Arizona - Phoenix, Page and Sedona (March 10 - March 18)

Before heading south, I asked a couple of questions to friends about the State of Arizona and the most common answers were: "there is only desert down there", "watch out, you might get pulled over to show your paperwork", "the Grand Canyon must be beautiful"..... all of them are true to some extent. However, they would only represent almost nothing to what the state really has to offer for tourism. Arizona is one of the most visited States in the United States.  Certainly not for beaches, clubs or drinking but for the national resources that it has.
Spring was the best time for me to visit Arizona, starting in the city of Phoenix, because the weather is not cooking you (yet).  In the summer it can get up to 118 F which would toast many people and would make the experience not that enjoyable.

Pic 1 City of Phoenix, AZ (Arizona State University)

As you can see from my Pic 1, Phoenix is not that exciting of a city with the tall/nice buildings all over the place. It is an average city that does not offer a lot creativity in terms of art and architecture compared to the cities in the northeast of the US.
I spent two days in Phoenix with a friend and then we departed to our first stop, THE GRAND CANYON.

Pic 2-3 The Grand Canyon of Arizona 

The Grand Canyon just left me speechless the moment I arrived in it.  You have to spend at least two days in it and basically you have two options: 1) you camp or get a hostel outside the canyon 2) you camp inside the canyon.

Option two is the most exciting one because you spend 6 hours, at least, reaching to the bottom of the Canyon in the South Kaibab trail. You get to see the magnificent view of the canyon and the different stones that are represented by the Canyon (sandstone and limestone among others) that were formed over the millions of years of erosion.
Unfortunately, We did not get to camp inside the Canyon because you would need to get a permit.  We spent 4 hours in the trail going down and 3 and a half hours going up in the South kaibab trail. By sunset, the view is just extraordinary and you can basically enjoy the moment by listening to the noise of silence and contemplating the canyon. After one day hiking in the canyon, you will be ready for a long nap.

The next stop in our trip is the city of Page.  On the way to Page you can see miles and miles of land that belong to the Navajo native people.  They have their stores and sort of kiosks right next to the road where you can purchase some gifts made by Navajo people.  Its pretty much a desert on the way to Page except for a couple of good views.

Pic 4 A view near the city of Page

Page is a small town.  Lake Powell is right next to it and it looks like a nice place to be in the summer.  Camping next to Lake Powell is a good time.  I recommend making a camp reservation during high season otherwise it will be almost impossible to get one. Also, once you get to Page, make a reservation for the "Antelope Canyon".  The company "Antelope Canyon tours" is highly recommended.

Pic 5 Lake Powell from one of the campsites

The Antelope Canyon is as impressive as the Grand Canyon and it does not require 7 hours of hiking. It is only a 30-45 min tour inside this sort of cave.  Again, it left me speechless when I saw what can erosion do in millions of years.

Pic 6-7 Inside the Antelope Canyon with a small ray of light in the middle

Important note, you need to go with a guided tour because the Antelope Canyon is owned by the Navajo people and you are not allowed to go in without their supervision.

The next and final stop would be the city of Sedona.  Sedona is located in Northern Arizona and it has so much to offer.  For me, it was the best place to finish up the trip because it is such a relaxing, small and authentic place.

Pic 8 A small shopping center called "Tlaquepaque"

Moreover, this place did not only surprised me because of the views and streets but also for the stores around.  Check out the candle store around main street...VERY UNIQUE and probably a great place to buy gifts (http://www.globalcandlegallery.com/)

Do not forget to go for a hike around Sedona.  The Devils Bridge is located 20 minutes away from Sedona.  It is a great hike and an awesome place to watch the sunset.  Its is an easy hike and lots of fun.

Pic 9 A view from the Devils Bridge

Enjoy Arizona!!