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

Dear Arizona Travel:

We are traveling from London 1 adult, 3 children- I do not want to drive. We would like to head for the Grand Canyon in late October -  maybe fly into Flagstaff and take the train. Then stay at a lodge, take a scenic flight and take the overnight mule trip. We then need to go back to Tucson where we plan to stay on a dude ranch. Can you help me build an itinerary?
Thanks,
Anne

Hi, Anne. I believe you’re in a position in which many potential Arizona visitors find themselves. It’s easy to misunderstand the geography of the area and be confounded by the array of available tours available at the Grand Canyon.  I’ll be honest and tell you that driving yourself yourself at least some of the trip is the most sensible way to go, but if you’re dead set against driving yourself, it’s not impossible to do it your way.

The Grand Canyon Railway does not depart Flagstaff; it leaves from Williams, which is 39 miles west of Flagstaff. Most people drive from Flagstaff to Williams, but you could take a taxi (try www.afriendlycab.com).  You can certainly stay in a lodge at the Grand Canyon rim, using the free shuttles to explore the South Rim itself, and take your scenic helicopter flight over the Grand Canyon from the South Rim area (flights depart from the airport near the Village of Tusayan. You’ll need a cab from the lodges at the Rim to go about 8 miles to the Grand Canyon airport helicopter pad for your flight.)

You will take the mule trip from the South Rim. Call Xanterra Parks & Resorts at (303) 297-2757 to reserve as soon as possible. Reservations can be made up to 13 months in advance and they fill up very, very quickly.

You may take the train back to Williams on a different day than your train trip up to the Grand Canyon rim, I believe up to 2 nights, 3 days between trips. If the Grand Canyon Railway folks give you the go ahead, note that the train goes back to Williams in the afternoon… just be sure to ask the mule trip folks if you’ll back back up at the Rim in time to catch the train back to Williams.

You’ll need to drive or take a cab back from Williams to Flagstaff and board your flight from Flagstaff, connecting through Phoenix to Tucson. As for transportation to the dude ranch in Tucson, I can only speculate that you’ll be able to take a cab from the airport to your final destination.

Thus, your itinerary might look something like this:

• Day 1:
  • Flight from (or connecting through) Phoenix to Flagstaff
  • Cab ride to Williams
  • Stay overnight in Williams (For your itinerary, I recommend the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel)
• Day 2:
  • Train ride up to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon
  • Explore Rim by shuttle and on foot
  • Cab ride to Grand Canyon Airport for a helicopter tour
  • Cab ride back to Grand Canyon Village at the Rim
  • Stay overnight in one of the Lodges (book up to 13 months in advance)
• Day 3:
  • Depart on Mule Trip from the South Rim
  • Stay overnight at Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the Canyon (book at least 13 months in advance)
• Day 4:
  • Return from the Mule Trip, back up the Rim
  • Take the afternoon train back to Williams
  • Cab ride to Flagstaff
  • Stay overnight in Flagstaff
• Day 5:
  • Flight from Flagstaff through Phoenix to Tucson
  • Cab ride to Dude Ranch (theoretically)

Hope this helps! Take care and enjoy this very full and exciting-sounding trip!

–ChristinaToo

Rodney Ramsey on Flickr - (CC BY 2.0)

Dear Arizona Travel:

My family and I are taking Amtrak from Albaqerque [sic] to either Williams or Flaggstaff [sic]. We are taking the Grand Canyon Railroad the next morning from Williams to Grand Canyon. Is there affordable transportation between Flaggstaff and Williams?

We are considering renting a car but we cant seem to pick it up in Williams and drop it off at the Flaggstaff airport prior to our flight out? Do you have any suggestions?
Thank you,
Jeannie

Dear Jeannie:

I suggest you come into the Amtrak station in Flagstaff, not Williams, to make it easiest to combine a car rental with your train travel. In Flagstaff, you’ll want to rent a car from a downtown rental agency such as Hertz Local Edition (Downtown Amtrak).

Drive your rental car to Williams (about 39 miles) and take the Grand Canyon Railway to the South Rim and back to Williams, then drive back to Flagstaff. You should be able to return to the Hertz location at the Flagstaff Airport without trouble, but just check with Hertz to be certain.

If you choose, you can instead take Amtrak into Williams, take the Grand Canyon Railway as planned, and then take a cab or shuttle from Williams to the Flagstaff airport. Try A Friendly Cab (www.afriendlycab.com) – very reasonable rates and nice people. Tell them Christina at Flagstaff.com sent you.

Hope this helps!
ChristinaToo

Okay, this is such a cool idea… and I mean “cool” literally.  Get out of the summer heat of Phoenix (or whereever you are) and escape to the cool high-country of the Verde Valley for this ongoing summer event.  Take the Verde Canyon Railroad’s “Grape Escape” and enjoy great wines, good food and splendid scenery.

Gazing at the glorious expanse of Verde Canyon in full summer bloom, while sipping a fine wine in the luxuriating comfort of a Verde Canyon Railroad, is the epitome of bliss.  The Grape Train Escape wine-tasting events sweep into this serene wilderness sanctuary on select Friday evenings between June 5th and September 4th.  The lavish service is non-stop from the time the train departs the depot at 5:30 p.m. for a round trip to the ghost ranch of Perkinsville until returning at 9:30 p.m.

For info: www.verdecanyonrr.com

The first wine delight is savored with accompanying exotic appetizers as the train leaves the station. The setting sun’s interplay of light and shadow casts entrancing illuminations on the red rock cliffs and the valley’s lush foliage takes on a glow of spun gold. World-renowned photographers have dubbed this the “magic hour” for capturing awe-inspiring images.

Between the delectable foods and a variety of superb wines, passengers merrily move back and forth between the climate-controlled coaches and the open-air car’s refreshing breezes offering up 360 degree views. The softening light entices elk, deer, fox and many forest creatures to the water’s edge of the Verde River for a reviving drink. Great blue heron, ducks and other waterfowl cruise the river in the fading light.

The train’s narrator enriches the journey with fascinating facts of the area’s history, geology, archaeology, and ecology, spiced with humor-tinged folklore.

On the return trip from Perkinsville darkness falls over the canyon. It’s time for a dessert wine, fruit and chocolate as nature stages her celestial extravaganza. The night sky is splayed with the diamond brilliance of stars, the beguiling moonbeam’s hint of romance, and mystifying shapes from the train’s headlight dance on the canyon walls.

Throughout the journey favorite wines are available in full bottles or by the glass, as are cocktails, beer and specialty train drinks.

Slip away from the city and board a Grape Train Escape for an evening of divine pleasure.   This popular excursion runs on the following Fridays:  June 5 & 19, July 10 & 24, August 7 & 28, and Sept. 4, 2009.  For reservations call 1-800-293-7245 or book on-line at www.verdecanyonrr.com. Extend your stay at one of our comfortable area inns listed on our Web site.

The Verde Canyon Railroad depot is located in Clarkdale, 25 minutes from Sedona, two hours north of Phoenix and one and one-half hours south of Flagstaff. Passengers are encouraged to arrive approximately one and one-half hours prior to departure.

Tickets are now available for the Grand Canyon Railway’s enormously popular The Polar Express for its ninth season.  Based on the classic children’s book by Chris Van Allsburg, this Christmastime attraction will run in 2009 and early 2010 on selected dates from November 13, 2009 through January 9, 2010.  Tickets for The Polar Express sell out quickly, so be sure to reserve your tickets for 2009 now, available exclusively at 1-800-THE-TRAIN  or on the Grand Canyon Railway website, www.thetrain.com.

• November 13-15, 19-23, 25, 27-30, 2009
• December 2-7, 9-14, 16-23, 2009
• January 2-3, 8-9, 2010
  

  Santa visits with those who Believe on the Polar Express. Photo credit: Philms on flickr.com

I had never met a railroad enthusiast until my sister began dating and became engaged to my now brother-in-law. Last year, they came from their home in Salt Lake City to visit us in Scottsdale and were excited (I mean… REALLY excited) to visit the McCormick Stillman Railroad Park and Museum in my neighborhood.

I can only imagine how thrilled he would be to see the newly renovated John Bell Railroad Museum at the Verde Canyon Railroad depot in Clarkdale, Arizona. With its own new home in a fully restored WWII-era boxcar, the new-and-improved museum features artifacts, photographs and expert docents to treat visitors… and die-hard railroad lovers like my brother-in-law… to a first-hand look at what the for the nearly 100 year-old rail line and historic Verde Canyon Railroad has meant to the Verde Valley, the State of Arizona and the Town of Clarkdale.

Clarkdale, AZ – The Verde Canyon Railroad announces the expansion and renovation of the John Bell Railroad Museum. Since the train depot opened in 1996, history has been displayed inside the depot. Now, the museum has its own home, track side, just outside the depot doors. A fully renovated 1940’s boxcar, once used to haul ammunition for the U.S. Army, has been set upon track and wheel bed to honor its railroad history.
“We have a few artifacts from the original museum that have survived nearly a century, including a passenger bench and luggage carrier,” said general manager Robin Brean. She added, “Especially worth viewing are photos of the original livery of each of our rare FP7 engines, thanks to Alan Miller, who went to Alaska three times to capture these engines on their life-long journey. As a railroad enthusiast he felt the fate of these engines should be preserved for future generations.”

The museum is dedicated to John Bell, a long-time Clarkdale resident and great amateur historian long before donating time with the Verde Canyon Railroad. Bell accumulated, preserved and documented photographs that would be lost today if not for his efforts and love of the Railroad. Continuing Bell’s legacy, the Railroad is committed to keeping history alive with a historian available to speak to visitors at the museum prior to daily excursions. However, the museum artifacts may be viewed daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The current rail route has been in place since 1911, and is a bit of “living history” that passengers aboard the Verde Canyon Railroad still experience. The new museum has opened in time to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the rail line, the founding of Clarkdale, and the State of Arizona, itself, as well as the 20th anniversary of the Verde Canyon Railroad. The Railroad understands the importance of preserving and sharing the history of mining and railroading in the Verde Valley for all who come to experience this precious ecosystem of Arizona.

Verde Canyon Railroad is one of Arizona Travel’s favorite things to do in Arizona. Check out this article about the Railroad and if you’re a Dish Network subscriber or local Flagstaff resident, be sure to check out the student news special and take a virtual ride on this Clarkdale, Arizona family-favorite experience.

(Clarkdale, Arizona) The Verde Canyon Railroad had the pleasure of hosting three young film students from The Netherlands NHTV Breda University of Professional Education on Friday, May 30, 2008.
The trio is participating in a Northern Arizona University video production workshop presented by the school’s Electronic Media and Film Program.

“Eighty students will take part in two three-week workshops,” according to NAU professor Charlie Hicks.
In addition to the team assigned to the Verde Canyon Railroad, students fanned out across Northern Arizona attractions to gather material for a one-hour, magazine-style television program which will be broadcast on channels 4 and 59 in Northern Arizona, cablecast on UTV channel 62 (NAU’s student-run television station) and satellite delivered via the Dish Network on the Universityhouse channel. The program will consist of three shows, each made up of four 4-minute stories.

Aboard the Verde Canyon Railroad, the students looked for bald eagles, cliff dwellings and the amazing assortment of wildlife that live in this lush riparian habitat.

The Railroad’s Lisa O’Neill reports, “The students were excited to highlight the Verde Canyon Railroad experience for their audience. They asked great questions and were charming. We were delighted to welcome them aboard.”

Less than two hours from Phoenix and minutes away from Sedona, a ride aboard the luxurious Verde Canyon Railroad is a world away from pavement, parking and the searing Arizona heat. Slow the pace and appreciate the journey aboard the Verde Canyon Railroad!

Here’s a question we received this week on our site, Scottsdale-Phoenix.net:

 

I am planning on flying to Phoenix in September and was hoping to locate a bus or train that goes to Sedona, near Phoenix airport. Please let me know the status of transportation from Phoenix to Sedona. I wasn’t planning on renting a car.

Thanks, Sue from California

ChristinaToo says:

Hi, Sue. We recommend the Sedona-Phoenix Shuttle. You can find a link to their website from this page on Sedona.net: Sedona Shuttles & Transportation

However, you may rethink not getting a rental car; once you arrive in Sedona, you’ll want to explore the town and it’s too large to do so on foot and taxi service would equal the cost of a rental car anyway. If you want to wait until you get to Sedona to rent a car, that’s a viable option and there are several companies to check into: Sedona Car Rental, Enterprise Rent-a-Car and several others. Check out our Directory page for more details: Sedona Car Rental Directory

FYI: There is no train that runs from Phoenix to Sedona. Folks interested in riding a train can, however, board an Amtrak line in Maricopa (train station MRC) to Flagstaff (train station FLG). Greyhound bus options are available to and from Phoenix, Flagstaff and Sedona to augment your trip.

Good luck and have a great trip!

–Christina

We hope this helps anyone out there with the same question… enjoy Sedona!

The 2007-2008 run of the Grand Canyon Railway’s popular Polar Express has come to a close. If you missed it, don’t make the same mistake twice – book your 2008 tickets now. Grand Canyon Railway has made very-advance tickets available for the 2008 production of this classic holiday tale come to life.

2008 Polar Express dates:

• Nov 6-10
• Nov 12-17
• Nov 19-27
• Nov 30-Dec 1
• Dec 3-8
• Dec 10-15
• Dec 17-22

For reservations and more information, please visit
www.thetrain.com

Tickets are still available for the Grand Canyon Railway’s fervently popular The Polar Express in its seventh season.  Based on the classic children’s book by Chris Van Allsburg, this seasonal attraction runs this year on selected dates from November 2 through January 12, 2008.  The Polar Express is a fast sell-out so be sure to reserve your tickets for 2007 now, available exclusively at 1-800-THE-TRAIN  or on the Grand Canyon Railway website, www.thetrain.com.

What if you can’t get your desired 2007 dates?  Start planning for next year; 2008 Polar Express dates have been released:

• Nov 6-10
• Nov 12-17
• Nov 19-27
• Nov 30-Dec 1
• Dec 3-8
• Dec 10-15
• Dec 17-22

Photo source: www.thetrain.com Grand Canyon Railway Polar Express