NOTE: This Blog is a compact version of my original article published in Hilton Grand Vacation Gateway Guide. Visit the full article here for details including other HGV articles and resources.
Introduction & Planning The Trip
My wife Glenda and I love road trips to famous locations of natural wonders. Back in 2023, we decided to include our youngest son Zak on such a trip during his summer vacation from high school. We used the HGVMax Website and Google Map of the American southwest to plan out a week-long trip.
The Hilton Sedona Summit resort was available for our timeline and Sedona’s close proximity to Grand Canyon National Park and many other attractions made this resort an ideal choice for our stay.
Arriving at Hilton Vacation Club Sedona Summit
Sedona is frequently listed as a top 20 resort town destination in North America. The quickest way to reach the town is by flying into Phoenix, AZ and taking a 2-hour drive north through scenic mountain roads. Las Vegas, NV is about a 4.5 hour drive away from the west. As we travelled from the east, we had a 5.5 hour drive from Albuquerque, NM via I-40 to reach our destination.
Our resort was located right next to Sedona Summit, a natural rock formation that reminds you of Old Western film locations in daylight and spiritual nature theater in the moonlight! The friendly staff at the resort helped us settle in right away. Rooms were comfortable with a well equipped kitchen and a balcony opening to the gorgeous scenery of Sedona Summit.
Exploring Sedona
The amazing night sky with the rugged mountain backdrop was a treat to enjoy anytime we ventured out after sunset for a trip to nearby stores or just a night stroll after dinner. The Resort’s main entrance was within a few minutes drive to restaurants and shops in the city yet far enough from busy tourist traffic. While the back entrance was a few hundred yards from the mountains offering trail excursions and guided tours. Some key attractions and excursion ideas in and around Sedona are as follows.
- Sunset Views: Visit Airport Mesa for some of the best sunset views in the city.
- Hike Cathedral Rock Trail: This popular trail offers dramatic views and is a key location for experiencing Sedona’s famous energy vortexes.
- Explore Devil’s Bridge Trail: Hike to the largest natural sandstone arch in the area for breathtaking, panoramic photos.
- Visit the Chapel of the Holy Cross: An iconic, modern church built directly into the red rocks, offering tranquil views.
- Relax at Slide Rock State Park: Known for its natural water chute, this is a top spot in Oak Creek for swimming, wading, and picnics.
- Shop at Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village: A charming, Spanish-style village filled with art galleries, unique boutiques, and restaurants, offering a cultural break from hiking.
Exploring Grand Canyon National Park
The Grand Canyon National Park is one of the largest and most popular natural attractions in the world. The Park entrance is about a 2 hours drive from Sedona. The park sits on the South Rim of the Canyon and offers numerous trails, hiking opportunities and guided tours over many miles of amazing rock formation. With a weekly pass, you can return multiple days for additional visits in the parks. Below are some key locations around the park suitable for a day-trip visit and all accessible by the free shuttle bus.
- Grand Canyon Village: The village is the closest attraction after the park entrance. It contains numerous landmark buildings dating back to 1901, and its historic core is a National Historic Landmark District, designated for its outstanding implementation of town design.
- Hiking the Bright Angel Trail: The most popular trail, starting in Grand Canyon Village, offers dramatic views and the opportunity to hike down to resting houses or the river.
- Grand Canyon Visitor Center: The Visitor center has ample parking space, shops featuring souvenirs, eateries, a museum, restroom facilities and picnic area.
- Watching Sunrise/Sunset at Mather Point: Located near the visitor center, this spot offers panoramic views and is perfect for seeing the canyon colors change, especially at sunset.
- Walking the Rim Trail: A mostly flat, scenic trail along the South Rim that is ideal for families and accessible for strollers.
- Yavapai Geology Museum: This museum is located at the end of the Rim Trail. It provides excellent educational exhibits about the geological history of the canyon.
Exploring Grand Canyon West
Grand Canyon West sits on the northwest side of the Grand Canyon in the Hualapai Native American Reservation. Although it’s closer to Las Vegas, it is possible to make a day trip to the park from Sedona via Kingman that takes a little over 3 hours drive. It is recommended to purchase tickets online due to the large number of visitors to the Skywalk. Below are some key attractions of Grand Canyon West, all of which are connected by free shuttle buses except the Zipline (served by Van and ATVs).
- Grand Canyon Skywalk: A horseshoe-shaped glass bridge extending 70 feet over the edge, suspending you 4,000 feet above the canyon floor at Eagle Point. Attendants will help you take some amazing photos during the skywalk.
- Eagle Point: Named for a massive eagle-shaped rock formation, this area features a Native American village showcasing traditional, authentic dwellings from various tribes.
- Guano Point: A dramatic, rugged viewpoint offering nearly 360-degree views of the canyon and the Colorado River, along with the remains of a historic tramway.
- Zipline at Hualapai Ranch: A high-speed zipline that allows visitors to fly over the canyon at multiple points and take in panoramic views of the surrounding landscape. Glenda and Zak had an exciting experience captured on camera as they zipped over the canyon in open air!
- Helicopter & Boat Tours: Scenic helicopter rides that descend to the canyon floor, often paired with pontoon boat tours on the Colorado River are exciting excursion options.
Other Attractions near Sedona
In addition to the Grand Canyon, several natural attractions are located within 1-2 hours drive of Sedona. Driving south, under an hour, you can reach Red Rock State Park and then Montezuma Lake. Further south lies the large city of Phoenix. Northbound, on the way to the Grand Canyon, you pass by the beautiful gorge and state park at Oak Creek Vista and the city of Flagstaff at 7500 ft. elevation.
Heading east or northeast from Flagstaff via I-40 you can access the national landmarks like Meteor Crater and Sunset Crater Volcano. Further east you can access the famous Petrified Forest National Park, home to many amazing archaeological discoveries.
Final Thoughts
The Hilton Vacation Club Sedona Summit is a suitable base for exploring a large number of natural wonders and tourist attractions of the American Southwest . The resort is a perfect balance of comfort, scenic views and nature inspired living with attentive staff and well arranged facilities like parking, sauna, gym and restaurant. The scenic view, excursion opportunities, comfortable rooms and attentive staff ready to help with your exploration ideas make this location an ideal choice for a summer or winter vacation for couples and families.
Enjoy the below video clip from our trip that showcase the zip line excursion at Grand Canyon West!