michelleb

Wow, thanks for all of the ideas! Kids are now getting super excited -- me too. So this is what I have so far. I was able to book in the GC at the Yavapai Lodge. Lucked out and they had a room with 2 queen bds and 1 bunk bed so everyone get's a bed (usually my daughter and I make him sleep on the floor or couch w/a sleeping bag. He is a thrasher and at 13 now, that is dangerous Based the route on that. Does this sound like it will work so far:

Day 1 - fly into PHX - get in at 9:20am, take cab to pick up rental car (5 miles off airport). Was over $200.00 cheaper. Head to Montezuma Castle and Well -- tour (how much time should we allow here?). Also is there a good suggestion to stop for lunch prior? I figure we will get there about 1230n if we don't stop. Maybe stop in Camp Verde before and have lunch. Also is there a quick market on the way out of PHX that we can stop at to pick up some waters and snacks for the trip. After Montezuma head to Holbrook (depending on the time we could stop at the Meteor Crater -- or not. Was unable to get a room at the Wigwam but got one at the Globetrotter which sounds kind of neat. Still Route 66 type of thing and they had a room with 3 beds and breakfast was included -- YEA.

Day 2 - Globetrotter Hotel breakfast and the head to Petrified Forest National Park (will research how much time and where to stop on the drive through). We were thinking about taking a picnic for lunch here? Once finished start driving to Flagstaff - stop at Meteor on the way if did not do before (or would it be better to see something in Flagstaff - other Meteor. Not sure on timing. Staying at Embassy Suites in Flagstaff - free room with points (3 beds and breakfast).

Day 3 Head to Grand Canyon -- anything we should see before we leave or just head to Grand Canyon and start the touring there. Staying the night at Yavapai Lodge. Sunset from? Will research how to tour the GC on this day. Want to make most of time. Not sure on Lunch (maybe pick up picnic on the way from Flagstaff), Dinner or Breakfast here.

Day 4 Watch Sunrise (at leave me and son- daughter not a morning person) and head to Jerome. Kids read about this and think it sounds cool. What road would be good. Map shows 89, would that work with stops along the way. Tour Jerome, maybe late lunch somewhere there? Head through Cottonwood to Sedona. Overnight in Sedona (could overnight somewhere else but want to do a Jeep Tour in the am. OR- we could just head right to Sedona from the Grand Canyon and do an afternoon jeep tour and then head to Jerome and overnight.
Day 5 Breakfast and a morning Jeep Tour (kids really want to do this). Will that give us a good overview of Sedona. Anything else that is not to miss. Or if we overnighted in Jerome – tour Jerome and then head out. Now here is where we are not 100% planned out yet. We were planning on heading right to Tucson however based on the ideas here we are now thinking of heading to Bisbee and that area. Looks like it would be long drive? Overnight somewhere or head to Tucson.
Day 6 Tour Bisbee area or Tombstone or Mexico. Head to Tucson.

Day 7 Tucson – we are staying at the Hilton El Conquistador. Was able to get a room with points again. Is this a good location? Could stay at other Hiltons. Not sure what we will do yet, so many possibilities. Maybe Old Tucson Studios. Great suggestions for Tucson!!

Day 8 Tucson -- If weather is good, we might just hang out and rest up at the hotel.

Day 9 Fly Home

How does all of this sound? Thoughts suggestions. Thanks so much everyone!! This has been so helpful in coming up with a plan.

starrs

It sounds like a great trip! A really good plan.

Meteor Crater will fit in easily. I know a lot of folks are underwhelmed, but it doesn't take a lot of time to visit and kids are usually amazed at the giant hole/crater a meteor made. Also that it was used for practice in moon landings. They may not go "wow" at the moment, but will often refer to it in years to come. At least, that was the case for us.

DebitNM

"Day 6 Tour Bisbee area or Tombstone or Mexico. "

Mexico??

MmePerdu

On a trip covering this much ground, you may want to eliminate some B or C-list locations in favor of the A-list. I refer to Meteor Crater and Pertified Forest, well off your route to the others. Also, choose Bisbee or Jerome, no need for both. Bisbee is a complete town of the same vintage as Jerome but intact with things like the mine tour that kids love and also, as I mentioned before, a large selection of places to stay and some very good restaurants. Most of Jerome has fallen down.

Sedona to Bisbee is about a 5 hour drive. If you opt for Bisbee, as now suggested on your itinerary, you'll have 7 hours driving that day. Not recommended. Instead, for an overall smoother and, I think, more satisfying experience...go directly to the Grand Canyon on arrival. Then Sedona. Then Bisbee & Tombstone. Then Tucson. If you opt for Jerome instead of Bisbee, stay an extra night in Sedona and enjoy Jerome as a day trip.

It looks like 8 nights altogether. I suggest 1st night in Flagstaff. 2 at GC. 2 in Sedona or 3 if you include Jerome. 2 in Bisbee, or none if you keep Crater & Petrified Forest and go to Jerome. 2 in Tucson.

Another good possibility for a, historic hotel, if you keep the crater and petrified forest is this one in Winslow: http://laposada.org/ I've stayed there and enjoyed it.

DebitNM

I "think" she place GC at Day 3 due to when she was able to get hotel reservations at Yavapai.

michelleb

Yes, Day 3 is Grand Canyon based on when we were able to get a room. Flying in on Friday morning then Sunday is the Grand Canyon. That is why I threw in Petrified Forest and Crater.

Good thoughts on Bisbee vs Jerome. Maybe just Grand Canyon to Sedona. -- which road. Tour Sedona when we get there, maybe do a afternoon jeep tour that day and the in the morning and then head to Bisbee.

starrs

I would slow down and enjoy the northern places more. Sedona is absolutely magical. I wouldn't rush and leave Sedona so fast. I like the area north of Phoenix more than the area south, so I'm sure my personal bias is coming into play.

Congrats on getting lodging at the GC! That will be the highlight of the trip, along with the Broken Arrow Tour by the Pink Jeep company in Sedona. I hope you stay in Sedona long enough to go on a hike, watch the sunset, etc. The town itself? Not so much. The land around it? Amazing.

DebitNM

You didnt reply to my comment about Mexico - are you thinking of going into Mexico??

MmePerdu

The most direct way from GC to Sedona is also, I think, the most scenic, 40 to Flagstaff, 70 south briefly, 89A to Sedona.

Incorporating your nights at GC, if you go to Sedona immediately on arrival for 2 nights, then GC, then SE AZ including Bisbee, and Tucson at the end, it won't be a great deal more driving from north to south that day and will, I think be a more interesting use of your time.

I wouldn't use precious vacation days on less than first-rate places if you don't have to. As an example, Kartchner Caverns or the Queen Mine Tour are infinitely more interesting than driving out of your way to look at a dent in the ground.

http://azstateparks.com/Parks/KACA/gallery.html
http://www.queenminetour.com/

starrs

"...are infinitely more interesting than driving out of your way to look at a dent in the ground."

LOL! Love that!

Two thoughts -
- Some folks may actually enjoy that "dent in the ground".
Count me in that group and it's the kind of thing many 13 year old kids would like to.
- "driving out of your way" = The road to the crater is 6 miles off her route. Not exactly "out of her way".

She'll be driving over 1000 miles on this trip.
6 miles is a concern?

I don't understand the need or motivation of some to disparage others' suggestion but it's fascinating to read.

michelle, it's going to be a good trip no matter how you decide to work it. You've had a couple of lucky twins!

suze

I also am curious about the going to "Mexico" part?

MmePerdu

"...6 miles off her route."

I refer to the entire Flagstaff to Petrified Forest detour, 220 miles RT.

What some may call disparagement, I call simply opinion. I think Michelle understands.

starrs

We all understand. It's just fun to read.

From her OP -
"Grand Canyon
Petrified Forest
Crater "

You're suggesting that she scrap some of that. If it were my trip, I'd be adding more to the north and spend less time in the south.

The kids loved the things that you "disparage" and suggest she take off her list. IMO, although that's your opinion, it would be a shame to do that.

starrs

Okay, here's the route I would take -
Day 1 - fly into Phoenix and spend the night in Holbrook - 186 miles, about a 3 hour drive
Spend the night at Globetrotters.
Day 2 - visit Petrified Forest and Meteor Crater (if you didn't see them yesterday) and head to Hubbell Trading Post. Continue on to Chinle, AZ for a visit to Canyon de Chelly the next day. Spend the night in Chinle.
86 + 31 miles, about 2 hours of driving
Day 3 - Take a Navajo guided tour of Canyon de Chelly
Drive to Cameron Trading Post and spend the night.
164 miles, less than 3 hour drive.
Day 4 - wake up and eat Navajo fry bread at the restaurant at the Trading Post (the best meal we had on the trip) and go into the Grand Canyon NP
55 miles, about an hour
Day 4- enjoy the Grand Canyon
Day 5 - head to Sedona - finish at the GC and drive to Sedona
114 miles, about 2 hours - hike around Sedona a bit and enjoy the sunset. If you want, take a side trip to Jerome (28 miles)
Day 6 - take the Broken Arrow tour with Pink Jeep Tours in the morning. Drive south in the afternoon.
116 miles, less than 2 hours
Spend the night in Phoenix area or drive 3.5 hours to Tucson
Day 7 - Tucson stuff and drive to Bisbee for the night
93 miles, 1.5 hour
Day 8 - Bisbee stuff and drive to Tucson for the night
207 miles, 2 hours
Day 9 - fly home

My thoughts -
The NE corner of Arizona is one of my favorite places in the world. Your kids should see it. I'd actually drive further to see more of Monument Valley. It is spectacular and far prettier than southern AZ IMO.
- I'd been going to the SW for 20 years and thought I'd seen everything I wanted to see until utahtea told me I really need to see Canyon de Chelly. She was absolutely right, and you see it with a Navajo guide. One of my favorite places anywhere.
- My kids LOVED Petrified Forest NP. Some of the best pictures of their childhoods were sitting on the logs and pretending to steal a giant section of a log. I could barely drag the boy out of the visitor center and the stories of stolen rocks/bad luck.
- My kids loved Meteor Crater, that dent in the ground. They loved space, space movies, Star Wars, space program stuff and the stop at the crater did not take much time and they talked about it for years later. It may be "meh" to some, but they loved seeing it.
- Hubbell Trading post won't take but a few minutes stop but it really makes an impact. First of all, it's a cool store, but it makes an impact on kids how far apart things are and how hard things were to come by.
- Cameron Trading Post - huge store, good diner style restaurant and the best Navajo fry bread anywhere.

None of that is to take anything away from the sights that you'll see south of Phoenix. I can just tell you that I've taken this trip with kids, and if I were planning a return trip with kids that's the route I'd take.

starrs

Canyon de Chelly
http://www.nps.gov/cach/planyourvisit/hours.htm

utahtea

Montezuma Castle is worth the stop but you probably won't need to spend more than an hour there.

I really love the Petrified Forest and suggest you get out of the vehicle and do a few of the walks and most of the view stops. I would definitely consider having a picnic here.

On the way to the Grand Canyon you might consider taking the Sunset Crater Volcano - Wupatki National Monuments loop road just about 12 miles north of Flagstaff on Hwy 89 http://www.nps.gov/wupa/planyourvisit/directions.htm At Montezuma's Castle you see the ruins up on the cliff wall but can't go in them. At Wupatki the ruins are less dramatic but you can wonder though them. If you enter the Grand Canyon at Desert View, plan on stopping at all the overlooks to get a different feel for the Grand Canyon.

Utahtea

MikePinTucson

Suggestion for lunch the day you arrive -- about 50 minutes from the Phoenix airport, stop at the Rock Springs Cafe, in Black Canyon City. Food is just OK, but they have great pies.

Montezuma Castle, probably an hour, Montezuma Well, about the same. Petrified Forest, 1-2 hours, depending on how many stops and for how long.

Going to the GC, enter through the east gate. From Flag, I-40 east a few miles to 89 north. As suggested, take the Sunset Crater / Wupatki National Monument loop road. With stops, 2 hours. Back on 89 north, go past 64, the road to the GC and stop at the Cameron Trading Post for lunch (have a Navajo Taco).

When you exit the GC, take the south entrance, to I-40 east, to I-17 (not 70) south, then 89a through Oak Creek Canyon to Sedona. Jerome is a fun place to visit, but I would skip it with succh a short time in Sedona. It it is high on your list, 1/2 day is sufficient.

michelleb

Thanks everyone!! Appreciate the feedback on Jerome as well. We live near Gold Country in CA so I am familiar with similar sounding towns, will check out the other options as suggested. Sounds like we might skip this on this trip. MikePinTuscon, thanks for the info on your Blog. Great ideas and I think we will use Tuscon as the base for the end of the trip and do some of your recommended day trips.

Also checking out Canyon de Chelly the tours looks great!!

Everyone's ideas have been so helpful!!!

michelleb

Question/Opinion - if we left the Petrified Forest and overnighted in Chinle (instead of Flaggstaff) would we have time to do a tour of Canyon de Chelly (jeep tour) and then head to the Grand Canyon or is this just too much?

starrs

michelleb, you can easily do that in a day. If your tour ends by noon, it's a four hour drive to the rim. Keep in mind the sometimes funky time changes.

"Most parts of the state of Arizona, except the Navajo Nation community, observe Mountain Standard Time (MST) all year long"

It can be confusing to drive into AZ and the time isn't DST and then is inside the Navajo nation and then isn't again.

But if you are there before DST goes into effect, there's not that problem.