[quote=sdduuuude][quote=sdrealtor]The Grand Canyon is my favorite national park and something everyone in America should see. Pictures do not begin to do it justice.[/quote]
No words, photos, pictures, audio or video can give anyone appropriate expectations for the Grand Canyon.
I have found two things in the world that you cannot prepare someone for. One is the Grand Canyon. The other is a top fuel drag race.
Regarding things to do in AZ:
To summarize, the things you can do in Arizona are touristy things that involve experiencing nature. CDMA Eng is right about the diversity. Desert in the south. Pine trees and canyons in the north.
We spent our Winter vacation camping outside of Tucson a couple years ago so I was a tourist in my home town and we had a great time.
Karchner caverns are spectacular – spectacular cave with a spectacular story. Kitt Peak National Observatory – go for the night visit, a little boring for the kids. Saguaro National Park (not too exciting). Sonoran Desert Museum. Titan Missles. Biosphere (pretty lame, but it is something to see). Hiking in Sabino Canyon. Hiking galore. I know of an abandoned marble quarry on private property that is amazing near Bode.
That’s just Tucson. There’s the Grand Canyon. Painted Desert. Petrified Forest. Meteor Crater. Walnut Canyon. Four Corners (so lame, it’s worth seeing how lame it is). Salt River rafting. Off-roading in all sorts of terrain. Lots of Mines. Canyon De Chelly. Boating on the Colorado river. Everyone should see the town of Jerome, built on the side of a hill. Don’t forget the world-class gem and mineral show every Feb. There’s a water park in Phoenix. Frank Lloyd-Wright buildings. High-end resorts in Scottsdale. Golfing, of course.
Arizona is a great place to visit and a great place to be from. I realize now that it is very unique place. Nearly everyone who visits finds it fascinating as long as they go in the Winter.[/quote]
Yes, sdduuuude, I’ve been all thru AZ dozens of times but only on the road. I went thru the four corners last summer and it really IS lame, lol. I haven’t seen any of the places you mention here but thinking about spending the night in Tucson on my way back home later this summer/early fall. There might be time to do something the next morning before hitting the road to SD (6 hrs??).
Definitely, my favorite areas are Flagstaff and Sedona. I’d like to try the tram in Sedona when I have the opportunity and also get a mud bath. I’ve been thru Flagstaff in the winter a few times as well and luv the snow piled up high on the sides of the road. Also luv the blue/green look of the pine trees in a (summer) windy rainstorm 🙂 I think Flagstaff would be a really nice place to retire. Unfortunately, a lot of other boomers and beyond from CA and the west thought so, too, because it isn’t cheap anymore to buy a decent house there, even a smallish one :=0
