Travel Bites

Get out of town –
Proud as we are of our home state, there’s always that time of year when our fondest view of Arizona is from the rearview mirror. Here are a few excuses to hit the road this fall.

September 17 - October 28  Fleet Week, San Diego. The only week that encompasses a month, Fleet Week San Diego is the largest military appreciation celebration in the nation. Throughout the month, families, visitors and military personnel can pay homage to the men and women in uniform and enjoy activities that include a parade, Navy ship tours, an antique car race and an air show. Participants can even spend a day in the boots of a Marine Corp recruit during the Boot Camp Challenge. fleetweeksandiego.org.

October 20 – November 10 The Surfboard Art of Reynolds Yater and Kevin Ancell, Carmel. If surfing can be described as poetry in motion, surely the board can be redefined as fine art. Yater and Ancell’s meticulously crafted and richly decorated collection prove that surfboards can transcend their function to become stunning objets de art. William A. Karges Fine Art, 831-625-4266, www.kargesfineart.com.

Harvest Hotspots
Check out six Arizona farms, where you can reap more than just the fresh fruits and veggies.

Apple Annie’s Orchard, Willcox
Apple Annie’s isn’t just a place to stock up on local produce and pumpkins. With two locations and special events throughout the fall season, these southern Arizona orchards feature some real down-on-the-farm fun for the whole family. 2081 W. Hardy Rd., 520-384-2084 and 6405 W. Williams Rd., 520-384-4685, appleannies.com

Schnepf Farms, Queen Creek
With over 65 years of farming under their tractor belt, Schnepf Farms as a destination is quickly approaching amusement park status. It features rides such as the Gold Mine Express Coaster, a new “Fresh from the Farm” Country Restaurant (opens November), a meeting and wedding facility, and gift shops (yes plural, as in there’s more than one). Maybe these attractions combined with its long history are what motivated Governor Janet Napolitano and the Arizona Office of Tourism to designate Schnepf Farms an “Arizona Treasure”. 24810 S. Rittenhouse Rd. 480-987-3100, schnepffarms.com

Tolmachoff Farms, Glendale
The Glendale farm is close enough for most Phoenicians to warrant a visit just to stock up on fresh fruits and veggies at Tolmachoff’s pick your own farm fresh produce stand. And starting in October the farm will reopen for Pumpkin Days and Fall Maze and resume their guided educational tours. 5726 N. 75th Ave.  623-386-1301, tolmachoff-farms.com

Mother Nature’s Farm, Gilbert
At Mother Nature’s “smashing pumpkins”, doesn’t refer to a rock band but one of the many activities available to kids and families. With Christmas Trees, Easter egg hunts, and a pumpkin patch, this expanded tree farm might corner the market on the holidays, but they’re ready to entertain throughout the season. 1663 E. Baseline Rd., 480-892-5874, mothernaturesfarm.com

Crooked Sky Farms, Glendale, Waddell, Duncan, Phoenix, Young, Tempe
Crooked Sky Farms consists of a series of small fields located in different climate zones to allow produce diversity and year round farming. The focus at Crooked Sky farms is sustainable farming practices and high-quality organic produce. The farm is predominantly supported through Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscriptions. CSA members purchase a subscription for a season of produce, which is harvested and distributed to CSA communities on a weekly basis. 623-204-1075, crookedskyfarms.com

Buckelew Farm, Tucson
In October, it’s all about the corn maze at Buckelew Farm. The five miles of trails can be a test of your navigational prowess or an excuse for a long laid-back stroll. Other attractions include the Pumpkin Festival and a haunted corn field. 17000 W. Ajo Way, 520-822-2277, buckelewfarm.com

Rescue 511!
The Arizona Department of Transportation proudly unveils a new information hotline to the car-bound. The free, 24-hour service is designed to be your one-stop-shop for traveler information. Dial 511 or 888-411-ROAD (if your outside Ariz.) to receive real-time updates on traffic congestion, weather conditions and more.

Its name may induce visions of cloven-hooved mammals promenading two-by-two down Sedona’s main thoroughfare. However, rather than caravanning down the streets, these life-sized resin-cast replicas of the indigenous American pack animals have actually taken up residence for some time now in Sedona’s streets, parks and open spaces. A social animal by nature, the javelinas can be found tucked throughout town in pairs, each couple arrayed in vibrant colors and thematic decor courtesy of Arizona artisans. Visitors can hunt ’em down, shoot ’em (with a camera of course) and in November, even take their multihued quarry home. The Sedona Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the Sedona Arts Festival, will auction off their herd of 50 pair of javelina at the Sedona Hilton Resort. 

If you go:

Gala Auction
November 10, 2007
Sedona Hilton Resort
90 Ridge Trail Drive
Sedona, AZ 86351
Ph: 928-204-9456
(Sedona Arts Festival)

Javelina Maps
Sedona Chamber Visitor Center
320 N. Highway 89A (temporary location)
Sinagua Plaza (upstairs)
Sedona, AZ 86336
Ph: 800-288-7336
www.JavelinasonParade.com