Dear Sir/Madam,

We are driving from Phoenix to Sedona in Oct’11 this year and are trying to work out what the weather will be like? Do the roads get affected at this time of year and also is it still a good time of year to see the Grand Canyon?

Appreciate your assistance.
Regards – Nicole R.

Colored Leaves in Sedona - Jeff Johnson

Hi, Nicole.  I’m willing to bet you’ll have smooth sailing the entire trip.  Phoenix is often still in the high 80s/low 90s in late October, and Sedona about 10 – 15 degrees cooler during the day, certainly cooler at night, but you should not have trouble with snow on the roads.  Yes, the Grand Canyon is still a great destination at that time of year (it always is) but particularly with regard to road conditions.  I doubt you’ll have trouble with snow that early in the fall/winter season at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, though the temperatures will merit wearing several light layers you can add and remove as the weather dictates (high temps are around 60 degrees at the end of October.)

(I am assuming you mean the South Rim, as it’s the most accessible from Sedona. The North Rim will be closed by mid-October.)

Here are links to average annual temps and snowfall for the three cities you mentioned (you may have to scroll down to see the weather tables):

• Scottsdale Weather
• Sedona Weather
• Grand Canyon Weather

Enjoy your trip, Nicole!

– ChristinaToo

Photo credit: heyjohngreen on Flickr.com - View from Cathedral Rock

Sedona is a beautiful destination year-round. The most popular seasons are March through May and September through mid-December. Lodging rates are slightly lower in July and August, but the most economical prices of year are available from the first week of January to mid-February.

As a second installation to my Arizona Fall Follies story (see the first chapter on Prescott) I thought I’d turn to my own community of Scottsdale and the greater Phoenix area.

Phoenix is the fifth largest city in the nation, so no doubt there are tons of things to do in the Valley of the Sun over the next couple of months. Here, I highlight five don’t-miss fall activities that span the city from north to south:

Fall 2009 Events in Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona

MacDonald’s Ranch Pumpkin Patch – North Scottsdale: Daily, October 3 – 31

Mule-drawn hayride at MacDonald's Ranch

This North Scottsdale mainstay offers families classic pumpkin patch experiences like horse and mule-drawn hayrides, petting zoo, hay maze and sack races. But they also offer unique activities like a gem mine and a western golf game. And the fact that they allow you to pack a picnic lunch (save $$$) and they’re open 7 days a week sets them apart from the weekends-only pumpkin patches and festivals elsewhere in the state.
MacDonald’s Ranch is located at Jomax and Scottsdale Road, just 5 miles north of the Loop 101. Click to download their Pumpkin Patch flyer, or call 480.585.0239 for details.

Mariposa Monarca at Desert Botanical Garden – Phoenix/Scottsdale: Daily, September 26 – November 15

Mariposa Monarca exhibit. See www.dbg.org for more.

This annual event is one of the Desert Botanical Garden’s most popular exhibits and it’s no wonder why. Stroll through the Marshall Butterfly Pavillion now through November 15, 2009 and surround yourself with hundreds of live Monarch butterflies.

This engaging experience features interpretive displays about the lifecycle, migration patterns, environmental threats, and conservation efforts of the monarch butterfly.

Ongoing daily at Desert Botanical Garden 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Located at 1201 N. Galvin Parkway – (on the shared borders of Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tempe)
Free for members and children under three. $3 for General Public with paid Garden admission.
Email monarchs@dbg.org or call 480-481-8128 for more information. www.dbg.org

Annual Fall Festival at Saints Simon & Jude Cathedral – Phoenix: October 25

The Annual Fall Festival at Saints Simon & Jude is a favorite community event that doesn’t get all the fanfare and spotlight of local news coverage, but certainly deserves it. This Catholic community and school’s fundraising event welcomes all who enjoy delicious foods, family-friendly games, raffles, activities and happy memories of your childhood church bazaar. Located in Central Phoenix at 6351 North 27th Avenue (27th Avenue between Maryland and Bethany Home Road), there’s ample free parking and inexpensive food and raffle tickets. Be sure to check out two special features of the festival: Sister Raphael’s Irish Tea Room and Father Clement’s Touch Down Lounge! Call the parish office at (602) 242-1300 or visit www.simonjude.org.

Arizona State Fair – State Fairgrounds: Daily/Nightly Except Mondays October 16 – November 8

Arizona State Fair - Oct 16 - Nov 8

A fall events post would be incomplete without the Arizona State Fair. This long-running event is an autumnal favorite and an impressive showcase of headline concerts and entertainment, delicious food, exciting rides, shows, demonstrations, exhibits and more. Be sure to try the Fair’s (in)famous adventures in fried foods, and see big, big performances by Bob Dylan, Stone Temple Pilots, The Black Crowes, and Raven-Symone.

Visit the Arizona State Fair website – www.azstatefair.com – for comprehensive information on daily discounts, parking, directions, map, hours, prices, tickets, rides, food and more.

Pumpkin and Chili Party at Schnepf Farms – Queen Creek: Every Thursday – Sunday in October

This is the big time when it comes to pumpkin festivals. Voted “”Arizona’s Best Family Fall Experience” by Phoenix Magazine, the Schnepf Farms Pumpkin and Chili Party offers hay rides, miniature golf, 4 acre Sonic Burger Maze, country road rally, honeybee adventure, carousel rides, petting barn, Hillbilly Bob’s Pig Races, carnival rides for children young and old, Pumpkin Launch, Witch Mountain giant slide, Arizona’s only gravity roller coaster (must be 32″ tall to ride), SRP Earthwise interactive experience, rock climbing wall, live entertainment, bonfires & marshmallow roasting (6:30pm), Lil’ Farmers play yard, Schnepf Family Museum, sweet shop, country store, gift shops, holiday gift tent and a spectacular fireworks show on Friday & Saturday nights to celebrate 68 years of farming!

The key to enjoying this huge pumpkin and food festival is to skip the tickets line and save $2 on admission by purchasing discount tickets in advance at any Fry’s Food Stores location. You’ll pay $14 per person over the age 2 versus the $16 regular price.

There’s tons of information about times, activities, food experiences, entertainment, showtimes and more on the Schnepf Farms website www.schnepffarms.com

After my recent post about Prescott pumpkin festivals and other fall things to do, I just had to see the Freeman Farms Pumpkin Festival for myself.  And boy am I glad I did!  It was so much fun, charging into the pumpkin patch to find the perfect pumpkin to take home, watching the informative Saddlebred horse demonstration, riding the little train around the perimeter of this working farm, getting up close to the sweet goats, pig, cow and sheep inside the petting zoo, and generally enjoying the glorious 72 degree sunny weather.

Here is a photo gallery and more of the story after the bump…

I was so happy that I got to experience this festival in its third year, which translated to not-overwhelmingly-large crowds and easy parking. However, if I am to be completely honest in my review, it was clear to me that Freeman Farms still has some kinks to work out.  We waited an hour for a hot dog and nearly missed paying for our entrance fee and pumpkin take because the ticket booth / pumpkin cashier was set back on the property so that it was not obvious that we would indeed owe an entrance fee ($3 per person.) It wasn’t until we were leaving that we realized we should really get in the (quite long) line to weigh our pumpkins and pay our entrance fee.

Suggestions for the farm for next year: Include a couple weigh-it-yourself stations with honor-system dropboxes for cash owed.  I would have gladly paid far more than the pumpkins’ price just to avoid the line and donate to the cause. Second, they need better signage at the intersection of Road 3 South off of Highway 89 (the farm’s website driving directions said look for signs but I didn’t see any and nearly missed the turn.)

If you go (and you certainly should):

• Driving: If coming from Prescott (or any point south), start looking to turn onto Road 3 South just after the roundabout on Highway 89 entering Chino Valley.
• Food: Bring your own. We had packed a cooler of snacks and drinks and we were glad we did… the wait for concessions was a long one.
• Wear: Sunscreen! It was a gorgeous sunny and warm day, with not much shade to be had.  Wear long pants and sturdy shoes if you plan to explore the pumpkin patch.
• Bring: Your own cutting tool for pumpkins and maybe even a gardening glove… Many pumpkins are detached already but you’ll need hand-held lawn clippers to cut those *prickly* pumpkin stems.
• Bring: Cash in small denominations. Food and tickets for entrance, train rides, hay rides, the corn maze and horseback riding lessons are required, and most things are affordable…priced around $3.
• Stay: Make a weekend of it… book your hotel on Prescott.com, find restaurants, other attractions and other events and festivals nearby.

photo credit: Doug Paul

Another timely and universal question from a visitor came in to our Flagstaff hotels and visitors guide, Flagstaff.com. I know lots of people want to know exactly when to come to Flagstaff to see fiery gold, red and orange fall foliage.  Today, Jared specifically wanted to know when to visit, where to stay and where to go to see the best of Flagstaff’s fall leaves.

Dear Arizona Travel:

My wife and I are planing a trip to Flagstaff and want to go when the changing of the colors is best, when would that be this year? If we were to stay a night where would a good place be to stay that we can take a walk or something in a good forest area to look at the colors?

–Jared W.

My answer, with some really helpful links, after the bump…

Dear Jared:

In general, mid-September to mid-October is optimal for leaves changing in Flagstaff… particularly with the aspen.  However, things have not quite started to change yet, so I would plan your visit for end of September, first week of October. Keep an eye on this fall foliage map from weather.com… it’s a great resource for planning a trip for this very short season!

A hotel with forested walking areas?  Bingo – Little America Flagstaff is exactly what you’re looking for.  The 500-acre property has a 2-mile walking trail that winds through a ponderosa pine forest.

Flagstaff has a terrific Urban Trails System; check out the city’s FUTS webpage for trail maps, descriptions and more.  I recommend the Aspen Loop trail for walking and light hiking. Start at the lower parking lot of the Humphrey’s trailhead. This 4-mile stretch (round trip up to 8 miles long,) is a recently completed section of the mother 300-mile Arizona Trail. The trail is fairly level, decending only about 300 feet, and traverses the mountain with great views of Kendrick and Humphrey’s mountains. It winds through ponderosa and fir, then enters a beautiful aspen grove. With luck, you’ll see some tremendous fall colors.

For a more moderately strenuous hike, consider the Kendrick Trail.  We just did a great blog post on this trail that will give you all the details.

If you come a little further into October, definitely do a scenic drive from Flagstaff to Sedona via Oak Creek Canyon (Hwy 89). It is a spectacular drive and absolutely gorgeous in the fall.

–ChristinaToo

It was One Hundred Thirteen Degrees (yes, 113 degrees) here in Scottsdale today. Blech.

But, I am so super excited for fall to arrive this year – even more than usual – because there are some really cool new 2009 autumn festivities happening around the state of Arizona.  Well, they may not be new to everyone, but they’re new to me and since they weren’t part of our hugely popular Fall 2006 post, I’m gonna go ahead and assume you’d like to hear about them, too.

There’s so much going on around the state that I’m planning this as a multi-parter, starting in the city of Prescott.  Look for future posts for information on what to do in Sedona, Flagstaff and Scottsdale this fall, as well.  And if you have some terrific insight, please oh please feel free to leave a comment here so I can include your contribution in my next post!

Fall 2009 Events in Prescott, Arizona

Freeman Farms Pumpkin Festival – Chino Valley: September 26 & 27 and every weekend in October

photo credit: Freeman Farms - azpumpkins.com

THIS is where you must go for the Real Farm Experience.  Freeman Farms touts itself as Northern Arizona’s REAL Pumpkin Patch, and I mean, seriously – they have everything you could expect from a pumpkin patch: farm fresh pumpkins (grown on Freeman Farms); farm fresh produce; horse, animal and wildlife presentations; educational presentations; corn maze; hay rides; horseback riding lessons; petting zoo; entertainment and activities; attractions and concessions; and of course, fun for the whole family!

In case you aren’t familiar with the Prescott tri-city area, Chino Valley is located just 15 minutes north of Prescott.

• When to go: Weekends beginning September 26 & 27 and continuing every Friday, Saturday and Sunday in October from 9 am to 4 pm
• What to expect: While some pre-cut pumpkins will probably be available, the U-Pick aspect is a big part of the fun! Bring your own cutting utensil.  If you pick it, (or break a stem,) you pay for it. No dogs allowed. Average temperatures in Chino Valley for October are a high of 74.6 degrees F and a low of 56.8… ‘pertinear’ darn perfect.
• Prices: Parking is FREE. Admission: $3 per adult;  $2 per child 2-18 years old;  infants in diapers FREE
• For more information: www.azpumpkins.com for directions or call 928-636-5714.

Old West Oktoberfest – Saturday, October 17

photo credit: scottb211 on flickr.com

Amber fall foliage is perfect when paired with a locally-crafted beer. In it’s ninth year, the Old West Oktoberfest promises to be bigger and better than ever! With more microbreweries participating, expanded events and more areas for whole-family fun, the downtown section of Gurley Street gets closed off so participants can wander the booths, tasting and testing ales, ambers, stouts and lagers.

• When to go:Saturday, October 17 from 1 pm to 6 pm
• What to expect:Large crowds. Be prepared to show valid ID proving you are age 21 or over. You’ll get a souvenir tasting glass and tickets good for five beer samples. Expect ideal fall weather in the mid -70s during the day and light layers needed as the festival comes to a close.
• Prices: $15 per person.
• Don’t drink and drive: Visit hotels.prescott.com to browse, compare and book a hotel room within walking distance or a short, cheap cab ride from downtown Prescott.

Lynx Lake Restaurant – Prescott National Forest: Open Tuesday through Sunday

photo credit: walkingprescott.blogspot.com

A local favorite, this German restaurant overlooks Lynx Lake and shares its space with the Lynx Lake store and boat rentals.  Watch kayakers, paddle boats and trout-anglers as you enjoy a killer breakfast (served 8 am – 2pm) or dinner (served 4 pm – 8 pm) and a great German beer.  Authentic Bavarian fare, great views, and the thrill of being in on a best-kept secret are reasons enough to plan your own personal Oktoberfest and check out the Lynx Lake Cafe.

• When to go: Not Mondays. You’ll get super slow service since they’re not open. Better go Tuesday through Sunday and you’ll get great service.
• How to get there: Take Highway 69 to Walker Road (Look for Costco between Prescott and Prescott Valley) and turn south onto Walker Road. Go 7.6 miles on Walker Road. Right on Eagle Road. Left on Eureka Lane. 4505 E Forest Service Rd (928) 778-0720.

Trick o’ Treating on Mt. Vernon – Halloween: Saturday, October 31

photo credit: giometriks on flickr.com

Mt. Vernon street in Prescott is lined with stately and cute-as-a-button Victorian homes that get all decked out for Halloween. Each year, about 5,000 trick o’ treaters of all ages descend upon Mt. Vernon and line up at the spookily-transformed Painted Ladies to garner ghoulish goodies and marvel at the lawns-turned-graveyards and creepy decor.

• Where to go: Mt. Vernon Street is four blocks east of Courthouse Square, and south of Gurley Street.View Map
• When to show up: Twilight if you have little kids; later if you have older kids or you are an overgrown Power Ranger pandering for candy you could not only afford yourself but also by a sixer to go along with it.
• What to expect: Large crowds, off-site FREE parking in the Granite Street Parking Garage at Gurley and Granite, one block west of Montezuma…and thus an easy five-block walk to Mt. Vernon Street.

Prescott is totally happening during October and November, so be sure to check out this calendar of events in Prescott to stay up-to-date on all the sweet raves and flashmobs… woops, I mean, festivals and art shows going on in town this fall in Prescott.

Got an event to add? Leave your comment here or add it to the Prescott.com community calendar – it’s Free!

Northern Arizona University’s Lumberjacks football team may have lost their homecoming game to Montana this past weekend, but my Saturday stay in Flagstaff was a winner.

My husband and I drove the scenic two-hour drive from our home in Scottsdale to Flagstaff on Saturday morning. As an NAU alum, he was jazzed to return to his college town and relive his glory days… twenty years later. After a quick lunch at Buster’s Restaurant & Bar – our traditional spot for watching football and good eats in Flag – we checked into the Little America Hotel, our lodging for the night.

The Little America is an elegant, upscale hotel located minutes from the downtown Flagstaff area. Although clearly an older hotel, this classic fixture of Flagstaff lodging has been nicely updated with flat-screen TVs, elegant decor, large bathrooms & guestrooms. I’ve stayed at the Little America about half a dozen times and I’m never disappointed. The staff is friendly, polite and thorough; the front desk and concierge consistently deliver four-star service. The hotel is immaculate and very reasonably priced – a tremendous value for the dollar.

After the homecoming game, our Little America concierge made reservations for us at Pasto, a fine-dining Italian restaurant in downtown Flagstaff. The perfect romantic dinner spot for my husband and me, Pasto’s exposed brick walls and simply candlelit decor fits in well with the Flagstaff downtown vibe. Pasto’s upscale and ecelectic menu of traditional Italian fare mixed with a selection of artisan cheeses & breads, game birds & other unusual proteins, and appealing flavor profiles made browsing the menu like watching an episode of “Top Chef.” While we fancy ourselved “foodies,” my husband and I were in the mood for a fairly light dinner, so we settled on a “create-your-own” antipasto to start and had house specialty entrees of portebello mushroom ravioli and jumbo prawns in a tomato-cream sauce. A nice wine list and desserts (we shared the chocolate & volipicello crema… essentially a rich chocolate pudding infused with red wine – divine and rich!) topped off our night.

Sunday morning, we headed for home early. After a quick stop at Starbucks on Milton Road, we hit the highway leaving behind another set of good memories to add to my husband’s college-days nostalgia and my Arizona travel mental scrapbook.

Updated October 2010:
Late September October through mid-October November is the best time to visit Sedona to see the fall leaves change color. Sedona.net gives tips on scenic drives and photography spots for a “leaf-peeping” trip to Sedona this fall…

Read the rest of the article on Sedona.net

Update: Come see our recent 2009 post for updated fall events!

It’s nearly October in Arizona and along with fall foliage, Halloween tricks and treats and cooler temperatures, there are lots of family-friendly activities happening all over the state. Here’s a list of the best fall activities for families in Arizona:

1. Prescott-area: Young’s Farm Annual Pumpkin Festival…October 7-9, 14-16 and 21-23 in Dewey – Young’s Farm Young’s Farm is closing–don’t miss this final year’s fall event! Pick your very own Halloween pumpkin right out of the patch. Hayrides and activities start around 9:00 a.m. and go until 4:00 p.m. The restaurant will be open until 8:00 p.m. on Friday and 4:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Kids can enjoy games, wagon and train rides, pumpkin bounce, pony rides, a petting zoo and so much more. Dozens of beautiful craft booths for your shopping convenience, home-cooked meals of BBQ chicken, and beef, plus our oven-baked pies, breads and desserts. Stroll around our Produce Stand while you listen to live music and sample some of our fresh apple cider. $4 per person. (928) 632-7272; www.youngsfarminc.com/Events/PumpkinFestival

2. Sedona – The Annual Safe and Fun Trick or Treat…October 31 from 5:00 to 8:00 pm – This annual event is held on Halloween along Sedona’s Main Street. Uptown Merchants welcome all good ghouls and ghosts to visit their stores along Hwy 89A in Uptown for little tricks and great treats! These merchants have a seventeen-year tradition of good will, providing this safe and free Halloween tradition for the entire community.

3. In Clarkdale, between Sedona and Prescott – Haunted Halloween Express on the Verde Canyon Railroad…October 31 at 12:00 pm – Ghosts and goblins, witches and warlocks – pint sized and full grown – are invited to join in the Verde Canyon Railroad’s frighteningly good fun. In addition to the specatcular fall foliage, a costume contest will be featured. Prizes will be awarded for the best, funniest and scariest costumes worn by a child and adult. Special Tuesday train ride! For more information: (800) 293-7245; www.verdecanyonrr.com

4. Phoenix-area – Fall Starlight Concert Series…October 1-31 – Arizona is known both for its stunning night skies and as a great venue for outdoor concerts. Stop by Arrowhead Meadows Park to take in songs and starlight. (480) 782-2735; www.chandleraz.gov

5. Phoenix-area in Scottsdale – Mariposa Monarca…October 1-November 1 - Come meet some monarchs…butterflies, that is. Monarch butterflies, arguably the most recognized, studied and loved of all insects; command attention from scientists and naturalists alike. Learn more about these inspiring insects at this exhibition featuring live monarch butterflies, tagging demonstrations and interpretive displays about the life cycle, migration patterns, environmental threats and conservation of monarchs. Desert Botanical Gardens (480) 941-1225; www.dbg.org

6. Phoenix-area in Queen Creek – 11th Annual Schnepp Farms Pumpkin and Chili Party…October 1-31 – Join the fun at one of Arizona’s best family festivals while helping out local charitable clubs and organizations. This five-weekend festival features live entertainment, outdoor family movie nights, hayrides, marshmallow roasts, scarecrow creations, a roller coaster, petting barn, chili and chicken dinners and the famous Hillbilly Bob’s pig races. (480) 987-3100; www.pumpkinandchiliparty.com

7. Between Prescott and Sedona in Jerome – 4th Annual Jerome Ghost Walk…October 7 – Jerome airs its dirty—or spooky—laundry in this walk through haunted brothels, a murder on “spook hill” and more in a reveling nod to its one-time reputation as the “Wickedest Town in the West.” Bring a flashlight along on this tour suited for older children and adults. (928) 634-1066; www.jeromehistoricalsociety.org

8. In the Prescott-area in Chino Valley – Chino Valley Haunted House…October 12-14, 19-21 and 26-28 – Old Home Manor Haunted house, live music, concessions stand and spooky photo booth (have your picture taken with the actors). Admission: $6, discount coupons available at Fry’s grocery stores and www.cvhaunt.com

9. In Prescott – Eighth Annual Ghost Walk…October 28 – Sharlot Hall Museum Guided trips through tales from Prescott’s folklore, told by costumed storytellers. Co-sponsored by West Yavapai Guidance Clinic and the Prescott Fine Arts Association. Tickets are for walks beginning at 6, 7, 8 and 9 pm. 928-445-3122; www.sharlot.org

10. In the Prescott-area in Chino Valley – Trick or Treat Tailgate Party and Fall Fest…October 31 from 5:00 to 8:00 pm – Old Home Manor Photo booth, Dr. Ooze Slime Laboratory, wacky maze, treasure hunt and haunted hay ride. Event is free to public; www.chinoaz.net