8 days in San Diego, Phoenix & Grand Canyon National Park Itinerary

San Diego is known for zoos & aquariums, museums, and beaches. Your trip includes some of its best attractions: admire nature's wide array of creatures at San Diego Zoo, see the interesting displays at Mingei International Museum, stroll around Sunset Cliffs Natural Park, and appreciate the history behind Cabrillo National Monument.

To find where to stay, photos, and tourist information, go to the San Diego trip planner.

Frankfurt, Germany to San Diego is an approximately 15.5-hour flight. Due to the time zone difference, you'll gain 9 hours traveling from Frankfurt to San Diego. Traveling from Frankfurt in May, expect somewhat warmer with lows of 19°C in San Diego. Wrap up your sightseeing by early afternoon on the 27th (Sat) to allow time for the flight to Phoenix.

Kick off your visit on the 27th (Sat): take in the spiritual surroundings of Mesa Temple & Visitors' Center.

For where to stay, reviews, ratings, and more tourist information, go to the Phoenix road trip site.

You can fly from San Diego to Phoenix in 3 hours. Other options are to take a bus; or drive. The time zone difference moving from Pacific Standard Time (PST) to Mountain Standard Time (MST) is 1 hour. Traveling from San Diego in May, you will find days in Phoenix are much hotter (39°C), and nights are somewhat warmer (24°C). Cap off your sightseeing on the 28th (Sun) early enough to go by car to Grand Canyon National Park.

Kick off your visit on the 29th (Mon): get great views at Grandview Point, then explore the stunning scenery at Grand Canyon South Rim, then admire the landmark architecture of Grand Canyon Railway Depot, and finally take in breathtaking views at Inner Canyon. On the next day, hike along Bright Angel Trail.

For other places to visit, photos, traveler tips, and tourist information, go to the Grand Canyon National Park road trip planning app.

Traveling by car from Phoenix to Grand Canyon National Park takes 3.5 hours. Alternatively, you can drive; or do a combination of flight and bus; or do a combination of flight, taxi, and bus. Expect colder temperatures when traveling from Phoenix in May; daily highs in Grand Canyon National Park reach 23°C and lows reach 0°C. You'll have a few hours on the 31st (Wed) to wrap things up before traveling home.