Self-Launched Western USA Family Adventure: Las Vegas Loop

Fly into Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) and get settled. Las Vegas has a huge range of budget accommodation options on and off the Strip — off-Strip hostels and budget motels save significantly. Pick up your rental SUV or minivan today (book well in advance for best rates — try Kayak or Costco Travel). Grab dinner at one of the many affordable food courts inside the casino hotels, which are surprisingly great value.

🚌Fly into LAS. Rent SUV/minivan (~£60-80/day including insurance, book via Kayak or Costco Travel)

🛏Downtown Grand Hotel or similar budget/mid-range option off the Strip (~£60-80/night for a family room)

• →Pick up rental SUV/minivan from airport
• →Explore the Las Vegas Strip on foot
• →Dinner at a casino food court (e.g. Wynn, Aria, or the famous Cosmopolitan food court)

Hit the road early for the ~4.5-hour drive to the Grand Canyon South Rim (roughly 280 miles via US-93 and AZ-64). Arrive in time for a spectacular late-afternoon stroll along the Rim Trail — free once inside the park. Watch the canyon transform at sunset from Mather Point or Yavapai Point. America the Beautiful Annual Pass (£65/person or £120/family) covers entry here and at all other national parks on this trip — buy online before you go at nps.gov.

🚌Self-drive rental SUV, ~280 miles from Las Vegas

🛏Mather Campground (book via recreation.gov, ~£18/night) or Tusayan budget motels (~£80-110/night for a family room)

• →Drive Las Vegas to Grand Canyon South Rim (~4.5 hrs)
• →Purchase America the Beautiful Annual Pass at entry (~£65/person or £120/family — covers all NPS sites on this trip)
• →Walk the free Rim Trail at your own pace
• →Sunset viewing from Mather Point or Yavapai Point

Spend a full day exploring the Grand Canyon. Hike partway down the Bright Angel Trail — a classic, well-marked route suitable for families (turn back at the 1.5-mile resthouse for a manageable family hike). For a once-in-a-lifetime splurge, book a helicopter tour over the canyon — several operators run from Grand Canyon Airport in Tusayan, including Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters, which can be booked direct at papillon.com. The 45-50 minute flight offers an unforgettable bird's-eye view of the Colorado River and canyon geology.

🚌On foot / free park shuttle buses within the South Rim

🛏Mather Campground or Tusayan motel (same as Day 2)

• →Hike Bright Angel Trail to 1.5-Mile Resthouse and back (free with park entry)
• →Visit the Yavapai Geology Museum (free)
• →Optional: Grand Canyon helicopter tour via Papillon (~£180-220/person, book direct at papillon.com)
• →Sunset from Desert View Watchtower (eastern rim, ~25 miles from South Rim Village)

A scenic 2.5-hour drive east brings you to one of the most recognisable landscapes on Earth — the red sandstone buttes of Monument Valley. Book a Navajo-guided 4x4 tour through the valley floor; these must be done with an authorised Navajo guide and can be booked on arrival at the visitor centre or in advance via companies like Sacred Monument Tours or Navajo Spirit Tours (~£40-55/person). You'll learn about Navajo history, arts, and culture directly from the Nation's own guides — a far richer experience than any group tour.

🚌Self-drive rental SUV, ~155 miles from Grand Canyon South Rim

🛏The View Hotel Campground (~£20/night with iconic butte views) or The View Hotel rooms (~£130-160/night for spectacular views — worth the splurge)

• →Scenic drive from Grand Canyon to Monument Valley via US-89 N and US-163 (~2.5 hrs)
• →Navajo-guided 4x4 valley tour via Sacred Monument Tours or Navajo Spirit (~£40-55/person, book via navajonationparks.org or direct)
• →Stop at John Ford Point — the most photographed viewpoint in the valley
• →Learn about Navajo arts and crafts at Navajo Nation crafts stalls

Drive north through canyon country to Moab — one of the adventure capitals of the American West (~2.5-3 hours via US-191 N). Stop at Canyonlands National Park's Island in the Sky district en route — a dramatic mesa top with sweeping canyon views (covered by your America the Beautiful Pass). Arrive in Moab in the afternoon. In the evening, drive the short distance to Dead Horse Point State Park for a stunning sunset over the canyon (~£8 entry, not covered by the federal pass).

🚌Self-drive rental SUV, ~160 miles from Monument Valley

🛏Moab Hostel or Lazy Lizard Hostel (private family room ~£60-80/night) or Up the Creek Campground in town (~£25/night)

• →Morning drive Monument Valley to Moab via US-191 (~2.5-3 hrs)
• →Stop at Island in the Sky, Canyonlands National Park (free with America the Beautiful Pass)
• →Explore Moab town — great for family-friendly cafes and gear shops
• →Evening drive to Dead Horse Point State Park for sunset (~£8 entry)

Spend a full day in the extraordinary Arches National Park, just 5 miles north of Moab. Entry is free with your America the Beautiful Pass. The 3-mile round trip to Delicate Arch is the park's classic hike — manageable for most families (allow 2-3 hrs). Windows Section and Balanced Rock are easier walks great for younger kids. Note: Arches now requires timed entry permits from April-October (£1.50/vehicle, book at recreation.gov well in advance). Free afternoon to kayak or take a raft on the Colorado River — book via Moab Adventure Center (~£30-45/person).

🚌Self-drive rental SUV, 5 miles from Moab to Arches entrance

🛏Same as Day 5 in Moab

• →Hike to Delicate Arch, Arches National Park (free with America the Beautiful Pass — timed entry permit required ~£1.50, book at recreation.gov)
• →Explore Windows Section and Balanced Rock (easy family walks)
• →Optional: Colorado River rafting or kayaking via Moab Adventure Center (~£30-45/person, book at moabadventurecenter.com)
• →Free evening in Moab — try Zax Restaurant or Pasta Jay's for family-friendly dinner

Head west towards the high plateau cowboy country of southern Utah (~2-2.5 hours). The original tour stays at a working ranch near Antimony — you can replicate this by booking independently at Rockin R Ranch or similar working ranches in the area that offer family stays and cowboy experiences. Alternatively, base in nearby Escalante for access to Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Settle in and enjoy the vast, starlit skies around the campfire this evening.

🚌Self-drive rental SUV, ~130 miles from Moab

🛏Rockin R Ranch (book direct at rockinrranch.com, cabins ~£90-130/night) or Escalante Outfitters Cabins (~£70-100/night)

• →Scenic morning drive from Moab to Antimony/Escalante via UT-24 and UT-62 (~2-2.5 hrs)
• →Check in to working ranch or cabin accommodation
• →Explore the surrounding high desert landscape
• →Campfire evening under the stars

Embrace your inner cowboy for a full day of ranch activities. Working ranches in the area offer horseback riding, lasso/roping lessons, and western dancing — either as part of a stay package or bookable on arrival. Rockin R Ranch and similar operations cater specifically to families. This is a highlight day for kids — unhurried, hands-on, and genuinely immersive. Evenings around the campfire with s'mores are non-negotiable.

🚌On-site, no driving needed

🛏Same ranch/cabin as Day 7

• →Horseback riding lesson at ranch (~£35-55/person, book direct with ranch)
• →Lasso/roping demonstration and try-it session (often included with ranch stay)
• →Western line dancing lesson (often included with ranch stay)
• →Campfire evening with s'mores

Drive to Bryce Canyon National Park (~1 hour from Antimony), one of Utah's most surreal landscapes. The famous hoodoos — thousands of eroded red-orange spires — are unlike anywhere else on Earth. Walk the Queen's Garden Trail (2.9 miles, moderate) or the Navajo Loop Trail (1.3 miles, more challenging) for the best hoodoo immersion. Sunrise from Sunrise Point or Sunset Point is magical if you're up early. The free park shuttle runs between all major viewpoints from late spring to early autumn.

🚌Self-drive rental SUV, ~55 miles from Antimony to Bryce Canyon

🛏Bryce Canyon Pines Motel (~£80-110/night, family rooms available) or North Campground at Bryce (~£20/night, book at recreation.gov)

• →Drive to Bryce Canyon National Park (~1 hr, free entry with America the Beautiful Pass)
• →Hike Navajo Loop Trail through Wall Street slot canyon (1.3 miles, challenging but doable for most families)
• →Hike Queen's Garden Trail for iconic hoodoo views (2.9 miles, moderate)
• →Ride the free park shuttle between Sunrise, Sunset, Inspiration, and Bryce viewpoints

Drive west to Zion National Park (~1.5 hours from Bryce Canyon) — the crown jewel of Utah's Mighty Five. Private vehicles are not permitted on the main Zion Canyon Scenic Drive in peak season — instead, hop on the free park shuttle, which stops at all major trailheads. The Riverside Walk (2 miles, flat, paved) is perfect for all ages and leads into the famous Narrows slot canyon — you can wade into the Virgin River in the canyon itself (check water levels at the visitor centre first). Angels Landing is iconic but involves chains and significant exposure — for families, Court of the Patriarchs viewpoint and Emerald Pools trails (1.2-3 miles) are superb alternatives.

🚌Self-drive rental SUV to Zion visitor centre, then free park shuttle

🛏Zion Canyon Campground (~£35/night, in the canyon at Springdale) or Cliffrose Springdale hotel (~£110-140/night for family rooms in stunning canyon setting)

• →Drive Bryce Canyon to Zion National Park (~1.5 hrs, free entry with America the Beautiful Pass)
• →Ride the free Zion Canyon shuttle to Riverside Walk trailhead
• →Hike Riverside Walk and wade into The Narrows slot canyon (2 miles return + however far into the canyon you fancy, free)
• →Emerald Pools Lower Trail — beautiful waterfall and pool hike (1.2 miles, easy)
• →Optional: Angels Landing Chains Section (permit required via recreation.gov lottery, ~£3 — for confident older children and adults only)

Enjoy a leisurely morning in Zion or Springdale before the ~2.5-hour drive back to Las Vegas. Springdale has lovely cafes and galleries for a final slow morning among the red cliffs. Back in Vegas, return your rental vehicle to the airport or a city drop-off point. Your last night in Las Vegas — time to celebrate the adventure with a family-friendly show (Cirque du Soleil at the MGM Grand, or the free Bellagio Fountains and Fremont Street Experience) and a proper sit-down dinner.

🚌Self-drive rental SUV, ~160 miles from Zion to Las Vegas

🛏Park MGM, Excalibur, or similar mid-range Strip hotel (~£80-120/night for a family room)

• →Morning stroll in Springdale or a final short hike in Zion
• →Drive Zion to Las Vegas (~2.5 hrs via I-15 N)
• →Return rental vehicle
• →Fremont Street Experience (free light show every hour after dark)
• →Bellagio Fountains (free, runs every 15-30 mins)
• →Family dinner on the Strip or at In-N-Out Burger for a classic American send-off

Check out and transfer to Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) for your onward flight. Allow at least 2 hours before departure. If you have time before your flight, the National Museum of Organized Crime & Law Enforcement (The Mob Museum) is a genuinely excellent and family-friendly Las Vegas experience (~£20/person, book at themobmuseum.org).

🚌Ride-share (Uber/Lyft) or hotel shuttle to LAS airport (~£15-25)

• →Check out of hotel
• →Optional: The Mob Museum (~£20/person, themobmuseum.org)
• →Transfer to Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) — allow 2+ hours before departure