Photo credit: Shap2007 on flickr.com

There’s no amusement park in Sedona.  But that doesn’t mean that Sedona’s not a great destination for families with kids.  There are all kinds of things to do in Sedona – especially in the spring and summer – that appeal to kids and parents alike.  Check out a quick rundown of great things to do in Sedona – or a quick 20 – 60 minute drive away – if you have a child or children under the age of 12:

1) JEEP TOURS – In town, a Sedona Jeep Tour is a great, classic “must-do” for Sedona visitors of all ages. Sedona Jeep tours routinely cater to families with young children. There are several companies to choose from that offer jeep tours in Sedona so visit each one’s website to see what fits your family best.

2) SEDONA TROLLEY – The Sedona Trolley will take your family all over Uptown Sedona for shopping and dining; and a visit up Oak Creek Canyon to Slide Rock State Park is fun for some natural summertime water-play.

Photo credit: kyle simourd on flickr.com

3) STARGAZING – If the kids can stay up a little late, you might check out some Sedona astrological tours (”Sedona by Starlight” is presented by the Institute of Eco-Tourism) on Monday nights and take advantage of seeing Sedona’s beautifully dark skies filled with stars.  For tours any night of the week, check out Evening Sky Tours.  This is what you call family-friendly, natural Sedona entertainment and nightlife!

4) WILD ANIMAL PARK – Just a short 45-minute car ride, near Camp Verde, look for one of the best things to do in Prescott, AZ: Out of Africa wildlife park – a great zoo experience for the whole family.

Photo credit: cogdogblog on flickr.com

5) RIDE THE RAILS – Just a bit south of Sedona, look for the Verde Canyon Railroad (about 20 min from Sedona) for an old-fashioned train ride and sightseeing experience including lots of wildlife

7) SPECIAL EVENTS – There are some really fantastic special events in Sedona happening year-round. See our Sedona event calendar. Depending on the dates of your visit, you may catch the Sedona Arts Festival, one of many music festivals like the Sedona Jazz on the Rocks, live theater like Shakespeare Sedona or the Sedona Film Festival. Several popular fall & winter holiday events like Fiesta de Tlaquepaque and the famous Sedona Luminarias are reason alone to take a family vacation to Sedona, AZ.  And anytime of year during your sightseeing in Sedona, be sure to look for all the “Javalinas on Parade,” a public art installation all around town. Kids love to use their “treasure” maps and go “hunting” for the Javalinas.

Photo credit: eyeliam on flickr.com

8) KIDS EAT FREE – For parents on a budget (read: ALL PARENTS) a Kids Eat Free deal is something to shout about.  Check out Sedona restaurants like Joey Bistro and Stakes & Sticks – both located at Los Abrigados Resort & Spa – where, starting March 29, 2009, Kids Eat Free  every Sunday. Please call Stakes & Sticks at 928-204-STIX (7849) or Joey Bistro at (928) 204-JOEY (5639) for more information.

Enjoy your Sedona family vacation!

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!

What is The Polar Express?

Experience the magic of The Polar Express™, the classic children’s book by Chris Van Allsburg. The Polar Express comes to life when the train departs the Williams Depot for a journey through the dark and quiet wilderness for a special visit to the “North Pole.” Enjoy hot chocolate and cookies while listening to the magical story. Watch the joy on the children’s faces when the train arrives at the North Pole, where Santa Claus and his reindeer are waiting! Santa will board The Polar Express and hand each child their own special gift.

2007 Polar Express Schedule:

The Polar Express runs twice per evening – at 6:30pm and 8:00pm – on these 2007-2008 season dates:

November: 2, 3, 8 – 12, 14 – 19, 25, 26, 28 – 30
December: 1 – 3, 5 – 10, 12 – 22
January 2008: 4 – 6, 11, 12

Tickets – Pricing, Availability and How to Purchase

Pricing
Individual Tickets*
Adults: $26 Children (2 – 16): $14

*Individual tickets are available only after packages sell out for the requested evening. Please call 1-800-THE-TRAIN to check the status of packages and individual ticket sales. Please have multiple travel dates in mind, in case your first choice is not available.

Polar Express Package – Starting at $289 for two adults and two children includes:

• Polar Express train trip from Williams, Arizona to the North Pole
• One night at the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel in Williams next to the train depot
• Dinner and breakfast for each person at the Railway’s Max & Thelma’s Restaurant
• $10 retail certificate per adult (maximum $20 per package) for use in Railway Gift Shops

The package is $309 for two adults and two children on Fridays and Saturdays in November and December and from December 15 – 22.
Price is based on adult double occupancy and does not include tax. Options available for all family sizes!

Grand Canyon Railway Daily Ride Combination Package Discounts
Grand Canyon Railway is offering Polar Express package customers 50% off Coach Class or 50% off the cost to upgrade any class of service. This special offer is valid for travel December through February, excluding 2/15 and 16.

Availabilty – Tickets are still available for selected 2007 dates. Tickets sell out very quickly. TIP: Weekends closest to Christmas are the most popular dates. Weeknight and January dates are a good bet. Please call 1-800-THE-TRAIN to check availability. Please have multiple travel dates in mind, in case your first choice is not available.
2008-2009 Availability – Can’t get your desired 2007 dates? Advance reservations for the 2008 Polar Express season if paid in full. Click here for the 2008-2009 Polar Express schedule.

How to Purchase Tickets
Reservations can be made by calling 1-800-THE-TRAIN.

Where Does The Polar Express Start?

The Polar Express departs from the Grand Canyon Railway Depot in Williams, Arizona. Williams is located 32 miles west of Flagstaff off of Interstate 40. Take Exit 163 and drive south 1/2 mile to the Train Depot.

Where Does The Polar Express End?

Closely following The Polar Express book, this nighttime trip from Williams through the starlit wilderness to the “North Pole” features a special reading of The Polar Express while passengers enjoy hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies. After arriving at the “North Pole” – a Christmas light village featuring an Aurora Borealis – Santa Claus and his reindeer welcome passengers before boarding the Polar Express for the return trip to Williams. Santa then boards the train and makes his way through the historic Pullman passenger cars, greeting every child and presenting each one with a special gift – a jingle bell signifying their belief in Santa Claus. The round trip journey is a little more than an hour in length.

What Should We Wear?
Why, warm, snuggly pajamas and bathrobes, of course! TIP: Dress warmly for Grand Canyon winter weather, as the evening low temperatures are often in the 20s.

Anything Else We Should Know?
You can help the Grand Canyon Railway give back to the community and make the holidays special for a less-fortunate child.

[Bring] a new, unwrapped toy to the Grand Canyon Railway Depot when you come to ride The Polar Express. All items collected are donated to Northern Arizona Law Enforcement.

More Information
is available at www.thetrain.com

William “Bucky” O’Neill, a former mayor of Prescott who had mining claims at the Canyon, had initiated the building of the railway but died at the hands of a Spanish sniper with Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders in 1898. For most of the line’s working life, it was owned by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe.

It was shut down in 1968 as increased automobile travel made trains seem obsolete.

“It stopped running, and no one seemed to notice or care,” says Heather Gearhart, public relations manager for the railway.

Max and Thelma Biegert cared. Two of the train line’s investors, the Biegerts put millions into refurbishing the cars and the locomotive and rebuilding the line. Passenger service was reinstated Sept. 17, 1989, 88 years to the day after the train first hit the rails.

“It’s been gaining momentum ever since,” Gearhart says.

Last year, 222,277 people, or 7 percent of the South Rim visitor population, rode the Grand Canyon Railway.

Late May through Labor Day, trains run twice a day: going north from Williams at 9 and 10:30 a.m., and returning at 3 and 4:30 p.m. The rest of the year, there is a once-a-day schedule. Each way takes two hours and 15 minutes. Train rides can be a day trip or combined with an overnight stay in Williams or at the Canyon.

High- and low-end fares

There are five classes of travel on the Grand Canyon Railway. Most affordable are Pullman coach fares at $60 for adults, $35 for ages 11-16, $25 for ages 2-10. A new coach class has been added: Budd coach adds $20 per fare for an air-conditioned car during the summer. The Pullman cars are 1920s vintage; the Budd cars were built in the ’40s and ’50s.

Top of the line is the Luxury Parlor class, which offers lounge seating, continental breakfast on the way north, and champagne and snacks on the return run. Parlor fares are $155 for adults and $130 for students ages 16 and older. Children ages 10 and younger are not allowed.

AAA offers member discounts.

Free soft drinks are included on all cars. There also is a café car that sells chocolates, snacks and minipizzas. On day trips, reserved box lunches are available for $8.88.

Special events

• One of the most popular events is the Polar Express, which runs Nov. 9 through Jan. 13. December weekends already are sold out, but weekdays and other weekends are not.

The Polar Express is a 30-minute trip to the North Pole from Williams, where Santa takes a break from work to greet young passengers. He boards the train and gives each child a jingle bell, hot cocoa and chocolate-chip cookies, then gets back to work at his toy factory. The return trip is a songfest of Christmas carols.

Single fares are $24 for adults, $12 for ages 2 to 16 and free for children younger than 2.

Packages are available at $269 for a family of four, including one night at the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel in Williams, dinner and breakfast at the hotel’s Max and Thelma’s Restaurant and a $10 gift certificate for each adult, good in the hotel gift shop.

• New this year is the Sunset Limited, which offers exclusive – only 150 passengers – evening tours to the Grand Canyon during September and October. The train leaves Williams in the afternoon and arrives at the Canyon in time for a motor coach to whisk passengers off for a spectacular view of the sunset.

The trip back includes musical entertainment, dancing, appetizers and a full bar with wine. Because the train arrives late into Williams, a package that includes an overnight stay is available for $249 per person. The train ride alone is $179.

Although the Grand Canyon Railway is up for sale, Gearhart says the owners are promising the quality will remain the same.

“The line will definitely continue,” she says.

Verde Canyon Railroad

The open-air train car almost is listing to one side as passengers scramble to see the bald-eagle nest clinging to the side of the canyon wall, a chick popping its head through the feathers of its mother’s wing. The little bird is barely a speck, but it commands the attention of everyone riding the Verde Canyon Railroad.

The scene is repeated as someone spots another eagle’s nest, then a blue heron fishing in the stream, and then again when those onboard strain to see signs of river otters.

On other days, passengers might be treated to the sight of brown bears, hawks, javelinas, 70 different waterfowl, or elk lumbering along the banks of the Verde River.

No matter how many times you ride these rails, there’s something different to see. And there’s always a new group of guests eager to explore another area of the state.

Whichever train you choose, you’ll enjoy a few hours of unequaled relaxation as you let the rails lull you into tranquillity while Arizona’s landscape flickers outside your window. Who needs television?

- Barbara Yost, Arizona Republic – June 18, 2006