West - What to see in Phoenix/Tucson/Flagstaff?

I will be in the area for good 3 days and a half, and since the 3 cities are very close together figured that I will be visiting and seeing all three of them.
So far I have the following itin:

Thursday leave DCA, in PHX midnight - no hotel
Friday - SpringHill Suites Prescott (figured since it is close to Sedona to see the indian reservation next day)
Sat - The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain
Sun - JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort & Spa
Monday - Go back @4pm in PHX.

So here are the questions:
Based on the itin above what are some of the absolute BEST places that I have to see. I am thinking Friday indian reservation, Saturday Flagstaff and region, Saturday and Sunday - Tucson and/or Phoenix, Monday something for 4-6 hours.

I like to do everything but mostly wanted to check out major things that are there to be seen, i.e. the canyon, etc...

So what do you guys think?

oh and for elites does Ritz give free breakfast to golds? FAQ is kind of vague on that point

Thanks for your input, much appreciated

oh and btw i read some nice comments about Nogales, what do you guys think? Should I do it? A lot of people say its really cheap and recommended... : )

Uh they're not that close to each other. You do know that you're looking at about a 4 hour drive from Prescott to Tucson alone?

Are you driving straight to Prescott after arriving at PHX at midnight?

Prescott to Sedona is about 90 minutes alone also. I would spend the time exploring Prescott, nice old mining town with enough to do for a morning before driving down to Tucson.

Lotsa miles to cover in just a few days. You will be driving a lot.

I'll chime in on some of the Northern AZ sites:

What do you mean when you say "Indian reservation?" If your headed to the Navajo/Hopi reservations, and intend to get back to PHX on saturday, plan for a full long day and LOTS of driving - and I'm not sure what you want to see there.

If you want to see ruins, close to Sedona are the ruins at Montezuma Castle NM (http://www.nps.gov/moca/index.htm)which are a good visit for those who want to see Indian ruins.

Outside of Flagstaff are Walnut Canyon (http://www.nps.gov/waca/index.htm) and Wutapki (http://www.nps.gov/wupa/index.htm) - both of which are nice, but not as extensive as Canyon de Chelle (http://www.nps.gov/cach/index.htm), but that would be a long haul out of your range.

If you make it to Wupatki, you're just a short jaunt from the town of Cameron (http://www.camerontradingpost.com/), which may give you a current native Amercian experience (general store, turquoise jewerly...)

I doubt you have time to head towards the Grand Canyon South Rim, but if you get the inkling, I'd recommend avoiding HWY 180 north of Flagstaff in the afternoon as the skiers are all returning from Snobowl.

If eclectic towns are your thing, perhaps the hillside town of Jerome (http://www.azjerome.com/) between Prescott and Sedona on the back route.

If the weather is good (no snow), and your ok with turns, drive from Flagstaff to Sedona on 89A (http://www.uptake.com/blog/family_vacations/route-89a-sedona-to-flagstaff-az_4087.html). I prefer to take it S/B as I think the views are better.

And you've already mentioned Sedona.

If you're in Flagstaff, it will be a 2.5-3hr drive to your hotel in PHX if you take the interstate driving at 75mph, much more if you are sightseeing

Enjoy! Its a big state.

azcoyote thanks for much for the tips.
Last question is where can I get some turquoise jewelry ? Would Cameron be the best place to shop for good prices?
My gf is in that kind of thing and she wants to get some.

oh and what about MX, do you have any experience there ?

I'm not a Southern AZ expert, but if native plants and wildlife were my thing and I had one day to see Tucson, I'd spend it at the Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum (http://www.desertmuseum.org/).

On the road to Nogales is Mission San Xavier del Bac (http://www.sanxaviermission.org/). A wonderful bit of southwestern history.

Personally, I would avoid the border areas of MX (US State Dept Warning (http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_4755.html)). Nogales isn't as infamous as Juarez but heading there is just adding more miles to your day.

As for Turquoise, you can probably find it at all the 'off the beaten path' curio shops you will visit in the state - including Cameron. Stop at a few and get a feel for what you like and the prices. North of Cameron (taking you further still from Phoenix) you will find roadside plywood booths with Native American vendors selling their wares. I've not shopped for it in a long while, so I can't guide you on process, but for me, its all about finding that unique stone with character.

wow
thanks so much mate. Highly appreciated.
btw the distance of 2 hours for me is nothing really. I commute to see my parents once in a while and its like 10 hours, so 2-3 hours is really nothing for me... : )

My pleasure. If you truly want to head south of Tucson, rather than MX, consider Tombstone (http://www.cityoftombstone.com/) for a quick saloon stop and the OK corral.

One of my favorite tourist experiences was here. It's about 20 minutes south of Tucson:
Titan Missile Museum (http://www.titanmissilemuseum.org/)

Also, while you're in Northern Arizona going to Sedona is a lot of fun. There are plenty of places to shop for jewelry while you're there and afterward, the drive up 89A to Flagstaff is breathtaking.

I second the Desert Museum suggestion. It is truly unique. If you do head out of Tucson to Tombstone, go a little further and see Bisbee as well.

Run a search "ranles" in trip reports and you will get a lot of information and pictures of much of the area you are talkiing about. Some highlights will be missing as this was our xx trip to the area.

+1 on both the Desert Museum and Bisbee.... (is the Mine tour there still operating?)

Sonoran Desert Museum is an excellent suggestion with your limited time. It's relatively close to your hotel and the drive is beautiful.

One of my favorite tourist experiences was here. It's about 20 minutes south of Tucson:
Titan Missile Museum (http://www.titanmissilemuseum.org/)

Also, while you're in Northern Arizona going to Sedona is a lot of fun. There are plenty of places to shop for jewelry while you're there and afterward, the drive up 89A to Flagstaff is breathtaking.

+1 for Titan Museum and Pima Aircraft Museum has a lot to see and some very knowledgable volunteers

+1 for Titan Museum and Pima Aircraft Museum has a lot to see and some very knowledgable volunteers

Ahh I forgot about the Pima Aircraft Museum, that was a great time too.

Personally this sounds like it will be a trip filled with driving and viewing from your rental car windows, with very limited amounts of time on the ground to actually enjoy anything.

One night in Prescott is barely enough to scratch the surface, especially if you want to do a jeep tour in Sedona (highly recommended). And I second the idea of doing the 89A between Sedona and Flag (or the other way), it is an amazing experience.

If it isn't too late, I'd cut out the Tucson portion entirely, add in a night in Flag (or even the Grand Canyon), then spend the last night in the Phoenix area before flying back.

The Arizona forum on TripAdvisor has a wealth of information also.

Personally this sounds like it will be a trip filled with driving and viewing from your rental car windows, with very limited amounts of time on the ground to actually enjoy anything.

One night in Prescott is barely enough to scratch the surface, especially if you want to do a jeep tour in Sedona (highly recommended). And I second the idea of doing the 89A between Sedona and Flag (or the other way), it is an amazing experience.

If it isn't too late, I'd cut out the Tucson portion entirely, add in a night in Flag (or even the Grand Canyon), then spend the last night in the Phoenix area before flying back.

The Arizona forum on TripAdvisor has a wealth of information also.

I agree with aztimm. There is tons of driving to do in AZ. Save for US-89A, and a few short stretches of I-17, most of the roads are very unremarkable. Stop somewhere and stay awhile.

I agree with aztimm. There is tons of driving to do in AZ. Save for US-89A, and a few short stretches of I-17, most of the roads are very unremarkable. Stop somewhere and stay awhile.

I think that SR-87 from Fountain Hills to Payson should be on that list too.