Like most people my husband and I have had to cancel/postpone many trips in 2020. We were scheduled to travel to the Maldives the last week of March for our 5 year anniversary (future post on that hopefully coming one day!!) We planned the trip almost a year in advance and cancelled the week before, once we realized there was a high possibility we could get stuck internationally (oh and get the rona).
For two avid travelers staying at home for this long has been quite challenging. We knew we wanted to still take some sort of summer vacation this year but we weren’t sure if it was safe to fly yet!
We decided to take a 10 day road trip from Texas to New Mexico, Arizona and Utah. In order to not put 2000 miles on either of our cars we depleted my husband’s National Rental Car free days. (Side note these free days come in handy when renting internationally or when returning a car to a different location. Hopefully he will start traveling for work again soon so that we can start earning them again!)
Although we avoid checking bags at all costs when we fly, we tend to get crazy and bring the whole house on road trips! On this trip we brought a cooler full of snacks/drinks, inflatable kayaks, dumbbells, loads of cleaning supplies AND of course our dog! Besides the dumbbells I would bring it all over again! LOL
DAy 1: Austin to Carlsbad
Carlsbad, New Mexico is a 7.5hour drive from Austin and is known for its caverns. Unfortunately a few days before we left we realized the caverns were going to be closed. We already had a hotel booked there so we decided to keep it, leave Austin later and arrive in Carlsbad in time for dinner and sleep. We ordered dinner from a food truck called El Charro and it may be the best Mexican food I’ve ever had. We stayed at Townplace suites because it was the only Marriott property in town but I DO NOT recommend staying in Carlsbad or this property because there was a $100 pet fee for 1 night!
Day 2: Carlsbad to Albuquerque
On the way we stopped in Roswell to see if we could find any aliens.
We attempted to visit Bottomless State Park in Roswell but unfortunately this park was cash only and we had exactly ZERO dollars on us and had to turn around and leave after driving out of the way. The park looked beautiful and were super bummed not to be able to hike around. I read that parks were not accepting cash but it turns out that was only the case for National Parks. So if you’re traveling right now be prepared for both options!! And be flexible because things are constantly changing.
Our Airbnb in Albuquerque was in downtown and reminded me of the East side in Austin (super hipster). Albuquerque had just started opening more things and luckily for us we were right next to Sidetrack Brewing. While in Albuquerque we visited the Old Town and as nice as it was to have it to ourselves, it would have been way better if the shops and restaurants were open.
Day 3: Albuquerque to Sedona
This drive took much longer because we decided to stop at the Petrified Forest and I HIGHLY recommend visiting. The park was not crowded at all even though were there on a weekend. *they only took credit cards*
Sedona Arizona
Once we finally made it to Sedona we checked in at the Element, a relatively new, clean hotel (Marriott of course). Highly recommend this hotel for its location, set up and cleanliness.
I love that there are trails all over Sedona so no matter where you stay you can easily hop on a trail. My favorites were: Bell Rock, Courthouse, Cathedral Rock, Boynton Canyon and Airport Mesa.
Sedona has amazing food! At the time of our visiting restaurants were closed for dining and these were our favorite places:
Coffee: Oak Creek Espresso (add an olive oil zucchini pecan cake because YOLO)Breakfast: Red Rock Cafe (get the breakfast burrito!!), Coffee Pot (giant omelettes) Lunch/Dinner: Butterfly Burger (get the butterfly burger), Wildflower Bread Company (reminded me of Panera and who doesn’t love Panera) Beer: Sedona Beer Company (the Billy Goat IPA)
If you want to pamper yourself while in Sedona, visit Sedona’s New Day Spa! I got my pedicure while laying down on a massage table. It was incredible relaxing and definitely recommend to everyone!
Day 6: Sedona to Lake Powell
After 3 nights in Sedona we relocated to Lake Powell. This drive was super cool because you drive through Navajo Nation and right by the Grand Canyon.
We stayed on the AZ side in Page at the Courtyard Marriott. If you have a dog they require you to be on the first floor so Nate’s Titanium Status didn’t do much for us at this hotel. Although the hotel was pretty outdated the views and proximity made up for it.
As soon as we arrived we headed towards Lone Rock Beach. We were able to use our National’s Park Annual pass here otherwise the fee is normally $30 / week to access Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. You need a 4-wheel drive vehicle because the sand here is no joke. I assumed all Jeeps were 4-wheel drive but we learned the hard way they are not…
It turns out we picked the wrong “sand lane” and almost immediately got stuck in the sand. It was pretty stressful but everyone was very nice and we had multiple people come and help dig us out. Apparently there are guys in trucks that drive around pulling people out all the time in exchange for a tip. (we gave this guy $20). The trick to not getting stuck is to have a 4-wheel drive car, OR stick to the left side (we went right…)
Once we figured out how to safely come in and out we were good! I knew there was a way because I saw a PRIUS parked right by the water. This beach is incredible and I can see why so many people chose to camp on the beach in tents or in their RVs. (Not that I would ever camp though)
Lake Powell
A must for Lake Powell is getting out on the lake. Being able to kayak and get into the small crevices was amazing, but there is nothing like getting out on a boat and really being able to see the lake. It’s MASSIVE and one day on a boat is not enough. We debated getting a house boat for our entire stay but weren’t sure how Hodie would do (he hates water). We rented from Lake Powell Marina Resorts at Wahweap Marina and they have terrible reviews but they were the only option because the other marina was closed.
The pros to this marina are that it’s fairly inexpensive to rent a boat ~$620 for 9 hours (8am-5pm), the parking is super close and easy, and they are dog friendly.
The cons, super unorganized, $500 deposit, must fill up gas before returning, they do not help you get in and out AND the wait is insane. They recommend you get there 30 mins before your pick up time but I would recommend an hour. Only 1 person is allowed to wait in line, the rest of the party has to wait in the lot and it took us an hour. The boats look like they’ve never been cleaned before. I brought my clorox wipes to clean off the surfaces and everything cleaned right off, it was as if no one has ever wiped the boat down.
Regardless though, it was our only option and having a boat is still better than not having a boat. I recommend getting a boat and just being prepared. The rentals at Antelope Marina had way better reviews but they are unfortunately closed.
Last but not least for Lake Powell, Horseshoe Bend is a must. The entry is $10 and it’s only a mile roundtrip. I would recommend going early before the crowds start. We actually went to it twice!
Lake Powell and Utah are dope and I can’t wait to go back when things open back up like Antelope Canyon!!
