LA to Grand Canyon to Scottsdale to Palm Desert in 8 days?

[GoingNowhere]

(meant to say "in 7 days") Planning a road trip for week with 2 adults and 3 kids (10, 12 and 4) and not sure if this is too much traveling:

Day 1: Leave from Los Angeles (really Rancho Cucamonga) to Kingman, AZ, spend night (about 4 hour drive)
Day 2: Drive to Grand Canyon spend day, ride rental bikes and then sleep in Flagstaff (about 3 hour drive in morning and 1.5 hour drive in late afternoon)
Day 3: Tour Sedona, walking one of the trails and then sleep in Scottsdale (estimating 3 hour drive, when including driving around Sedona)
Day 4-5: Stay in Scottsdale and relax around pool, maybe visiting Taliesin West and/or local driving range and I am sure they will want to watch the new Harry Potter movie :)
Day 6: Drive to Palm Desert (4 hour drive), going on the tramway and spend night or spend extra night in Scottsdale
Day 7: Drive back to to LA

Is that too much with the kids? I want to give the kids time in the evening to enjoy the pools at each of the hotels. Two of the kids have never traveled (older kids are our niece and nephew), so I am somewhat worried about the "daily" driving. The 4 year old should actually be okay. Niece and nephew should be okay with the heat in Scottsdale as they live in the Inland Empire (hot area of southern CA).

Any thoughts or changes to schedule would be appreciated. First time planning a trip of sorts, but did many of these types of trips as a kid.

[Lifemagician]

Hi, and Welcome to the RTA Forums.

If you are getting those times from a computer program, you need to understand that you have to add about 20% to those times. You see, computer programs assume that you are travelling at the stated speed limit, and that you never slow down for traffic congestion or road construction. Furthermore, computer maps do not need to fuel up, eat, visit the bathroom and never stop to take a photo or admire any point of interest. And travelling with children, I would add a bit more. Each stop just takes that bit longer to gather the tribe and get them all belted up in their seats.

Taking this into consideration you look like having precious little time to enjoy some of the major attractions on your schedule.

Lifey

[Utahtea]

Hi GoingNowhere,

Lifey addressed the driving times and I'd like to address the amount of time you will be changing lodging which looks like it could be up to 4 of the 6 nights you are on the road. Think about the time spent packing and unpacking suit cases and the vehicle to go in & out of the motel for the 5 of you.

I think I'd bite the bullet and just make it from Rancho Cucamonga to either Williams, AZ or the South Rim if you can get lodging there and spend two nights so you can have one full day at the canyon and eliminate one of the lodging stops.

Utahtea