This was our first “big” multi-stop road trip. I went crazy planning all our things to do and see and places to stay. I had to take Little D to see the Carlsbad Caverns, Trevor wanted to see City of Rocks, and I wanted to hike Sedona’s vortexes. And Route 66 was a no-brainer for our drive home with the Wigwam Motel, Cadillac Ranch, and the Slug Bug Ranch. In my mind, I thought, “This is gonna be awesome!” And it was…
I had made a Grand Canyon/Sedona/Carlsbad Cavern road trip while in college (years and years and years ago). But this was Trevor and Little D’s first time, so I was ALL-IN to do a TON more sightseeing on the way there and back. So our stops kept adding up. And up. (They are listed at the bottom of this post.)
Roadtrippers.com was a cool, free tool I used to help me plot our way. (I think they limit waypoints to 7 now, and then they want you to pay for their upgrade.) And Google reviews and Tripadvisor helped me finalize our list of must-sees.
This adventure is still our favorite trip with Sally, and we can’t wait to do it again…
Eleven days, 10 nights, 2800 miles, and still too short, we made memories we will never forget and this video to help remind us if we do.
✪ Carlsbad Caverns – 727 Carlsbad Caverns Highway, Carlsbad, New Mexico 88220
➤ Stayed: Carlsbad KOA Holiday – 2 Manthei Rd, Carlsbad, NM 88220
✪ City of Rocks State Park – 327 New Mexico 61, Faywood, NM 88034
➤ Stayed: at state park
➤ Note: All sites are developed (no primitive), but only a handful of sites have water and electric hookups, and only a few of these allow reservations. Most sites in the park are first-come, first-serve. The sites without hookups are more private and amazingly beautiful. There are restrooms with showers near the park entrance. Other toilets in the park are vault toilets (read “toilet over deep hole in ground”).
✪ Pima Air & Space Museum – 6000 E Valencia Rd, Tucson, AZ 85756
➤ Note: We did not get to take the AMARG “Boneyard” Tour (which looks super cool) because reservations must be made 16 days in advance, and I missed the window. Looks like we will have to make another trip in the future! (That’s not a bad thing!)
✪ Flinstones Bedrock City – 101 US-180, Williams, AZ 86046
➤ Note: This attraction which opened in 1972 is sadly, now permanently closed.
✪ Grand Canyon National Park – S Entrance Rd, Grand Canyon Village, AZ 86023
(South Rim Visitor Center)
➤ Stayed: Trailer Village RV Park – 100 Trailer Village Rd, Grand Canyon Village, AZ 86023
➤ Trip’s Trails & Sights:
•Hermits Rest Route: Hermits Rest ↠ Powell Point
•Kaibob/Rim Route (Yaki Point was closed during our trip)
Grand Canyon Visitor Center ↠ Mather Point ↠ Yavapai Point Geology Museum
•Desert View Watchtower
✪ Sedona, Arizona
➤ Stayed: Page Springs Sunrise Resorts – 1951 N Page Springs Rd, Cornville, AZ 86325
➤ Trip’s Trails & Sights:
•Slide Rock State Park – 6871 AZ-89A, Sedona, AZ 86336
•Airport Mesa Vortex
•Boynton Canyon Vortex/Kachina Woman
•Cathedral Rock Vortex
✪ Wigwam Village Motel – 811 W Hopi Dr, Holbrook, AZ 86025
✪ Ute Lake State Park – 1800 Loop 540, Logan, NM 88426
➤ Stayed: adorable A-frame on Airbnb
✪ Cadillac Ranch – 13651 I-40 Frontage Rd, Amarillo, TX 79124
✪ VW Slug Bug Ranch – TX-207 & I-40 Frontage Road
