Arizona in august with a 1yo - advice please

[manamana]

Have got opportunity to tag along to my d/h's business trip to Arizona in August. Just worried that it will be so hot that won't be able to enjoy it with d/s, he'll be just under 1. We'll be staying in a v nice hotel so can stay inside with a/c over midday and they will provide cot/highchair etc etc Just wondering whether i am being a bit irresponsible to expose d/s to such high temps when he's used to British temps. Any advice gratefully received.

bump

I think you'll be inside more than just midday with a 1y0 - more like 10 till 4 IMO. Most of AZ is in the high 90s, even 100s during august.

But if you're in a lovely hotel with a/c, and have a pool with lots of shade then it could be wonderful, just depends how your ds copes with the heat I suppose. Sorry - not much help!

thanks turquoise, just hoping for any experience so your post is much appreciated, got to make a decision soon

Were in Arizona Manamana? I think as Turqoise says , you will prefer to either be inside or under shade.Some of the malls are lovely inside and others have outside air con !!! It really depends on which part you go to ,if your quite high above sea level the suns rays are very very deceiving and very powerful as the pollution is low in parts. Lots of cream , water and cover.

Very hot IME and I was there in October! Still you can really keep out of the heat as others have said with a/c malls etc.

Going to be in scottsdale but contemplating heading over to the grand canyon for a couple of days as it looks close on the map!

We were in Scottsdale (which is basically the plush area of Phoenix) and I went on a trip to the Grand Canyon. It was a full day out IIRC but perfectly doable. And not an opportunity you want to miss. Also slightly cooler there.

Oh wonderful manamana, I really like Scottsdale. Had some very special and amazing holidays there. Were are you staying ?? Theres a really cool (but like something out of the 80's when you see the people there) , Japanese restaurant on the main road called Sapporo, we had amazing thai lamb chops and tons of sushi and for the best steaks EVER go to Rawhide 1880s Western Town. Its a fake cowboy town with lots to do. I cant remember what the steak house is called in there but its half way up on the right.

\link{http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-2808802-scottsdale_things_to_do-i\ Things to do in Scottsdale}. Have a good look , as has some really good info.

Make sure you visit the The fairmont Princess, as its a lovely place for drinks. Theres an outdoor bar with big wooden chairs and its great in the evening. The Spa is amazing there.

Musnt miss Grand Canyon , see if you can go to Sedona if possible its gorge, amazing shopping, go to Talaqapaque and beyond that is all these fab gallerys and Native american shops.

ooh thankyou - am getting excited now, a friend of mine just emailed to say just go and your posts have really helped - i guess i just have to cover him up, make him drink lots and keep in the shade. We're staying at the 4 seasons hotel which looks lovely and says its child friendly

Hi,
Hijacking this thread as we are planning to go to California and Arizona in Aug 2007. So would love some tips from you Melsy, where abouts do you live? We know it will be hot but we want if we can afford it to be over for 4 weeks, spending at least two of them in Arizona. We were last there in 1991 with our lovely precious son Matthew who died in 94. So now we want to come back with our triplets, they are 8 and travel with them as we did with Matthew, and as we are not "young" parents do it whilst we have the energy!So far we want to be in Phoenix/Scottsdale for a few days, I would love to spend a little longer in Sedona as it was just the most amazing place, obviously return to the Canyon, would love to take the train from Williams, then I want to see the Rainbow Bridge at Lake Powell, oh there is so much I want to see! Our problem is affordable accomodation, as there are 5 of us, don`t like being cramped into one room, need space with these three, it gets expensive paying for two rooms, thought about renting a house in Sedona, but what I would really like to find is something funky, different, fun for the kids. So Melsy if you can give me some ideas that would be brilliant, how handy to have all these lovely contacts around the world, we are in England by the way! Thanks.
Manamana have a great time!

Still hoping to hear from you Melsy!

manamana , is that the Four Seasons resort at troon North?? If so , OHMYGAWD how could you be unsure!!!. You will cry watching the sunsets there. What a lovely lovely hotel. Oh I just love Arizona , the whole pueblo Native american feel everywere and the music. Oh I nearly cried looking at the pictures of the hotel. Its a pretty special place for me.Sorry for all the gushing . Go to the \link{http://www.fourseasons.com/scottsdale/\the photo gallery}

oh triplets your post made me cry to , but for different reasons. Im so sorry for the passing of Matthew , It really makes me choke up at hearing these storys , Im A VERY emotional 27wk preggy women!! IM in UK btw , just have travelled to Arizona many many times before.

What an amazing trip to do , especially in memory and what a more befitting and special place as Sedona.

OK heres some info , Im not sure what you are familiar with so apologies if you know some of this already , I also dont think youll find funky , fun definately , but its more South Western style or motel style !!:

Sedona ; we have stayed at \link{http://www.orchardsinn.com/\Orchards inn} , which IM not sure but was part of the hotel L'Auberge de Sedona down at the bottom, which is lovely , but more expensive end, we stayed at the Orchard part which is half way down the high street,but set back behind , the views from the room windows are amazing and you look down on the rest of the complex below, all made out of dark wood tree trunks. Breakfast is amazing as you sit by the creek outside amongst the trees and you can take this ancient little fernicular thing down to it. Also lovely is the fine dining restaurant there, although Im not sure you can take the kids. The BEST jeep tour place can be found just at the entrance to the upper part of Auberge de Sedona. ITs a MUST.

Also if you can visit Enchantment resort Sedona for a nice dinner , just lovely there , but is a little drive out of 20 mins to Boynton Canyon. Its nestled amongst red rock and just has this vibe about it. Yavapai restaurant has amazing views and we sat outside to take it all in. \link{http://www.enchantmentresort.com/photogallery/index.cfm?Refresh=1&&CFID=14992960&CFTOKEN=52428662\enchantment resort}

Weve also stayed at SKY Ranch which is a bit further up and right near Sedona's Airport, much cheaper but quite lovely with its own pool and amazing views. Everyone comes up at Sunset to take photographs , it gets really buzzy. Theres a great diner called the coffee pot , which is set below coffee pot rock and you can see it when up at Sky ranch.

Scottsdale ; weve stayed at the Hilton further down Scottsdale rd , which is quite nice and reasonable. Also stayed at the Fairmont Princess , but thats quite costly, but we just had to do it pre dd !! My parents had taken me there 12 yrs ago so was a bit of a nostalgia thing for me.

Lake Powell; we stayed at \link{http://www.nationalparkreservations.com/glencanyon/wahweap.htm\Wahweap lodge} , which was cool , as half of it was in Utah and the other Arizona , so they had clocks on each side , as theres an hours difference !! You can take the 2 hr boat trip from there to Rainbow Bridge, quite a long trip , but well worth it at the end.

OK think Ive taken over for enough time here , let me know if you have any other questions , I might be able to give some more tips/ ideas.

manamana , apologies fr LOOOOOOOOOOOONG post hijack , hopefully some of it will be good info for you to.

oooh forgot all about the Grand Canyon!

Ive stayed at Maswick Lodge,which is away from the canyon and its like something out of the fifties, quite unsual feel to it. Bright angel Lodge is right at the rim , so great views in some rooms and the Arizona Room restaurant is quite good , but you MUST book. Further down from here is the start of Bright angel trail down to the base , Ive only ever managed 2 hrs down as its double back up.

Weve also stayed at the El tovar , which is quite majestic in a lodge kind of way , as its all dark timbers, the food is really South Western and we found it hard to eat there. Rooms were all old and musty and taps didnt work and the room got very cold , its also quite expensive. So quite good for a drink and a wander in, as have 2 interesting shops in the main hotel and also a big gift shop in front in its car park inside a pueblo building, but stay somewere else!!

A good thing to do there is the bus tour , which takes you round the north rim and normally you get some great character driving who will tell you all sorts of storys !

Hijack away - its great to hear more info and triplets, your trip sounds like a fantastic thing for you all to remember Matthew. I hope you have a brilliant time. We had a minor set back because our plan revolved around using d/h's airmiles to get our tickets and all direct ones were gone BUT just found out today that we can go via houston - woo-hoo!!! so yes, all is back on, seats are being booked today And yes Melsy, it is that 4 seasons and it does look absolutely divine - hurrah for working for big successful US companies Had a lovely reply from them when I emailed to ask about how child-friendly the resort is - very by the sounds of it.

Will second Melsy's recommendation to go to Sedona - it's incredibly gorgeous and will be cooler than Scottsdale, and the Grand Canyon is a must.

Will be very, very hot - have been twice in October and it was fairly scorching then, in Phoenix, but Sedona much cooler, and in fact, the first time we tried to get to the Canyon, we had to turn back because of snow!

Hi,
Has anyone done the Grand Canyon Railway from Williams? It sounds really good but I think it only gives you 3 hours if you go there and back in a day, so perhaps it would be an idea to have 1 night in the Canyon, again we were there in 91, stayed inside and had 3 nights, remember it so well because I got poison oak? Think thats what they called it, arrived in Vegas looking like the elephant woman, my poor legs!

Have seen the train triplets, as the station is outside below the El Tovar. It looked amazing, like a trip way back in time. We did drive from Williams to the Canyon, I think its on route 66. Poor you getting poisen oak or is it Ivy ?? Make sure you take loads of Piriton !!!

Are you getting excited manamana !!!??

yep - v excited now, flights are booked! the train from williams was recommended by our travel agent and i looked it up in our guide book and it said they have cowboys who come and hold it up!!! sounds brilliant

Hi Manamana, bet you are excited, it will be great, an adventure. Thats how I always feel about our trips to the states, they are not holidays, but adventures. Arizona is just soooo fantastic, I just so remember us driving along thru those fantastic red rock canyons singing along to Camel Radio in our Ford Mustang car, it had cherry red leather seats, never forget it. Kept thinking any minute Indians were going to come flying past us, with John Wayne chasing them!! Hope you have a fab fab time!