Television personality and AZfoothills.com columnist Nadine Toren is scouring the area, finding savvy Valley features, bringing readers “on the scene.” Every day she’ll introduce you to celebrities, athletes, and give you an inside look into local events and hot spots. She'll touch on topical issues, and keep AZ fans posted on all the big talkers around town.
Need an escape? Well, we're here to help you find much needed R&R. Check out these 5 must-try road-trips easily accessible from the Valley.
It’s been said we should all focus on the journey, not the destination. However, we live in a sunny paradise, so taking an enjoyable journey to a gem-like destination is quite easy. Yes, AZ offers an array of fabulous hot spots a mere drive away. That’s why I asked my dear co-workers where they like to road-trip when craving to escape the Valley.Let’s start with our CBS-5 morning news co-anchor, Nicole Crites—she likes to venture to Greer. Before having kids, Nicole and her hubby started a tradition of winter-breaking for a long weekend at the Greer Lodge Cabins.
The 4-hour drive from Phoenix allows you to immerse yourself in the great outdoors. Nicole says aside from checking out the beautiful White Mountains, you should take the Road to Nowhere, HWY 373, and lose yourself. (I’m intrigued!)
Greer offers a bunch of activities…hiking, hunting, fishing, and very soon—skiing! And according to Nicole, you can always top off an eventful day hot tubbin' on the cabin deck.
The historic lodge burned in an arson this summer, but the cabins remain open.
For more information, visit: www.greerlodgeaz.com.
And if you’re an outdoor enthusiast, befriend CBS-5’s Pat McReynolds. He says, and I quote, “You haven’t truly experienced the majesty, enormity, and isolation of the Saguaro cactus until you’ve hiked through the Saguaro National Park in Tucson.”
Yep, just one tank away from Phoenix, you’ll find yourself in the middle of a desert seemingly on steroids. There, you’ll see a sea of protected Saguaros, untouched by man for hundreds of years. As Pat says, the cacti are the true symbols of the American West before the West was won.
The park offers 165 miles of hiking trails of all experience levels. Make sure to check it out when the cacti are in bloom, and stick around for sunset.
For directions, visit: http://www.nps.gov/sagu/planyourvisit/directions.htm.
