Non Disney Trip Report - ME, RI, AZ, CO, NM etc

[Ted in Halifax]

Okay ... day 1 of the non-disney trip. I will log in where I can get internet and where the wife doesn't catch me

Drove from Halifax to Portland Maine. Took 10 hours ... no problems except tired my GPS and for the first time ever, I was lost before I even got to Houlton Me. I wanted to try it ... I figured it had a short cut, but no .... I ended up at a dead end, a farm!

At lunch at Subway and got gas in Houlton. Tonight I'm at the HoJo in South Portland. Priceline price of $38 plus taxes ... no problem getting a room with double beds. Room is a little humid, but it is a top floor with 24C outside. Free internet. Food bought at Hannafords, drinks too! Kids are driving me nuts to get into the pool ....

Tomorrow we drive to Kittery outlets and then to Providence RI. Renaissance Providence! More later!

 

[Ted in Halifax]

More about the South Portland HoJo ... okay, I've stayed here before and I know ... its nothing special. The Exercise room looks like a small pantry and the pool is small, but at least its indoor. Free Breakfast .... and two double beds ... other than that. well ... It's a place to sleep. Okay, drank another cooler (did you realize that smirnoff coolers at 13.99 for 12 bottles at the grocery store!) .... its back to the pool with the family!

 

[michelle1]

How long will your trip be to visit all those places? I am interested to hear how it goes with particular interest in AZ since we have never been there but will be later this year. Have fun!

 

[Ted in Halifax]

June 28 Portland Me
June 29 Providence RI
June 30 Fly from PVD to PHX, so that night is Phoenix (aloft)
July 1 Grand Canyon (Maswik Cabins)
July 2 Monument Valley (View Motel ... Google it!)
July 3 Montrose Colorado (holiday inn)
July 4 (party starts at noon) Jefferson Colorado (family)
July 9 Albuquerque NM (pyramid Marriott)
July 10 Phoenix (aloft)
July 11, fly PHX to PVD ... overnight Fairfield in Portsmouth NH
July 12 ... Home to see what bad ideas the 19 and 21 year olds had .... look at garbage that wasn't put out, unmowed lawn and hungry cat .. and yes, empty fridge ...

FYI flights PVD via EWR to PHX and return PHX via CLE to PVD are $700 in total, for 2 adults and 2 kids. Yes I'm an airfare maniac! Oh no ... wife just caught me ... I'm outahere ...

 

[LSmith]

Totally jealous.

Grand Canyon - We stayed at the Best Western Squire Inn just outside the park.

Monument Valley - Cool hotel. Don't take a jeep ride unless you want to be eating dust the entire time. Best part of Monument Valley, in my opinion is the drive there. Take lots of money for shop in the hotel.

Phoenix - We stayed in Scottsdale, the Westin Villas. Scottdale is awesome and just outside Phoenix.

New Hampshire - We stayed at the Fairfield Inn last August and will likely stay there again.

Kittery, ME - Eat at Warren's Lobster House. Biggest salad bar ever! We make a point to eat here every year. It is so good!

Facebook - If you want to know what the kids are up to. Been there, done that.

Suggestions: - Stop in Sedona on the way to the Grand Canyon. Unbelievable scenery.

Senora Desert Museum outside Phoenix which is an outdoor oasis for all plant and wildlife. Stop there really early in the morning when it opens (before the heat kills you). It is amazing in every way.

I love Arizona! And Maine!

 

[soxfan11901]

Not trying to be picky, just accurate.
The Sonora Desert Museum is in Tucson which is 100 miles south of Phoenix.
I agree that it is a great place.

 

[Ted in Halifax]

Ok ... just woke up at the Hojo an hour ago. In our room we have new bedding, mattresses and box springs (very surprised). Now, I have to admit, I'm more tolerant than most travelers, but this hotel is a good value. $38 plus taxes for 2 double beds, fresh baked cookies, free internet and breakfast. The breakfast wasn't that great .. small bagels, a few pastries, a few types of cereal. Nothing like the free breakfast at Embassy Suites, but Hojo is ok for the money and as a place to spend one quick night.

Its off to Kittery in 30 minutes.

 

[Ted in Halifax]

Justa quick note today. Stayed at the Renaissance Providence last night and at at Temple this morning. Love this hotel, plus we went shopping (she shops ... I pace back and forth) at the nearby mall it was huge!

Providence is a lovely town .... now its off to the airport.

 

[Ted in Halifax]

The flight Providence was delayed ... so rather than a 65 minute connect time, we had a 10 minute. Yes 10 minutes to get from Terminal A to Terminal C. However, we did it with no opportunity to eat. So we jump on the plan at EWR to Phoenix as the last passengers on .... not an empty seat on the plane. This was a long long flight ... around 4.5 hours and we gain 3 hours because of time change.

We get into Phoenix and find out ... we have no bags. We caught the plane, but our bags did not. So we head to Budget and pick up our car and head to the hotel. Its 630pm local time, really 930pm Providence time, or 1030pm Nova Scotia time. I can see by all the faces ... we are close to a melt down The heat, The Bags, The kids fighting .... So I suggest we go out to eat at nearby Ruby Tuesdays. I think this saved the night. After this we head back to our hotel.

We are at the Aloft Phoenix. A very funky hotel ... rather strange, but different. We paid $45 plus taxes via priceline. Worth the money for sure. We head to sleep with visions of lost bags dancing in our heads. So, 330am I get up head to the front desk to check on our bags .... YES! they have arrived! Good job Continental. But I can't get back to sleep. So its me and my daughter awake at 5am ... she's on a girlsgogames site and im clicking away in the lobby.

Gotta run .... we need to eat and I need coffee!
We head to the grand Canyon today and then Monument Valley tomorrow, so I might miss a day or 2 reporting.

Just incase anyone is wondering I picked up the PVD-EWR-PHX and PHX-CLE-PVD airfare with Continental for $122 per person plus taxes, worked out to around $700 with taxes and fees for 4 people (Bought last December while airfare stalking).

 

[princesspaige]

Enjoy your time in the Southwest...I went to Tucson in June one year and vowed to never go back during the summer. I was told that it is a dry heat so not as bad as heat with humidity. That is when I decided that humidity didn't matter when it was 104F (40C)...hot is hot!!