La-grand canyon- houston (hotel, hotels, itinerary, reviews)

[baker_001]

Hello Everyone,

So I am making my iternary for our road trip to Houston but we really wants to stop at Grand Canyon.
Please have a look and tell me what changes I should make in this. Keeping in mind that we have 2 kids( 3 and 1.5 months old).

Friday 6:00 Pm leave home ( 8 hrs drive ) 2:00 am Grand Canyon national Park.

Stay night at GC (Any hotel suggestion?)

Saturday 11:00 am leave Grand Canyon (9 hrs drive) 8:00 pm Amarillo Tx. (2 stops in between)

Stay night at Amarillo Tx.(Any hotel suggestion?)

Sunday 8:00 am leave Amarillo (9hrs drive) 6m Houston (2 stops in between).

Is that ok? Do you think we can do this. Considering we have two drivers.
Thank you everyone.

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by baker_001

So I am making my itinerary for our road trip to Houston ... stop at Grand Canyon.
Keeping in mind that we have 2 kids (3 and 1.5 months old).

Have you opened a map or google to check your times and distances?

Friday 6:00 Pm leave home (8 hrs drive) 2:00 am Grand Canyon national Park.

Really? With 2 kids in tow you plan to arrive at 2AM?
And then get up with the sun to do the tourist thing?

Get to Arizona:
1) LA to Williams AZ (450 miles; 6hrs + stops) arrive by 8PM
= leave Los Angeles no later than noon; arrive betw 6 and 8PM
Get a room. Eat. Bathe. Sleep.

Arizona in the Morning:
1a) Load up, gas up, check out and have breakfast (1.5hrs)
1b) Williams to S Rim Visitors Center and back to Williams (120miles; 2.5hrs)
1c) Family time at the Grand Canyon (4hrs? 6?)
1d) Another night at the motel (maybe in Flagstaff); arrive by 6pm

Hit the Road Jack:
2) Flagstaff AZ to Houston TX (1300miles; 18hrs + side trips and stops)
Don't plan on planning the side trips or stops too specifically - there are 100's of possibilities.

With two kids, even with two drivers, don't *expect* to roll more than 10 hrs a day.
In Winter, with shorter days, don't *expect* to roll more than 8.
Rolling east... sundown will come sooner everyday.

Eat when you're hungry. Stop when you're tired.
Get a paper road atlas.

[baker_001]

Thank you for telling us to be realistic. I made this with the help of my friend who did this . Anyway I really need to reconsider this. Thanks

[beachmouse]

While newborns are pretty portable, the three year old is also not likely to be happy parked in a car seat for extended periods of time.

[eureka1]

Since you're only allowing yourself a brief glimpse of the GC stay in Williams which is a lot more fun than the GC lodgings. Old Rt 66 town with plenty of neon. You can also take the train from Williams to GC and back. I think Amarillo is the pit of the universe but if you don't mind it, I'm sure they have cheap lodgings. Can't speak to the Houston leg, never driven it. Have a great trip!

[Jaggy001]

Originally Posted by baker_001

Hello Everyone,

So I am making my iternary for our road trip to Houston but we really wants to stop at Grand Canyon.
Please have a look and tell me what changes I should make in this. Keeping in mind that we have 2 kids( 3 and 1.5 months old).

Friday 6:00 Pm leave home ( 8 hrs drive ) 2:00 am Grand Canyon national Park.

Stay night at GC (Any hotel suggestion?)

Saturday 11:00 am leave Grand Canyon (9 hrs drive) 8:00 pm Amarillo Tx. (2 stops in between)

Stay night at Amarillo Tx.(Any hotel suggestion?)

Sunday 8:00 am leave Amarillo (9hrs drive) 6m Houston (2 stops in between).

Is that ok? Do you think we can do this. Considering we have two drivers.
Thank you everyone.

Is the Grand Canyon open at 2am?

Grand Canyon to Amarillo. Don't forget that you have two time zones in summer and one time zone in winter that do not work in your favor. So you are looking at 700 miles which is around 11 hours driving time. That would get you to Amarillo at midnight in summer and at 11.00pm in winter. Try stopping at Tucumcari or Santa Rosa both of which are closer.

Hotels in these places are mostly chains. It depends on your budget. We tend to like the Hampton Inn or Holiday Inn Express. Don't know about the GC.

[beachmouse]

Plenty of chain hotels in Flagstaff, and a smaller number of Williams. However, you'll pay a premium for there, particularly during weekends in the summer and other peak travel periods. Last summer, we paid $150 for a LaQuinta Satuday night in Flagstaff because it was the cheapest place I could find that didn't have scary reviews on Trip Advisor.

[baker_001]

Is driving back from GC to flagstaff is dangerous due to wild life after the sunset?

[beachmouse]

No- just keep your eyes out for elk, and use your brights when possible.