If you're looking for a beautiful trip in the USA with some Kosher stops along the way, then this road trip is the right one for you. Arizona is a gorgeous state and in my opinion, underrated.
First, let's plan your route. You can start in Phoenix and end in Vegas or switch it around.
Phoenix, Arizona → Grand Canyon Village, Arizona → Flagstaff, Arizona → Page, Arizona → Las Vegas, Nevada
We started out in Phoenix and stayed for Shabbat. We checked out the Jewish community and a couple of restaurants. What I love about Phoenix is that you can get a decent priced Airbnb, it has good weather, Kosher food, and nice views. We stayed at this Airbnb and had the pool to ourselves. It's the best bed I ever slept in! Phoenix tends to get REALLY hot in the summer, so a pool is necessary for cooling down.
For Kosher food we went to a couple of pizza shops and to a Bukharian restaurant called Cafe Chenar. I wrote a more in depth article on the food over here.
Next stop was the Grand Canyon. We drove straight there from Phoenix, it took us about 4 hours to drive up. I actually don't even think it's the most beautiful place in Arizona, but the grandness of it all is what made it worth it for me. It's so vast. We went to watch sunset and then headed to our place for the night.
This was my favorite part of the trip. In middle of nowhere, about 40 minutes away from the Grand Canyon, we found a school bus that was converted into an Airbnb! We had a truck with an open back so we watched some shooting stars from there and then headed into our little bus to sleep.
The inside isn't gorgeous but it was a really fun experience. If you're feeling adventurous and heading in that direction here's the Airbnb link.
When we woke up we heard some animal noises and we were delighted to find an alpaca, donkey and llama on the property! We fed them carrots, did our morning prayers and hit the road again.
Next stop we made was Flagstaff. There's not much to do here, but air is lear, the trees are plentiful and there is a really beautiful Bet Chabad. They don't have a restaurant but you might be able to arrange Kosher food if you reach out them. It's definitely a good pit stop.
We stopped at a vegan smoothie place for a fresh drink and headed for Page.
Page is hidden gem that I'd describe as barren desert land. There's no Kosher food here so you'll have to manage on your own. You can and should use it as a base to visit multiple sites nearby like the Glen Canyon Dam, Lake Powell, the Horseshoe Bend and also the Antelope Canyon. Let's look at one at a time.
The Horseshoe Bend
You probably recognize this from desktop screensavers. This scenic view dubbed it's name because of it's horseshoe-shaped incised meander. It's located on Colorado River near the town of Page, Arizona. To get to this view you park your car at the parking lot for a small fee and follow the trail. It's not a long walk but I suggest bringing a good sized water bottle.
Glen Canyon Dam & Lake Powell
If you're getting a hotel in Page, you'll likely be able to see the Glen Canyon dam from your room since most of Page is flat desert land. The view is vast and beautiful. If you're staying for Shabbos you can also make it part of your Shabbos walk to visit. You can also go swimming in lake Powell or do a water sport there!
The Lake is perfectly cool on a hot summer day. There were some locals enjoying summer fun. From the Lake you can also see the dam.
The Antelope Canyon
This is on Navajo land so it might not be open because of Covid. Pre-Covid you had to book in advance since they only allow a certain amount of people in per day and tour. The Antelope is a slot canyon known for it's scenic walk through where the sun hits the orange walls and creates a beautiful shadows. In Navajo culture it's a symbol of Mother Nature's gifts and power.
As you can see, these were taken a while ago on my first trip here. When a place is beautiful I like to go multiple times.
The road from Page to Vegas is one of the most beautiful and scenic views I've ever seen.
If this trip is too long you can go straight to Vegas which is about 4-5 hours away.
If you have more time. I recommend these stops in Utah which aren't too long of a drive.
Bryce Canyon National Park
It's about 2.5 hours away from Page and go if you like hiking and views.
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
It's about 1.45 hours away from Page in the direction of Las Vegas. If you've never been to a sand dune before, it's worth the stop.
You can also rent boards and go sand surfing. We were super tired so gave up instead of doing the big slope! That slope is farther than it looks.
Zion National Park
This is by far the most beautiful park I've listed. You can drive through on the way to Vegas or make it a stop! Note: the roads are really windy so I don't recommend driving at night.
I went once in the summer and another time during the fall, it was lovely both ways.
The Hoover Dam
It's a little out of the way near Las Vegas, but if you're keen to add 40 minutes of driving time then go for a visit. This dam is HUGE. It protects southern California and Arizona from floods. There was a lot of work accidents when this dam was being built back in the 1920's and unfortunately people died. While driving through you can stop to learn a bit about the history here.
Your road trip is done! It's Vegas time! Hungry? Grab some kosher bites at any of these Las Vegas Kosher restaurants before you hop on your flight home.
2521 S Fort Apache Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89117
I had one of the best tasting pitas of my life here.
Ace of Steaks - Kosher Steakhouse in Las Vegas
5825 W Sahara Ave unit m, Las Vegas, NV 89146
Happy travels!
Have any questions? Feel free to message me right here.