What's New: An Online Update for Frommer's Arizona

Here, in this exclusive update to our book, you'll find recent changes, information on seasonal deals, and other up-to-the-minute information.

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By Karl Samson

  Published: Jan 19, 2004

  Updated: Oct 11, 2016

If you're planning a trip to the Grand Canyon state in the near future, you've probably already discovered that Frommer's Arizona is an invaluable planning tool. Here, in this online update to our book, you'll find recent changes, information on seasonal deals, and other up-to-the-minute information.

Phoenix & Scottsdale

Canadians continue to get expanded air service to Phoenix: American West Airlines (tel. 800/235-9292; www.americawest.com) now offers nonstop flights between Edmonton and Phoenix.

The Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort at Gainey Ranch, 7500 E. Doubletree Ranch Rd. (tel. 800/55-HYATT or 480/991-3388; www.scottsdale.hyatt.com), has long been the best Scottsdale resort both for families and for romantic couples looking to sit by a fire in the garden while sipping drinks and listening to live music. The Hyatt has a couple of new additions calculated to appeal to these two disparate types of vacationers. The Lost Dutchman's Mine is geared toward kids and offers a chance to dig for Arizona minerals; whatever kids find in their pails, they get to keep. For couples and anyone with an appreciation of fine wine, the resort's new Wine Bar is a great place to sample rare and hard-to-find wines in a romantic atmosphere.

Vacationing tennis players looking for a bargain in Scottsdale should check out the new Scottsdale Resort Club, 8235 E. Indian Bend Rd. (tel. 877/343-0033 or 480/344-0650; www.scottsdaleresortclub.com), which is affiliated with the Scottsdale Athletic Club, a private athletic club that emphasizes tennis. Guests at the hotel get membership privileges at the tennis club. Room rates start at $129 in the winter high season.

There's sad news on the Phoenix restaurant front: RoxSand, long one of our favorite outposts of culinary creativity, has gone out of business. However, Chris Bianco, celebrated chef at Pizzeria Bianco, has opened a great little bakery called Pane Bianco, at 4404 N. Central Ave. (tel. 602/234-2100); the bakery makes a great stop before or after a visit to the Heard Museum or the Phoenix Art Museum.

Through March 14, 2004, the Phoenix Art Museum, 1625 N. Central Ave. (tel. 602/257-1222; www.phxart.org), will be featuring the special exhibition "American Beauty: Painting and Sculpture from The Detroit Institute of Arts 1770-1920."This exhibition includes works by such American artists as John Singer Sargent, Winslow Homer, Frederick Church, William Merritt Chase, Albert Bierstadt, and Mary Cassatt. Admission for the show is $12 for adults and $6 for children ages 6 to 17, and exhibit hours are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday 11am to 5pm, Thursday 11am to 9pm, and Saturday and Sunday 10am to 5pm.

Desert Storm Hummer Tours (tel. 866/374-8637 or 480/922-0020; www.dshummer.com), which offers fun and adventurous tours of the desert in Hummers, is now offering night tours. You have the option of combining your tour with some stargazing through a telescope or wildlife-spotting with night-vision equipment.

All you hockey fans can now check out the Phoenix Coyotes' (tel. 480/563-PUCK; www.phoenixcoyotes.com) new Glendale Arena, at the corner of Glendale and 9st Avenues. The team played its first games in the new arena at the end of December.

As always, it seems, there's plenty of news on the Phoenix area spa front. The Spa at Camelback Inn, 5402 E. Lincoln Dr. (tel. 480/596-7040; www.camelbackinn.com), located at Marriott's Camelback Inn, has reopened after an $8 million renovation. With 32,000 square feet of space and 32 treatment rooms, this is one of the largest and most impressive spas in the area and is a great place to while away the day being pampered or staying fit. At the other end of the spectrum is the new SpaTerre at The Sunburst Resort, 4925 N. Scottsdale Rd. (tel. 800/528-7867 or 480/945-7666; www.sunburstresort.com). For years, this economical resort has been one of our favorite overlooked little resorts in Scottsdale; with the addition of its new little spa, The Sunburst just got even better. Although SpaTerre is relatively small by Phoenix/Scottsdale standards, it does have a couples massage room and an outdoor meditation garden. There's also a fitness center. Among other treatments, the spa features indigenous Southwest treatments.

Sedona

Sedona is booming, and the stylish new Amara Resort, 310 N. Hwy. 89A (tel. 866/455-6610 or 928/282-4828; www.amararesort.com), which is located near the banks of Oak Creek below Sedona's uptown shopping area, is a great addition to the city's accommodations scene. The location is convenient, yet the resort feels far away from the traffic, congestion, and crowds. Rates here start at $179 in the winter months.

The Italian restaurant Dahl & DiLuca has long been one of our favorite places to eat in Sedona, and now owners Lisa Dahl and Andrea DiLuca have opened a second great restaurant in the Village of Oak Creek. Cucina Rustica, Tequa Marketplace, 7000 Hwy. 179, (tel. 928/284-3010), features Mediterranean and Southwest cuisine. Don't miss it! Oh, and by the way, the Dahl & DiLuca website has changed to www.dahl-diluca.com.

Greer

Greer is by far the most beautiful community in the White Mountains, boasting the best high-country getaways in the state. Add to the already extensive list of great properties the new Hidden Meadow Ranch, 620 County Road 1325, (P.O. Box 300; tel. 866/333-4080 or 928/333-1000; www.hiddenmeadow.com), which, with its 10 modern log cabins, is the most luxurious lodging in the area.

Tucson

Tucson is still busy with construction on its airport terminal, so be sure to leave time in your schedule for dealing with any construction inconveniences. You can save a bundle of money on your Tucson visit by purchasing a Tucson Attractions Passport, which costs only $10 but includes $250 worth of discounts, including two-for-one admission discounts at the following places:

Pick up your passport at the Metropolitan Tucson Convention and Visitors Bureau (MTCVB), Tucson Visitors Center, La Placita, 110 S. Church Ave. (tel. 800/638-8350 or 520/624-1817; visitorinfo@mtcvb.com); at Tucson Mall, 4500 N. Oracle Rd. (tel. 520/293-7330; www.shoptucsonmall.com), or at Park Place Mall, 5870 E. Broadway Blvd. (tel. 520/748-1222; www.tucsonattractions.com/parkplace.htm). Passports can also be ordered online at www.tucsonpassport.com.

Bisbee

In Bisbee, Parana's Hotel and Bistro is now The Harlequin Hotel and Restaurant, 1 Howell Ave. (tel. 520/432-1832; www.harlequinrestaurant.com). The address and phone number have stayed the same, but the web address is new.

Bisbee now has a discount pass similar to Tucson's. Here it's called the Bisbee Visitor Passport and it costs $17. It covers admission to both the Queen Mine Tour (tel. 520/432-2071) and the Bisbee Mining and Historical Museum(www.bisbeemuseum.org), and also includes $1 off a trolley tour with the Warren Bisbee Railway (tel. 520/940-7212 or 520/432-7020; www.bisbeetrolley.com), a two-for-one offer with Lavender Jeep Tours (tel. 520/432-5369; lavenderjeeptours@hotmail.com), and various discounts on lodgings and restaurants. For more information and to order a passport, contact the city of Bisbee at tel. 866/432-2071 or 520/432/2071 or logon to www.cityofbisbee.com. The passport is valid May 1 through November 15.

Lake Havasu & the London Bridge

Finally, true luxury accommodations in Lake Havasu. This town has previously catered almost exclusively to the spring break and water-skiing crowds, but now, with the opening of the Agave Inn, 1420 McCulloch Blvd N., (tel. 866/854-2833; www.agaveinn.com), there is an option for travelers who expect a bit more sophistication. Rates start at $119 in the winter months.