What historical things are there to see near Mesa Arizona?|191727

I_m going to a place called Sun Lakes Arizona for a week in November. I googled it and it_s near Mesa Arizona. I would like to know what historical monuments or wonders of the world are in that Area. I plan to drive 3 hours (I think?) to the Grand Canyon. Is there anything else I should definately see? Thanks!

Sun Lakes is on the southern edge of the larger Phoenix metro area. It is closer to the towns of Chandler, Gilbert and Tempe then Mesa (although Mesa is not that far away either).

Before listing some of the historical and natural attractions in the Phoenix area, I should note that from Sun Lakes, it will actually be about a 4.5 to 5 hour drive to the Grand Canyon (because you are starting from the opposite side of Phoenix). And that is assuming you don_t leave around rush hour.

As the poster above mentions, there is a large historic Mormon temple in Mesa (Mesa was largely founded by Mormons) which is worth checking out. Mesa also has an old historic downtown area with turn of the century buildings.

In downtown Phoenix, the famous Heard Museum is considered one of the nation_s best museums for Native American arts and history. The Phoenix Museum of History is nearby and not too far away (near the Zoo in Papago Park) is the Arizona Historical Society Museum.

Being in Sun Lakes, you will be fairly close to the large prehistoric Hohokam ruins at Casa Grande National Monument (near the town of Casa Grande) which is pretty impressive.

A little to the east of Phoenix are the beautiful Superstition Mountains that are said to be the location of Lost Dutchman Goldmine. There is a interesting (if winding) called the Apache Trail (AZ88) that runs between the mountains and the lakes of the Salt River. Near the start of the road (at Apache Junction) is the Goldfield _Ghost Town_ which is really more of a tourist attraction than a real historic site, but it can be kinda fun.

On your way from Phoenix up the Grand Canyon, you could stop at Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon (famous for its red rocks and expensive resorts). There is also the interesting prehistoric ruins just off the highway at Montezuma Castle National Monument. And if you are into historic sites, you might like Jerome - a historic turn of the century mining town with lots of historic buildings - which is perched on the side of Mingus Mountain a little off the main route to the canyon.

To be honest, while Phoenix has lots of resorts, malls, golf courses and movie theaters (like you would find in any big city), it really does not have that many special attractions (historic or otherwise) that are unique to Phoenix and most of the older historic sections have long since been bulldozed and built over. Most of the more interesting historic and natural attractions are a ways outside the city.

There is a beautiful temple in Mesa Arizona, there is also a desert national park and some spectacular desert scenery.

How long is the drive from San Diego to Burbank?|188465

My family and I will be visiting San Diego around Thanksgiving. We decided to book a Warner Brothers Tour in Burbank and we must be there by 10 am on a Tuesday morning. What time should we leave our hotel in Old Town, San Diego. Any recommended routes?

It is about 135 miles more or less. At time traffic can be very bad in Burbank. It would be best to allow plenty of time, more than enough. If it were I, I would allow 4 hours just to make sure; but I am a pessimist. One time on a Sunday no less I got stuck on the Ventura Freeway north of LA and did not move for an hour. I finally got off at the first exit I came to. It was terrible.
Just head up I-5 until you get to Burbank. Take 134 west to exit 3 then to W. Riverside Dr. heading west. It is about 1 mile down Riverside after the exit.

Traffic along that I-5 corridor is highly unpredictable. I would recommend taking commuter rail between San Diego _ Burbank, the ride is nice, the service dependable and the fares reasonable. Start by taking a Coaster rail line from Old Town Station to Oceanside for $5, then take a Metrolink train to LA union Station for about $11 and then another Metrolink directly to Burbank station for about $4, a short distance to the warner Brothers Studio. Additionally, for a bit more cost Amtrak offers direct service between San Diego _ Burbank on their Pacific Surfliner Train. Good Luck!

It_s a pretty straightforward drive.

2 hours up Interstate 5 and then another 4 miles on the 134.

With that area and traffic on a weekday morning, I_d leave AT LEAST 3 hours beforehand. That_ll give you time for traffic, parking, and in case you get lost.

It_s about 131 miles drive. If you have to be there in the morning you should be prepared to see major traffic. According to google maps the ride takes 2hrs 7 minutes, and 3hrs 10 minutes in traffic.

6 AM

How bad is traffic going into las vegas from LA on new years eve?|188946

I get off work in la at about 8ish and I_m hoping if i book it i can make it there before 12. Anyone know REALISTICALLY how bad the traffic is?

The traffic may be a little worse than normal (you might just make it).
But also remember the traffic will be bad when you GET to Vegas because the strip will be blocked off/closed.

The hotels however require a two night minimum stay from 12/30 -01/01 so you will probably miss the major rush from Los Angeles by a day.

GOOD LUCK!!!

I just came home from las vegas
I leave at 6 in the morning and their is some traffic every one wants to go to las vegas and plus it takes 6 hours to get their.i usuallty leave at midnight and get their at 5 o_clock [cause theirs no traffic in the early hours].
But call the casino ASAP to make sure their is a room for you.
i book my casino 2 months before i go.

Traffic should not be a problem that late in the evening heading to Vegas. You will miss most of the LA rush hour traffic and once you get to San Bernardino, it_s smooth sailing from there on. Most people that are making that trip will be leaving LA at noon.

http://www.lasvegas-how-to.com

Traffic will be bad. but with all the highway patrol out, you may not make it in 4hrs, traffic in here is bumper to bumper and some streets may be closed. good luck..

It will still be hard for you to make it in four hours as highway partol will be out in force.

I want to plan a vacation where I can surround myself in nature and do some hiking and sightseeing?|170597

My question is we want to go to Colorado, but not sure where. Or if someone could advice me to a more beautiful state then that and please be more specific with city names?

Wind River Range near Dubois Wy.

I would suggest The The Wind River Range (or _Winds_ for short), is a mountain range of the Rocky Mountains in western Wyoming in the United States. The range runs roughly NW-SE for approximately 100 miles The Continental Divide follows the crest of the range and includes Gannett Peak, which at 13,804 feet (4,207 m), is the highest peak in Wyoming. There are more than 40 other named peaks in excess of 13,000 feet Two large National Forests including three wilderness areas encompass most of the mountain range. Shoshone National Forest is on the eastern side of the continental divide while Bridger-Teton National Forest is on the west. Both National Forests and the entire mountain range are an integral part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

Green River Lakes to Summit Lake Pinedale Wyoming

: A multi-day, adventurous backpacking trip into the rocky headwaters of the Green River, located approximately 50 miles north of Pinedale, in the northern section of the Bridger Wilderness. The area offers breath-taking country that promotional bureaus photograph for their _Visit Wild Wyoming_ brochures and wild vistas of the Gannett Peak area.

The Sawtooth Range Idaho

The Sawtooth Range is part of the Rocky Mountains, located within a few miles of Stanley, Idaho in the Western United States. The mountains encompass an area of 678 square miles (1,756 km2) and the two highest peaks in the Sawtooths are the 10,751-foot Thompson Peak and the 10,716-foot Mount Cramer.

Visit one of the national parks. I went to Glacier National Park in Montana (gateway is Kalispell, Mt.) last summer. Hiked every day several hours and the scenery is breath taking. In Colorado go to Rocky mountain National park. Denver,CO Many hiking trails at the parks and you can chose the level of difficulty you are comfortable with. Visit any of the of the web sites for information. Have fun.

Colorado is always a good choice. If you go that route, I would rent a car and visit a few areas. That is the beauty of traveling out that way. The drive, checking out the scenery, is a great part of the trip. One trip I did was Crested Butte to Telluride (with stops along the way) ... both beautiful areas with plenty of hiking.
Ouray is one of my favorite areas.

My home base is Jackson Hole. Maybe I am prejudice ... but this is hands down the most beautiful place I have ever been to. Teton National Park is right outside of Jackson. Stay in Jackson a few days, Yellowstone south entrance is an 1 1/2 hours away and you can even go up to Montana Gallatin River, Bozeman and Big Sky area if you want to see even more.

Third trip idea (South of SLC)... Utah. Bryce, Zion and Arches National Park ... unique to each other ... great hiking. On that trip ... check out the towns of Moab and Park City (only 1/2 hour out of Salt Lake).

Endless beauty in any of these areas!

i live in Vermont this a gergeous state nature wise email if u want. Yellowstone in montana/wyoming is also awesome.

How can I go about researching my neighborhood?|194677

Found what seems to be a great home in Decatur, GA. I just wanted to know of any online sites where I can research my subdivision or neighborhood. Also, my landlord goes through a property management service so I have no contact with him/her, is there a site online I can go to and research my specific address to bring up recent closings, ect?

Check out the Decatur Police Dept. They may have district or precinct stats on crime.
Next the county Assessor_s Web site. Some record all sales transactions for tax purposes.
If this home is strictly a rental the Sheriff_s office or City Constable may have eviction records.

The newspaper www.ajc.com has a section on recent home sales by zip code. You may want to also drive the neighborhood, walk the neighborhood, go to a park nearby talk to the neighbors who are out. ask questions. Make sure you drive the neighborhood at night, and on a warm weekend evening. See what is going on. If school was in, I would suggest driving by when the school bus lets the kids off, that way you can see how many families w/ children live in the area. There are plenty of things you can find out just by driving around.

Where can i find a cheep ferry to Catalina island from long beach?|193610

Me and some friends want to go but it seems pretty expensive. Do you guys know any cheep ferries?

There are a few different ferry companies that can get you to the island. For more information, check out this article on Catalina Island:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article��

well there is not much cheap ferries but the catalina express from downtwon long beach is the cheapest 66.50 for adults that is the cheapest boat in socal except for the flyer in newport which is somthing like 58

No cheap ferry, only one monopoly the route.

Where can I buy Native American crafts and jewelry in the Dakotas and Wyoming?|176343

We are planning a trip to North and South Dakota and Wyoming. I would like to purchase Native American crafts, but do not want to do this at a mall or commercialized tourist attraction. Does anyone know of any off the beaten path shops or locations run by American Indians, where they make the money without the middle man?

Go the the Crow Creek Reservation in Ft. Thompson South Dakota and inquire at the Casino or ask almost any Native American you see at the store or in the casino. They will be able to direct you to native artisans and craft makers. Ask about Alex Tom Fogg who makes beautiful beaded jewelry. He lives near the reservation and is a Dakota Sioux. He was commissioned to make the belt for Sacajawea at the St Louis museum which has a Lewis and Clark display.

For more information about the Crow Creek Reservation go to http://www.powwowtours.com and call the number listed there.

Here is a great new site that is based in Alaska http://alaskannativecrafts.shopping.officelive.com/default.aspx

my guess would be to go right to the reservations..

:)

probably cost more.. but yeah i_d go right the reserves..

I agree with powwowtrips answer. Go to the Crow Creek Reservation. You may pay more, but you know what you_re getting is authentic - more meaningful to you and you_re supporting the artisan.

www.support-native-american-art.com