Arizona & the Grand Canyon 19th Edition by Karl Samson John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Published by: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River St. Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774 Copyright © 2013 John Wiley and Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978/750-8400, fax 978/646-8600. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, 201/748-6011, fax 201/748-6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions. Wiley and the Wiley logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/ or its affiliates. Frommer’s is a trademark or registered trademark of Arthur Frommer. Used under license. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. ISBN 978-1-118-28857-3 (paper); ISBN 978-1-118-33383-9 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-33498-0 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-33163-7 (ebk) Editor: Christine Ryan Production Editor: Michael Brumitt Cartographer: Roberta Stockwell Photo Editor: Richard Fox, Alden Gewirtz Design and Layout by Vertigo Design Graphics and Prepress by Wiley Indianapolis Composition Services Front cover photo: Sandstone formations in Paria Canyon, near Wilderness, Arizona ©Keith Kapple / SuperStock / Alamy Images. Back cover photos: Left: Prickly pear cactus ©James S. Wood. Middle: Wigwam Motel, Holbrook, Arizona ©Josh Biggs. 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Manufactured in the United States of America 5 4 3 2 1 CONTENTS List of Maps vi 1 THE BEST OF ARIZONA 1 The Most Unforgettable Travel The Best Hiking Experiences 9 Experiences 3 The Best Scenic Drives 10 The Best Regional Experiences 4 The Best Offbeat Travel The Best Food & Drink Experiences 12 Experiences 6 The Best Wild West The Best Ways to See Arizona Experiences 13 Like a Local 7 The Best Places to Explore The Best Family Experiences 8 Indian Ruins 14 2 ARIZONA IN DEPTH 16 Arizona Today 18 When to Go 33 The Making of Arizona 21 ARIZONA CALENDAR OF EVENTS 34 Arizona in Pop Culture 28 Arizona’s Natural World 37 Eating & Drinking in Arizona 31 Responsible Travel 42 3 SUGGESTED ARIZONA ITINERARIES 44 Regions in Brief 45 A Sojourn in Southeastern Arizona Highlights 49 Arizona 56 Arizona in 2 Weeks 53 Native Trails of Arizona 58 Arizona in the Winter 62 4 PHOENIX, SCOTTSDALE & THE VALLEY OF THE SUN 64 The Best Travel Experiences in THE TOP MUNICIPAL COURSES 105 Phoenix 66 Where to Eat 113 Essentials 66 Shopping 135 Getting Around 71 Entertainment & Nightlife 142 FAST FACTS: PHOENIX 73 Where to Stay 156 Exploring Phoenix 74 A Side Trip from Phoenix: Walking Tour: Old Town The Apache Trail 175 Scottsdale 80 5 CENTRAL ARIZONA 178 The Best Travel Experiences in The Verde Valley 201 Central Arizona 180 Sedona & Oak Creek Canyon 207 Wickenburg 180 VORTEX POWER 212 Prescott 186 THE HIGH COST OF RED-ROCK Jerome 197 VIEWS 214 6 THE GRAND CANYON & NORTHERN ARIZONA 237 The Best Travel Experiences in Williams 292 Northern Arizona 239 Havasu Canyon & Grand Canyon The Grand Canyon South Rim 239 West 297 FAST FACTS: THE GRAND CANYON 245 Kingman 302 The Grand Canyon North Rim 271 GET YOUR KICKS ON ROUTE 66 304 Flagstaff 278 7 THE FOUR CORNERS REGION: LAND OF THE HOPI & NAVAJO 308 The Best Travel Experiences in the The Window Rock & Ganado Four Corners Region 312 Areas 330 Winslow 313 Canyon de Chelly National The Hopi Reservation 316 Monument 334 A NATIVE AMERICAN CRAFTS FRED HARVEY & HIS GIRLS 338 PRIMER 324 Navajo National Monument 341 The Petrified Forest & Painted Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Desert 326 Park 343 Lake Powell & Page 348 8 EASTERN ARIZONA’S HIGH COUNTRY 360 The Best Travel Experiences in Pinetop-Lakeside 366 Eastern Arizona 361 Greer & Sunrise Park 369 Payson & the Mogollon Rim Springerville & Eagar 373 Country 362 The Coronado Trail 375 9 TUCSON 378 The Best Travel Experiences in THE SHRINE THAT STOPPED A Tucson 380 FREEWAY 406 Orientation 380 PUBLIC & MUNICIPAL COURSES 410 Getting Around 386 Where to Eat 415 FAST FACTS: TUCSON 387 Shopping 431 Exploring Tucson 388 Entertainment & Nightlife 437 Walking Tour: Downtown Historic Where to Stay 444 Districts 392 10 SOUTHERN ARIZONA 460 The Best Travel Experiences in Patagonia & Sonoita 474 Southern Arizona 462 Sierra Vista & the San Pedro Organ Pipe Cactus National Valley 479 Monument 462 Tombstone 487 Tubac & Buenos Aires National Bisbee 491 Wildlife Refuge 465 Cochise County 497 STARRY, STARRY NIGHTS 470 HEADIN’ DOWN THE SALSA TRAIL 506 Nogales 472 11 ARIZONA’S “WEST COAST” 507 The Best Travel Experiences in Lake Havasu & the London Western Arizona 508 Bridge 517 Lake Mead National CANOEING THE COLORADO 520 Recreation Area 510 Side Trips 525 Bullhead City & Laughlin, Yuma 526 Nevada 514 12 PLANNING YOUR TRIP TO ARIZONA 533 Getting There 534 Tours 537 Getting Around 535 FAST FACTS: ARIZONA 547 Tips on Where to Stay 536 Airline Websites 556 Index 557 The Grand Canyon GLEN CANYON NATIONAL & Northern Arizona 89 UTAH RECREATION AREA LPaokweell ARIZONA Fredonia 1 389 VERMILION CLIFFS Page Pipe Spring 89A NAT’L MONUMENT National Lees Ferry Monument Marble Canyon Jacob Lake 89A anyon KAIBITO PLATEAU C FKNOAARIBTE’ASLBT 67 Marble Echo 98 GRAND CANYON- KAIBAB PLATEAU Cliff PARASHANT 89 s NAT’L CMoOloNrUadMoE N TRiver Supai GRAND CANYON NRAEVSAEJROV IANTDIOIANN NATIONAL PARK 2 LIST OFN ORMTH APS 160 HAVASUPAI RIM INDIAN Desert HUINADLIAAPNAI REGSrEaRnVdA TCIOaNnyon Village SORUIMTH View TCuitbya RESERVATION Tusayan 64 18 COCONINO PLATEAU KAIBAB 10 NAT’L Cameron Arizona 46 Grand Canyon South Rim 249 SMuogrgee Ssutegdg eAsrtiezodn Aar Iiztionneara Irtiiense ra5ri1es 59180 FTFlhaOeg RsFtoEaufSfr TC2o8r1ners Regio89n 311 elLitt CoPAINTED DESERT T&o P GeraacPnhhd oS Cpearnniniyxgo,sn S Wcoestttsdale & the Valley of the Sun Easter1n8 0Arizona’s High Count9ry 3lor6ad3 3 Attractions 76 o 66 Walking Tour: Old Town Scottsdale 8614 Tucson atS aA NG FPlaREnAAcNKeCS ISC3O82 River Tucson Attractions 390 Seligman 8 11 Phoenix, Scottsdale & the Valley of the Sun Humphreys Peak Ash Downtown Historic Districts 393 To Grand Restaur4a0nts 11F4ork 4 5 Flagstaff CanyoPnh Woeesntix, Scottsdale & the Valley of the WSuilnli amTsucson Restaurants 416 Hotels 158 KAIBABTucson Hotels 446 6 40 NAT’L Pulliam Central Arizona 181 FORESTSouthern Arizona 4A6ir3port To Winslow 7 Sedona & Vicinity 209 Western Arizona 509 89 89A 17 0 The Grand 1C5 amniyon & Northern ASrizeodnoan Bairding Guide 540 Airport 0 A15r ikzmona 241 To Prescott To Phoenix Ski Area Arizona Snowbowl 5 Meteor Crater 7 Area of Cameron Trading Post 10 Sunset Crater Volcano detail Coyote Buttes 1 National Monument 8 Flagstaff Grand Canyon Railway 4 Walnut Canyon National ARIZONA Grand Falls 11 Monument 6 Phoenix Havasu Canyon 2 Wupatki National Tucson Historic Route 66 3 Monument 9 vi ABOUT THE AUTHOR Karl Samson lives in Oregon, where he spends his time juggling his obsessions with traveling, gardening, outdoor sports, and wine. Each winter, to dry out his webbed feet, he flees the soggy Northwest and heads to Arizona, where he updates Frommer’s Arizona & the Grand Canyon. Karl is also the author of Frommer’s Seattle and Frommer’s Washington State. HOW TO CONTACT US In researching this book, we discovered many wonderful places—hotels, restaurants, shops, and more. We’re sure you’ll find others. Please tell us about them, so we can share the information with your fellow travelers in upcoming editions. If you were disappointed with a recommendation, we’d love to know that, too. Please write to: Frommer’s Arizona & the Grand Canyon, 19th Edition John Wiley & Sons, Inc. • 111 River St. • Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774 ADVISORY & DISCLAIMER Travel information can change quickly and unexpectedly, and we strongly advise you to confirm important details locally before traveling, including information on visas, health and safety, traffic and transport, accommodations, shopping, and eating out. We also encourage you to stay alert while traveling and to remain aware of your surroundings. Avoid civil disturbances, and keep a close eye on cameras, purses, wallets, and other valuables. While we have endeavored to ensure that the information contained within this guide is accurate and up-to-date at the time of publication, we make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. We accept no responsibility or liability for any inaccuracy or errors or omissions, or for any inconvenience, loss, damage, costs, or expenses of any nature whatsoever incurred or suffered by anyone as a result of any advice or information contained in this guide. The inclusion of a company, organization, or website in this guide as a service provider and/or potential source of further information does not mean that we endorse them or the information they provide. Be aware that information provided through some websites may be unreliable and can change without notice. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any damages arising herefrom. vii FROMMER’S STAR RATINGS, ICONS & ABBREVIATIONS Every hotel, restaurant, and attraction listing in this guide has been ranked for quality, value, service, amenities, and special features using a star-rating system. In country, state, and regional guides, we also rate towns and regions to help you narrow down your choices and budget your time accordingly. Hotels and restaurants are rated on a scale of zero (recommended) to three stars (exceptional). Attractions, shopping, nightlife, towns, and regions are rated according to the following scale: zero stars (recommended), one star (highly recommended), two stars (very highly recommended), and three stars (must-see). In addition to the star-rating system, we also use seven feature icons that point you to the great deals, in-the-know advice, and unique experiences that separate travelers from tourists. Throughout the book, look for: special finds—those places only insiders know about fun facts—details that make travelers more informed and their trips more fun kids—best bets for kids and advice for the whole family special moments—those experiences that memories are made of overrated—places or experiences not worth your time or money insider tips—great ways to save time and money great values—where to get the best deals The following abbreviations are used for credit cards: AE American Express DISC Discover V Visa DC Diners Club MC MasterCard TRAVEL RESOURCES AT FROMMERS.COM Frommer’s travel resources don’t end with this guide. Frommer’s website, www. frommers.com, has travel information on more than 4,000 destinations. We update features regularly, giving you access to the most current trip-planning information and the best airfare, lodging, and car-rental bargains. You can also listen to podcasts, connect with other Frommers.com members through our active-reader forums, share your travel photos, read blogs from guidebook editors and fellow travelers, and much more. viii