Phoenix Travel Tips

[OMG!WTF!]

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[Calgary14]

^Thanks - I'll definitely need to make a trip out to Sedona and Tubac

[DoubleK]

Best advice in this thread: ignore New Era.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

Best advice in this thread: ignore New Era.

Seconded

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

Best advice in this thread: ignore New Era.

If you're into paying more for things than you should, and you're into being surrounded by pretentious #######s, I too recommend you ignore my advice. If you want to know where the best deals are, the best and safest places to stay/play, and the places to get value for your money, listen to the person who lives here full time and knows the city well. There are some people that think a great experience is hanging around with plastic people in plastic places, and paying a huge premium to do so. If that is what you like, then listen to Enoch Root and DoubleK.

[OMG!WTF!]

Watch U-Turn with J-lo, Sean Penn, Joaquin Phoenix and Billy Bob Thornton. Then drive 45 mins to east to Globe. I don't know why other than to see where U-Turn was filmed. It's actually a super cool old mining town with this cool store...

http://www.picklebarreltradingpost.com/products

And amazing ruins, Besh Ba Gowah. It's like a semi restored native American pueblo. There are mine tours and such as well. Ask where the secret bakery is. If it's still there you've discovered reason number 452 to remain living.

If you're interested drive another ten minutes to Queen Creek and climb "My Toe Sis" and "Sight o My Toe Sis" 5.9 and 5.10a. Brilliant pocket climbing that rivals the Verdon Gorge in France, just shorter but arguably sweeter and definitely safer. Or just hike around the boulders. Unusual and spectacular.

Maybe drive a bit further east to Roosevelt Lake. Big ole lake in the desert.

If you're going to Tubac go a bit further east to Bisbee. Super neat mining town in a precarious valley. Know for fire garnet and cool stores. Stay there a night if you want.

Then maybe check out Johnny Ringo's grave at Turkey Creek. Pearce is a legit ghost town there. Tombstone is actually kind of fun too.

But above all, discover the mystery of The Thing.

Jerome is neat and artsy and ghost towny. If you go to Sedona I'd stop in Jerome for dinner at the House of Joy (reservations definitely required). And drinks at the Spirit Room. A photo by the Sliding Jail and you're out.

My whole goal in Phoenix is getting the hell out of that place. I feel like a dog at Halloween there.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Some great hidden gems there OMG!

If you're going to do the Roosevelt Lake and Globe, you might as well do the big loop on Apache Trail (188) and catch the cliff dwellings at the Tonto National Monument. They aren't as spectacular as the ones at Montezuma Castle, but it is a cool hike up to them and the Park Rangers let you go through them completely. Also gives you a chance to drive the scary part of Apache Trail (88) and hit Tortilla Flat. Make sure you have a bowl of the chili and a prickly pear ice cream!

I would also recommend driving out past Globe and doing the run up through the canyon on the way to Show Low. Its like driving through a mini Grand Canyon and is scary as hell. If you're looking to spend a day in a car, you can continue on this road and go up to Winslow, via Snowflake and Holbrook. Snow Flake is famous for its UFO activity and was the site of the infamous Travis Walton abduction documented in the movie, Fire in the Sky. Winslow is a cool old rail stop town and you can stand on the corner from the Eagles song Take it Easy. You can stop in and do a tour of the quirky La Posada Hotel, which was a hot spot for Hollywood stars in the 40-60s. The rooms are named after the famous people who stayed in them. From there you can continue down I40 and hit Meteor Crater and see the damage a little ball of iron from space can do. Very interesting, but make sure you tie down your hat and glasses.

After that you have the option of Flagstaff/Sedona or heading south through Payson. At this time of year you're going to run into snow, so be prepared for that. It is going to be cold up in the mountains, so be prepared.

If you're heading out to do the Superstition Mountains, and doing a hike, I recommend you go out through Gold Canyon. You can do a really nice easy hike up to see the petroglyphs. This is actually just north of where the Gold Canyon golf course is and really easy to get to. If you want to go into the back country and go looking for the Lost Dutchman's gold, I would recommend going just past Gold Canyon and in through the Peralta Trail head. This trail head has several paths of varying difficulty that will get you back to Weaver's Needle, the rumored starting point for finding the Dutchman mine.

There is just so much to do around Phoenix/Arizona, and a lot of it is just going to cost you a tank of gas.

[OMG!WTF!]

That's a great trip! I read once that there are three people named Jack Frost from Snow Flake, AZ. I did a four week hike from Strawberry to Pinetop. I recommend nothing from that trip othe than Gila Monster anti venom. But your trip sounds fantastic. Especially the cliff dwellings.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by OMG!WTF!

That's a great trip! I read once that there are three people named Jack Frost from Snow Flake, AZ. I did a four week hike from Strawberry to Pinetop. I recommend nothing from that trip othe than Gila Monster anti venom. But your trip sounds fantastic. Especially the cliff dwellings.

Holy crap! That is an amazing hike. Some very beautiful but tough terrain through there. Is that still considered part of The Rim, or have you extended past the eastern edge? Did you run into the monster on the trek?

[OMG!WTF!]

Originally Posted by New Era

Holy crap! That is an amazing hike. Some very beautiful but tough terrain through there. Is that still considered part of The Rim, or have you extended past the eastern edge? Did you run into the monster on the trek?

Yeah they consider it part of the mogollon rim. But I think it got low enough to see saguaros. There was one guy on the trip who hated nature, stomped bugs and killed trees and literally everything in the desert bit him. A brown recluse finally knocked him out but the gila monster was by far the most painful...beating out the tarantula and the scorpion. The only thing that didn't bite him was the giant rattler that climbed into his sleeping bag. True story. That desert knows exactly who is who and what is what. Scorpions climbed all over me too and nothing. You mind your manners out there.

[OldDutch]

Originally Posted by New Era

If you're into paying more for things than you should, and you're into being surrounded by pretentious #######s, I too recommend you ignore my advice. If you want to know where the best deals are, the best and safest places to stay/play, and the places to get value for your money, listen to the person who lives here full time and knows the city well. There are some people that think a great experience is hanging around with plastic people in plastic places, and paying a huge premium to do so. If that is what you like, then listen to Enoch Root and DoubleK.

I would say that no location is perfect for everyone in general. I have been to Scottsdale plenty of times and love it. Mainly because I am going with a group of buddies who want to golf and party. We're not the d-bag types, but being able to walk out your hotel and stroll around or take a golf cart taxi to dozens of bars is a major plus.

My in laws live in Chandler. I would agree with a wife/fiancée/kids it would be better there as doing double shots with a bunch of fake DD blonds isn't what you probably find fun.

Same with Calgary. I usually say go to 17th ave to the party set. Is it the best? No but if you want to party it is probably the best bet. Me personally I stick to my hood of Kensington or maybe 4th street but it is what I as a local know is better.

Not discounting anyone's advice. I think each place has its set purpose is all.

[Ryan Coke]

Yeah, my time living in Scottsdale was awesome. With 2 small kids doing family stuff, never had time to do shots and partying. I do agree there is great stuff all over Phoenix. It just always funny when you see someone who obviously has some issues with 'their' area vs. someplace else. Everyone in Scottsdale is pretentious, hilarious. Scottsdale is a lot more than the mile around Fashion Square Mall and Old Town.

Hey, Chandlers fine. But New Era, you don't need to overcompensate for something by trying to trash another part of Phoenix.

[TheAlpineOracle]

Originally Posted by OldDutch

I would say that no location is perfect for everyone in general. I have been to Scottsdale plenty of times and love it. Mainly because I am going with a group of buddies who want to golf and party. We're not the d-bag types, but being able to walk out your hotel and stroll around or take a golf cart taxi to dozens of bars is a major plus.

My in laws live in Chandler. I would agree with a wife/fiancée/kids it would be better there as doing double shots with a bunch of fake DD blonds isn't what you probably find fun.

Same with Calgary. I usually say go to 17th ave to the party set. Is it the best? No but if you want to party it is probably the best bet. Me personally I stick to my hood of Kensington or maybe 4th street but it is what I as a local know is better.

Not discounting anyone's advice. I think each place has its set purpose is all.

Why did my buddies pick Chandler? I like doing shots with double Ds

[DuffMan]

I just got back from Phoenix, well, Mesa actually.
Rented a big 4 bedroom house in the desert, with a big pool.
We were there over news years eve and had a great view of downtown Phoenix.
It looked like Baghdad, with all of the fire works going off, really cool. The fireworks we bought turned out to be super lame compared to everyone else's. Great to be outdoors on a NYE for a change.
Hit 2 houses golfing.

[TheAlpineOracle]

Bump to the thread.

As mentioned in this thread, a group of us rented a house for a week in the Phoenix area (Chandler). I wasn't thrilled with the location so my wife and I decided to stay an extra two days on our own. Looking for a place (resort/hotel) in Scottsdale with a nice pool to lounge in during the day, but close enough to the action we can go into town quickly. Anyone have any recommendations?

[Lanny_McDonald]

Scottsdale Princess. Sounds exactly like what you want.

[TheAlpineOracle]

Originally Posted by New Era

Scottsdale Princess. Sounds exactly like what you want.

Sold out, and the other one I looked at was Hyatt Gainey Ranch, but it's a ridiculous $700 bucks a night.

[troutman]

https://www.hotelvalleyho.com/

[OldDutch]

Valley Ho is good stayed there few years ago.

Also stayed at the Saguero which I liked better due to location. Out your back door is the nightlife. Valley Ho is a bit of a walk.

http://thesaguaro.com/scottsdale/

[Jordan!]

Anyone want to drop off some Ketchup chips downtown phoenix if they're coming down?

I'll pay you $20 U.S