After agonizing for weeks, I have finally come up with the perfect 50th birthday surprise for my darling husband: I am taking him to Arizona for the Nascar Race on November 13. I have lots of questions. and I beg your help!

1. Is mid-November an OK time, weather-wise, to visit Arizona?

2. We would spend just a couple of days in Phoenix. He lived there while at Luke AFB, and I'm sure he will enjoy a little time there. The race is on Sunday. Would Friday late day, Saturday, and Sunday (which is race day) be enough time to see a little of Phoenix?

3. In 8 days, could we do Phoenix, Sedona, and the Grand Canyon? Is it too much? We could probably stretch it to 9 days.

I look forward to your responses. I am a regular on the Europe boards, but haven't done much here in the US.

Sounds to me like your entire plan is perfect......November couldn't be better and you sure can get around Phoenix in couple of days..my suggestions, Heard Museum, Taliesin West, Apache Trail, city tour of residential areas, particularly old Phoenix...and then the rest of the time around the state should be more than enough time....Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Canyon de Chelly, Sedona, Jerome and maybe a trip south to Tucson to the Desert Sonora Museum, a MUST see.....

Desertduds,
You've made me a happy woman. Do you really think we can take it all in during a week plus a couple of days?

Thanks for your great suggestions. I am going to a map of Arizona right now.

Gratefully,
Debbie

I agree that November is a great month and you will have enough time for your first visit. Just don't miss Tucson! You can do a day trip from Phoenix. You did not say what you might be interested in besides the Nascar, so if you say maybe you'll get more specific ideas. For instance, if he likes Nascar, maybe he would like driving some of our spectacular mountain roads? For more ideas, check arizonahighways.com

Vera from Tucson

We have visited friends who live in the historic district of Phoenix--out around 12th avenue--and that's an area well worth visiting: beautiful homes and streets.

Our tour week itinery was 1) Arrive Tucson stay overnight Catalina, 2)Drive thru Salt River Canyon, visit Springerville and Petrified Forest Museum and overnight Holbrook 3) drive thru Petrified Forest/Painted Desert and tour at Canyon de Chelly plus overnight 4) drive to Monument Valley and tour with overnight at Mexican Hat 5)drive to Grand Canyon and stay overnight 6) drive down through Sedona and on to Tucson for 2 nights. So yes you can definitely do it but you might want to spend a little more leisure time in some of the places so the extra day or 2 would come in handy.ps I wouldn't have missed any of it!