Posts Tagged ‘Grand Canyon’
Many parents feel trepidation at the thought of trying to incorporate teens into their family vacation. That’s because teens are at that funny stage where they still want to be involved in everything that the family is doing but are simultaneously pulling away from the family. Like with the rest of daily life with teens, it takes a lot of patience to balance these two conflicting needs. But it can be done, and it can be done in such a way that your family vacation can be terrifically fun and wonderfully memorable.
Here are some tips for making travel with teens easier:
Let them get involved in the planning. This means actually involved, not superficially involved. There are many ways to do this, so you’ll have to find what works for your family. Some trust their teens enough to let them plan one whole day of the trip … selecting in advance the sights to see, restaurants to eat at and so on. Other families simply consult the teen with “either/or” choices (“we’re either staying at this lodge or staying at this hotel; what do you think?”) This makes the teenager feel like he/she really is an important part of the trip.
Choose activities that will allow your teenager to enjoy both their child side and their adult side. For example, head to a theme park where they can have fun on the rides with the younger siblings. But then let one parent stay with the young ones while they go to bed early while the other takes the teen out to see some night activity. Pandering to both sides of your teen’s needs will help greatly in maintaining that balance.
Leave family issues at home. A bored teen on vacation will pass by a tattoo shop and mention that she’s thinking about getting one. It’s intended to rile you up to liven up the day. Leave those kinds of issues at home; they don’t need to be taken care of during the vacation.
Pick your power battles. Here are three scenarios. Number one: the family goes to a museum and your teen sits on a bench the entire time, ignoring everyone and listening to her Walkman. Number two: your teen puts up a fight about the chosen restaurant and refuses to order food. Number three: your teen refuses to leave an attraction because she’s not done seeing things yet. Do you fight about all of these things? No, you probably don’t fight about any of them (although that depends on your family structure). Be glad that your teen is at the museum; she’s probably absorbing more than you think. Don’t worry if she doesn’t order food; she’s not going to starve. And if she’s refusing to leave somewhere; assess the risk of the situation and decide if this calls for an argument. You can be really careful in picking your battles with your teen in order to make the trip go more smoothly for everyone.
Don’t let your teen control what happens with the family vacation. Yes, give her some say in the planning. Yes, include her in activities. Yes, make sure that you’re not caving in to ridiculous power battles. But when the time is right to set down your foot and say, “I’m the parent, this is what we’re doing”, do so. Your teen really is more likely to remember the sight of the Grand Canyon than the fact that you told her she didn’t have a choice in whether or not to go.
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Northern Arizona offers some of America’s most breath-taking scenery, especially if you like rocks. Red rocks petrified rocks volcanic rocks pueblos carved from rock and crater rocks. Towering walls of rock lining the Grand Canyon. Cactus blooming from cracks in desert rocks. Silver rocks mined from the mountains. Relish the history of the West Indian encampments and ghost towns, saloons and mining camps, rangeland and fence lines, rail stations and Route 66. Tour the Rocks! Here is a list of ten rockin’ destinations.
1. Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument. Massive twisted lava flows spread across the landscape. Stately trees grow where the hot rock stopped. Magnificent contrasts. The largest volcanic peak is called Sunset Crater because of the colors in the rock. Several smaller extinct volcano cones are also scattered throughout the park.
2. Ancient pueblos are cut into the mountainside hundreds of feet above the valley floor or built on the high desert plains. Dizzying heights, intricate paths and tiny caves prove the Native Americans ability to survive and protect themselves in a harsh environment. Stand on a rocky out-cropping and see the spider web of trails that lead down the cliff face. Look up at ladders against pueblo dwellings hundreds of feet up the sheer wall. Visit Wupatki, Tuzigoot, Montezuma Castle, and Walnut Canyon National Monuments, and the Homalori Ruins.
3. Originally an outpost for the pony express, then the railroad, Williams is now the railhead for the Grand Canyon Railway. The town is so small there are no streetlights, only a single stop sign smack in the center of the main intersection. Following a western-style hold-up and shootout in the ‘town square’, board the train to the Grand Canyon – very touristy, very fun. (Be sure to get first-class seating its worth it.) Singing cowboys, a hold-up on the return trip, complimentary drinks and snacks, and a tour of the Canyon make a full day, returning to Williams for the night. Visit Pancho McGillicuddys, a bar on the main street. The name attests to the influence of the Mexicans and the Irish in building the railroads and the town. (Try the Queso and chilled shrimp by the bucket!)
4. The Painted Desert and Petrified Forest, possibly the only place in America where its a federal offense to pocket a rock! Rock selling is BIG business, and companies obtain licenses to mine the petrified pieces and create souvenirs of all sizes – for a price. Massive rock logs lie scattered across acres of barren land like children’s forgotten toys. Sparkling colors paint the mesas at sunset. Wonder as the variety of cacti and other native plants change while you climb into the high country and back again.
5. The tiny silver mining town of Jerome, once almost a ghost town, is now an artists colony perched on the side of the mountain – literally. Many of the buildings are held (semi) level with pilings braced against the hill. Visit the artisans and galleries, and then tour the mansion and gardens at the peak originally home for the mine owner. A model of the mountain mine and equipment is displayed. The history is fascinating and the view spectacular!
6. Prescott a real western town with an Eastern flair. See the famous oak bar at the saloon on Main Street. When fire swept through town in the early 1900s, locals banded together to carry the massive piece out of the saloon. Prescott burned, but the bar was soon established in a tent, while the town rebuilt (with brick this time). Let the drinking continue! Tour the historic district, the Governor’s Mansion, the museum and the zoo.
7. Sedona is the heart of red rock country and a very artsy town. Roam the streets in search of unique pieces and bargains take a drive along the canyon (or if you like, try white water rafting, or other outdoor adventure). Sedona is green unlike much of northern Arizonas high desert. Relax and refresh in this beautiful ‘oasis’.
8. Oatman is an authentic ghost town along famous Route 66, where Clark Gable and Carole Lombard honeymooned (not very plush by todays standards!). Donkeys roam the streets. (Our 21 year-old daughter was held at gunpoint by a bunch of outlaws! You keep the camera, well keep the girl!) Folks in town are very friendly, pointing out bullet holes in the saloon wall, telling tales of Oatman’s glory-days, and selling carrots to feed the donkeys.
9. Meteor Crater is almost three-quarters of a mile wide, 550 feet deep and 49,000 years old. The crater was first discovered in the late 1800′s. Tour the Visitors Center (the former Museum of Astrogeology), and then take a guided tour of the crater rim. The largest remaining meteor fragment, weighing about 1500 lbs., is displayed.
10. Hoover Dam This magnificent testament to modern engineering spans Black Canyon on the border between Arizona and Nevada. Listed as a National Historic Landmark since 1985, it is one of America’s Seven Modern Wonders. Constructed in a little less than five years during the Depression, it was built to create jobs in the southwest. Parking is available to tour the Visitor Center, which hosts almost one million visitors each year. Take a Lake Mead cruise if you have time.
As a sidelight, development in Arizona is based largely on the availability of water. Williams and Flagstaff were initially settled about the same time, but Flagstaff grew because of its water source.
It is also interesting to note that buildings on the National Register of Historic places date from the early 1900s not the 1700s. There is a two-hundred year historical transition from east to west!
Visit http://www.touringwithus.com/arizona.php for a suggested itinerary and driving guide. We hope you enjoy your trip as much as we did. It was a wonderful vacation in Arizona!
Welcome!
Are you looking for creative ideas on how to best spend the holidays with your family and loved ones? If so, you have come to the right place!
At http://holidaysforfamily.com Iwill be discussing fun and affordable holidays for family members of all ages. I will also share with you special tips, travel advice and other pertinent information to help make your family holidays stress-free, enjoyable and memorable!
In this modern day and age where most of us are too immersed with work, leave home early, come home late and are not able to say more than a couple of words to our loved ones every day, it’s important that we stop for a while, take a breather and notice the important people around us.
One of the best ways for busy parents to catch up with their children and show them their love and support is to spend the holidays together!
Apart from strengthening and reinforcing family ties, going on holidays for family fun has other benefits. You will find that after a relaxing break, you’reable to return to work with a clearer and sharper mind, view unsolved problems in a new light and accomplish more tasks.
It’s not so easy to plan holidays for family outings though. With so many travel ideas, activities and destinations to choose from, it is difficult to decide what to do, where to go and how to get there.
Cost is also a factor to carefully consider. You need to know more about your travel options and the bundled deals and services included in travel packages in order to get the most out of your purchases.
At this site, I will discuss a number of all-inclusive land holidays for family members, recreational vehicle family holidays, and other group vacation ideas. I have also compiled a list of affordable travel destinations that my family and I have visited in the past which I can personally vouch as good travel destinations.
My comprehensive list of vacation ideas and destinations will certainly help you plan fun-filled holidays for family get-togethers that fit your budget!
Are you set on boarding a cruise ship to enjoy the city lights at night and eat delicious seafood? There are a number of companies offering cruise ship family holidays. I will give you a concise overview of each cruise line, as well as a heads-up on their special offers, promotions and group discounts on holidays for family tourists.
When planning holidays for family excursions, variety is important. It would be boring to do the same thing and visit the same place over and over again. For example, plan a cruise for the summer, enjoy winter activities at a ski resort during Christmas break or visit the beautiful Grand Canyon in the spring!
Doing a variety of things and visiting different places does not have to be expensive!If you know when and where to find the right deals and last minute special offers on holidays for family travelers and vacation tour packages, you can bring more pocket money on your trip.
The best family holidays are not the most expensive ones but rather the ones where family members are able to do things and have fun together.
Are you interested in more tips and advice from other travel enthusiasts? There are a number of travel books, guides and websites on various tourist destinations that I highly recommend for both first timers and experienced travelers.
Over time, I will try to provide practically everything there is to know about holidays for family members on this website.
So browse around, return often and happy reading!
Robert