The Phoenix Traveler

Day trips, weekend getaways, best places to visit. That’s what Arizona-based author and freelance writer wrote about in her first book published this year by Countryman Press. Called Great Escapes Arizona, Bitler’s book is available at local bookstores and online.
I wanted to talk to Bitler about her travels during the research of her book, because if there was ever a time to think about escape, it’s now. I met up with Bitler at a recent art fair, where I purchased her book, and she agreed to e-mail me with a few suggestions on where you might want to take …read more

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A fellow blogger here at b5media recently posted at Traveling the Green Way a how-to on greening your Christmas travels. She shared tips she learned at Responsible Travel. I thought I’d localize her post and let you know how you can follow those tips in Phoenix:
1)  Buy local. The blog post referred to produce, but you can extend that further to buy local produce as well as purchase gifts, services and other products sold right here in the Valley of the Sun by small business owners who live here. Look for the red symbol you see pictured above, or find …read more

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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

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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

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Now through October 2009, three museums in Mesa (Mesa Contemporary Arts (pictured above), Arizona Museum of Natural History, and Arizona Museum for Youth), all within walking distance, are open free to the public on the first Sunday of every month, noon to 5 p.m.
Other free events: MACFest, a downtown Mesa art and cultural festival every Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; the October Storytelling Festival; and Day of the Dead and Holiday Art & Music festivals coming in November.
The city of Mesa, Target and the Arizona Republic launched the free museum program, 3 for Free, this month.
Upcoming Exhibitions
Mesa Contemporary …read more

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Oops! That’s what I get for trying to be so on top of things. I posted today’s post last week but scheduled it for this same day LAST MONTH. So, I’m redirecting you to September 4. That’s where you’ll find what was supposed to be today’s post.
Sorry about that…
Click here and enjoy your “flight” to Chicago!

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You can learn a lot about a city by driving through its neighborhoods, especially those that are historic.
Phoenix has 34 of them, according to a publication distributed by The Phoenix Historic Neighborhoods Coalition. “The Historic Neighborhoods of Phoenix Self-Guided Driving Tour” takes you to all of them, pointing out historic landmarks and contemporary cultural centers along the way.
You can find your own copy of the tour map at Visitors Centers in town, but I picked mine up at a local breakfast diner I frequent called The Eye Opener (Read reviews here.) in Sunnyslope–a neighborhood which has its own history that …read more

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From the photos on this page, can you guess the name of these ruins? Included in the set is a view from the top, the trail to get there, and a photo of the ruins from below.
Visitors who post a comment with the answer here will be eligible for a drawing to win Confetti Bubble Bath (grapefruit scented) from The Phoenician Resort & Spa.
Aside from the photos themselves, here are a few hints:
1) The site is part of the National Park Service.
2) It is located within a three-hour drive from Phoenix.
3) The dwellings are open to tours.
4) You can hike …read more

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Visit the Boyce Thompson Arboretum this Labor Day for some prickly kind of fun. Apache Junction author Jean Groen (Foods of the Superstions) will teach guests how to harvest, squeeze and prepare the juice of the opuntia cactus.
Also known as the prickly pear, its magenta colored fruit has been used for centuries as a food source. The subtle but sweet tasting fruit is harvested throughout Arizona. At various restaurants, bars and gift shops throughout the state, including in Phoenix, you may see a prickly pear margarita on the menu or candy and jelly made from this cactus fruit on store …read more

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It’s a pretty common day trip for folks who fly in to Phoenix and want to stay a few extra days. They often decide to go to Sedona to see the red rocks. They want to find a vortex and see what all the fuss is about. Go ahead. Just Google Sedona, and you’ll see what I mean. These photos illustrate a bit of what you’ll see when you get there.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The top two photos were taken while on a yoga hike to the top of Cathedral Rock. The photo on the left is the park at Red Rock Crossing. From …read more

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