Looking for an Old West experience that’s fun for the family? Then, head to Rawhide, if you’re in the Phoenix, Arizona area.
"Come and Get It" greets visitors at Rawhide's entrance
South Mountain Park, located in Phoenix, Arizona is the largest city park in the US. Especially on weekends, throngs of people spend time hiking and exploring the trails. (51 miles worth of trials, according to the City of Phoenix’s Web site.)
Certain perspectives are almost otherworldly as you can be hiking with no one around, yet you’ll see the City of Phoenix below, spread out as far as the eye can see!
View of Phoenix from South Mountain Park
Every girl likes her pearls – or other beads. It turns out that men, too, throughout time have valued beads. Beads are the featured and the only items on display in the unique Bead Museum in Glendale, Arizona.
What are beads? Anything that has a hole in it that can be strung. That means that our ancestors of 13,000 years ago who took a reindeer tooth and strung it on a leather strand had an early bead.
Iridescent decoration made from beetle wings
If you’re looking for a challenging hiking experience that promises – and delivers on – scenery, a visit to Chiricahua National Monument is in order.
Entering Chiricahua after driving through miles of open and desolate desert (about an hour south of Willcox, Arizona), you arrive at the visitors center. After all of that driving, you begin to wonder why you made the drive…and then you get into the park a bit and it’s like you’re in another world! (more…)
When you travel to the National Parks in the Southwest and start with Zion, as we did, you find yourself overwhelmed and feeling very small. The cliffs tower over you and you can get lost on the trails.
Part of the “Grand Circle” of National Parks, we really enjoyed the diversity of the trails. One moment, walking along a nice level path, you might see a deer grazing not too far away.
Red cliffs of Zion National Park
Landscape Arch
From Moab, Utah, it is a fairly easy drive to the Park’s visitor center. Allow a very full morning or afternoon or even a day to visit the evocatively named formations. See “Courthouse Towers,” “ Parade of Elephants,” “Three Gossips” and the famous “Landscape Arch.” Landscape Arch looks likes it will fall down any time now, but it might take thousands of years. As recently as 1991, a large segment fell from Landscape Arch and the section left looks very close to fragmenting entirely.
Parade of Elephants
Canyonlands, located in Utah and one of the US National Parks, cannot be judged by a photograph or other image. You really must be there to feel how open, deep and vast the earth stretches out in front of you. It seems to dwarf the Grand Canyon in immensity!
Standing on a ledge several years ago, wind blowing and rain threatening, I felt very small and insignificant looking out at the giant canyons, eroded by time and the Colorado and Green Rivers.
Canyonlands - nature at its most amazing
While growing up, I had my share of deli food. I love it! Once in a while, I need my fix of the savory, scrumptious tastes, usually served in copious quantities.
I’m a good cook, but I really love to try the deli food of other great cooks. Plus, some deli food takes a really long time to make well.
I’ve eaten at Carnegie Deli in New York City. I’ve eaten deli food in many cities. Some is better than others: some is so-so; some is incredible; some is so bad you don’t want to take the leftovers home.
In our effort to bring real travel experiences to you, we highlight a unique business with a good eco-ethic:
If you are in the Phoenix, Arizona area, a fun diversion and a good place to grab a meal is at the Queen Creek Olive Mill. For locavores – those who want their foods grown near where they are eating them – the Queen Creek Olive Mill fits the bill. (more…)
Since Williams was hosting the Disney Christmas Carol train recently, I had the pleasure of seeing this quirky and historic northern Arizona town.
Billed as the “Gateway to the Grand Canyon,” Williams is about 55 miles from the major attraction. They are small, but their marketing is powerful. (more…)
