My most recent road trip took me to Northern Arizona and I thought to myself, should I gatekeep these unbelievably beautiful spots?? But I would like to publicly apologize for that, it was but a fleeting thought. I am about to show you why Page should be at the top of your next road trip. So whether you are spending a weekend in Page, Arizona or just 1 day, I have put together a guide on the best things to do in Page, AZ.
Why Visit Page Arizona?
I have lost count on the number of times I have driven through Page and used it as a quick pit stop, but this part of Arizona is filled with SO many cool spots!! It has quickly become a popular tourist destination, because this area is filled with some of the best tours, hikes and even includes some of the most photogenic spots in Arizona. Tbh, Arizona took a vote and Page is definitely the vibe. I mean who doesn’t love an elevated dose of natural beauty?? Because Page is filled with it!
So You Want to Know How To Get To Page?
This little town in Northern Arizona sits just below the border of Utah and has a population of about 7,500 residents, but you can find a small airport here. Flights only operate at certain days and times though. I highly recommend taking the road trip route though! Page is almost perfectly situated between Las Vegas and Phoenix, so you have an option on where you choose to fly. See details below.
I may be biased, but the drive to Page from Phoenix is arguably the best drive you can make because there are so many iconic locations along the way. The most direct way to get here is by taking I-17 N and then cut over to US 89N. This drive will take you just over 4 hours.
My two main suggestions would be to stop by Sedona to check out the beautiful red rock formations and Flagstaff to catch a glimpse of the historic town center and the forest that surrounds it.
The quickest way to get to Page from Las Vegas is to take I-15 and head Northeast through St. George, Utah. You will then cut over to UT-9 and make your way to Fredonia, AZ where you will jump on AZ-89A. This will take you to Kanab, Utah where you will take US-89E towards Page. This drive will take you just over 4 hours to complete.
I recommend making a stop in St. George, Utah to check out the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area. And make another pit stop in Kanab, Utah to check out the Moqui Sand Caves.
Best Time To Visit Page
Given its close proximity to Lake Powell, summer is peak season (May – September) and this means higher costs. If you want to take advantage of good weather and less crowds I would recommend visiting in October or February – April. Page does experience snow, which makes it far more difficult to explore some of the more popular spots here so I would avoid visiting at the height of winter (November – January).
*We visited Presidents Day Weekend in Mid-February and still experienced some snow, so keep that in mind if you are making plans to visit Page in February.*
Where To Stay in Page
We were truly surprised when we saw a handful of new hotels in Page during our visit. This is a testament to the growing number of visitors that are flocking to Page, because the secret is out about this place! So let me do you a favor and share some of the best places to stay in Page, Arizona.
Best Hotels in Page
BUDGET FRIENDLY HOTEL OPTIONS
BEST DOG FRIENDLY HOTELS
LUXURY HOTELS
Even though we were just staying one weekend in Page Arizona, we opted to stay at the Marriott Courtyard with our dog our first night here, and found the hotel to be very dog-friendly. The staff even gave us some dog treats! We did notice many of the rooms had their own sliding glass doors, and it was helpful to be on the ground floor with our dog and have easy access to the courtyard to take him out.
Best Glamping Experience in Page
I have to confess I am addicted to glamping, and often find myself scrolling through Airbnb to find these spots so when I saw this Airbnb listing in Page pop up I just knew we had to try it out! Kyōōb at Shash Dine’ can be found just a few minutes southeast of Horseshoe Bend and the sweetest little Navajo family hosts your stay and makes you feel truly at home.
This was truly such a cool and unique stay, but not dog-friendly so we did have to leave our dog with a sitter we found on Rover.com before our stay here. I can’t remember the last time I saw SO many stars and waking up to the sunrise was the best alarm clock I could have ever asked for! The property is a working ranch with livestock and dogs you can actually go visit. In full transparency though, bathroom facilities are limited and at the time we visited there were no working showers. The host did notify us they were working on adding some. This was definitely a highlight during our weekend in Page Arizona.
Best Restaurants in Page
Although Page is small, there is a great selection of restaurants to choose from. Here is a list of some of the best dining options in Page that have been highly reviewed and will almost certainly not leave you disappointed.
Best Things to do in Page AZ
We truly thought 1 weekend in Page would be enough to cover at least a handful of spots on my wishlist, because we are such marathon travelers that rush from place to place and try to see it all but there is just so many things to see and do in Page that it proved nearly impossible. And truth is, you may want to visit for the photo but you’ll definitely want to stay for the views. So let’s go over how to maximize your weekend in Page Arizona!
Your First Day in Page- Explore the Instagrammable White Pocket
Wow, wow, wow did this place live up to the hype! I really had to talk this place up to get my husband to agree to take our 2002 yukon for an off-road excursion over 4 hours from home and thankfully White Pocket did not disappoint :whew: We didn’t think we were going to spend so long here, but after making the long trek and setting eyes on this place the day really flew right by us. Here is everything you need to know about how to visit white pocket arizona.
White Pocket Vermilion Cliffs Helpful Tips:
Can you get to White Pocket without 4WD? The road to get to White Pocket is a challenging one, because it is covered in deep sand that makes it easy and almost certain your vehicle will get stuck if you don’t have 4WD. And you don’t want to get stuck out here, as it is pretty remote. There are tours available to take you here. To figure out the best tour for you, you can visit Page’s tourist information center here.
How to get to White Pocket? Google Maps will only take you so far, before leading you in the wrong direction to White Pocket so don’t solely depend on that to get you here. And carve out a little more than 2 hours for the journey to White Pocket from Page. There are so many great resources that outlines step by step directions on how to get here. I have listed my favorites here and here.
Do you need a permit to visit White Pocket? No need for a permit here and there is no entry station. A dirt parking lot can be found here with ample space for parking.
Best time to visit White Pocket? The route to get here is prone to flash flooding, so you don’t want to visit if rainfall is expected and snow can provide a challenging driving experience even with a 4WD vehicle so check the weather before visiting. Best time of day to visit would be sunrise or sunset. We made the mistake of visiting just before noon, and many of our photos were washed out by the sun.
Are dogs allowed in White Pocket? Yes! We love any excuse to take our dog with us, so when we learned this spot was dog friendly we knew we had to bring him along.
I am almost afraid to admit how many photos I took here, but it may or may not have been close to 400 photos. And even though the sun tried to steal the show, it’s hard to move on from a place like this which is why we spent the better part of the day here exploring. If I were to do it all over again though, I would visit at sunset to get some softer light and better colors. No matter what time of day you visit though, I can guarantee you will fall in love with White Pocket!
Last Stop: Antelope Pass Vista
I have driven through this spot countless times, but never had the time to make a pit stop so we took advantage on our way back to Page to catch some views here. This spot can be found just 23 minutes from Page and includes a paved parking lot. No hiking is required to catch some great views. A quick and east pitstop off Highway 89 and a nice little addition to your weekend in page arizona.
We had to check into our glamping accommodations by 6 pm, so we dropped our dog off with a great sitter we found on Rover.com. Sadly, this glamping property is not dog-friendly but our sitter sent pictures to let us know our dog was still living his best life and passed out from a long day of exploring.
Day Two: Take a Journey to Lake Powell’s Most Scenic Overlook
Lake Powell is easily considered one of the most beautiful lakes in the US with people flocking from all over the world to catch a glimpse of this desert oasis. And if you really want to catch some spectacular views of Lake Powell, you need to add Alstrom Point to your itinerary. I actually can’t believe I grew up in Arizona and didn’t learn about this place until recently.
What You Need to Know Before Visiting Alstrom Point
How do I get to Alstrom Point? You can find Alstrom Point just under 2 hours northeast of Page. The road to get here can be quite difficult. If you want to drive to the end, you need to have a 4WD vehicle. We actually found these roads to be in worse condition than White Pocket for the last 5 miles of our trip. It had recently rained though, so the ground was still very soft and muddy from rainfall. This is another spot that should not be dependent on Google Maps and I highly recommend using these directions. We found them to be incredibly helpful.
What if I don’t have a 4WD vehicle? A 2WD vehicle can make most of the drive until the last 5 miles of the trip. I have read some reviews online of people with 2WD vehicles even making it until the last 2 miles before Alstrom Point, but I highly recommend having a high clearance vehicle to avoid getting stuck because this spot is incredibly remote. You can book a tour here, to learn more about the tour options available check out this page here.
Can I hike to Alstrom Point? It depends on your skill level and availability. You can begin your hike from as far back as the last 5 miles before reaching Alstrom Point, but many choose to hike the last 2 miles. Expect about 2-3 hours round trip.
Do I need to pay a fee or have a permit? No fee or permit is required to visit.
Is Alstrom Point Dog Friendly? Yes, your dog is welcome to join you but given you are bordering a cliff with sheer drop-offs please make sure to keep your dog on a leash and away from the edge.
Can I get cell service here? There is absolutely no service out here, so come prepared with essential items like food and water in case you get stuck and have to stay here longer than expected.
Sadly, we weren’t even able to make the last two miles to the end in our 4WD because the roads got so bad and given our time constraints we weren’t able to hike the last 2 miles. We did manage to find some great views though and I am already looking forward to going back!
Next Stop: Lone Rock Beach
If you have taken a road trip through the Southwest, more specifically the route from Arizona to Utah, chances are you have driven past the turn-out for Lone Rock Beach. This is a fun, little pit stop that is considered one of the most popular beaches at Lake Powell. And if you’re wondering where the name comes from, it’s due to a massive lone rock found here.
This is a popular camping destination that is open all year round, so you will find a good selection of restrooms and even an outdoor shower. We were pleasantly surprised by how clean the restrooms were here. If you do plan on camping here, it is $14 per night per vehicle. And yes, the park welcomes dogs!
Last Stop: Horseshoe Bend
It isn’t truly a visit to Page without visiting the most popular spot here, Horseshoe Bend! And yes, this spot is absolutely worth a visit and will leave you SPEECHLESS. People from all over the world come here to see this natural beauty. And luckily, this spot is easy to get to as it’s located right off of Highway 89 with plenty of parking available. The cost to enter is $10 per vehicle and your dog is welcome to tag along!
You will find a .6 miles paved trail that takes you to the look-out. There are a couple shaded seating areas along the way, but avoid visiting in the middle of the day in the warmer months because the sun can be very unforgiving. And if you want to avoid crowds, I recommend visiting at sunrise or on a weekday.
We made a stop here last summer with our dog, and with booties on his paws and 3 water bottles in hand we thought we were set but our dog got so overheated that some kind samaritan stopped to provide some extra water to our dog and made sure we were able to make it back to the car safely.
Weekend in Page Arizona: Choose Your Own Adventure
It’s no secret that this area of Arizona is covered with some truly unique spots, and although we weren’t able to see everything with just one weekend in Page Arizona I am already planning my next visit! If you have more time available and want to explore everything this part of the Southwest has to offer, here is a list of places you should check it out:
I hope this travel guide helps you have the most incredible weekend in Page Arizona! And while you are in this part of the Southwest, make sure to check out my travel guide to Kanab. It’s located a little over an hour from Page.