More Out West Road Trip…

This blog is moving! I’ve been hired to write a travel column exploring the Western US for Examiner.com. For more articles like the ones on this blog check it out HERE. Thanks for stopping by!

 

Free fun park and playground for kids in Sedona

If you’re in the Sedona area for the day or spending a week, a fun free spot for the kids to play is the park on Bell Rock Rd in Oak Creek Village. The park shares a parking lot with the Oak Creek Country Club.

There’s a kid size climbing wall, innovative slide/monkey bar area, a merry-go-round, swings and a sand box.

People also bring their dogs to the field their to run around and play, if you’re looking for a spot for the doggies to relax.

 

Grand Canyon’s South Rim

Click for more Grand Canyon photos from Xanterra

The most popular place to visit at the Grand Canyon is the South Rim. Here you’ll find several hotels, dozens of trail heads, fantastic views, Junior Ranger programs for kids, gift shops, and restaurants. It’s basically THE place to visit for first timers, especially.

You can get to the South Rim by tour bus, train, car, or for the ambitious by bicycle or foot. Entry is $25 per private car or $12 per person. Or you can ride board the Grand Canyon Railway. (Click HERE for my article about taking the train to the South Rim.)

Once you arrive at the Rim, you can park in several free parking lots or along the road in designated areas. Then you can walk the rim trail to the visitor centers and more at the Grand Canyon village at the South Rim. That’s where you will find all the “attractions.” Among them, the El Tovar hotel. This is the premiere lodge at the rim. It opened in 1905 and has fantastic views and a very relaxing porch with swings that take advantage of some of the world’s most breathtaking views. I stayed here about 15 years ago after rafting down the canyon to Phantom Ranch, then hiking up Bright Angel trail. A fantastic experience all around. The El Tovar was a welcomed place to throw myself on the bed after that hike! Whoa! For more info on the El Tovar click HERE. There are several other hotels at the South Rim. Info on all of them can be found HERE.

Also from the South Rim, you can hike or ride a mule down to the Colorado River, which has carved the mile-deep winding canyon we’ve come to know as the Grand Canyon. They have overnight trips which include the ride, meals, and your stay at Phantom Ranch, starting at $420 per person. Each additional person has discounted rates. For more info on that, click HERE.

Phantom Ranch is only accessible by either rafting down the river, hiking down the canyon, or by mule ride down the canyon. Reservations MUST be made well in advance for both the cabins AND dining services. They book up well in advance so do not just assume you can hike down and eat or stay. Be prepared.

Also on that note, the hike down the Bright Angel trail is tough. You should train for it. In addition to the altitude, it is hot and dry and steep. You should prepare your body. Do not take it lightly. There are other easier trails that you can explore for just an hour or so if you are not physically prepared. It is a fantastic experience and worth doing! Click HERE for more on hiking the canyon.

There are lots of fun things to do with kids at the canyon, including a Junior Ranger program. This program offers kids a way to learn about the area and earn a badge. Kid can also just take part in free activities, like story time that the program runs. On our last visit, there was a fantastic free story time that met at the porch outside the El Tovar. A park ranger read several stories to kids plus sang songs and entertained with wonderful hand puppets. Every kid also got a sticker. It delighted my two year old! It was also a nice break for adults to sit under the shade tree and relax in the grass.

Even if you’re short on time, you can visit the canyon. Just drive up, park, and take in the views. You can walk the rim trail for a few minutes, visit an art studio, gift shops, and eat lunch at one of the many restaurants at the Rim.

For more about the Bright Angel Lodge Restaurant and Arizona Room restaurant, read my reviews at OutWestFoodReview.com.

 

Grand Canyon by Train

The Grand Canyon is a place everyone should visit at least once to really appreciate the beauty and wonder that is Planet Earth. There are several visitor points of interest, but the most famous is the South Rim, with several hotels, restaurants, gift shops, and activity centers, not to mention gorgeous views and famous trails. You can drive in for $25 per private vehicle or if you enter by bus, foot, motorcycle, bike, etc., it’s $12 per person.

An alternative, relaxing, albeit longer, trip to the Grand Canyon is via train from Williams, Arizona… on the Grand Canyon Railway. My family (a two year old, a 10 month old, a nine month old, four adults, and two grandparents) just went on our second trip on this train this week. We previously went three years ago without children.

"Train Robbery" aboard the GC Railway

Grand Canyon Railway is an easy and relaxing way to cross Northern Arizona’s high desert without worrying about traffic or waiting in long lines to enter the park. It’s a little long for the kiddos at 2.25 hours each way, plus four hours free time in the park, but decent for adults, though the train ride back seems to take forever but does include a cheesy-but for for kids old-west “train robbery.”

Pullman Coach car

This trip we rode coach, at $65 per adult (13+) and $35 for kids (2-12). Children under 2 ride free on the lap of an adult. My dad made the reservations only a week before the trip so the only car available was the Pullman Coach. This has no air conditioning but includes as many sodas and glasses of water as you can drink. From there, you can get up and walk around and visit the air conditioned gift shop and snack bar. You can only stay 15 minutes at the tables in the snack car with a food purchase.

The ride out in the morning is decent, even in July. A little warm, but cool breezes blow through the cabins’ old-timey wooden windows. The seats themselves are uncomfortable. You can feel the old springs through the thin velvet cushins. They are also really crammed, especially for tall people. My husband, who is 6′4″ and dad who is 6′2″ were both crammed beyond belief in the seats. I am 5′5″ and thought the leg room was undesirable but okay.

On the ride back, the un-air conditioned cars are really too hot. I was sweating profusely and very uncomfortable. I was glad I had brought my MistyMate personal mister. (These are really a must for anywhere in Arizona in the summer. Click HERE for more on them). It made the ride better, but it was really miserable, though none of our children really complained. They were so tired, they all took naps. Really, these un-air conditioned cars should not be used under any circumstances on summer afternoons. I’m surprised no one passed out from heat exhaustion.

I would not recommend riding Pullman coach when it’s hot. If however, you planned on staying in the Canyon or a hotel at the Rim and could arrange it so that you only traveled in the morning or evening, then the un-air conditioned cars would be satisfactory.

The next class up is the Budd Coach, which has air conditioning and only costs $5 more per person. They book up further in advance, but if you’re on a budget you’re not going to want to pay double the price for first class ($130 for adults, $100 for children). So it’s well worth your time to book as far in advance as possible so you can get an air-conditioned seat. Now if you have a little extra money, the first-class does come with some other upgrades in addition to air conditioning, including: reclining seats, larger windows for a better view, a light breakfast on the way to the Canyon and snacks and a champagne toast on the way back.

If money is no object and you’re not traveling with children under 12, you should opt for either the Observation Dome or Luxury Parlor Class cars. The Observation Dome ($160) offers panoramic views. The Parlor cars ($170) have comfortable couch-like chairs plus access to an open-air rear platform. Both include all the amenities that the first class offers. Children under 12 are not allowed in either of these luxury cars.

The Grand Canyon Railway also offers packages including hotel either in Williams or the Grand Canyon. For more info on these packages or the Grand Canyon Railway itself, click HERE.

For more to do and see at the Canyon itself, see my article on the South Rim HERE.

For my review of the Bright Angel Lodge Restaurant, visit OutWestFoodReview.com.

For more information on booking a hotel in the Canyon, getting to or from the Grand Canyon, or hiking at the Grand Canyon click HERE.

 

Flagstaff Farmer’s Market

If you happen to be in Flagstaff any Sunday morning thru mid-October, take the time to explore the farmer’s market south of the tracks downtown near Beaver and Phoenix. My family and I went this weekend for the first time and were delighted with all of the vendors. There was all kinds of locally grown produce form tomatoes to onions, herbs, and more.

My two year old really liked the honey sticks that Cowboy Honey sells for a quarter. Of course the breads from Village Baker are fantastic. I didn’t try it, but one vendor was selling Salmon Tamales. Sounded intriguing, but I had just had brunch, so maybe next time.

The most interesting flavor combinations of the whole event came from Terra Verde Farms artisan foods. I really liked their Lavender Pepper rub, Strawberry Lavender Preserves, and the Spicy O’s. (They have a website in case you don’t get a chance to buy them in person at terraverdefarms.com.)

The Flagstaff Community Market runs Sundays thru October 12 from 8am to noon. For more info, go to their website: flagstaffmarket.com.

 

Grand Canyon to Hollywood

Hollywood, CA

There’s about 475 miles of road between Flagstaff, Arizona and Hollywood, California. But it’s an easy drive and if you plan it out just right you won’t hit too much traffic either.

This road trip agenda assumes that you visited the Grand Canyon and stayed in either Flagstaff or Williams, Arizona. They’re about 30 minutes apart on I-40. Under these assumptions, the Los Angeles area is about seven hours away, including a few stops for gas and bathroom breaks.

From Flagstaff or Williams it’s mostly a downhill drive along I-40 all the way to its ending point in Barstow, California. If you’re looking to stretch out your drive, you could take a detour up to the Grand Canyon Caverns. (Take the Route 66 exit near Seligman and go about 20 miles.)

If you drive straight, you’ll pass through Kingman, Arizona about two hours into the trip. I recommend stopping for gas at the Flying J at Exit 53. Their gas was (I kid you not) 26-cents cheaper per gallon that the neighboring gas stations and they have clean bathrooms.

If time is on your side and you won’t be back in this part of the country any time soon, take Exit 48 and drive up to see the Hoover Dam and Las Vegas. Both are well worth the time to see! Note that there are security check-points and a narrow road across the dam (at least until the new bridge is completed), so this detour will take longer than the miles reflect. Being this is a detour, I’ll just include links to the Hoover Dam HERE and Vegas HERE and move on down the road on our trip.)

There’s not much to look at along the highway until you get into California’s Mojave National Preserve. And even then, it’s just desert with very few places to stop. There are several abandoned “ghost” towns in this area. For info on those click HERE. One thing you that sticks out after crossing the border into California is the sub-par road signs. In other states the exits have signs saying which gas, food, and lodging options are at that exit. They don’t have these in California (at least on this route), so it’s a little harder to decide which exits to take. So pay close attention to billboards advertising places to stop.

I would avoid stopping after Kingman unless necessary until you get into Barstow and onto I-15. If you take the Lenwood exit from I-15 (about 3 miles after the merge), you’ll find another Flying J (which again has gas 20-30 cents cheaper then its competitors and clean restrooms) and several quickie restaurant chains with decent food. Of note, is one of California’s famous In-N-Out Burger fast food joints. They have burgers, fries, sodas, and shakes. That’s it. But they are famous for a reason: high quality and top customer service. There will be a line inside and in the drive-thru but it’s worth the wait. They’re cheap too!

Back on the road and over half way finished, you won’t need to stop again until you’re at your destination. There are several towns along the rest of the way if you need to though. You hop on the I-10 near Ontario and head west until you reach the 101. Then head north. Exit at Hollywood Avenue so you can drive past lots of landmarks.

If you just stopped twice for gas like we did and left early enough in the morning, you should arrive in the LA-area in about 6.5-7 hours. It’s only another half-hour or so more to the heart of Hollywood. It’s advisable to plan your trip to get into LA between 11am and 2pm, as the traffic is pretty good heading West at that time of day.

Outside Grauman's Chinese Theatre for The X-Files Premiere

For us, our road trip ended in Hollywood at the Hollywood Orchid Suites. This is a little-known gem of a hotel. It’s right in the heart of everything. Step out the front door and you are at Hollywood and Highland, the upscale shopping complex which is home to the Kodak Theater – famous from American Idol and the Academy Awards. Across the street is the El Capitan where Jimmy Kimmel films (to get free tickets to Kimmel’s show and others click HERE). Plus the Egyptian Theatre and Grauman’s Chinese Theatre are right there too. All of these places host movie premieres, so they are prime for star-watching too. I went to the X-Files premiere on our trip. It was the coolest thing ever, as I’m a big X-Files fan. (For more info on all these attractions and coupons click HERE.)

The good news, you can stay right in the heart of the action like we did at Hollywood Orchid Suites, which costs around $150 per night. Compare that to the Renaissance next door which goes for $330 per night and you have yourself a bargain. It’s not luxurious but it is safe, clean, and fantastic. Plus it has free underground secured parking, free wireless internet, a heated pool, and a roof deck for sunbathing.

About five miles away are the La Brea tar pits, Beverly Hills, and several museums. The nearest beach is twelve miles away in Santa Monica and well worth the drive. For more on Santa Monica, see my article HERE.

 

Santa Monica Pier

The Santa Monica Pier is home to Pacific Park amusement park. It is free to get in but costs money to ride the rides. But it’s well worth it. You can get discount coupons online for all day passes plus a free round of miniature golf and buy one get one cotton candy… all for just signing up for their newsletter HERE. If you’re short on time, you can just take a ride in the new solar powered ferris wheel. It entertains the whole family in one gondola and provides breathtaking views of the ocean, beach, and city. It cost $5 per person (or it’s included with the all day arm bands). Kids under three ride free with their parents.

Solar-Powered Ferris Wheel

The amusement park opens at 11am and I recommend getting there then. That way you can park on the pier for $8-10 for the entire day and it fills up fast. It’s safe and convenient so that’s money well spent in my mind. Santa Monica has a cool website where you can find all the available parking spaces in real time. Perfect if you have a mobile web source or just check at your hotel before you leave.

If you have time and love ocean life, check out the aquarium right on the pier too. You can get more info on it HERE. Note that it is closed for school programs on Mondays.

You don’t need to leave the pier for good food. The Bubba Gump Shrimp Company has every shrimp dish you might want. I recommend the Cajun Shrimp Ceasar Salad, the Grilled Mahi Mahi with Jasmine Rice, or the fried shrimp platter. Decent prices considering location and this is California. Yes, it is a chain, which I try to avoid but it was still worth going to if you’re in the mood for seafood. If you want Mexican food, try Mariasol Cocina Mexicana at the end of the pier.

Before leaving, take a stroll down the pier and check out some of the local artists painting and drawing everything from caricatures to wall hangings. You can also watch locals fish off the pier.

Your trip would not be complete without at least five minutes walking along the beach. It’s just a few steps down off the pier. But note, it’s too hard to maneuver with a stroller, so don’t even bother. You’ll have to go all the way around if you want to use a stroller and walk on the side walk.

 

Grand Canyon to Galveston Island (Day 3)

Welcome to San Antonio's El Mercado

Welcome to the third and final day of your 1400-mile journey between the Grand Canyon and Galveston Island. I was saving the best for last, as this day (or days) is/are the most fun-filled! There’s San Antonio’s must-see’s and eats, a free brewery tour, the best restroom stop in the world, and the beach. What more could you ask for?

Day 1: Flagstaff, AZ to Roswell, NM (Click HERE)

Day 2: Roswell, NM to San Antonio, TX (Click HERE)

Day 3: San Antonio, TX to Galveston Island, TX

Drivetime: Morning in San Antonio and lunch… plus 5 hours on the road (more if you want to go on the brewery tour in Shiner)

San Antonio has so much to see and do I would recommend staying here a whole day or two, depending on your schedule. There’s a Sea World and Fiesta Texas amusement park. For a full guide to San Antonio, click HERE. If you want to maximize your limited time, you can spend the morning in San Antonio and still make it to Galveston by the early evening, if traffic is on your side.

I lived in San Antonio for two years. I can vouch for this being a great town. The food here is spectacular, especially if you like TexMex and BBQ, which I do! I’ll be making some suggestions and a detailed itinerary to get the most out of your SA time in a second. But first…

There are three things everyone MUST see in San Antonio… and the good news is they are all FREE! How cool is that. Hard to find that these days. Another bonus: you can walk between all three or take a cheap trolley. TIP: If you take the trolley, save the transfer coupons as you can get back on again for free! Our nice trolley driver gave us this little tip!

The Alamo

1. The Alamo. It’s the #1 tourist attraction in Texas! If you’re a history buff this could take a long time, otherwise a picture out front, stroll around the grounds, and a stop in their gift store (to support them of course) are all you really need to do. That will take about half an hour.

2. The Riverwalk. You can wonder around the Riverwalk and admire its architecture for free. But I would strongly recommend relaxing your feet and take a guided boat ride around instead. It costs under $10 per person and it takes you around the whole thing in about 30 minutes. Perfect if you’re just going to spend the morning in San Antonio. Click HERE for details. You get a bit of a history lesson of the city and everything. I would catch the boat at the Rivercenter mall, which is basically down the street from the Alamo. If you want to eat on the river, avoid the chains, though there are TONS of them if you just have to go to one. Instead opt for Casa Rio, the first business to open on the Riverwalk! Really good Tex-Mex too! Yum!

MiTierra's Bakery

3. The Mercado/Market Square. This is a little bit of Mexico in downtown San Antonio all niced-up for the touristos! My favorite part: THE best Mexican food in town at MiTierra. This is a GREAT spot to take young kids, as it is decorated to the nines with sparkly things and lights on the ceiling. The food is fantastic and authentic. An added bonus, they have a Mexican bakery, also called a panadaria. This alone will delight the little ones with their colorful cookies and other treats. Make sure to grab a number, as there’s no real line.

Now my suggestion (for your meal plan) to maximize the number of great things you can do and eat in less than 24 hours without going into full overload is this…

Stay at the LaQuinta at Market Square. When you arrive in the evening drop off your bags and head straight over to MiTierra for dinner (and desert). Then take a nice walk down West Commerce Street to the Riverwalk (if it’s not too late of course) and take the boat ride I mentioned above. Next head for Casa Rio for a night cap margarita. You could walk back to the hotel (we did and it was safe but something about it seemed kind of scary) so I would just hop on the bus (or trolley if it’s still working) back up West Commerce and back to your hotel. Then crash back in your room or take a swim in the pool after you long day’s drive.

El Mercado Shopping

In the morning, get up and take the trolley (you catch it just outside the hotel) down to the Alamo. Stroll around and then take the trolley to El Mercado/Market Square. Browse the Mexican-made trinkets, then walk three blocks down Santa Rosa to the world headquarters and dining room of Bill Miller Bar-B-Q! Make sure to order the sweet tea with your combo. I personally recommend the carved turkey and potato salad dinner. So good! Not the best BBQ in Texas but definitely up there!

Then walk back to the hotel, grab your stuff, checkout and head down I-10 to Galveston. It should be a four to five hour drive if you hit no traffic. But you’re going thru two major metro areas, so it’s unlikely to be traffic free, so plan accordingly.

Buc-ee's Bathrooms

Along I-10, you’re going to see about a hundred signs for getting gas and clean restrooms at Buc-ee’s (Near Luling). Listen to them! This could be one of the best gas stations in the world with its own country cooking, jerky, and homemade fudge, and yes, super clean potties! You do pay a cent or two more per gallon for gas than at the Love’s on the other side of the highway though. But if anything is worth a few pennies it is a clean restroom. If you are really impressed, they sell t-shirts too. They even have a fan blog. No kidding check it out HERE!

I grew up in these parts. So trust me when I say there’s a lot of nothing out here. It’s prettier nothing than yesterday’s drive in West Texas and a lot more cows, grass, and gas stations. But if you’re not visiting relatives, there’s not much in the way of tourist things.

That said, I will add that if you stayed in San Antonio an extra day and are on the road early AND love beer, then a little detour down to Shiner, Texas may be in order. (Take the Flatonia exit and get onto Texas Highway 95). Shiner is home to the world famous Shiner Bock beers. Mmm Mmm Good. You can take a free tour of the Spoetzl Brewery where they brew the stuff. Click HERE for more info on that.

Now back on the road… there’s a lot to do in Houston (my whole family lives there and it’s my birthplace too)… but I didn’t spend any time in Houston on this road trip so I’m going to skip it for now and will come back and write another article about it later. When I do, I’ll link to it here. Until then, you can check out the city’s tourist guide HERE.

Once you get through the Houston traffic and onto I-45 South, it’s about 50 miles to the heart of Galveston. The only must-see tourist thing along the way on I-45 is Johnson Space Center, home of the famous NASA control center. (Think: “Houston, we have a problem!”) It’s super cool for kids of all ages, especially if you’re into space stuff. And what kid isn’t? NASA is a whole day so I would recommend staying in Galveston and driving back the 20 minutes or so to NASA on one of your days that you’re staying down there. If you’re going this summer, they have discounts if you buy your tickets ahead online. PLUS, for Star Wars fans, they have a new exhibit thru September 1, 2008 to coincide with the new Clone Wars movie. Definitely worth giving up a day at the beach for!

Galveston Beach

Once in Galveston, there are tons of places to stay with ocean views, which is what you’re going for right? I remember going to Galveston as a kid and loving a visit to a shell shop and riding the quad bicycles along the sea shore. Galveston has a cute downtown too. It can be a romantic spot if it’s just the two of you on this road trip.

My Family at the Beach

Remember this is the Gulf Coast, so don’t be disappointed when you don’t see the clear blue waters like along the Florida coastline. It’s brown and murky but very clean and fun for kids. In fact, our visit to Galveston was the first trip to the beach ever for both of my daughters and my little niece. A good time was had by all.

That about sums up the road trip. Of course, you could make it extra fun and turn these three days of driving into five, with a stop in Carlsbad, an extra day in San Antonio, a stop in Shiner, and an extra day in Galveston budgeted for the Space Center! Here’s wishing you a safe drive with no speeding tickets and lots of fun!

 

Grand Canyon to Galveston Island (Day 2)

Your in the middle of it now. Only half of your 1400 mile journey between the Grand Canyon and Galveston to go. Today’s drive is long and boring, but easy. Make the most of it with a visit to Carlsbad Caverns or Kerrville, TX… or get an early start on the day, minimize stops, and get into San Antonio before dinner for some great food!

Day 1: Flagstaff,AZ to Roswell, NM – Click HERE

Day 2: Roswell, NM to San Antonio, TX

Drivetime: 8.5 hours (about 530 miles)

Day two of our journey from Flagstaff to Galveston takes us from Roswell, New Mexico to San Antonio, Texas. There’s a lot of, well, nothing besides wide open spaces between these two places. The good news is, it’s a pretty easy route. But watch out for ruthless ticketing cops along I-10 outside Kerville, Texas. It’s known for speed traps. I got a ticket for going four over the speed limit, which (by the way) is 80 for most of the way between Fort Stockton and Boerne. And remember the time change! Roswell is in Mountain Time, but the second you cross the border into Texas you’re on Central Time, so you loose an hour. You might as well just eat lunch on the road because there’s not really much in the way of food when lunch time rolls around.

Click for more Carlsbad photos

If your kids are over 8 years old, you’ll want to make the stop at Carlsbad Caverns, which is only about an hour outside Roswell. This will make for a long day if you go all of the way to San Antonio tonight, but it’s lot’s of fun for spulunkers. Children 15 and under are free. Adults are $6. Can’t beat that. You do have to pay more for guided tours. Children three and under aren’t allowed on any guided tour. The park service recommends reservations for guided tours because they are really popular. You can do that HERE.

If you don’t stop in Carlsbad, Fort Stockton is about four hours away. A good place to gas up but not much else. You hop on I-10 here and your legal speed pops up to 80. THere’s literally nothing until Ozona about 112 miles down the interstate. Ozona is where we grabbed lunch… at the only Sonic I’ve ever been to without a drive-thru. Too hot I guess. They do have an indoor playground (albeit a dirty one). It let’s the kids blow off some energy if that’s what you’re needing about now. It’s another 143 miles to Kerrville, so I’d gas up again here just to be sure. Don’t want to be stuck in the desert any time of day or night!

If one was desperately tired after playing too long in Carlsbad, you could stop for the night in Kerrville. There are several motel/hotels there. (Click HERE for a link to Kerrville accommodations.) And it’s a really pretty town in the heart of the Texas Hill Country. You can find a Kerrville visitor’s guide HERE. If you’re a jewelry nut, you’ll be interested to know that the world headquarters of James Avery Jewelry is based in Kerrville. You can visit both their retail shop and visitor’s center on weekdays.

Otherwise, it’s on to San Antonio. If you time it just right you can scoot thru the suburbs and into downtown without much traffic. There is construction on the outskirts of town that can REALLY slow you down if you’re not lucky. We got caught in that mess on our way back to Flagstaff and it added an extra hour to the drive time… and that was NOT in rush hour. Yikes!

San Antonio is a huge metropolitan area. It’s grown by leaps and bounds in recent years, so if you went only five years back you’ll be surprised. This is a great city with lots to see and do, so you might want to plan at least a whole day here, two if you want to hit one of the amusement parks. I’d recommend staying downtown by the Riverwalk or Mercado. We stayed at the LaQuinta Market Square (great location and super clean, plus allows all size dogs for no fees).

I’ll discuss more about San Antonio, including where to eat and what to see, in the Day 3 section on this guide. Click HERE.

 

Grand Canyon to Galveston Island (Day 1)

There’s about 1400 miles between the Grand Canyon and Galveston. That can be a hard drive to plot out without lots of fun stops along the way. Luckily, my family just made that trip and is here to help you plan yours and pack in loads of good times and memories.

Day 1: Flagstaff, AZ to Roswell, NM (stopping for lunch in Albuquerque, NM)

Drivetime: About 8.5 hours (not counting the lunch stop)

Chances are if you’re going to the Grand Canyon, you’re going to stay in nearby Flagstaff (I-40 Exit 195), which is where we happen to live. (I’ll review Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon in seperate articles later.) From there it’s a pretty easy drive to Albuquerque, about 4.5 hours away.

Along I-40 there’s lots of cool stops for kids between the two spots, like the Meteor Crater at Exit 233 and the Petrified National Forest at Exit 311.
If you want to make it a really long trip and want to stay the night in Albuquerque I recommend staying at one of the many hotels off Coors Road (Exit 155). You can find coupons for BIG discounts on many of them in the roadside traveler magazines which are available at most gas stations along the way.

Pick up a bottle of Rudy's "sause" while you're there

If you just want to stop for lunch, I 100% recommend Rudy’s BBQ (on the north side of Exit 160), which is Texas style BBQ. It’s a franchise of the Texas chain based in the Austin area and hands down the best BBQ I’ve had anywhere in the world. No joke. Buy a bottle of their “sause” to go and impress your family with your home BBQ skills too! Rudy’s is right off the highway for easy access, at 2321 Carlisle Blvd, NE.
Now onto Roswell, which is about four more hours down the road…

Get back on I-40 and head east. You’ll be on a straight shot until you get to Clines Corners, NM (which is where you should get gas because there’s basically NOTHING until you get into Roswell!)

That’s where you catch 285 South, which takes you to Roswell. This may not look like much of a road on the map, but it’s really great. It’s got two lanes each direction with a huge median and not too many truckers so it’s a pretty open road. Boring, but open. Nothing to stop and see so it’s a good thing the kiddos will be full and tired from your big BBQ lunch!

Outside of Starchild, wearing "Hug me I'm an alien" tees

In Roswell, most things are located on Main Street. You can find discounts on hotels in a coupon booklet that is available at Denny’s only (200 N. Main St.). I found this out the hard way! But luckily some locals were able to point me in the right direction! We’re talking up to half off, so it’s worth grabbing a copy.

You’ll want to stop and gawk and the weirdest Walmart in the world – it’s alien-themed of course! Worth a photo op. So’s the McDonalds, which has an indoor playground to get out some of the kid’s energy if need be. (Check out some photos of Roswell HERE.)

I have to recommend eating at Portofino’s (701 S. Main St., Roswell, NM). It doesn’t look like much from the outside but WOW! I was so impressed by this local joint. Decent prices, high quality food, quick friendly service. A MUST visit! I got the pasta primavera and my husband got the lobster raviolli. Both were great! The bread they serve as a free apetizer is also fantastic. I wish this place was in my hometown! Its a great as some of the good italian restaurants we visited every week when we lived in Chicago!

My fav spot in town to pick up souvenirs is Starchild (108 W. 1st St., Roswell, NM), which was the first alien-themed gift store in town. They have THE cutest kids shirts for about $8. Much cheaper prices on kids tees than other stores in town too! (For more info, go HERE.)

Day 2: Roswell, NM to San Antonio, TX (Click HERE)

 

Verde Canyon Railroad

If your road trip includes a drive thru Arizona, I recommend enjoying the views and kicking back for part of your journey on the Verde Canyon Railroad. Based out of the tiny town of Clarkdale in the middle of the state, this railroad has several different types of train rides for every age.

First Class Seating

My family went on the Verde Canyon Railroad’s Easter Bunny Express this March. The Easter bunny showed up with treats and for pictures to the delight of my little train lovers. We went for the first class seating for $80 being this was the first train ride for both of my children. It’s the way to go. The ticket includes a beverage and appetizers, comfortable couches in air-conditioning, plus access to open train cars that you can walk out on and enjoy the scenery. Kids two and under are free. Older kids pay the full rate in first class. In coach, adults ride for $55, seniors go for $50, and kids 2-12 cost $45. Coach is a more cramped but it’s still fun with their vintage Pullman-style seats that flip forward or rear facing.

There are special train rides scheduled for every season. Of note for wine lovers… hop aboard the Grape Train Express. It costs $119 per person and no one under 21 is allowed. Different dates feature different wine tasting themes. Up coming themes include The Vineyards of Verde Valley (Aug. 15, 2008) and Tour of Italy (Sept. 5, 2008). This is one I want to try next time we have a babysitter and want to celebrate something special.

No matter which themed train you opt for, you’ll probably want to spend the night in Clarkdale, Jerome, or Sedona. The train ride itself is about 4 hours long. You go up and down the Verde Canyon, no matter which themed train you’re on. The day trains normally depart at 1pm. The night trains leave around 5:30pm.
For more info on any of their train rides, prices, schedules, etc. go to: verdecanyonrr.com.

 

Family Hike in Flagstaff

Need to burn off a little of the energy you gathered on your road trip out west?

If you’re in Flagstaff on your way to the Grand Canyon, on a visit with the family, or just looking for a cool spot for a hike or jog, check out Buffalo Park. It’s run by the city’s urban trail system and is only five minutes by car from downtown at the top of Switzer Mesa. It has easy trails and feels like a hike in the mountains. Even good for really young hikers (think 2 years old). You can take different loops depending on your ambition level.

For more info, click HERE.

 

Ride The Real Polar Express

“The thing about trains… it doesn’t matter where they’re going. What matters is deciding to get on.” – The Conductor, The Polar Express (2004)

Dressed in warm pajamas and comfy slippers, children of all ages are happy to climb aboard the Polar Express in Williams, Arizona every holiday season. The real life version of the children’s movie and classic book takes children of all ages on a magical journey to the North Pole to see Santa Claus. Riders enjoy a trip through the cool Northern Arizona night air as the story of The Polar Express is told.

Hot. Hot. Oh, they got it: fresh hot chocolate to warm the tummies of travelers taking this journey. It’s included, along with cookies and a present for each tiny traveler. Tickets are $26 for adults and $14 for children 2 to 12.

Start thinking Christmas in July folks, while there are still seats available. Reservations on this enchanted ride begin filling up a year in advance. The Polar Express runs from November thru January every year. For more info, go to thetrain.com/polarexpress or call 1-800-THE-TRAIN.