Arizona had been on our bucket list for a long time, especially the dramatic desert landscapes around Phoenix, Sedona, and Page. This trip turned out to be one of our most scenic road trips ever — filled with red rock drives, slot canyons, iconic viewpoints, and unforgettable sunsets.
Here is our 4-day itinerary and experience exploring Arizona.
Day 1 – Toronto to Phoenix | Sedona Sunset Drive
Our journey started with a direct flight from Toronto Pearson Airport to Phoenix with Porter Airlines. The flight experience was excellent — the 2×2 seating layout made the cabin feel spacious and comfortable. The flight took around 5 hours, and snacks were served twice during the journey, which was a nice touch.
After landing at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, we took the Sky Train to the rental car center, which is the standard process for picking up rental cars at Phoenix airport. Our plan was to drive straight to Page, Arizona, but since our route passed through Sedona, we decided to stop and explore a few scenic spots before sunset. The drive from Phoenix to Sedona took about two hours, and the scenery gradually changed from city landscapes to Arizona’s famous red rock formations.
Red Rock Scenic Byway – One of Arizona’s Most Beautiful Drives
Our first stop was the Red Rock Scenic Byway (AZ-179) — one of the most beautiful drives in Arizona. This highway connects Interstate 17 to Sedona, and the entire stretch is surrounded by towering red rock formations. Driving through this road during sunset was absolutely magical. The red rocks started glowing with warm orange and crimson tones as the sun slowly dipped behind the mountains.
A fun fact about this route is that it passes through more than 15 roundabouts, especially while crossing the charming Village of Oak Creek area. This area is actually one of the best places to stay near Sedona because it offers beautiful views with slightly fewer crowds than downtown Sedona. The drive itself felt like a scenic tour, with famous formations like Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte visible right from the road.
Sedona Airport Scenic Lookout
Our next stop was the Sedona Airport Scenic Lookout, one of the most popular viewpoints in town. Located on top of a mesa near the airport, this viewpoint offers panoramic views of Sedona’s famous red rock landscape. From here, you can see several iconic formations including Thunder Mountain, Coffee Pot Rock, and Chimney Rock. There is a paid parking lot with plenty of parking spaces, but it gets very crowded during sunset. If you want a good viewing spot, it’s best to arrive early.
Watching the sunset from this viewpoint was unforgettable, the sky turned shades of orange and purple while the red rocks glowed beautifully. After sunset, we continued our journey to Page, Arizona, which is about 2.5 hours from Sedona. The drive was peaceful but dark at night since many parts of the road pass through remote desert areas. We finally reached our hotel late at night and checked into the Best Western View of Lake Powell Hotel.
Best Western View of Lake Powell Hotel
This hotel turned out to be a great choice for staying in Page. As the name suggests, the property offers fantastic views of Lake Powell and Glen Canyon right from the hotel area. One of the best parts of staying here is that you can actually see the Horseshoe Bend cliffs and Lake Powell landscapes in the distance. The hotel also offers complimentary breakfast, which made the start of our next day convenient before heading out for sightseeing.
Day 2 – Page’s Hidden Gems & Slot Canyon Adventure
After breakfast at the hotel, we started the day by exploring a hidden gem in Page.
Biidi the Arch (Secret Cave in Page)
Our first stop was Biidi the Arch, often referred to as the Secret Cave of Page. This rock formation is located near the Shell Gas Station on AZ-98 and is completely free to visit. Social media often portrays this spot as a cave, but in reality, it is a rock arch with a cave-like opening. The trick to getting the famous photos is to walk inside the structure and shoot from the opposite side.
Using the 0.5× wide lens on a phone camera helps capture the curved rock walls and gives the illusion of a cave in photographs. It’s a quick stop, but definitely worth visiting if you enjoy photography. We spent around 30–45 minutes here taking photos.
Lower Antelope Canyon Tour
Next, we headed to Dixie’s Lower Antelope Canyon Tours, which was just a few minutes away from our hotel.
Lower Antelope Canyon is one of the most famous slot canyons in the world, known for its narrow sandstone corridors and wave-like rock formations carved by water and wind over thousands of years. Visitors must check in 45 minutes before the tour time. After the check-in process, we walked across the desert sand for a few minutes before reaching the entrance. We entered the canyon through a series of metal staircases that lead down into the narrow canyon walls.
Once inside, it felt like stepping into another world. The canyon walls twist and curve dramatically, creating beautiful light patterns and textures on the sandstone. Our guide was fantastic and explained the history, geology, and Navajo cultural significance of the canyon.
Throughout the tour, our guide pointed out fascinating rock formations shaped like animals and objects, including Chameleon, Eagle, Shark, Seahorse, the famous “Woman in the Wind” formation, which is also the logo of Dixie’s tours
The walkways can become extremely narrow in some sections, but the experience is truly unique. The entire tour lasted about 1.5 hours, and although photography is allowed, video recording is not permitted during the tour.
Wahweap Overlook
After the canyon tour, we drove to Wahweap Overlook, located about 10 minutes from Page. This viewpoint offers a stunning panoramic view of Lake Powell and the Antelope Point Marina in the distance. There is free parking near the viewpoint, and it’s a peaceful place to stop and enjoy the scenery. This was one of the most underrated viewpoints in the Page area, and we highly recommend adding it to your itinerary.
Horseshoe Bend Sunset
In the evening, we visited one of Arizona’s most famous landmarks, Horseshoe Bend.
The entry fee is $10 per vehicle, and from the parking lot you need to walk about 1 mile to reach the overlook, which took us around 20 minutes. The viewpoint overlooks a dramatic horseshoe-shaped curve of the Colorado River, surrounded by towering cliffs. One important thing to remember is that there are very limited safety railings near the edges, so visitors need to be extremely careful. Watching the sunset at Horseshoe Bend was breathtaking. The canyon walls slowly changed colors as the sun set behind the desert landscape.
We ended Day 2 with dinner in Page town.
Day 3 – Glen Canyon Views & Phoenix Sunset
After checking out of the hotel, we visited a few nearby viewpoints before driving back to Phoenix.
Glen Canyon Dam Overlook & Carl Hayden Visitor Center
The Glen Canyon Dam Overlook provides one of the best views of the massive Glen Canyon Dam, which holds back the waters of Lake Powell. Nearby, the Carl Hayden Visitor Center offers educational exhibits explaining how the dam was constructed and its importance in managing water and electricity in the southwestern United States. From the viewpoints, you can see the Colorado River flowing through the canyon below, which is an incredible sight.
Antelope Point Marina
Before leaving Page, we made a quick stop at Antelope Point Marina. This marina sits on the edge of Lake Powell and offers beautiful views of the lake surrounded by sandstone cliffs. It’s a peaceful location and a great place for photos. After that, we started the long drive back to Phoenix.
Hole-in-the-Rock – Sunset in Phoenix
In the evening, we visited Hole-in-the-Rock in Papago Park, one of Phoenix’s most unique landmarks. There are several parking lots around the park, and from there it’s about a 10-minute walk to the rock formation. The hike itself is short and easy, taking about 15 minutes to reach the opening in the rock.
This natural sandstone formation has large openings where visitors can sit and watch the city views. From the top, we could see downtown Phoenix, the desert landscape, and even planes landing at the nearby airport. Watching the sunset from inside the rock opening was a really cool experience.
Day 4 – Fountain Hills & Saguaro National Park
On our final day, we explored two more iconic Arizona destinations.
Fountain Hills – The World Famous Fountain
We started the morning with a short drive to Fountain Hills, a town about 45 minutes from Phoenix. The highlight here is the World Famous Fountain, which is one of the tallest fountains in the world. At full power, the fountain can shoot water up to 560 feet (170 meters) into the air. It operates every hour from 9 AM to 9 PM, and each show lasts about 15 minutes.
The fountain uses three 600-horsepower pumps that shoot about 7,000 gallons of water per minute. However, most of the time it runs at around 300–330 feet because only two pumps are used.
At its full height, the fountain is taller than the Washington Monument and even higher than the Great Pyramid of Giza. The park around the fountain also has play areas for kids, walking paths, and even a graffiti wall, making it a fun stop for families.
Saguaro National Park – Desert Sunset
Our final destination was Saguaro National Park near Tucson, about two hours from Phoenix. This park protects the iconic Saguaro cactus, which is the giant cactus species that symbolizes the American Southwest.
There are several scenic drives and trails in the park including:
- Cactus Forest Drive – an 8-mile scenic loop
- Bajada Loop Drive – a beautiful desert dirt road
- Valley View Trail – a short hike with amazing views
- Desert Discovery Trail – a short educational nature trail
The park is especially famous for its spectacular desert sunsets. One of the best places to watch sunset is Gates Pass, where the sky lights up behind the Tucson Mountains, creating dramatic silhouettes of the giant saguaro cacti. There are also several picnic areas along Cactus Forest Drive, where visitors can relax while surrounded by thousands of towering cacti. It was the perfect way to end our Arizona adventure.
Final Thoughts
This 4-day Arizona road trip turned out to be an unforgettable experience filled with scenic drives, unique landscapes, and some of the most beautiful sunsets we’ve ever seen. From the red rock formations of Sedona to the slot canyons of Page, and the iconic desert landscapes of Saguaro National Park, every destination had something special to offer. If you’re planning a trip to Arizona, this itinerary is a fantastic way to experience the best highlights of Phoenix, Sedona, and Page in just a few days.
Thank you for reading our travel story, and we hope it helps you plan your own Arizona adventure!