“From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere.”

In March, children and adults all over Arizona will celebrate the birthday of Dr. Seuss, beloved writer of nonsense and patron saint of silliness. Want to get in on the fun? Here are four whimsical ways you and your child can remember the author who taught us,

“Today you are you! That is truer than true! There is no one alive who is you-er than you!”

The Lorax - In Theaters March 2

Statewide: The Lorax Movie

Friday, March 2 in Theaters Everywhere

From the creators of Despicable Me and the imagination of Dr. Seuss comes the 3D-CG feature Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, an adaptation of the classic tale of a forest creature who shares the enduring power of hope. The animated adventure follows the journey of a 12-year-old as he searches for the one thing that will enable him to win the affection of the girl of his dreams. To find it he must discover the story of the Lorax, the grumpy yet charming creature who fights to protect his world. Explore the world of The Lorax and find tickets and showtimes in your area at theloraxmovie.com.

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss at Scottsdale Civic Center LIbrary

Scottsdale: Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss at Scottsdale Civic Center Library

Thursday, March 1 at 4pm

Children ages 6 to 12 are encouraged to join the Scottsdale Civic Center Library for an afterschool birthday celebration of Dr. Seuss. Last year’s event included story times, making crafts, and decorating bookplates, so this year is sure to be a great time, too! Registration may be required for this popular event at the library, located at 3839 N. Drinkwater Blvd, Scottsdale, so visit scottsdalelibrary.org or call 480.312.READ for more information.

Dr. Seuss' Birthday Party at the spot... a Child's Museum

Prescott: Dr. Seuss’ Birthday Party at the spot… a Child’s Museum

Friday, March 2 at 1pm

You’re invited to Dr. Seuss’ Birthday Party at 1pm on Friday, March 2 at the spot…a Child’s Museum, located inside Prescott Gateway Mall. This special 2 ½ hour Museum event, featuring Kindermusik with Miss Kelly, will use music, movement and science to honor the innovator who taught us all to be our zaniest selves.

Get advance tickets online by February 28 to reserve your spot. Tickets are $12.00 for one child and one adult and include Museum admission and the Kindermusik class, materials and a birthday gift. For more information, visit thespotmuseum.org/seuss.

Seussical the Musical at Copperstar Repertory Co.

East Valley: Seussical the Musical at Copperstar Repertory Co.

March 23, 24, 29, 30 & 31. Showtimes vary.

Celebrate Dr. Seuss’s birthday and promote excitement in reading and literature with Seussical! This whimsical musical is based on the books of Dr. Seuss and has become a favorite for kids and adults alike. Some of Seuss’s most popular characters are cleverly woven into the main plot, which draws primarily from the favorite, Horton Hears a Who. The Cat in the Hat narrates and is up to his usual antics, creating mischief throughout the show.

Copperstar Repertory Company is a nonprofit arts organization whose mission is to entertain, educate and enrich community members of all ages by offering high quality productions, providing professional instruction in performing arts, and creating performance opportunities for Arizona’s youth and adults. Located at the Higley Center for the Performing Arts, 4132 East Pecos Rd in Gilbert. Visit copperstarrep.org for tickets and information.

_{Quotes from One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish and Happy Birthday to You!, both by Dr. Seuss, Random House Children’s Books}

Mormon Lake Lodge

Dear Arizona Travel: Just want to know how to go about getting a package or something for 8 familys [sic] that has at least 5 members in a family. We went camping in Payson last year in July. Please help me with some info.
Thanks,
Cheryle

Hi, Cheryle. Wow, that’s quite a group – what fun! Are you looking for a place with lots of cabins, one for each family, or something like that? Two places come to mind that might fit everyone: Mormon Lake Lodge, which is 30 minutes southeast of Flagstaff, has cabins and a lodge and all kinds of outdoor activities. Another option is
Greer Lodge Resort and Cabins, which is in eastern Arizona, at the eastern edge of the White Mountains about 192 miles from Flagstaff (243 miles from Phoenix.) One of our Arizona Travel fans on Facebook recently posted a travel deal at the Greer Lodge, so that may be a great option for you. Both are well geared toward family reunions and large groups like yours.

A third option might be a timeshare resort such as Sedona Pines in Sedona. A switch from your groups’s camping background, this is more condo/resort, but Sedona Pines has lots of family-sized accommodations and activities for all ages on property.

I also wrote a couple recent blog posts that touch on both these accommodations… with people in similar situations… they might help you as well.

Dear Arizona Travel: Family Reunion Spot?

Dear Arizona Travel: Timeshare Rentals in Sedona?

Take care, Cheryle! Good luck!

–ChristinaToo

Take your kids sledding in AZ! Photo credit: Tony the Misfist on Flickr.com / Creative Commons

Got a great question on our Facebook page today, but thought I’d post the reply here for everyone to read. If you still have questions, or have any other recommendations to add, please feel free to comment here.

Dear Arizona Travel: Where do we take the kids sledding on a day trip from Phoenix?
Maria – Phoenix

Hi, Maria! Try these:

Flagstaff Nordic Center

• The Flagstaff Nordic Center offers snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, snowman building and pull-behind sledding and night play on Fridays when conditions allow. Downhill sledding is available at Crowley Pit, just 1 mile past the Flagstaff Nordic Center. The center is open daily and had 20 of its 40 kilometers of trails.
• Getting there: The center is about 15 miles northwest of downtown Flagstaff and 160 miles from central Phoenix. Head north on Interstate 17, which leads into Milton Road in Flagstaff. Follow Milton Road downtown to U.S. 180 north. The parking lot is along the highway at mile marker 232.
• Hours: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. daily and 6-9 p.m. Fridays if conditions allow.
• Skiing: Reservations for equipment rentals must be made by 3 p.m. three days before your visit. Skis and rental packages range from $10 – $20/day, and trail passes are priced at $10 – $18/day.
• Snowshoeing: The center has about 9 miles of marked snowshoe trails, and dogs are allowed if kept under control. Reservations are suggested to ensure equipment availability. Trail passes and snowshoe rentals are $10 – 18 per day each.
• Sledding: A sledding area is near U.S. 180 at Crowley Pit, about 1 mile past the Nordic Center. The pit’s parking area is not maintained, but portable toilets and a garbage can are available. Several hills with various grades and lengths are available. Learn more about Crowley Pit, a Forest Service site, at flagstaffnordiccenter.com/snowplay.php
• Details: 928-220-0550 or flagstaffnordiccenter.com

Wing Mountain Snow Play area

This area offers small sledding hills and moguls for tots, as well as areas for skiing, snowshoeing and other snow play. Food and hot drinks are available.

• Getting there: It’s about 150 miles from central Phoenix. Take I-17 north to Milton Road into downtown Flagstaff, then U.S. 180 north. At mile marker 226, 2.8 miles past Snowbowl Road, turn left onto Forest Road 222B.
• Hours: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. daily.
• Admission: $12 per vehicle. Sleds are available for purchase.
• Details: 928-226-0493 or snowplayaz.com.

Sunrise Park Resort

Known for its downhill ski runs, Sunrise also offers tubing, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

• Getting there: It’s about 220 miles from central Phoenix. Take Arizona 87 (Beeline Highway) north to Payson, then Arizona 260 east through Show Low and Pinetop-Lakeside to Arizona 273, on the Fort Apache Reservation. Turn right (south) on Arizona 273. Sunrise Park Lodge is about 4 miles south, and the Sunrise Ski Area is about 3 miles past the lodge.
• Tubing: It’s like sledding, only you fly down the hill on an enormous inner tube. A tubing hill is behind Lake Ono, off the main entrance. Tube rentals are $8 a day, or you can bring your own tube.
• Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing: More than 13 miles of groomed trails are available. Trail passes cost $7 for adults and $4 for juniors. Equipment rentals are $10 a day.
• Sleigh rides: $22 per person for a 30-minute ride, and $30 for a 60-minute ride.
• Details: 928-735-7669 or sunriseskipark.com

Elk Ridge Ski and Recreation Area

Named for the ridge line south of the ski area, this site once was known as the Williams Ski Area. Tubing, cross-country skiing and snowboarding are available. The lodge has been renovated and is under new management. Check their website for schedules and holiday closures.

• Getting there: It’s about 180 miles from central Phoenix. Take Interstate 17 north to Flagstaff and Interstate 40 west to Williams. Go south on Fourth Street, which turns into Perkinsville Road, then Ski Run Road to Elk Ridge.
• Hours: 10a.m.-5:00 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
• Prices: $13 Adults ages 13+; $10 Kids ages 4-12; $35 Family (2 adults, 2 children under 13); Free for children younger than 4 with an Adult.
• Details: 928-814-5038 or elkridgeski.com

Enjoy the snow! Let us know how it goes and feel free to share pictures through email and/or on our Arizona Travel Facebook page!

– Christina

Okay, your turn folks… any other questions or suggestions to add?

Photo credit: NASA_goddard CC BY 2.0

When we were kids, my sister and I loved the 1980 PBS series Cosmos with Carl Sagan. Something about his deep, soothing voice and that gold cordoroy blazer just drew us in. Well, that, and the fact that as daughters of a NASA spokesperson and an accomplished teacher, we were reared on a steady diet of science, art and philosophy. That was me at age 5.

Now that I’m a mother, I am thrilled that there is an emerging children’s museum in Prescott, Arizona. Located inside Prescott Gateway Mall, the spot… a Child’s Museum is an “emerging” museum in the throes of its fundraising and awareness phase.

Judy Paris, president of the Children’s Museum Alliance and founder of the spot… a Child’s Museum explained, “The museum promotes STEM programs (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics so we are eager to begin our science programs. The initial method will be through Science Saturdays which are comprised of specific topics in the field of STEM presented by an expert. We expect to have these special Sci Sat programs monthly on a variety of subjects.”

the spot’s inaugural Science Saturday is this weekend, Saturday, May 22 from 10:30am until 1:00pm at their space inside the mall (next to Dillard’s.) Children will experience the theme of the event, “Exploring the Solar System” with guest speaker, Stacy DeVeau, who is the Director of Embry Riddle Aeronautical University’s NASA Educator Resource Center.

“Stacy was involved very early with us, even before we became a non-profit. She was excited to hear we were researching the possibility of a museum since she is a former teacher and now the NASA educator located at ERAU. We have had many chats with ERAU about partnering to bring STEM programs to young children so they are energized to follow careers in those fields. Stacy is passionate about this as well and was a member of our charrette team who developed our primary concepts for the grand vision,” said Paris.

Children will also get to participate in hands-on art and engineering activities. Because the spot is not only focused on STEM principles but also ties in all the fine arts as well as our Arizona heritage and culture, the special event’s activities will also include poetry, literature and art.

“Stacy will introduce children to basic aspects of the solar system,” Paris continued. “Children will be able to identify the planets, learn how they differ, gain knowledge about size, weight and distance. They will design their own planets, create an alien, and use solar system stamps and stencils to create a card or poster.”

Children will listen to poetry about planets by Jen Ulm, author of the children’s book, Planetary Personalities, who will be on hand to do a reading from her book and one-on-one time for literary exploration.

“It should be an out-of-this-world experience!” Paris quipped.

Dr. Sagan once wrote: I am often amazed at how much more capability and enthusiasm for science there is among elementary school youngsters than among college students.

the spot… a Child’s Museum embodies the same passion for introducing children to discovery-based and inquiry-based learning early in their lives. Research shows that many children (and many adults) learn better when education includes hands-on experiences. Paris explained, “Hands-on learning is absolutely critical to young children. Sometimes it’s better to do something than to read it in a book. Children need to be active and doing things in order to learn and create those experiences in their brains that they can call upon later when they are reading books and they are doing mathematical problems, that they have those experiences to back up the principle.”

Science Saturday is an ideal way to give your child the experiences to back up the principles they’re learning in school. And it’s the first of many events at the spot in which central and northern Arizona families can support their children’s education and their community.

“This is another major step for us at the museum. It is the first in a series of science programs that we want to bring into the lives of young children. It takes energy, time and money to bring these programs to children so we may clearly demonstrate to the community the value of our museum. We continue to be a core group of volunteers who want to enhance the education of children and embrace families through unique experiences.”

Tickets are limited, so be sure to buy online before the event. Tickets are available through ShowUp.com and cost $10 (plus a $2 service fee) per 1 adult + 1 child. The event is targeted toward children ages 5 – 12.

If your 5 year old is anything like the 1980 version of me, I’m certain he or she will be fascinated by this weekend’s Science Saturday. And I’ll bet you a Milky Way bar that your child will say, “This is my spot! My place of discovery. When can we go back to the spot?”

Photo credit: JakesMomE on Flickr.com - CC BY 2.0

Dear Arizona Travel:
My children are ages 6, 14, 15 and 18. What tour(s) would be safe for all? What would you recommend? Thanks.
–Deborah H.

Dear Deborah,
Your kids are the perfect age for almost any tour. The only thing you probably wouldn’t be able to do is river rafting as I believe most companies require a child be at least 8 years old.

Where are you starting your trip from, Nevada or Arizona?

For your crew, I recommend the Grand Canyon Railway (www.thetrain.com) at the South Rim, any of the Grand Canyon helicopter tours or airplane tours (either from Las Vegas or the South Rim), a Jeep tour (there is a great one to the bottom of the Grand Canyon through Grand Canyon Jeeps Tours (www.grandcanyonjeeps.com) that also includes a stop at the fascinating Grand Canyon Caverns… it departs from the South Rim), or just some guided hiking at the South Rim. Try Canyon Dave’s (www.canyondave.com) for a really great educational tour that everyone will enjoy… it’s hiking and learning at the same time.

If you’re coming from Las Vegas, you might want to skip the South Rim and instead check out the West Rim (it’s a 3.5 hour drive versus a 5 hour drive) and take a walk out on the Grand Canyon Skywalk (www.grandcanyonskywalk.com). it’s the glass bridge that extends 70 feet out over the canyon rim and looks straight down through the glass 4,000 feet to the canyon floor below.

I always recommend trying to fit in one or two of the guided National Park ranger talks, too. They run almost all day for about an hour each, meet in several different spots at the South Rim and cover a range of different topics from wildlife to geology to art and history to astronomy. All are great and they’re completely free. Check out the Spring 2010 edition of The Guide – the National Park’s newspaper – for detailed times, descriptions and meeting places.

Hope that helps, Deborah! Have a great trip!

Are you looking for something fun to do during spring break? Take them to the theater! That’s right: Flagstaff Youth Theater presents their latest production in their series, Stories 2 Stage: The Triple F (Fanciful, Falsified, Fairy Tales) for two performances one day only during spring break. Come and see what FYT’s newest workshop casts have been up to and get ready to laugh as they present:

“The Stinky Cheese Man & Other Fairly Stupid Tales”

and

“The Frog Prince Continued”

FHS Main Auditorium – 400 W Elm St
Saturday, March 20th
2pm & 4pm
All tickets for all ages are $6.00 each
(Bring in a can of food & receive $1.00 off your admission price)

Tickets can be purchased at the door for either performance time. This is family fun for everyone that you won’t want to miss.

For more info, visit FlagstaffYouthTheater.com

Dear Arizona Travel.
So I’m writing because I’m looking for a family reunion location and Arizona would be a nice central location. We were going to go to a lake in Idaho, but it is too hard to get to. We need a place that is similar to [name redacted] in that it is economical and plenty to do without leaving the resort, especially for kids. The clincher, however, is that it needs to be within an hour of a main airport. We have family coming from several states and we hate to have to spend a good chunk of the weekend commuting to the destination. Any ideas in Arizona?
–Angela, Utah

Great question, Angela! Right off the bat, I can think of two incredible spots that sound just perfect for your family reunion.

Mormon Lake Lodge is near Flagstaff.  It boasts cabins and other lodging, a steakhouse and saloon, game room, petting zoo, playground, volleyball, basketball court, horseshoes and more; great for families and kids.

Mormon Lake Lodge

Plus, there is commercial air service to Flagstaff via Horizon Air (from Los Angeles LAX only) and US Airways (from Phoenix PHX only).If you can only come into Phoenix Sky Harbor, then a 1 hour limit is a toughie because you’d still basically be in the city. Stretch that driving time to 1.5 or 2 hours and that’ll get you to Prescott or Flagstaff and not take anything away from your family togetherness time.

Prescott is also serviced daily by Horizon Air from LAX and is located about 1.5 hours from Phoenix. For your reunion, try Juniper Well Ranch. Four cabins sleep a total of 22 adults. There is a winery, horseback riding and general “exploration of the woods” for the kids.

Juniper Well Ranch

Other woodsy places in Arizona include Payson and the White Mountains area towns like Pinetop, Showlow and Strawberry. A quick Google search for “family reunion” and these city names should point you in the right direction.

Hope that helps!
–ChristinaToo

Photo by snowpeak on flickr.com/creativecommons

Coincidentally, we had two visitors email us at theCanyon.com this week asking how they could see the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley in one day trip. Hmm, okay, yes you can do that. But both these visitors specified that they’ll be starting their trips from Las Vegas, Nevada and wanted to see the West Rim and South Rim. Whoa. Ooookaaaaaaaaayyy.

Listen, we get it… people want to see two spectacular vistas in one day, especially since images of these two parks have become iconic representations of Arizona. But you have to understand that going Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon to Monument Valley and back will span no fewer than 900 miles and 19 hours of driving.

In this post, you’ll find two realistic itineraries, one a 3-day plan and the other a 4-day plan, that each originate in Las Vegas, include sights like Hoover Dam, West Rim, the Grand Canyon Skywalk, helicopter and boat rides, the South Rim, the Cameron Trading Post, Monument Valley and Flagstaff. Shwew!

But PS: Before we do that, it’s interesting to note a couple misconceptions featured or implied in the email questions. First, the West Rim is not actually a part of Grand Canyon National Park, It’s on Hualapai Reservation land. Second, Monument Valley is in Utah, not Arizona. It’s in the Four Corners area of the US where Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado intersect. Neither of these things is a big deal… we just want to be clear as a bell.

Okay, ready to learn how to go from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon to Monument Valley? Me, too! C’mon!

Dear Arizona Travel:

We are thinking of doing a daytrip and helicopter flight from our hotel in Las Vegas in February. We don’t mind if it is a long day including the coach journey, helicopter or plane flights (maybe boat too) etc. We would like to see the Hoover Dam, Lake Mead and West Rim of the Canyon. If possible would be great to see Monument Valley but I know that’s quite a long way from the Canyon. I was just wondering what trips you would recommend for that time of year and how much they would cost?

–Rob D., United Kingdom

Dear Arizona Travel:

Your website is really detailed, but I would like to ask your help. I am planning to visit the Grand Canyon this summer. This time I will take my kids too. I plan to drive from Las Vegas and want to see the West Rim, the Skywalk, to take trip on the river and to see the Monument Valley as well. Could you be so kind to recommend me a routeplan, and hotel if it is necessary?
I thank you for your kind assistance in advance.

–Gyorgy P., Budapest, Hungary

Las Vegas to the West Rim

Vacation plans that include the Grand Canyon West Rim, Hoover Dam and Lake Mead from Las Vegas are perfect.

For your coach/helicopter/boat tour of the Dam and the West Rim, there are several excellent choices.

First, Viator and LookTours and All Grand Canyon Tours (all the same company) are brokerage services offering dozens of these tour options that you can easily compare by price, customer rating, etc.  I would start there (viator.com and looktours.com and allgrandcanyontours.com) and see if you find a tour that fits your needs.

For example, their All American Grand Canyon Helicopter tour is extremely popular and priced at about $287 per person (currently on special.)  This tour combines a limo ride from hotel to airport, heli flight to the West Rim, landing down inside the canyon, a champagne picnic inside the canyon (which is great because the floor of the canyon is approximately 10 degrees warmer than the rim… good for February temps, which are still quite warm at an average high of 70 degrees and an average low of 42.) The only drawback to this tour is, I believe, you don’t have time to add a boat trip or walk on the Grand Canyon Skywalk.  You can find the All American Tour on our Grand Canyon tours page.

To get everything you’re looking for in a day trip, you may consider driving yourself. There is a company called U-Drive Tours that will rent you a high-clearance SUV, Jeep or Hummer and gives you everything you need to drive from Las Vegas over the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead to the West Rim. They include all entrance fees and tickets in the price of your package for a seamless day. You can upgrade your package with them to include a helicopter flight from the West Rim airport down into the canyon, a boat trip up the river, the flight back up to the rim and then you drive yourself home.  Meals are even included.  Tell ‘em Christina from theCanyon.com sent you… they will take very good care of you.

Here’s how to do it:

Day 1 – Depart Las Vegas for the West Rim.
Route:     South along US Highway 93 over Hoover Dam
Northeast on Pierce Ferry Rd (County Highway 25)
Take Pierce Ferry Rd north to Diamond Bar Rd (County Highway 261)
Go east on Diamond Bar Rd.
Arrive Grand Canyon West.
121 miles/195 kilometers – Time: 2 hrs 30 min

From here, we recommend you spend the night near the West Rim. You can either add an overnight stay through U-Drive Tours or book your stay at Grand Canyon West Ranch. Another option is to stay overnight in Kingman.

Day One, above, is the same whether you do a 4-day trip or cram it all into 3 days. Depending on how old and car-tolerant you and your kids are, you may want to continue on our 4-day itinerary:

Four Day Itinerary:

Day 1: Las Vegas to West Rim (stay overnight at the Grand Canyon West Ranch): 121 miles this day
Day 2: West Rim to South Rim (stay overnight in Tusayan on inside the park): 242 miles this day
Day 3: South Rim to Monument Valley and back to Flagstaff (stay overnight in Flagstaff): 178 + 174 miles = 352 miles this day
Day 4: Flagstaff to Las Vegas (stay overnight or fly out of Las Vegas): 242 miles this day

West Rim to South Rim

Here are the routes you’ll take:

Day 1 – (4 day trip) See above.

Day 2 – (4 day trip) West Rim to South Rim
Route:      Take Buck and Doe Road to Diamond Bar Rd (County Highway 261)
South on Stockton Hill Rd toward Kingman
At Kingman, take Interstate 40 East to Williams
At Williams, north on Highway 64/180 to South Entrance to the Grand Canyon South Rim (town of Tusayan)
Arrive Grand Canyon South Rim. Be sure to explore Grand Canyon Village, attend Ranger Talks (free), walk the Rim Trail, visit the Visitors Centers. Have lunch at the El Tovar hotel.
242 miles / 389 km – Time: 4 hours 35 minutes

South Rim to Monument Valley to Flagstaff

Day 3 – (4 day trip) Tusayan/South Rim for Monument Valley and then Flagstaff
Route:     From inside the Park, take Highway 64 East to Cameron (also known as Desert View Drive)
Be sure to stop at the various Grand Canyon overlooks along the 26 mile Desert View Drive!
At Cameron, take US Highway 89 North
Turn right on Navajo Trail /US Highway 160 East toward Kayenta
At Kayenta, turn left onto US Highway 163 North
Arrive Monument Valley Start Park (in Utah)
178 miles / 286 km – Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
Return approximately 172 miles (4 hours 20 minutes) to Flagstaff for overnight stay OR stay at the Cameron Trading Post Lodge halfway between Monument Valley and Flagstaff in Cameron on Highway 89 North.
Total: 352 miles / 566 km – Time: 8 hours 50 minutes

Flagstaff to Las Vegas

Day 4- (4 day trip) – Depart Flagstaff for Las Vegas
Route:     Take I-40 West
Take Highway 93 North to Las Vegas
242 miles / 406 km – Time: 4 hours

Three-Day Itinerary

For a 3 day trip of heavy driving and less time at the parks:
Day 1: Las Vegas to West Rim (stay overnight at the Grand Canyon West Ranch): 121 miles this day
Day 2: West Rim to Monument Valley and back to Cameron (stay overnight in Cameron): 372 + 172 miles = 544 miles this day
Day 3: Cameron to South Rim to Las Vegas (stay overnight or fly out of Las Vegas): 332 miles this day

Las Vegas to West Rim

Day 1 – (3 day trip) – Depart Las Vegas for the West Rim.
Route:     South along US Highway 93 over Hoover Dam
Northeast on Pierce Ferry Rd (County Highway 25)
Take Pierce Ferry Rd north to Diamond Bar Rd (County Highway 261)
Go east on Diamond Bar Rd.
Arrive Grand Canyon West.
121 miles/195 kilometers – Time: 2 hrs 30 min

West Rim to Monument Valley to Cameron

Day 2 – (3 day trip)  –     Depart Grand Canyon West Ranch for Monument Valley
Route:      Take Buck and Doe Road to Diamond Bar Rd (County Highway 261)
South on Stockton Hill Rd toward Kingman
At Kingman, take Interstate 40 East to Flagstaff
At Flagstaff, take US Highway 89 North
Turn right on Navajo Trail /US Highway 160 East toward Kayenta
At Kayenta, turn left onto US Highway 163 North to Monument Valley State Park (in Utah)
372 miles / 598 km – Time: 8 hours 30 minutes
Arrive Monument Valley
Return approximately 119 miles (3 hours) to Cameron for overnight stay
Total: 491 miles / 790 km – Time: 11 hours 30 minutes

Cameron to South Rim to Las Vegas

Day 3 – (3 day trip) – Depart Cameron and head south on Hwy 89
Route:    Turn right on Highway 64 (Desert View Drive) into the East Entrance to the Grand Canyon South Rim
Be sure to stop at the various Grand Canyon overlooks along the 26 mile Desert View Drive
Explore Grand Canyon Village at the South Rim.  Attend Ranger Talks (free), walk the Rim Trail, visit the Visitors Centers. Have lunch at the El Tovar hotel.
Depart the South Rim on Highway 64 / Highway 180 toward Williams
At Williams, take I-40 West
Take Highway 93 North to Las Vegas
332 miles / 534 km – Time: 7 hours

or…Cameron to Las Vegas

Day 3 Option (3 day trip…skip the South Rim) – Depart Cameron for Las Vegas
Route:     Take Highway 89 South to Flagstaff
At Flagstaff, take I-40 West
Take Highway 93 North to Las Vegas
242 miles / 406 km – Time: 4 hours

There you have it. Hope these tips and sample itineraries help you readers, too.

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

We got an email from a visitor to theCanyon.com, our Grand Canyon tours and hotels guide, today that totally struck a chord with me. I think Diana’s question is really common and who better to answer than another mom? Check it out and see if it will help you with your Grand Canyon vacation plans.

Dear Arizona Travel:

My fiance and I are getting married in Vegas in July 2010. From Vegas we want to visit the Grand Canyon. We only plan on spending 1 day there and we will have 3 small children with us. What is better? the North, South, or West Rim? Would you suggest renting a car and driving from Vegas or taking a tour? I am totally lost at what to do. Any and all help is appreciated. Thank you so much!
–Diana R

Read on for my answer:

Hi, Diana.  Best wishes on your upcoming marriage and congratulations to your fiance!

I am assuming you want to drive yourselves and are not considering taking a helicopter or air tour from Las Vegas to the South Rim.  If you hadn’t thought of flying, you might.  It’s a great way to minimize car-trip boredom, and get your tour and transportation in one.  It’s also the most time-efficient, as you can do one of these tours in half a day instead of a full day.

If you want to drive, start out early to maximize your time and the canyon and beat the heat.  As to where to go and what to do:

From Las Vegas, the West Rim is closest – only about 121 miles (2 hours) versus 278 (4.5 hours) to the South Rim.  The North Rim, while amazing and a great choice, is a longer drive-time from Las Vegas (only 282 miles, but over 5 hours) and with 3 small kids in the car, might prove to be just too long a trip.

The West Rim is where you’ll find the Grand Canyon Skywalk and several other Native American cultural sites.  While the Skywalk offers a unique view of the Canyon (a glass bottom sidewalk that juts out over the edge of the canyon, allowing you to look straight down) it might not be the most kid-friendly activity and while there are several small educational exhibits out there, too, the Skywalk is really the main attraction.  Also, Grand Canyon West is not actually a part of the National Park; it is on Hualapai Tribal land, so if you are going for a more informative, educational and “classic” visit to Grand Canyon National Park, I think the South Rim is a much better choice.  Further, the West Rim is rather expensive to visit… it’s at least $81.20 per adult and $61.16 per child ages 4 – 11. Children must be at least 4 to walk on the Skywalk.  There are extra fees (up to $35 total) just to enter the West Rim and ride the optional shuttle bus from the parking lot.

If you do choose the West Rim, I recommend U-Drive Tours (udrivetours.com) – they’re amazing. They not only package up all the Skywalk tickets and entrance fees to make things easy, but they include in their tour price the rental of a Jeep, SUV, Escalade, Prius or other fun cars that can handle the unpaved road that is the final 15 miles to the West Rim.  The owners are a super nice couple with young kids so they could be very helpful to helping you book the best trip to the West Rim possible. They know that area like the back of their hands and they operate / depart your tour from Las Vegas which is great for you.  They can also help round out the activities by recommending an add-on helicopter flight to the bottom of the canyon, horseback riding or a rafting trip.

The South Rim is the most visited for good reason.  The views are amazing, and the park service does a great job offering free ranger-led programs that are great for kids and will allow you to get the very most out of your 1 full day there.  It’s most crowded in the summer, though, so the trade-offs are big crowds at popular viewpoints and it can be difficult finding parking.

As the mother of an almost three year old, I suggest driving yourself to the South Rim vs. paying for a traditional bus tour for all of you.  I would like the flexibility to come and go in my own car, stop for bathroom breaks, keep “mommy” supplies in the car (change of clothes in case of potty accidents, snacks, etc.)  Plus, not knowing the age of your kids, you might want to bring strollers or a wagon as there is A LOT of walking at the Grand Canyon. Parking lots are usually about 1/4 mile from the rim itself, plus walking along the rim trail.  You can also ride the free hop-on-hop-off shuttle bus that runs around the South Rim from one viewpoint to the next… Definitely take advantage of that.

That’s not to say that tours aren’t a good idea… there are some FABULOUS choices once you’re at/near the South Rim.  Here are some of my favorite totally kid-friendly tour ideas at the south rim:
1) Ride the Grand Canyon Railway from Williams (an hour south of the park) to the South Rim of the park.  There couldn’t be a more relaxing, value-packed and kid-friendly way to spend a full day at the Canyon and they have different price points. www.thetrain.com
2) Take a Jeep Tour with Grand Canyon Jeep Tours… you can depart from either Williams or Tusayan (which is the town just outside the park entrance.)  They do a jeep ride to the bottom of the Canyon which is super cool. (www.grandcanyonjeeps.com)
3) Take a helicopter tour with any of the companies on theCanyon.com – they’re all great and you can’t go wrong. Two popular choices are MaverickHelicopter.com and Papillon.com (which also owns Grand Canyon Helicopters)

To find all these companies, check out theCanyon.com:

Grand Canyon Jeep Tours, U-Drive Tours and Grand Canyon Railway

Grand Canyon Helicopters, Papillon Helicopters, Maverick Helicopter and all helicopter tours from Las Vegas

Have a great trip and again, best wishes for your marriage!

–ChristinaToo