Going to Arizona...tips, suggestions, things to do? (1 Viewer)

[Ron-P]

My father-in-law is putting together a family trip over Labor Day weekend. Most likely will be a 4-5 day venture. We will be staying in Phoenix, at the Wyndham Garden North resort, I think.
Can anyone offer up good places to vist, things to do. I am going to make the trek to Tombstone for sure. Other than that I really do not have any other ideas.
My father-in-law and his sons are doing a golf tournament for most of the time which allows a lot of free time for my family and I.
Peace Out~

 

[David Rubenstein]

I've been going out to Scottsdale a lot over the past few months (my company just held its annual meeting there).

You'll enjoy golf anywhere. I would highly recommend a day trip to Sedona (try a Pink Jeep tour). I would also recommend a stop in Jerome (which is a small town not too far away from Sedona).

Scottsdale has lots of great places to eat and there's tons of shopping if anyone os interested.

My wife joined me on the trip and between the spas and the shopping, I didn't see her all week.

Have fun!

 

[CharlesD]

Two words for you: Grand Canyon.

Pictures cannot convey the size of it, seeing it in person is very impressive. It is a true natural wonder of the world.

If they are still permitted, take a helicopter tour also, there is nothing as spectacular as flying at tree-top level toward the south rim, seeing the far the side grow larger and larger, and then suddenly the land drops away and the helicopter dives into the vast canyon!

It is well worth the trip to see, even if you only stand on the edge and look at it for a while and then move on.

 

[Jack Briggs]

*sips from bottle of Tecate*

Ron: Tucson and Sedona. Beauty incarnate. And a dear friend of mine by name of Kathy has returned to her native Tucson after a ten-year stint in Long Beach in our fair state. You know? If I couldn't live in California and was given but one choice of another state, I'd have real difficulties choosing between Arizona and Oregon. JB

*returns to bottle of Tecate*

 

[Ron AZ]

Ron P.. I have lived in the Scottsdale area since 1985. There is so much to do here. 170 gold courses to start, The GRAND CANYON is AWESOME (about 3-3 1/2 hours away) SEDONA is about 100 miles...also great place to visit. DIAMONDBACK baseball at the BOB (Bank One Ballpark). SOUNDS LIKE MUSIC is one of the best HOME THEATER stores you will ever go to.(they have several rooms of HOME THEATER and HIGH END AUDIO (a $180,000 HT and a $140,000 LINN Audio system on display) They also have several Runco CRT, Plasmas, 3chip DLP and 1 chip HD1 DLP as well as Marantz and Sharp X9000. There is probably 8-10 plasma's on display. It is located in the Desert Ridge Shopping Center, where route 101 & Tatum Blvd meet in north Phoenix/ north Scottsdale area. Restaurants are everywhere. Auto racing....PIR (NASCAR) and FIREBIRD (Drag-racing and speed boat drags) The largest free continuious car show every Saturday night at the Pavilions in Scottsdale. Ron AZ

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Air conditioning. Run for it. Refuse to come out until someone declares that state uninhabitable due to extreme heat

 

[Al B. C]

It's a custom here in Az that first time visitors to the state have to buy all forum members a drink at Alice Cooperstown restaurant!

 

[Yee-Ming]

Two words for you: Grand Canyon.

hear hear. been there, it's amazing. do we
really have to say anything more on this?

 

[Shawn C]

I was in Phoenix back in '93 but I remember a places on Camelback Road, across the street from Planet Hollywood. It was on the same side of the road as the Ritz Carlton. It might be called Tuccheti over by the Black Angus.

It was some sort of Italian place that had baked spaghetti. Yummy.

 

[Steve Peterson]

I was in Phoenix back in '93 but I remember a places on Camelback Road, across the street from Planet Hollywood. It was on the same side of the road as the Ritz Carlton. It might be called Tuccheti over by the Black Angus.

The Planet Hollywood is long gone, replaced with a Cheesecake Factory. Tuchetti's is on the south side of Camelback Rd. behind the Black Angus. 20th Street as I recall.

Here's a small list of things to do:

Things to do outstate:

Grand Canyon.

Sedona jeep tour.

Jerome.

Meteor Crater.

Petrified Forest.

Tombstone (Really nothing more than a tourist trap, but interesting nevertheless.)

Tucson - Desert Sonoran Museum, Old Tucson Movie Studio.

Bisbee - Mine tours.

In the Phoenix Area.

Antiquing in downtown Glendale.

Golf - from cheap to $$$$$.

A Diamondback baseball game. I'd try a game with either Schilling or Johnson on the mound.

AZ Science Center - Titanic exhibit (Through June)

Phoenix Art Museum - Dale Chiluly Glass Exhibit (Through ???)

Hiking in the Phoenix Mountain Preserve.

Shoping! Shoping! Shoping!

Home Theater Stores:

Sounds like Music. I think the new store is much larger than the original.

Showcase Entertainment. Owned by Sound Advice out of FL.

Jerry's Audio/Video.

Steve "Have fun" Peterson

 

[Ron-P]

Thanks for all the tips and suggestions guys.

It's a custom here in Az that first time visitors to the state have to buy all forum members a drink at Alice Cooperstown restaurant!

I'll have plenty of time on my hands. Love to share a brew with you Arizonians
Peace Out~

 

[Micah Cohen]

Ron: Steve (above) nailed it all, ya bum -- I lived in AZ for five years before I got here. You don't even ask.

A trick: We used to drive up to Flagstaff (stop for lunch & shopping at Tlaquepaque in beautiful Sedona, then beers at Beaver St Brewery with the college girls in Flag), crash in a Flag motel room till about 3am, AND THEN drive up to the Grand Canyon. Go thru the South Rim gates at like 6am and there's no one there to charge you the $20/car fee (whatever it is), and then stand at the railing at Mather Point shivering in the dark... Until the SUN peaks up over the East rim, and the mile-deep hole opens up below you! It is one of the most incredible, moving, huge, and beautiful sights to see on earth.

The Desert Sonoran (or is it Sonoran Desert?) Museum in Tucson is one of the most interesting museums I've ever been to.

When in Phoenix, make sure you stop at The Phoenician Hotel on Camelback and just walk into the lobby and see the bathrooms. They are pretty awesome.

Get back to work!

MC

 

[Jack Briggs]

Hey Jeff: Believe it or not, the high summer temps in Arizona are more than tolerable--as long, of course, as you keep the ol' fluids comin' in. I was once cruising via motorcycle through Arizona on my way to New Mexico. Stopped at a restaurant for a quick bite. Air-conditioned place. But when stepping back outside into the 112-degree heat, it wasn't so bad at all. That heat is dry.

Whereas during a trip to the wonderful, wonderful party town of New Orleans, I nearly suffocated in the low-90s temperatures; the humidity must have been well past 90 percent. Humidity that high is about as rare in Phoenix as 12-inch snowfalls in downtown Los Angeles!

 

[Zen Butler]

Tucson and Sedona

I could not agree more, Tucson is awesome. Some of the downtown similarities between downtown Tucson and Downtown Long Beach are uncanny. The nightlife in Tucson is laid back and fun, even though they shut down at 1:00 A.M.

I fell in love with the city when I went to a Steve Roach show at the Temple of Art and Music.

If you start to tire of the city, the desert there is beautiful and don't miss Mt. Lemmon. Take the drive all the way up, it's worth every minute. That's one area I would consider leaving, Long Beach, Ca. for.

Bless

 

[Mark C Sherman]

Hey Ron if you like Pizza there is a place in Scotsdale called New York Pizza Dept. or NYPD for short. Without a doubt some of the best Pizza around. I tried it out when I was out there last year on a Business trip GOOD STUFF.
My advice to you is get there early. some nights there is a 2-3 hour wait but well worth it. Not the best Beer selection though
Later
Sherm

 

[Trey Fletcher]

Ron:
I got very excited for you when I saw Wyndham Resort, because I figured you'd be staying at the Wyndham Buttes in Tempe. The reason for my excitement? Its close proximity to two of the best microbreweries in the state (Four Peaks, and Rio Salado). Alas you'll be staying in the northern reaches of the city. Fortunately, you'll be near several freeways that should help increase your mobility.
As mentioned, there is plenty of shopping, golfing, and dining to be done. But living in SoCal, you already have these entertainment options aplenty. So I'm going to echo the previous suggestions, but add my own twists.
I personally don't think too highly of Tucson. And given the duration and season of your stay, would suggest a trip North instead. As mentioned Sedona is gorgeous, but will probably be crowded over Labor Day weekend (as will the rest of Northern Arizona). Tlaquepaque (shopping), jeep tours, Southwestern Art galleries, and good restaurants. If you're into live theater, Shakespeare in Sedona may still be running over Labor Day. I've been twice and loved it both times. If possible (subject to crowds and/or weddings, conventions, etc.), I would highly recommend spending a sunset at Enchantment Resort. I don't have directions for you, but its tucked back among the red buttes of Sedona, off the beaten path. Grab a brew and a seat on the patio and watch the sun disappear...Great (but $$$) restaurant there as well.
Flagstaff is much higher in elevation than Sedona, but much cooler! San Francisco peak is beautiful, with plenty of hiking. Bars/restaurants aplenty. Golf, but not in the Phoenix heat. Route 66. +/- 45 min. from the Grand Canyon. Should you decide to go to both Sedona and Flag, then definitely take the drive through Oak Creek Canyon. Not the quickest way to get between the two, but definitely the most scenic.
Northern Arizona also offers Jerome (small art community), Prescott (former small town, Arizona capital, and whiskey row location ), and of course one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.
Getting back to Phoenix...
Cave Creek is just North of where you'll be staying. A small town that still retains is desert/western feel, I'd recommend going to either the Satisfied Frog, or the Horny Toad for dinner (if you're in the mood for sawdust, BBQ, cold beer , etc.) Rawhide in Scottsdale is a fun Western theme park (w/food and cocktails) as well. Otherwise, just consider that you're in one of the ten largest cities in the country, and that if you're looking for nightlife, sporting events, dining, outdoor activities, etc., that it can be found somewhere nearby. Just ask!

I'll have plenty of time on my hands. Love to share a brew with you Arizonians

As I live less than two miles from where you'll be staying, you're on!
As for HT, the three magic words are "Sounds Like Music." +/- 9 miles from your hotel.
Good Luck!
http://www.fourpeaks.com/
*runs off to have a Kilt-Lifter*

 

[MickeS]

Is "Sounds like music" browsing-friendly? I am not in the market for anything HT-related, but I love to just look at stuff. I've been to Showcase which was fun to just look around in.

As for Tucson, the only things people (not including college students) like to do here are hike, eat out and play golf. Desert Museum and Mt Lemmon are the only "attractions" worth mentioning. If you like the desert landscape and the outdoors, there are lots of activities for you. If not, you're out of luck.

There's a decent music scene here if you want to see live music.

Otherwise, I wouldn't say there's too much to do here. The shopping stinks compared to Phoenix.

/Mike

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

I haven't been to Mesa in almost two decades, but if you have an afternoon to kill, go tubing. Nothing like floating down the river with some tunes, brewskies and many half dressed ladies. I think you drive west on the highway, then turn off. Hopefully a native can give you better directions. When I first went there it was the sticks, two years later it was the burbs.
I wish I could remember the name of the Mexican restaurant we went to, huge meals good for a couple of days.
Driving around Camelback mountain is cool, some nice houses. Never got to the canyon, but Old Tuscon was cool (in a real hot kind of way).
"Arizona really was a blast..."

 

[Steve Peterson]

Ah yes, tubing. I've been here long enough to remember when you needed a runner to drop you off and pick you up. Not the bus runs they have now. I personally would not go tubing this year as the flow on the Salt River is waaaaaaay down since the state is under extreme drought conditions. I'm assuming Slide Rock up in Oak Creek is going to be just as bad this year.

Steve "I love Flagstaff. Now if just wasn't so #$&^% expensive to live there." Peterson

 

[Trey Fletcher]

Is "Sounds like music" browsing-friendly?

Yes, but not to the point that you'll be ignored, ala Best Buy. Chances are that upon entering you'll be approached by a salesman offering to help you. Tell him you're just looking, and he'll probably give you a quick rundown of their store, followed by the standard, "let me know if you have any questions." Ask to see some particular gear, and they'll gladly show it to you. Ask to hear one of their incredible HT's, and they'll gladly oblige; Usually by asking you what you want to watch/listen, and then leaving you alone with the remote.

As for tubing... You already have the Pacific Ocean in your backyard. I'd pass.