Southern Arizona

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:

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:

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

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 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

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

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

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/.