| LA to Arizona for 4 days, what's fun?
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| Taiwanese |
Hi,
I am thinking of taking my family to visit Arizona next week for 4 days. We will be leaving from Los Angeles.
What are the must see in AZ? National Parks?
I would like drive for about 4 to 5 hours and have something for kids to do or to see (they are 6 and 8 year old).
What do you suggest that is fun for kids and adults?
Thank you for your reply. |
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| renov8r |
...for little kids the Grand Canyon is way too cold to do anything. SImilarly unless your kids are training to be survialists or Navy Seals you wouldn't want to go to Tonto -- http://www.americansouthwest.net/ar...nal_forest.html
Petrified Forest is a helluva longa drive to see rocks, or what's left of 'em (lots of souvener hunts have picked the 'forest' clean)...
I suppose Sedona's weather is always pretty nice, but, again, this is more of "relax w/o the kids' spa-town than say a trip to Disney...
If you are a "hard core" outdoor type there is always camping and such, but it is still close to Spring Break so that rules out the Havasua area (unless you want your kids on "girls gone wild")
You might want to rethink this... |
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| mdefrances |
| I'm doing that trip each weekend. My family is still in Phoenix waiting for school to end and then they will join me in the Palm Springs area. I work in Idyllwild. If you go to the Grand Canyon consider the Grand Canyon Railway trip from Williams to the East Rim. Could be a day trip, but the ride is a lot of fun for kids. Its an authentic old time steam train and there are surprises along the way. They have a web site for information and tickets. |
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| Taiwanese |
Thanks for your reply.
We made the reservation for Lake Tahoe 2 weeks ago. But my kid got a high fever this week. He is OK now but I think Lake Tahoe is too cold.
So we decided on just spending time in Arizona. At least Arizona is warmer. I could not find anything fun for everyboyd to enjoy. And you pretty much confirm that. This is what I am afraid of.
This National Park in New Mexico is good.
http://www.nps.gov/cave/
But a bit too much sitting in the car for kids. I don't mind the driving though.:)
We don't want to go to Las Vegas again (been there many times).
What now?? |
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| neide |
The Zoo here is okay, but doesn't really compare to the San Diego Zoo. If you think native desert plants are cool, the Desert Botanical Gardens are cool.
One thing that is fun, but kind of cheezy, is Rawhide. Its a fake old west town in Scottsdale (northside of Phoenix) - kids always love that place. There are at least a couple of other places like that - one is called CowTown. If its not to far from where you are staying, the Scottsdale Train Park is cool for kids as well. |
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| frostyra |
| Just outside of Page, AZ, are two small "slot canyons" which are part of the Navajo Nation. They are absolutely astounding, and each can be seen in an hour or two. |
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| thomas |
quote:
Originally posted by Taiwanese
Hi,
I am thinking of taking my family to visit Arizona next week for 4 days. We will be leaving from Los Angeles.
What are the must see in AZ? National Parks?
I would like drive for about 4 to 5 hours and have something for kids to do or to see (they are 6 and 8 year old).
What do you suggest that is fun for kids and adults?
Thank you for your reply.
Taiwan is Taiwan........Taiwan doesn't belong to China.
If it is true that you hate china so much, I feel shame for you to
use chinese language, in writing and speaking.
Create your own writing language. |
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| Taiwanese |
quote:
Originally posted by thomas
Taiwan is Taiwan........Taiwan doesn't belong to China.
If it is true that you hate china so much, I feel shame for you to
use chinese language, in writing and speaking.
Create your own writing language.
haha....
another thread hijack
In case you forgot, Taiwan is still using the original chinese characters. Communist China is the one that is using stange chinese characters.
Back to Arizona ppl |
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| trixie |
| If you find yourself hanging around Phoenix and the kids are up to a hike, South Mountain is cool. You can drive to the top to start you hike. Views of the city are spectacular. I did a four mile walk with my daughter last weekend and it was a hit. Started from Buena Vista and walked down the National Trail. The squeeze through Fat Man's Gap to reach Hidden Valley should be a kick for the kids. At the exit on the other end of the valley is a natural tunnel. A surprise thunderstorm added to our drama. (Shelter is not a problem with the many rock overhangs.) Although this is not a big year for wild flowers in Arizona, the Sonoran Desert is still a site to see in its spring bloom. The elevation drop on the hike is minimal. Just keep an eye out for mountain bikes--those guys haul butt. |
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| Habu |
Taiwanese,
I'm heading out to Sedona this morning. My kid is a four legged variaty. We plan to do some hiking but mostly hang out at a cabin we're renting in the Oak Creek area.
There Montezuma's Castle one side of the 17 and a train ride you can take from Clarksdale (I think). I haven't been on it but a buddy of mine went and saw eagles and such.
You may want to stay in the Phoenix area and drive up north as Phoenix probably has more things to do with kids.
Just my 2 cents.
Bob |
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| bdbx18 |
I just did this trip from LA to AZ last Summer. The train from Williams to GC sounded great but I thought the money was better spent on something else. It seems costly esp. if you go beyond the hard bench sitting. Besides the thrill for my toddler kids will wear out within the first 20 mins.
In addition to being too young to appreciate GC, my kids are also too small for long hikes up and down the trails. They enjoyed Sedona's water park far more but it can be really, really slippery. In a rescue operation, I slid into the water with my backpack. Yes, the backpack has my pda, pro90, s400 digicams, dv camcorder e.g. But only the s400 died.
Montezuma was interesting. All in all, not a trip for the kids and bordering on ho-hum for the younger ones. They seemed thrilled only with the prospect of going somewhere and jumping on the hotel beds. |
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| trixie |
| Sedona water park? Are you talking about Slide Rock State Park (which I call "Slip and Bust-Your-A** State Park)? Bad place for very young kids. Great place to break an arm, however. You're lucky that you only lost a chunck of electronics. |
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| bdbx18 |
Yeah, that's the one. My younger wanted to go on the rock slide like the older. My wife couldn't hang on to him and decide to cuddle him while they slide onwards. Daddy (me) to the rescue but I also lost my footing (or lack of) and went down too.
Come to think of it, that place is fairly dangerous but its interesting there weren't any rangers or such. The only aid came from others. |
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