It’s been almost fourteen months since I returned from Spain, leaving that trip three weeks early because there were *gasp* more than 100 daily cases of this new coronavirus there. I figured I’d ride it out back in Los Angeles, returning to travel by summer at the latest. Little did I know I’d spend the next year – and then some – not even leaving the state.

I was fortunate to luck into a spare vaccine dose at my local CVS a couple months ago, so I am now fully vaccinated. While travel still makes me nervous, and I will continue to mask up and socially distance, I am finally ready to brave the world again. I figured I’d start with a driving trip to places that involve outdoor activities, easy to avoid the masses… I hope.

For this trip, I will be starting off in Page, at the northernmost tip of Arizona just south of the Utah border. Page is best known for being the jumping-off point for Horseshoe Bend and Lake Powell, but there are a few other fun outdoor things in the general vicinity as well. From Page, I will swing by the Grand Canyon for two nights.

The itinerary will look like this:

Day One: Los Angeles to Page, a roughly eight hour drive. Joy.

Day Two: Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and Pipe Spring National Monument, doing a fun looking hike in the former and learning about the Old Spanish Trail at the latter

Day Three: Kayaking Antelope Canyon. The land side of what is supposedly the most beautiful slot canyon is still closed, but one can kayak in (about eight miles round trip) from Lake Powell.

Day Four: Glen Canyon Dam and Hanging Gardens, a short hike with some nice views

Day Five: Horseshoe Bend and Lee’s Ferry, where I can put a toe into the Colorado River

Day Six: Page to Grand Canyon, going in the east entrance for some views I’ve never seen

Day Seven: Grand Canyon, perhaps even from sunrise to sunset depending on my level of exhaustion to this point. I will not be hiking down, at least not very far.

Day Eight: Grand Canyon to Los Angeles, another long day in the car. Thank heaven for Pandora.

I’m pretty stoked about the trip, and can’t wait to share stories and photos with you all. If you have specific recommendations for any of the above places, please comment or shoot me an email.