Phoenix as homebase
 

Arriving in Phoenix on Sept 14 for a week (timeshare). Using this as home base, what are the must sees as day trips? We do not hike, but love to sightsee.

Grand Canyon and Sedona are too far for day trips.

I disagree that Grand Canyon/Sedona are too far for day trips. It's not ideal to do them as day trips but they are certainly within driving distance. People do the Grand Canyon as a day trip from Vegas and Phoenix is closer than Vegas. Again, not ideal but if you've never been to the Grand Canyon then doing it as a day trip is better than not going at all.

Other suggestions: drive the Apache Trail (stop in at Tonto National Monument along the way), go to Boyce Thompson Arboretum. Casa Grande National Monument is pretty close to Phoenix as well.

I'm going to presume by "sight-see" you mean scenic wonders and nature's beauty. Fortunately, there's a lot of that just in the Phoenix area: Papago Park and South Mountain Park, just for starters.

Saguaro National Park is always worth a visit, as is Mountain Park near Tucson.

The Apache Trail is a fascinating drive **IF** there has not been any rain for a couple days. When it's muddy, it can be downright dangerous.

If you have other interests beyond what I presumed, listing them will result in other suggestons.

Rent a boat on Canyon Lake, just west of Phoenix, near Apache Junction. The lake zigzags through beautiful mountains. You could spend all day just relaxing while taking in the scenery. Papoga Park and Desert Botanical Gardens are a must see. At the Botanical Gardens very easy walking trails will take you past hundreds of different cactus, plants and wildlife. At Papoga park there are picnic tables over looking ponds, palms and hills that will make you feel like you are in Hawaii! We spent our last day at the park grilling steaks & taking in the sun and almost missed our flight because we didn't want to leave. If you can, grab a picnic table overlooking the "hill with the hole in it". The view is stunning. Sadona isn't too far for a day trip, 120 miles/2 hours, so definitely go if you have the time. Hope this helps.

I would spend the money and do an over night at the Grand Canyon. Sedona is doable as a day trip or on the way back from GC.

thanks for the info - Already been to the Grand Canyon and to Sedona, also tombstone. the botanical Gardens,Papoga Park and Apache trail sound like good places to see. What exactly is apache trail????

http://byways.org/explore/byways/2058

http://phoenix.about.com/od/daytrips/ss/apachetrail.htm

There are some stretches on Apache Trail that are narrow, one lane and tricky, be sure you are comfortable driving on this kind of road.

https://picasaweb.google.com/DebitNM/ApacheTrail

The Apache trail is the road (88) that takes you through roughly 25 miles of desert mountains on the way up to Canyon Lake and Tortilla Flats. As was mentioned before it can be a white knuckle drive, but if you take it slow it is not dangerous at all (and well worth the adventure). Just don't go if it is, or has been, raining heavily.

The Heard Museum in downtown Phoenix is nice as well as the Botanical Garden.

Montezuma's Castle and Montezuma's Well up at Camp Verde are also both good locations and a bit closer than Sedona.

Verde Canyon Railroad

While IN Phoenix:

The Musical Instruments Museum - we spent several hours there and could have spent an entire day there.

Taliesin West - read "Loving Frank" by Nancy Moran first, then go and take a tour.

http://www.franklloydwright.org/web/Tours.html

http://themim.org/

Treat yourself to some differnt cuisine and get a reservation at Kai at the Sherator Wild Horse Pass Resort.