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Hi All
We have about 6 days road tripping in Arizona next January. Coming from the other side of the world, it would be great to hear from some of you on what is really worth seeing, and what is realistic to cover in that time/at that time of year.
Thanks
Debra
Hard to say without knowing what you are interested in. Arizona has everything from city life, symphonies and the arts, other music and entertainment, scenery, history (thousands of years of it), archaeology, anthropology, geology, astronomy, sports (of all kinds), hiking, cultural events (our heritage is Native American, Spanish and Old West, plus everything Euro-Americans brought with them in the past 150 years.
If you can tell us what you have in mind, how much driving you want to do, and what kind of pace you can maintain, then we can give you some specific ideas. Bob
Thanks Bob. You're right, probably a little general. Well my friend and I are coming from Australia and New Zealand, so really we'd want to see and experience things we couldn't see here. So obviously scenery -red rock country. We have both travelled in Utah, and loved the parks and scenery there, but never made it south of the border. Also interested in things associated with the native american and Spanish history/culture. I love old buildings. We don't mind a bit of hiking, but probably wouldn't go on much more than a half day walk. We don't want to be tied to our car, but we can handle the odd long days drive to get to something worthwhile. As we have to head back to LA after this for a wedding, and so expect one long days drive to get back, we don't want to spend all of our time in the car.
Thanks for any help
Debra
Debra,
Also, you must visit Sedona (located south of flagstaff). Traveling around the whole area is worthwhile. Clearly the grand canyon is a must as well. The areas near Tuscon like Tombstone are historical and might be worth a trip. The 4 corners area (extreme northeast of AZ) are interesting because of the petrified rocks. In phoenix, downtown is so-so, I would highly recommend visiting Mill Ave. in Tempe and 'old town' (downtown) Scottsdale AZ (both citys are suburbs of phoenix and are like 30mins of driving from downtown phoenix).
In addition, south mountain is located in south phoenix and offers some great views of the city both during the day and at night.
Thanks for that. Greatly appreciate the help. Sedona sounds like a must from a couple of people. This gives us somewhere to start..
For the scenery and red rock country, see Sedona (as already mentioned), Grand Canyon, Monument Valley and Canyon de Chelly. If you go, "Chelly" is pronounced "Shay" by most locals, although the exact pronunciation is actually a Navajo word that's closer to Shay-yih, probably. (The word is Tsegi, and it means "canyon"). So "Canyon de Chelly," means "Canyon de Canyon").
I'd plan a day in the Sedona, Oak Creek Canyon area, at least 1 at the Grand Canyon, and 1 at Canyon de Chelly.
Schedule enough time to take the all day tour of Canyon de Chelly if you can (you should be able to make reservations through the Thunderbird Lodge at Chinle, AZ; they are my favorite of the tour operators there). You cannot go into the canyons (there are two main ones) without a Navajo guide. I'm not sure of their winter schedule. You will learn lots about Navajo history and culture, as well as see some of the prettiest country anywhere!
Plan another day (or the better part of one) for Monument Valley, and be sure to tour the tribal park so you see the back country areas – it's just not the same from the highway.
For ancient Native American culture, visit Mesa Verde National Park (near Cortez, Colorado) or you could see Wupatki Natl Monument and Walnut Canyon, both within minutes of Flagstaff. At Wupatki, be sure to see the "Blowhole." It's an ancient air conditioning system, all natural (it's a bit of a walk, but not bad).
For old Spain in Arizona (they called our area "Pimeria Alta"), you can see Tubac, Tumacacori (ruined, never completed mission) and Mission San Xavier del Bac (a magnificent and still-used parish church), all south of Tucson along I-19 (highway). Allow one day for these (2-3 hours driving each way from Phoenix).
For trashy, old west Arizona, stop at Jerome. It's an old mining town (copper, mostly), almost became a ghost town (but never completely), and has revived over the past two decades as an artist's community. The buildings are so old, they're falling down (literally, down the side of the mountain…). Check out the 24 hour night life at the bars downtown, and be sure to have a burger at the Haunted Hamburger. Locals can show you where, if you have trouble finding it.
Here's how I'd do it in 6 days.
Day 1: Do the three Tucson attractions in one day from Phoenix, round trip. Skip Tubac or Tumacacori if you run out of time, but be sure to see San Xavier. You'll be close to Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, if you want to cross the border for some border town shopping. Very touristy – and you'll be seen as a "mark" by the locals, so polish up your 101 ways to say no, politely.
Day 2: Drive to Jerome for the afternoon, and Sedona for the night (or Flagstaff, much cheaper and only 40 miles away). Reserve a couple of hours for shopping and walking around Sedona.
Day 3: Drive the remaining 70 or so miles to Grand Canyon, remainder of day there.
Day 4: Drive to Monument Valley, see that and spend the night in Kayenta, AZ.
Day 5: Drive to Chinle and Canyon de Chelly, take the Indian-guided tour the next day. Stay at Thunderbird Lodge – it's the original. Ask if George can be your guide on the tour, he's great!
Day 7: Back to Phoenix via Flagstaff (see your choice of Wupatki or Walnut Canyon on the way; allow about 4 hours).
OK, so it's a bit more than 6 days – if I had to leave something off, it'd be the Tucson/Mexico part. This is lots of driving – that's unavoidable in the USA southwest – the distances between these places are pretty large.
Finally, if this raises more questions, fire away. Bob
Wow thanks Bob, that's fantastically helpful. Now if only we could decide what to leave out....
I think that Canyon de Chelly is one of the neatest things I've ever seen in my home state! It's not only beautiful, it is the center of Navajo history and culture in the area. I don't think you'd ever regret taking the time to see it. That said, I couldn't in good conscience tell any first-time visitor to skip the Grand Canyon. It is quite simply one of the most awesome scenic attractions on Earth.
Here's how I'd rank my ideas, if I had to. Keep in mind that I love all of these places, and my choices might be different tomorrow. But today...
1. Grand Canyon
2. Canyon de Chelly
3. Jerome/Sedona/Oak Creek Canyon
4. Monument Valley
5. Tucson/San Xavier
6. Walnut Canyon/Wupatki/Sunset Crater
We are planning a 2 week trip from Alberta, Canada to Arizona. Does anyone have any ideas of places to stop enroute? Points of interests? Our main interest is Arizona, but we would love to see some sights enroute. Any input is helpful, I'm just starting to plan.
Thank you!
What time of year? It makes a big difference!
Those northern Arizona locations will be cold in January--bring your coats! No one has mentioned the excellent Heard Musuem in Phoenix--one of the premier collections of Native American artifacts in the southwest. Kartchner Caverns, a magnificent show cave, is 45 minutes from Tuscon. If you do visit Tubac or Tumacacori, the Titan Missle Museum is in the area--it's pretty cool to go down into the silo and re-live the cold war. The Arizona Highways website is worth a look to give you some other ideas.
here are some websites you may want to check out.
http://www.arizonaguide.com/home.asp
and
www.arizonaroads.com
Have fun in AZ!
Brad M.
Mesa, AZ
(AAA Arizona Employee)
Brad,
With your AAA expertise -- what are your favorite destinations in Arizona?
Mark
Well, I would have to say the best places to visit in Arizona are Flagstaff, Payson, Show Low, and other cities in the "Green Belt" of Northern and portions of Eastern Arizona. I have some trips planned eventualy this year, including driving AZ hwy 366, the Swift Trail Highway to the top of Mt. Graham, as well as the winding U.S. 191 between Clifton and Alpine. The nice thing about Arizona is that it has so many different types of terrain, that everyone from desert lovers to those who enjoy more pine trees can find something they like. I have more knowledge of Washington State though, after living there for the last 12 years.
Brad,
You are now living in state with a plethora of RTA roadtrip experts, Bob posted a field report on the <a href = "http://www.roadtripamerica.com/drives/Coronado-Trail.htm">Coronado Trail (US-191)<a/> and <a href = "http://www.roadtripamerica.com/links/Travels-with-Thurman.htm">Gerald's field notes<a/> may provide ample ideas for your future trips.
Thanks for the info, I will surely keep those links in mind when I do decide to hit the road.
Hi,
Is it a feasible plan to drive from Grand Canyon South Rim to Monument Valley and return to South Rim on the same day? The question is, will there be enough time to explore the Monument Valley?
The road miles for that endeavor are about 180 each way -- and 4.5 hours driving time. If you left at 5:00 AM, and stopped for gas and breakfast at Cameron, you'd arrive at about 10:30 A.M. The best thing to do at Monument Valley is to arrange a Navajo-led tour (you do this in the parking lot -- you "contract" with a guide yourself). The typical tour is about 3 hours. So you'd be back about 2:00 pm (and a quick lunch at Gouldings). Driving back to the South Rim is 4.5 more hours -- putting you back there by 6:30 or 7:00 pm -- in time for a late dinner.
So yes, it could be done (IF you are able to arrange an IMMEDIATE tour upon your arrival). If you can, if time permits, why not stretch it out another half day and enjoy it a little more -- Monument Valley is one of those places that lends itself to sitting on a rock and just watching the colors change. Sunset or dawn are particularly striking times to visit. Bob
Bob,
My mother is planning a road trip to Arizona from Fort Rock, Oregon. Her main interests for Arizona are historical sights in or near Old Tuscon, Casa Grande, and Jerome. She will be staying with family in Casa Grande. Can you help with points of interest? She is leaving Oregon in late March. Will she catch the wildflowers in bloom?
We're hoping for a LOT of wildflowers, and I would guess late March would be as good a guess as any for the best time to see them -- the amount and timing vary greatly depending on how cold the winter is, how much rain, and other factors I probably can't even guess at! But late March might be perfect!
For sightseeing, try the Casa Grande ruins, Mission San Xavier del Bac, Old Tucson (movie sets and theme park), Organ Pipe National Monument, Kitt Peak Observatory (day time tours), Tumacacori Mission (ruins), Lavender Pit Mine at Bisbee, Fort Bowie (moderately easy 3 mile hike, R/T), Tombstone (touristy but fun). Kartchner Caverns is a winner. Also, I've always wanted to visit the Amerind Foundation at Texas Canyon (near Benson along I-10). It is a cultural center and museum devoted to American Indian culture and lifeways. Finally, the Arizona Historical Society's "2nd Street Museum" near the University of Arizona campus is worth a look. They have 3 other Tucson sites as well, but I have only visited the 2nd Street facility.
For Jerome, see the note above in this thread "Uncle Bob's Choices," in which I hold forth on Jerome's many attractions! One thing I didn't mention -- the chocolate cake (about $5) at the Haunted Hamburger is one of the World's Seven Wonders and will feed at least 4 handsomely. Or ONE Bob-type person.) Bob
> We're hoping for a LOT of wildflowers, and I <BR>
> would guess late March would be as good a guess <BR>
> as any for the best time to see them -- the <BR>
> amount and timing vary greatly depending on how <BR>
> cold the winter is, how much rain, and other <BR>
> factors I probably can't even guess at! But late <BR>
> March might be perfect!<BR>
> <BR>
> For sightseeing, try <BR>
> the Casa Grande ruins, Mission San Xavier del <BR>
> Bac, Old Tucson (movie sets and theme park), <BR>
> Organ Pipe National Monument, Kitt Peak <BR>
> Observatory (day time tours), Tumacacori Mission <BR>
> (ruins), Lavender Pit Mine at Bisbee, Fort Bowie <BR>
> (moderately easy 3 mile hike, R/T), Tombstone <BR>
> (touristy but fun). Kartchner Caverns is a <BR>
> winner. Also, I've always wanted to visit the <BR>
> Amerind Foundation at Texas Canyon (near Benson <BR>
> along I-10). It is a cultural center and museum <BR>
> devoted to American Indian culture and lifeways. <BR>
> Finally, the Arizona Historical Society's "2nd <BR>
> Street Museum" near the University of Arizona <BR>
> campus is worth a look. They have 4 other Tucson <BR>
> sites as well, but I have only visited the 2nd <BR>
> Street facility. <BR>
> <BR>
> For Jerome, see the note <BR>
> above in this thread "Uncle Bob's Choices," in <BR>
> which I hold forth on Jerome's many attractions! <BR>
> One thing I didn't mention -- the chocolate cake <BR>
> (about $5) at the Haunted Hamburger is one of the <BR>
> World's Seven Wonders and will feed at least 4 <BR>
> handsomely. Or ONE Bob-type person.) Bob <BR>
<BR>
I will forward your information to my mom via snail mail. Your input is greatly appreciated.
We will be leaving Calgary on March 25th and returning April 2nd. Any suggested stops enroute would be greatly appreciated.
Also, I'm not sure if you can help me on this one. We are looking to rent a tent trailer either near Salt Lake City or just on the border of Arizona so we can camp while visiting Arizona. Do you have any ideas of who I can contact for renting a tent trailer. We are having a very hard time finding one on our route.
Thank you.
I thought I should mention that we are mostly interested in nature sites, hiking, horseback riding....that type of thing.
This early in the season, the high altitude stuff is going to definitely be snow-bound. Right now, the best information I can find indicates US89 is open -- I'd take that south all the way to Arizona -- not much to do in Yellowstone right now, unless you like cross-country skiing or snowmobile tours (not that Yellowstone in winter is not worth seeing! It is, but it may not be what you are looking for. But the southern Utah parks would be marvelous this time of year.
Salt Lake City is an interesting place to visit, with great scenery, lovely architecture and lots of history -- and it surprises lots of folks who expect to find a "stuffy" "religious" kind of place. LDS folks tend to be a warm bunch in general, and they are great hosts.
For Arizona and southern Utah, you need only run a search on the forum and you'll come up with literally hundreds of ideas. One way to spend a fun day is to take the boat tour to Rainbow Bridge from the Wahweap Marina at Lake Powell, AZ. The lake has been low for awhile, but the trip is still worth it -- I don't know how much this year's rains have raised the levels (I doubt much, yet).
Also, few people (comparatively speaking) take the time to visit Navajo National Monument. Sign up for a hike to Keet Seel ruin and meet the ranger there for a "personal" tour. Reservations are limited, so sign up early!
The North Rim (Grand Canyon) highway will still be closed, or I'd recommend that too. Bob
I am not familiar with places to rent tent-trailers -- but Flagstaff (AZ) might be the best place to look. Another option may be to rent camping gear from an REI store in Phoenix (or perhaps Salt Lake City).
> Hi All<BR>
> <BR>
> We have about 6 days road tripping in <BR>
> Arizona next January. Coming from the other side <BR>
> of the world, it would be great to hear from some <BR>
> of you on what is really worth seeing, and what <BR>
> is realistic to cover in that time/at that time <BR>
> of year.<BR>
> <BR>
> Thanks<BR>
> <BR>
> Debra <BR>
<BR>
I don't think anybody has mentioned Old Route 66....its so neat! In the northwest part of Arizona there is a pretty long strip that is really the original road. Oatman is a neat town, with wild burros that come down to the town during the day. The area between Oatman and Kingman is interesting and beautiful. Then as you head east, there is Hackberry and other small towns along the way, but the highlight is Seligman, plan to spend a couple of hours there, its so colorful and interesting.
Arizona is a great state with lots to see and do, I went last year for the first time and am planning a weeks road trip this year, also.
I don't think anybody has mentioned <a href="http://www.roadtripamerica.com/drives/Arizona-Route-66.htm">Old Route 66<a/>....its so neat! In the northwest part of Arizona there is a pretty long strip that is really the original road. Oatman is a neat town, with wild burros that come down to the town during the day. The area between Oatman and Kingman is interesting and beautiful. Then as you head east, there is Hackberry and other small towns along the way, but the highlight is Seligman, plan to spend a couple of hours there, its so colorful and interesting.
Arizona is a great state with lots to see and do, I went last year for the first time and am planning a weeks road trip this year, also.
Bob, Thank you very much for the detailed reply. Still haven't decided though!!! Time is a constraint for us. Will decide once we are at Grand Canyon...
Thanks again!!!!