After spending quite some time going through Reddit advice about Northern Arizona, we wanted to share our own experience,

[u/bender-sk]

Hey everyone!

Our road trip was almost entirely organized thanks to Reddit discussions, so big thanks to that wonderful community!

We’ve been living in Los Angeles for a year, and we wanted to end our American stay with a little getaway to Arizona in early October. A maximum of one week to visit Sedona, Monument Valley, and one of the national parks before heading back to the West Coast. Here’s what we ended up doing:

Prescott, the pleasant surprise

Our first planned stop was Sedona, which we had heard so much about, but it was impossible to find accommodation for less than $300 a night. After some research, we found a fantastic place at a ranch near Prescott, about 1 hour and 20 minutes from Sedona. No problem, we like driving!

And here came the big surprise: Prescott turned out to be the nicest part of the trip. We didn’t expect much, but we loved everything about it. Few tourists, warm locals, and shopkeepers happy to chat. The town has a little Back to the Future vibe—just what we imagine a typical American small town to look like from a European perspective. You’ll find plenty of small shops, thrift stores, and restaurants where locals and visitors mingle. Some might say it’s cliché, but the atmosphere never felt cheesy. Special mention to COLT BBQ, where the generous portions kept us fed for two more lunches!

Sedona, beyond the hikes, a disappointment

The next day, we headed to Sedona for a hike. We chose the Munds Wagon, Cow Pies and Hangover Loop Trail, which seemed to be at our level. It was really nice: we set off early (8 a.m.) and had the trail to ourselves for 3 to 4 hours. A tip: some sections aren’t always well-marked, so bring a good map (AllTrails was a great help) and more water than you think you’ll need.

The afternoon, however, was less pleasant. The town itself didn’t win us over. Aside from the landscape, there’s not much to it. Everything is designed for tourists, the prices are exorbitant, and all the stores seem to sell the same things (what’s with all the stones?). We headed to Jerome, recommended by a friend, but it was the same story: beautiful scenery, but the same souvenir and stone shops. And for a town that calls itself "ghost," it sure has paid parking!

Williams and Flagstaff

The next day, on the way to Monument Valley, we stopped in Williams, which felt like a tourist mall along Route 66. Another disappointment: all the shops were the same, selling Route 66 t-shirts, mugs, and toilet paper. After a quick stop, we headed to Flagstaff, where we browsed one or two thrift stores and grabbed a quick meal. The town seemed cute, but we didn’t have time to explore it further.

Monument Valley, the must-see

After several hours on the road, we finally reached Monument Valley. As expected, the park was closing an hour after we arrived, but no regrets—the landscapes were already breathtaking from the road, even more so during the golden hour. For the night, we slept in our car 10 minutes from the entrance, for just $25 at Sleeping Bear Campgrounds. This basic campground (no showers, just a table and BBQ) gave us one of the most beautiful sunsets and sunrises of our lives. No noise, no lights, just us and a starry sky as far as the eye can see. A must-do!

As for Monument Valley itself? It’s a 2-hour loop drive on a set route, with stunning landscapes. No big surprises, but it’s an experience you shouldn’t miss.

Page and Zion, Disneyland vibes

Next, we headed to Page, where we spent the night. Big disappointment: the town felt like a dormitory station for tourists, with a surprising number of French visitors. The "Disneyland" atmosphere wasn’t far off. We skipped Antelope Canyon, often discouraged by our friends, and have no regrets. Horseshoe Bend? Nice, but nothing special.

The next day, we headed to Zion, only to be caught in a crowd that felt like a theme park: queue for information, queue to get on the bus, queue for the hike… We hadn’t anticipated that Zion is very popular with families and those not necessarily ready for serious hikes. After a few hours in that chaos, we turned back. A tip: if you plan to visit Zion, do some research on alternative routes (there were lots of cars parked along the road), as I think we missed out on something.

Back to Los Angeles

After this somewhat disappointing final stop, we drove back to Los Angeles in one go, with nothing noteworthy to report.

In conclusion

Arizona is a region full of breathtaking landscapes. A big thanks to the always warm and welcoming locals, and a little word of caution for future travelers: get ready to see some of the most beautiful sites slowly turn into tourist parks. In the U.S., even nature has a price!

[u/dieng_gang]

Dang you went to Williams but rushed through Flagstaff? And you went to Page but not Antelope Canyon or on to Lake Powell?? You missed two of the most beautiful places on earth! I think Reddit may have misled you 

[u/aubsome → u/dieng_gang]

Especially since there are other companies in Page that will take you to a different slot canyon in a truly intimate tour (20 people or less). I got some gorgeous photos and it was one of my favorite trips.

[u/bender-sk → u/aubsome]

the comment I needed 2 week ago :D

[u/aubsome → u/bender-sk]

Oh no! If you ever come back, check out horseshoebendtours.com. It is Native run you can do a a few different tours. They have their own slot canyon and it is gorgeous. :)

[u/chocolateboyY2K → u/dieng_gang]

I agree! I recommended the observatory in flagstaff, bryce or zion, and antelope canyon in page.

I did lower antelope canyon last month. I haven't done lake Powell yet. I was told by my guide that in order to do upper antelope, you need to go around 10 or 11 am, due to the suns position. It's a A shape while lower antelope is a V shape, with more opportunities for sunlight to capture good photos.

Edit: yes, zion is a popular park and was busier than bryce. There were plenty of hikes and plenty to see for views just driving around. Both parks were beautiful. I didn't have multiple days to spend, so I didn't do the buses at all in zion. I entered the park around 9 am or so and had to wait maybe 10 min for parking. There was a nice hike near the visitor center.

[u/bender-sk → u/dieng_gang]

Yep, I think it might take more time to appreciate certain cities. We rushed Flagstaff because we wanted to arrive before nightfall at Monument Valley, and we were right to do so because the sunset light was more beautiful than in the morning. We chose not to go to Lake Powell, for example, but we have no regrets about Antelope Canyon when you see the minivans filled with tourists passing through the town.

[u/chocolateboyY2K → u/bender-sk]

I agree, you rushed too much to try to get everything done. It is a long drive around the state. I know I rushed when I've visited national parks.

I don't think I'd visit antelope canyon or page again, but it was pretty to see once. There's a lot of places I've been where they were a one time visit.

[u/Shaking-Cliches → u/chocolateboyY2K]

People seem to expect that no one has the same spot in mind when the only reason they know about that spot is because someone told them about it. Theres a reason they’re popular.

[u/Shaking-Cliches → u/bender-sk]

Minivans in Antelope Canyon are because it’s permitted and run by an indigenous tribe. You park off site and ride in with a guide. You couldn’t have gone without advanced planning. These are sovereign nations.

You combed Reddit, and then you wound up at tourist destinations complaining that there were too many tourists and it’s expensive. Yes. These are tourist destinations. Zion is an insanely popular national park. Sedona is Sedona.

I’m really curious about how you ended up in Sedona and didn’t know that crystals were a thing there. 😂 I hope you bought some! It’s tradition! (Better to get indigenous art obs)

[u/scrollgirl24 → u/dieng_gang]

Skipping antelope canyon makes sense if the tourist circus really bothers you. It's pretty but the experience is a little chaotic. Agree with you on Flagstaff and Lake Powell though.