Tourist Paper Arizona

Day one July 4, 2007 Phoenix

After arriving to Phoenix July 3 and having a good rest, you will be ready to head to your first destination which is Lake Havasu City at 7 AM using the map and directions on the next page. It's home of the famous London Bridge. This lake is, of course, man made. There is an estimated population of 52,000 (Lake Havasu City Government), which I think is big, taking into account that it was incorpporatrd in 1978. It was created when the Parker Dam was built in 1938, this lake is actually a Colorado River reservoir popular for water-skiing, boating and other recreational water sports (Trip advisor). You will stay onenight on London Bridge Resort ($206). Affter you check-in, the first thing you want to do is eat. The place to go is Casa de Miguel, they serve really exquisite Mexican food ($20). Now you are ready for the adventure. Since Lake Havasu is internationally known as the "Personal Watercraft Capital of the World" you are going to prove why. There are more than 400 miles of stunning coastline great for watersports, fishing, skiing, kayaking and houseboating (Lake Havasu City Visitors Bureau). You can spend the rest of the day touring the lake on a rented boat ($400). After that you will have dinner at Ihop ($10), and then you will walk through the famous London Bridge on your way to the hotel. The bridge was brought from England by Robert McCullochm after being dismantled and then reconstructed in Lake Havasu City (Roadside America).

Day 2

After waking up at 8 AM, you will now head to Kingman taking I-40 as explained in the attached map. Kingman was founded in 1882. It is known for its very modest beginnings as a simple railroad siding near Beale's Springs in the Middleton Section along the newly constructed route of the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad (City of Kingman). It is known as "The Heart of the Historic Route 66". When you arrive, the first thing you should do is to pick up a map at the Powerhouse Visitor Center and see over 60 buidings on the National Historic Register. The most popular historic properties are St. Mary's Catholic Church, the Little Red School House (currently the City Municipal Court), the Bonelli House, Locomotive Park, Hotel Beale, Hotel Brunswick, Hubb's House, Kingman Drug (currently El Palacio Restaurant), and the Powerhouse Visitors Center (Kingman ArizonaTourism). Afer you eat at McDonald's ($7), you should start thi small tour. After that you can "explore a piece of history" (Kingman Tourism) along the wagon road that was once used to bring ore from the Stockton Hill Mines to the railroad. There you will be able to see part of an old wagon route used in the late 1800's to bring ore from the Stockton Hill Mines to the smelter in Kingman. After that you can visit the Mohave Museum of History and Art, which is purpose is to preserve the heritage of Northwestern Arizona and presenting it to the public. There you will enjoy biutiful photograps, documents, old maps, and manuscripts about the Mohave County and the Southwest. For dinner you will go to Alfonso's Mexican Food ($12). You will then sleep at a Motel 6 ($70).

Day 3

After having a good sleep, you will head to the Grand Canyon taking the I-40 as explained on the directions and map attached. "This canyon is a gift that transcends what we experience. Its beauty and size humble us. Its timelessness provokes a comparison to our short existence. In its vast spaces, some find solace from their hectic lives" (NPS). The Grand Canyon National Park receives close to five million visitors each year. There you can see 12,000 year-old human artifacts from the Paleo-Indian period. You will ride the free shuttle bus. Take the Kaibab Trail Route, which is a scenic route. After having lunch at Wendy's ($9). Then you can visit the Yavapai Observation Station, which provides spectacular views of Grand Canyon (NPS). Then you can go to Tusayan Museum. It provides a glimpse of how Pueblo Indian life was 800 years ago. After that you can just drive around and stop at the many scenic views on the side of the roads. Finally, stay at The Grand Hotel ($140) after having dinner at San Felipe's Cantina ($15).

Day 4

Now is time to take the AZ 64 and visit the Hopi villages of Second Mesa. It is comprised of three villages, Musungnuvi, Supawlavi, and Songoopavi. These three villages have a western style. The main attractions are cultural, archaeological and historic sites. All archaeological sites must be visited with a tour guide. Cultural sites (petroglyphs at Pumpkin Seed Hill and Dawa Park) may be visited without a tour guide but one must have a permit, which are issued by the Cultural Preservation Office (The Hopi Tribe). You will visit the Hopi Cultural Center museum ($3), which displays fine exhibits of Hopi culture and crafts along with many historic photos. After enjoying these exhibits, and buying some gifts, you can have lunch at the restaurant ($13), which is part of the Hopi Cultural Center. They serve Hopi, American, Mexican, and pizza dishes. You can try paatupsuki (pinto bean and hominy soup), or noqkwivi (traditional stew of lamb and hominy), or a breakfast of blue pancakes made of Hopi corn. After that, you might want to stop by Hopi Arts and Crafts outside the Center, which offers a variety of traditional work and a small exhibit with examples of early Hopi silver jewelry. You may also see artwork for sale in a gallery at the Hopi Cultural Center and displayed by vendors on tables outside (Hopi Country). After a long day, you can have dinner at the same restaurant ($13) and stay at the motel ($95) in the Hopi Cultural Center.

Day 5

The next morning