Topic Wiki

Trip Reports


2014 - Mgarfin's 2014 trip to Arizona-Delta glitch
2014 - VacationLover's Sedona and the Grand Canyon TR
2015 - PBaruch's Dreams of Flight - Hummingbirds and Arizona
2016 - Pbaruch's Motorhome Adventures in Utah and Arizona
2016 - drewsky9's Arizona Trip Report
2016 - MahRabuMasecha's Vegas Zion Page Grand Canyon Sedona TR
2016 - ShlockDoc's Midwest Roadtrip - Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming
2017 - Davidmal's Phoenix & Scottsdale for 5 Hours
2018 - Ikelunious99's Arizona Trip Report

Utah has it's own master thread and wiki at https://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=15858.0

Activities


Phoenix

Arizona Cardinals (NFL Football)
Arizona Coyotes (NHL Hockey)
Arizona Diamondbacks (MLB Baseball)
Phoenix Suns (NBA Basketball)

Camelback Mountain
Desert Botanical Garden
Encanto Park
Goldfield Ghost Town
Japanese Friendship Garden
Lost Dutchman State Park
Nordstrom Last Chance - one of the few in the world.
Octance Raceway- Extremely fast Go-Karting
Scottsdale Old Town

Arizona Science Center (Indoor)
Museum of Musical Instruments (Indoor)
Queen Creek Olive Mill (Olive farm and mill, with Olive 101 'factory' tour)
Arizona Boardwalk (entertainment complex, with aquarium, butterfly conservatory, etc. www.azboardwalk.com)
Children’s Museum of Phoenix (for kids under age 10, they claim to be top 3 Children's Museum in the country).

Sedona, AZ
Stunning red rock formations and scenery viewable throughout the small city with unique views along the many hiking trails (including Devil's bridge, West Fork Trail, and Sugar Loaf Loop)
Off road jeep tours (e.g. Pink Jeep Tours)
eclectic outdoor shopping
Slide rock state park: Natural water slide in creek (just north of Sedona)


Grand Canyon National Park (South Rim)
There are two trails from the south rim that go down into the canyon (and all the way to the canyon floor, which is a strenuous multi-day hike). You can experience a taste of it, by turning around at any point.
  • South Kaibab Trail - One of the top rated trails for the GC (trail descends into the canyon, uphill climb on return)
  • Bright Angel Trail - Also one of the top rated trails for GC (trail descends into the canyon, uphill climb on return)
There are also trails along the south rim (called Rim Trails) that don't descend into the canyon, and are relatively flat. These offer views of the canyon and are dotted with various scenic viewpoints. Some areas of the rim trail are paved others are not. These may be more suitable those with young children or those fear of hiking near the edge of the canyon cliffs. The National park shuttle buses also transport passengers to various points within the park, along the south rim.
A PDF map of grand canyon national park south rim is at https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/news/upload/sr-pocket-map.pdf
Grand Canyon National Park Lodges

Nearby attractions outside the National Park include:
  • Skywalk
  • Bearizona Wildlife Park - Williams, AZ

Page AZ
Lake Powell (popular lake for boating, with kayak, motor boat, pontoon boat, houseboat rentals, Jetski, boat tours, and swimming). Lake and surrounding canyon walls are uniquely scenic together (it's actually a huge artificial reservoir surrounded by canyon walls, resulting from the construction of the Glen Canyon Dam
Carl Hayden Visitor Center at the Glen Canyon Dam (Free museum about the Glen Canyon Dam)
Horseshoe bend (popular scenic overlook of a 180 degree bend in the Colorado river)
Antelope Canyon (beautiful slot canyons with stunning photography opportunity, controlled by Native Americans with entrance fees and guided tour, advance reservations are needed. Fees were recently increased to $60-$100/pp)

Tucson

Saguaro National Park

Kosher Restaurants

See the following for up to date info:
--http://www.kosherphoenix.org/index.php/kosher-food-in-phoenix/restaurants/
--https://www.ahavastorah.org/restaurants.html 


Phoenix

Cafe Chenar
LaBella Pizzeria and Restaurant
Manhattan Pizza & Subs
Samarkand Restaurant Glatt Kosher

Scottsdale

Fresh Mint
Kitchen 18
Milk+ Honey Espresso Bar & Eatery

Groceries


Imperial Market & Deli

Shuls


Ohr Hatorah Congregation- Located in Phoenix Map
Chabad Jewish Center of North Phoenix Map
Ahavas Torah:The Scottsdale Torah Center Map


Chabad of Flagstaff AZ (Kosher meals available), Minyanim in the summer and chol hamoed (1 hour south of the Grand Canyon National Park)

« Last edited by Yr18 on October 02, 2023, 08:46:50 AM »

Author Topic: Arizona Master Thread  (Read 381331 times)

Offline Denverite

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Re: Arizona Master Thread
« Reply #620 on: January 06, 2017, 01:40:58 AM »
two separate properties, but villas people can go over to the resort & Spa and use their bigger grounds (lazy river/surfing machine etc, though note surfing costs $ for anyone). pool at villas when i was there in august was mostly empty so spent lots of time there switching over occassionally to the fuller resort grounds for the river and surfing. that surfing experience is a real chavayah, highly recommended.

+1 Villas guests can use all the amenities there and at the resort (I think the Villa pool was much warmer than the huge resort pool) plus you get a larger unit, with kitchen facilities, much better value than the staying in a room at the resort.  My kid also loved the Surfing machine!

Offline gubevo18

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Re: Arizona Master Thread
« Reply #621 on: January 06, 2017, 07:54:25 AM »
Anyone interested in a minyan in the Westin Kierland Shabbos January 28?
Well too late for me. I booked everything already for during the week. But that definitely would have been nice.

Offline Issac Karahod

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Re: Arizona Master Thread
« Reply #622 on: January 08, 2017, 03:50:33 PM »
Anyone have any experience with the W Scottsdale?

Offline burryhood

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Re: Arizona Master Thread
« Reply #623 on: January 10, 2017, 12:53:55 PM »
building it. opens DEC 13th. Im going DEC 20th

How was?

Offline burryhood

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Re: Arizona Master Thread
« Reply #624 on: January 10, 2017, 01:24:37 PM »
Any activities for little kids (ages 1-3) in AZ other than hotel pool?

Did you get an answer?

Offline Denverite

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Re: Arizona Master Thread
« Reply #625 on: January 10, 2017, 02:19:08 PM »
Did you get an answer?

There is a great Children's museum and Science Museum (went for free with reciprocity from my local one), a fun park in Scottsdale with a train, my kids loved, I think called McCormick park...it's like any city, with lots too do for kids if you look into but the weather is warm there. ;)

Offline burryhood

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Re: Arizona Master Thread
« Reply #626 on: January 10, 2017, 06:05:27 PM »
There is a great Children's museum and Science Museum (went for free with reciprocity from my local one), a fun park in Scottsdale with a train, my kids loved, I think called McCormick park...it's like any city, with lots too do for kids if you look into but the weather is warm there. ;)

Good to know, thanks.

Concerned about shabbos though (in the Phoenician) since it's not walkable to any shuls. Any suggestions what's there for kids to do?

Offline burryhood

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Re: Arizona Master Thread
« Reply #627 on: January 10, 2017, 06:16:35 PM »
Anyone have any experience with the W Scottsdale?

I stayed there last year. Rooms are small, and hotel is very clean. I never made it to the pool

Offline lifetimedeals

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Re: Arizona Master Thread
« Reply #628 on: January 10, 2017, 06:47:27 PM »
Anything interesting worth going to Tucson?

Offline Issac Karahod

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Re: Arizona Master Thread
« Reply #629 on: January 11, 2017, 07:38:40 PM »
I stayed there last year. Rooms are small, and hotel is very clean. I never made it to the pool
Thanks for the response.
I'll be in Phoenix for 10 days with extended family but hope to take advantage of the babysitting potential and get away for a day or two with the wife. Between IHG and SPG/Marriott, can any of the regulars suggest a hotel? Looking for something fun and different. The rooms at the W look great but if they are too small I won't enjoy much. TIA!

Offline tzifanya54

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Re: Arizona Master Thread
« Reply #630 on: January 11, 2017, 10:18:23 PM »
Thanks for the response.
I'll be in Phoenix for 10 days with extended family but hope to take advantage of the babysitting potential and get away for a day or two with the wife. Between IHG and SPG/Marriott, can any of the regulars suggest a hotel? Looking for something fun and different. The rooms at the W look great but if they are too small I won't enjoy much. TIA!
Phoenician is awesome especially if you can pull off an upgrade

Offline Issac Karahod

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Re: Arizona Master Thread
« Reply #631 on: January 11, 2017, 10:36:36 PM »
Phoenician is awesome especially if you can pull off an upgrade
Checked it out online. Looks like a good bet.
I'm only Gold with Starwood. Is there something one does to "pull off an upgrade" or is that what happens when you happen to be upgraded? :)

Offline tzifanya54

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Re: Arizona Master Thread
« Reply #632 on: January 12, 2017, 01:05:13 AM »
Checked it out online. Looks like a good bet.
I'm only Gold with Starwood. Is there something one does to "pull off an upgrade" or is that what happens when you happen to be upgraded? :)
I've gotten upgraded to a huge suite there with just gold status after and a pleasant email to the front desk manager. The small incremental upgrades they give you automatically aren't worth much.

Offline burryhood

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Re: Arizona Master Thread
« Reply #633 on: January 12, 2017, 12:41:00 PM »
Thanks for the response.
I'll be in Phoenix for 10 days with extended family but hope to take advantage of the babysitting potential and get away for a day or two with the wife. Between IHG and SPG/Marriott, can any of the regulars suggest a hotel? Looking for something fun and different. The rooms at the W look great but if they are too small I won't enjoy much. TIA!
If it's just you and wife, it's not terribly small. But with kids would be

The Phoenician is a much better bet, also check out Marriot camelback - stunning grounds

Offline Issac Karahod

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Re: Arizona Master Thread
« Reply #634 on: January 12, 2017, 03:23:32 PM »
Thanks, guys. Just made a reservation for The Phoenician. Looks good!

Offline Dave A

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Re: Arizona Master Thread
« Reply #635 on: January 13, 2017, 11:08:45 AM »
fyi new Andaz in Scottsdale

So has anyone stayed here yet?  Supposed to go in March.  Relatively low points redemptions but the pictures aren't all that encouraging ...

Offline lifetimedeals

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Re: Arizona Master Thread
« Reply #636 on: January 14, 2017, 10:04:34 PM »
So has anyone stayed here yet?  Supposed to go in March.  Relatively low points redemptions but the pictures aren't all that encouraging ...
I know was looking at the pictures yesterday nothing exciting.

Offline ya

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Re: Arizona Master Thread
« Reply #637 on: January 14, 2017, 10:28:12 PM »
So has anyone stayed here yet?  Supposed to go in March.  Relatively low points redemptions but the pictures aren't all that encouraging ...
Yes I did.  Nothing that special.  Service is beyond amazing though.

Offline Denverite

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Re: Arizona Master Thread
« Reply #638 on: January 14, 2017, 10:55:48 PM »
Yes I did.  Nothing that special.  Service is beyond amazing though.

Is the pool area nice? Fun for kids?

Offline ya

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Re: Arizona Master Thread
« Reply #639 on: January 14, 2017, 10:56:31 PM »
Is the pool area nice? Fun for kids?
It's pretty nice. A bit cramped.