Please help me plan a Phoenix vacation

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amother

Tue, Jan 09 2024, 1:17 pm

I am going with 3 kids to Phoenix at the end of the month for a few days, and I would really appreciate help planning an itinerary. We want to do the Sedona Pink Jeep tour, Grand Canyon, and are open to anything else. Any suggestions or advice? Also, in terms of food, what are my options?

amother

Babypink

Tue, Jan 09 2024, 3:04 pm

We’re thinking about Phoenix for the summer

amother

Blueberry

Tue, Jan 09 2024, 4:12 pm

amother Babypink wrote:

We’re thinking about Phoenix for the summer

As a Phoenician.... don't do it!!!
You can't even imagine how torturous summer is here.

amother

Crystal

Tue, Jan 09 2024, 5:42 pm

Did this last year and again this year...winter is a great time to visit. Not crowded and not sweltering. We fly in from NY and bring all our food..such as meat raw,frozen meals etc. We spend a day hiking in Sedona. Then a day skiing in Flagstaff. Then a day in grand canyon. Its quite cold but breathtaking. We rent a car so no organized tours.

amother

Electricblue

Tue, Jan 09 2024, 6:02 pm

Been with my kids and it’s a great winter vacation option. In addition to what has been mentioned My little kids loved the hall of flame and the musical instrument museum. So many beautiful parks to hike in the phoenix area as well.

amother

Wed, Jan 10 2024, 6:56 am

Bump

amother

Hibiscus

Wed, Jan 10 2024, 7:14 am

Is it warm enough for swimming in the winter?

amother

Periwinkle

Wed, Jan 10 2024, 7:31 am

[quote="amother Hibiscus"]Is it warm enough for swimming in the winter?[/quote
I was there last year mid winter. It wasn't so warm honestly. At night was cold. During the day was warmer. I went swimming in a very heated pool but I only did it cus the kids were begging to go otherwise I wouldn't have.

The Grand canyon, Sedona etc are all a few hours drive from Phoenix so keep that in mind.

amother

Hibiscus

Wed, Jan 10 2024, 8:12 am

[quote="amother Periwinkle"]

amother Hibiscus wrote:

Is it warm enough for swimming in the winter?[/quote
I was there last year mid winter. It wasn't so warm honestly. At night was cold. During the day was warmer. I went swimming in a very heated pool but I only did it cus the kids were begging to go otherwise I wouldn't have.

The Grand canyon, Sedona etc are all a few hours drive from Phoenix so keep that in mind.

Were you there over shabbos? If yes where did you stay?

Is grand canyon and Sedona doable in one day?

Is Sedona doable on a Friday with time to get back, or not doable?

Debbig

Wed, Jan 10 2024, 8:20 am

Hole is the rock is not far but beautiful.
The Dolly Steamboat is a really beautiful boat ride between the mountains & you drive through some beautiful places to get there. It’s much closer to Phoenix than Sedona or the Grand Canyon.
We went recently with our kids this is what we did.
In Scottsdale there is a kosher ice cream shop Toms Incredible Ice Cream.

amother

Hibiscus

Wed, Jan 10 2024, 8:59 am

Debbig wrote:

Were you there for shabbos? If yes where did you stay? Smile

amother

Mocha

Wed, Jan 10 2024, 9:02 am

We did Scottsdale. We are old fuddy duddies and Sedona was long and exhausting but beautiful and worth it. The drives are not short.

Debbig

Wed, Jan 10 2024, 9:04 am

amother Hibiscus wrote:

Were you there for shabbos? If yes where did you stay? Smile

We stayed in a house in Scottsdale (Airbnb). We were not there over shabbos. I know ppl who did stay in Phoenix over shabbos in Airbnbs.

amother

Hibiscus

Wed, Jan 10 2024, 9:11 am

Did anyone stay in a hotel near the Scottsdale chabad? I would love to ask you some questions:)

amother

Periwinkle

Wed, Jan 10 2024, 9:43 am

amother Hibiscus wrote:

Were you there over shabbos? If yes where did you stay?

Is grand canyon and Sedona doable in one day?

Is Sedona doable on a Friday with time to get back, or not doable?

So I've been to Arizona a few times. Last year I stayed in casa grande as I have a place to stay over there. I was there over Shabbos. There is a community there and we were walkable to the shul.
I once did the Grand canyon and Sedona in one day. We drove from Phoenix to Sedona, did a jeeping tour over there and then drove to the Grand canyon. We got the Grand canyon pretty late and we were there for just an hour. It was a lot of driving and my kids honestly got washes on the way because it's very very windy. Personally, if I was going with three little kids I would honestly skip Sedona and the Grand canyon since it's so far and they don't appreciate it anyways. I'm not sure how old your kids are though.
There are lots of really nice hikes in the Phoenix area, there's the Phoenix zoo, the ostrich farm is really nice. There's also a butterfly world, an aquarium, etc

In the winter, it really does get cold. I remember the first time I went and February and I did not realize we actually needed sweaters or more like heavy sweaters for a night. During the day gets hit but it's still not HOT. I went swimming but the air outside was really too cold. The pool was heated though but I had to literally keep my shoulders under water to be warm....

doctorima

Wed, Jan 10 2024, 10:34 am

amother Hibiscus wrote:

Were you there over shabbos? If yes where did you stay?

Is grand canyon and Sedona doable in one day?

Is Sedona doable on a Friday with time to get back, or not doable?

Phoenix to Sedona is about 2 hours each way, and Phoenix to GC is 3.5-4 hours each way. Even in the summer with long days it's too much to do both in one day, all the more so at this time of year. Even just Sedona on a short Friday would be too tight for me, but it depends on your comfort level.

Personally I would drive to the GC, spend the afternoon enjoying it, then either stay there overnight or drive to Sedona that night. Spend the next day in Sedona, then drive back to Phoenix for dinner.

amother

Aqua

Wed, Jan 17 2024, 9:17 am

If I want to go to sedona one day and sleep somewhere nearby overnight and next day do grand canyon, where can I find minyanim?

doctorima

Wed, Jan 17 2024, 10:08 am

I think the only reliable year-round weekday minyanim are in Phoenix/Scottsdale. You could reach out to Chabad of Sedona and Flagstaff to see if they know of other visitors who will be there at the same time and could put together a minyan for you.

honey bunny

Thu, Jan 25 2024, 10:51 pm

How do you know which airbnbs are close enough to shuls?

Mandelmaker

Fri, Jan 26 2024, 12:47 am

People love the jeep tours of Sedona and those are great if you don’t have a lot of time and want to experience Sedona. However, they are expensive and there are some really gorgeous free hikes to do there if you have the time. I actually find it more enjoyable than Grand Canyon since most people don’t hike much in winter at Grand Canyon because it’s so cold and windy.

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