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2 Stars - 33 Opinions
Jumping Dora at JW Marriott, Tucson Aug 2010
F-14 Tomcat
Flight Simulator
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im driving from santa fe nm to tucson early september and want to break my journey for one night but not sure where to go.if anyone has driven this route and has some advise on where to stay and things to see along the way i would appreciate the help
I've driven this many times, and you have several choices.
The quickest way is to take I-25 south to Hatch, then the short-cut to I-10 and head west. But this is absolutely the least scenic way. If you do do this, you can take a side trip south into the Chiricahuas just across the AZ state line and spend a night, either in the lodge at Portal, or camping in the forest. It's a really beautiful area.
My preferred route (adds about an hour) is I-25 south to Socorro, 60 west to Datil (passing the VLA), 12 west to Reserve (nice little town), 180 south to 78 west, 191 south to I-10, and west to Tucson. If you wanted to stay a night on that route, stay in Glenwood, which is on US 180. Just to the north of town is the Catwalk, which a lot of people miss. http://www2.srs.fs.fed.us/r3/gila/recreation/attractions.asp?attid=1
A variation on that route is to take NM 117 south from Grants to Fence Lake, then 36 south to Quemado and 32 south to rejoin 12. That way, you'll be able to stop, if you'd like, at the Acoma Pueblo and El Malpais.
You could also stay on I-40 west to US 191 south, then follow the Coronado Trail south past Clifton to Safford. However, the stretch through the White Mountains is incredibly slow: very, very curvy, and impossible to get over 35 mph on.
Conversely, instead of following 191 all the way south, you can take 61 west at St John's to Show Low, then south on 77 all the way to Tucson. That adds some time, but it's a very pretty drive, especially as you go along the Gila River south of Globe and through the Salt River Canyon north of Globe.
Once you decide on a route and you'd like a more extensive list on what to see, just let me know.
thanks alot for the help.will have a look at the options youve given me and no doubt will be looking for further tips when i finalise a route.many thanks much appreciated
The Cactus Gardens. You´ll find most of the spiny creatures growing in the wilderness - and it´s HERE that you can see them up close without having to 'go bush'. Plus you´ll learn about their names and specific needs.
Most drivers drive alone in their cars. Does it mean that each person has/use its own car?
Hmmm... they support driving with at least 2 persons (including a driver) inside a car - as I remeber they built special lane on I-10 (only in greater urban areas like in Phoenix) called "carpool" on a freeway just for such cars. But sometimes my car was the only one on this lane.
From my friend Chris (balfor) from Atlanta, Georgia:
Americans like their independence and that is reflected in our commuting habits as well. We don't want to carpool to work because we might want to go somewhere else after work. We won't 95% of the time, but we MIGHT want to.
And yes, typically if you have 2 adults in a house (husband and wife) then there will be at least 2 cars. Perhaps even 3 or 4 vehicles. (for example - you both have a car to commute to work, you have a pickup truck for any projects or work that you might need and a convertible for the weekends in the summer. 4 cars for 2 people. Quite a lot different than in Europe.) Oh, and you will frequently find the carpool lanes are also called HOV lanes (for high occupancy vehicles) and are reserved for vehicles like busses, carpools (even if it's only 2 people), cars with alternate fuels like natural gas and motorcycles.
Thank you Chris.
The Chirachua National Monument. This wonderful and majestic monument is about 90 minutes south of Tucson, west of Benson. There is great hiking and camping, it is cooler than the city, and a real chance to see some great wildlife.
From the UK it's a long flight however you do it so consider spending a little more if it means you get a little more comfort.
We selected American Airlines because their economy seat pitch was the best. The food was ok (have you ever had fantastic airline food?). The flights were on time. Polite cabin crew but no seat back video screens.
Outbound was Manchester(UK) - Chicago - Texas O'Hare - Tucson
Return was Tucson - Chicago - Manchester
Pinnacle Peak is kind of a cheesy, touristy steak place in a faux-Western frontier village called Trail Dust Town. The mesquite steaks aren't bad, but the atmosphere is certainly lacking. The place is crowded with tourists and families, and feels nothing like a real restaurant. The main steak meals are called The Cowboy($16), The Cowgirl ($14), and The Big Cowboy ($19), but they also offer ribs, other cuts of beef, and various deserts.
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Address: 665 North Freeway Road, I-10 @ Speedway Exit 257, Tucson, Arizona, 85705, United States
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