Family Road Trip from San Francisco to Grand Canyon
San Francisco has long been a gateway for tourists from around the world looking to experience the city and natural beauty of America West Coast. San Francisco International Airport is served by over
40 airlines and renting a car is easy at the airport.
Whether you prefer to spend a week hotel hopping or a slow drive through the countryside without any agenda, planning a road trip from San Francisco to Las Vegas and Grand Canyon for a week or two is doable and can be hassle free.
Here is Travelmath’s suggested itinerary for your family road trip from San Francisco to Grand Canyon for a week-
San Francisco
Pick up your car at the airport and we suggest a two nights stay at a city hotel. All hotels in the city center charge a parking fee. If you prefer to save money on parking and lower priced hotels, check out the hotels in the neighboring towns of San Mateo, Oakland or Redwood City.
San Francisco’s main attractions include the Alcatraz Island Tour, Fisherman’s Wharf, Pier 39, Cable Cars, Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park, Chinatown and Walt Disney Family Museum.
Some of the best free things to do in San Francisco include walking on the Golden Gate Bridge, visiting the Palace of Fine Arts, checking out the old arcade games at the Musee Mechanique and a hiking up to Twin Peaks for the best view of San Francisco.
Las Vegas
Instead of driving over
12 hours from San Francisco to Grand Canyon we suggest a two nights stop in Las Vegas. Las Vegas is about
eight hours 51 minutes from San Francisco.
Las Vegas is more than just The Strip and casinos. For those who love shoes and want to learn about a unique company culture, take a tour of Zappos Campus for $10 per person. According to
Zappos, this 90-minute excursion will give visitors a glimpse into the Zappos culture and a walk in a Zapponian’s shoes.
We recommend a night helicopter tour. This 12 to 15 minutes tour will take you around Las Vegas Strip to see the neon on the Strip and at eye level with Eiffel Tower, Bellagio fountains, Stratosphere , Venetian and many more Las Vegas buildings.
Those who love speed may want to try Richard Petty Driving Experience at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Drive like a NASCAR racecar driver on a real racetrack in a 600 horsepower racecar.
The shows never stop in Las Vegas. The acrobats, magicians, acrobats, comedians, showgirls, puppets and international stars are available year round in
Las Vegas. The city is known as the Entertainment Capital of the World for a reason.
Grand Canyon
After two nights in Las Vegas it is time to take the
four hours 11 minute drive to Grand Canyon through historic route 66 (Mother Road) to Grand Canyon South Rim.
The South Rim is open all year and receives 90% of the park’s visitation. If you need transportation from Rim to Rim, check out Grand Canyon Shuttle Service. The company provides door-to-door service for individuals and groups in Grand Canyon. The company offers sunset tours and advice and tips on Grand Canyon’s greatest viewpoints, specialized tours and more.
Information:
Grand Canyon Shuttle Service
Your three-day Grand Canyon tour may include a tour to Sedona. Sedona is known for its soaring red rock monoliths, art galleries, wineries, resorts and spas. Visitors have the option of visiting two state parks in Sedona – the Red Rock State Park and Slide Rock State Park.
We suggest an overnight stay in Sedona including a pampering session in one of the many resorts’ spa centers.
Information:
Sedona
Flagstaff or Phoenix
The most convenient way to end your road trip is to return your rental car at Flagstaff AZ airport and fly from Flagstaff to your hometown.
US Airways and American Airlines are the only airlines that serve Flagstaff. You may want to drive to Phoenix if you prefer
more airline options and more direct flights.
