November 26, 2013

AAA and Arizona Highways Travel Show

The Phoenix Convention Center by Tim Bounds, Creative Commons Attribution

Last weekend I was browsing through a magazine, when I cam across an advertisement for a travel show at the Phoenix Convention Center. At first I was a bit skeptical, after all I had never been to a travel show, and didn’t know what to expect, but I figured what else did I have to do on a Sunday afternoon?

The show, put together by AAA and Arizona Highways, was a winding array of tables and booths with travel agencies, different cities and attractions. There were hourly lectures on everything from packing a suitcase properly, to taking photos on vacation according to Arizona Highways standards.

Donna Hultz and her husband watched a presentation on both international and domestic TSA compliance, which they both said they enjoyed.

“Like everyone else, just to be informed as to whats available is great,” Donna Hultz said.

Before partnering with AAA, Arizona Highways had their own travel show, but today they continue to showcase some of Arizona’s best destinations said Carolyn Holden. Holden was volunteering at a the booth, but I soon found out that she is the wife of Win Holden, the publisher of Arizona Highways, who I also got the chance to meet.

Though it might not have applied as much to me, since I wasn’t planning a big European vacation or anything, I did get the chance to speak to some interesting people and get a few ideas of places in Arizona that I’ve never been to. And you have the chance to win free trips, so that isn’t too bad either. For the $5 I paid to get in, I wouldn’t mind going next year either.

November 7, 2013

A Weekend in Washington

One of the benefits of having friends that go to college out of state, is having the excuse to visit. I spent last week in Pullman, Washington at Washington State University visiting a friend of seven years. This trip allowed me to do two of my favorite things at once, travel and spend time with my friend.

The wheat fields in Pullman

I spent the weekend gawking at the picturesque WSU campus. Brick buildings with white columns, surrounded by trees losing their leaves, and a covering of snow made up the setting. We celebrated Halloween and watched hundreds of students walking around in the 30 degree weather in their costumes.

I am a little jealous of their campus…

The first snow I’ve seen in awhile

I also went to the ASU v. WSU football game, which couldn’t have been better timed. And of course, I watched from the student section as ASU destroyed WSU 42-21. (Though from this experience I don’t know if I would recommend wearing your school colors in the rival school’s student section).

Front row at the 50 yard line

Overall this weekend was about catching up and getting to experience Washington state and its aptly named university. If you have a friend or family member that lives out of state, definitely take the opportunity to make a trip out of it. Do your research and learn about upcoming event, plan to stay with them and budget your trip ahead of time. Doing a trip like this is going to be a bit more pricey than a day trip, airfare being the most expensive. To find cheap tickets, there are several online guides about which days to buy. As long as you’re staying with a friend or relative, the rest is miscellaneous spending. I stayed at my friend’s apartment and didn’t have to pay for most of my food, which saved a lot of money. With airfare being $250, and spending an additional $100 on extra expenses such as entertainment, this trip can be done for $350. Though it is more expensive than going a few hours away, you can’t deny that once in a while it’s nice to travel farther, and stay awhile.

October 31, 2013

It’s a bird, It’s a plane…!

OK- so I know that I usually only write about visiting places in Arizona, after all the blog is titled “Day-Tripper,” but once in a while you get the chance to take a trip that requires a different form of travel.

Yes, I’m talking about flying. Some people love it, but I am not one of those people. Long lines, showing up two hours early, taking your shoes off, need I say more?

But for those of you who are new to flying or need some last minute packing tips, this post will show you how I get ready before a trip.

Packing is easily the most difficult thing for me to do. I tend to try and fit my entire closet in a carry-on bag. one of the things that I’ve found useful is to know where you are going. Always check the weather beforehand. If you are going to a cold climate, you don’t need to bring flip-flops. If you are staying with a friend, chances are you can borrow anything you forget. Some people even like to have a packing list before they go.

When my bag didn’t look like a hoarder’s

Once you’ve narrowed down the things you want to bring to the things you need to bring, it’s finally time to pack. Make sure that if you are using a carry-on bag it fits the size requirements for your airline. Put the largest things on the bottom of the bag, and work your way to the top. Keep your clothes folded as small as possible, to make extra room, and roll your jeans and pants. I like to put things like scarves and belts in Ziploc bags to keep them together, and somewhat organized throughout the trip. To save room in your carry-on bag, bring your heaviest jacket with you on the plane and wear boots if you are bringing them.

Sick of your belts and scarves getting buried in the bottom of your bag?

Finally, make sure you aren’t bringing anything that is against TSA regulation. Unfortunately, this means those liter sized shampoo bottles and perfume have to stay home.

Now just try and get that bag to zip, while cramming in those last minute items. Once you’re ready it’s as simple as printing your check-in information and heading to the airport. I’m not sure if there is an airline etiquette, but I always end up here earlier rather than later. Waiting in security and digging through other people’s trays for your shoes is not always a good time.

The final product, one carry on and one backpack

Now the hardest part is getting through the next few hours of your trip! Stay posted to find out where my trip out of Arizona leads me.

October 22, 2013

A Day in Prescott

Prescott is one of Northern Arizona’s most unique communities, and I got the chance to speak to Linda Morris and Barbara VanUmmersen about their experience living in“everybody’s hometown.” Morris has spent the last 15 years in Prescott with her husband, who restores antique fans and victorian lamps. She volunteers at the Cortez Street Emporium, one of Prescott’s many large antique malls. VanUmmerson, also a Prescott resident, says her favorite part of Prescott is the Courthouse square, where she met her husband three years ago. Both women are very passionate about their town, and show the reason why Prescott is a must see Arizona destination. After you hear their stories be sure to see how I spent my day in Prescott

October 22, 2013

My Day in Prescott

Last weekend, I thought it would be nice to get out of the Phoenix heat and head a few hours north to Prescott. The first stop of the morning was Berry’s Pie Pan try, which according to Yelp users had the best breakfast in Prescott. Though I can’t be the judge of that, I do know that Berry’s deserved the attention. When approaching the restaurant, I had to make sure that the shack sized building in front of me was in fact a restaurant. Despite it’s small outward appearance, Berry’s had a quaint small town diner feel, complete with bird houses and floral decor. Though I didn’t have their specialty pie, I did get their version of a thin pancake, a.k.a flannel cakes. The restaurant itself was not far from the Courthouse square, so we were just a quick drive from the center of town.

Berry’s Pie Pantry

Pie enthusiast and menu model, Thomas Berry

The best way to see Prescott is on foot, and considering the downtown area isn’t too big, it isn’t hard to do in a day. Cortez Street is the home for antique malls galore, and some specialty shops including Armadilla Wax Works. This candle shop is housed in an old Prescott bank and offers handmade candles shaped like anything you could possibly want. At the end of Cortez Street, we stopped at The Raven Cafe, and I had to try the pumpkin mocha, which raises the bar for fall themed coffee everywhere.

Seriously, it was that good

Next stop was the courthouse park, where I could have probably spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing and taking in the nice weather. The lawn was filled with people playing frisbee, reading and walking dogs, it almost seemed too picturesque.

The Prescott Courthouse, Photo by Thomas Berry

The last stop of the day was the infamous Whiskey Row, which was the place to be in the late 1800s. Though the saloons and gambling halls of the day aren’t around anymore, but new bars and hotels have taken their place, along with some knick knack stores and art galleries.

A view down Prescott's most famous street

A view down Prescott’s most infamous street

Prescott is just one of those places you have to see if you’re in Arizona. The small downtown area is easily walkable, and makes a fun, and fairly cheap afternoon. With breakfast, gas and coffee, I spent less than $60 on the entire day trip. With a budget like this, the only thing holding college students back from enjoying a fall afternoon in Prescott is probably just midterms.

October 1, 2013

Excuse me while I rant…

Sometimes it can be frustrating to only hear Arizona making news when it comes to travel, for the same places. I mean yes, Sedona is a beautiful place, but what about all of Arizona’s other destinations? In response to an article I read earlier today, I decided to create my personal list of favorite spots in Arizona, all of which I have been to at some point in my life. Comment below and add your own favorites, or tell me what you think.

My Arizona Favorites

Phoenix

Considering that I call this city home, I may be a little biased, but nearly 1.5 million other people seem to agree. As one of the top ten most populous cities in the United States, and Arizona’s biggest city, you can’t miss it.

Jerome

This small mining town near Cottonwood has its charms. Once you get around some of the touristy spots you can enjoy the crooked streets, tilting buildings and beautiful scenery for what they are.

Strawberry/Pine

Strawberry and Pine are within just a ten minute drive of each other and each offer a relaxed small town atmosphere. One of my favorite places to visit here is the Tonto National Bridge. Places as green as this are rare in Arizona, and can provide a much needed break from the real world.

Bisbee

Another mining town that proves to be as quirky as it’s name. If you haven’t seen a hot pink car plastered in stuff animals, then you need to make a trip down to Bisbee. Like Jerome, the town has a few touristy mining tours, but also some great art galleries and shops.

A Bisbee-mobile you can expect to see, Photo by Karen, Unsure Shot thanks to Creative Commons Attribution license

Prescott

Downtown Prescott is just one of those places you have to visit during the winter. Victorian era homes, lampposts, christmas lights, brick buildings and snow, it doesn’t get much better than that.

September 24, 2013

Butterfly Wonderland

Sometimes when we don’t always have time to plan a big day trip, it can be nice to just go somewhere new in town, even if just for a few hours. This weekend I made the drive to North Scottsdale to visit Butterfly Wonderland. The butterfly atrium opened May 25, and I figured it was about time I stopped by.

Now, if you aren’t a bug person (including myself) having dozens of butterflies landing on you might not exactly sound like a good time, but nowhere else in Arizona- even the United States will you get to encounter butterflies from around the world, this close-up. There are also a few small exhibits featuring bees, ants, scorpions, fish and stingrays.

It is definitely worth the trip if you are looking for a few hours to get out during the weekend. With a student discount, admission is $16.95.

See the audio slideshow above for some pictures of some of the amazing butterflies I got to see, and to hear my interview with the Director of Education, and butterfly enthusiast, Adriane Grimaldi.

September 12, 2013

Traveling on a College Budget

Traveling is a great way to expose yourself to different people, cultures and places around the world. Whether you are visiting a foreign country, or driving to small town a few hours away, traveling opens you up new experiences.

For many college students, traveling isn’t high up on the priority list. With textbooks, living expenses, and ever increasing tuition payments, it’s easy to disregard traveling as something that takes up too much time and money.

Even though resources might be tight, small trips can be done in a day, for a relatively low price, while not sacrificing the experience.

Here are a few tips that can get you started on planning an affordable and enjoyable day trip.

Plan Ahead

Most local cities have festivals or events that happen every year around the same time. If you keep tabs on upcoming events you can take advantage of the festivals by getting (mostly) free entertainment.

To keep track of upcoming events around Arizona, a great resource is the Arizona Office of Tourism’s event calendar. If you know what city you’re visiting, then this is a straightforward search. If you aren’t sure where you want to go, it can be a great source of inspiration for planning your next trip. You will be surprised how many free events happen around Arizona every month.

Be Thrifty

I am by no means a savvy couponer, but with sites like Groupon and LivingSocial, you can take advantage of some pricey activities for just a fraction of the retail value.

Here are a few examples of some recent deals on Groupon:

Be sure to check in regularly for new deals.

Image courtesy of Groupon

Read the Reviews

Sometimes if you aren’t sure where to go, reviews can help point you in the right direction. Virtual Tourist combines reviews, photos and tips for 63,000 destinations around the world. You can read Pros and Cons, see photos taken by visitors, ask questions and maybe even find some lesser known spots.

When you’re looking for restaurants, sites like Yelp are great for doing your pre-trip homework. You can really gauge the overall reception of a restaurant based on the reviews. Besides just their rating, Yelp also displays whether or not the restaurant accepts credit card, what their best nights are, what the prices are and much more.

Yelp helped me discover the amazing Flatiron Cafe in Jerome, AZ

The more work you do before the trip, the more time you can actually spend enjoying your surroundings. Since day trips can be short, you want to take advantage of as much time as possible. These tips should get you thinking ahead of time. Stay posted next week to see upcoming trips!