Touristing in AZ and NM
November 10, 2022 1:49 PM Subscribe
Over spring break (so end of March-ish), we'd like to take the kids to their Gram's in New Mexico, which they haven't been able to do in a REALLY long time, and, on, incidentally, take a quick peek at the Grand Canyon. Come inside to see my proposed itinerary and give me criticisms/ideas/etc.
Depart Chicago on Amtrack's Southwest Chief (in a family bedroom) (this will be between Thursday and Sunday, depending on availability of the family bedroom). Arrive in Flagstaff, Arizona, at 8 pm on the second day if the train is on time (it is often not).
We'd stay overnight in Flagstaff and pick up the rental car the next morning, then drive to the Grand Canyon (about 90 min).
This is the route I'm thinking about. Which lets us see Monument Valley, some petroglyphs, and Four Corners. Then we drive through Navajo land to the back side of Santa Fe's mountain, and over the mountain so we can see Los Alamos, and then we meet Gram and spend several days in Santa Fe.
Where should we stop for nights? If we spend Saturday night in Flagstaff, we'd like to spend Sunday night and Monday night on the road trip, see Los Alamos Tuesday afternoon, and have dinner with Gram on Tuesday evening. We CAN push that out a day if we have to, but the point of the trip is "visit Gram (who was recently widowed), with some incidental sightseeing" more than "go to national parks."
Then we'll be in Santa Fe until Saturday, when we'll drive down the mountain to ABQ and fly out of ABQ.
How feasible is this, given late March weather and tourists? What highlights should we hit? Cool museums or great dinner spots on our route? Route worst idea ever?
We've been promising the kids an overnight Amtrak trip FOREVER, and I've never seen the Grand Canyon, so we thought we could take the train a few extra stops to Flagstaff and have a little road trip.
Depart Chicago on Amtrack's Southwest Chief (in a family bedroom) (this will be between Thursday and Sunday, depending on availability of the family bedroom). Arrive in Flagstaff, Arizona, at 8 pm on the second day if the train is on time (it is often not).
We'd stay overnight in Flagstaff and pick up the rental car the next morning, then drive to the Grand Canyon (about 90 min).
This is the route I'm thinking about. Which lets us see Monument Valley, some petroglyphs, and Four Corners. Then we drive through Navajo land to the back side of Santa Fe's mountain, and over the mountain so we can see Los Alamos, and then we meet Gram and spend several days in Santa Fe.
Where should we stop for nights? If we spend Saturday night in Flagstaff, we'd like to spend Sunday night and Monday night on the road trip, see Los Alamos Tuesday afternoon, and have dinner with Gram on Tuesday evening. We CAN push that out a day if we have to, but the point of the trip is "visit Gram (who was recently widowed), with some incidental sightseeing" more than "go to national parks."
Then we'll be in Santa Fe until Saturday, when we'll drive down the mountain to ABQ and fly out of ABQ.
How feasible is this, given late March weather and tourists? What highlights should we hit? Cool museums or great dinner spots on our route? Route worst idea ever?
We've been promising the kids an overnight Amtrak trip FOREVER, and I've never seen the Grand Canyon, so we thought we could take the train a few extra stops to Flagstaff and have a little road trip.
Also, take the best camera you can, because the Grand Canyon up close does not look 'real'. It looks like a painting - it's very hard to describe how vast and amazing it looks in person.
posted by The_Vegetables at 2:29 PM on November 10, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by The_Vegetables at 2:29 PM on November 10, 2022 [3 favorites]
Definitely take them to Meow Wolf in Santa Fe!
posted by klugarsh at 2:39 PM on November 10, 2022 [5 favorites]
posted by klugarsh at 2:39 PM on November 10, 2022 [5 favorites]
If you can fit in Chaco Canyon, I highly recommend a visit. Sprawling Anasazi ruins that you can walk through - and may be in danger due to nearby fracking permits.
Other than that, your route looks great. Lots of beauty on that path.
posted by Silvery Fish at 2:45 PM on November 10, 2022 [2 favorites]
Other than that, your route looks great. Lots of beauty on that path.
posted by Silvery Fish at 2:45 PM on November 10, 2022 [2 favorites]
I would be aware that some of your proposed stops are on dirt roads that are not open if there’s significant snow/mud. I would not rent a sedan for driving 64 in March, because you just genuinely can’t guess the weather. You really need an SUV or something similar with high clearance for driving that route if things get dicey.
posted by Bottlecap at 3:18 PM on November 10, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Bottlecap at 3:18 PM on November 10, 2022 [1 favorite]
Just FYI the main parts of Chaco Canyon (Pueblo Bonita and so on) are pretty far from the highway and each other and at that time of year, snow can make the already bad road (there was a lot of rain this year) worse to impassable, depending on your vehicle. It is 100% worth seeing but in no way a “day trip from Santa Fe” even in summer.
posted by Ardnamurchan at 3:49 PM on November 10, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Ardnamurchan at 3:49 PM on November 10, 2022 [1 favorite]
126 in March?
No.
Drive 96 instead
posted by falsedmitri at 4:18 PM on November 10, 2022 [1 favorite]
No.
Drive 96 instead
posted by falsedmitri at 4:18 PM on November 10, 2022 [1 favorite]
Just completed a road trip through Utah, Colorado and Arizona. When in Monument Valley, we stayed at Bluff Dwellings Resort. It was maybe an hour from Monument Valley itself, but it was a really nice hotel. If you think you're going to do the loop in Monument Valley, you'll want 4 wheel drive as the roads on tribal land are a little sketch. We ended upbooking a sunrise photography tour which as a great way to see and photograph the area since it beat the crowds, but that's pretty specific.
We did take the train into the Grand Canyon as suggested by The_Vegetables, and that was a great experience. They have bandits who come on to rob the train and it was a lot nicer than sitting in traffic. Timing is a little limited. You have a few hours to explore the canyon unless you're going to get a hotel in the canyon. It was enough for us, but longer would have been better.
You don't mention Utah, but if you can manage to get to Bryce Canyon, that was my favorite spot on our trip. We didn't have time to do Canyon Lands, but one of the guides at Arches said that was better than any of the other parks.
posted by willnot at 4:41 PM on November 10, 2022
We did take the train into the Grand Canyon as suggested by The_Vegetables, and that was a great experience. They have bandits who come on to rob the train and it was a lot nicer than sitting in traffic. Timing is a little limited. You have a few hours to explore the canyon unless you're going to get a hotel in the canyon. It was enough for us, but longer would have been better.
You don't mention Utah, but if you can manage to get to Bryce Canyon, that was my favorite spot on our trip. We didn't have time to do Canyon Lands, but one of the guides at Arches said that was better than any of the other parks.
posted by willnot at 4:41 PM on November 10, 2022
More thoughts:
What do you plan on seeing in Los Alamos? Its an ugly town. Skip the town itself. The sights to see in the area are White Rock Overlook and Bandelier National Monument.
>>Santa Fe's mountain
What mountain is this? There is the west slope of the Sangre de Christos. You will see the southern end of this driving from Espanola to SF.
>>drive down the mountain to ABQ and fly out of ABQ.
There is no mountain to drive down from SF to Abq. Only La Bajada on I-25 which is undergoing major construction.
posted by falsedmitri at 5:04 PM on November 10, 2022 [3 favorites]
What do you plan on seeing in Los Alamos? Its an ugly town. Skip the town itself. The sights to see in the area are White Rock Overlook and Bandelier National Monument.
>>Santa Fe's mountain
What mountain is this? There is the west slope of the Sangre de Christos. You will see the southern end of this driving from Espanola to SF.
>>drive down the mountain to ABQ and fly out of ABQ.
There is no mountain to drive down from SF to Abq. Only La Bajada on I-25 which is undergoing major construction.
posted by falsedmitri at 5:04 PM on November 10, 2022 [3 favorites]
Spend the extra hours drive to go up into Utah...
If you aren't going down into the Grand Canyon, it's pretty much an awesome scenic vista.
Zion/Bryce/Natural Bridges/Capital Reef/Escalante are so much more interesting...
posted by Windopaene at 5:09 PM on November 10, 2022
If you aren't going down into the Grand Canyon, it's pretty much an awesome scenic vista.
Zion/Bryce/Natural Bridges/Capital Reef/Escalante are so much more interesting...
posted by Windopaene at 5:09 PM on November 10, 2022
Seconding falsedmitri's comment about skipping Los Alamos and visiting Bandelier and White Rock instead. Depending on your route, also consider Valles Caldera.
posted by Runes at 5:21 PM on November 10, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Runes at 5:21 PM on November 10, 2022 [1 favorite]
The Four Corners is a tourist trap for the 3 seconds you get to spend on the (mislocated) marker to take a photo. Do with that information what you will.
How old are the kids? Meow Wolf can be overwhelming for little ones or anyone with sensory issues. But it is absolutely worth a visit.
Los Alamos is not ugly. Some of us live here, yo.
There are beautiful hikes of various difficulties in Los Alamos County.
Overlook Point in White Rock is a popular spot if you want to get a beautiful panoramic view. While in White Rock, grab a bite to eat at Pig and Fig Cafe. Drop in without reservations to fuse some glass or paint some pottery at Little Studio on the Mesa (and pick up some souvenirs).
Anderson Overlook is a scenic pull out on the way up into Los Alamos (stop there on the way up, not down, for safety reasons due to a narrow blind turn coming down).
If you’re interested in Manhattan Project History, visit the Bradbury Science Museum, Manhattan Project National Historic Park, and/or the Los Alamos History Museum. Buy artwork from local artists at the shop in Fuller Lodge. Take a selfie with Homer and Edna (geese) at Ashley Pond.
posted by ellenaim at 5:39 PM on November 10, 2022 [1 favorite]
How old are the kids? Meow Wolf can be overwhelming for little ones or anyone with sensory issues. But it is absolutely worth a visit.
Los Alamos is not ugly. Some of us live here, yo.
There are beautiful hikes of various difficulties in Los Alamos County.
Overlook Point in White Rock is a popular spot if you want to get a beautiful panoramic view. While in White Rock, grab a bite to eat at Pig and Fig Cafe. Drop in without reservations to fuse some glass or paint some pottery at Little Studio on the Mesa (and pick up some souvenirs).
Anderson Overlook is a scenic pull out on the way up into Los Alamos (stop there on the way up, not down, for safety reasons due to a narrow blind turn coming down).
If you’re interested in Manhattan Project History, visit the Bradbury Science Museum, Manhattan Project National Historic Park, and/or the Los Alamos History Museum. Buy artwork from local artists at the shop in Fuller Lodge. Take a selfie with Homer and Edna (geese) at Ashley Pond.
posted by ellenaim at 5:39 PM on November 10, 2022 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Kids are 13, 11, and 6 and would NOT want to miss Four Corners. We will NOT be hiking down the Grand Canyon, it'll definitely be more of the "scenic overlook" type of visit.
They also want to see the Bradbury Museum in Los Alamos. :)
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 4:47 AM on November 11, 2022 [1 favorite]
They also want to see the Bradbury Museum in Los Alamos. :)
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 4:47 AM on November 11, 2022 [1 favorite]
If you have to go to Four Corners, encourage the kids to play Twister on it. Left hand Utah!
posted by Gray Duck at 6:47 AM on November 11, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Gray Duck at 6:47 AM on November 11, 2022 [1 favorite]
Seconding meow wolf. I am also a Chicagoan and had some issues with altitude going from abq to bandelier in one day. If you haven’t done that before, I do recommend being prepared it might happen. I was just super dizzy and felt dumb which meant I didn’t really want to hike!
I’d also maybe suggest a hot spring? They’re really nice in winter. There’s lots of hotels that are built around them And many are not fancy especially in smaller cities.
posted by jennybento at 1:11 AM on November 23, 2022
I’d also maybe suggest a hot spring? They’re really nice in winter. There’s lots of hotels that are built around them And many are not fancy especially in smaller cities.
posted by jennybento at 1:11 AM on November 23, 2022
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Downtown Flagstaff is also pretty cool, with a fudge store.
You could then take the train to The Grand Canyon, return to Flagstaff, and drive the rest of the way along your proposed route.
The only reason I would say to do this instead of drive, is because the roads to the Grand Canyon are narrow and slow, so you will most likely be stuck behind a camper going 40-50mph, and since the Grand Canyon is a canyon, the scenery to the south is ok forest and foothills but not earth shattering so it'll feel slow and repetitive.
It's been a long time since I was there in March, but it does snow there, and I recall the trails down into the canyon having snow, so they were slippery.
Also, if your kids are less than 9, be really careful because the Grand Canyon is very open and you can fall off a cliff if you are a rambunctious kid.
posted by The_Vegetables at 2:27 PM on November 10, 2022