DawnM Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 We will be in Phoenix for about 6 days. My parents live in Sun City, so we will be in NW Phoenix. We have gone several times, but in the past, my parents were much more able to visit. This time, they said they have extremely limited energy and so we will just see them a couple of hours per day and will have a lot of free time. We will go up to the Grand Canyon one day (and yes, we have done it before from their house.....drive 3 hours up, spend the day, get home at night.) We will also see Sedona and I have a cousin in Flagstaff to visit. Other than the above, what are some short day suggestions? We went to a Ghost Town last time we were there, we may do that again (Goldfield) We also went to the Heard Museum, not sure we want to do that again. It is entirely fine to just hang out at the hotel too, with the pool, etc... But thought I would ask for other suggestions. I have teen boys....they are not interested in shopping. Is there a nearby Indian Reservation maybe? I know it will be hot. We have no choice in when to visit, it is what it is. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 Lowell Planetarium and Reardon House in Flagstaff are worth visiting. Can you stay overnight in Flagstaff to break things up a bit. It's much cooler up there as well and there will likely be thunderstorms every afternoon. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted July 9, 2017 Author Share Posted July 9, 2017 We will not be able to stay in Flagstaff overnight, but we are fine with getting back late. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vida Winter Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 Don't miss the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM). I went last year and had a great time. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gstharr Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 We stayed in Flagstaff last year on our visit to the Grand Canyon. Lowell Observatory is great. For meals, Black Bark, an extremely fun, steak dinner cabaret theater show at at a great price. Or, the Cottage for a fancy dinner at a fraction of Los Angeles prices. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthwestMom Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 This is up near Flagstaff too, but teen boys might dig it (mine did) http://www.americansouthwest.net/arizona/sunset_crater_volcano/national_monument.html 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted July 9, 2017 Author Share Posted July 9, 2017 (edited) Thanks guys. I am not sure we will have a whole lot of time in Flagstaff and we are going to my cousin's house and really want time to visit him. We may have a couple of hours there one afternoon at best. Our main time needs to be in Phoenix, where my parents are. My mother is dying and this may be our last time there, so it would need to be back and forth to Flagstaff and I don't think we will be doing that. Editing to explain that this may be our last visit there with her there, not our last AZ visit. Edited July 9, 2017 by DawnM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenneinCA Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 The Phoenix Zoo is amazing if you can handle the heat. The animals that are there are the ones that like that kind of weather. The African savannah area has giraffe, ostriches, watusi cattle, and zebras, all just hanging out doing their own things. And Komodo dragons! (Not with any other critters!) If your kids like fire trucks there is the Hall of Flame, a fire truck museum, near the zoo. At some ages my kids thought it was very cool. Now, they would be bored. And there is baseball, Arizona fall league and the Diamondbacks, if that is interesting. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonhawk Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 Don't miss the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM). I went last year and had a great time. Really have to second this! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 I thought Deer Valley Petroglyph Preserve was really cool when I was in Phoenix eons ago. :grouphug: , Dawn, for you & you mom & family. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted July 9, 2017 Author Share Posted July 9, 2017 My boys are 19, 17, and 13 if that helps with suggestions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 The Science Center is pretty awesome. It's in downtown Phoenix. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mothersweets Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 How about a water park? My teens and young adults and I went to Golfland Sunsplash last summer and it was actually fun. 😊 It's a little far from the NW valley but I'm pretty sure there is one up in that area. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 We went tubing one day on a Phoenix trip. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planner Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 Paddleboarding at Lake Pleasant Wet N Wild Hiking at Thunderbird Conservation Park (but only in the very early morning during the summer) Musical Instrument Museum (really, it's a must if you haven't been there before) Arizona Science Center Rosson House (which is right next to Arizona Science Center and we really liked the tour) Butterfly Wonderland Odysea Wildlife World Zoo Ceretta Candy Factory Tour Taliesin West Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center McCormick Stillman Railroad Park (which is pretty little kid centric but they do have an indoor model railroad which is cool for everyone. They also have a summer concert series here) Desert Botanical Gardens Phoenix Art Museum (which has free hours) Arizona Museum of Natural History Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art Diamondbacks Game To the north: Smoki Museum and Sharlot Hall in Prescott. Also Watson Lake and Lynx Lake are nice. If you go to Sedona, continuing to Jerome is worthwhile. Jeep tours in Sedona are great too. Out of Africa in Camp Verde. Montezuma Castle National Monument is nearby too. To the South: Casa Grande Ruins National Monument 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertstrawberry5 Posted July 9, 2017 Share Posted July 9, 2017 We are having a super hot summer. Be warned. I'm taking notes because everything i was going to suggest is already listed, plus some i didn't know about. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted July 10, 2017 Author Share Posted July 10, 2017 We are having a super hot summer. Be warned. I'm taking notes because everything i was going to suggest is already listed, plus some i didn't know about. DH says, "Oh, tell her we are not going until the end of July, it should be nice and cool by then." :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted July 10, 2017 Author Share Posted July 10, 2017 Thanks guys, I will be looking all of these up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 I am scared of snakes, esp. rattlesnakes. Years ago, when I went to the Deer Valley Rock Art Center (which I mentioned above), I mentioned that to the park ranger there. I was there in the middle of the day in summer & he assured me it was even too hot out for the snakes (more likely to see them at dawn or dusk when it was starting to cool a little). I don't know if that's true or not, but it made me feel better walking out there (& I did not see snakes). So there's a plus for the searing heat. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertstrawberry5 Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 DH says, "Oh, tell her we are not going until the end of July, it should be nice and cool by then." :lol: Ah, bless his heart. Or did he mean end of November? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockhopper Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 We've enjoyed the Organ Stop pizza restaurant. We're in AZ visiting family and I just saw an ad on TV for a new aquarium in Phoenix but I don't think we'll get there this time. Another place we wanted to visit but didn't get to this time is the Desert Museum in Tucson. Saturday nights in the summer they stay open until 10p.m. -- apparently it's great fun to go out there with black lights and hunt for tarantulas. Not a bad day (or night) trip from Phoenix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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