Daughter's 21st Birthday Dinner

We%26#39;re staying in down town Scottsdale Area with family but can travel wherever in the Valley. It%26#39;s my daughters 21st birthday the end of the month. Any place fun to take her (with 18 year old sibling)? She wants someplace fun. Likes Olive and Ivy but we were looking for something more fun or lively for young adults!

Thanks

Daughter's 21st Birthday Dinner

The hip trendy young crowd (I used to be in that!) loves Saporro on Scottsdale Rd....We tend to get there early for happy hour prices on sushi, but they have a full regular menu and the tables with the personal chefs for cooking shows. That might be a fun treat. Place is always lively and you will need reservations for anything after 5:30.

Daughter's 21st Birthday Dinner

Also, Kona Grill %26amp; Z Tejas (both in Fashion Square)...

I second Saporro, if she likes Sushi. Very trendy hip crowd. Gets VERY crowded Fri nights for happy hour. It%26#39;s standing room only by 5.

Barcelona in N. Scottsdale is very popular too. Restraunt and nightclub all in one and there is a sushi lounge right next door.

Good one nocturnal...I just read an article about the new sushi place there and look forward to trying it. Barcelona is also good for their atmosphere.

Barcelona draws an older crowd, so I think the others would be more fun for 18-20 yr olds...

How do you make a quilt

sedona Summit?????

We have a package deal of staying in the sedona summit for 5 nights and 6 days for 427.00....is that a good deal????

sedona Summit?????

Excellent

sedona Summit?????

how did you get this great deal? was it for a studio or 1 or 2 bedroom?

prayerworks,

This is an excellent deal.

Make sure you talk to the folks at Pink Jeep about tours. They will pick you up on site.

Be aware that the Sedona Summit is part of Diamond Resorts which is a time share company. It is entirely likely that you will need to attend their sales meeting. Before you go, look up the resort on Redweeks.com and other time share resale sites and judge in advance what the value of the packages really are. It is important that you understand the financial dynamics of the time share ';points'; system. This can be a good deal if you are in a position to take advantge of it. We like the time share experience and we bought in. It is not for everyone. Be an informed consumer and judge for yourself.

OBTW I keep meaning to post a generally favorable review of the property. I will get around to it.

CTR

How far is the Grand Canyon & Sedona

We are going to Cave Creek this week we were hoping to watch our team in the Super Bowl but not this year! Anyway so now our plans are shifted to sight seeing we would like to go to the Grand Canyon and Sedona if its not too far for a day trip, if you have any othe rsuggestions we are open to them also, we have never been to Arizona.

Thank you

Sharon

craftysmith2@hotmail.com

How far is the Grand Canyon %26amp; Sedona

Sedona is an easy day trip from Cave Creek....about an hour-90 minutes depending on traffic and weather. Grand Canyon is about twice that and that travel time is affected by snow too (like this week).

How far is the Grand Canyon %26amp; Sedona

Really snow??? I guess I%26#39;m thinking that Az is pretty good by now is this something that is common at this time? Anything else I should know?

Thank you

Sharon

craftysmith2@hotmail.com

People don%26#39;t realize that we have some high elevation places in AZ. While Phoenix is around 1000 ft elevation, Sedona is about 4500 ft, and Flagstaff is between 6500 and 7000 ft. Grand Canyon is similar I think. That is why some parts of AZ can get snow in the winter. I remember hearing once or twice over the years on the news that there was even a bit of snow falling in Cave Creek. Anyway, nice days are more the norm.

You might try to do an overnight in northern AZ. While you may not be able to get reservations inside GC Nat%26#39;l Park, the town of Tusayan is just outside the Grand Canyon and has several hotels. Or stay in Sedona for 2 nights and do a day trip to GC. Of course, all of AZ might be busy during Super Bowl time. Other visitors will no doubt do some sightseeing before and after the Super Bowl.

Have fun!

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Place to get Suns stuff

Besides the US Airways Center team store, are there any stores or shops in Phoenix that sell cool Suns merchandise like bobbleheads or other collectibles? I%26#39;m a huge fan and would like to find as much cool stuff as possible while I%26#39;m there.

Place to get Suns stuff

Some of the malls have Team Stores (Arrowhead, Scottsdale Fashion...some others) and most of the sporting good stores will also carry those items. Lastly, you can always go on line.

http://store.shopsuns.com/

Place to get Suns stuff

Malls will have a small selection. I suggest hitting the NBA store online and pick SUNS for the team gear. Also Dillards will have a small section but the US Airways Center will have the most to choose from.

%26lt;---- suns fan too :)

Driving from Arizona to Texas

I am thinking about driving from Phoenix, AZ till Texas, via New Mexico.

What cities/plces do you recommend me to visit?

I would like to see some indians, some rodeos etc

I have 8 to 10 days to make this trip. Is it enough?

Tks for any help!

Driving from Arizona to Texas

What are you interested in doing and seeing? Get a map and start looking at places. You can see Native American people all over just doing normal everyday things like us. Now if you are looking at seeing some ruins or museums or attending a powwow (thats open to the public) thats another story.

What time of the year and how many people do you have?? What type of budget ect..... More info is greatly needed.

Driving from Arizona to Texas

From Phoenix to Texas through NM... I would head east on I40 from Flagstaff AZ to Albuquerque. Along the way you can see Petrified Forest Nat Park, Gallup NM, Zuni Pueblo, El Morro Nat Mon, El Malpais Nat Mon, Acoma Pueblo. Once in Albuquerque you can visit the Pueblo Cultural Center as well as Petroglyph Nat Mon.

If you are planning to go into some of the more rural areas, like the Navajo or Hopi Reservations, expect some bad roads. Have the car rental people show you what you need to change a tire.

Hi

There also are a lot of paved roads through Navajo and Hopi land, no worries.

Instead of taking the Interstates through Flagstaff you could take the scenic road via Apache Trail (partly unpaved but driveable with a normal car) to Lake Roosevelt, to Globe and via Salt River Canyon to Show Low. See Petrified Forest NP and Painted desert overlook and continue the way CasaAzul described. It will be a detour but have you ever been to Sedona and Grand Canyon NP? If not, these should be you first concerns. And where in Texas are you going to? For Native American culture maybe vist great museums like Heard Museum in Phoenix, and Museum of Northern Az in Flagstaff.

Tet

Thank you all for the hints.

I will be back in Brazil in Mid Apr.

So, I will start planning this trip carefully. I shall get in touch with you.

Thank you so much!

Block Party

We%26#39;re going to be in town Super Bowl weekend and were thinking of going to the ';block party'; at Craftsman Court. Looks like it%26#39;s $40 just to get in. Is this any good or would there be a better area to go on Saturday night? We%26#39;re not into the club scene, looking for a more old school bar scene. Thanks.

Block Party

This is a link to all superbowl party events:

azcentral.com/ent/calendar/SearchResults.php鈥?/a>

(if it doesn%26#39;t come up go to azcentral.com and on the right corner there is a list of all superbowl events)

Block Party

Super Bowl weekend is going to be hard getting into anything...there are a million parties at all the clubs at all different price levels...if you want old school bar (planned to seem like that), try Mickey%26#39;s Hangover...it%26#39;s in the downtown scene, but is more of a bar, not such a scene. If you want really old school (been around forever, low-key, lots of locals) down the street from all the clubs is the Coach House, a way funky place that%26#39;s been around forever..I think it opens at like 5 in the morning! It%26#39;s an institution...on Indian School Rd between Scottsdale Rd %26amp; 68th street. Also, TT Roadhouse, another old school bar. It%26#39;s got a great jukebox, if you like punk, but all types of people go there. It%26#39;s north down 68th Street around Thomas Rd.

Thanks for the info!

How do you get your blankets clean

grayhawk

We are thinking of staying at grayhawk in a condo for a couple of months and will be travelling around to california and some other places.If there is any thing you can tell us about grayhawk for a holiday, we would like to hear your views and also on Arizona and Scottsdale.

grayhawk

Graywawk is a lovely planned community in north Scottsdale. It%26#39;s about 2 miles north of Loop 101 which will give you easy access to the freeway system. You can find shopping and dining at Desert Ridge Marketplace due west, Kierland Commons south on Scottsdale Rd., the lovely Carefree/Cave Creek area is north about 10 minutes, and Market Street and DC Ranch is just a few minutes east. If you like to golf you%26#39;ll enjoy Raptor and Talon. Don%26#39;t forget to head to Old Town Scottsdale while here

It%26#39;s a nice, quiet, safe neighborhood (I taught there a few years ago). There are major food shops nearby and local restaurants to enjoy. Easy day trip to Sedona from there (go the back roads). I think you%26#39;ll enjoy it.

booked and paid a deposit with home owner but have not heard

hello

long subject header I know!

Has anyone booked a rental home via a company called phoenixvacationrentalhomes.com. I had a very pleasant email exchange with the owner and paid a $500 deposit via paypal. I have sent her a few emails since and not heard anything!

Anyone had a similar experience?

thanks

Clare

booked and paid a deposit with home owner but have not heard

If you don%26#39;t hear anything, let me know more information and I can perhaps help you out. I am a former police officer/current private investigator, and my wife is an attorney.

booked and paid a deposit with home owner but have not heard

I would suggest investing in a phone call to the owner if you haven%26#39;t heard from them.

Kachina or Bright Angel?

I will be travelling to GCNP for the first time in the next few weeks with two other senior citizens. After reading the posts here, we%26#39;ve decided to stay within GCNP. We are deciding between Kachina (2 Queens w/view) or Bright Angel Rim Cabin (1 Queen bed w/fireplace + a rollaway bed). We are concerned the rollaway may hurt our back, but if Bright Angel is a better choice, we would take turns and put up with it. Any feedback or which is better Kachina or Bright Angel?

Kachina or Bright Angel?

I would go with Kachina, nice rooms, view and real beds. I would not wish a rollaway bed on my worst enemy!!

Kachina or Bright Angel?

We had a room at Kachina Lodge with a view. Best is second floor. Fine room with fridge and safe and very comfortable, nicely decorated and all. It looks like an old schoolbuilding but don%26#39;t let that stop you. It%26#39;s right next to El Tovar and you also have to check in at ET. Beds in Kachina are excellent.

Tet

Forgot to say: There%26#39;s no elevator at Kachina so maybe better stay at the ground floor. Easier with the luggage and also great views.

Thank you all for your feedback. We will go with Kachina. We are very excited about the trip!! Thank you again.

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Golf by Airport

Hi, I will be in Phoenix in 2 weeks and have some time to kill so I was wondering if there are any golf courses close to the aiport? I would prefer municipal ones but anything will do

Thanks

Golf by Airport

The Karsten course at ASU in Tempe comes to mind.

Golf by Airport

I don%26#39;t know how %26#39;close%26#39; you mean by close, but Encanto is not far(city course that books quickly for weekends!). Also, Legacy and The Raven are south of the airport. Rolling Hills is in Tempe - executive course that I%26#39;ve not played.

The Phantom Horse golf course at Arizona Grand Resort is about 20 minutes from the airport. Good course, not great.

Motorcycle routes

We plan to ride our Harley%26#39;s from Texas to Flagstaff the first week of September and plan to take several day trips to ride the parks and Route 66 while there. Does anyone have any favorite routes or restaurants to suggest? TIA.

Motorcycle routes

I highly recommend driving through Wupatki/Sunset crater area give several hours for that. There%26#39;s a nice back route from Williams to Prescott/Jerome area. Called Perkinsville road. Try Beaver St Brewery in Flagstaff as well as Charlies on Leroux st you can eat outside at Charlies if weather is nice. In Williams check out Old Smokies for Breakfast/lunch and Pine Country for all and awesome pies.

I%26#39;d also check

www.arizonahighways.com

and do a search on their website.

Also

www.trails.com

is good you can get a 14 day free trial. They list all kinds of routes and side trips and hiking.

Also check out http://www.historic66.com/ its dedicated to RT 66.

www.azcentral.com

will have some suff twards the bottom of the page for drives ect....

Hope thats enough to get you started.

There%26#39;s also a Harley shop in Bellemont which is 10 minutes from Flagstaff going West on I-40 and a shop in Prescott. The one in Bellemont is a grill and mechanic shop as well.

Motorcycle routes

Best remaining stretches are from Seligman to Kingman, Sitgreaves pass to Oatman and to Topock and into California along the abc hamlets like Goffs, Essex, Cadiz and Amboy to Barstow. But it%26#39;s not on your route I%26#39;m afraid.

Tet

The Perkinsville road is unpaved, and lots of gravel.

Wouldn%26#39;t recommend for a Harley.

Would suggest coming up from Truth or Consequences on the road to Silver City, then north either on the AZ or NM side. Az side is the old 666, and is 25 mph on curvy roads for 120 miles.! Amazing views and drive.

Lots of hotsprings around Silver City too.

The Loop from Flag, Ash Fork,down towards Prescott, and over the mountain thru our fair town of Jerome. Then back up through Sedona%26#39;s Oak Creek Canyon on 89a is a must drive.

If you head out to do Painted Desert/Petrified Forest, make sure you stop by the LaPosada in Winslow. Is an old Harvey House train station, and has the best Sangria, (and maybe food) in northern AZ. Cool old grounds, and most of the landscaping is finished on the route 66 side. Thats the backdoor, since this was setup as a train waypoint.

migrating existing portal

Family fun in Vegas? Advice please

We will be staying off the strip for one night %26amp; day on our way to the grand canyon. Does anyone know of a couple of things to do with the kids while we are there? Maybe a good restaurant or some shooping that might be fun for them? Also any advice on things to do while visiting the grand canyon. Is bedrock city still around?

Family fun in Vegas? Advice please

Maybe also put this question on the Las Vegas forum.

Yes, Bedrock City is still around in Valle. We stood in front of last novenber but didnot visit.

Also maybe visit the Imax theater in Tusayan and Seligman along I40. But the real attraction is GCNP of course.

Tet

Family fun in Vegas? Advice please

There are tons of posts on the Vegas forum about stuff to do with kids. Just search the forum section or ask specific questions if you have any.

Here is a website that will give you lots of ideas:

howtodothings.com/travel/how-to-see-more-of-…

Also, there is the Atomic Testing Museum, which is on our list of things to see in LV this spring:

www.atomictestingmuseum.com

Kids in Vegas..

There is a huge arcade on the strip, right next to the MGM Grand. Also nearby is a M%26amp;M candy store, Coca Cola store and a few other places.

Also in Excalibur is a fun arcade. Visit MGM Grand for the lions and Rainforest Cafe. Great shopping and fun to visit. Mandalay Bay has shark aquarium etc.

We had a great meal at Venetian at Mario Batali (food network) restaurant.

NYNY has a roller coaster and we rode the monorail between MGM and places further north.

The Las Vegas Hilton has a Star Trek area, and is on the monorail.

we have been to vegas 6 times with 2 boys aged 8 and 10 first time and 16 and 18 last time - they loved it every time

all the big hotels hace loads for kids to see and do

and beside mgm there is a great area with a huge climbing wall and an arcade with all the games under the sun ( ithink 10 - midnight was all you can play for 15 dollars or something similar)

just strolling from one hotel to another and taking in the different views is great try and fit in

mandalay\luxor\exxcalibur\new york and mgm

plus bellagio\caesars\mirage\treasure island\venrtian\paris

Though you will headed to the Grand Canyon, I highly recommend Valley of Fire State Park, about one hour east of Las Vegas. You and your kids can climb on all the rocks, take some very easy hiking trails, visit the visitor center, then head over, via the south entrance, to Hoover Dam.

Stop by the Grand Canyon Caverns if you are going to the South Rim, is great with kids.

Pregnant in Sedona - Activity Suggestions

We%26#39;re traveling to Sedona in Apr, at which point I%26#39;ll be about 26 weeks pregnant. We%26#39;re active/adventure type people, but will be somewhat limited on this trip. We can%26#39;t do the jeep tours, heli/bi-plane, or any intensive hiking. We definitely want to get out and see some of the beautiful landscape of Sedona. Any suggestions for some ';light'; activities??

Pregnant in Sedona - Activity Suggestions

If this is your first visit to Sedona, you might consider the Trolley Tour. See this website: www.sedonatrolley.com

Go see Montezuma%26#39;s Castle and Well and Tuzigoot, all Indian Ruins in neighboring towns, easy access.

There are plenty of easy trails here (as well as more difficult), so you will be able to do some hiking. Just visit the Official Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center when you get here and they can give you that info.

You might want to take the Verde Canyon Railroad. See this website: www.verdecanyonrr.com

Go see the Chapel of the Holy Cross (very popular for beautiful architecture and location). Though there is a long fairly steep ramp to walk up to it, I think they keep a wheelchair at the bottom for anyone%26#39;s use.

You can see plenty of scenery just driving around Sedona yourself. It%26#39;s all around you!

You%26#39;ll find particularly great, easy access, panoramic scenery viewing from the Chapel, Airport Mesa (up Airport Road), and along Upper Red Rock Loop Rd (several pullouts).

Pregnant in Sedona - Activity Suggestions

tim30,

In addition to the suggestions above, all of which are excellent, call the folks at Pink Jeep Tours. Many of their tours are in sixteen passenger buses and are quite gentle. They will know which ones are safe for you.

CTR

Thank you!!

Go o sedonaselfdriviing tour.com and order a cd driving tour

Make sure to get some reservations for Palatki when you are buying your Red Rock Pass. Is a great little ruin, and has a spectacular petroglyph panel.

yes, you have to pay to park and hike here (Grrrrr).

You should also do the first part of the West Fork in Oak Creek along 89a. The apple orchard will be blooming, and there is a bridge across the creek there.

The interior part of that hike can get strenuous, but the start is just gorgeous. and you can send hubby up to get photos :) Take water shoes like Keens or Tevas.

You are going to like walking through Jerome too.

safety hiking alone?

I am planning a trip to Sedona and am wondering if there have been any safety issues for women hiking/walking around the trails alone during the day? I would obviously try to stay around people, but you never know.... thanks

safety hiking alone?

There have never been any issues that I%26#39;m aware of regarding the safety of a single woman hiker around here.

However, it is always risky to go hiking alone for other reasons. Just last month we lost one of our communty%26#39;s leaders in a hiking accident. And he was hiking with a group. But one missed step resulted in a fatal fall. Had he been hiking on his own, the search might still be going on. He fell almost 100 feet.

Obviously most of our trails are very safe, but when you%26#39;re out in the forest, you need to take every precaution. Most of the trails have sign in boxes at the trailheads where you can sign in, note the time and day that you%26#39;re hiking and at least have a record posted. And you should always let someone know where you plan to hike whenever you go out. Even if it%26#39;s a call to your friends back home.

Use common sense and you should be OK. There haven%26#39;t been any other concerns around here.

safety hiking alone?

Yikes! I am trying to be brave going by myself and here you are telling me about a fatal fall! I guess I will need to do more research on the trails to find out the difficulty, etc. I am most interesting in just viewing the rock formations and seeing that beautiful scenery for myself, not doing any technical climbing or hiking, but I guess accidents can happen. Thanks for the good advice.

Sorry. I didn%26#39;t mean to scare you. But safety is always the most important concern. Most of the trails around Sedona will afford you the scenery and beauty that you%26#39;re looking for, without putting you in danger. But do be careful. Have a great vacation!

Please consider what happened to a woman hiking

alone with her dog on a Georgia mountain trail this

past week. There were many others on the trail but

she was kidnapped and murdered. It is never safe

to hike alone.

Thanks everyone for the cautions. We were just talking at work today (after I announced I was going to Sedona alone) about the woman who was murdered hiking alone. It does give me something to think about especially since I%26#39;m a Risk Manager!! I will try to find a travel buddy before I arrive in May, now that I have been sufficiently warned. Thanks everyone.

Wait a minute, the person who died from a 100 foot fall was not on a ';sanctioned'; trail. The group was hiking off established trails which is dangerous. As long as you stay on marked trails you should not have any problems hiking.

If you stay on the popular trails there are enough other hikers that you should not have a problem.

Boyton Canyon

Bell Rock Pathway

Courthouse Butte

Little Horse

Jordan

Are all very well traveled trails by locals and visitors that you would enjoy with very little chance of a problem.

Have fun!

Well, that was really what I was hoping to hear was as long as I stayed on some more populated trails that I should be ok. I would obviously like to have some company, but there seems to always be the money, time, dissimilar interests pitfalls to run into, so I thought I would strike out on my own for a change and Sedona has always been high on my list.

You can do it. Stick to those trails that MTB mentioned. They%26#39;ll give you plenty to see without putting you in any danger.

We met lots more people hiking West Fork of Oak Creek than we did going around Courthouse Butte, and we missed the trail markers and got off the main trail on the north side of the Butte! But as a 50 something female hiker, I would feel comfortable on a popular trail by myself.

I am in the hospitality business and we have never had a problem with guests hiking on their own, stay on the trails and take plenty of water to drink.

I am a older wise female and hike on my own all the time.

10 days in Arizona

My husband and I are flying into Las Vegas and staying one night then driving to Hoover Dam and spending the night in Kingman. Then on to the Grand Canyon, staying at the El Tovar for 2 nights. We will have 5 more nights to spend in Arizona. We will be flying out of Tucson. We want to visit Phoenix. Any suggestions as to where to stay. I don%26#39;t care about staying at a Resort. Just a nice clean hotel in a good area. We like to shop, eat and see nature. Thanks for any suggestions.

10 days in Arizona

You don%26#39;t say when you will be in AZ, but here are some places that we really like and have stayed at more than once.

Sedona --Cozy Cactus Bed and Breakfast www.cozycactus.com (great hosts, views of Bell Rock)

Phoenix - the Windmill Suites at Surprise--this is about 20-30 minutes west of town, but the hotel and rooms are really nice and there are lots of malls and shopping centers nearby. www.windmillinns.com

Tucson - Hacienda del Desierto Bed and Breakfast www.tucson-bed-breakfast.com (wonderful place about 10 miles south of downtown--quiet, beautifully landscaped and decorated, nature trail, lots of birds and other animals (including javelinas)

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Rental Car and Unpaved Roads Question

Hi,

I%26#39;ve read conflicting info on driving rental cars on unpaved roads. On the one hand, I%26#39;ve read that ';offroad'; driving can nullify a rental contract, and I%26#39;ve also read that someone ended up having to pay completely for a rental car that crashed on an unpaved road. On the other hand, I%26#39;ve read that one can drive on an unpaved road as long is it an officially-maintained road?

Does anyone know what the typical rules are in terms of unpaved roads?

If we rent a Jeep vs. a regular car, will we be allowed to drive it on unpaved/access roads? We don%26#39;t want to go offroad into the desert or anything, but I know that a lot of places are only accessible by unpaved roads, or even private property with unpaved driveways etc. . . and I%26#39;ve read about some scenic routes that are unpaved.

Also, we will be visiting the first week of May and are ideally thinking of renting a Jeep Wrangler so we can drive with the top down and breathe in the fresh air. Is the weather at that time conducive to this? I know the weather varies a lot across the state. We will be flying in to Phoenix and then driving to the Grand Canyon area for a couple days then make our way around Flagstaff or that region for a few days and then back to Sedona over the next few days then flying out from Pheonix.

Oh and one more question -- can Jeep Wranglers be rented from pretty much any national rental car company? I%26#39;ve tried Orbitz but the Jeeps don%26#39;t seem to come up easily on their system, so I was thinking of calling an office direct in Phoenix, but I%26#39;d like to make as few phone calls as possible. :)

Thanks for any help you can provide!

Rental Car and Unpaved Roads Question

Yes driving on unpaved road will get you into trouble with your car rental company. Unless you sign some kind of waver or something. The best to do is call around and talk to the different agencies.

May can still be cold or hot. You just never know.

See if the companies have email addresses and try those first so you don%26#39;t have to call.

Rental Car and Unpaved Roads Question

Agree with DragonFlyLady...unless you get a special agreement, driving off of blacktop onto dirt roads will nullify your contract, and you could get an extra fine. Some rental agencies are installing GPS devices in their vehicles, so they would know you did so. However, depending when/where/how, you could probably still get away with it.

For most of the larger rental agencies you reserve a vehicle by class...such as compact, midsize, full size, etc...and there%26#39;s a class that would include Jeep Wranglers (I think small SUV, depending on the agency). However, if you definitely want a Jeep Wrangler and nothing else, contact a few agencies directly (by phone), both national and local, and price it out that way. When you call you could ask about the off-blacktop thing also.

From past experience, in the Phoenix area we usually have highs of about 100 in early May, but that doesn%26#39;t mean it will happen this year. Keep in mind that whatever it is in Phoenix, you can usually subtract 30F for about what the temp will be in Flagstaff.

I think it is a great idea to drive the 89A from Flag to Sedona (via Oak Creek Canyon), and if you have time, I%26#39;d recommend continuing down to Jerome, and Prescott.

The unpaved scenic route you%26#39;re thinking of is probably Apache Trail, which is a state highway. There are two such highways in the state (the other is 288 north of Lake Roosevelt), where the state maintains the roadway but it%26#39;s unsealed. Whether or not you can drive a rental car on them and not violate the contract seems to be up for argument, or at least there%26#39;s confusion on this forum.

You should just contact whoever you want to rent from and ask specifically about the Apache Trail. I%26#39;m sure the rules are different for Jeeps though.

Yes, ';up for argument'; That%26#39;s right.

Prohibited use of the car:

';....use off paved roads or on roads which are not regularly maintained....

But is the Apache trail an unpaved road? No, just part of it. How about Moki Dugway? Also just a part of ut261 is unpaved and it%26#39;s a through road. And many people are driving to Grand Canyon West and 14 miles is unpaved...Not a through road and without a roadnumber.

We hired a Suv last year. No exceptions are made for Suv 2wd or 4wd in the standard contract.

Yes, it%26#39;s confusing. The deskclerk at the Hertzcounter could not (or would not) answer my question about driving a Suv on dirt roads.

The bottom line is, if you damage your rental vehicle, expect to be held accountable.

I worked for a rental car company while I lived in Phoenix a few years ago. Basically if you%26#39;re driving across a gravel parking lot and damage the car, you%26#39;re going to be held responsible for the damage because you%26#39;re on an un-paved surface. I think in the Phoenix area, all of the companies are pretty much sticklers for this rule. Otherwise, you have yo-yos trying to drive their Chevy Malibu down a dirt trail somewhere. I%26#39;m in no means trying to imply that you%26#39;re an irresponsible driver. However, trust me, I%26#39;ve seen and heard it all in my rental car days! You might be able to find someone who has some kind of waiver for this. But I would read it with a fine tooth comb for sure. Perhaps do a local search for a rental car company. I know there are some places in the area that rent specialty vehicles. Sorry, can%26#39;t think of any of them off the top of my head.

wireless mouse

Feb visit few more questions

ok, thanks for the info good stuff. A couple more questions:

1. I plan to rent a car from Phx airport, should I do that now? or wait until I get to the airport in phx?

2. Should I make reservations for the pink jeep tour now or wait until I arrive?

3. We want to eat dinner at a nice rest. not on valentines day too busy. Which is better?

A. L%26#39;aubergr

or

B. Yavapai

Thanks for your thoughts!!!

Feb visit few more questions

1. yes do that now. you just never know

2.yes do that now. Some times the good times are taken. You can always cancel in advance if you have to.

3. can%26#39;t help ya.

www.visitsedona.com

I am one of those who highly believes in making reservations and not leaving for chances.

Feb visit few more questions

L%26#39;auberge or Dahl and Deluca

I agree with dragonflylady%26#39;s answers for 1 and 2.

Regarding restaurants, try looking at the restaurant reviews on this forum.

The beauty of the Yavapai room is the views which you sill get none of unless you go to dinner right when they open.

I would suggest Shugrues which is the most popular among locals and fantastic views. RedRox knows about Barking Frog which is a little more trendy but no view.

Amara Resort is great too for the find cusine and views.

Dahl and Delucca is always good as well, no views but it is a very intimate and happening place.

None of the Jeep companies are very busy right now. The Superbowl has raised airline tickets to above $1,000. So January here here has been very slow. February is picking up though but not much.

Sedona 2-23-08 to 3-2-08

Hi,

Just wondering what we must see and do while we are in sedona? We know we want to make a drive to the Grand Canyon on one of the days and maybe Bryce/Zion UT if we have time....is that possible? What will the weather be like at these destinations? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Sedona 2-23-08 to 3-2-08

Must sees in Sedona (in no particular order):

View from Airport Mesa

Views along Upper Red Rock Loop Road

Chapel of the Holy Cross

Oak Creek Canyon

Hiking anywhere

Pink Jeep Broken Arrow Tour (very popular on this forum...I%26#39;ve never been on one)

Search ';must see'; on this forum.

There are also great art galleries, Indian Ruins, good restaurants, mountain biking, hot air ballooning, helicopter rides, etc.

Check out the website www.visitsedona.com and scroll down and click on ';102 things to do in Sedona';.

Grand Canyon is only 2 hours away. Definitely go there. Bryce and Zion are a bit too far for a day trip.....unless you want to spend 10-12 hours (total up and back) on asphalt just to do a drive by. Do you have to stay all your nights in Sedona? Why not book a night or two near Bryce/Zion?

Weather can still be a bit cool in all these areas. Can be bright and sunny but still a little cool during the day. But can also be just perfect temp. Probably still cold at night. Dress in layers. Bring a jacket, not just a windbreaker. Of course, coming from Michigan, cold is relative. Still a possibility of snow in these parts......but again, relative to Michigan......

Sedona 2-23-08 to 3-2-08

You easily can spend 8 days in and around Sedona.

Visit places like Tuzigoot NM, Jerome, Prescott, Campe Verde and Montezuma Castle and Well, Flagstaff, with its great Museum of Northern Arizona and nice downtown area, Walnut Canyon NM (the descend temporarily is closed after rockslides), Sunset Crater Volcano NM, Wupatki NM and Cameron Tradingpost. If you can stay at least one night near the rim at GCNP. Gives you more time to explore and see sunset/sunrise. Also a visit to Rock Slide SP just north of Sedona on beautiful 89A is recommended. Visiting Zion and Bryce will mean you%26#39;re on the road 2 days. Maybe visit these great places and add Monument Valley, Page and more places then.

Have a great trip.

Tet

The petrified Forest can be seen in a day trip from Sedona as well. (Spending 8-10 hours total).

Bryce and Zion are just too far for a day trip. Save it for a loop with the Grand Canyon north rim, Page and Moab trip next time. You will want to come back.

Would suggest to do one day out to Painted Desert (Petrified Forest if you want to hike)and up to Canyon de Chelly. Stop at the La Posada (in Winslow) on the way back for a sangria, if not a dinner. A great old property.

You will also find your activities/viewing limited in the Bryce/Zion area due to snow and other types of inclimate weather. The Grand Canyon is the farthest North I would go.

Help With Planning

My wife and I are planning a trip to Arizona in mid to late April. We are both in our mid 50%26#39;s and enjoy relaxing, shopping, and sightseeing. We%26#39;re especially interested in experiencing the beauty of the soutwest. We%26#39;re not big hikers but short ones are within our level of comfort. Having never been there before we are planning to spend two nights in Scottsdale, one in Sedona, one at the GC and two in Vegas. Marriott Camelback in Scottsdale and Hampton in Sedona are possibilities right now. We%26#39;ll probably spend a night in the GC. Having said all this, is this too ambitious? Should something be cut or extended? I don%26#39;t want to shortchange an area but we only have a week. (April 20-26th)I know Vegas doesn%26#39;t fit into the beauty experience but my wife hasn%26#39;t been there in 15 years and we%26#39;d like ot take in a show and walk around a bit. Any suggestions on this schedule and on what are ';must sees'; while there would be appreciated. As always, thank you for your help.

Help With Planning

I planned a trip like that for my wife to Seattle, Victoria and Vancouver. It was like the movie Planes, Trains and Automobiles....we were always on the move. It was nice, but not relaxing. So, I can%26#39;t define what makes a good vacation for you, but ever since, I plan fewer side-trips for us!. You have plenty of time...90 min drive from Scottsdale to Sedona, another 1.5-2 hours from Sedona to the GC. The last leg...GC to Vegas, takes a surprising 5-6 hours at times, espeically with traffic. It takes 5-6 hours to drive from Vegas to the valley too (avoid Hoover Dam until the bypass is built). I go to LV 4-5 times per year, so check their forum for guides. I love it there and if it has been that long for her, she won%26#39;t recognize the place!

Help With Planning

I think that itinerary is very doable and makes sense. I assume you are flying into Phoenix and departing from Las Vegas.

Unless you just want a city experience and if your flight doesn%26#39;t come in too late in the day, you might want to stay just one night in Scottsdale and two in Sedona or Grand Canyon.

If you have trouble getting a reservation inside GC Nat%26#39;l Park, try in the town of Tusayan, just a short drive south of the Park entrance.

Search the forums in each town for ';must see';. Plenty of prior posts.

I agree with Janss. Just stay one night in Scottsdale (nothing against it, we just stayed 4 days and enjoyed our R%26amp;R but if for scenery don%26#39;t miss Sedona and especially GCNP.)

So maybe:

Day 1: Scottsdale

Day 2: Early start for Sedona. Stay Sedona

Day 3: Drive via Oak Creek Canyon to Flagstaff. Take us89, make the loop through Sunset Crater Volcano and Wupatki NM%26#39;s, drive to Cameron Trading post for some food and shopping. Drive into GCNP by its eastentrance and take the first view from the Watchtower in Desert View. Then drive east rim to GC Village.

Day 4. Spend all day near the rim. Take the Hermits rest shuttle and explore GC Village.

Dag 5: Drive to Las Vegas

Day 6: Las Vegas

Day 7: Home.

This will be an unforgettable trip.

Tet

Day tours -Petrified or de Chelly

I%26#39;ll probably be swinging by Flagstaff, stayed there before and took a tour to Grand Canyon and Monument Valley (loved both!) Was wondering if there are any other day tours worth the trip, mainly to Canyon de Chelly (too far?) or Petrified Forest? Also, is there any way to get to Walnut Canyon or Sunset Crater without renting a car (no licence)?

Day tours -Petrified or de Chelly

I guess the main part of Walnut Canyon is closed according to one of our posters here on TA. Canyon De Chelly is awesome but you%26#39;d have to get a Navajo guide to do a 1/2 or full day trip into the canyon. You can also check out antelope canyon(aka slot canyon). you need a car though and a licence. You can try www.openroadtours.com see what they have as well as www.viator.com (a 3rd party booking site) but watch out where the tours get picked up from. Without a car its going to be very difficult for you.

Day tours -Petrified or de Chelly

December 10 notice at nps.gov/waca: ';A series of at least two major rockfalls have damaged or destroyed large sections of the Island Trail, the most popular visitor attractions at Walnut Canyon National Monument. The heavily damaged trail has been closed indefinitely.'; That is the trail which circles the pinnacle of rock where the cliff dwellings are located.

Petrified Forest is really not very illuminating .... rocks lying about the landscape which used to be trees .... they%26#39;re only pretty once they%26#39;re cut and polished. Canyon de Chelly is well worth your time but would be a long day trip.

Here%26#39;s a resource: http://www.wayoftheancients.com/

For a tour, would definately recommend Canyon De Chelly. You can hike in on your own to White House ruins, but would suggest to take the half-track day tour. And you do have to have a guide inside the canyon anywhere but the the one hike.

Have been some break-ins to cars on the rim too.

Would also recommend the Wupatki ruins just north of Flagstaff, really amazing stone work, and the furthest north Mayan? ballcourt in N.A.

Very difficult to get around AZ. without a car, huge distances here, and very little public transport.

I think you guys are missing the fact that this person has no licence and can not rent a car.

Apparently, Phoenix Tours has a tour from Flagstaff to Painted Desert, Petrified Forest %26amp; Meteor Crater. If each sight isn%26#39;t all that, is it too much to lump them all together?

Four seasons vs. Westin kierland vs. Fairmont Princess

Please help me, I am trying to decide between these three hotels. I want some place that doesn%26#39;t feel too big filled with business travelers. A place that is exquisite which I was thinking the Four Seasons but is it is too far away from shopping, restaurants etc. Any ideas?

Four seasons vs. Westin kierland vs. Fairmont Princess

You really cannot go wrong with any of them. The Westin is closer to the action, right next to the Kierland Commons shopping center. For both the Princess %26amp; the Four Seasons, you will have to drive a little to get to shopping %26amp; restaurants.

wrinkle eye cream

use for cayote hunting

Is it hot in August?

OK!! I know it will probably be a little warm at the GC end of July/begin. of Aug. But how hot is hot? Have never been to AZ and not sure how the summers compare to say, Florida summers which I have done many times. Is it unbearable to hike and do other activities?

Is it hot in August?

Hi kellygal,

We were there in 2006 at the same time. For us it was in the mid 80s. It does not compare to Florida(or Illinois) because the humidity is so low.

Remember, the farther down you hike in the canyon, the hotter it gets.

Enjoy your trip!

Is it hot in August?

Right ! It%26#39;s nice on top and sticky at the bottom. I hiked down three times in July/August (different years), and temperatures at Phantom Ranch were always over 100 degrees. But it%26#39;s fantastic !

Oh yes, it will be HOT! It will be fantastic, just remember to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

The elevation at the South Rim is close to 7000 ft. It%26#39;s a desert environment, so the air is dry. Temperatures in August usually are in the low 80%26#39;s, so it%26#39;s comfortable for outdoor activities at the rim. As stated, it%26#39;s a lot hotter in the canyon.

Be prepared for change, however. I was at Mather Point once in mid-August when a cold front brought rain and a 30 degree temperature drop in an hour. On the way back to the village, I drove through a patch of snow. Not likely to happen, however it can turn cooler unexpectedly, and the nights cool down.

It%26#39;s around 5-10 degrees cooler at the North Rim which is over 1000 ft higher.

Glen Canyon float trip

Has anyone done the smooth water raft trip from Page? I was looking at it on-line and had thought it might be interesting to get another perspective on the area, without the white-water stuff, lol! But the price seems maybe just a bit steep, so hadn%26#39;t yet decided.

I%26#39;m also interested in seeing the petroglyphs the website talks about. Does the tour spend more than just a few minutes there? Are you close enough to get decent photos?

Anyone have a rough guesstimate of weather mid-April?

Thanks!

Glen Canyon float trip

We have done the trip twice, but it has been a number of years. You are close enough to the petroglyphs to get photos, and as I recall, you spend a decent amount of time there. We really enjoyed it.

There are many places you can drive to to view petroglyphs, if that is your main objective.

Glen Canyon float trip

I also did the half-day float trip several years ago. I loved it and may do it again this year.....actually maybe in April :-)

As I recall they stopped for about 20 minutes for potty, stretch your legs and see the petroglyphs break. You might want to call or e-mail the tour company directly if you want to know specifics.

I stayed at Lake Powell for the entire month of April a couple years ago. While it was generally very nice weather, we did get a wide array throughout the month. Some beautiful days, some very windy days, some quick short storms passing through. I wouldn%26#39;t worry about the weather.

After you do the float trip, you can drive just a couple miles south of Page on Hwy 89 and walk out to Horseshoe Bend overlook to look over the edge of the canyon and see where you floated. That%26#39;s a beautiful sight too!

When you stop at the petroglyphs, you are close enough to touch them although you are not allowed to. I loved the float trip, it was very peaceful and very beautiful. It was worth the money. The ride to the base of the dam and back to the office after the float trip was also very interesting. Since I did the trip a 2 years ago a new outfitter is doing the float trips, I imagine it would be very much the same.

Thanks for the replies ... I think we%26#39;ll probably do it :-)

Where are the petroglyphs that you can drive to?

Rim To Rim Car Rental?

My wife and I will be flying into Las Vegas in mid-May and renting a car to the North Rim. We%26#39;ll then be backpacking down to Bright Angel Campground, staying overnight and then hiking up the next day to the South Rim. I know there%26#39;s a shuttle that leaves back to the North Rim around 1:00pm each day (for about $65/person) but was wondering if it%26#39;s possible to rent a car at the South Rim.

If not, any other options (other than hiking the whole thing in reverse) would be appreciated.

Rim To Rim Car Rental?

I think the shuttle is the best option, unless you can persuade a friend to come along and drive the car around for you.

We are doing this ourselves in September, and planning on using the shuttle. We don%26#39;t want to be forced to complete the hike up by 1:00 pm (although we have done it in the past in 5 hours), so we have booked rooms at the South Rim for a night, before taking the shuttle back the next day.

Rim To Rim Car Rental?

I do not think there are car rental places at the GC or in Tusayan. Shuttle would probably be best.

The shuttle is your best bet! I did this, but did it the oppisite way. We took the shuttle from the NR to the SR, stayed overnight at SR and started our hike there and ended at the NR where our car was. This worked for us and we plan on doing the same thing in Sept.

I%26#39;m thinking you are experienced hikers, but if you%26#39;re not, you do know that it%26#39;s a 14 mile hike from NR to Bright Angel campground? Just wanted to give you a heads up in case you didn%26#39;t. There is a campground half way called Cottonwood that you can also overnight at. Also know about the Backcountry permit to do this?

Enjoy

SJG

Confirming what CasaAzul says, there are no car rentals at the GC. Closest would be in Flagstaff.

Thanks Gang,

I suspected the shuttle was the only option but wanted to confirm with the experts. We hiked part of the North Kaibab trail last May but, as we got a late start and were only planning for a day hike, we only went four miles down and then back up again. We%26#39;re pretty experienced hikers (though living in Florida we%26#39;re pretty INEXPERIENCED when it comes to altitude) but feel the hike - even with packs - is doable with just an overnight stay. Living on a horse farm out in the country, carrying 50lb feed sacks around for great distances is second nature and we walk at least 4-5 miles each day. Of course, we%26#39;ll start a more serious training about four months prior to the big adventure. And thanks for the reminder on the permit...my understanding is we can%26#39;t fax a request till January 1 for our May trip but will make sure we have it (along with some alternatives) in as soon as we%26#39;re allowed.

We did Rim to Rim a couple of years ago. We drove to the South Rim and spent the night. We took the afternoon shuttle the next day to the North Rim and left our car with our luggage in the trunk at the parking lot near the El Tovar. We spent one night at the North Rim and left early in the morning for our hike. When we finished our hike, we checked in at the El Tovar and then got our luggage from the car. It worked out great.

Have fun, this is a great hike.

John

Yes, January 1 is the earliest you can fax. Might want to find out if they will be accepting them on Jan 1 since it is a holiday!

Also...might want to look into booking your rooms if you haven%26#39;t done so already. They go quick especially at the North Rim!

SJG

The closest place you can rent a car I believe is Flagstaff. We had one at the GC rail road station in Williams for about a year but I believe they backed out. There is no rental company at the GC or Tusayan. You can check www.backpackers.com and see who might be doing this the opposite direction and see if you can hitch a ride with them. I know of several people who have done this.

The NPS website says that the backcountry office is open ';daily';, and the fax machine accepts faxes 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. So January 1 is the day, regardless of the holiday.

The website also states that all faxes received on the first day of the month are treated the same. So, you don%26#39; t need to stay up until 2:00 am to send that fax so it arrives at midnight, MST---you can send it in the morning at a decent hour, your time.

Just be sure it does not arrive there BEFORE midnight. It will be treated as sent on December 31, which is the wrong day, and ignored.

Good luck with your permit!

Thanks everyone for the great suggestions. We did fax in our request and received our permit (cross-country here in Florida) in the mail yesterday. Ended up getting our second alternative (Bright Angel Campground for two nights starting May 18) so we%26#39;re planning on parking our car at the South Rim and grabbing the May 17 afternoon shuttle to the North Rim. Unfortunately, all hotel rooms on the North Rim are booked so we%26#39;ll camp that night (at least it%26#39;s only $18 rather than the $$$ they want for the rooms) and then head down the North Kaibab trail the next day. We figured spending two nights down at BA will allow us to enjoy the basin (afterall, it%26#39;s not every day you%26#39;re there). Then we head back up on May 20 and will spend a night at the Mather Campground. Again, thanks for the helpful advice...I%26#39;ll pay it back with a trip report upon our return.

Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort

We are coming in June for a conference any thoughts on this place.

Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort

I%26#39;ve stayed there several times in the past. I have no complaints. Its got a nice area to walk around, swimming pools are great, the spa is nice. Its a good location lots to do in the area. It would be easier if you had specific questions. But I%26#39;ve never had any problems myself.

Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort

My Lady is attending a convention and I am a long for the ride. I will have time to kill during the day but no private transportation. Laying around the pools getting sloshed is fun one day but will get me in trouble. I don%26#39;t golf or tennis and as a city boy, I think that horses are some kind of cow.

My usual mischief in Las Vegas, a place I know well won%26#39;t fly there.

I%26#39;d definitely get a car, for at least a few daytrips. Most major hotels have at least 1 rental car property on site, I%26#39;d imagine this one does too. You could easily head to Sedona, do some hikes around Oak Creek Canyon, etc. Or head out to the Apache Trail to Tortilla Flat. If you rented off-airport, you%26#39;d avoid some of the airport taxes/fees (maybe around $35-50/day, far less than cabs would cost).

I couldn%26#39;t imagine trying to use the public bus system, especially in the warm summer months (waiting for connections, etc). If you are into biking or running, you could do those, early in the day, but you wouldn%26#39;t want to rely on either to get around.

I agree about the getting a car bit. A cab is pricy in Phx. Sedona is 1 1/2 hr give or take. Theres the rock art museum on Deer Valley Rd, the Heard Museum downtown. Tons of sports bars. You can also check out the local events at www.azcentral.com click on the calander for when you are going to be here. Just get a little compact car for puttin around town in, nothing fancy.

Well a new place for me to explore. Is it in the city or off by itself?

Its in the city.

I better do some homework.

The hotel is in the Phoenix city limits, but quite a distance from downtown Phoenix. It is close to the Moon Valley part of town. You access the resort from 7th Street, as it cuts through a mountain pass. You won%26#39;t really be able to walk anywhere, there is a shopping center at 7th St/Thunderbird, maybe 1/4 to 1/2 mile north of the resort entrance.

Like I said homework. My atlas does not give topo details. I will get a book or 3 and check back with you next week. Thanks to all for your help and if anyone is headed to Vegas just let me know..

There are some great trails that you hike too. It is really pretty.

Hotel in Sedona

My husband and I are going to Sedona for a couple of nights in March. I have been there only once for one night a few years ago. I am looking for suggestions for a nice hotel - hopefully under $200/night. I would like something close to town (I think). Great view would be nice. Not sure if we would use a pool or if it is even warm enough at that time of year but that might be nice. Thanks!

Hotel in Sedona

I doubt that you%26#39;ll use a pool in March. Take a look at Matterhorn and Best Western Arroyo Robles.

Hotel in Sedona

I kind of figured that. I am from Chicago so was just hoping. Thanks for the suggesetions. I%26#39;ll check these out. Anyone else?

Sky Ranch Lodge. Not close enough to walk to uptown, but only a couple of miles.

http://www.skyranchlodge.com/

I am still trying to decide between these hotels - BW Arroyo Roble/view ($179), Sky Ranch Lodge/full view ($149). I also got a rate of $230 (with $25 resort fee) at L%26#39;Auberge de Sedona and $184 at Amara. Are these places any better? I am not sure why there is a resort fee at L%26#39;Auberge. It looks beautiful but it doesn%26#39;t appear to have a workout area/pool/or anything like that. Any input would be great!

I would go with Sky Ranch or Arroy Robles even the other Best Western Sedona Inn I think in West Sedona has great views. Forget about the pool we%26#39;re having a very wet winter which will mean a fabulouse Spring!

Oops Amara would be even a better choice.

Thanks! Anyone else??

If you want to sit on the porch only, Sky Ranch view is great. If you want to walk the grounds, do Amara. think Amara is the newest too. Sky Ranch is like cabins.

La Auberge is for the resturaunt.

garlic off skin

Boat Storage: thoughts on http://islandstorage.net/

I%26#39;m looking for a convenient place to store my boat does anyone have experience with Island Storage %26amp; Marine. I like the location but would like feedback.

Boat Storage: thoughts on http://islandstorage.net/

I store my boat at Blue Water Storage in Lake Havasu and have had no problems.

wrinkle eye cream

romantic weekend

looking for advice

husband and i are thinking of going to scottsdale feb16-feb18 for a relaxing and romantic weekend away

is it worth going for only 3 days? and where to stay that is relaxing?

romantic weekend

My definition of romantic is not sightseeing, and hanging around, enjoying the hotel I am at. If that is your definition, then try one of the larger, self-contained resorts that offer a lot of activities and amenities. Princess, Phoenician, Sanctuary, there are tens of them. Search this thread for couples resorts for more feedback. I like a place with a spa, great pool, and close or having night activities on site.

romantic weekend

I think you%26#39;d find Sedona more relaxing than driving around Phoenix and the traffice myself. There are definately plenty of places to stay but you are going to pay peak season prices for the hotels.

www.visitsedona.com

And now for something completely different..........aren%26#39;t you glad you asked. First I agree, there are several places that will fit what you are looking for, and in a lot of ways Sedona is %26#39;more'; than Scottsdale. But in my humble opinion, the two key words were ';relaxing %26amp; romantic';. Sedona is beautiful, but to truely enjoy it means jeep tours etc. (fun, exciting, but not relaxing or romantic......please don%26#39;t mis-read as Sedona is not relaxing.....Scottsdale is just more so)

With that said, relaxing/romantic to me is not BIG, it%26#39;s intimate and pampered. Where you can walk up to the pool, be escorted to your teak lounge of choice, have the terry chair cover and rolled towel for your head layed out along with the pitcher of iced water. Then have complimentary smoothie samples, frozen grapes, minted/iced face towels, %26amp; ice cream ';Dibs'; brought to you as you lay under the misters, float in the pool, or have lunch poolside. This is my idea of relaxing/romantic and it%26#39;s just part of what we experience when we stay at Four Seasons Scottsdale. Royal Palms, Sanctuary, and the Boulders are close seconds, but there is only one #1 in my book. Stay at FS you will love it.

See...everyone has a slithly different view of romantic weekend. I like traffic%26#39;s thoughts...but that is a caviar budget. Costs are also the other part of the equation, and if money is no object, then the FS (in season) is for you. My wife...she finds coupons and two-for-one deals VERY romantic!

Rafting the Grand Canyon

Hi

I am looking to do a paddle rafting trip of the Grand canyon. I have up to a week so i realise i can only do part of it. I am young (ish) 32, and quite fit and i will be travleing alone from Ireland. I would like to try a fairly averturious trip as its not often that i would do such a holiday. Can anyone point me in the right direction. I am looking for a company with a good reputation and paying a bit extra isn%26#39;t a major issue

thanks

mark

Rafting the Grand Canyon

Hello Mark,

I haven%26#39;t rafted the canyon yet (only hiked down to Phantom Ranch), but have been researching, so I will share what I have learned.

Here is the official park website with explanation of the raft trips:

nps.gov/grca/…whitewater-rafting.htm

And the list of approved outfitters for the trip you want to take:

nps.gov/grca/…river-concessioners.htm

I have heard very good things about O.A.R.S.:

http://www.oars.com/grandcanyon/

They offer both raft and dory (wooden boat) trips. You should read about both to see which you might prefer.

In your timeframe, you will either go from Lees Ferry to Phantom Ranch and hike up (an ascent of 4400 vertical feeet); or hike down to Phantom Ranch to meet the boats, and go from there to Whitmore Wash.

I have heard that the really gnarly rapids are on the lower part, below Phantom Ranch, while the upper part may offer better side-canyon hiking opportunities. Hopefully someone who has actually done it can confirm that.

You might have to investigate several of the companies to find one that has space for you on the dates you want.

Good luck to you!

Mari

Rafting the Grand Canyon

Hi irishmark, I did a 6 day motorized trip last year. The website CanyonMarie gave you about river concessioners is a good one to see what companies are on the river. Then just google the company names and start researching.

Even a motorized trip is a true adventure! Motor (40hp) is small, not distracting and it sure came in handy as we watched as those paddle boats were going nowhere in the current!

Whatever way you decide to go,';Just do it'; You will not regret it. Amazing, adventure. Yes, the rapids are better after Phantom Ranch. They still have some good hikes there too. You%26#39;ll need more time if you decide to not hike in or out.(grueling and hot hike, You must be in great hiking shape for it) Most of the companies are similar. I have heard good things about many of them.

I did Arizona River Runners, they were fine. Canyoneers comes recommended from ';Red Rox';(from this forum) who is on vacation now.

Just read their websites, see what dates you need and if they have the kind of trip you want available.

Come back to TA to ask more questions, but as I noticed, not too many people post here about the different companies or trips.

Choices get limited fast, so you need to make some decisions soon, some will be booked now, it depends on how flexible you are with dates and outfitters. It truly is a wonderful trip of a lifetime. Have fun planning.

The website listing the various companies has ';clickable'; links, so you won%26#39;t need to Google anything---just click.

I suggest you look at several to start, perhaps the ones mentioned so far here, and read about the various types of trip. Then start looking for a company that has an opening at the time you want to come. Many of the trips book up a year in advance, but there should be vacancies here and there.

advice on nascar in phoenix

hello

I would like to take my 5 year old son to see nascar as he would love to see all the cars not necessarily the whole race.

We are thinking of going on thursday 10 april while on vacation in phoenix. I have checked that they have practice in the day and racing at night. Can you pitch up on the day and get tickets or do you have to buy in advance? would a ground pass be ok - he just wants to see the cars as he is a huge Cars (the movie) fan.

any advice?

thanks

advice on nascar in phoenix

Don%26#39;t know about Nascar - but you do know the movie cars is set in Arizona. It is a loose story of Route 66 in northern Arizona. Some of the motor courts are still there (like the one with the Teepees) And the drive through Monument Valley and the pine trees (Flagstaff) are spot on. Even the diners you see on the roadside look the same (names changed of course!). Wish he was old enough to appreciate the wonderful history of this very famous piece of Americana!

Knowing how huge Nascar is I imagine you could get a ticket at the gate. Always room for two more!

sedona to Grand canyon

I am planning on driving from Sedona to Grand Canyon in February. Can anyone give me a step by step driving directions and what I will see on the way to the GC? Where to go once you enter the GC? Best layout to see the most out of the GC? How do we get back. Do we back track or is there a more scenic drive back?

sedona to Grand canyon

Hi Chellae and welcome to the forum.

Leave Sedona via scenic 89A. First stop maybe Slide Rock SP, then north to Oak Creek Canyon (must stop). Drive further on 89 and hit I17 at it%26#39;s first connection. Follow the signs for Los Angeles. You%26#39;re on I40 now. Drive to Williams and follow the signs for Grand Canyon National Park. Maybe visit Williams and have a cup of coffee along old R66. Take az64 all the way to the south entrance of GCNP.(In Valle, halfway Williams-GCNP is Bedrock City, dedicated to the Flintstones, what else?) Pay your fee. Continue on the road and follow the signs for GC Village. I won%26#39;t give you a layout for GCNP. See www.nps.gov/grca. My suggestion is to stop at the first overlook at Mather Point. Park your car and a very short walk to the rim. Try to stay in one of the rim hotels.

On your return, drive from Grand Canyon Village same road back (you%26#39;ll have to drive a short one way loop before, you%26#39;ll see)). Then take the turn off to your left to Desert View Drive. See the various

outlookpoint along the east rim all the way to the Watchtower at Desert View. Maybe visit Tusayan ruins before you reach Desert View. Leave GCNP by it%26#39;s east entrance and visit Cameron Trading Post. Shop, hotel and restaurant. Continue south on us89 till the exit on your left to Wupatki NP. Between Wupatki and Sunset Crater maybe stop and take photo%26#39;s of Painted Desert. Visit Sunset Crater Volcano NM, drive to Flagstaff, see Museum of Northern AZ and down town Flagstaff and drive back to Sedona same way you came.

Hope this helps some.

Tet

sedona to Grand canyon

I ordered a map of the Grand Canyon/ Williams area from Discoverymap.com. It%26#39;s an interactive map. It%26#39;s pretty neat. You can go online and view it. They have one for Sedona also.

msdn

taxi rates?

Hello,

We will be flying in to PHX this weekend and may need to take a taxi to Fountain Hills. Can anyone ballpark on how much the fare may be? I realize that Fountain Hills is pretty far away, but we may not have any other choice. Does anyone know how reliable the public transportation system is? Are there commuter trains or subways, or just busses?

Any help/advice is greatly appreciated!

taxi rates?

Taxi from Sky Harbor to Fountain Hills could be $50 or more. The only public transportation is buses, Valley Metro, which do run to Fountain Hills .... but it would be a very long bus ride from there to any attractions in the Phoenix area. Light rail begins in December, but doesn%26#39;t serve that area.

taxi rates?

Have you considered a shuttle service? Super Shuttle is the big one here, but there are several others. Depending how many of you there are, it may be cheaper than a cab.

If you have more than 2 people, you may be better off using a car service. Let me know and I%26#39;ll get the details of what we use at work.

A cab fare to Fountain Hills will be very high. I think $50 is very conservative, $65-75 would not shock me. The Supershuttle service mentioned is probably your best bet, economy-wise. It costs $34 from the airport to Fountain Hills. They can be hired curbside at the airport.

To amend my previous post. Additional riders cost about $7 apiece on Supershuttle. If you are planning on going anywhere while you are here a rental car is strongly recommended as Ft. Hills is isolated from the rest of town. Bus service is available, but it will be a very long ride.

Thanks everybody! There will just be the two of us, so I think the Shuttle sounds like the best bet. We will have transportation once we get to Fountain Hills, it is just getting there that is the problem...

Does anyone know whether the shuttles run often, or if there is a specific schedule that we could find online?

Super Shuttle runs when you want it. You can find them online. They are a nationwide company.

Traffic from Ventana Canyon to sight seeing destinations

I probably should have asked this question before I booked a condo. The place we rented is in Ventana Canyon. Are there certain hours that we should avoid driving? It looks like a lot of the places we plan to visit (Sonoran Desert Museum, Saguaro NP, Titan Missile, Bisbee, Tombstone) are South of where we are staying. Thanks!

Traffic from Ventana Canyon to sight seeing destinations

The traffic in that area isn%26#39;t terribly bad except around peak periods: 8 - 9am and 4:30 - 5:30pm. I know that Ina Road westbound backs up at Oracle in the afternoon, and the signals along Sunrise get bad about that time as well.

I wouldn%26#39;t think that it should disrupt you too much though.

hth

Traffic from Ventana Canyon to sight seeing destinations

Do you want directions to all those places, or does renting a condo include concierge services? Your primary driving direction is going to be south from the area of Ventana to the sights you have listed. You will encounter traffic at the times Colin listed, but you won%26#39;t likely be driving on Sunrise or Ina.

Arizona Sonora Desert Museum and Saguaro NP West - south from Ventana on Kolb Rd to Sabino Canyon Rd to Tanque Verde Road west which becomes Wilmot Rd. South on Wilmot to Speedway. West on Speedway all the way across Tucson to the Tucson Mountains to Gates Pass Road, and then follow directions in the park. There are other routes, however construction on some, and all will end up on Speedway. 45-60 minutes to ASDM.

Bisbee and Tombstone - south from Ventana on Kolb Rd to Sabino Canyon Rd to Tanque Verde Road east, take turnoff to Pantano Road South to Speedway Blvd. east to Houghton Road South to I-10 east. Exit for Hwy 80 in Benson. Hwy 80 south to Tombstone and Bisbee. 1.5 hours to Tombstone.

Titan Missile Museum - Sunrise Rd. west to Swan Rd. South to Golf Links Rd. Golf Links becomes Alvernon Way South. Continue to I-10. I-10 west to I-19 South to Duval Mine Rd. About 45 minutes. On return, exit San Xavier Road at Santa Cruz River (dry) and visit Misión San Xavier, one of the most beautiful Spanish missions in the Americas.

Thank you ColinAZ and BobBear. Bobbear, I appreciate all of the detailed directions to places and I have searched the forum for more information on all of those places. I have a question about Chiracahua but I%26#39;m thinking I should do a separate post. Thanks too for helping with my questions on Sedona/GCNP.

We%26#39;ve stayed in Ventana Canyon and I would suggest taking Ina/Sunrise all the way to Highway 10 and then go south to Speedway and then out to Sonoran DEsert Museum and Sahuaro NP. We find that traffic in Tucson for the most part is always bad. People just are not in a hurry. RON

The last person%26#39;s directions would take you out of the way even if I-10 was not under construction. As one goes west on Sunrise and Ina, one goes somehwat further north. I-10 itself is in a diagonal direction going northwest from downtown. So, if one took Sunrise and Ina to I-10, and then to Speedway, one would be returning east as well as south. I-10 is also under construction at this time and for several more years. The best routes across town right now are to ';drop down'; from Sunrise on Kolb/Sabino Canyon, Craycroft (partially under construction) or Swan to major E-W streets.

wrinkle eye cream

Super Bowl

Where is the best place location wise to stay if going to Super Bowl.

I know it%26#39;s late, but there are still a few places availab.e

Super Bowl

It really depends on how much you%26#39;re willing to spend, if you want to be close to the stadium, or close to nightlife.

The game itself will be at the University of Phoenix Stadium, in Glendale AZ. It is about 20-30 min to the west of the airport (depending on traffic of course). Glendale isn%26#39;t the hub of nightlife in the area, but there are some newer restaurants/bars between the football stadium and the new hockey arena, as well as the NFL Experience setup there.

If you%26#39;re more into nightlife, I%26#39;d probably stay near downtown/old town Scottsdale. They are doing some big party things there, similar to New Year%26#39;s Eve, this weekend.

For a younger crowd, Mill Ave in Tempe will also have some nightlife, but typically the college-aged group. Although with the Super Bowl here, I%26#39;m sure there will be all kinds of people around.

Regardless of where you stay, you will almost certainly need a car. We do have public transit, but it is adequate at best. I would imagine there will be some sort of shuttles for getting to/from the stadium from key points of town.

Super Bowl

www.azcentral.com just posted yesterday that there was a hotel that just opened yesterday I believe. You will have to search their site for the name I don%26#39;t remember. I%26#39;m avoiding phoenix this week at all costs. LOL You can also look at places a little farther out like Tempe, Gilber area.

Thanks to AZ-Traveler85253 posting this info yesterday:

';Holiday Inn at 212 W. Osborn (near downtown Phoenix) just passed inspection and has rooms for this week! Contact the hotel web site for more information.';

thanks aztchr...I was going to repeat that:)

Feb las vegas and grand canyon with 2 kids

Hi

We are travelling to las vegas and grand canyon with 2 kids in February. Colder than anticipated we ditched the motorhome and are now looking into nice accommodation. preferably 2 or 3 nice places from where we can take day trips. Any ideas?? I am totally stuck so any advice is greatly appreciated!

thanks!!!!

Hippiechick

Feb las vegas and grand canyon with 2 kids

at the canyon you really want to stay IN the park - try to get a cabin the kids will love it (how old r they??)

in las vegas hotels are MUCH dearer at weekends so try to plan to be ther midweek

you wnat to stay in one of the main hottels in one of the 2 big clusters

either mandalau\excalibur\luxor\new york\mgm

or

bellagio\caesars\mirage\treasure island\paris\venetian

we usually stayed at the excalibur - nice enough, big rooms, pretty cheap, great location

Feb las vegas and grand canyon with 2 kids

Make your reservations at thr rim asa possible.

www.grandcanyonlodges.com

To make it a bit easier: El Tovar, Kachina, Thunderbird and Bright Angel are right at the rim. Maswik and Yavapai on a short distance but within the NP. Also hotels in Tusayan at the GCNP south entrance and a 15 minutes drive to GC Village.

Tet

Hee nederlander, dank je! Ok i guess it has to be in English anyway. so I thought we%26#39;d stay in or somewhere nice just outside vegas for a night then travel on to flagstone or sedona? or do you advise to go the other way to Zion?? Want to spend as little time driving as possible and still see a lot. I know that%26#39;ll be difficult. therefore, 3 places to stay and day trips. If you have any more tips, that would be great!

thanks a lot!!

a fellow Dutchie

Hippiechick.

Graag gedaan....Better tell us your route and the time you%26#39;ll have for this trip. Flagstone -lol- you mean Flagstaff. Neither Flagstaff nor Sedona is on your direct route to GCNP from LV but also are not too far away.

Also keep in mind your traveltime can be affected by snow. GCNP and Flag are on 7000 ft. Zion is a long trip.

Groetjes en laat mij even weten hoe lang je komt.

Tet

O hhaa I meant Flagstaff.

Arriving in las vegas on Friday afternoon so stay around there somewhere for that night.

Flying out from las vegas the following friday morning so want to stay not too far away the night before. (stay in vegas? or somewher nice(r) not too far away.

Still not sure if we should stay around flagSTAFF and Sedona and see the GC from there or go towards Zion.

Thanks so much for your help!! Teveel voor een week maar dat is alles wat we hebben...

Hippiechick

Hotels in Las Vegas are much more expensive on fri and sat. Maybe try this:

Fri: Arrive McCarran a/p. It%26#39;s south of Las Vegas (actually it%26#39;s almost on the strip). Pu rentalcar and depending on the time of the day drive to Henderson or Boulder City. Next accomodation is in Kingman.

Sat: Drive to GCNP. (Make your reservations now). Entrance fee is $ 25,-- for car and passengers.

Sun: Stay all day at the rim. See GC Village, drive Hermits Rest route (can be done with your own car in februari). Have dinner at El Tovar (again make your reservations). Also the Arizona Room near Bright

Angel Lodge has good food. Maybe a short hike into the canyon. (Ask the visitor center for options)

Maybe visit Imax theater in Tusayan,

Mon: Drive along east rim to Desert View.Maybe see Tusayan Ruins before you leave GC by its east entrance. Drive to Cameron, do some shopping and have a taco in its restaurant. Then drive us89 south and make the loop through Wupatki and Sunset Crater Volcano NM%26#39;s. Then drive to Sedona

Tue: All day Sedona. See Red Rock SP. Slide Rock SP, Chapel of the Holy Cross and more places. For accomodation I can recommend Sky Ranch Lodge at Airport road (gorgeous views) or Matterhorn Inn in Uptown.

Wed: Drive from Sedona to Las Vegas. See Oak Creek Canyon just north of Sedona on scenic 89A.

Thu: Visit Las Vegas.

Fri: Leave for Breukelen.

I%26#39;ll give you a very scenic daytrip from Las Vegas: Make a loop through Red Rock SP (another one) just west of LV. Drive I15 north to exit 75 and visit Valley of Fire SP. Then to Lake Mead and the beautiful drive to Hoover Dam and back to Las Vegas.

Even without visiting Zion and Death Valley(!) this will be a busy trip.

Don%26#39;t hesitate to ask more questions. Help je graag.

Tet

Hey,

Thanks so much! I will print this and bring it with me.

We have pretty much decided on the following:

-1st night boulder city or vegas

- 2nd and 3rd GC maybe stay in Tusayan

- 4,5 and 6 Sedona

- last night vegas for early (ish) return the last morning.

Any recommendations would be appreciated!

hippiechick

hippiechick, tet14, versteht Ihr auch, wenn ich Deutsch schreibe oder kannit verstaan LOL ?

O.k., enough off topic. NOTHING to add to tet14%26#39;s great suggestions...

Freilich Bayoute!! Unser Domizil ist nur 30 km von Deutschland und die Grenze ist ausradiert. Und Hippiechick nehmt uns unsere kleine Spass doch nicht ubel. (Hope TA won%26#39;t either).

Tschuss

Tet

Looking for the best $50.00 golf course in Scottsdale!!

Hey guys. My brother and I are coming down April 5th-13th. Staying in Scottsdale. We have 7 of our greenfees book already (all high end courses), looking for a cheapy for the day we get down there (if we are not to tired to play.) Something around the $50.00 price range to warm up. Any suggestions would be great.

Looking for the best $50.00 golf course in Scottsdale!!

Check out this list. If you can get Karsten (ASU)for that rate...no brainer...great course.

https:/鈥?/a>

Looking for the best $50.00 golf course in Scottsdale!!

Check out www.golfnow.com they have great deals

windows media player

Nothing fancy, just a view- cabin/hotel

We plan to spent 2 nights in Sedona end of March with 2 daughters(9,10) Staying at Westin Kierland Scottsdale for 2nd part or trip, and would like to stay someplace more rustic, less fancy, with a view. Any thoughts would be genuinely appreciated.

Nothing fancy, just a view- cabin/hotel

Maybe try Sky Ranch Lodge. We loved that place.

Nothing fancy, just a view- cabin/hotel

Thanks ---I%26#39;ll check it out as I%26#39;ve seen posts regarding it as well.

Southwest touring

We will be driving from Phoenix and want to see Sedona, Bryce Canyon and the Grand Canyon. We have up to 4 days to get back to Phoenix. How much time should we allow in each stop and where to stay? We won%26#39;t be going to the bottom of the canyon or rafting.Route suggestions? Side trips worth seeing? Going early April. Thanks!

Bruce

Southwest touring

Hi Bruce, welcome to the forum.

Driving to Bryce and back from PHX will take the most of 2 days so maybe ';limit'; yourself to Sedona and GCNP. Make your reservations at GCNP now (www.grandcanyonlodges.com)

Going to the canyonfloor and back requires 2 days. Maybe spend 2 nights at the rim and 2 nights in Sedona.

Tet

Southwest touring

Trying to do all 3 in 4 days will not give you enough time at any of them, and certainly not side trips. For example, Bryce Canyon back to Phoenix is 9 hours of driving. As stated by Tet, stick to Sedona and GCNP. I would suggest going directly to GCNP from Phoenix, and stay there 2 nights. Then Sedona for 1 nights.

Renting a car

I will be driving to the Grand Canyon from Vegas. Would I be ok with a regular rental car or is it recommended to rent an SUV?

Thanks for your advice!

Renting a car

If you are going to the South Rim (Grand Canyon National Park), you are fine with a regular car. It is a good paved road all the way (part of it freeway, part 2-lane highway).

Renting a car

Thanks a lot! This helps (and saves me some $$).

Maybe you could answer another question for me? Lodging inside the park is fully booked so I am looking at Tuscayan. There is a Best Western and a Holiday Inn Express, both of which have very mixed reviews. Any ideas / suggestions?

Thanks again.

I%26#39;m not sure about either of those hotels, but don%26#39;t give up on accomodations within the park. I%26#39;d recommend booking at one of those 2 places (esp. if you only need a card to secure it, not an actual deposit), then, again, just keep checking on openings within the GCNP.

Hi Curioisness,

If you have been checking on the lodging in the park on the web only, call. Cancelations do not always make it to the web site. I have found the people on the phones to be very helpful. (888) 297-2757

Enjoy your trip!

Definitely keep trying by phone for rooms inside the park.

I stayed at the Tusayan Holiday Inn Express about 18 months ago and found it rather pleasant and the staff extremely helpful (although I%26#39;m usually no HI fan).

wrinkle eye cream

Best Accomodations and Grand Canyon Tour option

Help! We are two Canadian Couples going to Vegas for a week in October, are going to rent a car to go to the Grand Canyon for the night...we want to be near or in the Grand Canyon but want as nice accomodations as possible AND view! Any advice is welcome....and pics! Thanks so much!

Best Accomodations and Grand Canyon Tour option

If you know your dates, book lodging in GCNP now. Lodges with views are El Tovar, Bright Angel, Kachina and Thunderbird. All are on the rim of the canyon. When you check available rooms on the web site, it will include information about views, and will have photos of rooms and views. www.grandcanyonlodges.com

For more photos, go to www.nps.gov/grca

You cannot see into the canyon very well from any of the rooms, so if lodging is not available on the rim, the Maswik North Lodge is close and has nice rooms.

Best Accomodations and Grand Canyon Tour option

Thanks, BB!

Phoenix last week of May-want to visit GC,GC railroad?

Hi-I have reservations at the Arizona Grand for the last week of May in Phoenix. We have two kids-19 and 12. We would like to visit grand canyon and have rented a car but do not want to spend our entire trip driving. We were thinking of driving to Williams and doing the grand canyon railroad tour with an overnight in williams. Any advice?

Thanks

Phoenix last week of May-want to visit GC,GC railroad?

Overnighting is the way to go to get more time out of the canyon. Now the other option is that www.openroadtours.com does pick up at the Phoenix airport and will take you to Williams and even can drop you off there or in Flagstaff or back at the Phx airport. You are going to get mixed reviews on this. The kids will certainly enjoy the train but its 3 hrs there and 3 hrs back. I%26#39;d overnight at the GC. Or the other thing is to do it all yourself but that would require you driving. So its kind of up to you what you want at this point. The train can be kind of pricy too if thats an issue. I do know they give AAA members a discount.

If you do the train I recommend even with the kids upgrading out of coach to one of the other cars. First class is awesome you are in the caboose car with few people. You can go to their website www.thetrain.com or call them at 1-800-the-train for more details and hotel packages.

Phoenix last week of May-want to visit GC,GC railroad?

The GC Railway staff do a great job and the experience is pleasant. Staying in Williams will shave 2-3 hours round-trip off your drive time. The only caveat I would mention is the train ride is not particularly scenic. Don%26#39;t expect breathtaking vistas and endless pine forests, most of the trip is through relatively non-descript plains. That said I would still recommend the train ride, if only to pretend it%26#39;s 100 years ago.

Thank you both for your input. This is going to be a very different vacation for us. We usually go to Mexico, Bahamas or Florida. Trying something new so I thought the train ride would be fun. Any knowledge on the Arizona Grand where we will be staying?

Thanks again.

Arizona Grand is very nice. A new owner has plans to make it even nicer, and room renovations and a general makeover have been completed.

They have a nice water park for guests only and several other free-standing pools. The resort has a roomy feel about the grounds, and it%26#39;s right next to a large desert mountain preserve, which provides lots of chances for easy or moderate hikes of just about any length. You will always be near civilization, but not necessarly see it.

There is a very nice spa and athletic club, and horseback riding is available on-site.

Aunt Chilada%26#39;s Mexican Restaurant is on-site and is very good. There%26#39;s also Rustler%26#39;s Rooste western steakhouse. It%26#39;s kind of touristy, but the food is good (as long as you%26#39;re not expecting Morton%26#39;s) and the view is great.

My wife and I ate at Latitude 40 on-site and it was wonderful, though I hear they may change the concept there.

Overall, you should be pleased with your choice.

com and interop

Catalina Park Inn

Hello,

We read the great reviews of this B and B in a couple of guidebooks and here on Trip Advisor. The only thing I am unsure of is whether the area is safe for walking in. I can%26#39;t tell exactly how close it is to the University. If anyone knows, I%26#39;d be grateful.

Catalina Park Inn

hi

we stayed there back in 2000 - wife and i had a lovely room with side balcony and the boys had the billiard room - which seemed to occupy the whole basement (michael calculated that the bed alone was bigger in area than his whole bedroom back home!!)

its pretty close to teh uniuversity in a residential area and seemed safe enough - we were driving which certainly meant there were no securiy concerns

walking at night i guess would be like any city - keep you wits about ou - but i wouldnt think you would call it unsafe

Catalina Park Inn

It is safe to walk in the area where this B%26amp;B is located. It is about 1/2 mile from the university, and a few blocks from the 4th Ave shopping district.

Thanks for your help. It%26#39;s always good to hear from someone who knows the area.