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  #1  
Old Posted Oct 17, 2014, 2:49 AM
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xzmattzx xzmattzx is offline
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Arizona information?

I'll be in the Valley of the Sun next weekend for the Eagles game. If I have time, I'm planning on walking around Downtown Phoenix and Old Town Scottsdale. A friend is going with me, and I think we'll be hiking up Camelback Mountain and sitting poolside somewhere with some eye candy. Besides these things, is there anything else I should do or places I should go? Any neighborhoods, restaurants, bars, activities, etc, that are worth doing if I have the time?
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  #2  
Old Posted Oct 18, 2014, 12:49 AM
SunDevil SunDevil is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by xzmattzx View Post
I'll be in the Valley of the Sun next weekend for the Eagles game. If I have time, I'm planning on walking around Downtown Phoenix and Old Town Scottsdale. A friend is going with me, and I think we'll be hiking up Camelback Mountain and sitting poolside somewhere with some eye candy. Besides these things, is there anything else I should do or places I should go? Any neighborhoods, restaurants, bars, activities, etc, that are worth doing if I have the time?
That sounds like plenty for a weekend. There's not much unique stuff out by the stadium, but, Old Town has a lot of good restaurants bars and clubs; and, the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art is next to old town. I'm a little partial to Los Olivos and Cowboy Ciao for food. Think about hitting up Mill Ave in Tempe, it really is the most urban area of the metro, from there you can take the rail downtown.
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  #3  
Old Posted Oct 19, 2014, 3:39 PM
Leo the Dog Leo the Dog is offline
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I would skip DTphx. So much more to see and do in Phoenix than to walk around a CBD on the weekend.
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  #4  
Old Posted Oct 19, 2014, 11:31 PM
KevininPhx KevininPhx is offline
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I would skip DTphx. So much more to see and do in Phoenix than to walk around a CBD on the weekend.
You're fun.
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  #5  
Old Posted Oct 19, 2014, 11:33 PM
KevininPhx KevininPhx is offline
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Downton Phx.

Quote:
Originally Posted by xzmattzx View Post
I'll be in the Valley of the Sun next weekend for the Eagles game. If I have time, I'm planning on walking around Downtown Phoenix and Old Town Scottsdale. A friend is going with me, and I think we'll be hiking up Camelback Mountain and sitting poolside somewhere with some eye candy. Besides these things, is there anything else I should do or places I should go? Any neighborhoods, restaurants, bars, activities, etc, that are worth doing if I have the time?
This is a pretty cool place just south of downtown - fun, particularly if you're in your 20s. http://theducephx.com/
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  #6  
Old Posted Oct 20, 2014, 1:54 AM
Leo the Dog Leo the Dog is offline
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You're fun.
Downtown Phx can be fun if you know what you're doing. (I lived in DTPhx.). For the tourist, it will be an utter disappointment, especially if he's expecting something along the lines of Center City Philly.

I'm not hating. I love Phoenix. I don't want to direct someone to a place that will be difficult to have fun and wouldn't represent "The Valley".
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  #7  
Old Posted Oct 20, 2014, 3:58 AM
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I totally agree with Leo. If you were with someone from Phoenix to show you around, they could show you a great time downtown. But it's not as easy as saying "go HERE" and they'd have tons of obvious things to do. They would possibly be disappointed. So to avoid wasting their time and have a bad impression, I'd say avoid spending time downtown phx.

Hiking camelback, sitting poolside at a nice hotel, etc, those are slam dunks. Definitely going to see some eye candy in both places, and assuming you're in decent shape to make it to the top (bring water) you'll have a spectacular view of the city, better than most observation decks at other cities, from the top of camelback mtn.

Take light rail to mill ave in Tempe, walk around there and also go out in old town Scottsdale, and you'll probably find a good time. I think central and north central Phoenix have the best and most "hip" places in the valley, But again, it would be hard if you don't have a local with you.

Xzmattzx, you're welcome to PM me if you want more specifics.
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  #8  
Old Posted Oct 21, 2014, 3:32 PM
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I'd only be in Downtown Phoenix to see the Capitol and take some pictures for a photothread. I'm actually planning on doing that on Thursday right after I land, since I have better things planned for Friday and Saturday.

I'm actually planning a trip outside of the metro to the northern part of the state for Friday, since I'll have a rental car and exploring Arizona has been a bucket list item for almost a decade now.
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  #9  
Old Posted Oct 21, 2014, 3:47 PM
dtnphx dtnphx is offline
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Originally Posted by xzmattzx View Post
I'd only be in Downtown Phoenix to see the Capitol and take some pictures for a photothread. I'm actually planning on doing that on Thursday right after I land, since I have better things planned for Friday and Saturday.

I'm actually planning a trip outside of the metro to the northern part of the state for Friday, since I'll have a rental car and exploring Arizona has been a bucket list item for almost a decade now.
Make sure to stop in Prescott, Jerome, then ultra-beautiful Sedona. Your eyes will explode. Have fun.
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  #10  
Old Posted Oct 22, 2014, 2:05 AM
Leo the Dog Leo the Dog is offline
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Make sure to stop in Prescott, Jerome, then ultra-beautiful Sedona. Your eyes will explode. Have fun.
I agree. If time permits, definitely drive through Oak Creek Canyon to Flagstaff and the San Francisco Peaks. Maybe do a loop back down to Phoenix across the Mogollon Rim via Payson.

Grand Canyon is too far away for a short weekend. You'd want to dedicate an entire weekend for the canyon alone.
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  #11  
Old Posted Oct 22, 2014, 6:13 PM
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Thanks for the suggestions.

The Grand Canyon might need more than a few days, but I need to see it while I'm in the state. I'm going to have to settle for a day there.

Here's my itinerary for the weekend:

Thursday: arrive, walk around Downtown Phoenix and Old Town Scottsdale, drive to Flagstaff at night
Friday: Grand Canyon, hopefully I can wake up really early, stay in Flagstaff again
Saturday: Drive back to Phoenix through Sedona and Jerome, pick up my friend (if he ends up coming; still unsure), hike Camelback Mountain, go out at night
Sunday: Eagles game in Glendale
Monday: fly back early

Keep the suggestions coming, though!
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  #12  
Old Posted Oct 22, 2014, 6:56 PM
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xzmattzx xzmattzx is offline
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So I might be picking up my friend from Las Vegas on Saturday, due to much cheaper flights there. So, I have a couple more questions as a result:

~ If I can't do the Grand Canyon and Sedona in one day, which should I do with the one day that I have up there?
~ Jerome is likely out. Are there any ghost towns on the way from Flagstaff to Las Vegas that I could see?

Thanks again for the responses!
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  #13  
Old Posted Oct 22, 2014, 8:25 PM
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I would suggest to your friend to pay the extra money and fly into Phoenix. You'll waste probably 10 extra hours of driving picking him up in Vegas. If time is money, I can't imagine he's saving enough to warrant spending your extra time. Not to mention extra gas money. Seems not at all a good idea.

If you HAVE to pick him up in Vegas, stop at the new bridge over the Hoover Dam. Or even go to the Hoover Dam. That would be pretty cool.

I can't think of much that is between Flagstaff and Vegas.
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  #14  
Old Posted Oct 22, 2014, 8:28 PM
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I would also suggest you hike Camelback Mountain Sunday morning before the game. I'd spend as little time as possible out in Glendale at the game. Unless you're tailgating.
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  #15  
Old Posted Oct 22, 2014, 9:03 PM
westbev93 westbev93 is offline
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The only ghost town I can think of that is remotely between Flag and Vegas would be Oatman. To get from Flag to Vegas you probably would take I-40 to Kingman and then US 93 to Vegas. Instead of going to Vegas out of Kingman, you turn a different direction to get to Oatman. So it's slightly out of the way, but it's as close as you are going to get to right on your route. Oatman is an old gold mining town that was pretty much abandoned as of about 50 years ago. Oatman is popular now for tourism because the town if full of wandering donkeys that descended from the original prospectors' pack animals. I also believe that Oatman is on the old Route 66 so there is some old highway nostalgia crap related to that too. Actually, I think Oatman was mostly abandoned when the interstate went through Kingman rather than right on the old Route 66.

I second the idea of your friend NOT flying into Vegas. You will lose a lot of your time driving around the middle of nowhere. If you do go to Vegas to get him, definitely stop at the Hoover Dam.
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  #16  
Old Posted Oct 22, 2014, 9:20 PM
ASUSunDevil ASUSunDevil is offline
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My tips would be:

Thursday - Walk around Downtown Phoenix and Downtown Tempe.

Fri - If you don't have time for the Grand Canyon, hanging out in Sedona for a day is a damn good 2nd option. Heading to Flagstaff for the night would be cool, college is in session, lots of fun bars.

Sat - Hike Camelback Mountain during the day and go out in Old Town Scottsdale at night. Get there around 9 to avoid lines.

Sun - Get to Glendale a few hours before the game with a 12 pack and tailgate on the lawn. There will be a live band and a good pre-game atmosphere.
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  #17  
Old Posted Oct 23, 2014, 2:27 AM
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Looks like I'm picking up my friend in Vegas. The flight was $400 cheaper. But I'll be in Flagstaff anyway. We're going to spend a little time in Vegas when I get him.
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  #18  
Old Posted Oct 23, 2014, 3:09 AM
Buckeye Native 001 Buckeye Native 001 is offline
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If you make it to Flagstaff, I suggest stopping at the State Bar on Route 66 between Leroux and San Francisco streets. Wide selection of beers and wines brewed in Arizona.
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  #19  
Old Posted Oct 23, 2014, 4:03 PM
Leo the Dog Leo the Dog is offline
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Originally Posted by xzmattzx View Post
Looks like I'm picking up my friend in Vegas. The flight was $400 cheaper. But I'll be in Flagstaff anyway. We're going to spend a little time in Vegas when I get him.
Sounds like an action packed weekend!

Not sure you're gonna be able to do all the things you'd like to though. The distances and time involved getting to each destination alone will eat up all your time to recreate and site see. There's only 11 hours+ daylight.

You might have to cut and refine the trip a lil bit.
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  #20  
Old Posted Oct 23, 2014, 5:51 PM
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A few things:

Within metro Phoenix, you are automatically driving between everything (except on the train between DT Phoenix and Tempe), but that's not necessary a bad thing.

One of the coolest things about driving around Phoenix in general is the number of natural promontory points throughout the city. You don't have to find parking garages to get views. So in between hitting downtown Phoenix, Scottsdale or Tempe, I would suggest driving on McDowell near 64th street through Papago Park (I would actually suggest Pagago to everyone - Hole in the Rock), 7th Street north of Dunlap near the Pointe, South Mountain Park and lastly one that would require about an hour of time: Tempe Butte in downtown Tempe. A quick easy walk to the top, amazing views all the way around the Valley and totally worth your time if you hit it at sunset.

If you really want to see the most 'urban' area of Phoenix that might actually be active on a Thursday afternoon / evening, then Tempe is your best bet. Aside from the bars, Scottsdale empties out after 5pm and isn't actually that walkable. DT Phoenix has some things to see, but be prepared for how disappointing it can really be. And the capital building is really a 10 minute drive, park, shoot and leave operation. Not terribly interesting. And it's not terribly convenient to walk to from the center of DT.

I do highly suggest driving down Central Avenue from Dunlap Avenue all the way into downtown. It's about 8 miles but gives you a great cross-section of the center of the city. And despite its suburban qualities, north Central looks really cool all lit up (Wilshire Blvd-esque).

Doesn't sound like you will have a great deal of time though. Hopefully you don't also have to drive your friend BACK to LV after the game.
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