Arizona Master Thread

[Yoko]

Long. Should def do it after you go to Sedona. There is a Hyatt in Sedona you can stay for the night.

I plan on driving from Scottsdale to the GC and stopping in Sedona for an hour or so on the way back the same day. Any tips on where to go at the GC or Sedona?
 How was the Biltmore?

[aarony]

Download the pocket map from the official site and familiarize yourself with the rim and the bus routes.    There are two entrances to the Grand Canyon Southrim.  For a one-day back and forth I would suggest coming in on the south entrance which is faster but skips a lot of the viewing points to the east   

My recommendation for a one day visit would be park at bright angel and take the bus to Mohave point.  Walk back to Powell point  (you will have a very nice view along the way and it's a good view of the colarado river below) from Powell point take the bus back to bright angel. .  Then drive to visitors center and check out Mather point which is very popular.  If you have enough time take the bus from the visitors center to the south Kaibab  trail and walk down to ooh ah point. It is about 20 minutes down and about 35 minutes back up for the average out of shape guy.  If you do hike down make sure you take some water with you and sunscreen if it is sunny. 

[zagguru]

I plan on driving from Scottsdale to the GC and stopping in Sedona for an hour or so on the way back the same day. Any tips on where to go at the GC or Sedona?
 How was the Biltmore?

Pink Jeep for Sedona.

Biltmore was amazing. Wasnt even able to see 20% of the resort since it was so big

[zagguru]

I'd probably do 613 grill as a nice ambience and Segal's is hit or miss BUT it does have a much larger menu and good Chinese...if you're not set on meat, I'd choose La Bella over both.

Ended up doing 613.
Food was good but was very turned off that they charge a credit card fee. Never had that happen at a restaurant

[Denverite]

Ended up doing 613.
Food was good but was very turned off that they charge a credit card fee. Never had that happen at a restaurant

That is crazy! Especially since the place isn't cheap...

[Yoko]

Pink Jeep for Sedona.

Biltmore was amazing. Wasnt even able to see 20% of the resort since it was so big

Did you get upgraded?

[Yoko]

Download the pocket map from the official site and familiarize yourself with the rim and the bus routes.    There are two entrances to the Grand Canyon Southrim.  For a one-day back and forth I would suggest coming in on the south entrance which is faster but skips a lot of the viewing points to the east   

My recommendation for a one day visit would be park at bright angel and take the bus to Mohave point.  Walk back to Powell point  (you will have a very nice view along the way and it's a good view of the colarado river below) from Powell point take the bus back to bright angel. .  Then drive to visitors center and check out Mather point which is very popular.  If you have enough time take the bus from the visitors center to the south Kaibab  trail and walk down to ooh ah point. It is about 20 minutes down and about 35 minutes back up for the average out of shape guy.  If you do hike down make sure you take some water with you and sunscreen if it is sunny. 

Good stuff! Thanks for the itinerary.
 

[zagguru]

Did you get upgraded?

Yes to a Grand Suite

[Yoko]

Yes to a Grand Suite

How?

[zagguru]

How?

Just have to be nice at check in. Was gold member so maybe they were a bit nicer.

[dealfinder85]

How was the drive to the grand canyon?

i stayed overnight in Flagstaff and then drove back straight to phoenix the next day. i think that was about 3 hours

[Saver]

HI! Just wondering if anyone can advise us.
We are iyh going in the beginning of July from Vail, colorado to Moab Utah (we are stopping at Arches National canyon) and then need to stay somewhere for the night that is in between Moab and Flagstaff.
Any suggestion of where to stay between Moab and Flagstaff and anything that we should stop on the way to see that is not out of the way?
On Friday, we are iyh driving from that location to Flagstaff for Shabbos, we are staying in Flagstaff.
Sunday, we are iyh driving to the Grand Canyon and back to Flagstaff
Monday we are possibly going to Sedona and then heading back.  (Some of the people of our family are flying out of Flagstaff on Monday.)
Any suggestions of where to stop on the way (must see without adding extra time to our trip?

Thanks!

[thaber]

Download the pocket map from the official site and familiarize yourself with the rim and the bus routes.    There are two entrances to the Grand Canyon Southrim.  For a one-day back and forth I would suggest coming in on the south entrance which is faster but skips a lot of the viewing points to the east   

My recommendation for a one day visit would be park at bright angel and take the bus to Mohave point.  Walk back to Powell point  (you will have a very nice view along the way and it's a good view of the colarado river below) from Powell point take the bus back to bright angel. .  Then drive to visitors center and check out Mather point which is very popular.  If you have enough time take the bus from the visitors center to the south Kaibab  trail and walk down to ooh ah point. It is about 20 minutes down and about 35 minutes back up for the average out of shape guy.  If you do hike down make sure you take some water with you and sunscreen if it is sunny.

Thank you! We're planning on landing in PHX about 11, renting a car and driving straight. (stop for pizza?) catch some viewpoints, sunset stay overnight in holiday Inn GC, and then need to be back in PHX by 6 pm the next day . Same itinerary recommended?

[Saver]

Does anyone know of a professional photographer that we could take to take pictures of our family in Grand Canyon or in Moab Utah? (or in Flagstaff Arizona) we would just want a half hour session with a great background.

[aarony]

Thank you! We're planning on landing in PHX about 11, renting a car and driving straight. (stop for pizza?) catch some viewpoints, sunset stay overnight in holiday Inn GC, and then need to be back in PHX by 6 pm the next day . Same itinerary recommended?

Pretty much the same I really enjoyed ooh ah  point at sunrise and recommend that you do that in the morning if you can. one or two hours after sunrise would also be good. for sunsets mathis point should be very nice.

 If you have time when leaving you can leave through the east entrance and see the view points along the way. that will add some time to your trip.

 Make sure you download and study the packet map before hand  it has almost all the information you will need

If you plan on stopping for pizza or sandwiches in Phoenix you can call the shop once you leave the airport and hopefully it will be ready when you get there

[davidmal]

Short TR- Davidmal's Phoenix & Scottsdale for 5 Hours
I was delayed on my flight to PHX and so ended up with 6+ hours in PHX

I decided to go for a swim being that it was 103 degrees outside
I went to the W hotel since I was a Platinum Member I figured I could work it out and went for a quick swim and watched the finals by the bar.
then off to
Kitchen 18 which was so good and they pray next door at chabad
then back to the airport .

I forgot to take a photo of this Burger
I got this one from Google of their SW Burger.

If you get it listen to me carefully.
SOUTHWEST BURGER
Ranch & Spicy Sauce.
I think it was their Spicy chili sauce It was so spicy that I couldn't handle more than a spoon on my burger.
It was so good and apropos South West I told them they need to only serve it that way.
Hopefully they listened.

[shiframeir]

I miss kitchen 18, and i live in NYC. that place is such a great value.

[thaber]

My TR, thanks all for the help
http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=80670.0

[kivabb]

I hope to make Arizona Part 2 of a 12 day trip next summer. I know some of the Yosemite/Grand Canyon lodgings for families book early so trying to plan ahead. Hope to be spending week 1 in SFO/Yosemite and spending Shabbos in Los Angeles. I will have several kids in tow but older ones to assist as well.

I was thinking that we would drive to Grand Canyon leaving LA on Sunday morning and sleeping in hotel by Grand Canyon Sunday night. We would try to make sunset and if we have more time do some of the viewpoints. What we don't have time for we can do first thing Monday. Anything else worth stopping at while I'm there (besides Imax)?

Monday late morning we would probably head out towards Sedona, taking the scenic route with maybe taking short hike end of day. Find some sort of VRBO rental home.

Tuesday maybe do Pink Jeep tour. What else? How much hiking can we do already in 100 degree weather with a bunch of kids?

Wednesday drive to PHX, do day activity (open for ideas), maybe get a good meal and probably take red eye out Wednesday night.  I know heat can be oppressive.

I would appreciate any suggestions, input or critique.

Thank you

[thaber]

I hope to make Arizona Part 2 of a 12 day trip next summer. I know some of the Yosemite/Grand Canyon lodgings for families book early so trying to plan ahead. Hope to be spending week 1 in SFO/Yosemite and spending Shabbos in Los Angeles. I will have several kids in tow but older ones to assist as well.

I was thinking that we would drive to Grand Canyon leaving LA on Sunday morning and sleeping in hotel by Grand Canyon Sunday night. We would try to make sunset and if we have more time do some of the viewpoints. What we don't have time for we can do first thing Monday. Anything else worth stopping at while I'm there (besides Imax)?

Monday late morning we would probably head out towards Sedona, taking the scenic route with maybe taking short hike end of day. Find some sort of VRBO rental home.

Tuesday maybe do Pink Jeep tour. What else? How much hiking can we do already in 100 degree weather with a bunch of kids?

Wednesday drive to PHX, do day activity (open for ideas), maybe get a good meal and probably take red eye out Wednesday night.  I know heat can be oppressive.

I would appreciate any suggestions, input or critique.

Thank you

1) Go earlier in the summer if possible. more hiking and jeeping possibilities
2) You're doing a lot of extra driving. I would hit all your stops by doing LAX-SFO-FAT/MMH/MPI - GCN-PHX
3) I think it's impossible to drive from LAX to GCN with a van full of kids and get there in time to enjoy sunset.
4) Sedona has gorgeous resorts