Diva39

Good Morning All,

Thanks for all of your help with planning my trip this upcoming November. I just need a bit more advice on my itinerary and if it's within reason and perhaps you can give more input. All opinions are welcomed. Thanks a bunch.

Here goes:

11/14 Arrive @ PHX pick up car and check in @ Sheraton Desert Oasis. (This is a beautiful resort in case anyone would be interested in staying here)

We just plan to unwind and get dinner at Los Olivos -- have been here before and the food is excellent.

11/15 - Drive early to Flagstaff, check in @ Comfort Inn. Planned on visiting Tlaquepaque, Jerome and Oak Creek Canyon (is this all doable?) Dinner @ El Rincon

11/16 - Drive to Grand Canyon and take a hike on Bright Angel Trail and just explore the Canyon. Drive back to Scottsdale (by the way what time would you sugget we leave the park to head back to Scottsdale?)

11/17 - Fly to New Mexico - check into hotel planned on riding the tram and exploring downtown.

11/18 - (Exploring Santa Fe area all day)

11/19 - early flight back to PHX - return to Desert Oasis (relax and enjoy the resort area, going to the spa)

11/20 - Relax and enjoy resort

11/21 - Fly back home - Balto.

I will be sure to write and give all of the details about my trip.

cassidy2002

I find it doubtful that you can do Jerome, Tlaquepaque, and Oak Creek in one day. I'm not sure on exact distance between Flagstaff and Sedona, but I know it's a hike. Also, Jerome is a little distance from Sedona. I don't think you'd be able to spend much time at any of those attractions. Personally, I wouldn't miss Jerome.

Diva39

Question: Cassidy2002

We're staying at the Comfort Inn in Flagstaff -- how far is this from Tlaquepaque and Jerome?

nnrobnz

Frankly, I don't know why you bother going to NM at all--stay in AZ and allow enough time to do whatever and do NM another time because 1 day in Albuquerque & 1 day in Santa Fe is not doing NM justice (& you forgot Taos). I live in S.F., by the way.

Diva39

nnrobnz --

I have business in New Mexico on the first day -- so I don't have an option.
I planned this trip around my stay based in AZ because I enjoyed my stay the last time I visited and I didn't get a chance to see the Grand Canyon.

I'm quite sure NM is equally beautiful but nothing compares to the the Canyon (one of the seven wonders of the world)!!

travellyn

I agree with spending more time in AZ. I'm also guessing that flying to ABQ would take almost as long as driving, if you include rental car tradeoffs, one hour early check-in, etc. The drive is shorter if you leave from Flagstaff. How about going from the GC to Flagstaff, then on to ABQ, if you still want to include NM?

MaryZ

Re: 11/15
I think it's doable if you get an early start. And, I wouldn't drive directly to Flagstaff because you'd be doing a lot of back-tracking to get to the other places you want to see.
I'd go directly to Jerome from Phoenix and then to Sedona. You could then go right through Oak Creek Canyon on your way to Flagstaff. (But, you would have to get an early start since driving through Oak Creek Canyon in the dark would probably defeat your purpose.)

cassidy2002

I agree with Mary Z. I would stop in Jerome and Sedona on way to Flagstaff. Or, just get a room in Sedona and skip Flagstaff altogether. Then head to GC from Sedona. Then you would have plenty of time to enjoy the surrounding area, perhaps even squeeze in a ruin or two.

Diva39

Thanks Mary Z and Cassidy2002 for your input. I really don't want to overdo my day in Sedona because the next day I'm hiking part of the Bright Angel Trail.

I will take your suggestion and drive through Jerome and Sedona. I will definitely have to return to AZ to visit Oak Creek Canyon area.

P.S. My flight from PHX to NM is 45 mins. So, I'll have plenty of time to at least ride the tram and explore the downtown area. Also, will have the entire day to explore Santa Fe concentrating on maybe two areas.

I'm staying in Flagstaff for two reasons, it's closer to the Canyon and less expensive than staying in Sedona.

MaryZ

I'm probably one of the few who likes to visit Sedona, but stay in Flagstaff.

Diva39

I concur Mary Z. I will be sure to give an update once I come back.

I really believe that there's equally as much to see in the Flagstaff area. Plus the Sedona area is far more busier than Flagstaff.

I'm so excited and have been planning this trip concentrating on specific areas in detail. That's the beauty of travel leave something to comeback to revisit and explore.

Cher

How much longer a drive (timewise) from Phoenix to Sedona if going through Prescott and Jerome, rather than up Rt 17?

nnrobnz

I wasn't being defensive about NM...I have done the routes you are planning many times. It takes about 3 hrs. from PNX to Flag but it's foolish to go all the way to Flag & double back to Jerome & Sedona. Personally,I don't think Jerome is worth a stop - Sedona certainly is, as is Oak Creek Canyon. But, November will be cold the closer you get to Flag (elevation 7,000 ft). My suggestion would be:
as you must fly to NM for one day, do ABQ, forget Santa Fe for another time and add a day on and stay overnight at Grand Canyon. One can never spend enough time there. Or, drive directly to Flag, stay over night, drive the next to to GC, stay overnight and stop in Sedona & Jerome on the way back to PHX. That way you could monitor your time better. And, it all depends on whether hiking is more your type of activity (GC/Oak Creek Canyon or shopping (Tlaquepaque, Jerome). I think you've got a very ambitous agenda and from my own experience, less is more!

hazmarty

We are in Sedona right now...logged on from Southwest Inn. We were in Jerome today and really enjoyed the shopping and a nice lunch at the Jerome Palace/Haunted Hamburger. We left Sedona about 1:00PM and spent most of the afternoon in Jerome, but got to Tuzigoot National Monument about 4:30 just before they closed..not really enough time for Tuzigoot. I would plan at least a half day from Sedona to Jerome and back. If you really like artsy things alot then you might want to spend even more time in Jerome. If you are in to kaleidoscopes then check out Nellie Blye in Jerome.