Most people may not recognize Page, Arizona by name alone, but they will recognize some of its most well-known and photographed sites. Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon, and Lake Powell to name a few. However, there are so many things to do in Lake Powell and Page, Arizona you could fill a long weekend if not a week in this corner of Arizona on the border of Utah.
Whether you are doing a large road trip across the American Southwest or just visiting a few national parks in the Arizona area, Page needs to be on your list. After reading this travel guide to Page and Lake Powell you will understand why you won’t want to leave yourself too little time to explore.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post in partnership/collaboration with Hyatt Place Page Lake Powell and tour company Dixie’s Lower Antelope Canyon Tours. All opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links. This means that if you make a purchase or booking, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.Travels of Sarah Fay is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to amazon.com and affiliated sites at no cost to you.
Where is Page, Arizona?
Page is located on the border of Arizona and Utah, and the main town that people visit when they come to Lake Powell. The history of Page, Arizona is pretty recent. It began in 1957 after Congress decided to put a dam in the Colorado River Canyon. It started as a housing development for those building the Glen Canyon Dam and has entered a new era as an adventure hub in the area.
Page is adjacent to the Navajo Nation and overlooks Lake Powell in North Central Arizona. If you are driving from Las Vegas or Phoenix it will take you 5 hours. Page is a great point to stop if you are going from the Grand Canyon National Park to Zion National Park.
Where to stay in Page, Arizona?
Page, Arizona has only a population of 7,531, but they have a lot of choices for accommodations in the Lake Powell region. I stayed at the Hyatt Place Page Lake Powell and would highly recommend this for your stay in Page. This hotel offers more of an experience than most in the area with a full-service restaurant, bar, Starbucks, and a great terrace with a pool overlooking the dam and Lake Powell in the distance it doesn’t get much better than this.
Not only that the hotel had adventure partners offering excursions that left-right from the Hyatt Place Page Lake Powell. The hotel works with Experience Adventure Rides, Big Orange Jeep Tours, and Monumental Meditation. I got a paddleboard delivered to the front desk by Big Orange Jeep Tours and they lead me in the right direction on where to get the best views on Lake Powell.
After exploring each day it was refreshing to take a dip in the pool (especially at Sunset).
The Room
One thing I love in a suite is light and space, the Hyatt Place overlooks Lake Powell and the Glen Canyon Dam. If you are lucky like me and get a room with a view, it will make it hard to leave the comfy bed while staring out the window.
There was also a great desk, an L-shaped couch, and a huge bathroom. Every morning I could count on the coffee maker in the room or head downstairs for the breakfast and bar area that made craft coffee drinks.
Things to do in Lake Powell
Jet skiing, stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, or renting a boat on Lake Powell are just a few of the many activities you can do on Lake Powell. At first, I didn’t know where to start with all of the activities offered, however, I wanted to challenge myself to SUP to Antelope Canyon. While there is a tour that goes to Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon by land, I wanted to challenge myself to get there by the water. The first was procuring a paddleboard.
SUP or Kayak to Antelope Canyon
I received a rental from Big Orange Jeep Tours and headed out on the lake. There are a few places you can take out a paddleboard for a good time in Lake Powell. Big Orange Jeep tours sent out a representative that delivered the boards and pumps to the front desk of the Hyatt Place Page Lake Powell and I was off exploring what Lake Powell had to offer.
The first stop was just over the border in Utah at Lone Rock Beach on Lake Powell. This is part of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. To get to Lone Rock Beach requires a 4×4 or a mile walk from the parking lot for 2 wheel drive vehicles.
After checking out the scenery here, I suggest heading to Antelope Point Marina for more of a challenge. Don’t make my mistake and think you will paddle to Antelope Canyon in 2 hours. Make sure to carve out a good 5 hours of paddleboarding, or kayaking because after you reach the Antelope Slot Canyon you will have to paddle and then park your vessel to hike in a bit further to see the waves of the Antelope Canyon. The best part of working up a sweat paddleboarding is that you could always jump off the board to cool off and swim in Lake Powell.
Eat Lunch at Antelope Point Marina – The World’s Largest Floating Restaurant
Jadi To Ho Restaurant is a full-service dining restaurant located right at Antelope Point. Dine as you watch houseboats that dwarf your apartment back home cruise by on Lake Powell. The menu offers your standard sandwiches, burgers, pizzas, and seems to be where boaters and tourists alike enjoy the views as they sip something cool. Hour: 11:00 am – 8:00 pm .
Watch Sunrise on Lake Shore Drive and Explore Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
If you happen to wake up early to catch a sunrise, one of the best ways of experiencing Lake Powell is seeing it wake up as you take the Lake Shore Scenic Drive in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. There are quite a few overlooks as you enter the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area as you head towards the Wahweap Marina.
Rent A Houseboat On Lake Powell or find any Lake Powell Boat Rentals
There are many ways to enjoy the Lake even if you stay nearby on land as I did at Hyatt Place. However, a unique way to spend some time and explore more of Lake Powell’s 2,000 miles of shoreline. Houseboats are reserved in advance because they are so popular and come in all sizes. There are even deluxe-houseboats that offer a 5-star experience.
Things to do in Page, Arizona
Lower Antelope Canyon with Lower Antelope Canyon Tours
When I originally thought of visiting Antelope Canyon, I did not realize there were TWO different tours. One tour is for the Upper Antelope Canyon, and the other is for the Lower Antelope Canyon. While the Upper Antelope Canyon is beautiful as well, the Lower Antelope Canyon is where some of your screens save photos come from. The tour was less crowded and the walk is longer through the Canyon, which means more bang for your buck.
I went to the Lower Antelope Canyon with Dixie’s Lower Antelope Canyon Tours day tour called Tį́’ Lets Cruise Tour. The tour was amazing because it brought me to three places without having to worry about the logistics. It started early in the morning and allowed us to be some of the first to experience Lower Antelope Canyon. Then, we headed to Navajo National Monument where you can visit Cliff Dwellings. After you get in a little hike, we headed to check out Monument Valley. The best thing about this tour was learning more about the history of the land and people that call the Navajo Nation home. We weren’t just seeing an instagrammable spot, we were learning more than I ever was taught about the Navajo, from the Navajo themselves.
The funny thing about Monument Valley was that I did not realize truly how monumental it was. I ALWAYS see people just take a photo at the famous Forest Gump spot. However, there were many movies filmed here, picturesque vistas, and our guides pointed out some beautiful spots. They were not only cultural guides but also photo guides in my opinion. We also got lunch at Monument Valley at Goulding’s Lodge. This is the perfect spot to try the custom Navajo Tacos.
Horseshoe Bend For Sunset or Sunrise
Some spots you see on social media don’t live up to the hype, but after spending a full day exploring the Navajo Nation and visiting some amazing sites. I was not sure I could muster up the energy to hike to see Horseshoe Bend, but after taking a dip at the hotel and grabbing some coffee. Horseshoe Bend is about a 1.5-mile hike out and back trail. The path is very clear, and accessible for those that may not be used to hiking.
Tour Glen Canyon Dam
The whole reason why Lake Powell is a place to visit is because of the creation of the Glen Canyon Dam in 1963. Check if they have reopened tours of the dam, but the tours usually would run at 45 minutes long and are free.
Check Out the Balloon Regatta In November
The Balloon Regatta happens every November and this year will occur from Nov 4 – Nov 7, 2021. Honestly, if you can get up in the sky on a hot air balloon once in your life that is an experience you must have. Also, the perspective it must give to be surrounded by balloons as well as seeing Lake Powell and the surrounding landscape would be out of this world.
Things to do around Page, Arizona
If you have more time to visit then visit the Bureau of Land Management at the Vermillion Cliffs National Monument, or head off down the Colorado River with a rafting company for some added adventure.
Vermilion Cliffs National Monument
The Vermilion Cliffs National Monument spans 280,000 acres and is known for the swirly waves in the rock. It is probably most famous because of “The Wave”. Whether you are driving past the 3,000-foot tall cliffs or visiting more slot canyons, this region is very much the outback of the United States and a paradise for adventure lovers.
One of the best ways to see this area is through off-roading with Epic Adventure Rides in a UTV or heading out to some epic viewpoints with Big Orange Jeep Tours.
Raft Down The Colorado River
Many outfitters leave from Page, Arizona for rafting trips down the Colorado River. There are multi-day tours that last from a few days to up to 10- 14 days. There are rafting tours for all levels, but I am sure it will be a challenging experience.
Restaurants Page Arizona
While I did not get to dine at many restaurants in town because the Hyatt Place Page Lake Powell had a great breakfast included and a restaurant on site. I tried some Texas BBQ at Big John’s BBQ. This spot had great food, entertainment with live bands, and an outdoor terrace.
BirdHouse is also very popular in town for the chicken! It was pretty close to the Hyatt Place Page Lake Powell. Get the Chicken Sandwich and your tastebuds will be blown away.
At Hyatt Place, you can dine with a view. I got tortellini with pesto with brussel sprouts, cheesecake, and tres leches cake. Everything including the hot breakfast buffet tasted wonderful.
Weather in Page Arizona
The best time to visit Page, Arizona is in the spring and fall. The summer is also fine if you are okay with temperatures that reach 100 Fahrenheit, however, the temperatures for hiking and other activities are best in the Spring and Fall.
If you come during monsoon season, you need to be aware of flash floods, and not do certain activities if there are a lot of stormy clouds. Slot canyons can be dangerous during flash floods.
This is NOT a Goodbye but I Will See You Again Page, Arizona!
Many people come to visit Page, Arizona for a day, but I suggest you stay at least 2 nights. There are so many things to do in Page, Arizona, and Lake Powell. There are so many adventures hiking, kayaking, SUP, swimming in Lake Powell, and just chilling by a pool if you have a sweet hotel like the Hyatt Place Page Lake Powell. I was so surprised by the beauty of this corner of Arizona and how something so inspiring like Lake Powell was created in nature by something man-made. I hope this guide and my experience in Lake Powell and Page help you in planning your itinerary. Anything I missed? Please let me know in the comments what you would add.
