Hey Folks,

My husband is attending 2 conferences in Phoenix in May, staying at the Point South Mountain Resort and the Marriot Ridge Resort and Spa. The boys (14 and 12) and I will join him Thurs pm thru Monday am and I'm looking for some tips on activities. We will rent a car and I would like to see the Grand Canyon one of the days. I would appreciate any tips, advice or suggestions on what we should not miss on such a short trip. Thanks in advance.

what are the kids' interests?

Well, they like sports, anything outdoors, biking, hiking, swimming, music, etc.. I checked the Suns and the Diamond Backs and neither team is playing that week. Thanks for your help.

well it might take some effort to pull the boys away from the resort the first 3 days - the water park at the point south mtn is pretty fun - they also have basketball and tennis courts - and the hiking trails right off the property are really good, too. We were there with my then 10 year old a couple of years ago - he really liked it. There's a game room/bar/restaurant with a pool table and an outdoor ping pong table - a fair amount to keep kids occupied and happy.

The trip up to the Grand Canyon from Phoenix is doable, but it's a looong day trip - do a search here for more info, there are lots of threads. You might want to consider Sedona, instead - certainly not the same experience, but gets you out to see the country. And the rocks are spectacular.

In Sedona, you could take a Jeep tour, which I think the kids would love. And there are more short hikes to do than at the GC. I think there's some tubing, too, in Oak Creek. I don't mean to dissuade you entirely from the GC, but Sedona would be much easier.

Thanks folks for your suggestions. I know MP, the water park does look great and given their choice, I'm sure they'd be happy if we just stayed there the entire trip.

My thoughts about Sedona vs. the Grand Canyon is that we may never get back to Arizona and to go that far and not see the Canyon doesn't seem right.

I may have to reconsider though as both you and Newbf seem to think that the GC is too far out.


Thanks again, I really appreciate everyone's comments.

Travelled to Phoenix as a teenager myself as well as an adult with my 11 and 16 year old....Grand canyon as a day trip is exhausting and may be nothing more than a photo shoot. To grasp the magnitude and enjoy you need time to explore. I vote for Sedona...my kids never tire of the jeep tours and hiking...just our opinion

Thanks...it looks like the GC is out and Sedona is in.....I appreciate your help.

The Verde Canyon Railroad is a great trip that I would like better than Sedona. Also Montezuma's Castle (and I like even better, the nearby Montezuma's Well)

Thanks bigtyke -- I'll check it out!!!

I agree with the recomendation re the grand canyon, too far with kids for a day trip. The South Mountain Pointe does have a great water park and also hiking trails. Also near the hotel is a trail ride company and you could do a horse trail ride with the kids. Not too far south is Rawhide - a wild west tourist attraction (havn't been yet, but I'm sure its interesting if you are from another area). Another day trip to consider is to the Tuscon area (from S. Mountain) you are already closer - the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum is great. A combo zoo/nature museum.

Thanks SS, being from Massachusetts the Rawhide town may be interesting...I'll have to check it out..I liked your idea of the Tuscon area as well!!

Beating you over the head at this point but the GC is at least 4 hours one way. I'd only do it in a plane from Phoenix for a day trip.

Sedona for the Pink Jeep Co. Broken Arrow tour, maybe but even 2 hours one way would be a drag for me as a kid.

If they like to hike you should definitely do Camelback Mountain. For a less adventurous hike with an easier trail that still has great views do Pinnacle Peak in North Scottsdale.

Do they like to paintball? My kids love going paintballing in the desert because its so different than here at home in the midwest.

Don't give up on the Suns just yet! May is playoff time and the suns will be there. Since standings can still change there is no schedule yet, but there's a good chance that in one week time in May the Suns will have a home playoff game. Don't miss it! This team is a treat to the eyes!

Hi,

You are right, it would be a shame to come to AZ and not go to the Grand Canyon. The 4 hour drive is magnificent, 75MPH speed limits most of the way - and your teen agers could amuse themselves the whole way.

I live right near Pointe south Mountain, and my cousins visited last week and did a one day turn around and said it was the best part of the whole trip. (they too are from Mass..) They cruised through Sedona on the way home, in time to see the sunset over the beautiful red rocks.

Other cool things to see... Phoenix Rock Art Museum (pertoglyphs-paintings by early natives) Lunch at the Diamondback ballpark - TGI Fridays runs a restaurant inside the stadium overlooking the diamond. You can go for lunch or dinner when the team is not playing...pretty cool. AZ science Museum is nothing like Bostons, but they have a great exhibit called Body worlds III. You should check it out first though and make sure its age appropriate for your kids. I was a bit squimish at first but completely blown away.

Have fun!

I live at the Pointe - I think you'll enjoy your stay here.

The Grand Canyon may just be doable for you - but it will be a long day. If you want to do it, think about the Grand Canyon Railway (http://www.thetrain.com/). They depart from Wlliams AZ at 9:30 am, and return to Williams at 6:15, with a 4 hour layover at the Canyon. Williams is 178 miles from Phoenix, so about 2.5 hour drive. Taking the train would be a way to cut 3 hours off your drive, and be very fun for the kids, and scenic and relaxing for you! You'd probably be gone 6:30 am - 9:00 pm, this might be worth it to you.

BTW, as a local, I have been to Rawhide, and wouldn't recommend it to anybody - very tacky and touristy (even for a tourist). You are much better off with a day trip to the GC, Tucson (Desert Sonoran Museum is amazing), or Sedona. Also look in to the Arizona Science Center (http://www.azscience.org/) - very hands on for all ages, and very fun. Body Worlds 3 is running through the end of May. One of my coworkers just went and she raved about it. Get tickets early, though, it is already selling out.

Good luck planning, and enjoy your trip!

We just came back from a great week in Scottsdale. If you don't work out the GC trip - think about driving the Apache Trail and stopping at the Roosevelt Dam - it is a spectacular drive with some of the the most dramatic views I've ever seen.

We also went white water rafting in the Salt River Canyon, near Globe, a 2 hour drive east of Phoenix. May is a little bit at the end of the season, and the snow melt was not great this year, but we had a fantastic time - it was terrific fun. We used http://www.mild2wildrafting.com - great company, we also used them in Colorado.

The AZ Science Museum is pretty good - not as good as the Boston one, yes, but we spent a very interesting hour at the Body Worlds 3 exhibit - and enjoyed several of the other exhibits. Line up by 4:00PM to have wonderful pizza very nearby at Pizzaria Bianco.

If you end up going to Sedona, stop in Oak Creek canyn for the natural rock slide - a fun contrast to the man-made ones at Pointe South Mountain.

Thanks folks, for your help. I'm going to call the mild2wild company tomorrow and try to set something up. I really appreciate all the suggestions.