Southern Arizona

We tried to keep the driving to a minimum - 2.5 hours was the max distance from the resort that we wanted to travel - so Phoenix was the perfect place for our accommodations. It was central to everything, and all the highways were within minutes of the resort.

Since we had two kids with us - one was 8 and the other was 10 - we planned activities that were not only educational, such as the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, Biosphere 2, and the Arizona Science Center and Planetarium, but also fun, such as The Verde Canyon Railroad and Cerreta Candy Company.

The Arizona Science Center not only appealed to the youngsters but also to the adults. The Science Center is huge: four floors with exhibits that varied from the human body to psychology to space and even computers. The Planetarium was absolutely spectacular. The Verde Canyon Railroad trip was gorgeous. The weather was perfect and the view was simply breathtaking. We took a historic route through the canyon, and we were lucky enough to see a bald eagle. My nephew truly enjoyed the train ride - it was a perfect day.

Quick Tips:

Bring lots of water, as the temperatures were in the 100s. We froze water bottles overnight and brought them with us to help us to cool off.

We chose the best time to visit. We never waited at any of the restaurants and some of the activities were cheaper because it was off-season.

Best Way To Get Around:

We rented a car and found it fairly easily to get onto the highways from the resort. There was construction around the entrance to the resort from the main drag, so we had to find another way to access the highways in order to avoid the traffic and construction.

Best Things Nearby:
Biosphere 2 in Oracle, Saguaro National Park, Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, Tortilla Flat, Verde Canyon Railroad, Arizona Science Center & Planetarium, and the Arizona Mining & Mineral Museum were the best things.

Best Things About the Resort:
We had gorgeous a view of the golf course from our unit. It was within a close proximity to highways, had very spacious accommodations, and was on the outskirts of Phoenix.

Resort Experience:
When you enter the resort, you immediately see the well-maintained and spectacular golf course. As you continue on the grounds to the clubhouse, there is almost a Mediterranean feel as you walk by a blue-and-white tiled water fountain in the middle of the circle.

The unit itself was done in a townhouse style. We had a two-bedroom, two-bath unit on the top floor. The unit itself was very spacious, with a large kitchen/living room, master bedroom, and a second bedroom lockout unit. There were plenty of cabinets and closet space for our needs and a washer/dryer in the unit. The decor was elegant, yet comfortable. Our balcony overlooked the golf course, and the view in the morning was breathtaking and serene.

The master bedroom had a Jacuzzi - the kids were in awe. The second bedroom was quite spacious for the two kids, and they enjoyed having their own quarters. They had a small kitchenette, a queen-size bed, a pull-out sofa, and a bathroom.

• Unit Type: 2 Bedroom
• Activities: Not Available
• Amenities: Excellent
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Not Available
• Service: Excellent

They have huge portions, a friendly staff, affordable prices, and a fun atmosphere and decor. There are huge stuffed animals on the walls alongside other hunting and fishing memorabilia. We had a booth that was extremely spacious.

We ordered the nachos appetizer and the pot roast sandwich, and the kids ordered pasta off the children's menu. Everything was delicious and very satisfying, and the portions were beyond believable. We also ordered a dessert that was large enough to feed 10 people. We saw the 10-layer chocolate cake but opted for another desert that was in the shape of an éclair - with white cream on the outside, chocolate on the top, and a light flaky sponge cake with vanilla ice cream in the middle.

The Arizona Sonora Desert Museum consists of self-guided trails that demonstrate the wild desert animals and plants commonly found in the Arizona area, such as a cactus garden that displayed many varieties of cacti and birds, like owls. It takes about 3 hours to see the whole museum. The majority of the walking is done outside, so bring plenty of water and try to get there in the morning.

The museum was very interesting and informative. They also had hands-on exhibits for the kids to touch and play with, like an archaeology site where they donned goggles and shovels in search of undiscovered treasures. A favorite for us was seeing the animals. They had various big cats, like bobcats and ocelots; sheep; otters; beavers; and prairie dogs, which were adorable and very entertaining.

We had visited the Phoenix Zoo earlier in the week, but the Sonora Desert Museum was by far much better, as the animals were out and walking through the desert-like conditions that made the experience realistic.

For more information, here is the web address for the museum: www.desertmuseum.org

The Arizona Science Museum was a blast not only for the kids, but also for the adults. The Science Center is huge and definitely deserves a few hours to fully enjoy it all. There are roughly four floors, with anything and everything you can imagine. They had exhibits on senses, space, natural phenomenons, the human body, psychology, etc. The exhibits were informative, hands-on, and computerized, and they varied with each room. The planetarium was absolutely fabulous. The guide who took us to Mars during the planetarium show was friendly and extremely knowledgeable.

Here is the web address for the Science Center: http://www.azscience.org/

The views are beyond words - they are breathtaking. You board the train at an old train depot. Every other car was open, thus allowing the patrons to venture out and take in the beauty of the surroundings.

The train takes a ride through the unspoiled natural Arizona forests and wilderness. The grass is green and the rocks formations are monstrous. We saw a variety of animals and even a bald eagle. The experience was beyond anything I have ever seen.

The tour guides were extremely knowledgeable - they pointed out various rock formations, wildlife, and cultural and historical sightings. Additionally, they provided a detailed history of the areas the train traveled through.

The ride is roughly 4 hours, and we thought that it was relaxing and definitely worth every penny.

Here is a web address with more information: http://www.verdecanyonrr.com

Biosphere 2 was amazing because it let us see how those people lived and survived in the close quarters. We had a guided tour that delved into the depths of the environment, from the kitchen and living quarters to the rain forest area to the cooling system. Our guide was very knowledgeable and well-versed on the activities of the inhabitants and the functions of each of the systems.

Beware, they are conserving money, so the air conditioner is at a bare minimum, and when you walk through the rain forest, ants crawl up and down your legs. Once you get past the rain forest and you slap or stomp the ants off, everything is fine.

To see and experience how the inhabitants lived and survived in the enclosed environment was well worth the fee that we paid.

For more information and photos, see the Biosphere 2 website at http://www.bio2.com/.

This is a rather small candy factory with few employees, but do not be deceived by the small building. Two employees walked us through how the candy is made, from the melting of the chocolate, to pouring it into the molds, and then finally to wrapping. The tour was free and personal - you felt like you were a part of the candy-making process. Afterwards, the kids made chocolate pizzas (that was not free). They loved playing with the chocolate and making their own designs. All in all, everyone enjoyed it.