Hey fellow travelers! Buckle up, because our 2024 summer road trip was truly unforgettable. For 2024, we set out on another amazing journey, starting in Albuquerque, passing through Flagstaff and Sedona, then heading up to the Grand Canyon, and wrapping up in Abiquiu/Taos.
As always, I love to make the most of our trips—if we’re on the road, we’re going to see it all! Along the way, we discovered hidden gems, stunning vistas, and plenty of fun spots in between.
Our 2024 June Road Trip Route
Our first official stop is always Palo Duro Canyon when headed to Santa Fe. We make it a point to visit every time we pass by, even though it adds about an hour to our drive. The canyon's beauty is truly breathtaking—if you're in Texas and haven't been, you absolutely should! This point is just south of Amarillo in the map above.
Our second official stop after spending the night in Albuquerque. Pretty uneventful here, but I wish we would have gone on the Tram. The Dallas Mavericks were in the playoffs, so we had a nice dip in the pool, dinner on the rooftop, then headed down to the casino to watch the game.
Meteor Crater Natural Landmark
The next morning on our way out we stopped at the The Meteor Crater near Winslow in Arizona. If you're ever in Arizona, you have to check out the Meteor Creator exhibit at the Barringer Space Museum! It's an interactive and fun way to learn about meteor impacts and their effects on our planet. The museum is home to the famous Barringer Crater and has some amazing exhibits on space and geology. Perfect for a family day out or just geeking out over cool space stuff!
Day 1: Sandi Resort Pool, Mavs Game & Tram (we didn’t do but we had it planned)
Day 2: Meteor Crater Natural Landmark, Flagstaff Shopping & Sedona Scenic Hwy to Under Canvas Grand Canyon
Day 3: Grand Canyon; Staying at Maswik Lodge/Visitors Center & hiked to see the Canyon
Day 4: Hike Day; Hiked Bright Angel about 1 mile down, hiked to the 3 hotels, then hiked west for 4 miles on the west Rim Path; stopped at Maricopa Point, Powell Monument & Mohave Point then took the Red bus back to the hotel to nap. We were EXAUSTED. Later that night we went to the Beer Garden at the El Tovar Hotel which was an amazing view. We then went back to Maswik Lodge for pizza at the pizza restaurant then took a Sunset Tour which was amazing.
Day 5: Shopping for the day then hiking and videos at the Visitors Center & Mavs game at the Pizza spot in our hotel, Maswik Lodge!
https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/maps.htm
Attractions along the Way going west to Grand Canyon - Our first stop when headed to Santa Fe or CO is always Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo! Created in 1974 by a group of artists known as the Ant Farm, Cadillac Ranch features a row of ten Cadillac cars buried nose-first in the ground at an angle mirroring that of the Great Pyramid of Giza. Over the years, visitors have embraced the interactive nature of the installation, spray-painting the cars with colorful graffiti, creating an ever-changing canvas of art. The site has become an iconic symbol of American roadside culture and a must-see stop for travelers passing through the Texas panhandle.
Scenic 89A from Flagstaff to Sedona – On our way to Under Canvas, we decided to take a detour along this stunning 40-minute route. It’s absolutely breathtaking! Photos can't quite capture its beauty, but I’ll share some below anyway ;)
Sedona
Under Canvas Grand Canyon
Under Canvas Grand Canyon
We continue our journey to the Grand Canyon. But instead of staying in a traditional hotel, we opt for a more adventurous lodging experience at Under Canvas Grand Canyon. Nestled in the stunning Arizona desert, Under Canvas offers luxury tents with all the comforts of home, along with easy access to the wonders of the Grand Canyon. We spent our day ordering our dinner, playing games and around a campfire with smores, then … the stars shown themselves. They were just beautiful!!
The Grand Finale: The Grand Canyon
And finally, we reach the grand finale of our road trip: the awe-inspiring Grand Canyon. As we stand on the rim, gazing out at the vast expanse of rock and sky, we're reminded of the incredible beauty and diversity of our planet. We hiked along the rim, took a Sunset Tour and hiked into the Canyon. When I first arrived to the canyon, I cried, it was aweinspiring.
Staying inside the Park: Grand Canyon Village: Maswik Lodge
I spend months researching hotels before booking, and after extensive research and firsthand experience, here is my review of each hotel within Grand Canyon Village. There are four hotels in the park: El Tovar, Thunderbird Lodge, Bright Angel Lodge, and Maswik Lodge. These hotels are all highly sought after and usually sell out a year in advance, so when I found a room at any of them just two weeks before our trip, I booked immediately. Why am I booking 2 weeks out? Because we were originally headed to Yellowstone, but changed 1 month out to Grand Canyon instead as we realized the drive would be too much for us this summer and will head there next summer.
We ended up at Maswik Lodge as it was the only room for 3 nights left 2 weeks before we left for our trip. Our room cost about $350 a night, but contrary to the website's suggestion, it was not updated at all, which was a real disappointment as our hotel is apart of our vacation. HOWEVER just a short walk from the South Rim, we were able to easily access iconic viewpoints, hiking trails, and visitor centers. And when it was time to refuel, we found ourselves almost nightly at the Maswik Pizza Pub inside our hotel, the pizza was the best awesome and we got to watch our Dallas Mavs win and make it to the Finals here!! The hotel was not so great, but compared to camping, it was fine and it worked for us. But for the price, I would rather have a nicer hotel.
If you're planning a trip and not camping, I would recommend El Tovar for its fabulous location overlooking the canyon. The building was designed by a Chicago architect and it’s a cross between a Swiss Chalet and a Norwegian Villa. It’s neighoring hotel, Thunderbird Lodge is really lovely and resembles a Frank Lloyd Wright building and Bright Angel Lodge also offer canyon views and different cabins right ON the ledge of the canyon, though I can't speak to the condition any of their rooms.
On our first day, we hiked about a mile down Bright Angel Trail and saw plenty of wildlife—it was incredible. After that, we explored the three hotels and then hiked four miles along the West Rim Path, stopping at Maricopa Point, Powell Monument, and Mohave Point. We caught the Red bus back to the hotel for a much-needed nap—we were exhausted! Later, we enjoyed the Beer Garden at El Tovar Hotel with an amazing view, followed by pizza at the restaurant at Maswik Lodge. To top it off, we took a Sunset Tour, which was absolutely breathtaking.
All the Little Fun Spots In Between
Of course, no road trip would be complete without a few unexpected detours and spontaneous adventures. Along the way, we stumble upon quirky roadside attractions, hidden hiking trails, and mom-and-pop diners serving up the best pie you've ever tasted. From quirky art installations to scenic overlooks, every stop adds a new layer of excitement and wonder to our journey.
Grand Canyon to Abiquiu, New Mexico
We left the Grand Canyon heading out the East Entrance of the National Park. This took us through beautiful foothills of Colorado & Utah Mountains. Plus, we stopped at the Farmington Walmart to pick up some things for our Abiquiu stop.
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Things I wish we had done at the Grand Canyon:
Rafting! The 2-day trip was priced at $900, and the one-day option was around $600, so I passed on it. Instead, we headed to Santa Fe to white water raft with our favorite company, Kokopelli Rafting. Over the past five years, we’ve tried other companies, but Kokopelli stands out as the absolute best!
Sunrise Tour - Wishing we had gone for that sunrise tour at the Grand Canyon—it must have been a spectacular sight! All the photos look amazing, but we did the sunset tour through this company and it was amazing.
Headed west out of the Canyon to Abiquiu, NM.
The route from Abiquiu to Santa Fe.
This trip, we decided to return to Abiquiu, New Mexico, which is about 60 minutes north of Santa Fe. The drive is absolutely beautiful.
I had the pleasure of branding the Airbnb property, Casita De Arrobol, three years ago, and this is our second visit. We were their very first guests back in July three years ago, and we just returned. If we could, we would come twice a year! It’s absolutely stunning and majestic—there are truly no words to capture the experience, just an overwhelming sense of awe. The kids had a blast collecting rocks, painting the scenery, and hiking around the property for two days!
Casita de Arrebol in Youngsville, New Mexico near Abiquiu, New Mexico.
Unfortunately, I got sick during this trip, so we were only able to enjoy one of the activities I had planned for Abiquiu. We went white water rafting! This was our third time as a family, and it was such a blast. We always choose Kokopelli Taos Rafting because they are a small business with fantastic guides. When we first went three years ago, we fell in love with our guide, who turned out to be a snowboarder! We even visited her at Ski Santa this year. This time, our guide was amazing as well and even let Kienan take the helm for a couple of miles on the calm waters.
While we could only do this one planned activity, that’s okay—we’ll definitely be back! Below is a list of the activities we had in mind. :)
Rafting on the Rio Grande just north of Santa Fe
Rafting on the Rio Grande just north of Santa Fe
Cielo Encantado - Santa Fe
I think it's worth mentioning their newly purchased sister property Airbnb in Santa Fe. We spent a week over Christmas at the cleverly named condo, Cielo Encantado, which means "Enchanted Sky," while skiing at Ski Santa Fe.
Cielo Encantado is across the street from the Four Seasons in Santa Fe.
As our road trip came to an end, we are filled with a sense of gratitude for the experiences we've shared and the memories we've made. From the majestic hillsides of Arizona to the breathtaking beauty of the Grand Canyon, and all the beautiful housing we stayed at, this summer road trip has been nothing short of awesome. And as we head back home to McKinney, we know that the spirit of adventure will always be alive in our hearts. Jeremy and I feel so lucky to be showing our kids all parts of the world and don’t plan on stopping any time soon :)
So here's to the open road, the wind in our hair, and the promise of endless adventure.
Until next time, happy travels!
Things we didn’t do that I wish we would have!
Grand Canyon:
Rafting at the Canyon
Stay at El Tovar Hotel (or in the closest city with a pool for the kids to relax at night or afternoon after hiking) A Chicago archetect designed it and it’s a cross between a Swiss Chalet and a Norwegian Villa. It’s a super cool building but the neighboring hotel is even cooler Frank Lloyd Wrightesqu spot of Thunderbird Lodge.
Rafting - Mucho Dinero I decided against it and we went to Santa Fe to White Water Raft instead with our favorite company Kokopelli Raft. We’ve tried other companies in the last 5 years and this one is the absolute best.
Sunrise Tour - Wishing we had gone for that sunrise tour at the Grand Canyon—it must have been a spectacular sight! All the photos look amazing, but we did the sunset tour through this company and it was amazing.
Abiquiu:
Ghost Ranch, we had a plan to finally hit this Georgia O'Keeffe spot up, but alas I got sick. boo.
Plaza Blanca: again…same as above. boo. boo.
Mamacita's Pizzeria: BEST pizza, total dive. again…same as above. boo boo. BOO.
Santa Fe Day Trip
