Phoenix/Albuquerque/Santa Fe/Tucson
 

I Have only just booked air tickets to the USA from Australia for an August trip, and after some time in NYC, I fly back to Los Angeles. I am then looking at flying to Phoenix and exploring the Southwest for 5 to 7 days. I will definitely be spending time in Phoenix and Albuquerque and hoping also to see Santa Fe and Tucson. I'd also like to take in the culture, history and buildings (adobe housing etc) of the southwest, see the Saguaro National park and Organ pipe cactus National monument . As I will be travelling solo, at this stage am opting for day tours etc, although if anyone thinks I should hire a car for a day to visit something special, could you please advise. After flying to phoenix, what is the best way for a solo traveller to get to Albuquerque or Tucson? I think hiring a car and driving to Albuquerque would be a bit too long and expensive? If anyone can help out and advise of any recommended day trips/organized tours, opinions about car rental, other towns to visit, and anything of interest I shouldn't miss, could you please let me know.
Also, anything to be wary of?
PS Considering I won't have a vehicle (at this stage of planning), I'm considering using Phoenix and Albuquerque as bases for day trips etc; any thoughts?
Thanks

I was in Tucson on business this past spring. I heard great things about Saguaro National Park. I would also recommend taking the Sabino Canyon tour as well. There's a tram that takes you through the canyon however, you can also walk if you prefer. The Pima Air and Space Museum was also very interesting. For some authentic Mexican food go to Cafe Poca Cosa in Downtown Tucson.

I think the best way to get to Tucson from Phoenix is to drive. You can fly but since its not that long of a distance (90 miles) it will probably be expensive. I think Tucson is a little too far to be a daytrip from Phoenix unless you only plan to see one or maybe two places there.

http://visittucson.org/

I'd recommend sacrificing Albuquerque for Santa Fe since your time is limited. ABQ is short on charm and uniqueness while Santa Fe is always rated a top 10 favorite tourist city in travel polls and has a lot more charm and uniqueness.
Car rentals usually include unlimited mileage, so it's only the gas expense that adds to the cost of travelling a distance, and gas is not overly expensive in the southwest relative to yours in Oz. It's a very monotonous drive over from PHX.

Maggiano, I love hot foods, so thanks for the tip on the Cafe poca cosa!

TedTurner, staying at Santa Fe sounds like a better idea. Do you think I should miss Albuquerque altogether?

Thanks for the replies and any more responses greatly appreciated.

I've spent some time in ABQ and it's got some nice things to recommend it - the Old Town and the tram in the Sandia mountains are the 2 things that come to mind. I was there several times for business, but it's been several years. You might plan your route to go through ABQ and either spend 1 night or an afternoon depending on your schedule.

I definitely recommend renting a car. Otherwise the only way to get between cities would be flying or taking the Greyhound bus. Flying would be more expensive than driving, and the buses can be icky. Plus, by driving you will have the option of stopping in little towns along the way.

If you have 5-7 days, then the only practical way to get to NM from Phoenix is to fly.

Drive from Phx to Tucson - that is probably faster than flying given the security mess.

I would not go to Organ Pipe - it is just too far out of the way, there are many more interesting places to see when your time is short.

Saguaro NP is interesting as is Sabino Canyon. In August, I don't know how full the sabino creek will be - could be running well if the rains finally come this year, or could be dry. There is a fire in the area now (they are using the parking lot as the water station for the helicopters). If the fire gets into the watershed, then the heavy rains could really crud up the canyon. In normal times it is very interesting.

You might also consider going farther south to Tombstone and Bisbee.

In Phoenix, visit the Heard Museum and the Desert Botanical Garden

I apologize in advance, because I most assuredly am going to offend someone. But I look to this web site for honest, real-people opinions, and feel compelled to offer the same. Here goes:

Unless you have unlimited time (i.e. Eternity), I would second the recommendation to skip Albuquerque in favor of a better visit to Santa Fe. I have not been to Santa Fe, but I have been to ABQ. And that for me is reason enough to vote for Santa Fe.

"Old Town" ABQ is small, and not all that "quaint". I have not been on the Sandia Tramway (not too keen on heights)...but I have heard that this is probably the highlight of a trip to ABQ. (I'm sure there has to be one.)

I have been to ABQ several times on business, and to be fair, I never had a ton of free time to explore. But on my (hopefully) last trip there, I tried for 2 hours to find some interesting and pretty spot to just enjoy what I had heard was such a beautiful area. After driving through parks and "scenic attractions" that were a joke, I finally gave up and headed to one of the 2 or 3 casinos there. (Well, the casino was nice.)

The best thing about ABQ in my book? ABQ restaurants put those little green chiles on everything. Everything. And the attractive "southwest-style" airport has a very good Garduno's restaurant. As a matter of fact, in my opinion, you could fly to ABQ, eat at the airport Garduno's, and then fly back out of ABQ....resting assured that you had experienced all the wonderful things that ABQ has to offer.

For anyone interested. I live in Tucson and the Catalina Mountains are on fire. This includes Sabino Canyon. I'm not sure how much of the canyon has burned. However, the mountains are still on fire. Last time I checked Sabino Canyon is closed.

Thanks again, I'm slowly putting a few things together, and at this stage I'm looking at flying to Albequerque via Phoenix, and shuttle bussing to Santa Fe for prob 3 days. Fly back to Phoenix and spend 3 days here including a day trip or drive to Tucson. How does this sound so far?

tracker (and glamrgal),

Allow me to offer some additional thoughts. Yes, I think glamrgal is being hard on ABQ........and, as a native of NM, have to doubt her judgment based on her finding the Garduno's at the ABQ Sunport to be "good Mexican" food ;-)

Anyway, I would agree that with limited time you are better advised to visit Santa Fe than ABQ. The distance between Phoenix/Tuscon and ABQ is considerable. Its at least a 7-8 hour drive by freeway, and then another hour north to Santa Fe.

Of course, if you have a week, rent a vehicle in Phoenix and drop it in ABQ (you will fly out of ABQ I am assuming as Santa Fe does not have a major airport?). That way, you could drive from Phoenix to Tuscon, spend a day or so there and then spend a day on the road, leisurely making your way to Santa Fe. There is a great deal to see in Santa Fe and environs.

The cost of a car for the week would probably be about the same as flying from Phoenix to ABQ, but then you have your own set of wheels and don't have to rely on tours (unless you prefer that).

If you need suggestions for hotels/restuarants in Santa Fe, just ask!

Vaya con Dios!

Hi tracker: I'm a native Tucsonian so here is my offer: Skip Phoenix-fly into Tucson. If you must go to Phoenix-rent a car for the drive and prowl around Tucson.Since the foothills above Sabino (east-northeast)are on a tad smoky I would suggest the west side of town-where you must not miss The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
(I believe their website is the same name) There is another Sauguaro Nat'l Monument in the same area as the museum.
For culture,history and adobe-make haste to the Mission San Xavier del bac
(the White Dove of the Desert) on the west-southwest side of Tucson. For a 2nd day, you might consider traveling to the artists colony of Tubac-south of town about 40 miles. More than 50 years old you will find terrific examples of Southwestern art, history and more adobe. If it is simply too hot,
take the day at the University of Arizona museums and the Tucson Art Museum. The art museum is adjacent to
downtown and adjacent to the barrio area-and you cannot ask for more culture than the barrio (along with terrific food!) An interesting 3rd day might be Tombstone or Bisbee. I think I would fly -on Southwest-to Albuquerque and start your Sante Fe visit from there.
The thing you need to be wary of is lack of water-perhaps you can pack or purchase here a small collapsable cooler so that you will always have water with you. Add to that a wide brimmed hat, and sunscreen and you're good to go!
Questions? Have a good trip!
R5

Thanks nmguy and rasnes5.

It would appear that Santa Fe at this time is quite busy and from what I have seen it would be hard to find a room with private bath for $75 (about my limit). Would this be the case ? and if so I think I may be forced to stay in Albuquerque instead and hire a car for the day.
Rasnes5 may I email you with some questions?

Just to add, I'm looking at sante fe area from around the 16th August. I rang one of the local hotel reservation agents from here in Oz, and he mentioned some Indian festival being on at this time.

Dear Tracker,
As a fellow Aussie, going back to the areas you mentioned in September, I would like to put in my two cents worth.
We rent a car from Australia _ it's cheaper. But if you drop it off somewhere else, you are eligible for a hefty one-way fee. Be warned! But with such a short time, you would see a lot more than with buses.
Don't miss the Saguaro National Park- we are going back again. We drove from Flagstaff, where we stayed 5 days, via Phoenix to the park and back in one day, a long day, but enjoyable.
This time, we are travelling the opposite way to you - shame, as we might have been able to share!

Tracker,

If you want to stay in downtown Santa Fe near the Plaza it's definitely going to cost you $$$.

If you're willing to stay about five miles away, the commercial strip Cerrillos Blvd has all the US chain hotels. Comfort Inn is normally very much the budget level but the one in Santa Fe is actually quite nice. They're showing availability for $79 and up on the 16th at the hotel website. A google search also pulled up this website
www.travelsouthwest.com...which is showing rates of $75 and $85 (for a suite) at the Comfort Inn on Cerrillos. Good deal.

Another option is to use Priceline.

Good luck. You'll love Santa Fe!

I have to agree with Rasnes5. I'm also a native Tucsonian, and what he/she suggested is a perfect plan for the southwest part of Arizona.

tracker-all questions welcome! As azgrl2 is a fellow native I'd suggest asking both of us here-if she wants to join in-2 heads are better than one ! (and I think she might be younger than I so she will have more info on the 'cool' place to go!)
R5

I'm not sure of any "cool" places to go(anywhere there is air-condtioning right now)! There is a good website www.dotucson.com. Lot's of information there.

The main reason I was looking at narrated tours is that it is the easiest way to obtain knowledge about the attractions your visiting and also for the company of other travellers. In saying this I'd imagine alot of the attractions have their own narrated tours anyway.
Carrabella, may I ask did you rent the car on your previous trip through a travel agent?
The idea of flying from tucson to albuquerque sounds like a good time saver; you got me thinking on that one.
Any reason why anyone would not catch a bus from Phoenix to Tucson?
I have a few more things to think about , will repost soon and hopefully gain a few more opinions,
Thanks again for all the assistance.

We have always rented cars for USA travel here in Australia through a travel agent - ask for and compare prices in different books available here.Go to a few agents if you can, and tell tem it is for independent travel.
They are cheaper to rent by the week than by the day though, and we always have rented for three or four weeks or longer. Prices have gone up recently, even though our dollar is now 65 US cents (last time we went it was only 50 Uscents.) But you pay for them here,in Aussie dollars, and get vouchers. We always order the smallest car -they always try to upgrade you to a dearer car when you arrive- resist! You usually get the dearer car anyway. Extra insurance is always recommended by them too, but we don't take it,as it adds a great deal to the cost.

We prefer Alamo,they have always been excellent have also tried Hertz and Dollar.

It is much cheaper to rent cars from California, which we are doing, but you won't have time to drive so far. The books you get here show prices in different states.
Have a great holiday!