Every Labor Day weekend the hubby and I try to head out for a nice road trip for some new adventures. This time around we decided to take the gang, including the pups, out to Arizona. On the list of must-do stops was the Grand Canyon, Sedona and Flagstaff. We took quite a few unexpected stops which turned out amazing.
After 6 or so hours of Car Karaoke we touched ground on Williams, Arizona, and made a quick stop to Bearizona, a cute little animal park that you can drive right through with your car. We couldn't resist, so of course we drove through this forest sanctuary filled with Arctic Wolves, Bison, Deer and Bears...lots and lots of Bears, oh my! It was quite exciting when you had to veer off to one side because a Bear decided he wanted to take a nap right in the middle of the street.
We finally made it to our hotel in Flagstaff, a cute kitschy town on historic Route 66. We fell in love with Flagstaff, a gorgeous mountain town full of lush greenery and wildlife. If there is one place we are happiest, it's the mountains.
We finally made it out to The Grand Canyon...can you say BUCKET LIST?! I have dreamed of always being there...admiring the majestic formation in our country. The entire area of the Grand Canyon is a lot greener than I expected it to be. The trail along the rim is very family friendly and is doable in a day. We took a few stop to rest the pups and even had a picnic along the edge.
I can't describe the feeling I had there. Even though it was crowded and loud...you reached this sense of peace where everything, and everyone, became still...silent. It was perfect. I returned from our day's adventure recharged. The Grand Canyon is very pet friendly. We met many other pups and their owners. The terrain is not steep or strenuous but I highly recommend packing them lots of water and food. The entire day will be spent here with plenty to do and see, so make sure you have their meals ready to keep their energy up. Pack a picnic! You can take advantage of having a picnic right there at the park...or even better, right on the rim like we did! What an experience.
We had a small detour heading home to two landmarks...Sedona and Jerome. Sedona was not that far from Flagstaff where we were staying. No more than an hour and a half and we were smack in the middle of the Sedona Red Rocks. The town of Sedona is definitely a one stop in all. Grab a bite at one of their pet friendly restaurants or shop in their unique shops. We did a bit of site seeing of the majestic red rocks throughout Sedona and then headed north up the mountains to a Ghost Town called Jerome. Jerome was our kind of town...historic and haunted. Another pet friendly town filled with rich history in copper mining. Once a thriving mining town, Jerome is home to many kitchy shops, themed restaurants and even a winery.
happy with the results. As a Halloween nerd, I couldn't wait to see what spooky and fun decor they would have up. First, Oogie-Boogie greats you at the door when you step into the park. Then you make your way to the from the Elias and Co. store which has the one and only Headless Horseman awaiting your visit. His statue is there for pictures during the day, get ready for that line! Then at night it is almost as if he comes to life! As it turns into night, that area of the park looks like, and feels like, a scene right out of Sleepy Hallow with spooky music and The Headless Horseman's ghoulish laugh. His horse snorts out smoke from his nose and the Jack-O-Lantern is lit with glee. I can't get enough of this new feature for Halloween. I am a nerd and a librarian...so maybe seeing a Washington Irving nod in the park has something to do with it. Then make sure you head down to Radiator Springs for the best Halloween decor in town! The entire town is sprawled out with ghoulish glee. The residents are in their costume best, from Mater to Lightening.Make sure you also pay a visit to Doc Hudson's shrine in honor of him in Ramone's shop. If you are a Paul Newman fan, like myself, then you will get all the feels like I did. I love the homage to Dia De Los Muertos they had happening around Ramone's. Well done, Disney! This is too much fun! I will post soon about the haunting happenings at Disneyland.
