Day 1 Kearney, NE

When looking for relief from the long winter, there’s no better place than Arizona’s Valley of the Sun. The sunny skies and desert setting will thaw out your bones. Today is a relaxing travel day. We travel as far as Kearney, Nebraska for our first overnight.

Day 2 Colorado Springs, CO

This morning we visit the Great Platte River Road Archway. We do a tour then enjoy an included lunch here. We’ll make our way through Nebraska into Colorado and stop for our evening stay in Colorado Springs. (B)

Day 3 Albuquerque, NM

We continue south this morning through Colorado and into New Mexico. We’ll arrive in Santa Fe and have some free time to explore at the Santa Fe Plaza. Next, we’ll visit the historic Loretto Chapel, if available. Known for it’s “miraculous staircase.” The staircase has two 360 degree turns and no visible means of support. It is said that the staircase was built without nails, only wooden pegs. From Santa Fe, we will travel to Albuquerque, the largest city in New Mexico. We will overnight here this evening. (B)

Day 4 Flagstaff, AZ

Today is a travel day, sit back and relax as we travel along the historic Route 66 to Flagstaff and check-in to our hotel for the next 2 nights. (B)

Day 5 Flagstaff, AZ

All aboard! This morning we board a vintage rail car in Williams, AZ for a nostalgic trip back in time with western music and cowboy characters sharing historical and regional information on the Grand Canyon Railway. The train will travel almost due north 65 miles to the Historic Village at the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. Upon arrival, a motorcoach will be waiting for us to take us on a 1.5 hour guided tour along the South Rim. This tour is loaded with history, information about the region and lovely viewpoints. Lunch will be included at the Maswik Lodge along the way. There will be time to explore and shop at the historic Grand Canyon Village before we board our train for the 2 hour trip back to Williams Depot. (B, L)

Day 6 Scottsdale, AZ

We begin our day with a drive through Oak Creek Canyon on our way to our overnight. The canyon is known for its colorful rocks and unique formations and is often described as a smaller cousin of the Grand Canyon because of its scenic beauty. Next, head into Sedona for a Trolley Tour of Sedona along the south side of town, showcasing the upscale Gallery District, including the famous Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village, and is highlighted by a stop at the inspirational Chapel of the Holy Cross. The views from the chapel are spectacular! We’ll allow you some free time here to explore before making our way to Scottsdale for the next 3 nights. (B)

Day 7 Scottsdale, AZ

This morning will begin with a stop for delicious citrus fruits while viewing the citrus groves located here at the Orange Patch Too! From there we drive through the Superstition Mountains on our way to Tortilla Flat, an authentic Ghost Town. You will have your choice of the biggest burgers, hot dogs, hottest chili, and much more as we enjoy an included lunch at the only restaurant in town. Don’t forget to save room for prickly pear ice cream for dessert. Nestled here in the heart of the Superstition Mountains, we’ll board the Dolly Steamboat on spectacular Canyon Lake. We’ll have a chance of seeing big horn sheep, bald eagles and a host of other wildlife, water fowl and birds. Next stop, the Superstition Mountain Museum, offering commanding views of the Valley of the Sun, including Phoenix and the surrounding communities. Here we will learn the history and mystery of this intriguing area. (B, L)

Day 8 Scottsdale, AZ

Today starts with a city tour of Scottsdale. Afterwards the day will be on your own to relax at our hotel, sit by the pool or explore the area. Tonight we attend the Barleen’s Dinner Show, also known as “the Arizona Opry.”

Day 9 Tucson, AZ

Our first stop today is Mount Lemmon, the highest point in the Santa Catalina Mountains. Lunch is included this afternoon. Next we tour the Queen Creek Olive Mill seeing their orchard and learning about how they grow and press olives to make quality extra virgin olive oil. Get the chance to taste their product and do some shopping here. We arrive in Tucson this evening and gather for an included dinner. (B, D)

Day 10 Tucson, AZ

We will start off the day visiting DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun, what started as a small construction project in the early 1950s developed into a 10-acre National Historic District designed and built by acclaimed Arizona artist Ettore “Ted” DeGrazia. After lunch on your own, we head over to the Mineral Discovery Center and learn about the copper mining process then do a Mine Tour in an open-pit copper mine. We will see how copper ore is mined and how it is processed in the mill to extract the copper minerals. Next, we’ll spend the rest of our afternoon at the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. A natural history museum, zoo, botanical garden, art gallery, and aquarium, featuring 21 acres of desert landscape. It is home to more than 230 animal species and 1,200 kinds of plants. (B)

Day 11 Home

Our tour comes to an end today as we make our way to the airport in Phoenix and fly home.