The City “fathers’ of Carefree, Arizona, according to a story, sat around in a local watering hole deciding what to name the streets of Carefree, since many of the streets were nameless. While they downed their brews what they came up with was inspired!
You, too, can be on Easy Street - in Carefree, Arizona
Ah, if only everyone could be Carefree – or travel there. It’s a town in Arizona north of Phoenix, by the way, but it is also a state of mind.
On a recent stay at the Carefree Resort & Villas in Carefree, the experience lived up to the name.
Carefree Resort & Villas entrance
When President Barack Obama chose to visit Arizona and, specifically, Phoenix, recently, there was a hubbub about some nutcases who were “expressing” their right to bear arms.
No, we are not all gun-toting nuts in Arizona! The people I know are all peaceful, friendly and, at least as far as I know, quite sane.
So, please come visit Arizona! There are a multitude of amazing sights to see – nature has been abundantly generous in making Arizona a vividly memorable land. From desert flowers blooming in spring to the Grand Canyon, volcanic cones to pine forests, Arizona has a wide array of climates and scenery.
Cereus Peruviana in bloom
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
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
A visit to 80-year-old Boyce Thompson Arboretum will inspire and delight nature enthusiasts.
If you are in the vicinity of Phoenix, it is well worth the drive. Located 55 miles east of Phoenix, just after mile marker 223 on US 60 before reaching Superior, Boyce Thompson Arboretum demonstrates the labor of love that Colonel Boyce Thompson began in the 1920s. He considered it a place to “instill in humanity an appreciation of plants.”
Breathtaking view at Boyce Thompson
Frank Lloyd Wright is an iconic figure in the world of architecture. His buildings, which blend into the landscape, use geometric shapes to create eye-pleasing designs.
Taliesin West with the pool
Following the Apache Trail in Arizona, you can just imagine what it might have been like in the days of the gold rush. Horses and stagecoaches traveled the rough mountains and winding paths back in the 1800s to reach Globe from Phoenix. The romantic imagery of the old west is palpable!
Apache Trail Scenery
Nowadays, a four-wheel drive vehicle makes the trip in less than three hours (traffic permitting). In some areas, the road is reduced to a narrow, unpaved one-lane road that dangerously skirts the edge of a mountain with the valley spreading out below. (more…)
Breathtaking views
Nature outdid itself in Sedona
So Sedona has red rocks. You may ask, “What’s the big deal?” The big deal is an impressive natural wonder that extends across a region, bringing an awe-inspiring display that makes visitors feel “at one with nature.” Plus, you’ll find great hiking, terrific restaurants and amazing shopping!
