hoangb

I am thinking of visiting Phoenix at the beginning of April. Is there anything interesting to do, other than the Grand Canyon since I have already visited it? Thanks for any feedback.

woodg

I did a very nice day trip to Sedona. Quite spectacular. I also spent a morning at the Heard Museum - most interesting. Check out www.visitphoenix.com for information.

slariz

Do you golf? We've got a lot of courses, more than any other county in the U.S.

If you visit in March, we've also got Spring Training - a great way to see baseball.

DavidDTW

Taliesin West in Scottsdale is also worth visiting if you are a Frank Lloyd Wright and architecture fan.

sonora

Phoenix is great because you can get so many places in a fairly short drive. Near Sedona on the mountainside there is an old mining town called Jerome that is now kind of an artist's commmunity. It is worth seeing, amazing how the buildings sort of hang of the side of the mountain.

On the valley floor below Jerome there is a railroad that offers scenic tours. Lots to photograph there.

I like going south through the mountains from Phoenix, towards Tuscon. Great scenery.

rebadc

Isn't that Bio Dome thing near Phoenix?

Great movie with Pauley Shore, and Stephen Baldwin

Landing Gear

I have visited Scottsdale (a Phoenix supurb) three times in the past year so I'll make my comments based on those visits.

Here are some things my girlfriend and I have both enjoyed:
Where are you staying?

Why are you going to Phoenix?

obscure2k

Please continue to follow this thread in the FT West Forum.
Obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator

anonplz

I concur - good roads, manageable traffic, gorgeous scenery. Good food, too, which may be surprising. The Phoenix Art Museum is excellent, as someone may have mentioned already with some amazing works of art ("thumb's down" by Jean Leon-Gerome (did I hyphenate that right? ), and some Maxfield Parrish paintings, and some Japanese artwork). Admittedly, if you are looking for lots of singles-type activities, it's a mixed bag.

vysean

Hi hoangb - can you give us an idea of how long you're planning on staying? Do you have any particular interests (e.g. photography, hiking, theater, food, etc.)?

You can pretty well divide the state into three areas - Phoenix, Tucson and points south, and Flagstaff and Central/Northern Arizona. Each is a "destination" unto itself and could easily satisfy most interests for a week or so.

Perhaps if you can give us some idea of what interests you and how long you have, we can provide additional information - though the suggestions already made are excellent ones!

Enjoy your trip!

Sean

hoangb

Thanks to everyone who has given their very helpful input. I should have given more info about my plans and interests, so here it goes:

I will be staying about 3 days. I plan on renting a car when in town. As for golfing, I have never really played any formal golf other than miniature golfing.

I have visited the Grand Canyon before, so perhaps other suggestions for things to do would be great, although most of the suggestions already mentioned above sound great.

Thanks, guys, and keep them coming.

Landing Gear

Rent your car at the airport and save the cost of transportation to and from the hotel. It will be easier.

I always get GPS.

ranles

I posted, then later reread your post. OOPS, 3 days..Maybe you can use some and someone with more time can use some of the rest.

I find moving around the best way to see a broad area. We are driving to Scottsdale. Will see the Phoenix zoo and the botanical gardens from there. Having dinner at the Hyatt Scottsdale, Sandolo which includes a boat ride afterwards.

This is our 5 trip to the area, so other things we will not do but you might want to do include: Arizona Capitol Museum, Az Mining and Mineral Museum, Hall of Flame Museum (firefighters), Heard Museum, Doll and Toy Museum, Science Center, Museum of History, Pago Park (includes the zoo and botanical gardens), P. Art Museum (we have not been), and there may be some baseball practice going on (no too interesting to us). Short trips include Apache Junction (Hamberger joint of the lost Dutchman) and the Superstition Mtns. Other things that were worth the time include Frank Lloyd Wrights Tallisman (sp?), and a wester town recreation with train ride.

Next we head off to Sedona. We will stop at Out of Africa on the way (recently moved their location, we can not wait to see their new digs and expanded activities (Cape Verde). We are staying at the Amara Creekside Resort (not been to Sedona before) on a time share preview with the Hyatt Pinon Pointe. Lots of spa type properties, but none inexpensive. In the Sedona area we plan to go to Red Rock State Park and do the Red Rock Loop Roads. Shopping for SWern stuff too (there is an outlet mall). There is a train ride out of Cambell, but we are going to pass on it, but not without some sorrow. We plan to go to the Sedona Heritage Museum. Others have suggested places and things, Jeep ride, that were of a bit more marginal interest to us. Balloon rides are also popular as are helicopters. There is the Chapel of the Holy Cross, indian cliff dwellings too.

We are then headed up to Flagstaff visiting the AZ Historical/Pioneer Museum, the Museum of Northern AZ, and the Riordan Mansion. The Arboretum would be on our list but it does not open until 4/1 and we will be thru by then. We will be staying at the Fairfield Inn (not been there before).

From Flaggstaff we head to Wupatki Visitors Center with its craters, pueblo, a 20+ mile slow drive with stops and hikes. We will stay in CAmeron, at the Trading Post. East entry to the Grand Canyon.

Next well will do the Grand Canyon (a bit of for a day) emerging out the South entry and staying at the Holiday Inn Express in Tusayan.

The next leg is driving thru Kingman and seeing parts of route 66, the Route 66 Museum, Locomotive Park, the Powerhouse (close to operations long ago) and Mohave Museum of History and Arts.

We then leave AZ for a couple days in Laughlin before returning home.

Hopefully something in this will help you. We are zoo people so seeing 2 of the three zoos at least is a must for us, even though we have several times before.

JerryFF

When in the Kingman/Laughlin area, be sure to make a short detour to the old west mining/ghost town of Oatman. You will love the wild burros that roam free in the street.

http://www.oatmangoldroad.com/
http://www.desertusa.com/oatman/du_oatman.html

Centurion

Be sure to visit Casey Moore's Oyster Bar/house? located in a haunted house built in 1910 in a residential neighborhood in Tempe Arizona near ASU and less than 5 minutes from PHX Sky Harbor Airport. Call information or google the place. Great steaks, seafood, burgers and wide selecton of importaned beer/wine. The place is has Cheers atmosphere with very very good food and is hard to find but worth it.

http://search.cityguide.aol.com/phoe...se/v-101882771