Day Trips from Sedona

Spending the night in a concrete wigwam on historic Route 66, what more do I need to say, really? It's every bit as kitschy cool as I had hoped it would be. And that's saying something, since I had been hoping for this for almost 20 years, when I saw a picture of said tepees in a travel magazine as a child.

And I was filled with the glee of a wee child to see the original neon still glowing brightly as we pulled up in the middle of the night and, in the light of day, the gorgeous vintage cars scattered throughout the parking lot. (One of the members of the Lewis family, who have owned and operated the wigwam village since the 1950s, referred to the cars as their "old junkers," but don't be fooled by that description.)

So, you're probably wondering what the wigwams were like. Well, to sum it up in a word, the word would be "small." "Cheap" would also apply, since a typical night's stay costs under $40. Another word might be "strangely decorated." (Well, that's two words, or a hyphenated word, but whatever.) Actually, our tepee was decorated in a rustic/cowboy/horses theme, which I guess really isn't all that strange, considering the circumstances. Another word that could describe performing your daily rituals in a concrete tepee might be "awkward," since even a short person like myself has to crouch and strain a bit to take a shower. But, overall, the best word to describe the experience is AWESOME! You could have more glamorous accommodations, but certainly few more unique than this one. What an experience!

Even if you've performed only the most cursory search on the Hotel Monte Vista, there's one thing you're certain to know about it already: it's "haunted." Well, maybe not, but that certainly adds some glamour to what would otherwise be sort of just an old, somewhat run-down hotel.

Speaking of glamour, you may also know that some of the hotel's previous guests: Michael Stipe, Clark Gable, Humphrey Bogart, and Freddy Mercury. Oh, and Freddy Krueger. As a matter of fact, my husband and I had the distinct pleasure of staying in the Freddy Krueger room at the "Monte V," as we heard the locals call it. (The actor who plays Freddy, Robert Englund, had once stayed in our room, and several of his pictures adorned the door and wall. He had even signed one of them with the phrase, "suite dreams," in typical punny Freddy K. fashion.)

Overall, the hotel was a fairly recommendable place to stay. I give it mixed reviews.

On the plus side, it's exciting to stay there because of the ghost stories and the celebrity guests, the Rendezvous coffee bar downstairs is lovely and convenient, there's also a cocktail lounge downstairs, the hotel is pretty centrally located, the Aveda personal care products in the bathroom are nice, everything seemed reasonably clean, and it's certainly more interesting than visiting a typical chain hotel. However, among the negative aspects of the hotel include the fact that parking is somewhat difficult to maneuver and a permit must be obtained from the desk clerk; the hotel is right next to a train station, producing considerable noise; our room--and I'm assuming most rooms in the $70 range--was quite small; the room decor was quite off-putting and the room was painted a disgusting orange color; and there are no conveniences, like a mini-fridge/bar or room service.

I probably wouldn't stay there again, but I certainly don't regret our first visit at the Monte V. And, in case you were wondering, Freddy Krueger's photo on the wall was the closest we came to seeing a ghost.

Joe and Aggie's cafe, located on old Route 66 in Holbrook, is a memorable place to eat breakfast after spending the night at the WigWam Motel. It's kind of a little dive, but I promise I mean that in the most endearing way.

This cafe offers a variety of Tex-Mex specialties for your morning meal, every one of which sounded delicious. I ordered the green chile omelet (remember, Arizona's "official" state question is "red or green?"), which rested atop a corn tortilla and was accompanied by beans—so good.

Not only was the food great, but the place had character. This is one of those little places where you can listen in on all the conversations going on around you from the comfort of your own booth—not that I would do that. And our waitress and the cashier were very pleasant, easygoing and approachable, yet attentive.

There are lots of Route 66 trinkets for sale here, displayed in a glass case beneath the cash register, reminding you of just where you are.

And it's a good place to be.

Around 225 million years ago, a forest was covered in volcanic ash, then slowly infused with silica, turning the wood to stone over the centuries.

What does all this mean to you? Well, fast forward a few thousand decades—you get to drive through it! And, while the history and science behind it may be kind of boring to some people, the petrified wood sure is "purdy" to look at.

Petrified Forest National Park consists of 93,533 acres, 28 miles of which have been paved into a scenic drive. To the tune of $10 per carload, you can view some of the most spectacular formations Mother Nature has to offer. Many stops at scenic overlooks are available, affording you plenty of opportunities to snap some amazing photos.

Among the various sightseeing opportunities here are glorious views of the Painted Desert and, which I found particularly fascinating, Newspaper Rock, so named because it is covered in Native American pictograms. (Free telescopes are available at the Newspaper Rock stop, by the way, so you can really inspect them close-up.)

If you're especially brave, you can engage in hiking, backpacking, and/or primitive camping while you're here. As for me, it's A/C cranked all the way up, baby.

Travel just 30 minutes outside of Sedona to Camp Verde and you'll feel like you've been transported to another country. Our visit to Out of Africa Wildlife Park provided us with some once-in-a-lifetime experiences we'll never forget.

While there, we had the chance to pet giraffes and feed them soy biscuits right out of our mouths. (Their ginormous eyelashes literally brushed my face!) Not for everyone, I know, but it's completely optional. Not only that, but we saw an array of animals, including ostriches, tiger cubs, wildebeests, deer, hyenas, and zebras.

The $28 admission ($20 for children) includes two different experiences: the Serengeti safari and the wildlife preserve tour. The Serengeti safari is experienced from a safari-type vehicle called a unimog, while the other tour is conducted on a tour bus which you can dismount occasionally to get closer views of some of the animals. On both the safari and the tour, our park guides were extremely knowledgeable, friendly, helpful, informative, and respectful of the animals.

In fact, our tour was led by Dean Harrison, co-founder of the park along with Prayeri Harrison. The main message I took from him was what a profound respect for and understanding of these animals he had. To hear him describe the animal world in terms that humans can relate to, it was clear that his was a noble cause: to try to bring understanding and respect for animals to the human world.

The park is open Wednesday to Sunday 9:30am to 5pm. (Admission closes at 4pm.) Their website, http://www.outofafricapark.com/index.html, has tons of information and photos.

One helpful hint: make the, umm, "necessary arrangements" for anyone in your group who is squeamish about public restrooms (or in this case, the lack thereof), because the only facilities available at the park are port-a-potties.

If you're driving on I-40 after spending the night at the WigWam Motel, or after an afternoon touring Petrified Forest National Park, you've undoubtedly seen the copious billboards advertising Stewart's Petrified Wood shop in Holbrook. Most of the billboards tantalize with offers of a free piece of petrified wood for each visitor.

SOLD!

I was completely drawn in by the offer, but upon arrival at Stewart's, I had second thoughts. The creepy mannequins (one of which was in a dinosaur's mouth) and ostriches surrounding the property gave me visions of Texas Chainsaw Massacre. But it turned out to be worth fighting the fear. After all, petrified wood ain't cheap!

Mr. Stewart (apparently his wife does the sculptures and runs the joint) kindly greeted us at the door and let us select our own piece of free, shiny, polished petrified wood. Score!

The shop has many interesting items, including meteorites and beautiful amethysts. Some of the things available were pretty pricey, but there were also plenty of things the average traveler could afford. Ostrich food is also for sale, which you can give to the eagerly-pecking creatures outside.

You would probably either love this place or hate it. If you're a serious shopper who needs glossy malls and brand names, you probably wouldn't like Stewart's, but if you appreciate odd roadside attractions or are a serious petrified wood collector, you will be at the right place!

http://www.petrifiedwood.com/index.htm#stewarts