Discover Your Complete Weekend Itinerary for Page, Arizona
Where you should go, what you should see, and where you should eat if you only have a weekend to explore Page!
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📍- Page, Arizona
The city of Page is a small town on the northern edge of Arizona known for its canyon vistas, breathtaking overlooks, and iconic rock formations. It’s one of those places that is so densely packed with breathtaking landscapes that even the view from the Walmart parking lot will make your jaw drop in awe.
There is so much to do in Page, Arizona that there is no way you’ll be able to experience it all in just one weekend. Still, sometimes that’s all you have to work with, and some time in Page is better than no time in Page. We spent 10 days in this charming little area and discovered the best things to do there in the process.
So, if you’ll be passing through Page and only have a weekend to explore it, read on to discover your complete weekend itinerary for Page, Arizona. It’s packed with only the activities that are worth your precious time.
Friday
Dinner at BirdHouse
If you’re coming into Page for the weekend, you’ll likely stumble into town around dinner in need of some grub. We were in that same hungry boat when we found BirdHouse. It’s one of the most highly rated restaurants in town and is known for its juicy fried chicken which packs a flavor punch with every bite. Their fast service and casual atmosphere make it the perfect place to sip a local beer and quiet your growling mid-section after your drive. You can go for a classic chicken recipe, or you can opt for spicy, honey butter, or a zesty concoction that they call “The Eddie Special”. We went with the spicy option and thought it was the best fried chicken we had since Willie Mae’s Scotch House which we tried during our Mardi Gras adventure in New Orleans!
We can wholeheartedly testify that their chicken sandwiches, mac n’ cheese, french fries, and signature sauce are all off the chicken chain! They’re open every day until 9 pm, so be sure to call in your order before they close the doors for the night.
Sunset at Horseshoe Bend
Odds are that you are aware that Page, Arizona is home to the now-famous landmark, Horseshoe Bend. This bending canyon ridge is one of the most recognizable locations in Utah with some people driving across the country for a chance to see it in person. While the sheer size of the formation is enough to give you heart palpitations at any time of day, the best time to photograph this majestic beauty is during sunset.
Depending on how much time you have, we recommend getting there an hour and a half before sunset to ensure that there is enough room in the parking lot, and to get a good spot for the light show before the crowds block your view. It’s currently $10 a car to enter the parking area, and it is only a 1.5-mile round-trip, fairly easy hike. You’ll likely be sharing the path with many other excited tourists along the way, but try to let them add to your anticipation instead of detracting from it.
Once you get down to the overlook, enjoy the grandeur of this river-carved beauty. Also, please remember to take photos with caution as there is no guardrail on the majority of the overlook. Although it may be hard to comprehend the size of the bend, the Colorado River is 1,000 feet below you. Careless selfie-takers fatally slip every year, so try your darndest to not be one of them.
Here I am with my faithful pup, Charlie. We got pretty close to the edge for this one, but I was definitely careful to keep my footing!
Horseshoe Bend right before sunset
My husband, Drew, enjoying the view from a different perspective
Saturday
Hike Toadstool Hoodoos
Now that you experienced one of the most famous hikes that Page has to offer, why not venture off the well-worn path for something a bit more secluded. The Toadstool Hoodoos Trailhead is a 20-minute drive from Page and is actually located within the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument of Utah. Although much less visited than Horseshoe Bend, its mushroom-shaped hoodoos at the end of the trail make it a fun hike that is beloved by locals and is beginning to increase in popularity.
If you are looking for some seclusion on this trail, opt for an early morning hike. During our trip to Page, we were on the trail by 7 am and had it completely to ourselves as we walked to the moonscape of hoodoos that awaited us. We even had about an hour to take photos before anybody else started showing up!
This hike is free but it does have a relatively small parking area. It has both sandy and rocky stretches, making a reliable pair of hiking boots a good idea. There is also little to no shade along the hike, so be sure to pack plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated.
While there are plenty of picture-taking opportunities on this hike, try not to touch or climb on the toadstool formations. They are just as fragile as they look!
Toadstools through a window
One of the biggest hoodoos at the end of the trail
Cool off at Lake Powell
You likely worked up a sweat during your hike and are in need of some refreshment. Lake Powell, a man-made reservoir within the Glen Canyon Recreation area is perfect for this job. There are several places where you can swim at Lake Powell, the most popular being Wahweap Beach and Lone Rock Beach. The $30 a car day pass fee is waived for anybody who has a valid National Park Pass, a yearly pass that we recommend for EVERYONE who is going to be visiting more than one national recreation area per year.
I’m not one to tell you how to spend your time at the beach, but we do recommend packing a sandwich and enjoying a few drinks with some non-peace-disturbing music around the water. Just be sure to check the water level here before arriving, as this area is prone to extended periods of severe drought and can leave the shores of some of these beaches with no water at all! During our time in Page, during May of 2022, the water was so low that Lone Rock Beach was completely dry!
Several marinas along the water will also rent out kayaks and paddleboards if that is more your style, but since we didn’t opt for this activity, we can’t personally recommend any of these companies over the others.
While we did enjoy some great fires at Lone Rock, you can see by this photo that there’s no water down by the beach!
Dinner at Big John’s Texas BBQ
Nothing compliments a day of hiking and outdoor exploration like some good old-fashioned barbeque. Not to knock on Arizona at all, but I wasn’t exactly expecting to find some quality smoked meats in the state. You know what, though? I’ll take it where I can get it.
Big John’s Texas BBQ is THE place to go if you have a hankering for some cowboy cuisine during your stay in Page. This restaurant runs out of an old gas station, giving it a quirky and unique feel. It’s casual, funky, always packed, and has a rotating list of country musicians who perform on their outdoor stage. Their brisket sandwiches and their pork ribs are the stars of the menu, accompanied by some killer cornbread muffins that left me feeling full and satisfied.
After having previously tasted what is arguably the best brisket in the country at Franklin Barbecue while Exploring Austin, Texas, I was sure that all other barbecues would be completely ruined for me. Still, Big John’s held its own.
Sunday
Tour Antelope Canyon
Antelope Canyon is another one of those places whose beauty has made it globally recognizable. This delicate slot canyon is known for its soft, windswept walls, and orange Navajo sandstone that glows a brilliant shade of ember when the light hits it. If you want to tour Antelope Canyon, it's important that you have a reservation to do so. Because the canyon is located on Navajo land, you can only tour the canyon with a Navajo tribe member as a guide, and the demand for these tours means they usually sell out in advance.
You’ll also have to decide which area of the canyon you would like to tour. Upper Antelope Canyon is famous for its inverted V shape, giving it light beams that catch the falling sand as they shine into the canyon. It’s also the more expensive option and is truly the most magical when the sun is highest in the sky, which is around 11 am. Lower Antelope Canyon is longer and is shaped like a V. This allows it to let in more light and is generally considered a more “selfie-friendly” canyon because of it. If you have your heart set on touring Antelope Canyon but missed your window for booking a tour, consider touring Canyon X, a lesser-known section of Antelope Canyon that is much easier to get tickets for.
We were lucky enough to snag the last two available spots for an Upper Antelope Canyon Tour with Adventurous Antelope Canyon Tours, a company I definitely recommend using. Our tour guide, Mackenzie, was informative and took the time to answer questions and take photographs of everyone in the group. We also took this tour when the company was still recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic, and they were still only operating at 75% capacity. We had just about an hour in the canyon and didn’t feel rushed at all during our trip, but I have heard rumors that the typical experienced isn’t as relaxed as the one we got. We certainly got lucky, but I hope that you do as well!
As you can tell, the colors in this canyon are nothing short of spectacular.
Me, peering around a corner while also trying not to get sand in my eyes
Explore the Glen Canyon Dam
If time permits, don’t leave Page before exploring the Glen Canyon Dam. This rust-colored, man-made beauty was built in 1966 to provide energy to the city of Page by tapping into the power of the Colorado River. It’s also the second biggest dam in the United States, dwarfed only by the Hoover Dam in Nevada.
There are several ways that you can see the Glen Canyon Dam, the easiest and cheapest is to simply walk across its steel arch bridge. The Glen Canyon Dam Bridge, which spans a 1,000-foot gap over the Colorado River, has two walkways on either side of the active road which give you great views of the water, the canyon walls, and, of course, the dam. Although not a natural feature of Page, this dam is still noteworthy for putting this small town on the map and allowing a city to form through its power supply. It’s also a tremendous accomplishment and is a beautiful structure all the same.
Because we had our dog with us, we only walked across the bridge, but you also have the opportunity to go into the Carl Hayden Visitor Center which has exhibits about historic water use and recreation. At the very least, go view the fossilized dinosaur footprints which are on display outside the center.
I never thought I would be a fan of dams, but after seeing this one, I cant wait to see the Hoover Dam in person!
Can you believe it’s the end of your weekend in Page already? We hope you enjoyed your stay here as much as we did. If you happen to not be interested in any of the activities we have listed above, try out some of these alternatives! Follow your bliss, fam, even if it leads you in different directions than us.
Alternative Itinerary Options:
Rainbow Bridge National Monument- This natural arch requires an hour boat ride from Page to view.
The New Wave - A unique rock formation off a dirt road in Page which shows similarity to “The Wave” in Kanab, Utah.
Buckskin Gulch - A moderate but long hike about 45 minutes from Page. It is known for its slot canyon, and could be an alternative to Antelope Canyon if you don’t want a guided tour but still have your heart set on seeing a slot canyon.
Dinner at Sunset 89 - We never made it out to this restaurant because it was always a bit too windy for their outdoor seating, but this place has the best table views in town! As the name suggests, time your dinner over sunset to see glowing views of the surrounding canyons.
Do you have plans to visit Page in the future? Maybe you’ve already visited the town and have some amazing places to share that I may have missed. Be sure to comment down below so that we can inspire future travelers together!
Thank you for joining us at Discovery Detour, where the destination is always unknown.
