Las Vegas & The Canyons

Fourteen nights out of Las Vegas and back, taking in seven national parks and monuments on the Colorado Plateau. It comes as a package from the UK with flights, car and hotels arranged together, and a road book to drive it from.

The driving days are short, which matters here because the stops deserve time. Hoover Dam comes first, then the Grand Canyon, then Horseshoe Bend at sunset on the way to two nights at Lake Powell, with Antelope Canyon reached from Page. Monument Valley follows, and the night there is spent in a cabin looking at the Mittens, which is the sort of thing you remember a decade later. Then Moab for two nights, with Arches on one day and Canyonlands and Dead Horse Point on the other.

Capitol Reef and Bryce Canyon lead to two nights at Zion, where Angel’s Landing and the walk up the Narrows are both within reach, before the Valley of Fire and the run back along the interstate. Three nights in Las Vegas close the trip, which is either a reward or a shock depending on your view of the Strip after two weeks of red rock.

Around 1,200 miles over a fortnight, with five of the stops lasting two nights or more. Starting and finishing in Scottsdale instead is offered if Phoenix suits your flights better. The itinerary is bespoke, so nights can be added and stops dropped, and departures are arranged around your dates. It suits anyone who wants the great Utah and Arizona parks in one run, and would rather arrive at a cabin in Monument Valley than a motel off the highway.