Another day trip would be the drive to Kartchner Caverns State Park. The park is located on Hwy 90 in the Whetstone Mountains. These unique caverns are the most pristine in the United States. You will need to call ahead for reservations as a limited number of people are allowed in to the caves daily. There are camping facilities, hiking trails, bird sanctuary, visitor center, interpretive displays and a gift shop.  For more information and reservations call 520-586-2283, or click on www.pr.state.az.us/Parks/parkhtml/kartchner.html

Other interesting places to visit would include the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area; the Vega-Bray Observatory, that has eight telescopes, planetarium, science classroom and museum; and the Holy Trinity Monastery. Here you will find a book store, gift shop, Library, Oriental garden, Museum, Art Gallery, Bird Sanctuary and Thrift Shop. The monastery holds seasonal festivals. Click here or for more information, or call 520-720-4642.

Camp Verde -- Click Here for Accommodations Suggestions for Camp Verde

Camp Verde is one of those sleepy places where you can still walk the streets at night. It has the atmosphere of a small town. Just outside of town you will find wide-open spaces, the Verde River, a mild 4-season climate and panoramic views from the vistas above the valley. 

Camp Verde is located 86 miles north of Phoenix and has an arid climate with hot summer days and cool evenings. The winters are quite mild. It is located on the Lower Sonoran Desert. The area of Camp Verde is unique in Arizona in having examples of buildings from its entire historic period. Fort Verde State Historic Park annually draws approximately 40,000 visitors to the center of Camp Verde, and nearby Montezuma Castle, brings over a million to the area.

Casa Grande -- Click Here for Accommodations Suggestions for Casa Grande

Casa Grande's location, mild climate, and scenic attractions make it attractive to tourists and winter visitors. The Casa Grande Valley Historical Museum offers many historical displays and facts about the history of area. Named a Main Street city in 1992, Casa Grande is revitalizing the unique downtown area. The Casa Grande Art Museum hosts a number of shows each year featuring sculpture, water-color, multimedia and Western art by Arizona artists. The city is also the home of the Arizona State Open Chili championship held every March. The annual O'Odham Tash Celebration, a gathering of tribes, is held in mid-February and features Native American arts and crafts, ceremonial dances, rodeos, powwows and parades.

Not far away is the Casa Grande Ruins National Monument where you can see an imposing 4-storey building dating from the late Hohokam period that are contemporary with the other preserved ruins from the 14th century of the Tonto and Montezuma Castle Monuments.

Chandler  (Phoenix Area) -- Click Here for Accommodations Suggestions for Chandler
The City of Chandler, one of the fastest growing cities in the country, is also a favorite place for visitors to the Phoenix area to stay. It is close to the airport, and close to many of the finest golf coursed in the states, as well as several great golf resorts. Arizona resorts, fabulous restaurants of every cuisine, premier shopping and tons of fun activities. Plus we are graced with near perfect weather - more than 330 sunny days a year, and an average temperature of 85 degrees making the City of Chandler, AZ a great place to visit.

The beautiful Verde River runs through Cottonwood, and the town is near the spectacular Oak Creek Canyon area. Enjoy the hiking trails, golfing, or camping as you watch the changing colors of the desert at twilight. It’s all here, and so much more, in Cottonwood, Arizona!

Douglas -- Click Here for Accommodations Suggestions for Douglas

East Mesa

Eloy (Near Casa Grande) -- Click Here for Accommodations Suggestions for Eloy
Eloy is located along old Arizona Highway 84, just off of Interstate 10, about 15 miles southeast of Casa Grande. Eloy lies in the Santa Cruz River Valley and is served by Interstate 10 with two exits, Toltec Road and Sunshine Boulevard.

Eloy is part of the Lower Colorado River sub region of the Sonoran Desert and receives 8.48 inches of rain annually. Like all of the Sonoran Desert, Eloy has two distinct rainy seasons, one during the winter, as Pacific storms bring gentle rains from the North and West and the other, during the summer.

Summer rain arrives in the form of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico that generates thunderstorms by convection. Some of these storms can be quite violent. More rarely, Eloy receives large amounts of rain from dissipating tropical storms from the Pacific. Like most other cities and towns in Arizona, Eloy's wettest month is August, with a mean rainfall of 1.65 inches.

Being located in a large, flat basin, Eloy is subject to extremely hot summers. July is the hottest month, with a mean high of 105 degrees and a mean low of 75 degrees. However, on any given day in July, the temperature can easily exceed 110 and reach as high as 120 degrees. August is generally cooler because of the increased humidity as the monsoon season gets into full swing. Nights are generally warm but pleasant throughout the summer months.

Eloy experiences exceptionally mild winters. January is the coolest month, with a mean high of 67 degrees and a mean loan of 36 degrees. However, it can be much warmer, with temperatures in 70’s or even an occasional 80 degree temperature. Nighttime lows can reach into the 20’s during and after winter storms, with the lowest recorded temperature being 13 degrees.

Flagstaff -- Click Here for Accommodations Suggestions for Flagstaff
Flagstaff is my favorite city in which to stay when in northern Arizona. Cool summers, spring flowers, fall colors and great skiing.  If you are looking for nice getaway or the vacation of a lifetime, Flagstaff will make any trip a northern Arizona adventure. Along with all there is to see and do, you will have your choice of over hundred restaurants, dozens of inns, and plenty of other affordable accommodations. Some of the most beautiful country in the Southwest surrounds you here, from lush woodlands to rugged deserts. The Grand Canyon, Oak Creek Canyon, Sedona's red rocks, Native American reservations, and a string of breathtaking national monuments are all within a short drive.

Fountain Hills (Scottsdale Area) -- Click Here for Accommodations Suggestions for Fountain Hills
Fountain Hills is a small, scenic desert community located east of Scottsdale and about 45 minutes from Sky Harbor International Airport. The town is surrounded by mountains with sweeping mountain views including Four Peaks, the Superstition Mountains and the McDowell Mountains, and boasts a natural desert landscape.

Fountain Hills just wouldn't be fountain hills without--The Fountain! The Fountain is listed in Guinness World Records as the tallest fountain in the world. The Fountain is set in the middle of a 30 acre lake. It spurts a column of water for 15 minutes every hour on the hour between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m., unless weather conditions (wind) prohibit it.

There are several beautiful golf courses in the beautiful surroundings of Fountain Hills making this a favorite for golfers who come here from miles around (and even out of state and out of country) to enjoy the courses. And, if you enjoy boating and fishing, Saguaro Lake is close by.

Glendale (Near Phoenix) -- Click Here for Accommodations Suggestions for Glendale
As Arizona's fourth-largest city, Glendale offers visitors much to see and beginning with its historic downtown shopping district. Throughout the year there are special events and festivals, as well as museums and cultural attractions, and a growing number of professional sports facilities.

The Glendale Arena is open and events are being scheduled. Phoenix Coyotes will begin playing hockey in the area as they have signed a multi-year affiliation agreement with the American Hockey League’s (AHL) San Antonio Rampage. For tickets to events at the arena, please call the ticket office at (623) 772-3800. Glendale Arena is the first phase of Westgate City Center, which will encompass 450,000 square feet of office, retail and entertainment space.

Mass excavation of the new Cardinals stadium site, located just south of Glendale Avenue and Loop 101, began on July 30, 2003. The overall excavation of 860,000 cubic yards of dirt will take the field level 26 feet below the present grade and will take approximately two months to complete. Once completed, the field will lie 39 feet below the main concourse level. The stadium is due to be completed by August 2006. The stadium will be located just south of the Coyotes Arena.

Arizona Cardinals - Phoenix Coyotes

Globe -- Click Here for Accommodations Suggestions for Globe

Goodyear (Near Phoenix) -- Click Here for Accommodations Suggestions for Goodyear
Located only about 20 minutes west of downtown Phoenix, making it close enough for visitors to enjoy all of the cultural and entertainment resources of the Phoenix metro area such as theater, the opera, and the symphony. Add to this the big four professional sports – baseball, basketball, football and hockey – and you can see why the city of Goodyear is a good place to stay when visiting the area.

Along with all of that, the area gives scenic mountain views, desert vistas, pastoral open spaces, golf courses, lakes, parks and trails. The area is great for walking, hiking and biking with almost a hundred miles of bike paths and 33 miles of mountain trails.

Grand Canyon and Grand Canyon National Park -- Click Here for Accommodations Suggestions for the Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon Information

When visiting the Grand Canyon you may want to stay right on the rim so you can enjoy this beautiful area better.  However, you should make your reservations very early!  

The Grand Canyon. Located entirely in northern Arizona, the park encompasses 277 miles of the Colorado River and adjacent uplands. One of the most spectacular examples of erosion anywhere in the world, Grand Canyon is unmatched in the incomparable vistas it offers to visitors on the rim. Grand Canyon National Park is a World Heritage Site. Click on Grand Canyon National Park for travel guides, brochures, and money savers to help you plan your visit.

Great West Adventure Co
See the Grand Canyon and more! Great West Adventure Company provides daily tours to the magnificent Grand Canyon, leaving from Sedona & Flagstaff. Our mission is to ensure that you have the "Ultimate Southwest Experience" while visiting this spectacular area of Arizona. Your knowledgeable guide will ensure an unforgettable experience that will be both fun and educational. Best of all, you are able to sit back, relax and enjoy the incredible scenery while we do the driving!

Holbrook -- Click Here for Accommodations Suggestions for Holbrook
The first time I saw Holbrook was in the 1950s when I made my first trip across America. This trip was made traveling from just south of Chicago to Los Angeles on Route 66, known as The Main Street of America. This narrow strip of asphalt was a symbol of hope for farmers fleeing the dust bowl and soldiers starting a new life after World War II, and Holbrook was one of those places many chose to settle.

Holbrook was a frontier town in 1881 and it had some of the same atmosphere in 1950 as it has today. The old 1898 courthouse, now on the National Register of Historic Places, is the centerpiece of town. The town is surrounded with the spectacular beauty and spirituality of the Indian Country that beckons travelers to pull off Interstate 40. The next time you are in this area, you should also as it is like stepping into a different space and time. Holbrook is also a great home base for a tour of Navajo, Hopi and Apache country. Holbrook, Arizona, is just 28 miles from the Petrified Forest National Park.

Kingman -- Click Here for Accommodations Suggestions for Kingman
Kingman and the surrounding area

Fourteen miles southeast of Kingman is beautiful Hualapai Mountain Park, at an elevation of 6,700 feet, where overnight camping, picnicking, hiking and other activities are available.

Lake Havasu City -- Click Here for Accommodations Suggestions for Lake Havasu City
Let's face it. When most people think of Lake Havasu City the think of the old London Bridge and all of the "old" people who live here. However, it is much more than that. Along with the lake there is the Mohave Desert, the Sonoran Desert, good golf and weather to enjoy them all year round!

There is also the "English Village," where you can lure England. Nestled beneath London Bridge you will find lots of good shopping and nice restaurants. The Tudor style architecture, the shops and restaurants create the atmosphere of seeing a piece of "merry olde England". After taking a stroll along the tree-lined walkways and doing a little shopping, you will enjoy stopping at one of the local breweries for a hand-crafted beer, or root beer too if you prefer.

It seems it is always a beautiful day in Lake Havasu. The sky is blue, the air is clean, the sparkling blue water with its beautiful mountain backdrop is truly an awesome sight during the day. And at night, it seems as though you can actually reach up touch the stars in the tranquil desert sky.

The 45-mile lake, from which its name was derived, is actually on the Colorado River and is actually a  reservoir that was created when Parker Dam was built. The London Bridge, which crosses the Bridgewater Channel from the mainland to a small island on the Colorado River, is world-famous and draws visitors from all over the world.

Lake Mead

Lake Powell -- Click Here for Accommodations Suggestions for Lake Powell
Lake Powell is a center of recreational opportunities with over 1,950 miles of shoreline. This is actually more than you will find along entire west coast of the continental United States. There are 96 major canyons to explore as well as Rainbow Bridge National Monument that can be explored by boat. Page is just a short drive from the North and South Rim of the Grand Canyon, Bryce and Zion National Park, Monument Valley and Canyon de Chelly. Annual events include, golf tournaments at Lake Powell National Golf Course, bass fishing tournaments, mountain bike racing, rodeos, native American dance performances and pow wows, art shows and an air show with hot air balloons, vintage aircraft and monster trucks.

Marana (Near Tucson) -- Click Here for Accommodations Suggestions for Marana