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Tucson and Phoenix, USA
The combination of endless sunshine, a warm and dry climate, and unrivalled natural beauty makes Arizona one of America’s most popular vacation destinations.
This 2-centre holiday includes a week in Tucson followed by a week in Phoenix, 2 cities located in the flourishing Sonoran Desert rich with history, culture, entertainment, arts, culinary delights and unique shopping opportunities.
Tucson (the “City of Sunshine”) is a fascinating mix of Wild Western, Spanish, Mexican and Indian cultures. Nearby is the famous Wild West town of Tombstone - home to the legendary Wyatt Earp and the OK Corral.
Phoenix is located in the “Valley of The Sun” - so called because there are more than 300 days of sunshine every year. In addition to the desert, lush with Saguaro and Prickly Pear cactus, the nearby Superstition Mountains offer an incredible diversity of wildlife.
In both locations we will stay at the Embassy Suites by Hilton. (Tucson East and the Biltmore in Phoenix). The spacious suites are tastefully decorated and contain a separate bedroom with either two Queen beds or one King.
The living/dining area in the suites have a wet bar with microwave, coffee-maker, fridge and sink.
Both hotels have a restaurant, heated outdoor pool, complimentary Wi-Fi, beautifully landscaped courtyards, a fitness centre, made-to-order breakfasts and complimentary Evening Receptions. Our Phoenix hotel is within a mile of Camelback Mountain (a great place to walk and experience the local flora and fauna), golf courses, the Biltmore Fashion Park, and Old Town Scottsdale.
Tour Highlights:
• “Taste of Tucson” - a culinary and cultural tour of the historic sights and local eateries of Downtown Tucson
• Sabino Canyon tram tour through the desert oasis
• Sonoran Desert Museum
• Tombstone – “The Town Too Tough to Die”
• Heard Museum - internationally acclaimed museum of Native heritage
• Canyon Lake – stunning shorelines and red rock cliffs
• Musical Instrument Museum– the largest and most extraordinary musical museum in the world
Itinerary / Excursions
We depart for Phoenix, and upon arrival transfer to our all-suite hotel in Tucson (about a 2-hour drive). This evening is our Welcome Dinner.
This full-day tour in and around Tucson begins with a tram ride in the Sabino Canyon - a desert oasis in the foothills of the mountains. Our guided tour will take us to the “Old Main", Presidio San Agustin del Tucson (an 18th century Spanish fort), the Railroad Station (where Wyatt Earp and "Doc" Holliday gunned down Frank Stilwell), Hotel Congress (where gangster John Dillinger was captured), Sentinel Peak (where Tucson was born) and more. Our day ends with a visit to the beautiful baroque Mission San Xavier del Bac - the “White Dove of the Desert” - built by Spanish Jesuits in the 18th century, today it is used by the Tohono Indians as a spiritual center.
Today we concentrate on the cultural, historic and culinary aspects of the downtown area. The “Taste of Tucson” - a guided culinary walking tour, offers pre-selected tastings at downtown eateries with up front personal conversations with chefs and restaurant owners! What better way to enjoy the history of this area with food tastings along the way!
On your free days you may soak up the sun, swim, shop or explore Tucson on your own. Perhaps visit the Old Tucson Studios (where many westerns were filmed), the Pima Air and Space Museum (one of the world’s largest aerospace museums), the Biosphere (a unique research facility on the future of our planet) or Kitt Peak National Observatory (site of the first telescope).
An excursion to Tombstone - a frontier silver mining boomtown. After a walking tour with a local guide, we’ll watch a “shoot-out” with Wyatt Earp and the gang at the OK Corral, or visit the historic landmark of the area, the Bird Cage Theatre - a former theater, saloon, gambling parlor and a brothel! We finish at the Boot Hill Graveyard known for its witty epitaphs!
We travel through the beautiful Saguaro National Park to the Sonora Desert Museum - a zoo, natural history museum and botanical garden all in one with over 40,000 plants representing 1,200 species. Afternoon at leisure. Our dinner will be at Pinnacle Peak - a western-themed steakhouse with a vintage cowboy atmosphere!
En route to Phoenix we will stop to explore the mystique of the Ancestral Sonoran Desert People’s farming community and the “Great House” (known as the Casa Grande Ruins), whose origin and purpose remains unknown. We continue to our all-suite hotel in Phoenix.
On our tour of the “Valley of the Sun” we will enjoy both a coach tour of Phoenix and a Walking Tour of historic Old Town Scottsdale - a great place to revisit on a free day! Highlights include: a visit to the Arizona State Capitol (with artifacts of the USS Arizona - flagship of the fleet which tragically sunk during the attack on Pearl Harbor), we see the beautiful campus of Arizona State University, Camelback Mountain and more. Dinner this evening will include live entertainment!
A guided visit of the internationally acclaimed Heard Museum of the Native heritage of the Southwest, featuring the vibrant arts and cultures of Native people. Lunch is included at the famous “Organ Grinder”, with its mighty Wurlitzer!
Morning at leisure. This afternoon we’ll enjoy spectacular scenery on our boat ride on Canyon Lake, known for its rock formations resembling people and animals, and listen to the tales and legends of the area. Later, we’ll stop in Goldfield - an old gold mining Ghost Town located along the historic Apache Trail!
Enjoy the sun, swimming pool and resort facilities of our hotel. You may want to visit the largest flea market in the American southwest, or explore the many wonderful attractions that Phoenix has to offer. Consider taking an optional tour to the majestic Grand Canyon, or stunning Sedona - famous for it dramatic red rock mountains and canyons. Your Tour Manager will be on hand to assist and suggest.
We visit the Musical Instrument Museum - a unique state-of-the-art museum where you can hear and feel the sounds of more than 10,000 instruments from all over the world! This evening we enjoy a BBQ feast at the legendary Rustler’s Roost, including live country and western music, line dancing and a spectacular view of the valley lights!
We transfer to the airport and fly home.
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