On this trip we are going to do all the things we have been meaning to do as we go through southern New Mexico and western Arizona. We usually just drive down the interstate, passing through so many areas of exploration. There is so much more to see as we travel through the backroads and into some of the towns and cities.
Our first stop will be relatively close to home at White Sands National Park. An amazing place of white sand dunes as far as the eye can see. We will spend the night at Alamogordo. Traveling west we will detour a little, finishing our day in Benson, just north of Tombstone, AZ. We may have to fight off some gunslingers as we head into the historic town of Tombstone. We will start with a tour of the town, with information on the history of the town and surrounding area. We will have lunch at Big Nose Cates, a local place where there could even be a hanging! Every tour has to involve some souvenir shopping, which we will be able to take advantage of before we head towards Tucson, going through the Saguaro National Park.
We will spend two nights in Tucson. We will visit the Pima Air & Space Museum and the Airplane Graveyard. A guide will tell us about the base and the airplanes that are brought there from around the world. We will go to the historic area of town for some free time and lunch. That afternoon we will visit some of the historic churches, as time allows. The next morning, heading a bit north, we will take a boat cruise on Canyon Lake on the Dolly Steamboat. We will have lunch by the lake and then drive to Roosevelt Lake prior to our arrival in Phoenix. We will spend two nights in the city. A morning visit of the Desert Botanical Gardens will be a highlight here. We will also visit the Olive Mill. The historic downtown area will provide some free time before heading to the capital and traveling through the city. That evening we will go to the Rawhide Western Town and Steakhouse.
Heading north again, we will travel through Prescott and Flagstaff before heading into Sedona. You will have the afternoon free upon arrival in town. The next day we will drive through the red rock area of Sedona, testing Tom’s skills at twisting, winding roads. On our way back east, we will spend nights in Show Low and Safford. There are several canyon areas and different formations we will view as we travel this area. Heading into Silver City, NM we will have some time to tour the area before our last evening in Las Cruces. Our final tour will be a pistachio orchard north of Alamogordo before heading home through Ruidoso.
The cost is $1445 per person, two per room. $1990 for a single room. A deposit of $100 guarantees your space with a deposit of $700 per person is due by April 17th. The remainder is due prior to the trip. The cost includes transportation, lodging, all activities and breakfast each morning.
