Help please for Arizona itinerary from Australian family
Sep 29th, 2006, 12:06 AM
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Help please for Arizona itinerary from Australian family
Hi from Down Under! We are a family of four who have two weeks in Arizona from Dec 25 to Jan 8 approx. We would like to see the Grand Canyon, stay at a nice resort that has heated pool(s) and see some spectacular desert scenery. (I am also interested in modern architecture.) After this, we head to Park City to ski. Any advice on where we start and how we do this? Cheers.
Sep 29th, 2006, 02:02 AM
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My ony suggestion is to try NOW to get a reservation at one of the hotels in Grand Canyon NP. Kachina or Thunderbird is like a nice Holiday Inn. El Tovar and Bright Angel are more historic. Also, if you do get a room, call to get a dinner reservation at El Tovar.
Sep 29th, 2006, 06:08 AM
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What airport(s) are you flying in and out of? Will you be driving from Arizona to Park City?
There's no way you can avoid spectacular desert scenery: as a native of the northeast US, I was blown away by every vista, and the subtle changes in the landscape as we drove from one area to the next. Sedona is amazing, as was Oak Creek Canyon to its immediate north (not sure how it is now after the fire there this summer). We also liked many of the state parks and smaller national monuments, such as Sunset Crater/Wapatki Ruins located between Flagstaff and the GC. Basically, we pulled off the road whereever our map had something that looked of interest!
Flagstaff is a college town, and so has a bunch of inexpensive restaurants and a casual feel.
We really enjoyed our drive from the Grand Canyon east and north up through the Navaho nation with a stop at Monument Valley, then through Four Corners (where the 4 states meet in geometric precision) before we headed further east into Colorado.
It looks like you may want to head more west than that to reach Park City, which means passing through Arches, Zion, or Bryce Canyon national parks. All are said to be spectacular: it is one of my regrets that we didn't have enough time to experience them - but there's always next time!
There's no way you can avoid spectacular desert scenery: as a native of the northeast US, I was blown away by every vista, and the subtle changes in the landscape as we drove from one area to the next. Sedona is amazing, as was Oak Creek Canyon to its immediate north (not sure how it is now after the fire there this summer). We also liked many of the state parks and smaller national monuments, such as Sunset Crater/Wapatki Ruins located between Flagstaff and the GC. Basically, we pulled off the road whereever our map had something that looked of interest!
Flagstaff is a college town, and so has a bunch of inexpensive restaurants and a casual feel.
We really enjoyed our drive from the Grand Canyon east and north up through the Navaho nation with a stop at Monument Valley, then through Four Corners (where the 4 states meet in geometric precision) before we headed further east into Colorado.
It looks like you may want to head more west than that to reach Park City, which means passing through Arches, Zion, or Bryce Canyon national parks. All are said to be spectacular: it is one of my regrets that we didn't have enough time to experience them - but there's always next time!
Sep 29th, 2006, 06:09 AM
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I wouldn't call Sedona the Desert.
I.A., the whole key to Arizona is Elevation. The Sonoran Desert takes up most of the lower third of the state. This is your classic Saguaro filled landscape. As you drive North, you'll hit the Mogiollon Rim, an Escarpment that traverses the state. Now you're in Pine Forested Mountains.
Continue North and you hit the High Desert, home of the GC, Flagstaff, Native American Reservations, etc.
For Architecture, you've got The Legacy of Frank Lloyd Wright at Taliesin West,
http://www.franklloydwright.org/inde...n=taliesinwest
and Paolo Soleri, both in Scottsdale, and at Arcosanti
http://www.arcosanti.org
in Mayer, on your way up I 17.
Both very enjoyable.
The Arizona Biltmore has FLW genes, and is quite a beautiful place. There's been some recent
threads concerning Kid Friendly Resorts and pools in the Valley of the Sun.
You can drive straight east from Phx. and you'll hit the Superstitions, which can be a lot of fun to roam around
I.A., the whole key to Arizona is Elevation. The Sonoran Desert takes up most of the lower third of the state. This is your classic Saguaro filled landscape. As you drive North, you'll hit the Mogiollon Rim, an Escarpment that traverses the state. Now you're in Pine Forested Mountains.
Continue North and you hit the High Desert, home of the GC, Flagstaff, Native American Reservations, etc.
For Architecture, you've got The Legacy of Frank Lloyd Wright at Taliesin West,
http://www.franklloydwright.org/inde...n=taliesinwest
and Paolo Soleri, both in Scottsdale, and at Arcosanti
http://www.arcosanti.org
in Mayer, on your way up I 17.
Both very enjoyable.
The Arizona Biltmore has FLW genes, and is quite a beautiful place. There's been some recent
threads concerning Kid Friendly Resorts and pools in the Valley of the Sun.
You can drive straight east from Phx. and you'll hit the Superstitions, which can be a lot of fun to roam around
Sep 29th, 2006, 06:39 AM
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Hi infoaddict,
I hope you have already made your lodging reservations for Park City, as I'm sure you know Christmas holidays are the busiest time of year. If not, start today!
Ggreen, if you liked Sedona, wait until you see southern Utah - much better minus the development.
Happy travels, all!
I hope you have already made your lodging reservations for Park City, as I'm sure you know Christmas holidays are the busiest time of year. If not, start today!
Ggreen, if you liked Sedona, wait until you see southern Utah - much better minus the development.
Happy travels, all!
Sep 29th, 2006, 05:31 PM
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Thank-you everyone who has given advice. Can't wait to see everything. One thing I forgot to ask before - do you think two weeks is enough to see Arizona by car (before going skiing) without becoming too tired? Ie, traversing from Grand Canyon and seeing as much as poss before heading to Park City? Thanks. infoaddict
Sep 29th, 2006, 05:50 PM
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Fodor's Destinations provided me with some good information on Arizona. I also clipped a lot of it, and many suggestions from here and other places. If you would like my file, email me at [email protected]
We started in Phoenix, and we went for a ride there that is described in Fodors Destinations, that took us through the BEST desert scenery. We went to the GC, and then Sedona. If I had more time I would have gone to Canyon de Chilly, but we only had 8 days. We had a great trip.
We started in Phoenix, and we went for a ride there that is described in Fodors Destinations, that took us through the BEST desert scenery. We went to the GC, and then Sedona. If I had more time I would have gone to Canyon de Chilly, but we only had 8 days. We had a great trip.
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