One Day Trips

Quo vadis? To Sedona to sooth the sould and fill the lungs with fresh air.This is the time of year when lots of people flock from other parts of the country and Canada to the warmer bone soothing weather in Phoenix.  It's also a time when plenty of Phoenicians hide into thick coats away from the cold ironically.Phoenix as fun as it can be sometimes needs to be left behind for more naturally adventures and one of those near by is in Sedona where there are dozens of amazing trails from a moderate walk to a strenuous multi-day adventure: and it's still warm.One of those trails is a loop around Bell Rock.  I've long avoided this spot because it's a tourist magnet, but on a recent one day trip this was the destination.  The Courthouse Butte Loop…

Things to do more then once in Phoenix, AZ: hiking in the Phoenix Mountains Preserve.Photos: Artur Ciesielski One of the most spectacular views of the Phoenix valley is from it's highest point: Piestewa Peak. The peak that used to be called Squaw Peak. The view is simply spectacular, especially when the air is clear and the sun not too bright.Piestewa Peak is located virtually in the middle of the Phoenix valley amongst the Phoenix Mountain Preserve which is surrounded by Central Phoenix, the Biltmore area, Paradise Valley, Sunnyslope and the North Foothills and Dreamy Draw.The peak is 2,608 high: the hike is vigorous, nearly straight up the steep rocky side and there is only one trail to get up there. It's so demanding that it's not…

Arizona in photos.With the summer heat close to full burn the Northern parts of AZ are looking mighty attractive. The photo above is from trail 145 starting from the foot of the Mogollon Rim heading up to the lakes atop of it.  It still cool, the earth smells good and the views are quite wonderful.  Read more about the Mogollon Rim with links to maps and places to go there.This article is just an excuse to post a nice photo I took.

An enchanted farm with organic produce, delicious food, pecan trees and a historic presence is the setting for our picnic.On any day and at any time the Farm At South Mountain is a great place for a picnic.  Of course you can enjoy world class dining at Quiescence or breakfast at Morning Glory Cafe or lunch at The Farm Kitchen.For a daytime break from the office or an escape from the day take your basket of food, from Kitchen, to the rustic well worn tables or better yet bring a blanket and lay across the lush fertile grass under the shade of large mature rows of pecan trees.The farm sits on 12 acres of pecan groves: a left over from historic times.  In the back there is farm of fresh vegetables for the restaurants and animals like chickens.This…

Tempe Town Lake on the Salt River.Boating, Kayaking, Jogging, Hiking, Biking, Walking, Fishing: then if you're hungry just a short walk away is Mill Ave. a historic Tempe street filled with restaurants.These are all things you can do at Tempe Town Lake which adjacent to the 2,000 acre Papago Park, Mill Ave District and Arizona State University.  This lake is a top attraction in the valley especially in an urban environment.Even better since the light rail opened it,s even more accessible and easier to explore on bike.  Get on at any stop along the 21 mile mile route and explore the lake then go to downtown Mesa or downtown Phoenix and back.  Take a bike for an exhilarating sense of freedom: be free of the cumbersome car which limits your mobility…

Where the Canyon begins.The Grand Canyon is spectacular but it's almost too big: it's the Louvre vs. the Pablo Picasso Museum: it's the Aerial view of the city vs. a drive through the neighborhood.  These may or may not be good analogies but maybe you get the point.  Where do you start looking?  It's so massive and big that one can hardly take it in. It almost looks like a picture, a painting: a view of the Grand Canyon on a good photo is often better then seeing it especially if you have seen it 10 times.Unless you delve into the details I think its difficult to appreciate how it formed.  A trip to where the canyon is small there you can see the small crevasses in the ground, where the rocks are rolling down the sinking sand, where the scale…

Tired of the desert? The ocean beach is only 4.5 hours from Phoenix, AZ by car.It's because this is a season of merry that many of the posts at Phoenix Market Trends have been related to pleasure then real estate but Phoenix Market Trends is not only about pure real estate but also about getting to know the valley and what it offers in terms of lifestyle and local color.One characteristic that makes Phoenix so attractive is that even in the winter it's warm and while it's blazing hot in the summer there are places to around that state for a bit more diversity.Like right now you can go skiing just 2 hours away or you can hit the beach: see the ocean over a weekend or if you're determined in a day: by car.The beach is only 4.5 hours away: a leisurely…

Where to take a one day trip from Phoenix in all seasons.GreaterPhoenix is a great place to live, most agree but, sometimes you want to see something different or immerse yourself in spectacular views and forests of pine trees and maybe a swim in a lake and be back home the same day.  A place that has all those characteristics is the Mogollon Rim in the Tonto National forest just north east of Payson.I won't go into all the things you can do there : you can see that in detail at the rim's website: it's the Mogollon Rim itself that will leave you in awe.The Rim is an escarpment of the southwestern edge of the Colorado Plateau.  Along the central most spectacular beautiful and awesome portions it's characterized by sandstone and limestone cliffs of…

Just a short drive North from Phoenix there is a different world. The high desert with fall colors and winter skiing. It's a perfect one day trip.Phoenix has only two seasons but for me it seems like it's only one season: summer, but what ever amount of seasons you thing Phoenix has Autumn is usually not one of them.  There are no big parks with trees in golden colors and no piles of leaves to jump into. But, a true fall season is only 2.3 hours away, or 1.5 hours for some: Flagstaff is one of the most popular and beautiful places to see the fall colors because of the abundance of trees that cover the sides of the San Francisco peaks and other abandoned volcanoes.This weekend we got a chance to see the beautiful fall colors of the aspen trees on…