for Caitlin at the gift shop while visiting Montezuma’s Castle.  The savings are incredible!  Our whole crew got in for free saving us $60.  We also got free admission to the Grand Canyon saving us $35.  Here is the link to learn more about how and where to get a pass:  Entrance Passes (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)

We travelled another 50 miles north on I-17 to Flagstaff.  Perhaps a long weekend would be ideal to fully explore all that the city has to offer.  But I think we captured the essence during our hour or so walking tour.  We enjoyed all of the colorful murals and architecture of the buildings.  We loved the sculpture in town and were “blown away” by the windy wake of a train passing thru town.  The old train station is currently used as the Visitors Center with lots of trinkets and information to discover.  The snowy peaks of Mount Elden are a breathtaking backdrop to the city.

Continuing about 30 miles west, we stopped in the town of Williams.  It is known as “The Gateway to the Grand Canyon” because of its proximity to Hwy 64 which is the freeway that takes you to the Grand Canyon.  Historic Route 66 is the main drag of this little town lined with many shops, restaurants and motels.  A late lunch at the Historic Brewing Company was a perfect pit stop after our full day of driving and exploring.  With many of the pandemic restrictions lifted, it felt really good to dine in a restaurant again!  The chatter of conversations and clinking of silverware and glasses were sounds I’ve truly missed!

Williams is a popular place to stay when visiting the Grand Canyon and it’s about 50 miles south of the South Entrance.  But we wanted to be closer so we headed north on highway 64 toward Tusayan.  An interesting stop on this route is Rocks & More gift shop.  There are amazing sculptures to look at and it’s conveniently located next to a gas station.  Tusayan is conveniently located about 2 miles from the South entrance but the trade-off compared to Williams is that there are less restaurants and hotels to choose from.  I’m a big fan of Holiday Inn Express so that’s where we stayed again! The hotel was clean and comfortable, just what we needed to re-charge before heading to the Grand Canyon the next day.  During our stay in Tusayan, we ate at Plaza Bonita Mexican restaurant and We Cook Pizza and Pasta.  Both restaurants were very good!

Bright and early the next morning, we headed out for a Pink Jeep Tour of the Grand Canyon.  We signed up for the 2-hour Grand Entrance tour.   The Pink Jeep Tour is a great way to get an overview of the park if it’s your first time visiting.  Our guide was very knowledgeable and provided a ton of interesting information about the park.  He also knew the best lookouts to go to and where to park which saved us time.  Our guide was very good at spotting wildlife and stopped or slowed down so we could have more time to look.  The Pink Jeep tour office is outside of the gates of the Grand Canyon and the park entrance fee is included in the tour price.   If you have a larger party, I recommend booking a private tour.  We had 6 in our group and even though it costs more than buying individual tickets, the extra space and having the jeep to ourselves was definitely worth it.   Every spot we stopped at was fantastic! We were all in awe of how expansive the Grand Canyon is!  The scale is something pictures just can’t truly capture. 

After our tour, we exited the park and headed back to the Pink Jeep office.  There were still a few spots we wanted to explore on our own so we hopped in our rental car and re-entered the park.  Keep in mind that you’ll have to pay the entrance fee when re-entering.  We had enough time before the sun went down to visit Hermits Rest, the Market in the village and the Grand Canyon Visitors Center. You’ll want to check the hours of all the visitor centers because at the time we visited, due to the pandemic, the visitor’s center was closed.  However, the market, gift shop and lookout points were open.  The views were spectacular from every vantage point!

February was a pretty good month to visit the Grand Canyon.  It’s not peak season so the crowds were lighter.  But the temperature was a bit chilly and it was windy.  It was about 20 degrees colder at the Grand Canyon compared to Phoenix.  I was glad that we had layers of clothes, hats and gloves.  Unfortunately for some visitors they were not as prepared.  There were tour groups on a day trip from Phoenix and many of them were wearing shorts and t-shirts.  They looked like they were freezing!  

The next morning we drove to Sedona where we planned to stay for two nights.  We traveled on highway 89A which takes you off the beaten path from the main interstate.  It’s an exhilarating, winding road through valleys and foothills.   We stopped at West Fork Oak Creek Trailhead to take in some of the beautiful scenery.  The trail is soft sand it was hard to push Caitlin in her transport chair.   We ended up walking most of the way and taking some breaks to rest.  We went as far as we could since there was still some snow and ice on the ground which made it difficult to pass.

Once in Sedona, we checked into the Best Western Plus Arroyo hotel.  Conveniently located in the popular uptown Sedona area, it is walking distance to shopping, dining and close access to trails.  I recommend getting a balcony room on the back side of the hotel.  The views of both the red rock landscape and hotel grounds are breathtaking!

There’s an abundance of shops and restaurants to visit in uptown Sedona. Clear Creek Trading Company and the many shops at Sinagua Plaza are just a few that we visited.  Be sure to stop at the Sedona Chamber of Commerce Visitor Centers for brochures and maps of the area.  We ventured a little off the main strip and enjoyed a dinner on the outside patio at the Sedona Beer Company. The sidewalks and ramps are convenient for rolling a transport or wheel chair but it is very hilly and can be challenging to push uphill.

Sedona has a lot of desert trails to hike, bike or ride.  The sandy bumpy terrain can make it very difficult to explore for a person with a physical disability.  And for that reason, we chose to take a Pink Jeep Tour to ride the trails of Sedona.  The Pink Jeep tour takes you right into the middle of the terrain where I don’t think Caitlin would have been able to get to otherwise.  We chose the Broken Arrow Trail which was the most traveled and best reviewed.  It is advertised as extreme but Caitlin is very adventurous and I knew she would love it.  I have to warn you it is very bumpy and the inclines and descents can be pretty steep.  If that doesn’t sound great to you, there are other options to choose from.  The tour was exciting and exhilarating and the guide kept us laughing the whole time.  He was an experienced driver and educated us on the area, the terrain and desert foliage.  My favorite line was “if you need to use the restroom there are many “facili-trees” available”.  Makes me laugh every time I think about it!  Like our Grand Canyon tour, we opted for the private jeep tour and again, well worth the extra money.   Fantastic tour that I would definitely do again!

“Visit Sedona” suggests these trails for those that have a mobility impairment:

The next day we ventured about 30 miles west of Sedona to spend the day exploring the Tuzigoot National Monument and the town of Jerome.  The Tuzigoot monument is a historic village, or “pueblo”, that dates back to the 1300’s.  It is accessible by wheelchair, however, there is a long and steep pathway up to the pueblo.  There are also stairs to access some areas within the pueblo.  Once at the top, you could see the surrounding area for miles.  The pueblo is well preserved and you can imagine how the space may have looked for the hundreds of villagers that once occupied the building. 

The town of Jerome is situated on a steep and winding road with an eclectic mix of shops and restaurants.  We parked on Main St. and spent a short time wandering in and out a couple stores.  We were starving and decided to eat at the Haunted Hamburger.  To get there from Main St. you’ll have to climb a long stairway up to Clark St.  Not ideal, but we did it and got some exercise in the process.  It would have been better to drive up the steep, hairpin turn and get dropped off in front of the restaurant.  The effort and wait (It’s the most popular restaurant in town and we waited about 30 minutes) was worth it!  The burgers hit the spot and we took a piece of their famous chocolate cake back for a late night treat.     

Heading out of Sedona on our way back to the Phoenix airport, we made a quick stop at The Chapel of the Holy Cross.  It’s a beautiful structure built into the mountain side.  Unfortunately, we did not have enough time to go inside.  But we were glad to have savored the view on this last stop of our trip! 

The weather was perfect during our time in Sedona and the surrounding areas.  It was sunny and warm the whole time!  The crowds were also light and we missed the big Valentine’s Day rush the weekend prior.

Here is a basic itinerary of our week:

• Day 1 – Fly from Detroit to Phoenix, overnight stay in Phoenix
• Day 2 – Drive and explore from Phoenix to Grand Canyon, stay in Tusayan
• Day 3 – Grand Canyon and Tusayan
• Day 4 – Drive and explore from Grand Canyon to Sedona, stay in Sedona
• Day 5 – Sedona
• Day 6 – Tazimoot, Jerome, Sedona
• Day 7 – Drive from Sedona to Phoenix, Fly back to Detroit

I hope the highlights from our trip helps you in planning your next adventure to Arizona! 

Thanks for stopping by!