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09/13/10, 08:08 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Indiana
Posts: 996
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Trip to Arizona
I am taking my father and mother to Arizona next week for Dad's WWII tank battalion reunion. There are some activities planned already like a tour of the grand canyon. Of course, my parents are in their mid-80's, but I'd still like to do or see some interesting things while we are there. We will be flying into Phoenix and spending a few days in Flagstaff. The rest of the week is free. Any ideas on what I can do with two older folk?
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09/13/10, 09:39 AM
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Banned
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Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: IL, right smack dab in the middle
Posts: 6,787
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Laughlin Nevada.
Its the casino place for older folks.
Great drive from Phoenix up there or take the back road (old 66 and the country depicted in the movie "Cars")) from flagstaff.
Rooms are very cheep
Park on the AZ side and take the free ferry across.
Go to the free car museums.
Take in a show or a movie,they cheep.
Walk along the river walk ,laid back and free.
Eat out most casino places are pretty cheep.
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09/13/10, 09:44 AM
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Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 777
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If you come south to Tucson, there is the Air and Space museum, and the Desert Museum, which is really a big park/zoo outdoor experience. Further south is Kartchner Caverns, Tombstone and the OK Corral, and the cute little town of Bisbee where you can ride down into the Copper Queen mine. Most of these things involve a fair amount of walking around.
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09/13/10, 09:49 AM
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Guest
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Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,804
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The grand canyon is just great. On the three mile hiking area along the rim (southern), there were many motorized wheel chairs, I wonder if you could rent a few. It's very handicapped accessible. It's just beautiful. We went to Phoenix then Flagstaff and went back to the southern rim twice.
The area to the west, is a driving tour, lots to see whether you get out of the car or not, though it would be good to get out and stand along the edge a few times if they can manage it.
Up at Page, there are smooth water rafting (floats) trips. They would have to be able to go up/down stairs to board the rafts. Then it's just sitting in the raft and enjoying the tour--3 hours. It's definately worth seeing, I'd go again in a minute. I think it was around $75/person. This was the most expensive thing we did.
Bring your cameras, water, pack a cooler of food-sandwiches, veggies, fruit, jackets--it gets cooler toward Flagstaff because of the elevation.
In Sedona, south of Flagstaff, there are some beautiful hiking areas that we hiked, but, we did drive around for a whole day just enjoying the scenery of the area. There are shopping areas in the downtown area-but we aren't shoppers, we just drove through it.
There is a museum just on the edge of Flagstaff. There is so much to do! Hope you have a great trip!
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09/13/10, 09:51 AM
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On my way home
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Grant Co. WV/ Washington Co, Md
Posts: 1,167
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I second the desert museum, you can go at your own pace, dh and I were just there this past May, and we spent a very enjoyable day there.
We also went into the copper mines at Bisbee. You ride a train in and out so there is not a lot of walking involved. But it was interesting. The town of Bisbee is also a nice walking place if you're used to hills which coming from WV we are. Again,you can go at your own pace and see what you want to see and stop when you're tired. There is also a ghost town but it's very touristy. It's north of Tucson I think
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09/13/10, 11:54 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Bartow County, GA
Posts: 6,780
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On the way from Phoenix to Flagstaff, stop at Montezuma's Castle and Well. Interesting cliff dwellings and amazing deep water well. Not much walking and bound to impress if they've never seen cliff dwelling Native American homes.
If yuo've got the time, also on the way to Flagstaff, take a detour west thorugh Sedona. Beautiful red rock formations. Slide Rock is considered by Life Magazine as one of the 10 most beautiful swimming holes in the US. It'd be a nice overnight stay.
If you're planning on staying up north, going east, there's also the Petrified Forest National Park. Going west, Hoover Dam (that has tours).
Always "on the go" is sometimes a little much for elders, so if you're in Phoenix visit the Zoo. Yup, not only for little ones - this one will amaze you with its natural habitats. They have riding tours. At Christmas, they have a Festival of Lights. Lights everywhere, even underwater. Hundreds of thousands of lights. West, there's Luke Air Force Base.
Moving south, Before you get to Tuscon, there's the Aircraft Boneyard aka: Pima Air & Space Museum with aircraft stored from all branches of the military. Your Dad might be interested in that. They have riding tours.
I love Bisbee with the first open pit mine. You can take a tour down into a mine shaft, but as I remember, it's a lot of standing.
Actually, Arizona is a pretty amazing part of the country with lots of beauty and history tucked in out of the way places. Remember, although Phoenix will be warm, Flagstaff, at 7000 ft., is sweater weather.
Enjoy your visit!
__________________
Only she who attempts the absurd can achieve the impossible
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09/13/10, 12:11 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: far north Idaho
Posts: 11,134
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If you like good beer (and food) while you're in Flagstaff, try the Beaver Street Brewery and Whistle Stop Cafe. Great place!
I second Sedona...you can't see Arizona and not see Sedona. Then take the back way up to Flagstaff, via Oak Creek Canyon (Slide Rock is on the way).
Jerome is worth seeing too. It's a small mining town perched on a mountainside (not far from Sedona) that has historic sites, great view and cool shops and galleries.
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09/13/10, 12:52 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Mass. and wanting to transplant
Posts: 1,261
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We camped in Bull Head City across the river from Laughlin Nv.
We took Rt. 66 from Kingman Az.,stopped at Oatman Az. an authentic ghost town and mining camp .
Be Forewarned You do go over Sitgreaves Pass on the old Rt, 66 route , it is a very steep and narrow winding road with some beautiful views .
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...n_Arizona.html
http://www.cmdrmark.com/200315.html
If You do go , make sure You have carrots for the wild burros that block the road in Oatman looking for handouts
I second the cliffs and Sedona , also You might want to check out the historic copper mining town of Jerome Az . It is built high on the side of a mountain .
http://www.azjerome.com/
http://www.cmdrmark.com/Rt6610.html
Bob
Last edited by Bandit; 09/13/10 at 12:55 PM.
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09/13/10, 02:19 PM
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: sc
Posts: 2,638
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Sedona, The Desert Museum in Tuscon, the zoo in Phoenix and Montezuma's Castle are must sees... My crowd also enjoyed Tombstone... where when we were leaving (this was in Feb) it was showing on one side of the car and not snowing on the other...
We packed a cooler (because to see this stuff, you're gonna be in the car a good bit.) and there was always wonderful places to picnic, just keep checking your bags, etc for scorpions!
dawn
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09/14/10, 05:05 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Indiana
Posts: 996
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Thanks for the great ideas! I will print them out and take them with us. I am sure it will help make this trip more memorable. This will probably be the last reunion as the ranks are thinning out more and more every year. I am fortunate to have been able to take my father to reunions over the years. It will be bittersweet. Here is a picture of the men from the reunion last year.
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11/05/10, 11:47 AM
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Guest
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Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,804
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Fetch, how was the trip?
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