Friday in Old Tucson

Occasionally a batch of Disneyland slides will yield a few extras from different areas. In this particular situation, the images looked like they could be from Calico…or Pioneertown…or maybe some old movie studio set. Checking with expert Ken from Stack’s Liberty Ranch, I learned that they were from Old Tucson. From the Old Tucson website:

Built in 1939, Old Tucson is a renowned film set and family theme park located just outside Tucson, AZ. Nestled between Saguaro National Park and Tucson Mountain Park, this beautiful desert setting has been the filming location of hundreds of classic western films and TV shows featuring stars such as John Wayne, James Stewart, Paul Newman, Jean Arthur, Frank Sinatra, Clint Eastwood, and Ronald Reagan. The studio opened its doors as a theme park in 1960 and continues to welcome guests for a variety of immersive experiences, special events, and tours.

One of the most famous movies to use this location is the 1986 comedy “The Three Amigos,” with Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Chevy Chase.



An April 1976 entrance shot:



Zooming in you can see the poster for the 1972 Paul Newman western/comedy, “The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean”:



The poster art was by Richard Amsel, best known (to me at least) for his incredible TV Guide covers (thirty-seven total!).



Back to Old Tucson! An undated shot of the main street:



So popular they even had their very own red pickup truck!



Plenty of saloons in town. First we have Ward’s, from February 1959:



…and the Railroad Saloon, circa June 1972:



Looks like there’s another place to go to on my travel checklist!

See more Old Tucson photos at my main website.

Another Miraval Monday

Hopefully you aren’t sick of my Miraval Resort photos yet. With sunrise shots like this, you can see why I am ready to head back.



I was fortunate in the time of year I visited as the temperatures and rainfall were just right to give the desert a bit of green as well as a generous sprinkling of color from the recently bloomed flowers.



On the property it wasn’t too hard to have an encounter with the wildlife, including this roadrunner:



…and Phyllis Diller, this bird’s unofficial nickname:



Sunsets weren’t so bad here, either:



See more Miraval Resort & Spa photos at my main website.

Monday Mindfulness at Miraval

I spent an incredible weekend at the Miraval Resort in Arizona recently. This place is the Disneyland of mindfulness; everything is taken care of for you. You truly have very little to think about, thanks to the fantastic customer service and planning from the staff. While the resort itself was obviously constructed, they did their best to incorporate nature and enough elements that you feel very much at peace. Soothing waterways:



A labyrinth (yes, I walked it…a few times):



A garden on property:



The spa:



An excellent fitness center and pool:



…and a second pool if you just want to lounge around instead of doing laps:



Cairns are strewn throughout the property, made by those who have come here to relax:



Yes, this owl was real. He even seems to enjoy Miraval:



See more Miraval Arizona photos at my main website.

Trip to Sedona, Pt. 2

Back to Sedona...

What makes this place such a tourist mecca? While the resort I stayed at was fantastic, you can find a great spa/hotel combination in quite a few cities. What you CAN'T find everywhere are the sweeping panoramic vistas that look like they were delivered from a John Ford western.



Ahhh....just what the doctor ordered.



Slide Rock State Park also provided a number of breathtaking tableaus:









High up on the hill (and worth the drive/hike) is the Chapel of the Holy Cross. This mod-looking church somehow looks like it belongs.







Other than the crazy Liberace-style home below, the views from the Chapel are amazing.





While the natural beauty of Sedona can be intoxicating, its main drag is definitely straight out of tourist land.



We did find a fun little Italian eatery that had great service and tasty food. Still, I don't know if I would ever use the word decadent to describe pizza.





More Sedona, Arizona photos at my main website.

Trip to Sedona, Pt. 1

In an attempt to shake the bad mojo from the last year, I have been doing quite a bit of travel, and quite frankly, I am exhausted. One of my more relaxing trips was to Sedona, Arizona. The hotel of choice was the Amara Resort and Spa. The property was beautiful; I could not have been more pleased with this selection.

Day...



or night, this resort featured spectacular views.





The room was spacious, clean, and well appointed.



Hotels really tempt you with the over-priced snacks; this one had a "lover's intimacy kit." Huh. I guess that could help you work up a hunger for that bag of chips.



Salt Rock was the name of the in-house restaurant that featured tasty food…





but we also enjoyed its margaritas and other original cocktails.





They made us very happy.



More Sedona, Arizona photos at my main website.