The Phoenix Traveler

In town visiting relatives, or are they visiting with you? Perhaps you’re wondering what you can do with everyone this holiday vacation. If you’ve already seen the lights and finished your shopping, and you still have two more weeks before you can open presents (Or maybe you’re looking for something to do once the unwrapping’s done.), how about a visit south to see a few of Arizona’s ghost towns?
I’m not talking Bisbee or Tombstone. I’m talking about the real ghost towns, the ones where no one, or practically no one, lives anymore. There was once a brochure called “Arizona Ghost …read more

3 Comments

How about a break from holiday planning? Would you like to see a little bit of Arizona that requires a trip off-the-beaten path?
This past year, I’ve been working on a travel guide that’s taken me all over Arizona. I’ve shot the typical landscapes you might expect to see in Arizona: saguaros, desert mountain views, red rock cliffs, dry river beds. But I’ve also seen some pretty quirky images, things you won’t see if you don’t hop on a back road or two…most of which aren’t even paved, and are often closed during the winter. Not to worry. You can plan …read more

Comments Off

It’s all lit up in Prescott for the holidays. The Yavapai County Courthouse (pictured above), Whiskey Row behind it, the gift shops, boutiques and restaurants downtown–they all take part in the holiday festivities that have helped turn this former territorial town into Arizona’s official “Christmas City.”
With a heritage dating back to Victorian times and earlier, they know how to do Christmas here. Phoenicians drive the 90 miles north to see what’s been billed as the world’s largest Gingerbread Village. This year, more than 100 gingerbread structures decorate the lobby of the Prescott Resort now through December 28. The resort is …read more

Comments Off

Mill Avenue in Tempe hustles and bustles with pedestrian traffic year-round. It’s not the place to go if you want peace and quiet. And though I’d say the majority of the people you’ll see milling around are Arizona State University students, urbanites from all over the Valley of the Sun head over on evenings and weekends to shop, dine at the many restaurants, hang out in the taverns, and walk, ride bikes or rollerblade over to Tempe Town Lake.
This coming weekend, however, pedestrians will flock to Mill Avenue–one of America’s “ten great streets” (American Planning Association, 2008)–for one of …read more

Comments Off

Imagine your name on this brown piece of paper. It’s the ticket to statewide recreational fun. The Arizona State Parks Annual Pass costs just $50, and it’s good for the entire family–all year-long.
This holiday season, it could be the affordable gift that keeps on giving as it’s the economical way to travel and explore Arizona’s 27 state parks. Pictured above, the Standard Day-Use Entrance Pass is good for the family’s non-camping day-use and includes all the Parks except Colorado River Parks on weekends and holidays.
At Kartchner Caverns State Park, the pass is good for the entrance to …read more

1 Comment

You’re right, Becky. When you posted your comment last week, you guessed correctly. The name of the mountain where we saw Post Creek is called Mount Graham. We drove up the Swift Trail to see it.
Located in Graham County in southeastern Arizona, the mountain is home to many things recreational, including hiking, biking, camping, fishing, boating, birding and one of the world’s largest telescopes.
The Graham County Chamber of Commerce can tell you more.
 
(Photo by Jackie Dishner, used with her permission.)
Technorati Tags: photo contest,Mt. Graham,Graham County,Southeastern Arizona,Post Creek,Arizona travel blog,The Phoenix Traveler,Jackie Dishner

Comments Off

The Web site says it’s “coming soon,” but isn’t that a relative term? I mean, is February 14, 2012, really that soon? That’s the date developers have planned as opening day for the new Scottsdale Museum of the West. They’d like it to be here in time for Arizona’s centennial. But museum board members have a lot of money to raise first–about $20 million.
When it does arrive, the 45,000-square-foot museum will take up about an acre of city-owned land in downtown Scottsdale. Planned to promote the culture and history of the town that’s been dubbed “The West’s Most Western Town,” …read more

Comments Off

More than 20 Arizona authors will sell and sign their books at the 15th Annual ArtFest of Scottsdale today and tomorrow. New for this year’s event, “Book Street” gathers the authors all in one area, near the Scottsdale Mondrian hotel at the northwest corner of the festival site, in Old Town Scottsdale.
A few travel writers, including Christine K. Bailey, author of Destinations: A Complete Guide to Phoenix, Scottsdale, Sedona and Central Arizona, and Teresa Bitler, whose Great Escapes Arizona was just released are scheduled to appear.
Also plan to see arts & crafts booths, food and live music at the festival …read more

4 Comments

First stop: Sedona. Next stop: wine country. It’s a day trip to the Verde Valley–one of Arizona’s hidden gems.
Called Sedona Wine Tours, this guided trip calls out to those of you who love Sedona and love to visit vineyards but didn’t know you could have both on the same day. You can.
To play it safe–no drinking and driving–let Detours take you there.
Detours, a Phoenix-based tour guide company, created this trip to give guests the opportunity to safely explore Arizona’s rich wine region in the Verde Valley. Even with four wineries open, the tasting rooms are still relatively …read more

Comments Off

In a recent post here at The Phoenix Traveler, one person posted a comment about being “too poor to travel.” Boy, do I understand that, which is why it’s good to know that there’s always budget travel options to consider.
For instance, Now that gas prices have dropped below $2.30/gal., how about a road trip? In less than two hours, you can hop in your car, pick east or west, and wind up in small town Arizona where you’ll be able to see the Western lifestyle up close. No need to reserve a room, take the dog to the kennel, or …read more

Comments Off