The Ultimate Budget Friendly Guide to Lake Powell from Page, AZ

In our humble opinion, Lake Powell is easily one of the most beautiful places on Earth. Our family loves boating and is fortunate to live just a few hours away, so we have been many times over the years. There are a ton of things to do at Lake Powell, from hiking slot canyons to endless amounts of water sports fun.

And we’ve experienced it in a variety of ways – with kids, without kids, on a houseboat with a large group, staying at a hotel in Page, tent camping, and even a day trip without a boat. There’s no wrong way to visit Lake Powell as long as you just go at least once! It really has so much to offer so it’s the perfect destination for an adventure with the family. Here are some tips for a budget-friendly trip to Lake Powell, including where to stay and what to do.

If you’ve never been to Lake Powell, move it to the top of your Utah bucket list right now!

Where is Lake Powell?

A Southwest gem, Lake Powell is situated at the Utah/Arizona border and spans 185 miles long with over 2,000 miles of shoreline, thanks to its many fingers and slot canyons. From sandstone cliffs to quiet bays to arguably the best sandy beaches in the West, Lake Powell has something to offer everyone.

When is the best time to visit Lake Powell?

From May-October. The water is warmest from July to September with air temperatures averaging around 90 degrees and water temperatures around 78 degrees. The busiest months are June, July and August. September is ideal because the crowds are gone, it’s still hot, the water is still warm, and the hotels are cheaper.

For the best deals, May, September and October are a bit slower and you can find cheaper rates on everything from houseboats to motorboats to hotels and airbnbs. The days are also longer during the summer months which make for beautiful desert sunsets. November through April is too cold to get in the water but still worth visiting if you just want to see it and do some of the hikes in the area.

Places to stay in Lake Powell

1. Most Unique Experience: Lake Powell Houseboat Rentals

If you want to take in Lake Powell’s adventurous wild, wild west feel, see gorgeous stars, experience remote canyons and have calm water for water sports– then you must add a houseboat to your bucket list. Perfect for large groups and families, you can stay in a boat on the water for between $2,000-$6,000 per week.If you want a more budget-friendly option, go to Craigslist and buy in on a boat share or reserve older boats. Here is a good houseboat deal as an example: $2000 per week for a houseboat out of Wahweap Marina.

Things to consider:

• Houseboating is a lot like glamping. You will need to pack food, plan all of your meals ahead of time and be stocked with first aid and other necessities such as toiletries, extra gasoline, etc.
• Unless you hire a houseboat captain to pilot your boat, you will need to take a houseboat course and be prepared with plenty of strong hands to help you anchor your houseboat.
• If you want to houseboat, plan your trip at least 6 months in advance because they get completely booked out well in advance.

Reserve Lake Powell houseboat rentals here: Lake Powell Houseboats

2. Best Amenities: Hotel or Motel in Page AZ

Page, AZ offers a variety of hotels and lodging options for great prices. From Lake Powell Resort to the Best Western, it is hard not to find a family-friendly hotel for usually less than $200 per night. If you stay in Page, there are actually a ton of things to do at Lake Powell off the water that are a lot of fun to explore. Keep reading to find out what they are!

We recommend the Courtyard Marriott for the clean rooms, on-site amenities, lake views, proximity to stores and for its southwest feel. The best option for young kids is a hotel because you’re not sleeping on the water where most accidents with young kids happen. Plus, who doesn’t love a nice dip in the hot tub after a long day on the water or a workout room to start the day? It also sits on a golf course, so it feels a bit more luxurious than most of the motels in town.

3. Book a unique VRBO or Airbnb in Page, AZ

If you have a larger crowd, consider these awesome and affordable properties in Page, AZ. You can split costs between parties making it for a budget friendly experience. You can find entire homes from $159 per night.

There are also some awesome glamping experiences if you want to have the ultimate southwest getaway. This one below is $310 per night which is a little more pricey but still cheaper than a houseboat.

4. Most Affordable: Camping at Lake Powell

Camping at LAke Powell is offered at Wahweap Campground on the Utah/Arizona border. It is $30 per night for a tent and you can bring a camper or RV for $88 per night. This campground has a general store, RV hookups, coin operated laundry, free wi-fi, picnic tables and fire pits. The best part is it is only 1/4 mile from the shore of Lake Powell so it’s a great beach camping experience. You can also pull up your RV or camper to Lone Rock Beach and camp right on the beach. Bathrooms are available on site.

If you have a boat, you can always haul a tent to a secluded beach anywhere in the many fingers of Lake Powell. However, plan on hot nights in the summer if you camp in a tent.

Best Things to Do in Lake Powell

1. Houseboat

If you’re seeking for luxury meets adventure, look no further than renting or buying into a share on a houseboat. Most houseboats come with water slides and decks for stargazing so just find your private beach in a secluded canyon and you will have the experience of a lifetime.

2. Water Sports

Grab a motorboat or sea doo and hit the water. There are some priceless water experiences if you go at the right time of day or find the right spot. Take on the open water with wake surfing, jet skiing, tubing, or seek out the calmer canyons for waterskiing, wakeboarding, or kneeboarding. It goes without saying that these are the best things to do at Lake Powell and the main reason why people go. Try your hand at one of these water sports next to huge red rock cliffs for an unforgettable experience.

For budget-friendly motor boat rentals per day, go here For top of the line motor boat rentals, go here

Best places to boat in Lake Powell:

• Wahweap bay
• Padre Bay
• Antelope canyon
• Labyrinth Bay
• Warmcreek Bay
• Gunsight Bay
• Last Chance Bay

3. Paddleboarding and Kayaking

If water sports aren’t your thing, there are still plenty of things to do at Lake Powell. For a calmer water experience, consider renting or bringing a paddleboard or kayak. Nothing offers tranquility like quietly exploring desert canyons with only the sound of light waves against sheer red rock cliffs. This is also the option that offers the best accessibility to see places motor boats can’t fit.

Best Places to Paddleboard or Kayak

• Antelope Canyon – launch from Antelope Point Marina-BEST PLACE
• Lone Rock Beach – launch right at the beach
• Cathedral canyon – requires boat to take you there
• Cascade canyon – requires boat to take you there
• Escalante arm – requires boat to take you there
• Padre Bay – requires boat to take you there
• Rainbow Bridge Canyon – requires boat to take you there
• Wahweap Bay – launch from Wahweap Marina

Budget tip: We recommend transporting inflatable paddleboards or kayaks from rental place such as JJ’s Paddleboards. It is cheaper for the week than buying or renting one in Lake Powell.

4. Hiking

With over 2,000 miles of shoreline, there are limitless possibilities to hike from the shore. Just be smart and safe because there are no marked trails. And with water levels constantly changing, you never know what treasures you might find. One of the most popular ways to hike is to boat, paddle, or swim as far as you can go down one of the slot canyons and then hike the rest of the way. Just beware of flash floods and remember, most places in Lake Powell are out of the range of cell phone towers, which means emergencies can be fatal. But the best part is just feeling like you’re exploring something untouched! Or check out this list of popular slot canyons to hike.

5. Rainbow Bridge National Monument

This natural sandstone arch is one of the largest in the world and is a sacred place for the Navajo Nation and other Native American tribes nearby. It’s only accessible by boat but there are tours if you don’t want to make the trek on your own. From Wahweap or Antelope Point, head north. From Bullfrog, head south. Once you arrive at Forbidding Canyon, head about two miles into the canyon until you arrive at a dock where you can park the boat while you hike. From there, it’s another 2 mile hike to the arch (but again, with water levels changing, the hike may be longer).

6. Stargazing

If you get far enough away from Page there is little to no light pollution, the stargazing is out of this world (excuse the lame pun)! It’s hard to beat staring up at the sky and seeing the Milky Way with the naked eye in a place like Lake Powell. While all of Lake Powell is not officially a dark sky park, Rainbow Bridge was designated as a Dark Sky Place in 2018. The views throughout Lake Powell are hard to beat, though.

7. Horsehoe Bend

You’ve probably seen pictures of this famous attraction on social media as it’s skyrocketed in popularity in recent years. But for good reason! Horseshoe Bend gives you a unique view of the Colorado River with the towering cliffs it has carved over millennia. And it’s only about a 5-minute drive from the Courtyard hotel we mentioned earlier. Parking costs $10 and you need to a walk along a relatively flat, paved trail for about 3/4 of a mile to see it.

For the best pictures, you’ll want to go at sunset. It can get crowded though, so wake up early and go at sunrise instead if you want to avoid the crowds. Be careful with small kids though and hold them close – there is a small area with a fence protecting you for the overlook, but most of it us completely unprotected. One wrong step and your dream vacation one would end very tragically.

8. Glen Canyon Dam -FREE ADMISSION

At 710 feet tall, Glen Canyon Dam is the second-highest concrete arch dam in the United States, second only to the famous Hoover Dam outside Las Vegas by a mere 16 feet. You get a good view of the dam as you drive across the bridge into Page. It’s amazing to see the lake on one side and the river hundreds of feet below on the other. You can also take a tour, if you’re interested in a Clark Griswold-esque experience.

8. Antelope Canyon

This is quite possibly the most famous slot canyon in the world and it sits just a few minutes outside of Page. It’s actually on the way to Antelope Point Marina. The only way to hike through it is to pay for a tour. Unfortunately, there isn’t really a budget-friendly option here, as it costs up to $85 per person. If this is on your bucket list, you’ll have to pay up!

The one alternative we’d suggest instead is paddleboarding or kayaking the canyon like we mentioned earlier, then hiking it in reverse. You won’t be able to see the same parts as you would on the tour, and you’ll get quite a workout doing it this way, but at least you can still experience the wonder of the world-famous Antelope Canyon. It’s one of the coolest things you can do in Page Arizona.

Tip: If you have extra time and want to experience a budget friendly slot canyon an hour from Lake Powell, consider visiting Peekaboo Canyon in Kanab, Utah for more adventure.

At first glance, Lake Powell can be a pricey family getaway. But you don’t have to go all out on a luxury houseboat and top-of-the-line motor boats to enjoy your time there. There are lots of ways to make it a more budget-friendly but still bucket list-worthy adventure. Lake Powell just might be heaven on Earth, so we hope this guide helps you plan a trip to see it for yourselves!

XOXO

Brittany

Our family is on a mission to experience the best our home state of Utah has to offer and help other families find affordable, kid-friendly adventures in the process. You can follow us on Instagram @theminivanbucketlist or download our free printable The Ultimate Family-Friendly Utah Bucket List with the top 100 things to do in Utah, both kid-friendly and more adventurous.