This past summer my family took a trip to Arizona, Utah and Nevada to visit the Grand Canyon and several national parks. The scenery was some of the most stunning I’ve ever seen; my teenage sons even agreed that it was jaw-dropping.

We flew into Las Vegas, drove to Zion and Bryce National Parks, continued on to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and ended at Amangiri, a fantastic resort in Utah. Over the 9 days, we went hiking, rappelling, canyoneering, sand boarding, rock climbing (specifically via ferrata), cliff jumping, tubing and ATV & UTV riding. We took a helicopter over Horseshoe Bend and landed on Tower Butte, a 5,000 foot tall flat-top hill with incredible views of the surrounding area. My kids, ages 10 - 16, loved all the adventure.

This is a trip that can be done in the spring, summer or fall and it also can be done in the winter, with the exception of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon (it is closed in the winter). It was quite hot when we were there (end of August), but there is little humidity, so it was bearable. The accommodations are not luxe, but they are clean and comfortable. The exception is Amangiri, which is an outstanding property on every level - accommodations, food, service and activities. It is pricey, but it is a bucket list destination and worth even a one or two-night stay at the end of a trip. It needs to be at the end though because none of the other accommodations compare!