the best free 2 week road trip itinerary guide
Utah and Arizona National Parks
If you've ever dreamed of booking a family road trip through the stunning sights of Utah, Arizona & Nevada, then this might be the post you've been looking for. It's been a year exactly since I returned from 2 weeks spent with my family, travelling from Nevada to Salt Lake City in an 8 seater SUV. I booked 8 hotels en route, a couple of tours, a number of hikes and the flight tickets for every single person - the best money I ever spent.
If you're thinking about it - just do it. And if you do it? Then I'd highly recommend you follow this amazing itinerary. It's free for you to utilise and follow and I'd love to know if you do! We fit in a view/tour/hike once a day, whilst taking drive time into account. Not a single day was wasted and it felt like a perfect way to experience this beautiful part of the world with just two weeks together.
Firstly I'm going to share the vlogs with you - part 1 and 2 are below for you to experience the trip exactly as we did. In honesty, watching these will not only help with your trip planning but it'll help bring this entire blog post to life.
I opted to book British Airways Business Class for the 11 hour flight from LHR to LAX and was lucky to book during one of British Airways seasonal sales. Booking return Business Class flights during the spring sale meant a price of £2,900 per person, with 3 x 32kg checked luggage included, meaning your packing can be fairly flexible. United Airlines internal economy flights were around £120 per person (one way), with 1 x 23kg checked luggage so something to bear in mind (if like us you didn't pack light for the earlier international flight) is the added cost of overweight luggage. For reference the direct flights from LHR > LAS were looking to be £6,000 per person in the sale, so LHR > LAX > LAS saved me a large amount when booking. After already completing immigration at LAX, we landed in Las Vegas, swiftly headed to baggage claim and hopped in 2 cabs within 20 minutes of touchdown.
SLC > LAX > LHR
Our return route booking from SLC to LAX (April 24th - exactly 14 days later) was a one way Delta Airlines flight at 11:59am (PST), landing at LAX at 1:03pm (PST) after an approximately 120 minute flight. The one way booking from SLC to LAX came in at £173 per person (prices correct as of Q2 2024), with 1 x 23kg checked luggage included and then £100 per overweight bag.
DAY 1. LANDING IN VEGAS.
Landed in Vegas at 6:14pm and grabbed cabs to take us directly to the Luxor Hotel. If you're searching for a cheaper stay, this is reasonable at $276 per couple per night for a standard room. The rooms aren't 'luxurious' and they have a very limited choice of eateries inside; however if you venture out in a cab, Las Vegas is packed with places to explore. I'd also recommend you check in for your room online before you get there as queues can be fairly big in Vegas no matter the day or time. Also make sure to expect an appropriate view for the price paid if you're opting for the most affordable room. However this is Las Vegas and like any stay in a city that never ever sleeps, you likely won't need to spend any more time in your room than necessary. I found this to be one of the cheapest places to stay after a lot of research and knowing we were using Vegas as a stop gap to get over the jet lag (before we ventured into the bulk of the road trip) made a cheaper option more palatable. My brothers girlfriend also had never been to Las Vegas before so we opted to stay for two nights to ensure she got the full experience of one of my favourite places in the US.
Day 2. VEGAS DAY.
One Full day in Vegas and we made the most of it. We walked the whole length of the strip and got a cab back to the hotel, opting to order Ubers for ease. I've been to the US multiple times including a few stays in Vegas and it's by far the easiest way to hail a cab I've found. I'd recommend headting to a restaurant called Yardhouse if you're looking for American bar food and good cocktails. You'll get a slightly cooler sports bar setting but something a little more casual/smart casual than the usual. And you can book a table online which we found to be a great extra. I also think a walk through Caesars Palace and the Bellagio to get to the fountains is a must see for anyone who's new to Vegas. I'd also say if you're looking for a very casual lunch and if you're not going to go to Chicago anytime soon (after all pizza in chicago is a must) have a peek at the Giordanos pizzeria halfway down the strip. It's one of my favourite things to eat as a tourist in Chicago and even if it can be found elsewhere, I've never personally seen it on my many travels outside Illinois. So worth it if you fancy the deep dish pizza experience. Tip: If you opt for the deep dish you will need to wait around 45 minutes for it to cook (yes there is that much cheese on it) so don't arrive ravenous!
HIRE CAR RENTAL.
It's around a 10 minute cab ride over to the Hertz Car Rental lot at the Las Vegas airport. Why Hertz I hear you say? Purely by chance I opted to use it from a good old Google search into multinational car rental brands so I wouldn't take this as the one you necessarily need to choose over any other company. After a little research and wondering just how good our group could be at luggage Tetris (spoiler alert - pretty darn good) we realised we needed a large SUV that would seat six people comfortably, plus six pieces of checked luggage. Luckily three people in our group brought smaller sized suitcases, one of which we could have nestled in between the two captain seats of the SUV. We managed to fit three large suitcases side by side in the boot/trunk, with two more cases lied flat on top of them - the sixth was always inside the car itself. We all then held onto our smaller hand luggage so we had access to our necessities by our feet. Everything just about fit thankfully, even though I opted for the largest SUV that Hertz offer. However outside of getting a twelve seater minibus the options were limited. If you choose Hertz as your car rental place, the listing is 'Extra Large SUV 8 Seater' on the website. We got a Yukon Denali but it could also have been a Chevrolet Suburban. Either way it was an awesome car for what we needed, brilliant to drive and also offered a very American road trip experience.
However the one thing we didn't have with the rental of the SUV (major downside here for our group) was a network to provide us with Sat-Nav on our trip. It definitely felt like an oversight for the price of the rental and the likelihood people driving the vehicle may not know the area they're driving through. For our group this meant we always had to use Carplay in the vehicle and have one phone hooked up to use as a Sat-Nav. As for pricing, the rental, with four people insured to drive came in at around £3,800 for 10 days. Make sure when you check in at the rental desk, you immediately ask to add the other drivers to the agreement as they need to have their driving license and personal details on hand.
TIP - Pay for a full tank of petrol/gas when you rent the vehicle to ensure you can start your trip ASAP and avoid having to find the nearest gas station. The extra $ spent on Hertz filling the tank felt so worth it when we could start our trip right away.
TIP - In the US you will find that premium is a type of petrol/gas. They don't have 'premium diesel' like we do in the UK, so if your car says to fill up with premium it should mean using the premium petrolk/gas pump. If you're unsure about which gas your rental takes ensure you double check with the rental agreement and at the time of collection before heading out. I hope this might help a potentially confusing moment become a lot clearer.
Day 3. The Road Trip Begins.
We hopped into the Denali in the AM, with a full tank of gas and our phone playing Sat-Nav - ready to kick things off. On our way out of Vegas we of course headed to a Denny's (I know I know but we're English and pancake houses don't really exist for us) so we figured we'd live the American dream. Dad picked up the driving to start us off as I was definitely a touch anxious despite having the most experience. When I did finally jump in the driving seat, navigating on the other side of the road and car seemed to click swiftly into place. With large roadways it's easy as pie to drive a large SUV on an enormous open road and even better it is SO much fun. Also when I say open road I really do mean an open road - the stretching highways through the deserts have minimal traffic, sometimes driving for miles without seeing another soul. It actually makes the already scenic drive absolutely wonderful. After a 2 1/2 hour drive to Zion National Park, we found ourselves in one of the most memorable stays of the trip; Autocamp Zion.
This is truly a fantastic choice for something a little different than your usual hotel/motel, but be prepared to pay a touch more to stay here. I wanted to enjoy some really cool, one in a lifetime experiences whilst on this trip and this truly hit the spot for us all. Keep your eye out for any promos as I received 30% off the usual pricing due to booking three Airstreams. This came to around $800 per room/per couple - without the promo ipricing would have broken 4 figures per couple at $1,116.
Autocamp Zion hosts you in magical silver Airstream trailers, carrying your luggage very cutely in wagons. The trailers come complete with little canopies for shade, small BBQs and tables/chairs ensuring each space makes the most of the outdoors. There's also a little cafe at the base of Autocamp that offers light snacks and has a shop attached where you can find yourself some overpriced essentials. There's also a pool, lots and lots of places to sit, a large firepit, plus live entertainment which my Dad loved. I cannot recommend this place more - the Airstreams are so brilliantly modern inside. Compact and perfectly designed, complete with air conditioning, a kitchenette, small sofa, double bed and a perfectly compact bathroom. Ideal and just the perfect glamping experience for our first nights together. We all adored it and as our first stop of the trip, it felt like an exciting start to what would be the ideal road trip.
We stayed at the camp for the first evening, dining on burgers and nachos from the snack bar and drinking beers whilst listening to the live music by the firepit, before an early night. Even something as simple was in itself quite magical, as the stars came out to welcome us. I must admit, In hindsight we could also have driven five minutes towards some nearby restaurants and sat for a restaurant meal, but after a full day staying at the camp went down a treat.
DAY 4. ZION NATIONAL PARK.
Day four started with a quick stop at a nearby Market store between Autocamp Zion and the entrance to Zion National Park to pick up a packed lunch (you won't find one inside the park) and then we were off to the Zion NP car park. We set off early at around 8am - the earlier the better to get a good parking spot but we found we didn't need to book a slot for entrance into Zion. There are a lot of other National Parks where this is a must before entering so bear that in mind. We found a parking spot easily and then jumped onto the free bus service to take us to the Emerald Pool Trail. The buses in Zion were one of my favourite things - super easy to use and they take you to the start of the trails each time so you can make the most of your time. We completed the Emerald Pools hike which we all hugely enjoyed, walking between the various Pools on the hike and we chose to finish the day on the Riverside Walk. We didn't get to do the Narrows walk, because the water was too high when we visited - but I've heard it's an amazing experience if you ever get the chance to explore that too. The Riverside Walk is a lovely meander along the river through the middle of a canyon - nothing too difficult for those who prefer a laid back adventure; a very chilled walk.
We then headed back to Autocamp Zion for a well deserved shower before driving a few minutes to a nearby restaurant called Spotted Dog Cafe, which I found had one of the best reviews for the area. Lovely service and food in a great restaurant, really happy to recommend to anyone in the area.
Day 5. Angels Landing to Bryce.
This was absolutely one of my favourite days of the trip. Firstly we checked out of Autocamp Zion, packed our luggage back into the SUV and set off to get to the Zion car park for around 8am. This time we had chosen to complete the Angels Landing Trail, which is in two parts. The Angels Landing section of the hike is ticketed; bear that in mind, as you actually need to apply for the permit months in advance. However, there is also a last minute lottery system that opens about 24 hours before you hike, that you're able to apply for. We had missed the cut off for applying for tickets in the previous months, so we had to hope that we could win the last minute lottery. We applied for the lottery during the day before and were unfortunately unsuccessful, hence why we opted for the Emerald Pools walk first. However, on the second day, four of us applied again and were thrilled to get tickets. The six of us chosen to complete the start of the Angels Landing hike together, a truly spectacular experience. It's a fairly steady up hill descent, that does get a little steeper towards the end, but the views are mind blowing and beyond worth the effort if you're able. We absolutely loved just walking at our own pace, (or Dad's pace) along the hike taking photos as went and trying to absorb everything around us. As we got to one of the highest points, named Scouts Lookout, the route splits and there is the opportunity to walk up to Angels Landing. There are people checking for your ticket email at the start of this section, so you really can't miss it. A lot of people had chosen to wait around this area on the huge rocks, as it's just beautiful there in the sunshine. My Dad and Trish waited right here for us for quite some time taking their own photographs, before making their way down when we didn't materialise. Turns out we didn't want to leave the summit once we got there - wow!
Is it difficult? Honestly not really however it can be a bit precarious at times, with chains attached to the side of the rocks to allow you to hold on if you're worried. For anyone who feels relatively fit and who isn't extremely scared of heights, (and can walk up a lot of large stairs), trust me you'll enjoy every moment. It's definitely strenuous and more of a hike than the previous part, let's say that. Me and Alex almost hopped our way up the mountain in excitement - it's so so much fun. There's also a bit of a scramble and rock climb at times, which I always love when it comes to hiking - I must admit I'm not usually a walking kind of gal. But a scramble and a good view, and you've got me interested. My Dad and Trish sat this one out and I'm glad they did due to my Dad's knees not being as tip top as there were. But wow, when you reach the top, it's like being on top of the world. We also chose to eat lunch up there whilst we waited for my brother and Chantelle to join us. After an hour or so, we headed down and the descent is rather lovely after you've managed the hours of ascent. We dipped our feet in a nearby stream near to the bus pick up (actual heaven!) and then headed on back to the car.
Then the drive continued making our way to Bryce National Park. It's a beautiful drive through the mountainous Zion, before the terrain changes from orange rocks and mountains, to a flat Prairie scrub within just 20 minutes. The temperature also drops enormously as you elevate to one of the highest elevations of the trip, which feels bizarre when you're only driving a few hours away. When you get out of the car and there's snow on the ground, it's an odd experience.
We arrived at Ruby's Inn for our next stay which was super affordable ($752 for two nights/three bedrooms) and it's an icon of the area and one of the main places to stay in Bryce. My Dad's eyes lit up when we walked inside this place! It's just enormous and one of those cool Western inspired hotels with cowboy hats on the walls, alongside old taxidermy and antlers galore. It's not a luxurious stay by any means but it's totally what you need on a trip like this - a simple bed to sleep in and a good buffet to eat after driving. You almost have to eat at Ruby's, as there's literally two or three restaurants nearby, so you may as well stay in the hotel and relax. However it's a huge buffet, as well as a full menu to order from - good old American grub.
DAY 6. A Day in Bryce
The difference with Bryce Canyon National Park in comparison to Zion, is that you can travel around the park in your car and explore the canyon moving from viewpoint to viewpoint. TIP - You can also get onto the bus outside of Ruby's and it will take you in and around the park - however you will need to pay per person for a park ticket that way. If you travel in a car, you can just get one ticket for the whole car meaning one ticket covered all six of our group. We found lots of parking spots when we arrived so setting off super early isn't entirely necessary here. But - it's COLD. At this time of year, take a waterproof jacket for rain/snow and a fleece for warmth; you're going to need it. We had a full white out morning of snow, however we were lucky as it cleared up after about 2 hours and the formations came into view. The Bryce formations are stunning. Such an usual formation of spire shaped 'hoodoos' and just completely different to the terrain and views of Zion National Park. They're entirely opposite in style actually.
We kept moving from viewpoint to viewpoint in the car, parking up, getting out to take photos and getting back in to get warm again. We finished off at Inspiration Point at the very top which is a must see for all. We also stopped for some food at the restaurant inside the park, before heading down onto the Queens Garden Trail, which again is an absolute must do. As you walk down into it, it gets wonderfully warm again which I personally enjoyed, but this was my favourite part of the day. A gorgeous walk through the stunning spires and terrain. My brother and Chantelle continued on the trail for a longer time, which had them missing their final bus home unfortunately (thank goodness for the one car of people in the area who they were able to hitch a lift back with). But the rest of us, retraced our steps to the start of the hike to return. And for dinner, another meal at Ruby's Inn at the buffet - we had to.
Day 7. Bryce to Page.
On day 7 we embarked on a three hour road trip from Bryce to Page, Arizona after a good hearty breakfast at Ruby's. We stopped at the Arizona State Park sign en route, for the obligatory photo of course. We also stopped at a gas station for sandwiches and snacks (always prepared) and continued on to Horseshoe Bend - one of the most jaw dropping sights on the trip. Do. Not. Miss. It.
We sat on the edge of the canyon, eating our sandwiches and just taking it all in. The most magnificent picnic you'll ever eat, no matter the food. After an hour or so , we moved onto a nearby hotel called The Best Western: View of Lake Powell Hotel - $462 for all three rooms, one night. Longest name known to man for a hotel - however the view of Lake Powell is not in the room with us. Don't bother getting yourself a room with a view of the Lake, as it's actually about a mile away. Caused a few lols.
We then got ourselves ready, had beers together on the terrace whilst the sun was setting and leisurey walked up the road to a nearby Mexican restaurant we were recommend called El Tapatio - the menu was enormous, the spicy margaritas were even bigger and the food was brilliant. Order the churros. Very much recommended.
Across the road from Rubys Inn
Horseshoe Bend
DAY 8. Antelope Canyon and Gouldings Lodge.
You have to book a guided tour of Antelope Canyon, both Upper Canyon and Lower Canyon ahead of time; you can't just turn up and head into the park The upper and lower have to be paid for separately in specific time slots, so you need to work out your timings in advance. I'd suggest giving time for lunch in between (we went to good old McD's) and plan your day accordingly. So the prices - it was £829 for six of us to go into Upper Canyon at 9am, and £430 for six of us to go into Lower Canyon at 12.30. This isn't a cheap activity - at all. There are numerous tour guides to book with so my advice would be to choose one you prefer the vibe of - I chose Ken's Tours. You get about 45 minutes inside each canyon and they're really beautiful to see in person so I would recommend you see at least one. If only one is in your road trip budget, Lower Canyon would be the one I'd go for, plus it's half the price. Upper Canyon was stunning and I was allowed to film a little bit in there and they help you to take photos if you need help, however you can't film videos in Lower Canyon. TIP - Lower Canyon was definitely my favourite of the two if you have to pick just one - it's longer in terms of the Canyon length and the amount of time you can stay there, plus there are way more photo opportunities. There's also better light for photos due to the shape of the canyon and better colours overall.
This is where it got super exciting. We drove two hours out of Page towards Monument Valley - the part of the trip I was the most excited for, as I knew it was going to be a really special place for my wonderful Dad. He's a huge country and western film buff and John Wayne fan, so when I came up with the idea of the trip, it was centred around the area. I booked us into the iconic hotel of the area Gouldings Lodge. It has a number of lodges and rooms to book, but it also has a number of cabins too. I decided to book a three bed cabin, $1,500 for the two nights, so we could all stay together, rather than being separated as we had been for the past week. You head into the reception of Gouldings, which is located in the middle of the Mesas in Monument Valley. It's just in the middle of nowhere - seriously amazing. We picked up our keys, drove up the road to our cabin and parked up at our villa for two nights. This was the spectacular part. Just a simple little home with three beds and two bathrooms, a kitchen and a living area right? Wrong. Out the back of the villa were tables and benches overlooking the actual Monuments of Monument Valley. I immediately burst into tears. It was beyond special. We had stopped at a Walmart en route picking up lots of food for the next few days, so we made dinner together, ate together and enjoyed the sunset - together.
Part 2 of the road trip starts here - feel free to watch this one for everything that happens from Day 9 onwards if you'd like to experience it in real time with us!
DAY 9. Monument Valley.
We took this morning easy because I'd booked a tour of Monument Valley for later in the day. We had breakfast in the cabin and walked down the road to the main area of Gouldings Lodge where they have a John Wayne museum dedicated to the western films shot in Monument Valley; of which there were a lot. My Dad was in his absolute element and I cannot tell you how wonderful it was to watch him take this all in. We stayed for a while taking fun photos, having a drink together in the Gouldings cafe and then we headed back to get ready for our hike.
For Monument Valley I booked the Dreamcatcher Evening Experience tour - £650 for the six of us. The booking says it's a 2.5 hour experience but in hindsight it was more like 4 hours. SO worth the money and you also get a brilliant traditional Navajo meal included in the middle of the mesas, cooked by the Navajo people. It's just a really special once in a lifetime moment. You're shown around all of the beautiful monuments, seeing some of the old carvings in the rocks, running up and down sand dunes together and our tour guide Cody even sang some old Navajo songs for us in the echoes of the rocks. truly magical. After we had eaten amongst the Mesas, a number of the gents from a local tribe kindly performed for us in the light of the firepit. Make sure you take enough cash to tip these amazing people - something I felt compelled to do for their amazing hospitality.
DAY 10. Moab and Arches National Park.
We headed off from Gouldings Lodge in the morning for a 2.5 hour drive over to Moab to visit Arches National Park, via Forrest Gump point. It's the route you have to take to exit Monument Valley on the way to Moab, so you cannot miss it and as my favourite film ever I couldn't not stop with family. Of course we got photos of us pretending to be running up the road and they are most definitely keepers to be framed.
We continued on towards Moab and we found the terrain changes again into beautiful orange rock formations. We headed into Moab and checked into Fieldstation - $575 for two nights per room, owned by the same people who created Autocamp. This place had a really cool/hipster/modern/sporty aesthetic. It almost had a bike shop feel - but the best thing was the La Marzocco coffee machine in the reception. My first barista coffee in 10 days so as you can imagine I was thrilled. There's also a pool and a cool lounging area here - just a great little hotel if you're looking to relax. The only issue is that it's about a 30 minute walk along the road to get into the centre of Moab - not too big a deal as it's literally a straight road, but we did it once there and back and chose not to do it again. Hot hot hot.
We checked into Fieldstation and headed straight out in the car to explore Dead Horse Point. A stunning location with a Grand Canyon aesthetic and spectacular mammoth views. It looks like a stunning painting, with the mountains and the Colorado river just winding through the rocks. Astonishing. We then headed back, got ready for our evenig and went out for dinner. Moab is full of great restaurants and breakfast spots so you'll be spoiled for choice no matter your diet.
DAY 11. Arches National Park.
We only managed to get a 2pm pass for the park on this day, so my advice to you would be to make sure you apply for your entry into Arches weeks in advance. This way you can choose the best slot possible. You need a pass and time slot to get into the park and they are STRICT on this. I'm talking, don't even bother turning up a minute early, as you'll be told to get to the back of the queue - of which we were in for about 45 minutes on both days for our time slot.
We woke up later, ordered a coffee and wandered into Moab together along the road. Thirty minutes walk into Moab and we found a brilliant breakfast spot - Jailhouse Cafe. Owned by the loveliest people and what a brilliant brunch menu. We also found a fantastic store called Moonflower Cooperative - it's a Whole Foods style store, with lots of vegan, natural, whole foods for sale. We bought lots of gorgeous snacks and food for dinner to eat in Arches later that day.
We drove on into Arches and honestly; you could spend days here and not be the least bit bored. It's absolutely stunning terrain - I had amazing memories of Arches from my road trip back in 2012, so I was pumped to go back with family. It truly is a mesmerising place unlie any other. We hiked a few of the various routes, before heading on up to Delicate Arch (the jewel of the Arches I would say) and an hours hike up hill but ending in incredible views over the park. We'd taken dinner with us so we ate that looking over the beautiful views. Don't miss that walk. TIP - We started walking down just before sunset, and I'm so glad we chose to as it would have gotten really dark to have walked back after the sun had set. Instead of feeling panicked in the dark, we caught a spectacular sunset as we were returning - and it's one of my favourite memories.
After a gorgeous day, we headed back to Fieldstation and headed straight to bed.
Day 12. Arches to Under Canvas.
Dad surprised me this morning by telling me he'd had a Google and found us a brunch spot - cue Glorias. Just delicious. A must visit - great American brunch spot with coffees and shakes and a table outside in the sun. We headed on into Arches National Park again that afternoon to take in more of the Arch views. A gorgeous, super hot day exploring and taking photos. Just wonderful.
This was also the day we were checking into the 'hotel' I had been most looking forward to - Under Canvas. The most expensive resort on the trip, but the one I just had to visit as soon as I stumbled across it - $3,500 for three tents for two nights. Was it worth it - I'd personally say so. It was astounding. I also booked the tents that had ensuite's built into them so that we didn't need to walk across the desert to pee or shower in the middle of the night. That's definitely why it cost so much - however I knew my Dad and Trish would have been more comfortable with this situation. I don't regret a single penny spent. It was honestly awesome. Huge luxury canvas tents with enormous beds, lots of little amenities, a view unlike anything you've ever seen and then a sweet little ensuite built in for convenience. The main tent had places to sit by the firepit, free s'mores in the evenings and games to play. Just lovely.
We arrived, checked into our tents and got ourselves ready before driving back into Moab to a cool restaurant called Trailhead for dinner. Then it was back to the tents where oddly, we had crazy winds all night - which was soooo amazing to experience with the tents blowing a gale. Dad didn't love it too much but it was an experience for the rest of us!
DAY 13. Rafting in Moab.
Our last day in Moab - *sob*. We woke up in the tents, recited our feelings on the storm we experienced overnight and the four of us (minus Dad and Trish by choice) took a drive over to the outskirts of Moab to Mild to Wild Rafting tours. The four of us wanted to white water raft down the Colorado river, so I booked us a half day AM trip. You arrive for 8.30am and you're back by 1pm. It cost $396 for the four of us, so around $100 a person - plus customary tip. Tip - Pretty much always carry cash tips with you for everything.
It was a really great activity but just don't expect white water. This is more of a riverboat cruise, with one or two little exciting bumps - but if you go into it expecting a more relaxed experience then it's understandably gorgeous. Super fun and chilled, you can really take the opportunity to take in the views and you can also jump out and have a swim if you want to. It's just one of those activities I'm so glad we made time for and I'd definitely recommend it for a fun afternoon.
We headed back into Moab, back to Gloria's for more brunch and to meet Dad and Trish. That night we drove back into Moab again, to eat at The Broken Ore. A more upmarket restaurant that had great reviews online, but be warned it's super popular, so we got there early to ensure we got in as bookings weren't possible. Really recommend this for a celebratory meal together at the end of a trip.
Day 14. Canyonlands to Salt Lake City.
The final day of the trip and we spent time packing our bags, loading the SUV and then we made our way over to Canyonlands. A similar terrain to Arches National Park with a number of arches cut into the rocks but with even more enormous vistas and stunning views. You drive around in your car once again, stopping at each viewpoint. We also headed up to Orange Cliff Viewpoint; again just humungous views you struggle to take in no matter how present you are. And finally, Upheavel Dome crater - which looks like a meteorite hit it millions of years ago. Just a lot to take in and again, one not to miss.
And then that was it; the final hike of the trip. We started out on the longest, final drive of the trip; 4 hours to reach Salt Lake City due to afternoon traffic. I booked us into the Hyatt Regency - an enormous skyscraper of a hotel, with stunning views and super modern compared to where we had stayed for the rest of the trip. But I figured why not stay somewhere luxurious for the final night together. Go out with a bang.
We showered and got ready before heading out to an Italian I'd booked us into after looking for good reviews - Stone Ground Kitchen. So so recommend this place, it was really fantastic. Super upmarket, so we all dressed up a little for Dad and Trish's wedding anniversary and although it was more on the pricey side it was the perfect way to enjoy the end of such a memorable trip.
Day 15: The flight home.
And there we are. The best two week road trip there ever was - IMO. We drove the car to SLC airport, dropped it into a queue of parked cars as requested and gave back the keys to Hertz. It's as simple as that. Then it was back to LAX and then onto London. You can see the flights section above again for the main details, why this route and pricing.
I hope you took something away from my guide to the best two weeks in Nevada, Arizona and Utah. It took me days of booking and planning, so I'm hoping this can make your life simpler in some way if you're also booking the trip of a lifetime. Enjoy every moment and have the best trip of your life. I know we did.
