Prescott: Arizona's Territorial Capital
Written: Aug 09 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Easy Drive from Phoenix, Something for Everyone
Cons: Not a Thing
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| JustCathy's Full Review: Arizona |
My husband and I just got back from a week long trip in Arizona. For those of you that may have been wondering why I haven't been reading your reviews lately, this certainly was a factor! We went to Arizona so that I could defend my dissertation. If you are curious, I did pass, but have a bit more re-write work to do on the research paper itself.
When we made the arrangements to fly to Phoenix, we decided this would also be a good opportunity to take in a bit of Arizona's sites. This particular epinion is on my observations of Prescott, Arizona, which was once the territorial capital.
Prescott is located 100 miles Northwest of Phoenix. A short and pleasant drive from the Phoenix Airport, just take Interstate 17 North out of the city and take the Cordes Junction, which is well marked as Highway 69.
We stayed for two days in Prescott, in the historic "Whiskey Row" district. Prescott really became a town back in 1863, when miners discovered gold in that area. Prescott is also known as a stopping place for Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough Riders and as one of the oldest Rodeo towns in the Old West. It was in Prescott, that Barry Goldwater first announced his intention to run for President of the United States back in the 1960's.
Prescott has many remaining historic buildings and claims to have 525 buildings listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. It was in one of these historic places that we stayed two nights. The Hotel Vendome was built in 1917 and has been restored to its original grandeur. The Hotel Vendome is also home to a ghost and her cat. Abby, the local in-resident ghost and her cat, have been haunting the place for the past 70 years. Visitors can request to stay in Abby's room, which is number 16. I am told one usually gets their money's worth. We stayed in room number 18, located next door. On several occasions, we entered our room and the television, ceiling fan, or lights would be turned on. I was positive we didn't leave them on and the owner assured me that Abby has been known to "play" in other people's rooms.
While in Prescott, be sure to check out the Sharlot Hall Museum, located downtown, if you are staying at the Hotel Vendome, it is a short walk from the front door. The museum has over 130 years of information on Arizona history. Complete with information on miners, soldiers, cowboys and adventure seekers who helped form the colorful periods of the "Old West" in our American history.
If you enjoy gambling, Prescott is located near the Yavapai Indian Reservation and has two casinos. Bucky's Casino has nickel, dime, quarter and dollar slot machines, a poker room, and live keno. The Yavapai Casino has bingo 24 hours a day and offers some slot machines.
For those who want to explore the beautiful mountains and bluffs of outdoor Prescott and neighboring areas, give Bumpy Road Adventure Jeep Tours a try. They provide off-road tours in a Toyota Landcruiser, and will even pick you up at your hotel. If you want to go off on your own, The Prescott National Forest is located just west of the city and Thumb Butte is just two miles from downtown Prescott. There are a number of mountain back roads that aren't paved. We took a drive on a few of them, just be warned that the roads are privately owned and not well maintained. It is also easy to get lost as there are not any road signs. If you have
the time and inclination, a ride up into the mountains can bring you some incredible photo opportunities.
There are numerous gifts shops located in downtown Prescott, in historic Whiskey Row. My favorites were: The Worm Bookstore, which offers new and used books, with many books on Native American culture and the Southwest. The Bashford Courts Atrium Mall was also a great place to find those gifts for the special someone left home. With a number of great gift shops, there is something for everyone.
Prescott has great places to eat as well. Our personal favorite was Machu Picchu Peruvian Restaurant. This place offered fantastic Peruvian cuisine at incredibly low prices. Located in an old and beautiful Victorian home, the Machu Picchu had great food and terrific service. We also enjoyed the Gurley Street Grill which offered great American grill fare at modest prices. I particularly enjoyed the Pistachio Chicken. The Saint Michael Hotel has a nice coffee shop located on the first floor that offers delicious pastries and assorted coffees at low prices. All the places we went to eat provided generous portions so believe me, you will not go hungry in this place.
Have a great time in Prescott! I sure did!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
JustCathy
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 - Top 1000 |
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Location: Lake Woebegon, Minnesota
Reviews written: 201
Trusted by: 262 members
About Me:
Love to travel, read, write, and surround myself with positive energy!
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