Phoenix/Scottsdale area

[fourfoxesinpa]

Anyone vacationed here with kids? I won some tix on Northwest Air and we could fly to Phoenix for 10 days. We have enough Marriott points for the stay but I'm wondering if there would be enough to keep DS, age 11, and DD, age 9, interested. Other option is to just go with DH for a long weekend and take advantage of the spa/resort. If you're familiar enough with the area, we could stay at The Buttes or Camelback (JW Phoenix is booked as is Canyon Villas). Any opinions or help would be greatly appreciated!

[3dog2kidmom]

I haven't been to Phoenix/Scottsdale, but if it's just you and DH, I would fly into Phoenix and drive to Sedona! :love:

We stayed at an amazing inn there called Alma de Sedona for our 15th anniversary. I think it was the most romantic place on earth.


ETA: I just reread your post and see you want to use your Marriott points. So I don't know anything about that, sorry!

[m 'n c]

I went to training there last year for work. We stayed at a "resort" that was fabulous. I think even without corporate deals that its only $150 a night at most. I'm trying to remember the name but it had a great gym, many basketball courts, tennis courts, beach volleyball, and a waterpark all on site. Oh and like 5 restaurants. It was right outside of Phoenix (10mins from airport) and 10 mins from ASU. Spring Mountain Resort maybe? It'll come to me. It was fab and I'd go back there for a long weekend if I could. (June was very very hot though even for this Texan).

[m 'n c]

Ok so I think they had a name change. It was Pointe South Mountain Resort. I think its now Arizona Grand Resort. http://www.arizonagrandresort.com/ I'd search both though.

[lenzs4]

I live here!! I agree the best resort is the Arizona Grand - it did change its name - it has a huge water park inside it.
I like to look at the Buttes - built into a mountain - kind of neat. I have never stayed there so I do not know about the rooms.

If you like to hike, we have great mountain trails to explore...

Take a trip to the Grand Canyon - 3.5 hours from airport - nice drive

sedona - at least one day - 2 hours from airport, 1 hour from grand canyon

and take the Williams Train trip (Grand canyon trip)

going south -

Tombstone (70 mile east of Tucson on I-10) and Mt Lemon (near Tucson) 97 miles from airport.

plus like all major cities - malls, water parks, great zoo, desert botanical garden with butterfly farm inside (I like Tucson's better but they do not have the butterfly farm)

[LauraLea]

Shirley,
I may have a chance to get to know your area. DS graduates from college in Golf Management this Saturday. The TPC course in Scottsdale wants him to come out there for a job interview. He is so excited about the chance to get to work for the TPC.

Now Mom here is not so sure I want to see him go so far away! We are DVC owners, and I already checked out that there are 8 resorts we can do an II exchange. We may be trading our WDW vacations for vacations in your area.

Jamie,
I would sure be glad to hear your travel plans and read a trip report if you decide to go there!

Laura

[fourfoxesinpa]

I live here!!


Hi Shirley,

I'm going to send you a PM, if that's OK.

Thanks!
Jamie

[lenzs4]

Sent some ideas - hopefully they will help

Oh also the meteor in Flag is neat and they is a pueblo ruin - intact very near to it that is neat

[StitchandPooh'smom]

We did a Phoenix/Sedona/ Grand Canyon trip last spring with DD8 and DD5 (who were 7 and 4 then :) ). We started our trip in Phoenix and stayed at the Marriott Desert Ridge. It was a nice hotel with a fun pool and lazy river for the kids. We went to the Phoenix Zoo (the girls rode a camel!) and the desert botanical garden (which was so awesome to see giant cacti and all the different types of cacti). There was a butterfly pavilion at the botanical garden, but I think that might just be in the spring.

We spent two days in Sedona and stayed at the Hilton. We did a Pink Jeep tour, which both girls thought was the highlight of the trip, and we did some hiking. We loved Sedona! We went on to the Grand Canyon for one night. DD8 was suitably impressed and even got up with her dad to take sunrise pictures. DD5 just about gave us all heart attacks as she proceeded to try to climb every rock on the ledge overlooking the canyon - we definitely decided 4 was too young but 7 was a great age. There are junior ranger programs that your kids can do that are cool - hikes, looking for and learning about condors, etc.

We ended our trip in Phoenix with a night at the Camelback, and I wish we could have stayed longer! The rooms are great, the resort is super kid-friendly, and the food prices were reasonable. The pools were not as cool as Desert Ridge, but we liked the hotel much better for the atmosphere and service.

There are lots of other touristy things to do - trips to Rawhide (I think that is the name :confused:), and Phoenix was constructing a new Children's Museum while we were there which should be open by now. (Just checked - it opens June 14 - here is the link):

http://www.childrensmuseumofphoenix.org/about-us/about-us.aspx

If you go, I'd consider an overnight trip to Sedona. By far, the kids favorite activities were the Pink Jeep tour, riding a camel at the zoo, and seeing that cacti actually just grow everywhere - it looked liked a movie set to them, like someone had planted them all just for them. And of course swimming is always a favorite!

Hope this helps!

[fourfoxesinpa]

Thanks gals! We are going to stay at the JW Desert Ridge and I'm definitely going to check out the meteor info. and Botanical Garden stuff in my guidebooks.

I appreciate your input!!!!