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

[Jeff Pug]

You should hike Camleback Mountain early in the morning and watch the sun come into the valley.

For a good Mexican food meal go to Rosa's on univesity and Mesa Dr in Mesa. It is a little hole in wall place that is good food. The chicken in the chimi is bbq'ed before it is created.

 

[Vickie_M]

Hwy 89A from Prescott to Flagstaff.

In the daytime.

It's one of the most breathtaking stretches of road in the United States. Seriously. It'll take you through Jerome, Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon, all vacation destinations themselves.

It's slightly more dramatic when you're going south, from Flagstaff to Prescott, but no matter. You'll be talking up 89A to your friends for the next 30 years.

Seriously.

 

[Vickie_M]

This is stolen from a recent thread. Some of it won't apply to you, and of course, if you go you'll be traveling south to north.

quote:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

driving down to the Grand Canyon for an overnight stay, and possibly touring Sedona the next day

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oooh Ooooohhh, I get to promote 89A, my 2nd favorite scenic route in the US!! (The first being Hwy 1/101 on the west coast)

If you're driving to the Grand Canyon, then I assume you're also driving to Sedona. I'm looking at maps trying to figure out how you're going to do that. I assume you're going to drive from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon Village, which would mean 93 to Kingman (that would also take you by Lake Mead, good chance to stop and see Boulder Dam), then I-40 east to Williams, then 64 north to the Grand Canyon. Coming back, 64 south to 180 south to Flagstaff, which is known as N Fort Valley Road as you get close to the city. I don't have an in-depth map of Flagstaff so you'll just have to watch for signs or ask for directions to I-40 and 89A.

IMPORTANT POINT #1: START SOUTH VERY EARLY IN THE MORNING. YOU'LL WANT TO MAXIMISE DAYLIGHT.

IMPORTANT POINT #2: *89A* *89A* *89A*!!! "A" stands for "Alternate." There is a highway 89, 50some miles west of Flagstaff. Don't let anyone steer you to that one. It doesn't go directly to Sedona and it's really boring.

When you turn south onto 89A from I-40, you'll be starting a journey into one of the most wonderful areas of the United States. 89A is a little-known stretch of road that takes you through some of the most amazing scenery in the country.

First, you'll travel into the Coconino National Forest. 89A twists and turns down down down to the Canyon floor ("changing spectacle of steep canyon sides and wooded valley" to quote a web page). You're entering the wonderous Oak Creek Canyon (trivia: Zane Grey wrote about OCC in THE CALL OF THE CANYON). Soon the forest gives way to the type of desert and red rock landscapes you've seen in countless Westerns. I assume you know what the scenery is like around Sedona, why else would you go there? There certainly is plenty to see and do around Sedona, but if I can provide an extra tip...

...continue on 89A west, through Verde Valley to Cottonwood (pull over and look behind you, the view back east is breathtaking) and Clarkdale. You're driving toward Mingus Mountain and the destination is Jerome, about 30 miles from Sedona. When I first went there as a kid, my dad pulled over at the bottom of the mountain and we got out of the camper and just stared up. Jerome is a copper mining "ghost town" built on the side of Mingus known as Cleopatra Hill. When the copper played out, the town died, but then was re-discovered in the 60's by hippies, artist-types and people just into living in a town built on the side of a mountain (which, really, would be pretty cool).

I was last in Jerome in the 80's. At that time it was an arty community, though not as touristy and obnoxiously new-agey as Sedona. I hope it hasn't changed too much. I went to the museum and ate in the corner "saloon" (used to be). You might recognize it if you've seen the movie Bless The Beasts And Children.

No matter what the town itself is like now, the very best reason to go to Jerome is the absofreakinglutely SPECTACULAR SPECTACULAR view of Oak Creek Canyon and the San Francisco Peaks (located N of Flagstaff, so named because you're supposed to be able to see the lights of SFO from the top), which is why you must save some daylight for Jerome. I've avoided linking to any pics of Jerome because the ones I've found on the net DO NOT give you any kind of feel for what the place is really like. They don't show how STEEP the town is, and they don't show how great the view is. I don't know why.

There's more to 89A...traveling further west through Jerome, over Mingus Mountain, down into Prescott Valley and on to my favorite small city in the US, Prescott. It's a historic and well-preserved town, and it's just wonderful. I have relatives there and that's how I found out about all this. I'd live in Prescott (pronounced press-cut) if I didn't love the big city so much. It's a nice-sized little city, and has every kind of terrain-desert, mountain, forest-close in every direction. For movie geeks, Billy Jack, Junior Bonner (which I got to watch being filmed during one visit), Bless the Beasts and many other movies have been filmed there.

You can bypass Prescott to get to the "regular" 89 highway which will take you back up to I-40, but going a few miles out of your way to take at least a quick drive into the heart of Prescott and a circle around the Yavapi County Courthouse will let you say "I was there!!" the next time you see that town square in a movie.

Have fun, whatever you do!

============

Ditto to Ron-P, have fun, whatever you do!

 

[Steve Peterson]

the San Francisco Peaks (located N of Flagstaff, so named because you're supposed to be able to see the lights of SFO from the top)

ARGH! NO, NO, NO!!!

The name of the San Francisco Peaks is believed to given by Father Marcos de Niza in the late 16th century. The Peaks were also called Sierra Sinagua and Sierra Napoc by the Spanish Explorers. There are also several names given to the Peaks by the local Navajo, Hopi and Havasupai tribes. The SFO story is an AZ urban legend and is NOT true.

Steve "That SFO story really drives me nuts." Peterson

 

[Vickie_M]

Steve "That SFO story really drives me nuts." Peterson

Sorry, that's what my cousin who lives there told me.

 

[Ron AZ]

Ron P... SOUNDS LIKE MUSIC is very browsing friendly.. in addition to Trey's comments, they will probably offer you a soft drink and a selection of several hundred DVD's or a couple thousand CD to view and listen to. I travel all over the western US for business and go to ever HT store I can find... SOUNDS LIKE MUSIC and DEFINITIVE AUDIO (Bellevue, Wash) are the best two that I have visited. Take the time on your visit and go to SOUNDS LIKE MUSIC, you won't regreat the time you spent there. With the items listed above in this thread, sounds like you might need a lot more time in ARIZONA. Have fun... Ron AZ

 

[John Giddens]

If your going to Tombstone, you can't miss The Old Bird Cage Theater, my favorite part of visiting Tombstone.
I'll second the Sonora Desert Museum http://www.desertmuseum.org/
if it doesn't take you too far off your intended path. There was a really nice Hummingbird Aviary there where they buzzed by my head very close.