Basic Beginnings

General Information

Lay of the Land

Getting to Flagstaff
Most Flagstaff visitors fly into Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport because it is the closest major international airport to Flagstaff. From there, it’s best to rent a car and drive yourself to Flagstaff via I-17,  which is about a 2.5 hour drive. There are a limited amount of flights from Sky Harbor Airport to Flagstaff Airport available, but that is an option. There are shuttle companies that offer daily scheduled trips for about $38 per person each way, while Amtrak has a train station in heart of town as does Greyhound bus service.

Lodging

Flagstaff experiences an influx of Phoenicians trying to beat the summer heat during the months of July – August. Grand Canyon visitors start coming around in May and keep flowing in all the way through October. Then the snow players take it from there during the months of December – February. This town has plenty of hotels, motels, cabins and bed and breakfasts, but it gets booked pretty quickly on holiday weekends, days following a good snow storm or extra hot days in The Valley.  Making plans in advance is recommended especially if you, your family or travel friends have accommodation preferences. Even the hostels get booked up regularly!

Hotels and Motels

A variety of hotels and motels are available all over greater Flagstaff. You’ll find both familiar brand hotel chains and independent properties. Prices range from $75 – $250 per night in the peak months and $50 to $200+ per night in the off-season.

Cabins
Flagstaff is the perfect place to rent a cabin. Flagstaff’s four season weather makes it inviting year round. Cool off  and relax in a summer cabin surrounded by wildflowers with picturesque mountains in the distance. Better yet, stay warm by a crackling fire with a cup of hot cocoa after a day of skiing or sledding in the winter wonderland. Cabins tend to be visitors’ first choice in Flagstaff lodging, so book early if possible.

Bed & Breakfasts

Flagstaff’s charming mountain home atmosphere makes it a perfect place to enjoy staying at a bed and breakfast. Rates vary widely based on the size, amenities offered and demand for these charming inns, but you’ll find anything from $125 per night to $350 per night, based on the season and the style, from simple to luxurious.

Pet-Friendly
Flagstaff is certainly pet-friendly. Several Flagstaff bed & breakfasts, inns, cabins and hotels cater to four-legged family members. Check out this list of dog friendly hotels in Flagstaff, which may or may not be complete, so don’t be afraid to call your hotel or bed & breakfast and ask if Spike or Fluffy can come along.

Dining

How to See Flagstaff…

“Is everyone here young and cool? Even that old man with a white beard acts like he’s 35.” – overheard at Charly’s Pub at the Weatherford Hotel

It’s true. Flagstaff tends to attract people who are looking for adventure. The vibrant spirit often appears as being young at heart – and it’s everywhere. It can’t be helped. From hiking, snowboarding and rock-climbing to Grand Canyon helicopter tours and Colorado River rafting, it all starts in Flagstaff. How do you want to see Flagstaff?

…on a Bicycle Ride Around Town

If you’re planning on staying in town, a bicycle is the perfect way to get around Downtown Flagstaff. That’s what the locals do! There are bike racks everywhere and nothing is far enough to actually need to hop in a car to get to.  In fact, finding a spot to part a vehicle can be quite the chore in this part of town. Rent a bike. You’ll be able to see, experience and interact with more  of everything, guaranteed. There are people from all over the world and all walks of life in the mountain town that you won’t want to miss.

…on a Guided Tour

You won’t want to miss a guided tour of Lowell Observatory. This was where the once so-called planet, Pluto, was discovered. Flagstaff’s fresh mountain air and clear skies make it a wonderful place to explore the Beyond. Other guided tours include the Museum of Northern Arizona, which features a wealth of geological and cultural information about the Southwest; then there is the Riordan Mansion State Historic Park, a five-acre park showcasing an extraordinary early 1900s mansion owned by the Riordan family who logged Flagstaff in the city it is today.

Other tours that depart from Flagstaff are tours to the Grand Canyon. Many tours to the Grand Canyon leave from Flagstaff since it is the biggest city near the canyon. Visitors often take helicopter tours, jeep tours, bus tours, river trips or guided hikes. See Flagstaff.com‘s tour guide to get more information and pricing.

…On Foot (Hiking)

Flagstaff offers both easy and challenging hiking, and the reward for those willing to make the effort is a chance to marvel at the beauty of Flagstaff from above,

• Must-Do – Humphrey’s Peak

Humphrey’s is located 14.5 miles northwest to Flagstaff, Arizona. Take US 180 north for 7 miles, then Snowbowl Road (FR 516) for 7.4 miles to the Snowbowl lower parking lot. Find the Humphrey’s trailhead at the north end of the parking lot. All roads are paved.The trail is very well marked until you reach the saddle. The first 3 miles the trail gradually climbs the mountain, then the last 1 3/4 miles it gets steeper and more difficult. There are posts added on the last 3/4 of a mile to help mark the trail. It is very rocky and loose above 12,000 feet. The trail ascends 3 false summits before reaching the true summit. The trail is moderate to difficult, but anybody in some sort of shape can make it without consideration to elevation sickness. Total mileage is approximately 4 3/4 miles.

Trail Length:4.5 miles one way.
Elevation Range: 9,300 to 12,633 feet.
Elevation Gain: 3,333 feet.
Summit Peak: 12,633 feet.
Trail Rating: Strenuous.
Hiking Time: 3 hours one way.
Hiking Season: Late spring to fall.
Winter Permits: Required
Camping:No camping above tree line.

• Local Favorite – Mt. Elden Trails

The summit of Mt. Elden is a 9,299-foot peak on the north edge of Flagstaff. You can hike any of several good trails or drive up a rough road. Wildflowers, a variety of forests, and panoramic views reward those who ascend even part way. A fire-lookout tower marks the summit. Climb the tower, if it’s open, for the best views. On a clear day you’ll see much of north-central Arizona: Oak Creek Canyon and Mormon Lake to the south; the Painted Desert to the east; Humphrey’s Peak, Sunset Crater, and other volcanoes to the north; and Bill Williams Mountain to the west. Flagstaff lies directly below. An eruption of thick, sticky lava created Mt. Elden.
The hiking season runs from May to October, a bit longer for the drier eastern slope. You’ll need to carry water.  Allow at least half a day for a hike to the summit and back; elevation change is 1,300–2,400 feet, depending on the trailhead. Horseback riders and mountain bicyclists can use most of the trail system.

Rating: Moderate
Distance: 2.5 – 3.5 miles
Map and Information: Mt. Elden Trail Guide

 …On a Wall (Rock Climbing)

The Pit (Le Petit Verdon) is one of Flagstaff’s most accessible rock climbing areas for people of all skill levels. Most of the routes are sport but there are a handful of trad routes.

Take I-17 towards Flagstaff. Take the Lake Mary Road Exit. Turn right onto Lake Mary Road, then follow this road approximately 6 miles down. On your left, you will see “Canyon Vista” campground. This is where we are camped at the trailhead to the Pit. Park in the parking lot, trail starts at the end. Go down the small trail, take a right at the fork. You can see the crag from the parking lot and trail. Follow the trail to the other side, there you will see the bolts and pitches.

Flagstaff Temperatures and Precipitation:

Flagstaff receives an average annual snowfall of 99.5 inches
based on the 1st day of each month

Flagstaff Average Clear, Partly Cloudy and Cloudy Days by Month Annual Total

So, there you go! That’s our primer all the basics of visiting Flagstaff. Did we leave anything out? What else would you like to know? Feel fee to comment and we will reply!

Visitors are revving up to travel to North Scottsdale Jan. 15-22

Rev up your 2012 travel plans and come to the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction in Scottsdale January 15-22. More than 250,000 classic car lovers from all over the world flock to WestWorld of Scottsdale each year for “the world’s greatest collector car auction”; will you be one of them? Even if you don’t have six figures of bid money burning a hole in your pocket, you can enjoy all that Scottsdale has to offer away from the action of the auction block.  Kick back at one of the area’s resorts or hotels, enjoy luxurious resort spa treatments, great restaurants and bars, first-class shopping and championship golf.  The entire destination is sure to please auto enthusiasts and their friends and families alike. Read our Visitor’s Guide to Barrett-Jackson to find out where to stay, eat, expected weather and how to get around North Scottsdale near WestWorld.

Hotels and Resorts near WestWorld

(with approximate rates during Jan. 15-22)

• Scottsdale Links Resort – Rooms from $259/night
• Hilton Garden Inn North Scottsdale – Rooms from $234/night
• Fairmont Princess Resort Scottsdale – Rooms from $399/night
• Scottsdale Marriott at McDowell Mountains – Call for availability 1-888-559-2575
• Zona Resort Hotel and Suites – Call for availability 1-888-559-2575
• Residence Inn Scottsdale North – Rooms from $269
• Sleep Inn at North Scottsdale Road – Rooms from $229
• La Quinta Inn & Suites Phoenix Scottsdale – Rooms from $165

5 Places Locals Like Eat in North Scottsdale

Weather Forecast

Average January temperatures you can expect around during Barrett-Jackson around the state:

                      High / Low (F°)
Scottsdale 66° / 41°
Phoenix 67° / 46°
Sedona 56° / 28°
Prescott 51° / 21°
Flagstaff 42° / 15°
Grand Canyon
South Rim 41° / 18°
North Rim* 37° / 16°
West Rim 64° / 39°
Below the Rim 56° / 36°
Tucson 65° / 42°
Lake Havasu 66° / 40°

*North Rim is Closed Oct – May

Getting Around

Wondering if you should rent a car when you arrive in Phoenix or take a taxi/shuttle? Take it from a local, cabs here are pricey and Phoenix and Scottsdale are very large, spread-out cities. We’d hate to see you get stuck paying expensive taxi fares every time you venture out to the car auction, restaurants, shopping and golf courses. Save the cab fare and rent a car at the Phoenix airport and enjoy exploring Scottsdale on your own schedule. Sure, you won’t save enough cash to buy one of the collector cars at the auction, but you could treat yourself to a “long drive” on the golf course!

Jamburrito Goodness

Don’t miss “Food Truck Day” November 17th.   If you’re visiting or live in the area; take a break and have lunch.

If you are not sure what your hunger is craving, join the Phoenix Street Food Coalition and the culinary selections on Thursday.

Where:  In the parking lot of Whole Foods @ Raintree and the Loop 101 Freeway

Time: 11AM – 1:30PM

Food Truck List:  Short Leash Hot Dogs, Jamburritos, Sweet Republic, CarteBlanche Gourmet Tacos,

Torched Goodness,Beet Streat, Taste Rite, and the Hey Joe Truck will all be there ready to serve you.

Hope to see you for lunch…

When we say “artist community,” what city comes to mind? Santa Fe, New Mexico? Certainly. Sedona, Arizona? Absolutely. How ’bout Tubac, Arizona? Oh, you’ve never heard of it? Well, here’s to learning something new every day!

Tubac is a quaint southern Arizona artist community that, in addition to an eclectic array of restaurants, galleries, wineries, and boutique shops, boasts many amenities and activities, including mountain biking, horseback riding, hiking, bird-watching, cave exploring, and more. Surrounded by lush grounds and magnificent mountain ranges, the community is bejeweled by the Tubac Golf Resort & Spa, home to a stellar 27-hole championship golf course (where “Tin Cup” was filmed), beautiful hacienda-style spa and salon, and stylish 18th century mission-style wedding chapel.

There’s no time like the present to get to know this charming town because this week, there’s a great cultural and culinary event happening in Tubac.

Click to view larger at TubacOriginals.com

Restaurant Daze and Twilight in Tubac will start this Wednesday, May 18 and run until Sunday, May 22. The event features 13 unique restaurants that will serve specially selected meals at discounted prices. Lunch specials will be $9.95 per person, a 3-course dinner special is $16.95 per person, and a couple’s 3-course dinner special is $29.95. Tubac Golf Resort & Spa’s own Stables Ranch Grille will be participating and thus offering the special prices and menu. In addition, over 30 shops and galleries in the area will be celebrating Twilight in Tubac by staying open till sunset and offering specials as well. Restaurant Daze and Twilight in Tubac is the perfect time to explore all of southern Arizona’s hotspots!

Event At-a-Glance:

• Where: Tubac, Arizona – approximately 1 hour south of Tucson on I-19
• When: Wednesday, May 18 through Sunday, May 22
• What: 13 participating restaurants and 30+ shops and galleries offering specials and extended hours for unique dining experiences and strolling the village streets, finding art and collectibles.

Check out these Tubac, Arizona tourism resources and more information about Restaurant Daze and Twilight in Tubac:

• Tubac2Day.com Blog
• TubacOriginals.com
• Tubac Golf Resort and Spa

Google Map of Tubac, Arizona:

View Larger Map

Dear Arizona Travel:

We plan to travel by car to Flagstaff in May and spend two days and two nights. We would like to spend one day in Sedona and one day at the Grand Canyon. What would be the best way to accomplish this?

J.G. — Austin, TX

Hello, J.G. This is a great question many of our readers are probably also asking.

Both Sedona and the Grand Canyon South Rim can be accomplished as day trips, starting from Flagstaff and going outward.  If you’re driving up from Phoenix, why don’t you go through Sedona first on the way to Flagstaff?  Take I-17 to Highway 179 and travel up through Sedona and see the sights.  Check out this suggested driving tour of Sedona for tips on seeing the best of Sedona by car and on foot.

Assuming you arrive in Sedona in the morning, you could see Sedona and be in Flagstaff by dinnertime.  Try Beaver Street Brewery for a casual dinner, or Pasto or Tinderbox Kitchen for a more upscale, foodie-worthy meal.

The following day, head out for the Grand Canyon bright and early.  You can either drive yourselves and see the South Rim on your own, attending free Ranger Talks, walking the Rim Trail, and having a nice lunch at the El Tovar Hotel, or you could drive from Flagstaff to Williams early in the morning and do the all-day round-trip Grand Canyon Railway journey. The GCR is a great way to relax and take in the Grand Canyon plateau, and you’ll have plenty of time at the Rim itself to do almost everything I mentioned above.  You board the train for the return trip about 3pm, and pull back into Williams around 5pm. Then you can have dinner at the Railway resort hotel, or in the town of Williams (try the Grand Canyon Brewing Company or the Red Raven Restaurant) or drive 25 miles back to Flagstaff for more dining and nightlife choices.

Enjoy your stay in Flagstaff! You’ll love touring Northern Arizona this way!

– ChristinaToo

Planning a Sedona vacation and you want to bring Rover along? Now you can travel unleashed! Check out these suggestions for activities and lodging accommodations that are family and pet friendly.  These hotels and attractions are doing more than just accepting pets, they’re catering to them! So pack your pooch and check into these exceptional family and pet friendly Sedona accommodations and attractions!

• Sedona Dog Park – Thanks to the generosity of the residents of the city of Sedona’s only dog park is complete. Hundreds of donations by residents and two large donations by anonymous donors made this possible. The Sedona Dog Park is located in West Sedona, just north of Highway 89A on Soldier Pass Road.
• Sedona Pet Friendly Hotels, Cabins & Resorts. Fido can sleep at the foot of the bed…even when you’re on vacation.  Lodging choices like El Portal, Best Western Inn of Sedona, L’Auberge de Sedona, Hilton Sedona Resort & Spa, the Lodge at Sedona and half a dozen others allow pooches and people alike!  See our complete list of pet friendly hotels, cabins and resorts for more information.
• Activities – Adventure Company Jeep Tours offers a variety of jeep tours of Sedona’s spectacular red rock country. If Rover is well-behaved, he’s welcome to join in on the journey as long as none of the other riders object. If your dog is a large breed and needs his own seat, you may be required to pay for a separate ticket. Of course, dogs must be leashed at all times and cleaned up after. If you and the pup like more solo activities, try hiking Coconino National Forest or Slide Rock State Park.
• Outdoor Restaurants – Dining al fresco in Sedona offers more than just a great view of the red rocks or Oak Creek; it also offers a chance to dine with your doggie. Check out restaurants with patio seating like Dahl & Diluca’s Cucina Rustica, Blue Moon Cafe, Ken’s Creekside Cafe, Rene at Tlaquepaque, Wildflower Bakery and Troia’s Pizza, Pasta, Amore.
• Sedona Arizona Pet Stores – Forget Fido’s favorite toy? Need some last minute supplies? Try Bark N’ Purr Pet Care Center, Sedona Pet Supply, Cody’s Pet Emporium and Sedona Ace Hardware.

The Donut Hole's retro sign

I recently stopped into the Donut Hole in Prescott Valley on my way back to the Valley. It was 11ish; I had just come out of a long morning meeting and, while not quite ready for lunch, had a yen to pick up something sweet, something in a brown paper bag,

something I could dig into somewhere between Cordes Junction and Sunset Point.

And, like a beacon from the north side of Highway 69, was the humbly retro yellow sign for…. The Donut Hole.  I have passed The Donut Hole on nearly two dozen trips back and forth to Prescott over the past couple-a years but never had the chance to stop. And, while I’m not necessarily a donut (doughnut?) junkie (I mean, I have other food vices that waaaay surpass any craving for donuts) this trip I finally had time and the insatiable inclination to exit the highway, turn onto the frontage road and park myself in front of this tiny, rust colored fixture of Prescott Valley.

I made my selection (it was so hard to choose!) of an old fashioned crumb donut and a cup of (delicious) coffee, but I lingered a bit to check out the cases of donuts and refrigerators full of cookies, breads, turnovers and even savory pastries. I eventually hopped back in my car, resuming my trip back to the Valley.

I looked at the brown paper bag on the passenger seat. Should I wait until I get to Sunset Point? Cordes Junction?  No way. I didn’t even make it to Dewey before I dug into that sweet, crumbly, cakey donut. And it was spectacular.

See for yourselves:

The Donut Hole

8582 E State Route 69
Prescott Valley, AZ 86314-8701
(928) 772-6023

Your turn: Ever been to The Donut Hole in Prescott Valley? What other dives, drive-ins and diners should I try next time I’m in Prescott or the tri-city area?

We plan a trip for our honeymoon in August to stay in Sedona for 1 week but want to drive to Phoenix and or Flagstaff. Can you suggest the best flight to take into what airport and then renting a car?  We will be flying out of a different location than where we fly in to, but do not know exactly where yet as we want to be flexible. We have a time share in Sedona for the week, but can you recommend a romantic place for a dinner or two?

Thank you,

Sandy and Bob

Photo credit: SMercury98 CC by 2.0

Hi, Sandy and Bob. Best wishes and congratulations on your upcoming wedding!

If you’re coming from or through Los Angeles (LAX) you could look for a flight on Horizon Air (horizonair.com) into Flagstaff – just 40 beautiful minutes from Sedona. (Note to readers: Sadly, Horizon Air will no longer service the Flagstaff and Prescott, Arizona airports after August 22, 2010. However, US Airways Express continues to fly into Flagstaff from Phoenix.)

However, most people – and I recommend you do the same – fly into Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX), rent a car at the airport, and drive 90 minutes up to Sedona. You’ll see a bit of Phoenix when you fly in… you could even pop over to Old Town Scottsdale for lunch and a bit of walking through air-conditioned shops and galleries (although do be prepared for “seasonably warm temperatures!”) Drive on up to Sedona and anytime that week, you can take a beautiful 40-minute drive up 23 miles of Oak Creek Canyon toward Flagstaff for a great day trip.

[Another aside to readers: Sandy and Bob have their lodging squared away with their Sedona timeshare, but if you're looking for a romantic bed & breakfast or resort in Sedona for a once-in-a-lifetime trip like your honeymoon, I recommend El Portal Luxury Hacienda (elportalsedona.com) Sedona Cathedral Hideaway Bed & Breakfast (sedonacathedralhideaway.com), Canyon Villa Bed & Breakfast (canyonvilla.com), the Enchantment Resort & Mii Amo Spa (enchantmentresort.com), and L'Auberge Resort (lauberge.com)]

You two will find romantic dining at Savannah’s (savannahssteakhouse.com) and L’Auberge (lauberge.com). For an alternative take on romantic dining, swing by New Frontiers Natural Marketplace (1420 West Highway 89A – no website) and pick up some of their yummy prepared foods and a great bottle of wine (with a twist-off) and head up Oak Creek Canyon or Schnebly Hill Road for a romantic picnic for two overlooking some of Sedona’s best scenery. Also, don’t forget there’s great dining in Flagstaff, too! Try Tinderbox Kitchen (tinderboxkitchen.com) or Pasto (pastorestaurant.com), both located downtown.

Again, best wishes for your wedding and marriage. Take care,

– ChristinaToo

We got a two-part email from a visitor this week. I’m posting our entire email exchange because I think it illustrates some of the questions one should consider when in the planning stages of a trip to Sedona and the Grand Canyon. The rest is pretty self-explanatory, but feel free to leave any comments or questions if you have a similar trip planned!

Dear Arizona Travel:

I plan on coming to the Sedona area late June/early July. Love the area, want to go see the Grand Canyon. I need help planning my stay with resonable [sic] prices and inside information on the “must see” stuff while I am there. I will be in the area for a week… Thank you.

–Leslie L., North Carolina

Hi, Leslie. No problem. I have a couple clarification questions, though:
Are you traveling as an individual or with a group? What do you consider reasonable as far as pricing for an overnight stay in a Sedona hotel or bed & breakfast, and for a tour of either Sedona or the Grand Canyon (or both)?

Lodging prices in the summer range from $100/night for a budget motel up to $300/night for a luxury resort hotel or bed & breakfast. Most lodging is in the middle… about $200/night. As an alternative, would you rather have a timeshare rental or a vacation home since you’ll be here a week?

If you’re thinking of staying a few nights in Sedona and a night or two at the Canyon, let me know. There’s little chance you’ll get a room inside the National Park, but I can recommend some places to try outside the park in Tusayan or Williams. As an alternative, you can stay the whole time in Sedona and just do the Grand Canyon as a day trip/tour.

Tour prices range from ~$65 – $150 per person for a Sedona tour, and about $200 – $300 per person for a Grand Canyon tour. You can take a really comfortable van tour of both areas and let someone else do the driving for under $200 per person.

What are your interests? Are you more of an individual hiker or a Jeep tour participant? At the Grand Canyon, do you imagine yourself just doing a walking tour, taking pictures from different viewpoints, etc. or taking a helicopter tour or something like that?

You love the area… have you been to Sedona or the Grand Canyon before and want to do something different this time? Tell me what you’ve experienced before so I don’t duplicate anything.

–ChristinaToo

…Reasonable pricing–there is 2 of us; so two beds or a king would be good. We have both been to Sedona on a long mother’s [sic] out weekend. But neither of us have been to the Grand Canyon.

We will be traveling from Phoenix (Mesa to be exact) and both of us are on a fixed budget. We don’t need “fancy” but a good comfortable place to relax and enjoy some down time. We were discussing two nights in Sedona, then moving onto the Canyon (I believe that means the South Rim–but I am not the expert!).

Not sure about the tours, but she and I are not into hiking and getting heat exhaustion—and the time line is the only time we have. We plan to be in the area June 29th or so to July 5th or there abouts [sic].

We would like to see some of God’s wonderfulness he created in both areas. We don’t need a hot tub or pool, but somewhere to wet our whistle and feet would be nice. We are pretty easy to please.

As much as I would love to take a mule ride in the canyon, I believe the heat will be too much. I would love to know about a helicopter tour through some canyons, but am not sure that will fit in our budget.

We do not need a tour in Sedona, as much as we would like some pointers to go see on our own. As for the canyon, we would like to have at least one tour where we can both relax and let someone else be the expert tour guide. Tusayan or Williams could be interesting–I am not familiar with them. I… know that there is tons of things you can find if you find someone willing to surrender the good information.

I thank you for your time and attention, and I am real close to making the plane reservations. Thanks!!! for all your help—I look forward to making plans every year to come do something nice in the West.

–Leslie L.

Okay, great! That gives me lots of insight as to what you’re looking for.

In Sedona, check out this article I wrote on doing a driving tour of the area… kind of a nice way to go, in order, and hit all the great spots around town for almost no cost… you will need to get a Red Rock Pass parking permit at the first stop in the Village of Oak Creek.

There’s no better place to wet your feet than Oak Creek. Definitely go wading in Oak Creek at Slide Rock State Park. It’s well worth the parking fee and it’s a fairly easy hike/climb down to the creek banks. The water is fantastic in the summer and you’ll see lots of folks enjoying it down there. Directions on how to get there are included in that article above.

If you like spa treatments, I think the best insider secret I can give you is to go see one of these two “one-person” spas versus the mainstream resort or day spas in town. I have personally experienced both and think these two small spa/holistic therapists are the way to go in Sedona. Go to either Stillpoint…Living in Balance (better if you both want treatments at the same time) or A Spa For You (great if you can go one at a time or only one of you wants a treatment.) Feel free to tell them I personally sent you.

For your overnights, I recommend the Sedona Real Inn & Suites in West Sedona… again, tell them I sent you. I always stay there when I go to Sedona because it’s comfortable and reasonably priced at around $120 per night in the summertime on special (look for their Sedona.net special offer. Ask them if they’ll book a summer rate for you now and mention rate code SWM (so they’ll know I sent you!)

There are tons of restaurants in Sedona… My faves: breakfast: Coffee Pot Restaurant or Ravenheart Coffee Shop (in west Sedona.) Lunch: Red’s at Sedona Rouge Hotel or Oak Creek Brewing Company (in west Sedona.) Dinner: The Hideaway or Rene at Tlaquepaque (in uptown Sedona.)

At the Grand Canyon, I think you would both absolutely love the Grand Canyon Railway. True, it’s costs money (starting at $140 roundtrip per adult) – but it’s the same as a helicopter tour ($139/adult) and it’s a whole day of sightseeing versus 30 minutes on a helicopter. Nice, cool, air-conditioned, comfortable… you can’t go wrong. And you’ll have plenty of time (11:45am – 3:30pm) to do the easy Rim Trail (mostly paved, mostly flat walk/hike) and stick to the Grand Canyon Village where you can attend free Ranger Talks (there’s no better way to relax and have an experienced guide educate you… find specifics here and here) then eat lunch, go to the various visitor’s centers, take pictures, etc. Because the train departs around 9am and returns to Williams in the early evening, you’ll have the opportunity to drive up from Sedona that morning (leave about 7am), maybe have dinner in Williams (try Pancho McGillicuddy’s Mexican food or the Red Raven restaurant) and drive back to Sedona that night or stay overnight at the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel or one of the hotels / bed & breakfasts in Williams.

You’re traveling over a very, very busy weekend at the Canyon, so definitely call now to reserve your rooms. You likely will not be able to get a room at the Grand Canyon National Park itself; reservations there usually require a year advance reservation. But you’ll find a great place in Williams (the GCR hotel would be my first choice if you can get in; then you can book your hotel and train tix together and possibly save $$) or I’ve also stayed at the Lodge on Route 66 and its sister property, the Downtowner, across the street. Both are vintage motels that have been renovated and fit your description of “not fancy but comfortable” and even a bit kitschy… very cool and affordable.

If you do end up being in Williams over the 4th of July, Williams does a really cute “Old Fashioned Small Town Fourth” celebration every year.

Enjoy your trip, Leslie…you’re going to have a great time!

Thumb Butte presiding over the Veterans Hospital, formerly Fort Whipple

I was in Prescott this week for a meeting at the Prescott Resort, which is located atop a large hill just before you make the turn southwest into downtown Prescott. I parked my car facing Thumb Butte and looked down into the valley below and saw what I now know is the Prescott Veterans Hospital, formerly the site of Fort Whipple. (I know this because of this great little blog post over at the Prescott Area Daily Photo blog.)

What I thought was most charming about the hospital campus splayed below were the two rows of identical early American farmhouses, as you can see in the photo. I immediately wondered what the houses are now used for, what their history is, and the full history of the hospital in general. (By the way, if you know the scoop, please comment! I’d love to learn more.)

Later, another Prescott discovery (well, okay, I admit… this was a return visit BUT the first time was indeed a discovery and I just had to go back). The Raven Cafe on Montezuma and Willis in downtown Prescott is such a great restaurant, I just can’t say enough about it. Prescott’s only “all green” dining establishment, the Raven Cafe features an organic coffee bar and tons of organic beers on draft and in the bottle.

Quiche of the day at the Raven Cafe (rhyme!) www.ravencafe.com

While I was waiting to order my lunch, I checked out the rotating gallery of what I would describe as indie art, a big bookcase of volumes to borrow while you dine and even a whole bunch of kid-friendly attention-occupiers fill the bottom shelves (as a mom… I totally appreciate the non-verbal cue that kids are welcome, and well-behaved, busy kids are even better.)

Soon, it was my turn to order and I chose one of four special quiches of the day – the boursin and red pepper. An iced tea, too and I toted my order number over to a table by the door. The quiche was spectacular – perfectly portioned and plenty rich to fill me up, with a green salad that I learned was grown in the Raven Cafe’s very own Raven Garden (with offerings from the local farmer’s market, too.)

Please check out the Raven Cafe… From the flyers and chalkboards, it’s clear they are great for lunch and even livelier for happy hour and dinner. Next time I’m in Prescott, I’ll have to force… FORCE myself not to eat at the Raven Cafe and check out someplace new… But you know there’ll be a blog post on THAT discovery, too, so stay tuned.