Near Holbrook, Arizona is an interesting geological site known as the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert.  Warning: This is a stark landscape and not for people looking for excitement  It is just a bunch of rocks and desert.  However, having said that, since I enjoy that type of thing, I found it to be fun and interesting.  We stayed in Holbrook which is an old Route 66 town very much on the decline with not much to offer.  Once you visit the petrified forest and painted desert, there is not much else to do, so you better move on.  Only worth it if you happen to be passing by and want to take a detour and see it.

When I visited Massachusetts, I took a small detour to Plymouth to see this old settlement.  It is a really quaint place to visit with a nice bay, beach, Mayflower II ship, plymough rock and lots of cool little shops.  It was a nice sunny day and we enjoyed walking around and touring the busy areas.  I had fun on the Mayflower and enjoyed the Cape Cod style sea food on the bay. Yummie!!!

Please enjoy the pictures

Another post that is not related to Arizona, but still a great place to go.  First, I must say that the city of Boston is a beautiful city.  Of course, the weather in Boston is often cloudy and rainy.  But, don’t let that stop you from having fun like going on the Bean Town Trolley Tour that includes a harbor cruise.  The cruise takes off directly from one of the central downtown piers and goes to out in the habor were it circles around to Charles Town Ship Yard where the U.S.S. Constitution is docked and a destroyer from world war II.  This shipyard was used extensively in the war effort building and repairing ships for the U.S. Navy.  You can get off at the ship yard and tour the ships and then get back on the harbor cruise which will take you back where you can rejoin the trolley tour.  It was a great day and Boston is a great place to go.  I recommend this tour as a quick way to get around and see the city.               

I know, this is not Arizona, but a cool area of our country: Northern California. It contains the perfect climate for growing grapes and gave birth to a world reknown wine country and award winning wine industry.  Napa valley with towns such as Sonoma, Napa and points in between offer the traveler winery after winery.  Some large, and some not so large in size.  But don’t let size fool you regarding quality.  It is worth checking out some of the smaller ones.  The country side boasts rolling hills and tons of vineyards.  We toured Bensinger winery and enjoyed the wine tasting and scenery.  The highlight of this tour was to see the wine making process and the cave where the wine is aged in oak barrels. Great trip and lots of fun.

North of San Francisco are gorgeous ocean views along the coastal highway 1.  It is very windy and curvy, but the views are tremendous.  A good day trip is to see Muir Woods, Coastal Highway, and a quick stop at Stimson Beach.  It was an awesome day to view God’s creation in a special way.  Please go here if you get a chance.

I realize that this blog is dedicated to Arizona, but, as I mentioned in my ‘about’ page, I would also post other cool places to visit.  On of my favorites is Muir Woods in Northern California, just outside of San Francisco.  An excellent way to see giant redwood trees in a beautiful environment.  The path is well maintained and easy to navigate.  It is a wonderful place.

I finally took a trip to Tonto Natural Bridge in Northern Arizona.  It is about 12 Miles North of Payson and is a great day trip.  There are a few trails and the trail that goes along the bottom of the canyon along the stream is the most challenging due to large rocks to climb over along the way.  The trail to the water fall is short, but steep in some parts.  However, it is well developed with a walkway and stairs.  The water fall is small, but, very green with moss.  The natural bridge is sort of a limestone cave open on both sides that stretches across the canyon.  Inside the bridge or cave are pools and small water falls.  It is a natural wonder that is worth seeing.

A great way to see the country side in Northern Arizona is to take a train.  One trip in particular is the Verde Canyon Railway which allows you to view the Verde Canyon and Verde River from Clarkdale Station to Perkins Ville.  Clarkdale was a copper mining town and the rail line was created to move the ore from the mines to the smelter and on to other destinations and markets.  The rail line is still active and is used to haul freight.  But, there are trips that can be taken via the Verde Canyon Railway which takes you through the canyon.  We took the Star Light Express trip which leaves the station about 5:30 PM and goes through the canyon and reaches Perkins Ville about dusk.  The return trip is after the sun goes down and you travel by star light.  The view is great both ways. Daytime you will see the sheer cliffs, beautiful landscapes, cliff dwellings, and the Verde River.  In the evening, with no city lights around, the stars come out and even the milky way is visible.  The ticket price includes a snack buffet and drinks and you are able to walk out to the open air viewing car.  Be sure to bring your camera!

One way to see some interesting back country when traveling to Arizona is to embark on one of the off road tours.  For example, in Sedona, there are many tour company’s available such as the Pink Jeep Tour Company.  We took the Broken Arrow trail that is on the back east-side of Sedona.  Broken Arrow is the name of an old western movie and it was shot at this location.  The tour was fun and we were able to climb some large hills and difficult trails.  You may find this to be an exciting alternative in your visit to Arizona.

In Sedona, Arizona, a short drive to the West Side of off of Highway 89A offers a unique view of Sedona not often seen by the casual tourist.  The popular Upper Red Rock loop allows travelers to venture slightly off of the beaten path; only to be rewarded excellent panoramic views of Sedona and surrounding red rock cliffs.  Most of the loop is paved, however, there is a small stretch that is just gravel.  Any passenger car can maneuver successfully through this without any trouble.  It is well worth it if you visit Sedona.