Cherihorn Loc: Toledo

I will be in Phoenix May 2 and May 8. In between I will be in the Flagstaff area (FINALLY get to see the Grand Canyon!) I am looking for places to go to sight-see the afternoon of the 2nd after we fly in. Nature, views, etc. Suggestions anyone?

SPUD MAN Loc: IDAHO

THE PHOENIX ZOO PROVIDES LOTS OF OPPORTUNITY FOR NATURE ... IT'S IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF THE AIRPORT

sploppert Loc: Rochester, NY

Head north on the way to Flagstaff on Rt 89a and stop at Sedona. The Red Rock country. Turn right on Airport rd and go to the top. There is a vortex there. Go into the town proper and and turn right on Rt 179, goto the town of Oak Creek. Look for School house rd and turn right. goto the end of the dirt rd for the best view of Cathedral Rock.( seen in many of the old westerns) Also check out Bell Rock just down the main road.

Cherihorn Loc: Toledo

Thank you very much. I can't wait to get there! Your photos are inspiring!

sploppert Loc: Rochester, NY

PLan on spending the day in Sedona. Don't forget to just walk around the town and browse the shops. Sedona in about 35 miles south of Flagstaff on Rt 89a

John N Loc: HP14 3QF Stokenchurch, UK

SEDONA was brill. Especially the drive down. We were pushed for time on our tour and hadn't researched this as thoroughly as we might have. There is (or was in 2011) a REAL camera shop in the town that was very helpful to us. Leave some time for the 89A drive, and make use of any lay-bys.

bunuweld Loc: Arizona

For just an afternoon, the Phoenix Botanical Garden is a good place to visit, with many samples of desert flora and in a very nice setting. You can even sit at the outdoor restaurant and enjoy the late afternoon lights while having a sandwich.

bunuweld Loc: Arizona

Here is a link:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g31310-d109186-Reviews-Desert_Botanical_Garden-Phoenix_Arizona.html

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

Plan on spending a day or several in Sedona. There are many really fantastic day hikes into the "red rocks". You cannot NOT get wonderful photographs! Oak Creek about 12 miles north of Sedona is the most famous - but the most likely to have lots of people.

A beautiful area outside of Phoenix in which to see the Senoran Desert is to head East from Pheonix to Apache Junction. About eight miles southeast of there is the Peralta Trailhead - you turn off the highway on to a gravel road and drive about 8 miles to the parking area. Most maps show this. Take the trail going off to the right paralleling the mountains which stays fairly flat for a while to see a huge variety of cacti. If you have 6-8 hours you can do the loop - it is a fantastic hike. Years ago I actually encountered grizzled old prospector with a donkey loaded with supplies! Take water, sunscreen, and a big hat.

For future reference: The Senoran Desert Museum outside of Tucson is great - the hummingbird aviary has a dozen or so different species of hummers that you can get wonderful close-ups of. Also - East of Flagstaff on the Navajo Reservation next to the town of Chinle is the Canyon de Chelley National Monument. It is an awesome sandstone canyon with numerous cliff dwellings. Navajo still live in hogans in the canyon. You have to go in with a Navajo guide, so it is often necessary to spend the night and go in on a morning trip. Wonderful views of the famous White House Ruins can be had from the upper southern edge of the canyon that can be reached by car. It is very mystical.

West Fork, Oak Creek Canyon


Boynton Canyon, Sedona

sploppert Loc: Rochester, NY

Rollie's camera in Sedona http://www.rolliescamera.com/ is a great camera store. Possibly the best in Arizona. Something for the cassual shooter to the high end gear for the pros in the side room. I suggest taking a wide angle lens and a pol. filter. The shop is on Main st (89a) in the middle of town. Don't forget to stop at Tlaquepaque plaza for a real treat.

Sheila Loc: Arizona or New York

Am a snowbird on my way home from AZ. The afternoons in early May can be quite warm if you are not used to the weather. The Papago Park area has the Zoo and the Desert Botanical Garden. Both are very interesting and fairly large so be prepared. I have photographed in both locations and would advise a neutral density or polarizer for afternoon shooting. The light is intense in the afternoon.

Papago Park itself has some interesting geological formations. The park, zoo and garden if you want to be outside in Phoenix. Maricopa County has an excellent park system but because of the heat and the need for hiking boots in many areas, I would not recommend them in May.

Sedona offers wonderful opportunities for photography but you specifically mentioned a May 2 afternoon in Phoenix. If you change your mind and want someplace indoors, I would suggest the Heard Museum, a Native American museum in Central Phoenix.

The Phoenix area alone has much to offer and more things to do than time to do them.

Cherihorn Loc: Toledo

Thank you everyone! I knew you would come through! I am especially grateful for the advice on the heat, which we will NOT be used to, and my husband doesn't tolerate at all. Also, thank you for the advice on a wide angle lens. I was about to order a Sigma 10-20 when my daughter told me that there is a new one out there-which means more research (I may never get around to ordering!) Or maybe I should head straight to Rollie's. I was looking at a site that talked about Apache junction. It mentioned that a 4-wheel drive off-road vehicle was suggested. Of course, we'll be renting a car. Please, keep the suggestions coming, if anyone else has something to offer. It looks like we will need to make more than one trip to see this wonderful area. I really can't wait!

BigBear Loc: Northern CT

The AZ-Sonora Desert Museum is a fun place.
In addition to the outdoor gardens and wildlife, they put on a raptor free flight demonstration. It really is a place for taking pictures. I came away with a few hundred pics that I went through for weeks afterward.

Sheila Loc: Arizona or New York

Apache Junction is our winter home. Some of the jeep tours are run out the gold mine museum site in AJ. If yoy plan to go to AJ and can't arrange an offroad trip, you might want to consider the boat ride on Canyon Lake or a car ride to Tortilla Flat. The boat rides on Canyon or Saguaro Lakes last a couple of hours and offer a good way to see various birds and plant life. On the Canyon Lake ride you may also see bighorn sheep, coyotes or mule deer. Some books say that you can drive from Tortillia Flat to Roosevelt Lake but my advice would be don't do this in your rental car. The ride is over unpaved, narrow, twisty road.

The Superstition Museum near the gold mining site has old mining equipment, and old movie memorabilia. Some of the items were brought there from a movie set in nearby Gold Canyon community. A chapel that was used in one of Elvis's movies is open to visit. Lost Dutchman Park offers hiking and picnic areas and great views of the Superstitions. Do not venture out onto the trails without plenty of water. You do have to be aware of snakes in warmer weather. They don't bother you unless you inadvertantly enter their space.

romanticf16 Loc: Commerce Twp, MI

Tallyesson West, the Wright Winter School of Architecture is open as a Museum outside of Scottsdale, AZ. The Wrigley Mansion is in Phonex and is open for paid tours. In one of the towns about 40 miles from Sedona there is a railroad ride thru the canyons- open sided flatcars or enclosed cars at your option. Lots of Bald Eagles in view, beautiful scenery, railroad images too.