Tucson and Phoenix are great launching points to see the Southwest. There's a saying about Tucson... "in the middle of nowhere but close to everything." We hope that those of you flying in will take advantage of the trip and book a longer stay and see the beautiful Southwest.
SEDONA Probably the most picturesque spot in all of the Southwest, Sedona (www.visitsedona.com) offers breathtaking views of red rock landscapes in every shape you can imagine. Sedona offers a lot of milder hiking (more or less walking). It also offers a lot of boutique shopping and art galleries. It also has the whole hippy thing going on if you believe in vortexes and all that spiritual stuff! If you go, be sure to swing by the Chapel (and gaze down at our favorite house that we will someday own!). You can do Sedona in a half day if you're just looking to check out the rock formations while passing thru to another destination. But budgeting a full day or more will let you see some beautiful hikes back to natural waterfalls and such. Just the ride on highway 89A in and out of Sedona will amaze you with its beauty.
FLAGSTAFF One of my favorite places in Arizona because its my favorite place to snowboard, but it won't be quite snowy enough yet in October. Flagstaff houses Mt. Humphreys, the tallest point in Arizona at over 12,600 feet. Flagstaff (www.flagstaffarizona.org) will make you question the fact that you're in Arizona. The landscape is mountainous, snowcapped, and covered in lush forest. Downtown Flag is a really neat spot, with great bars as it houses Northern Arizona University (NAU). A great spot to make a stopover for a night, grab a mighty fine microbrewed beer, and chat with the locals.
GRAND CANYON The most popular attraction in Arizona has to be the Grand Canyon (www.nps.gov/grca/). One of the seven natural wonders of the world, I imagine much like the ocean -- it's hard to describe to someone who has never seen it in person. From the top it is magnificent. However, I encourage anyone in half decent shape to plan a hike into the canyon (Bright Angel is a great intermediate trail). After about 30 to 60 minutes of hiking you'll stop, look up, and just be amazed in its entirety. Once inside you start to appreciate its size and beauty. There is lodging near the park's South Rim, or another option is to take the train (literally www.thetrain.com) from Williams, AZ. This is a great, carefree way to see it from the top, especially if you're not doing a long hike. At a minimum you should plan for a full day at the Canyon.
LAS VEGAS Hey, I mean, if you've made it all the way to the Grand Canyon, who wouldn't stop over for a bit of nightlife in Vegas (www.visitlasvegas.com)? The city that never sleeps lights up the sky with no regards for light pollution so you can have a good time -- so why not take advantage of it? There's something for everyone: obviously gambling / partying at night, of course spectacular to walk during the day, but also nearby there is also the beautiful Red Rock Canyon and indescribably big Hoover Dam (for us engineering buffs). Just remember one thing -- what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!
LAKE HAVASU Okay, so now you've lived thru Vegas, left with a hundred G's in your pocket, and you still have the title to your car and never wagered two of your three children (the youngest one is a brat anyways). You might as well swing by Lake Havasu (www.golakehavasu.com) on the way back to Phoenix/Tucson, right? Lake Havasu is a great place to rent a boat and see the desert meet water. And yes, the "rumor" you heard of some crazy folks disassembling the London Bridge, moving it across the world, and reconstructing it in Arizona of all places is true!
NORTHEAST AZ Heading out northeast is not something we've done ourselves, but we've heard good things from nature buffs about the Petrified National Forest (www.arizona-leisure.com/petrified-forest.html), Painted Desert (www.arizona-leisure.com/painted-desert.html), and Meteor Crater (www.meteorcrater.com)
SOUTHEAST AZ Heading out southwest from Tucson has a couple options as well. Just over an hour away you'll cross the old western town of Tombstone, AZ (www.tombstoneweb.com). Marketed as the "city too tough to die" you'll find attractions such as O.K. Corral and homes of old time Westerners we learned about as kids. Less than a half hour farther you'll come to the old mining town of Bisbee, AZ (www.discoverbisbee.com). Here you can take a tour of an old mine, jump on a ghost tour, or shop at various boutique stores and art galleries, Out this direction you'll also find Kartchner Caverns State Park (http://azstateparks.com/Parks/KACA/) . Here you'll find breathtaking caves, but they limit the number of people that can visit the caves and it's aways in high demand. Book your cave tour before coming to Tucson because they often sell out a month or more in advance. These caves are superior to the Colossal Cave tours in east Tucson. No cameras are allowed on the tours, so be sure to look around and soak in the memories.
Those who have done the Arizona circuit should think about checking out Los Angeles or San Diego. San Diego is a beautiful place and somewhere we constantly consider calling home one day (and yes, you all can stay with us if we move there someday). Those with more time on their hands should consider visiting Southern Utah. Zion National Park is within reach, and Bryce Canyon National Park is not too much further. We both think that Bryce Canyon covered in snow is the most beautiful place we've ever seen.
While we are close to Mexico, it's gotten a lot rougher down there the last year or two. We recommend skipping Nogales -- especially at night -- but if you do go, you'll need to bring your passport to enter back into the US.
We hope you'll find time to enjoy some of what the Southwest has to offer. Bring your best camera -- you're gong to need it.
