With a family across the Atlantic, Thanksgiving equals a travel weekend. I met my travel buddy Carmen in Las Vegas to embark on a road trip through Arizona and Utah. This is an adventurous and packed 4-day itinerary, discovering some of the best of America’s Wild West.

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Day 1: Grand Canyon National Park (AZ)

Our first night in Vegas was short and basic, with a more luxurious stay waiting at the end of the trip. We set out for the Grand Canyon early on Thursday morning. Part of this road takes you past the iconic Route 66. In case you wouldn’t know, you’ll be kindly reminded by the dozens of signs and themed diners along the way.

Our trip was off to a great start when we walked into Rutherford’s 66 Family Diner. We were starving when we got the heavenly question “Are you here for the free turkey dinner?”. Fifteen minutes later, we had a delicious, homestyle Thanksgiving dinner in front of us. Our Wild West road trip couldn’t have started better.

Two hours later, we were standing at the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. We had to take the signs’ word for it, as the canyon was completely covered in mist and rain. Luckily, El Tovar‘s cosy cocktail lounge was waiting to give us shelter. Next to the big windows overlooking the canyon, we could spot a hint of blue sky at first sight.

A memorable sunset was rapidly approaching when the sky eventually cleared up. We took the Hermit Road Shuttle Bus to Mohave Point, walking back along the Rim Trail to Hopi Point. The emerging sun shed the canyon in a beautiful light.

Thanks to the rainy afternoon, the crowds at Hopi Point were much smaller than usual. We toasted to this beautiful Grand Canyon sunset with aptly named beers, despite our fingers almost freezing off.

Afterwards, we found ourselves back in El Tovar’s cocktail lounge. El Tovar is a legendary hotel and restaurant that has welcomed many famous guests, from Theodore Roosevelt to Paul McCartney. Every year, the restaurant hosts a Thanksgiving dinner with no reservations and thus a bit of a wait. Both the lounge and the fine dining room are inviting and cozy, with Native American art on the wooden walls.

The biggest challenge of the day still lay ahead. Our stay for the night was a tipi in the middle of nowhere, about 30 minutes outside of the park. Not only was the sky pitch black by now, it was also freezing outside. Thanks to our Airbnb hosts, neither posed a problem. The road was well marked and the tipi stuffed with about ten sleeping bags.

Day 2: Grand Canyon, Antilope Canyon & Horseshoe Bend (AZ)

Sleeping in a tipi with freezing temperatures was not exactly comfortable, but it was a good night to be uncomfortable: it made getting up at 5 AM much easier. We didn’t want to forgo our one chance to catch sunrise over the Grand Canyon. Because of time constraints we headed to Mather Point, one of the first viewpoints after entering the park from the south. The easy access results in big crowds, even on ice-cold mornings.

After this breathtaking but freezing sunset, we were ready to hike ourselves warm. The Kaibab Rim Route Shuttle Bus dropped us off at South Kaibab Trailhead. If hiked until the Bright Angel Lodge campground, the trail rounds up to 14 miles out-and-back. We choose to hike the short but highly rewarding part to Cedar Ridge. The steep 1.5-mile descent comes with spectacular 360º views of the Grand Canyon. Be prepared to “Ooh Aah” and feel like a tiny human in this mighty landscape.

The hike to Cedar Ridge and back took around two hours. From the trailhead we returned to the visitor center and started driving east. The Desert View Drive leads to the eastern entrance of the park over a span of 22 miles, with several viewpoints along the way. The Desert View Watchtower offers a final (or first) impressive overview of this natural wonder.

We had an appointment with another geological wonder in Arizona at 2:30 PM. Ever since it gained fame as a Windows wallpaper, Antelope Canyon is no longer a hidden treasure. The canyon is divided in an upper and lower part, and can only be visited on a guided tour booked through one of these agencies. Tours sometimes sell out months in advance for holiday weekends and prime viewing times. From March to October, the sun produces spectacular light beams in the Upper Antelope Canyon around noon, which makes it the most popular time to visit.

We picked the Upper Antelope Canyon tour even though the light beams are not visible this time of year. The wavy red walls are brought to life by sunlight. Our excellent tour guide gave us a personalized photography lesson, happily switching from iPhone settings to SLR cameras. In late fall, the 2:30 PM tour would be the last slot to still enjoy decent lighting.

We were catching the sunset at Horseshoe Bend, just a 15-minute drive from Antelope Canyon. A paved 1.5-mile round-trip trail leads to an overlook of this emblematic geological formation. The viewpoint can get extremely crowded, especially at sunset. It took some patience to find a spot where pictures didn’t include multiple selfie sticks.

After two hours on pitch-black roads, we arrived at what looked like an upscale sixties motel. The best part of the Best Western East Zion Thunderbird Lodge was the onsite diner. Nothing beats burgers and beers in leggings after a day of hiking.

Day 3: Bryce & Zion National Park (UT)

We picked this hotel for its convenient location between Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park. With only one day to discover both parks, we hit the road at the break of dawn. Luckily, Mr. Quaker thought of a solution for every type of morning.

We first headed to Bryce Canyon National Park, home to the largest collection of hoodoos in the world. These carved out rock spires were left standing by erosion, creating an impressive landscape unique to this area. Sunset Point offers a first overview of the park’s hoodoos.

From Sunset Point we walked to Sunrise Point, where the popular Queen’s Garden Trail begins. This trail can be combined with the Navajo Loop Trail to end back at Sunset Point in 2.5 miles round trip. The hike brings you up close with iconic hoodoos such as Queen Victoria and Thor’s Hammer.

If you choose to hike up along the Wall Street section of Navajo Loop, a set of steep and spectacular switchbacks awaits. The narrow slot closes during the winter months, but was still open in Thanksgiving weekend.

By the time we finished hiking, tour busses were flooding the Visitor Center area. We continued by car along Bryce Point Road to Inspiration Point and Bryce Point, before exiting the park. Half a day in Bryce National Park is sufficient to see the major viewpoints and to get up close with the hoodoos on a moderate hike.

By 2 PM, Bryce’s hoodoos had made way for the impressive cliffs of Zion National Park. I was determined to hike the 8-mile out and back Observation Point Trail, a non-stop 2,300-feet climb to a stunning viewpoint of Zion Canyon. The trail starts at the Weeping Rock Trailhead, which unfortunately has been closed long-term due to rockfall. An alternative route reaches Observation Point from the East Mesa Trail.

On the way to the top, you rise above the famous Angel’s Landing Trail. Observation Point is better suited for the faint-hearted, with a path that remains four feet wide at all time. I made it to the top in an hour and a half, well in time for sunset.

Surprisingly, the way down took as long as the way up. By now the sun was setting and bathing the valley in a beautiful light, which asked for a picture around every corner. The pitch-black sky slowed me down on the second part of the hike, but the fear of wild animals kept me going at a steady pace.

During the three-hour drive that followed, we exchanged high cliffs for high rises. Three days in nature are in stark contrast with the glitz of Las Vegas. On the first night, we sticked to the inside of the Paris Hotel Las Vegas.

Day 4: Las Vegas (NV)

One day was all we had to savor Las Vegas, but we quickly realized that was more than enough for us. We started the day with bottomless mimosas in Alexxa’s, right on the strip. After brunch, we moved up one story to the Paris Hotel’s rooftop bar Beer Park. The beers are served with views of the Fountains of Bellagio.

We were easy targets for the Vegas hotel business. Almost 20 hours in Vegas and we still hadn’t left our hotel. The hotels are designed to keep you inside for days, providing everything from a variety of bars and restaurants to shops and even imitation blue skies.

Time had come to go out and explore, as neither of us was planning on returning to Vegas any time soon. We started at the south end of the strip and walked our way back up. First stop was the iconic Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Sign.

For impressive views of Las Vegas, we headed to the Foundation Room. Perched on the 63rd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel, it’s the perfect spot to take in Vegas’ neon skyline.

Dinner was served with a side of slot machines in the New York, New York. Watching people push the button over and over again throughout our meal, took away the little desire we had to try out gambling in Vegas.

We stayed in the New York atmosphere, with rooftop views and cocktails that break the bank. Just like the views, the cocktails are taken to the next level at Waldorf Astoria’s Skybar. The creative combinations are served with a splash of Vegas history.

Three states and three national parks later, we flew back to Texas. Vegas’ neon lights were hard to shake off, but it was the Wild West’s natural beauty that was truly unforgettable.

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