rholt

All -

I am working on a trip for next Easter with the family. Rough itineray includes Phoenix, Sedona, and GC - with a few small stops along the way (e.g. Montezuma Castle). Total trip duration - 1 week.

The appeal of the Grand Canyon is self evident - especially for my 8 and 6 year old. Based on some web research - Sedona also looks really cool. But - I don't have a feel yet for the charms of Phoenix - does it have any? The main plus of Pheonix is that it should be warm/hot - that will be a definate plus given that we will ne coming off of a long winter.

So - I would really appreciate it if someone could sell me on Phoenix. Is there stuff to do? Are there some nice hotels/resorts? Does the city have a soul?

One thing - please don't recommend Tucson as an alternative to Phoenix. I saw some recomendations along those lines in another thread. I won't consider Tucson becasue that would entail too much driving over the week long trip.

Thanks,

Rick

Andrew

There are some nice hotels/resorts in Phoenix/Scottsdale (I've long since forgotten them, though - sorry.) However, having lived in Phoenix for eight years in a past life, I can't really recommend it as a destination. It's largely a big flat concrete grid full of strip malls and chain restaurants, with freeways full of traffic and not much character. There are some exceptions but they are hard to find. Downtown there's not much else going on besides sports - wanna go to a Diamondbacks game?

You might find Phoenix exotic if you haven't been to the Southwest, with all the cacti and such and the mountains and beautiful sunsets. Sitting around the pool in the warm spring weather and driving around might seem fun. I have friends here in Oregon who enjoy taking winter breaks from Portland's rain in Phoenix. But as a city - no, there's really not much going on.

Tucson is only another 90 minutes drive from Phoenix and is much smaller and more interesting. Given that it's five hours drive each way between the South Rim of the Grand Canyon and Phoenix, I'm not sure why that extra 90 minutes pushes you over the edge...but I really would recommend Tucson instead of Phoenix.

ksucat

Use it as a base..Phoenix will be cheap to fly into and they have some great 4-5* resorts..Easter will still be high season but from Montelucia, Princess, Biltmore, Phoenician, Sanctuary, Royal Palms, Boulders..
Expedia is a good place to start..
Sedona is awesome and 2 hour road trip..we love Sedona Rouge, BW inn of Sedona, Enchantment resort, Hyatt, Hilton..
Tucson is cool and have stayed the El Conquistor and Canyon Ranch..
Lots to do and great restaurants.

orangetravelcat

I'd end the week with a two or 3 day stay in a Scottsdale resort, relaxing by the pool after all your sightseeing. Take a ride north of Scottsdale to Cave Creek - a funky little town (where I happen to live). Take a sunset horseback ride in the desert. Visit Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesen. Since you specifically said you dont want Tucson offered as an alternative, not sure why the posters above have suggested it. I can see why you wouldnt want to add an extra 90 minutes to your drive.

lear1

I'd skip Phoenix and head 20 min. or so out and head for Scottsdale instead. There are some really great resorts with wonderful pools that the kids will enjoy. Also, good restaurants and lots of natural beauty.

emalloy

If you do get stuck in Phoenix and have a rainy day,, the Heard museum has some areas that are aimed for kids. On the way up to GC, stop at Montezuma's Castle, an ancient ruin not far from the hi-way and quite interesting. Otherwise, agree that Phoenix is a place to fly into for good air fare.

SAnParis2

Unless you are a resort nut or a golfer, I also find little appeal to PHX. I'd head straight to Sedona. Don't miss Jerome while you are in the neighborhood either, it makes a great little daytrip. http://www.azjerome.com/

rholt

Thanks for the comments - none of this is suprising me.

I still think we might spend a day or two in Phoenix. My wife told me she wants some of this trip to be just lying next to a pool on a warm day. It sounds like Phoenix can offer that.

garyt22

There are two Hilton resorts that fit your needs... the Pointe at Tapatio Cliffs and Pointe at Squaw Peak... when we stayed there the kids loved the water parks and kids activities... we even took a wagon ride and had lunch at a desert cowboy camp... then you can plan your road trip...

Also consider The Grand Canyon Railroad in Williams for your trip, Meteor Crater, the Sunset Crater Volcano Park, Jerome, the lowell observatory in flagstaff, the Pink Jeep Tours in Sedona.... we did all of this in a couple of days and it was great!! Have Fun!

missypie

I totally agree with Garyt22. Our spring break this year was 2 nights in Sedona, 3 at the GC (including a hike to the bottom) and 3 at the Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs recovering. Phoenix has a number of hotels with mini-water parks that most kids love.

missypie

I should add, however, that on our first Arizona trip we rented a flat in Flagstaff for a week. It was a perfect base for the GC, Painted Dessert, Sedona, etc etc etc. There is a cool observatory in Flagstaff.

missypie

I keep thinking of things after I post. You need to figure out what season you want it to be. On the trip where we stayed in Flagstaff, we left Flagstaff in a heavy snowstorm and three hours south in Phoenix it was 80 degrees. It was 28 degrees the morning we started down the Grand Canyon and 90 degrees at the bottom. At the rim during the day it was about 55 or 60. In Phoenix it was over 90.

wliwl

I personally think Phoenix is extremely lame, and only go there because my mother in law lives there.

I like this place a lot:
http://ag.arizona.edu/bta/

It has some easy, wonderfully scenic walks.

Leave time to stop at any and all National Monuments on your route. They are all really wonderful. (My favorite is Walnut Canyon.)