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The Best of Arizona
Planning a trip to a state as large and diverse as Arizona involves a lot of decisionmaking (other than which golf clubs to take), so in this chapter I’ve tried to give yousome direction. Below I’ve chosen what I feel is the very best the state has to offer—the places and experiences you won’t want to miss. Although sights and activities listedhere are written up in more detail elsewhere in this book, this chapter should help getyou started planning your trip.
1 The Best Places to Commune with Cactus
1
• Desert Botanical Garden (Phoenix):There’s no better place in the state tolearn about the plants of Arizona’sSonoran Desert and the many otherdeserts of the world. Displays at thisPhoenix botanical garden explainplant adaptations and how indige-nous tribes once used many of thisregion’s wild plants. See p. 124.
• Boyce Thompson Arboretum (eastof Phoenix): Just outside the town ofSuperior, this was the nation’s firstbotanical garden established in adesert environment. It’s set in a smallcanyon framed by cliffs and has desertplantings from all over the world—afascinating place for an educationalstroll in the desert. See p. 162.
• Arizona–Sonora Desert Museum(Tucson): The name is misleading—this is actually more a zoo and botan-ical garden than a museum.Naturalistic settings house dozens ofspecies of desert animals, including anumber of critters you wouldn’t want
to meet in the wild (rattlesnakes,tarantulas, scorpions, black widows,and Gila monsters). See p. 355.
• Saguaro National Park (Tucson):Lying both east and west of Tucson,this park preserves “forests” of saguarocacti and is the very essence of thedesert as so many imagine it. You canhike it, bike it, or drive it. See p. 359.
• Tohono Chul Park (Tucson):Although this park is not all that large,it packs a lot of desert scenery into itsmodest space. Impressive plantings ofcacti are the star attractions, but thereare also good wildflower displays inthe spring. See p. 366.
• Organ Pipe Cactus National Mon-ument (west of Tucson): The organpipe cactus is a smaller, multi-trunked relative of the giant saguaroand lives only along the Mexican bor-der about 100 miles west of Tucson.This remote national monument hashiking trails and a couple of scenicdrives. See section 1 in chapter 11.
2 The Best Active Vacations• Rafting the Grand Canyon: Whether
you go for 3 days or 2 weeks, nothingcomes even remotely close to matching
the excitement of a raft trip throughthe Grand Canyon. Sure, the river iscrowded with groups in the summer,
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but the grandeur of the canyon is morethan enough to make up for it. See p. 241.
• Hiking into the Grand Canyon orHavasu Canyon: Not for the unfit orthe faint of heart, a hike down intothe Grand Canyon or HavasuCanyon is a journey through millionsof years set in stone. This trip takesplenty of advance planning andrequires some very strenuous hiking.With both a campground and a lodgeat the bottom of each canyon, youcan choose to make this trip witheither a fully loaded backpack or justa light daypack. See p. 235 and 256.
• Riding the Range at a GuestRanch: Yes, there are still cowboys inArizona. They ride ranges all over thestate, and so can you if you book astay at one of the many guest ranches(once known as dude ranches). Youmight even get to drive some cattledown the trail. After a long or shortday in the saddle, you can soak in ahot tub, go for a swim, or play a gameof tennis before chowing down. Seep. 169.
• Staying at a Golf or Tennis Resort:If horseback riding and cowboy cook-outs aren’t your thing, how about asmuch golf or tennis as you can play?
The Phoenix/Scottsdale area has thenation’s greatest concentration ofresorts, and Sedona and Tucson addmany more options to the mix.There’s something very satisfyingabout swinging a racket or club withthe state’s spectacular scenery in thebackground, and the climate meansyou can do it practically year-round.See chapters 5, 6, and 10.
• Mountain Biking in Sedona: ForgetMoab—too many other hard-coremountain bikers. Among the redrocks of Sedona, you can pedalthrough awesome scenery on some ofthe most memorable single-tracktrails in the Southwest. There’s evenplenty of slickrock for that Canyon-lands experience. See p. 194.
• Bird-Watching in SoutheasternArizona: As an avid bird-watcher, Iknow that this isn’t the most active ofsports, but a birder can get in a bit ofwalking when it’s necessary (like,maybe to get to the nesting tree of anelegant trogon). The southeast cornerof the state is one of the best birdingregions in the entire country. See sec-tion 6, “The Best Bird-WatchingSpots,” of this chapter and also seethe map on p. 14 of the color sectionat the front of this guide.
T H E B E S T D AY H I K E S & N AT U R E W A L K S 5
3 The Best Day Hikes & Nature Walks• Camelback Mountain (Phoenix):
For many Phoenicians, the trail to thetop of Camelback Mountain is a rit-ual, a Phoenix institution. Sure, thereare those who make this a casual butstrenuous hike, but many more turnit into a serious workout by joggingto the top and back down. I prefer amore leisurely approach so I canenjoy the views. See p. 140.
• Picacho Peak State Park (south ofCasa Grande): The hike up this cen-tral Arizona landmark is short but
strenuous, and from the top there aresuperb views out over the desert. Thebest time of year to make the hike isin spring, when the peak comes alivewith wildflowers. Picacho Peak isbetween Casa Grande and Tucsonjust off I-10. See p. 162.
• The West Fork of Oak Creek Trail(outside Sedona): The West Fork ofOak Creek is a tiny stream thatmeanders for miles in a narrow steep-walled canyon. This is classic canyoncountry, and the hardest part of a
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T H E B E S T D AY H I K E S & N AT U R E W A L K S 7
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hike here is having to turn back with-out seeing what’s around the nextbend up ahead. See p. 191.
• The South Kaibab Trail (GrandCanyon South Rim): Forget the pop-ular Bright Angel Trail, which, nearits start, is a human highway. TheSouth Kaibab Trail offers betterviews to day hikers and is the pre-ferred downhill route for anyoneheading to Phantom Ranch for thenight. This is a strenuous hike even ifyou go only a mile or so down thetrail. Remember, the trip back is alluphill. See p. 237.
• The White House Ruins Trail(Canyon de Chelly National Monu-ment): There’s only one Canyon deChelly hike that the general publiccan do without a Navajo guide, andthat’s the 2.5-mile trail to WhiteHouse Ruins, a small site once inhab-ited by Ancestral Puebloans (formerlycalled Anasazi). The trail leads fromthe canyon rim across bare sandstone,through a tunnel, and down to thefloor of the canyon. See p. 286.
• The Wildcat Trail (Monument Val-ley Navajo Tribal Park): As at Canyonde Chelly, there’s only one trail atMonument Valley that you can hikewithout a guide. This easy 3.2-miletrail loops around West Mitten Butteproviding a close-up look at one ofthe most photographed rock forma-tions in the West. Don’t miss thishike. See p. 293.
• Betatakin (Navajo National Monu-ment): Betatakin is one of the mostimpressive cliff dwellings in theSouthwest, and while most peoplejust marvel at it from a distance, it’spossible to take a ranger-led 5-milehike to the ruins. After hikingthrough the remote Tsegi Canyon,you’ll likely have a better understand-ing of the Ancestral Puebloan peoplewho once lived here. See p. 290.
• Antelope Canyon (Page): More aslow walk of reverence than a hike,this trail lets you see the amazingbeauty that can result when water androck battle each other in the South-west. The trail leads through a pic-ture-perfect sandstone slot canyon,which in places is only a few feet wide.See p. 298.
• The Seven Falls Trail (Tucson):There is something irresistible aboutwaterfalls in the desert, and on thistrail you get more than enough fallsto satisfy any craving to cool off on ahot desert day. This trail is in SabinoCanyon Recreation Area in northeastTucson. See p. 374.
• The Heart of Rocks Trail (CochiseCounty): While the big nationalparks and monuments in northernArizona get all the publicity, Chiric-ahua National Monument, down inthe southeast corner of the state, qui-etly lays claim to some of the mostspectacular scenery in Arizona. Onthis trail, you’ll hike through a won-derland of rocks. See p. 421.
C H A P T E R 1 . T H E B E S T O F A R I Z O N A8
4 The Best Scenic Drives• The Apache Trail (east of Phoenix):
Much of this winding road, whichpasses just north of the SuperstitionMountains, is unpaved and follows arugged route once traveled byApaches. Here you’ll find some of themost remote country in the Phoenix
area, with far-reaching desert vistasand lots to see and do along the way.See section 12 in chapter 5.
• Oak Creek Canyon (Sedona): Slic-ing down from the pine country out-side Flagstaff to the red rocks ofSedona, Oak Creek Canyon is a cool
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oasis. From the scenic overlook at thetop of the canyon to the swimmingholes and hiking trails at the bottom,this canyon road provides a rapidchange in climate and landscape. Seesection 5 in chapter 6.
• Canyon de Chelly National Monu-ment (Chinle): This fascinating com-plex of canyons on the Navajo IndianReservation has only limited publicaccess because it is still home tonumerous Navajo families. However,there are roads that parallel the northand south rims of the canyon provid-ing lots of scenic overlooks. See section 5 in chapter 8.
• Monument Valley Navajo TribalPark (north of Kayenta): This valleyof sandstone buttes and mesas is oneof the most photographed spots inAmerica and is familiar to people all
over the world from the countlessmovies, TV shows, and commercialsthat have been shot here. A 17-miledirt road winds through the park,giving visitors close-up views of suchlandmarks as Elephant Butte, theMittens, and Totem Pole. See section7 in chapter 8.
• Mount Lemmon (Tucson): Sure, theviews of Tucson from the city’s north-ern foothills are great, but the vistasfrom Mount Lemmon are even bet-ter. This mountain rises up from thedesert like an island rising from thesea. Along the way, the road up themountain climbs from cactus coun-try to cool pine forests. Although aforest fire on Mount Lemmon inJune 2003 left much of the mountainblackened, the views of the desertendure. See p. 375.
T H E B E S T G O L F C O U R S E S 9
5 The Best Golf Courses• The Boulders South Course (Care-
free, near Phoenix; & 800/553-1717):If you’ve ever seen a photo of someoneteeing off beside a massive balancingrock and longed to play that samehole, then you’ve dreamed aboutplaying the Boulders South Course.Jay Morrish’s desert-style design playsaround and through the jumble ofmassive boulders for which the resortis named. See p. 138.
• The Gold Course at The WigwamGolf Club & Spa (Litchfield Park,near Phoenix; & 800/909-4224): Ifyou’re a traditionalist who eschewsthose cactus- and rattlesnake-filleddesert target courses, you’ll want tobe sure to reserve a tee time on TheWigwam’s Gold Course. This 7,100-yard resort course has long been anArizona legend. See p. 138.
• Gold Canyon Golf Resort (ApacheJunction, near Phoenix; & 800/827-5281): Located east of Phoenix, GoldCanyon offers superb golf at the foot
of the Superstition Mountains. The2nd, 3rd, and 4th holes on theDinosaur Mountain Course are trulymemorable. They play across the footof Dinosaur Mountain and are ratedamong the top holes in the state. Seep. 138.
• Troon North Golf Club (Scottsdale;& 888/TROON-US): Designed byTom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish, thissemiprivate desert-style course isnamed for the famous Scottish linksthat overlook the Firth of Forth andthe Firth of Clyde—but that’s wherethe similarities end. Troon North hastwo 18-hole courses, but the original,known as the Monument Course, isstill the favorite. See p. 139.
• The Tournament Players Club(TPC) of Scottsdale (Scottsdale; & 888/400-4001): If you’ve alwaysdreamed of playing where the prosplay, then schedule a visit to the Fair-mont Scottsdale Princess, which isaffiliated with the TPC. Book a tee
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time on the resort’s Stadium Courseand you can play on the course thathosts the PGA Tour’s Phoenix Open.See p. 139.
• Sedona Golf Resort (Sedona; & 877/733-9885): It’s easy to assume that allof Arizona’s best courses are in thePhoenix and Tucson areas, but it justisn’t so. Up in the red-rock country, atthe mouth of Oak Creek Canyon, liesthe Sedona Golf Resort, a traditionalcourse with terrific red-rock views. Seep. 195.
• Lake Powell National Golf Course(Page; & 928/645-2023): With fair-ways that wrap around the base of thered-sandstone bluff atop which sitsthe town of Page, this is one of themost scenic golf courses in the state.Walls of eroded sandstone come rightdown to the greens, and one tee boxis up on top of the bluff. See p. 301.
• Ventana Canyon Golf and RacquetClub (Tucson; & 520/577-4015):Two Tom Fazio–designed courses,the Canyon Course and the Moun-tain Course, are shared by two of thecity’s finest resorts. Both desert-stylecourses play through some of themost stunning scenery anywhere inthe state. If I had to choose betweenthem, I’d go for the Canyon Course.See p. 373.
• Omni Tucson National Golf Resortand Spa (Tucson; & 520/575-7540): With its wide expanses ofgrass, this traditional course, site ofthe PGA Tour’s Tucson Open, is bothchallenging and forgiving. The 18thhole of the combined Orange andGold courses is considered one of thetoughest finishing holes on the tour.See p. 373.
C H A P T E R 1 . T H E B E S T O F A R I Z O N A10
6 The Best Bird-Watching Spots• Madera Canyon: The mountain
canyons of southern Arizona attractan amazing variety of bird life, fromspecies common in the lowlanddeserts to those that prefer thick for-est settings. Madera is a good place toexperience this variety. See p. 373.
• Buenos Aires National WildlifeRefuge: Gray hawks and maskedbobwhite quails are among therefuge’s rarer birds, but a cienega(wetland), lake, and stream attractplenty of others. See section 2 inchapter 11.
• Patagonia: With a year-round streamand a Nature Conservancy preserveon the edge of town, Patagonia is oneof the best spots in the state for sight-ing various flycatcher species. See sec-tion 4 in chapter 11.
• Ramsey Canyon Preserve: Nearly200 species of birds, including 14species of hummingbirds, frequent
this canyon, making it one of the topbirding spots in the country. See p. 407.
• San Pedro Riparian National Con-servation Area: Water is a scarcecommodity in the desert, so it isn’tsurprising that the San Pedro Riverattracts a lot of animal life, includingmore than 300 bird species. This is alife-list bonanza spot. See p. 408.
• Cave Creek Canyon: Although thereare other rare birds to be seen in thisremote canyon, most people come inhopes of spotting the elegant trogon,which reaches the northernmost limitof its range here. See p. 422.
• Cochise Lakes (Willcox Ponds):Wading birds in the middle of thedesert? You’ll find them at the Will-cox sewage-treatment ponds south oftown. Avocets, sandhill cranes, and avariety of waterfowl all frequent theseshallow bodies of water. See p. 422.
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8 The Best Family Experiences• Wild West Restaurants: No family
should visit Arizona without spend-ing an evening at a “genuine” cowboysteakhouse. With false-fronted build-ings, country bands, gunslingers, andgimmicks (one place cuts off yournecktie, another has a slide from thebar to the dining room), these eater-ies are all entertainment and loads offun. See p. 119 and 120.
• The Grand Canyon Railway: Notonly is this train excursion a fun wayto get to the Grand Canyon, but italso lets you avoid the parking prob-lems and congestion that can proveso wearisome. Shootouts and train
robberies are to be expected in thiscorner of the Wild West. See p. 222.
• Arizona–Sonora Desert Museum(Tucson): This is actually a zoo fea-turing the animals of the SonoranDesert. There are rooms full ofsnakes, a prairie-dog town, bighornsheep, mountain lions, and an aviaryfull of hummingbirds. Kids andadults love this place. See p. 355.
• Shootouts at the O.K. Corral:Tombstone may be “the town tootough to die,” but poor Ike Clantonand his buddies the McLaury boyshave to die over and over again at thefrequent reenactments of the famousgunfight. See p. 411.
7 The Best Offbeat Travel Experiences• Taking a Vortex Tour in Sedona:
Crystals and pyramids are nothingcompared to the power of the Sedonavortexes, which just happen to be inthe middle of some very beautifulscenery. Organized tours shuttlebelievers from one vortex to the next.If you offer it, they will come. See p. 188.
• Gazing at the Stars: Insomniacs andstargazers will find plenty to keepthem sleepless in the desert as theypeer at the stars through telescopes atLowell Observatory in Flagstaff orKitt Peak National Observatory nearTucson. In the town of Benson, youcan even stay at a B&B that doubles
as an astronomical observatory. See p. 398.
• Sleeping in a Wigwam: Back in theheyday of Route 66, the WigwamMotel in Holbrook lured passingmotorists with its unusual architec-ture: concrete wigwam-shaped cab-ins. Today, this little motel is still amust for anyone on a Route 66 pil-grimage. See p. 281.
• Touring Walpi Village: Of the Hopivillages that stand atop the mesas ofnortheastern Arizona, only Walpi,one of the oldest, offers guided tours.Hopi guides share information on thehistory of the village and the Hopiculture. See p. 272.
9 The Best Family Vacations• Saddling Up on a Dude Ranch:
Ride off into the sunset with yourfamily at one of Arizona’s many duderanches (now called guest ranches).Most ranches have lots of special programs for kids. See p. 169.
• Floating on a Houseboat: Renting afloating vacation home on Lakes Pow-ell, Mead, or Mohave is a summer tra-dition for many Arizona families.With a houseboat, you aren’t tied toone spot and can cruise from one sce-nic beach to the next. See p. 301.
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• Lounging by the Pool: While mostArizona resorts are geared primarilytoward adults, there are a handful inPhoenix and Tucson that have exten-sive pool complexes. The kids canplay in the sand, shoot down a waterslide, or even float down an artificialriver in an inner tube. See “The BestSwimming Pools,” below.
• Having a Grand Vacation: You canspend the better part of a weekexploring Grand Canyon NationalPark. There are trails to hike, mulesto ride down into the canyon (if yourkids are old enough), air tours byplane or helicopter, rafting trips bothwild and tame, and even a train toride to and from the canyon. Seechapter 7.
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10 The Best Museums• Heard Museum (Phoenix): This is
one of the nation’s premier museumsdevoted to Native American cultures.In addition to historical exhibits, ahuge kachina collection, and anexcellent museum store, there areannual exhibits of contemporaryNative American art as well as danceperformances and demonstrations oftraditional skills. See p. 124.
• Phoenix Art Museum (Phoenix):This large art museum has acres ofwall space and houses an outstandingcollection of contemporary art as wellas a fascinating exhibit of miniaturerooms. See p. 126.
• Scottsdale Museum of Contempo-rary Art (Scottsdale): This is thePhoenix area’s largest museum ofcontemporary art and is noteworthyas much for its bold architecture asfor its wide variety of exhibits. Unlikethe majority of area art galleries, thismuseum eschews cowboy art. See p. 126.
• Museum of Northern Arizona(Flagstaff ): The geology, ethnogra-phy, and archaeology of this regionare all explored in fascinating detail atthis Flagstaff museum. Throughoutthe year, excellent special exhibits andfestivals focus on the region’s differenttribes. See p. 214.
• The University of Arizona Museumof Art (Tucson): This collection rangesfrom the Renaissance to the present,with a set of 15th-century Spanishreligious panels the focus of the collec-tion. Georgia O’Keeffe and PabloPicasso are among the artists whoseworks are on display here. See p. 362.
• Amerind Foundation Museum (westof Willcox): Although located in theremote southeastern corner of thestate, this museum and research centerhouses a superb collection of NativeAmerican artifacts. Displays focus ontribes of the Southwest, but othertribes are also represented. See p. 420.
11 The Best Places to Discover the Old West• Rodeos: Any rodeo, and this state has
plenty, will give you a glimpse of theOld West, but the rodeos in Prescottand Payson both claim to be the old-est in the country. Whether you headfor the one in Prescott or the one inPayson, you’ll see plenty of bronco
busting, bull riding, and beer drink-ing. See p. 171 and 305.
• Guest Ranches: The Old West liveson at guest ranches all over the state,where rugged wranglers lead cityslickers on horseback rides throughdesert scrub and mountain meadows.
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Campfires, cookouts, and cattle areall part of the experience. See p. 169,341, and 424.
• Monument Valley (north ofKayenta): John Ford made it the hall-mark of his Western movies and nowonder: the starkly beautiful and fan-tastically shaped buttes and mesas ofthis valley are the quintessentialWestern landscape. You’ll recognize itthe moment you see it. See section 7in chapter 8.
• Old Tucson Studios (Tucson): Orig-inally constructed as a movie set, thiscombination back lot and amuse-ment park provides visitors with a
glimpse of the most familiar OldWest—the Hollywood West. Sure,the shootouts and cancan revues aresilly, but it’s all in good fun, andeveryone gets a thrill out of seeing theoccasional film crew in action. See p. 360.
• Tombstone: This is the real OldWest—Tombstone is a real town,unlike Old Tucson. However, “thetown too tough to die” was reincar-nated long ago as a major touristattraction with gunslingers in thestreets, stagecoach rides, andshootouts at the O.K. Corral. See sec-tion 6 in chapter 11.
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12 The Best Places to See Indian Ruins• Tonto National Monument (east of
Phoenix): Located east of Phoenix onthe Apache Trail, this park has one ofArizona’s few easily accessible cliffdwellings that still allows visitors towalk around inside the ruins; youdon’t have to just observe from a dis-tance. See p. 161.
• Besh-Ba-Gowah ArchaeologicalPark (Globe): These reconstructedruins have been set up to look theway they might have appeared 700years ago, providing a bit more cul-tural context than what you’ll find atother ruins in the state. See p. 161.
• Casa Grande Ruins National Mon-ument (west of Florence): Unlikemost of Arizona’s other ruins, whichare constructed primarily of stone,this large and unusual structure isbuilt of packed desert soil.Inscrutable and perplexing, CasaGrande seems to rise from nowhere.See p. 162.
• Montezuma Castle National Mon-ument (north of Camp Verde):Located just off I-17, this is themost easily accessible cliff dwelling
in Arizona, although it cannot beentered. Nearby Montezuma Wellalso has some small ruins. See p. 182.
• Wupatki National Monument(north of Flagstaff ): Not nearly aswell-known as the region’s AncestralPuebloan cliff dwellings, these ruinsare set on a wide plain. A ball courtsimilar to those found in CentralAmerica hints at cultural ties with theAztecs. See p. 216.
• Canyon de Chelly National Monu-ment: Small cliff dwellings up anddown the length of Canyon de Chellycan be seen from overlooks, while atrip into the canyon itself offers achance to see some of these ruins upclose. See section 5 in chapter 8.
• Navajo National Monument (westof Kayenta): Both Keet Seel andBetatakin are some of the finestexamples of Ancestral Puebloan cliffdwellings in the state. Although theruins are at the end of long hikes,their size and state of preservationmake them well worth the effort. Seesection 6 in chapter 8.
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13 The Best Luxury Hotels & Resorts• Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort
and Spa at Gainey Ranch (Scotts-dale; & 800/55-HYATT): Contem-porary desert architecture, dramaticlandscaping, a water playground withits own beach, a staff that’s always atthe ready to assist you, several goodrestaurants, and even gondola rides—it all adds up to a lot of fun at one ofthe most smoothly run resorts in Ari-zona. See p. 90.
• Camelback Inn, A JW MarriottResort & Spa (Scottsdale; & 800/24-CAMEL): The Camelback Innopened in 1936 and today is one ofthe few Scottsdale resorts that man-ages to retain an Old Arizona atmos-phere while at the same time offeringa large range of modern amenities. Alarge full-service spa caters to thosewho crave pampering, while two golfcourses provide plenty of challengingfairways and greens. See p. 90.
• The Phoenician (Scottsdale; & 800/888-8234): This Xanadu of the resortworld is brimming with marble, crys-tal, and works of art, and with staffseemingly around every corner, thehotel offers guests impeccable service.Mary Elaine’s, the resort’s premierdining room, is one of the finestrestaurants in the city, and the viewsare hard to beat. See p. 91.
• The Boulders Resort and GoldenDoor Spa (Carefree; & 800/553-1717): Taking its name from themassive blocks of eroded granite scat-tered about the grounds, the Boul-ders is among the most exclusive andexpensive resorts in the state. Puebloarchitecture fits seamlessly with thelandscape, and the golf course is themost breathtaking in Arizona. See p. 94.
• The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess(Scottsdale; & 800/441-1414): The
Moorish styling and numerous foun-tains and waterfalls of this Scottsdaleresort create a setting made forromance. A beautiful spa, a challeng-ing golf course, and two superbrestaurants—one Spanish, one gour-met Mexican—top it off. See p. 95.
• Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale atTroon North (Scottsdale; & 888/207-9696): Located in north Scotts-dale not far from the Boulders, this isthe most luxurious resort in Arizona.The setting is dramatic, the accom-modations are spacious, and next-door is one of Arizona’s top golfcourses. See p. 94.
• Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa(Phoenix; & 800/950-0086): Com-bining discreet service and the archi-tectural styling of Frank LloydWright, the Biltmore has long beenone of the most prestigious resorts inthe state. This is a thoroughly old-money sort of place, though it con-tinues to keep pace with the times.See p. 96.
• Royal Palms Resort and Spa(Phoenix; & 800/672-6011): Withits Mediterranean styling and tower-ing palm trees, this place seems farremoved from the glitz that prevailsat most area resorts. The Royal Palmsis a classic, perfect for romantic get-aways, and the 14 designer showcaserooms are among the most dramaticin the valley. See p. 97.
• Enchantment Resort (Sedona; & 800/826-4180): A dramatic set-ting in a red-rock canyon makes thisthe most unforgettably situated resortin the state. If you want to feel asthough you’re vacationing in thedesert, this place fits the bill. Guestrooms are constructed in a puebloarchitectural style, and the spa is oneof the finest in the state. See p. 198.
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• Loews Ventana Canyon Resort(Tucson; & 800/234-5117): Withthe Santa Catalina Mountains risingup in the backyard and an almost-natural waterfall only steps away
from the lobby, this is Tucson’s mostdramatic resort. Contemporarystyling throughout makes constantreference to the desert setting. See p. 336.
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14 The Best Family Resorts• Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort
and Spa at Gainey Ranch (Scotts-dale; & 800/55-HYATT): With a10-pool, 21⁄2-acre water playgroundcomplete with sand beach, waterfalls,children’s programs, and even a “LostDutchman Mine” where children candig for buried treasure, this place is akid’s dream come true. See p. 90.
• Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resort(Phoenix; & 800/876-4683): Awater slide, tubing river, and waterfallmake the water park here one of themost family oriented at any resort inthe valley. Throw in a miniature-golfcourse, a video-game room, and achildren’s program, and you can besure your kids will be begging tocome back. See p. 99.
• Pointe South Mountain Resort(Phoenix; & 877/800-4888): Let’ssee . . . water slides that drop nearly
70 feet straight down, a wave pool, awater play area for the youngest ones,a tubing river, horseback riding, evenspa treatments for teens. Can you sayfun for the whole family? See p. 100.
• Loews Ventana Canyon Resort(Tucson; & 800/234-5117): With aplayground, kids’ club, croquet court,and its own waterfall, this resort hasplenty to keep the kids busy. There’salso a hiking trail that starts from theedge of the property, and SabinoCanyon Recreation Area is nearby.See p. 336.
• Westin La Paloma (Tucson; & 800/WESTIN-1): Kids get their ownlounge and game room, and there’s agreat water slide in the pool area. Insummer and during holiday periods,there are special programs for the kidsso parents can have a little free time.See p. 336.
15 The Best Hotels for Old Arizona Character
• Hermosa Inn (Phoenix; & 800/241-1210): The main building heredates from 1930 and was once thehome of Western artist LonMegargee. Today, the old adobehouse is surrounded by beautiful gar-dens, and has become a tranquil boutique hotel with luxurious South-western-style rooms and a greatrestaurant. See p. 97.
• El Portal Sedona (Sedona; & 800/313-0017): Built of hand-cast adobeblocks and incorporating hugewooden beams salvaged from a rail-road trestle, this inn is a work of artboth inside and out. The mix of Arts
and Crafts and Santa Fe styling con-jures up haciendas of old. See p. 198.
• El Tovar Hotel (Grand Canyon Vil-lage; & 888/297-2757): This classiclog-and-stone mountain lodge standsin Grand Canyon Village only feetfrom the South Rim of the GrandCanyon. Although the lobby is small,it’s decorated with the requisite tro-phy animal heads and has a stonefireplace. The hotel was completelyrenovated in 2005. See p. 244.
• Grand Canyon Lodge (GrandCanyon North Rim; & 888/297-2757): This, the Grand Canyon’sother grand lodge, sits right on the
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North Rim of the canyon. Rooms areprimarily in cabins, which aren’tquite as impressive as the main build-ing, but guests tend to spend a lot oftime sitting on the lodge’s two view-ing terraces or in the sunroom. See p. 253.
• La Posada (Winslow; & 928/289-4366): Designed by Mary ElizabethJane Colter, who also designed manyof the buildings on the South Rim ofthe Grand Canyon, La Posadaopened in 1930 and was the last ofthe great railroad hotels. Today, the
hotel is once again one of the finesthotels in the West and has beenrestored to its former glory. See p. 269.
• Arizona Inn (Tucson; & 800/933-1093): With its pink-stucco wallsand colorful, fragrant gardens, thissmall Tucson resort dates from Ari-zona’s earliest days as a vacation desti-nation and epitomizes slower times,when guests came for the entire win-ter, not just a quick weekend getaway.See p. 343.
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16 The Best Bed & Breakfasts• Rocamadour Bed & Breakfast for
(Rock) Lovers (Prescott; & 888/771-1933): Set amid the roundedboulders of the Granite Dells justnorth of Prescott, this inn combines aspectacular setting with Frenchantiques and very luxurious accom-modations. You won’t find a morememorable setting anywhere in thestate. See p. 175.
• Hacienda de la Mariposa (VerdeValley; & 888/520-9095): Set on thebanks of Beaver Creek near Mon-tezuma Castle National Monument,this inn was built in the Santa Fe styleand blends beautifully with its sur-roundings. See p. 184.
• Briar Patch Inn (Sedona; & 888/809-3030): This collection of luxuri-ous cottages is located in tree-shadedOak Creek Canyon, a few miles northof Sedona. Few experiences are morerestorative than breakfast on theshady banks of the creek. See p. 199.
• Adobe Village Graham Inn (Sedona;& 800/228-1425): With its little“village” of luxury suites, this B&B isamong the most elegant in the state.Everything is calculated to pamperand put you in the mood for a roman-tic getaway. See p. 199.
• The Inn at 410 (Flagstaff; & 800/774-2008): This restored 1907 bun-galow offers a convenient location indowntown Flagstaff, pleasant sur-roundings, comfortable rooms, anddelicious breakfasts. Rooms all fea-ture different, distinctive themes. Seep. 217.
• Red Setter Inn & Cottage (Greer; & 888/994-7337): This large, mod-ern log home in the quaint mountainvillage of Greer is one of Arizona’smost enjoyable and romantic B&Bs.It’s set on the banks of the Little Col-orado River in the shade of tall pon-derosa pine trees. See p. 314.
• The Royal Elizabeth (Tucson; & 877/670-9022): Located indowntown Tucson just a block fromthe Temple of Music and Art, this ter-ritorial-style historic home is filledwith beautiful Victorian antiques andarchitectural details. Guest roomshave lots of touches not often seen inhistoric B&Bs, including “vintage”phones, TVs, fridges, and safes. See p. 333.
• La Zarzuela (Tucson; & 888/848-8225): Perched high on a hill on thewest side of Tucson, this luxuriousB&B boasts great views, colorful
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decor, and loads of outdoor spaces inwhich to relax in the warmth of thedesert. See p. 338.
• Across the Creek at Aravaipa Farms(Winkelman; & 520/357-6901): Ifyou’re looking for the quintessentialdesert B&B experience, this is it,though it isn’t exactly for everyone.To reach this inn, you have to drivethrough Aravaipa Creek (or have theinnkeeper shuttle you across).Exploring the nearby wilderness area
is the main activity in this remotearea. See p. 339.
• Cochise Stronghold B&B (CochiseCounty; & 877/426-4141): Sur-rounded by the national forest andmountainsides strewn with giantboulders, this is another of the state’sremote inns. The passive-solar build-ing was constructed from straw balesand is not only energy-efficient butalso quite beautiful. See p. 423.
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17 The Best Swimming Pools• Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort
and Spa at Gainey Ranch (Scotts-dale; & 800/55-HYATT): ThisScottsdale resort boasts a 10-pool,21⁄2-acre water playground completewith sand beach, waterfalls, sportspool, lap pool, adult pool, three-storywater slide, giant whirlpool, and lotsof waterfalls. See p. 90.
• The Phoenician (Scottsdale; & 800/888-8234): This resort’s seven poolsare as impressive as the Hyatt’s, butthey have a much more sophisticatedair. Waterfalls, a water slide, playpools, a lap pool, and the crownjewel—a mother-of-pearl pool (actu-ally opalescent tile)—add up toplenty of aquatic fun. See p. 91.
• Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resort(Phoenix; & 800/876-4683): There’snot just a pool here, there’s a RiverRanch, with an artificial tubing river,a water slide, and a waterfall pouringinto the large, free-form main pool.See p. 99.
• Pointe Hilton Tapatio CliffsResort (Phoenix; & 800/876-4683):The Falls, a slightly more adult-ori-ented pool complex than that at sis-ter property Pointe Hilton SquawPeak Resort, includes two lagoon
pools, a 40-foot waterfall, a 138-footwater slide, and rental cabanas. Seep. 99.
• Pointe South Mountain Resort(Phoenix; & 877/800-4888): TheOasis water park here leaves all theother area resort pools high and dry.There’s a wave pool, a tubing river,and two terrifyingly steep waterslides. It’s enough to make summerin the desert almost bearable. See p. 100.
• The Wyndham Buttes Resort(Tempe; & 800/WYNDHAM): Alush stream cascading over desertrocks seems to feed this free-formpool, a desert-oasis fantasy worldyou won’t want to leave. A narrowcanal connects the two halves of thepool, and tucked in among therocks are several whirlpools. See p. 101.
• Westin La Paloma (Tucson; & 800/WESTIN-1): With a 177-foot-longwater slide and enough poolsidelounge chairs to put a cruise ship toshame, the pool at this Tucsonfoothills resort is a fabulous place to while away an afternoon. See p. 336.
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18 The Best Places to Savor Southwest Flavors
• Roaring Fork (Scottsdale; & 480/947-0795): Roaring Fork’s chef,Robert McGrath, has long been oneof the most creative chefs in thePhoenix area. The atmosphere islively, and everything from the breadbasket and bar snacks to the entreesand desserts shows an attention todetail. See p. 107.
• Sam’s Cafe (Phoenix; & 602/954-7100 and 602/252-3545): The fla-vors of the Southwest don’t have tocost a fortune, and these restaurantsare proof. Okay, so the food won’t beas unforgettable as that at RoaringFork, but you’ll still get a good idea ofwhat Southwestern cooking is allabout. See p. 116.
• Fry Bread House (Phoenix; & 602/351-2345): Unless you’ve traveled inthe Southwest before, you probablyhave never had a fry-bread taco, butthis stick-to-your-ribs dish is a stapleon Indian reservations through Ari-zona. The fry-bread tacos here are thebest in the state. See p. 117.
• Blue Adobe Grille (Mesa; & 480/962-1000): This nondescript restau-rant in an otherwise forgettable areaof Mesa serves some of the bestSouthwestern fare in the state. Notonly are the meals flavorful (withoutbeing too spicy), but prices are great,too. There’s even a good wine list! Seep. 118.
• Cowboy Club Grille & Spirits(Sedona; & 928/282-4200): Thisthoroughly western restaurant is a greatplace to try such Arizona specialties as
buffalo filet mignon, rattlesnake, andcactus fries. See p. 205.
• The Heartline Cafe (Sedona; & 928/282-0785): Combining thezesty flavors of the Southwest with thebest of the rest of the world, Sedona’sHeartline Cafe frequently comes upwith winners that are guaranteed toplease jaded palates. See p. 205.
• The Turquoise Room (Winslow; & 928/289-2888): This restaurantconjures up the days when thewealthy still traveled by railroad.Rarely will you find such excellentmeals in such an off-the-beaten-pathlocale. See p. 270.
• Janos/J Bar (Tucson; & 520/615-6100): Serving a combination ofregional and Southwestern dishes,Janos has for many years been one ofTucson’s premier restaurants. It’s asformal a place as you’ll find in thiscity. J Bar is Janos’s more relaxed barand grill. See p. 349 and 351.
• Café Poca Cosa (Tucson; & 520/622-6400): Forget the gloppy meltedcheese and flavorless red sauces. Thisplace treats south-of-the-borderingredients with the respect theydeserve. It’s Mexican food the likes ofwhich you’ll never find at your localMexican joint. See p. 342.
• Terra Cotta (Tucson; & 520/577-8100): Café Terra Cotta was one ofArizona’s pioneers in the realm ofSouthwestern cuisine and continuesto serve creative and reasonablypriced meals at its beautiful, art-filledrestaurant in the Tucson foothills. Seep. 352.
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