Page with kids: 6 fun kids' activities listed!

Are you traveling America with kids and looking for a place full of nature and adventure? If so, Page in Arizona is a stopover not to be missed. This cozy town is located on the Colorado River, close to impressive national parks such as the Grand Canyon, Zion and Bryce Canyon. It can get hot in the summer, but fortunately you can cool off at Lake Powell with plenty of water activities. The famous Antelope Canyon, Glen Dam and Horseshoe Bend are also just around the corner. In this blog, read everything you need to know for an unforgettable time in Page with kids.

Table of contents

Page with kids

#1 Visit Antelope Canyon

If you are in or near Page during your tour of America with kids, we definitely recommend booking a tour of Antelope Canyon. Antelope Canyon is a so-called “slot canyon. These are narrow, steep and deep gorges carved into sandstone.

The walls can be many meters high and the light, especially at certain times of the day, is very impressive. Near Page, you have several slot canyons to visit, including Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon, Antelope Canyon X and Secret Antelope Canyon. All of the canyons are in Navajo territory.

The most popular canyon is Upper Antelope Canyon. Not only is it easily accessible, but it is known for its beautiful rays of light entering the canyon. Upper Antelope Canyon is about 200 meters long. Lower Antelope Canyon is 400 meters long, but here you have more stairs to enter and exit the canyon. So it kind of depends on the age of your kids what you choose.

All canyons can only be visited through an organized tour. This is because the slot canyons can also pose dangers, such as flash floods (floods) during heavy rains and falling rocks. The tour operators make sure you can safely enjoy the beautiful canyons.

Note: If you want to visit one of the canyons during your tour, it is wise to book early. In fact, the tours are popular and sell out fairly quickly. In addition, the light is often most beautiful in the canyons between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m., so it is advisable to book your tour around this time period.

We chose to visit Canyon X during our tour. This one is close to the Upper and Lower Canyon and looks similar. It is a somewhat less crowded, easily accessible and slightly cheaper option. We booked this tour through Antelope Canyon X by Taadidiin Tours and paid $200 for four people.

You will receive via email the information where to sign up for the tour. This is about a 15-minute drive outside Page. From there you will be driven by a group in vans through the Navajo territory toward the entrance to the canyons. A guide will then be waiting for you there. A steep staircase/mountain will take you into the canyon and you will walk with your guide through two different gorges.

We were explained about the origin of the canyons and the guide managed to take the most beautiful pictures with our phones using special settings. In some places the gorges are very narrow and behind every bend you see different rock formations and colors.

Our kids really enjoyed this tour. They found it very adventurous to stand in the valley of the canyon for once instead of looking into it from a vantage point, and walking and climbing through the gorges they found a real adventure.

We had a tour around noon and saw beautiful rays of light falling into the canyon. So we would definitely recommend this time (despite the heat). Bring plenty of water for during the tour. Fortunately, you walk relatively cool and in the shade once you get into the canyon itself!

#2 Visit Glen Canyon Dam and Visitor Center

As described earlier, Page is located on the Colorado River. The special thing about the town of Page is that you can see not only the river, but also a huge dam and a reservoir (Lake Powell). Our daughter had just completed grade 6 during our trip, and in that class they had been taught about dams and lakes. For her, it was very impressive to be able to admire such a huge dam now in real life and up close!

It is definitely fun for kids to visit the Visitor Center at Glen Dam. In fact, here you will find all kinds of information about the formation of the canyons, the river and the construction and operation of the dam and lake. The information is provided in a variety of ways, such as through videos and games that make the topic lively for kids.

At a miniature of the dam, for example, kids could try to mimic the force of water to turn lights on or off.

In basically all of America’s national parks and national monuments, they have a Junior Ranger program. In many of the parks, you can ask about this at the Visitor Center, including the one at Glen Dam. If your kid wants to participate in the Junior Ranger program, you can ask a ranger about this.

There are activity booklets about the park or monument for each age group. They are often assignments that have to do with the various plants, animals, and so on they may encounter. A very fun way to learn a lot through play! Depending on their age, they must complete a minimum number of tasks, which are then checked by the rangers.

If the rangers give their approval, the kids will receive a wooden badge after taking the official ranger oath. Our kids really enjoyed doing this, and it became a sport to collect as many different badges as possible during our tour. At Glen Dam, kids can even get two different badges!

#3 Visit Glen Canyon and Lake Powell

The Glen Canyon Recreation Area is a vast area surrounding Page and Lake Powell. Depending on the access route you take, you can see or do different things. The distances are relatively long, so it is advisable to decide in advance from where you will visit Lake Powell and what you would like to see.

We only visited the southern part of Glen Canyon and Lake Powell during our trip, around Page. If you visit the area from Page, you have the Wahweap recreation area near the Carl Hayden Visitor Center at Glen Dam. You can take several short and long hikes here, as well as swim in Lake Powell.

If you have an America the Beautiful Pass, this gives you free access to this area. The recreation area offers parking, restrooms, showers and even barbecue facilities. From the parking lot, it is a short walk to the reservoir. Very special how the water here is bright blue, while the beach and the rocks around it turn red.

Lake Powell is known for its water sports opportunities. There are options to rent boats and jet skis or kayak in this region. Our kids loved picnicking by the lake on a hot day with a snack and a drink, and taking a refreshing dip in between. Because there are quite a few boats at a distance, higher waves are sometimes created where they can play nicely.

Please note that there are no options to buy food or drinks in the recreation area, so bring enough of your own. Are you traveling with an RV? Then you can also camp in this area. You do need to book this in advance through lakepowell.com. About a 20-minute drive from Page, you’ll find another beach where you can have fun swimming with kids, called Lone Rock Beach.

Should you wish to visit other parts around Lake Powell, you will soon be 3.5 to 5 hours away from Glen Dam. Thus, Hite and Halls Crossing are located in the northeastern part of the area and are most easily accessible via the access road at the Natural Bridges National Monument Visitor Center. Escalante and Bullfrog are located in the western part of the area.

There are boats sailing between Bullfrog and Halls Crossing, allowing you to cross. You can also take organized kayaking trips that start on the Colorado River and go into Glen Canyon. These often end up at Hite. To the southeast of Lake Powell you’ll find the Rainbow Bridge, an impressive natural arch, similar to the one you’ll find in Arches National Park.

#4 Horse Shoe Bend

Horseshoe Bend is a viewpoint over an iconic bend in the Colorado River, shaped like a horseshoe – as the name suggests. To get to this beautiful viewpoint, hike about one kilometer downhill on a gravel path. The path is easy to walk on, making it suitable for walking with smaller kids.

Given the high temperatures in the summer months, we recommend taking this hike early in the day. In fact, there is no shade along the path, so you walk in full sun. Two or three small shelters have been built on the trail where you can briefly seek shade, but since this is a popular vantage point, you’re probably not the only one who wants to “get out of the sun” for a while.

Our kids found the way back a little spicier because you have to walk the same kilometer uphill. Despite the heat, we thought the hike was well worth it: the view from this famous point is truly magnificent! For families with older kids (teens), multi-day tours are also offered from Page, where you kayak down the Colorado River, pass through Horseshoe Bend and camp near the shore.

To visit the Horseshoe Bend, you pay $10 per vehicle. You can park your car in the parking lot at the beginning of the hike. Restrooms are available in the parking lot.

#5 Monument Valley

Monument Valley is about a two-hour drive from Page. We visited Monument Valley while on our way to Page. We drove through it during our route from Moab, so it was a great opportunity to visit this iconic area. Monument Valley is located in the Navajo Indian Reservation.

The most famous thing about Monument Valley are the three big red rocks you often see in movies. You can get a closer look at these in the park itself, for which you pay admission. Monument Valley is a state park and not a national park, so your America the Beautiful Pass is not valid here.

In the park you will find a Visitor Center with a restaurant, store and museum. In addition, kids here can participate in the Junior Ranger program. This is not the official program because it is not a national park, but they still get a nice badge when they complete the tasks – this time even a gold one! In the park, you can go out in a variety of ways.

The trails here are a lot longer than in other parks, though, so less suitable with small kids, especially given the high temperatures in the summer months. A good way to explore the park is by car. A dirt road allows you to take a tour of the valley and admire the iconic rocks up close.

Even without access to the park, you can already get a good glimpse of the valley itself. Along the roads surrounding the park you will find several beautiful viewpoints. For those who have seen the movie Forrest Gump, here you will find the famous “Forrest Gump Point.

Our kids loved reenacting the scene from the movie here and running across the road with Monument Valley in the background. Fortunately, more people have this idea, so motorists usually take this into account.

Got curious? Then read the blog Monument Valley with kids.

#6 Other national parks

As described earlier, Page is conveniently located “near” several well-known national parks. Distances in America are great, so “near” quickly means a 1.5- to 2-hour drive. Such a nearby park lends itself well as the next destination during your trip through West America.

In about a two-hour drive from Page you can reach the Grand Canyon, America’s most famous canyon and well worth a visit! We visited the Grand Canyon about 12 years ago, then without kids. We found the Grand Canyon not only beautiful, but also very family-friendly. In fact, much of the park consists of easily accessible roads that you can drive by car.

You’ll drive from lookout point to lookout point, and with any luck you’ll see elk, squirrels or prairie dogs along the way. There are several hikes of varying degrees of difficulty, making it easy to tailor your visit to your family’s abilities. We stayed in a lodge in the middle of the park at the time, where as soon as you stepped out of your log cabin, you were at the edge of the canyon – very cool! In the process, you can spot real condors in the Grand Canyon.

One of our favorite parks is Zion National Park in Utah, about a 1-hour and 45-minute drive from Page. We visited Zion twice now: once with and once without kids. Both times we loved it.

We loved the combination of a canyon, red rocks, lots of greenery and water. There are several family-friendly hikes and you can bike through the canyon. As far as we are concerned, a park that you absolutely should not skip during your trip!

Close to Zion National Park you will find Bryce Canyon, about a 2.5-hour drive from Page. As actually all parks in America are totally different, Bryce Canyon will definitely amaze you and is definitely worth a visit! Curious about tips and tricks for a top stay in and around Bryce Canyon? Then read the blog Bryce Canyon with kids.

Family-friendly hotel Page

You can stay in Page with kids just fine. Below we list some of the top rated family-friendly accommodations in Page.

Budget accommodation: Red Rock Motel and Dam Motel

Mid-range accommodations: Sleep Inn & Suites Page at Lake Powell

Luxury Accommodation: Sapphire Lake House* Boat Parking for 2 + Backyard

Also, check out the entire list of family-friendly accommodations in Page.

Tips Page with kids

Family-friendly restaurant Page

In Page, we visited the most family-friendly restaurant we encountered during our vacation: the Gone West Family Restaurant. It is a cozy family restaurant with an extensive menu, super-friendly staff and a good children’s menu. On some nights, a live band also plays.

What really made the restaurant a hit with our kids was that the staff regularly stopped by and surprised the kids with cool magic tricks and cool toys. This was even adapted to the kids’ ages. So our kids got to work with mega-sized magnets and dirigible dinosaurs.

So before and after dinner there were plenty of fun distractions, but in such a way that as a parent you could continue to eat in peace. The toys rotated between the different tables so there was always something new to play with.

Best Travel Time Page

You can visit Page with kids year-round. However, due to the desert landscape, it can be very cold, freezing and sometimes even snowing during the winter months. In the summer months, the temperature rises considerably and often exceeds 30 degrees in June, July and August.

Rain is rare, so chances are slim that you will have a rainy day during your stay in Page. The months when temperatures are most pleasant for activities are April/May and September/October.

We visited Page in July. It averaged 37 degrees at the time, so it was well warm. It is advisable to set out early during this time and take a refreshing dip in the pool of your hotel or a water activity in Lake Powell in the afternoon.

It is also important to bring plenty of water, sunscreen and a hat, as UV radiation is high. Despite the heat, we found it manageable with proper preparation.

Transportation to and in Page

For most families, Page is one of the stopovers on a tour of America. The nearest larger airports are Las Vegas in Nevada and Salt Lake City in Utah. Las Vegas airport is about a four-hour drive from Page, and Salt Lake City airport is nearly six hours away.

A tip is to book your plane tickets on time, as they are often cheaper then. Through skyscanner.com or kiwi.com, you can easily find the best flights for your family.

At Las Vegas and Salt Lake City airports you can rent a car, for example through Sunny Cars. Since distances in America are great (even within cities), renting a car is definitely recommended.

America the Beautiful Pass

To visit national parks in America, you must pay entrance fees. If you are traveling around America and want to visit multiple parks, it is beneficial to purchase an “America the Beautiful” pass. It costs $80 and gives access to all national parks (not state parks).

The pass is valid for one year. You can buy it online and have it sent to the Netherlands, but we found it more convenient to purchase the pass at the entrance to the first national park we visited. (You can buy the pass at any national park.)