Taking the grandkids to the Grand Canyon

[robint]

I have not done the Ice Caves but I hear it is nice. Not as nice as Carlsbad Caverns though.

I have not been to that Ghost Town you mentioned but we did do one down by Phoenix a few years ago when visiting family. It was a horrible mess of tourist trap, we really hated it as there was maybe 1 hour worth of things to see, then you were bored. Eeek.... I just looked up Yeso Ghost town. NO way you should take kids there unless you want to hear them complain about it for the rest of your life. Wow, boring!!!

 

[roakey]

While in Flagstaff, if the kids can stand it, visit Best Publishing (Complete Line Of Books Focusing On Hyperbarics, Hyperbaric Chambers, Oxygen Therapy and Wound Healing). When I was there last time it was very dangerous for my credit card: They let me lose in their warehouse and I came out with a whole stack of books!

Roak

Ps. Including an underwater forensics book that was as fascinating as it was gruesome.

 

[DandyDon]

Hehe, Yeso is a real ghost town, not a trap - but yeah maybe boring. No, Icecave is nothing like Carlsbad's but it's so close to Albuquerque and was a neat place to visit along with many others that day. I just did not understand how ice could exist in it year 'round until I saw it. Boring to some maybe but so unique. The Acoma Pueblo was neat, giant arch nearby, etc. Chaco is my favorite in the area; it's a hard drive from the south but doable, exit to the north then back to Los Alamos or wherever.

Sometimes my daughter wants to take the road less traveled, like the shortcut over the mountain to Los Alamos rather than around it.

Oh, ok Roak, will check it out - thanks.

 

[Hagan34]

I wonder if a few pair of 10x25 binoculars @ $12 each would help keep the kids entertained on the drive, as well as handy at many of the sites?

this, I meet my wife in Flagstaff 2 weekends ago, and asked her to bring my binos with her. We spent a day at the Grand Caynon and if the weather would have been better that they would have been great to have had since she forgot.


Also you may want to check Bearizona. It wasnt open when we where up there but I belive they open 1 March. Drive thru Wild-life Park Bearizona - Drive-Thru Wildlife Park - Williams, Arizona - Home , the wife and I were very disapointed they werent open during our visit, it's just across I-40 in Williams, AZ when you coming from the GC back to Flagstaff.

I was just at the Ramada West on that weekend, rooms were nicely furnished but it was an older hotel and as such the rooms were a bit smaller then what the new hotels have. Just a place to sleep anyway. Just hope you dont get the 20+ inches of snow were got.

If you find yourself in "downtown Flagstaff" I highly recommand Diablo Buger www.diabloburger.com/, it a little hard to find and only take cash but well worth it, or Beaver Street Brewery Beaver Street Brewing Company Home. We didnt get to try it so no comment on how it was but it smelled great, is Bigfoot BBQ.

Sounds like a great trip and almost like I had planed it myself. Hope it goes well with the Grandkids, all ways hard to tell how they will react. Even though I voted for take a lot of pics even thou no one wants to see them, feel free to post them some where so I can.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Rent the 17 yr olds a Harley and tell em to have a good time!

 

[octopuppy]

Not sure of the rates but in ABQ you might try staying at the Hilton Garden Inn in Uptown on the way back. The kids may be itching for some play time and ABQ Uptown's a block away with some shopping and an Apple store. The Tuba route IS interesting but I love all NM scenes. Best be careful if getting off of the beaten track. Sometimes hard to tell what's pueblo, private or land grant territories especially in western NM areas. If you stay in the Garden Inn, look out the window at the black "Darth Vader" bldg. I'm in that office. Happy Trails!

 

[DandyDon]

Not sure of the rates but in ABQ you might try staying at the Hilton Garden Inn in Uptown on the way back.

Thanks. At $112/$127 total x 2 rooms, out of our trip budget, altho we could still get up there if we got into town early enough.

 

[DandyDon]

I'm close to packed; what am I forgetting? Backpack, water bottles, emergency water jugs, coffee maker & supplies, thermoses, flashlight & spare batteries, camera & spare batteries, battery charger, wet wipes, kleenex, binoculars, maps, trash bags, extension cords, hydrocortisone ointment, antiseptic ointment, band aids, sun block, dish & laundry soap,* wall & car cell phone chargers, clothes, undies & PJs, hiking shoes & hat, toiletries, hypochondriac meds, lap top and tools, electric tape, tripod, spare glasses.

* Still looking for sturdy 4 oz containers. :silly:

The 1775 mile base plan. Could not find a shortcut from the Petrified Forest to Albuquerque...

 

[DandyDon]

I never did tell how it went - sorry...!!

Here are pics from the 2,000 miles adventure if you'd like to look over the thumbs or play the slideshow: Grand Canyon Trip | Facebook

Six days, six national parks & monuments and a few other breathtaking sites - great trip. Yeso ghost town was on the way and good for a leg stretch, then onto the Albq zoo, we spent the night in Abq, then headed into AZ and the giant stone bridge at Widow Rock, also the location of the Code Talkers monument. Next we pushed onto Hubbell Trading Post. In business since 1868, now operated by a non-profit organization and the site is a National Historic Site. The wooden floors, rugs & other goods were interesting along with the history. See Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I drove us across the Navajo & Hopi reservations enjoying the lovely vistas but watching my driving as reservation roads are different. Then COAL MINE CANYON: Exit 264, north onto an unmarked dirt road, between mile markers 336 and 337. Look to the right of a two story house for a windmill and drive about a quarter mile past it. Ignore the nearby cattle and gunshots in the distance. Entry into the Canyon prohibited but breathtaking views. NO GUARD RAILS...!!

Second and third nights were at Cameron trading post and lodge, a lovely place overlooking the Little Colorado river near the Grand Canyon east gate. Grand Canyon Hotel Lodging - Native American Indian and Southwest Art - Cameron Trading Post On the third day we headed for the final stretch to the GC, but with a short stopover at Desert View lookout over the Little Colo which has dropped 1,000 ft or so in the few miles from the hotel. Some Navajos were setting up sales tables but we just looked in awe at this Little Grand Canyon. Better rails would have been nice...!!

Then the GRAND CANYON for the rest of the day, which I could have enjoyed from just the parking lots and vistas. They got me to do a trail for a little ways, but with snow, mud, my dizziness about the drop off from the narrow trail - didn't last long. Spent too much time in bus lines and on them. Should have parked close to the bus line going to Hermit's Rest and done that one.

Next day was Sunset Crater & Anazazi ruins, Monterzuma's Well & Castle, then a drive back to Flagstaff thru lovely Oak Creek canyon. Day following saw Walnut Canyon, Petrified Forest, and back to ABQ for the night. Last day we did the Botanical garden and came home.

My 8 yo granddaughter was a little worrisome on some edges as she does like to run & jump too much, but amazingly didn't fall on anything. She has a blackeye from a slumber party since but no biggie.

My 17 yo German grandson took it all very well, even having to share a room with me. He stuck with me at Walnut where I got a bit spooked, then had to stop a few times climbing back up.

My 17 yo bio-grandson decided he was just too grownup for such a family trip, stayed home to work at the DQ and drive his used picked his dad gave him. They both missed the time change. He'd avoided the driving up to two months ago oddly but finally got into it, then totaled it the night we got back. :shocked2: At least no one was hurt.​

All in all, I would recommend all of it to anyone who enjoys the great outdoors. Thanks for your help in planning...!!

 

[JJEH]

Sounds you guys had a lot of fun