If there is a place to not miss if you drive by Page, it's Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend. Both splendid! And to make things even better, they are both very close to each other, making both visits doable one after another in one morning or one afternoon easily.
There are two "Antelope Canyons", the Lower and the Upper. The canyons are both located close to one another and are on Navajo land. I have read that they are quite different from one another, but I don't know if it is worth visiting both. Fees are pretty pricy! Almost $30 per person if I remember well, for a tour that last approximately 30 minutes. Add to that the $6 fee for a standard permit required to enter Navajo territory. There is no reservation required, you show up, write your name down on the list and a Navajo guide takes groups one at a time.
We visited Lower Antelope Canyon, which is narrower to climb into than the Upper. From pictures I have seen, the Upper Canyon is at ground level, seems to be flat and the canyon walls are wider. The hike is much easier. In the Lower canyon, you will have to climb steep metal stairways up and down to make your way through it.
For optimum lighting conditions, it is better to visit the canyons on a bright cloudless day between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. when the sun is overhead. We were lucky to be there in April, which also seems to be one of the best time of the year for good lighting and weather conditions. The canyon can be flooded after it rained... It has been closed for weeks at a time in the past. And it is particularly prone to flash floods. Even when rain falls miles upstream from the Antelope Canyon slots, water can funnel into them with little prior notice. In 1997 a terrible flash flood killed 11 tourists including 7 from France. The group went into the canyon despite the fact they were warned not to go because there was a storm about 20 miles away. The rain from that storm traveled the distance and flood the canyon.
All along the canyon the colors and the flowing shapes in the rocks are absolutely amazing. Our guide pointed out a few interesting shapes carved in the rock. Some were more obvious than others, like the two faces in the pictures below. The only downfall is that you are not alone in there... As such it can be tricky to take pictures without people ruining your shots... Photographers have the option to pay more money to stay longer in the canyon. I assume that way they get a chance to not have anybody around in between two groups coming down with a guide.
Just a few miles away, right outside of Page, is Horseshoe Bend, a beautiful meander of the Colorado River. You will have a quick 10 minutes hike in the sand before to reach the cliff. It is short but can be pretty hard, in the sun and heat, to go back up to the parking lot. Though the view is totally worth it!
I remember spotting the tent of a lucky guy camping by the river. Personally I don't know any information about navigating down the river but it must be a blast. One more thing, I tried to take photos of this meander by every angle to get a full view of it, but you'll figure it out yourself, it is quite tricky to get it all from left to right as well as from top to bottom!
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