Need Recommendations for Quick Weekend Destination

There is a cool town up north AZ called Jerome (about 1.5-2 hr drive from metro area) that would be a fun weekend place--they have some famous shops and Inns that are known for history & antiquity, unique restarants, and art dealers--there IS hiking around even though you said you're not up for it. The area is beutiful and the town is set right on the mountainside. I have never stayed there, just driven through. It was a beautiful drive and it really caught my attention as a fun weekend, destination place--good luck!

OKay my kinda girl. We stayed at the whispering pines cabins in Pinetop, (we had the spa room) their's about 20 different ones to choose from though. And we've also stayed at the "HonDoh Casino" just down the street from the cabins. That was nice too. Enjoy

Hi J.
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Farid

Hi J., my husband and i just love to go to Prescott when we have a weekend free. if you like the nightlife (more of a laid back/ country dancing atmosphere) then it's definetely a lot of fun! they have a great little downtown area to shop and eat and then at night the whiskey row is alive with all ages. I have never been to Prescott and not had a good time. it is about a 2 hour drive north west of Phoenix. The locals are super nice, which just adds to the appeal.

I take it you want to take this trip this summer? If you hate the heat, your options are limited. Prescott would be your closest bet and they ahve a downtown area that has some nightlife. Jerome is a cool town built on the side of a mountain. It's totally a place you want to go to without kids. Check out teh Jerome Grand Hotel. I prefer the white mountains for the sunmmer, but it's a 3+hour drive. TONS of hiking in beautiful forests and not as crowded as Flagstaff. The Grand Canyon would also be on my list fo summer. The El Tovar is romantic and sits right on canyon. HAve Fun! AZ has a ton to offer.

Hey J.! Try Sedona/Oak Creek Canyon. It is only about 1 1/2 to 2 hours away(north), has light hiking trails, shops and beautiful scenery. Enjoy your weekend wherever you go! =o)

Hi J.,

We love Sedona...we stay at a B&B called the Wishing Well B&B...very romantic. The first day I wasn't sure what to do with myself because it is so relaxing and quiet and the weather is gorgeous. There is so much to see. I know you said you don't like hiking but they have jeep tours which are really fun or take a train ride on the Verde Canyon train, shopping...lots of shopping, sightseeing or just relax in your room...maybe have a massage.
Another thing you could do is go to the Az Grand Resort...there rooms are awesome and they have lots of restaurants around them and they have the Oasis which is there waterpark (waterslides, lazy river, wave pool) and they have a spa as well.
My husband and I love to camp so this year we are getting a cabin in Christopher Creek which is very secluded and has a jacuzzi in the room. Another idea!There are tons of cabins up North and it isn't that far away and the weather is a lot cooler.

Let us know what you decide to do,
M.

Sedona. Hiking, 4 wheeling, walking by the creek, shopping, helicopter rides, 2 hour jaunt to the grand canyon, 1 hour jaunt to

Jerome (another destination) where you can see the old mine, tour the shops, take a short train ride.

Hi J.-
We love Flag, Sedona, Jerome, Prescott. If you are looking to cool off, Flag is cooler than the rest usually. The other places are beautiful and not very far away (freeway mostly). If we want to do anything outdoors we go to Flag- if we want to just relax and take it easy, the other places are great too and definitely cool off at night to go and do things. We aren't "night-life" people, but enjoy going out to a movie or ice cream or shopping, etc.
Simple things can be so much fun when you aren't dragging the little ones along and you can take your time and just relax!
We try to get away as a couple at least 2-3 times a year. This has been the best thing for our marriage... we love the break and the time together.
So.. good for you. Enjoy your time away!
toni

Cathedral Rock at Red Rock Park in Sedona is absolutely gorgeous! The walk is flat, so you won't have a strenuous hike at all. There is a river that runs through the rocks and you can cool off in it; it's only ankle deep in most spots. It's very cold water! It's really shaded too, so the sun won't beat down on you. It's so tranquil, as it is a Vortex area. Then go to Airport Mesa in Sedona for the sunset. Magnificent!
It took us less than 2 hours to get there. Google it to find out more. I want to go back!
Have fun!

If you like the night life here, stay here - there are some great resorts that are fairly inexpensive in the summer. My husband and I have done that a lot! But if you need better weather, go to the Show Low/ Pinetop area. They still have some things to do at night - three hours from Mesa. If you want a hideaway, then try Greer, AZ near Sunrise Ski Resort - another 1/2 hour farther. It's picturesque little cabins/ tiny town.

SEDONA is awesome! We like L'Auberge de Sedona. You can get a cabin right on the creek! It's amazing! Very relaxing and rejuvinating! At least check out their restaurant on the creek - it's a must! I try to tell everyone I know about it! =)

http://www.lauberge.com/ourresort_index.php

Great spa, fun shops, Flagstaff is just 30 minutes away too.

Have fun! Lucky!

I would definitely recommend Sedona. It is close and it is a beautiful place to visit. This is where we went for our honeymoon since we didn't have very much vacation time racked up at our jobs. We stayed at Briar Patch Inn in Oak Creek Canyon. It was so beautiful. It was so nice that we didn't want to leave the grounds. We stayed in one of the cabins on the water and it was so secluded and quiet. The food was wonderful and they had someone playing live music on the deck overlooking the water. We got married in June and the weather was perfect up there. Here is a link to their website: www.briarpatchinn.com Have fun!

If you are looking for some quiet time with your sweety you might try A Shooting Star Inn. It is located just north of Flagstaff in a rural setting. My husband and I stayed there and enjoyed it very much. The Inn owner is a musician, photographer, and also an excellent cook. He also has his own mounted outdoor telescope and will give you a peek at the stars at night. We also drove to the Lowell Observatory and enjoyed it there. Here is the link to the Inn. We really enjoyed our stay away from the hustle and noise.
http://www.shootingstarinn.com/

J.

I have a vacation house in Pinedale, AZ about 2.45 hours from east Mesa. We have a website at www.thesomewhere2retreat.com. Check it out and see if it would be a place you might be interested in. We are in a quiet rural setting about 15 miles from the active life of ShowLow and Pinetop. I am renting the whole house for $400 a night, but would be interested in renting on a B&B basis on the weekends I am there. If you like museums, Snowflake is about 20 minutes away and has a great Victorian home tour.
Check the website
S.

Hi J.,
We just had our first weekend away without our daughter last month! Because of gas prices, we stayed semi-close. We went to Prescott and stayed in the best Bed and Breakfast called the Rocamadour. The proprietors were so nice and it was a beautiful location. We got there Friday night and left early Sunday afternoon. It was perfect. We went on an easy hike Saturday morning, walked around the historic downtown area, ate at some great restaurants. It was a blast.
Good luck!

Prescott has quite a bit of nightlife on Whiskey Row once the sun goes down. When we go there we stay here: http://www.gurleystreetlodge.com/

It's a B&B, but they also have a small cottage you can rent with a full kitchen (we prefer the cottage). When we've stayed there, we would walk into town and it wasn't that bad of a walk. There are also plenty of hotels right in town if you'd rather be closer.

I always love to go to Flagstaff to get out of the heat. That have some nice hotels and the town is great to walk around and since it is a college town, there is nightlife there. They have quite a few bars and restaraunts. Beaver Street Brewery is my all time favorite restaurant for dinner.

My husband and I almost always go to Sedona. I'm not too athletic either but still always have a good time. We usually find a cabin by oak creek or a bed and breakfast were we can sit outside and enjoy the scenery while we talk, eat, read, and nap. There's lots of places were you can drive to take pictures or enjoy an easy hike. It's a big enough area to still have movie theaters, places to shop and super good resteraunts. I've always wanted to try the pink jeep tours. They look really fun.

Hi J. P.
One of my favorite vacations was Canyon de Chelly. It is northern Az off highway 64. I have never stayed at the lodge bacause I love to camp. The # for the lodge is ###-###-#### or ###-###-####.
There are 1/2 day and all day tours on heavy duty 6 wheel touring vehicles with a Navaho guide. There are also some short hiking trails. If you love the out doors and cliff dwellings, then you should enjoy this trip. :) C.