Compare Arizona by Senior Discovery Tours vs Desert Escapes of California & Arizona 2022 End Phoenix Classic Group by Insight Vacations
Compare details and see what other travelers are saying.
| Trip |
4 | Great
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 9 days | 8 days |
| Price From | $ 5,397 | $ 3,195 |
| Price Per Day | $ 600 | $ 399 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Group tour | Group tour |
| Lodging Level | Premium | Premium |
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| Travel Themes |
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| Cities and Attractions |
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| Flights & Transport | Airfare included | Airfare included |
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| Meals Included |
Full Breakfast daily, 5 Dinners and 3 Lunches |
N/A |
| Description |
For 2017 we offer a choice of 2 hotels, a First Class hotel in Phoenix and a moderate hotel in nearby Mesa (Arizona’s 3rd largest city). Both hotels are located within a half hour drive of Old Town Scottsdale. The Arizona Golf Resort in Mesa is so named because it is located beside a tranquil man-made lake and a championship Golf Course (although the hotel itself is much more than a golf resort). There are two types of accommodation (all at ground level) at this moderate hotel. For the January 5 and February 28 tours we will stay in Casitas – small bungalows with a separate living room, private bedroom, walkout patio and a full kitchen. For the February 20 tour we will stay in Studios with kitchenettes. There are a number of onsite restaurants, a seasonal Day Spa, pools, whirlpools, musical entertainment twice weekly and free Wi-Fi. The resort is within walking distance of the Superstition Springs Mall which boasts great shopping and dining, and there is a strip mall directly across the street. A courtesy van will be available for transfers within the local area. |
Enjoy the best of the desert and its delicacies in this 8-day guided tour through California and Arizona. See Palm Spring’s ritzy homes, where Hollywood legends, such as Frank Sinatra, used to live on a mid-century architecture tour. Take the world’s largest rotating tram car to the top of Mt. San Jacinto State Park, where you’ll enjoy breathtaking views of the city and desert below. In Phoenix, meet a chef for a tour of the local farmer’s market, then enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of your labor during a cooking demonstration and Southwestern food feast. Just outside of Tucson, travel to Tombstone, where a Local Expert will show you a once-bustling town from the real Wild West. In Saguaro National Park, you’ll watch the sun set over the desert, then join an astronomer to gaze at the stars through the largest moving compound telescope in the world. |
Day 1:
An orientation tour of Phoenix and Scottsdale. Admire the natural beauty of the desert with its mountain formations playfully called Camelback, Lookout and Echo (to name a few) while we discover the local history and architecture - including the beautiful campus of Arizona State University. We finish with a walking tour of Old Town Scottsdale with its pedestrian streets, art galleries, boutiques and cafes, as well as original buildings like the Little Red Schoolhouse, Blacksmith Shop and Saloon.
Day 2:
A guided “Desert Discovery Tour” of the Desert Botanical Gardens. We explore the great diversity of form, texture and colour found in the wondrous array of the Sonora Desert’s 400 plants. Includes lunch at a local restaurant.
Day 3:
A day of spectacular scenery as we drive along the Apache Trail into the Superstition Mountains for an old-fashioned boat ride on Canyon Lake. View the interesting rock formations resembling people and animals, and listen to the salty riverboat captain's fascinating yarns of the area and its legends. Dinner is at the Mining Camp Restaurant.
Day 4:
A visit to the Musical Instrument Museum (the world’s only global musical instrument museum) allows you (with state-of-the-art technology) to hear and feel the sounds of more than 10,000 instruments from all over the world. Lunch follows.
Day 5:
A visit to one of the largest Flea Markets in the Southwest, followed by a stroll through Mesa’s sculpture-laden town centre.
Day 6:
A visit to the internationally acclaimed Heard Museum of the rich Native heritage of the Southwest Lunch is included at the famous “Organ Grinder”, with its mighty Wurlitzer!
Day 7:
A dinner and show at the Arizona Opry Dinner Theatre.
Day 8:
An evening at the Arizona Broadway Theatre, including dinner and a top Broadway show (tentatively scheduled for the winter - “Camelot” or “Menopause - The Musical”).
Day 9:
A barbecue feast at Rustler’s Rooste with live country and western music.
Day 1: Arrive in Palm Springs
Welcome to Palm Springs. A star-studded city nestled in the Sonoran Desert of southern California, it was the getaway for Hollywood legends Frank Sinatra, Elvis, Dean Martin and Loretta Young in the 1950s and 60s. It now prides itself on its glory years with a nod to its glitzy past evident in its retro architecture. Once you have arrived at the airport a transfer will take you to your hotel where you will meet your Travel Director and fellow travellers at 18:00 for a Welcome Dinner.
Day 2: Out and about in Palm Springs
Start the day with a tour of Palm Springs’ mid-century architecture, guided by a history and architectural expert. Learn about the architects that have shaped the landscape of Palm Springs, including Richard Neutra, John Lautner, Donald Wexler and the Alexander brothers. This afternoon, board the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway in the world's largest rotating tram car and journey along the breathtaking cliff tops to the pristine wilderness of Mt. San Jacinto State Park. As you ascend on your 10-minute journey, the tram car rotates slowly, offering amazing vistas of the valley floor below. A Highlight Dinner at a local restaurant introduces you to the best of what the area has to offer.
Day 3: Exploring Joshua Tree National Park
This morning you’ll depart from your hotel for an excursion to Joshua Tree National Park, which is characterized by the strangely shaped Joshua trees, rugged rock formations and stark desert landscapes. The ecosystems of the Mojave and the Colorado come together here with a variety of plants and animals that thrive in this surreal environment shaped by winds and occasional rainfall. Your knowledgeable Travel Director will bring the park’s history and geology to life. Later, enjoy some time at leisure this evening as you get to know this desert oasis on your own terms.
Day 4: Palm Springs and Scottsdale
Join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience in Scottsdale as you join Local Experts for a guided tour of the Heard Museum. Established to both preserve and advance Native American art, the museum has a mission to be the most preeminent of its kind.
Day 5: Flavour of Arizona Relaxed Start
Start the day with a guided tour of your famous hotel, Valley Ho. Meet a Local Expert who will take you on a guided walk of the property while telling you stories about its glitzy Hollywood history and architecture. Later, meet with the chef of this evening's experience for a walk through the stalls of the Old Town Farmers Market. Explore Scottsdale with an Insight Choice. Choose to take a small-group tour of Old Town Scottsdale on golf carts. Alternatively, visit the Museum of the West. In the evening, you’ll be introduced to the authentic flavours of the region as you head to a cooking demonstration and hands-on experience. You’ll learn to cook classic Southwestern and Mexican staples such as enchiladas, spicy meat dishes and Spanish rice. Once you’ve learnt from the expert, sit and indulge in your tasty masterpiece.
Day 6: Gastronomic Tucson
Wake for a hearty breakfast at your hotel before joining a guided tour of Taliesin West, the winter home of Frank Lloyd Wright and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Afterwards move on to Tucson, which is known for its farmers' markets, annual food festivals and fairs that specialise in Southern cuisine. Meet a Local Expert who will guide you through the city on a foodie tour, with a lunch stop along the way.
Day 7: Tucson and Saguaro National Park
In the morning you’ll make your way to historic Tombstone, where a guided tour with a Local Expert will introduce you to the once bustling boomtown of the Wild West. This very spot once offered much-needed entertainment to the many miners that spent hours underground. This afternoon you'll visit Saguaro National Park, home to the largest cacti in the United States. Later this evening, toast to your travels with new friends at your Celebration Dinner before your trip comes to an end tomorrow. Following your meal, join a local professional astronomer for an evening under the stars.
Day 8: Depart Tucson or Phoenix
It���s time to say goodbye to your fellow travellers as your trip comes to an end. Take our organised transfer to Tucson International Airport at your leisure or Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport arriving at 11:00. You will also have the option to extend your stay at JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa.
