Arrive in Sedona, AZ for a three night stay.   Dinner is on your own this evening.

This morning, enjoy an exciting ride on the open-air Pink Jeep Tours.  Climbing 2,000 feet above the town to the very top of the Mogollon Rim you find a magnificent view.  This tour is off-road fun with fantastic photo opportunities as you drive past majestic red rock formations, through pine forest and desert to the mountain top and back.

Next, enjoy some free time at internationally renowned Tlaquepaque (pronounced T-la-keh-pah-keh), Sedona Arizona’s Arts & Crafts Village.  Nestled beneath the shade of the sycamores on the banks of beautiful Oak Creek in Sedona, Tlaquepaque is the most distinctive Sedona shopping experience to be found in the Southwest.  You will have time for shopping and lunch on your own while there.

You also visit the Chapel of the Holy Cross, which sits high atop the red rocks in Sedona, Arizona, was inspired and commissioned by local rancher and sculptor Marguerite Brunswig Staude.  In 1932 she was inspired to build such a church by the construction of the Empire State Building.  Staude initially attempted to do this in Budapest, Hungary with the help of Lloyd Wright, son of architect Frank Lloyd Wright.  However, their attempt was aborted due to the outbreak of World War II.  With this unfortunate turn of events, she decided to build the church in her native home land, Arizona.

Tonight, dinner is included at the Sound Bites Grill, a music-themed restaurant with live entertainment and a dance floor.  The music is as important as the food at Sound Bites – and equally as good.  Dishes have industry-inspired names like Voodoo Pasta, the Stevie Ray Burger, and Red Rockin’ Chili.  Most of Sound Bites’ live entertainers perform a variation of “Old West” music – think tributes to the likes of Neil Diamond and similar musicians.  Sound Bites has a gorgeous patio with views of the red rocks, and it also has an impressive collection of signed guitars on display in the Guitar Gallery. (B,D)

This morning, head to nearby Cottonwood, AZ for free time in Old Town for shopping and lunch your own.  Old Town is known for its Main Street and Old West charm.  Try one of the many excellent cafes and restaurants or visit one of the wine and spirit tasting rooms.  There are plenty of stores and art galleries in the Prohibition-era buildings along Old Town’s Main Street, featuring art, antiques, clothing, gift items, jewelry, Southwestern décor and more.

The afternoon features a ride on the Verde Canyon Railroad.  You can also enjoy some free time Verde Canyon Railroad’s southwestern-style depot before boarding the train.  The depot is home to the Boxcar Gift Store, Copper Spike Cafe and John Bell Museum.

The four-hour ride on Verde Canyon Railroad’s historic route from Clarkdale to Perkinsville and back – into Arizona’s other “grand canyon” – is an unforgettable adventure.  Captivating panoramic views are revealed in every direction, exclusively from the relaxed atmosphere of the train.  This historic ribbon of rail runs through a protected corridor at the river’s edge, lined with towering red rock pinnacles, near ancient Indian ruins, over fortified bridges and through an invigorating 734-foot manmade tunnel carved through solid rock over a century ago.  As far as the eye can see, wildlife, high-desert foliage and rugged terrain are visible on this year-round adventure into a lush riparian habitat.

Tonight, head to the Blazin’ M Ranch for a Chuckwagon Dinner and Cowboy Music.  The Blazin’ M Ranch is an authentic Western Themed Town located in Cottonwood, Arizona.  The ranch features Western Boutique Shopping, a Museum and Saloon, as well as the air-conditioned barn with it’s chuckwagon buffet.  After dinner, the Blazin’ M Cowboys entertain ya’ with their award-winning musical talents mixed with cowboy poetry and humor. (B,D)

Departing Sedona this morning, stop in Flagstaff, AZ at the Museum of Northern Arizona.  It sits at the base of the San Francisco Peaks, on homelands sacred to Native Americans throughout the region.  Founded in 1928, the 200-acre campus includes an historic exhibit building with nine galleries showcasing the geology, anthropology and art of the region.

You have time for shopping and lunch on own in Historic Downtown Flagstaff.  There are plenty of restaurants, attractions, art galleries, boutiques, and breweries.

Afternoon travel continues to Williams, AZ where you visit the Bearizona Wildlife Park.  You’ll see animals the way they should be seen, in a natural environment and from the comfort and safety of your vehicle.  In this Drive-Thru Park a tour guide will narrate and talk to you about the wide variety of wildlife and their conservation efforts.  You will see bison, big horn sheep, wolves, red fox and otter, badgers and burros, a variety of bears.  Plus, a separate display on high country raptors.

Then check into the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel for the night.  This modern hotel is located in the center of town, along historic Highway 66, and conveniently beside the Grand Canyon Railway Train Depot.  Dinner is on your own this evening. (B)

An exciting day begins with a big breakfast buffet at the Depot Cafe across from the hotel and train station.  After breakfast if you hear a ruckus in the streets, you might want to investigate.  You’re a long way from home and this is the Wild West.  It may be coincidental, but every morning at 9:00 it seems there are ornery cowboys and gunfights in the street (might be something in the breakfast), and they keep Marshall Will B. Justice busy maintaining law and order.

Once the 9:00 Wild West Show is over, board the train for a 9:30am departure.  You have First Class Seats with plenty of leg room that recline and offer a great view through picture windows.  You will see strolling musicians, enjoy free coffee, juice, fruit and pastries in your air-conditioned streamliner railcar.  This vintage rail journey takes 2 hours, offers kaleidoscopic views of the San Francisco Peaks while rolling through wild flower filled valleys, dense pine forests, high desert plains and canyons.

Arriving in Grand Canyon National Park you are greeted with the sight of one of three log-cabin-style train stations left in America.  From the station your luggage is moved to your hotel and you’ll find a tour bus waiting for an afternoon sightseeing tour.  In a few minutes you will be walking along the pine-forested ledges of your first Grand Canyon viewpoint.  Here you’ll spend a few minutes just trying to process the sight in front of you as your guide points out a few of the distant features, and geological details.  Then you will learn about the trees, shrubs, wildflowers, and wildlife of the Canyon.

At the end of this tour, you check-in at the Maswik Lodge.  It is a modern facility spread over several acres of Ponderosa Pine forest, and is located just 1/4 mile from the canyon rim and the Grand Canyon Village.  Dinner is on own tonight and you will have time for souvenir shopping as well as a chance to photograph the sunset. (B)

This morning after breakfast, enjoy a two hour Pink Jeep tour of the Grand Canyon Southern Rim with a local guide.  Your guide has a wealth of knowledge about all aspects of the canyon, from geology and botany to infamous myths and legends.

Stop at Grandview Point to see an area of the Canyon that was once mined for copper, gold and silver.  In the late 1800s, this area of the Grand Canyon was the first to welcome visitors and mine owners even built a hotel at Grandview Point.  Your guide can shed more light on the history of this tranquil, tree-lined locale.  Your tour features two other stops along the South Rim, which can vary depending on conditions.

Enjoy some free time in Grand Canyon Village for lunch on own then ride the Grand Canyon Railway back to Williams.  The afternoon train to Williams departs at 3:30 pm.  You will have time to arrange individual sightseeing tours and enjoy the day.  The 65 mile ride back to Williams will be just as pleasant as your ride to the Canyon as pass through 6,000 foot high forest and mountain desert.  Attendants will offer refreshments and snacks, and there is a full bar onboard.

Upon your return spend another night at the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel in Williams.  Dinner this evening will be a voucher for the Grand Depot Cafe, or if you wish we can turn your group loose for dinner on own in Williams.  Here Route 66 “America’s Main Street,” runs through the heart of town and you will find many unique shops and restaurants lining the street. (B,D)

After breakfast, depart for home. (B)