advice for fact-finding trip please (Phoenix, Gilbert: RV park, rental car, spring break) - Arizona (AZ) - City-Data Forum

snoshoewalkr · 01-24-2011, 08:07 PM

Hi all,
I am planning to take my Spring Break vacation (I work in a school) to check out areas for my husband to spend 1-3 winter months next year, escaping the cold snowy MI winter for a time.
He has an internet-based business, so is flexible on a work/housing arrangement. He would like to be in an area that is at least in the 60's during the day. For housing, he can be in an RV Park,short-term rental house, or really anything that has reliable internet, allows dogs, and gives him access to UPS service. He would also like to have either a garage or rent a small warehouse building to process his orders/packages.
He prefers to keep to himself, and appreciates others who also mind their own business. He does not need a lot of entertainment. He likes to ride his 1983 GoldWIng.
We also need to be within 2 hour's drive of a major airport.
I am considering the outlying areas of Las Vegas too.
I have researched the following towns: Wickenburg, Prescott, Gilbert, Apache Junction, Florence, Casa Grande, Maricopa, Kingman, Lake Havasau City, Bullhead City, Pahrump (NV), and Mesquite (NV).
With only 6 days to work with, I realize I only will be able to get a first impression of these areas. What is your suggestion as the route I might take to hit as many of these places as possible?
Are there other towns I should consider, or take off my list?
I can fly in and out of either Vegas or Phoenix.
Thanks to all for your insight. This forum is awesome!

Montana Griz · 01-24-2011, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snoshoewalkr

Hi all,
I am planning to take my Spring Break vacation (I work in a school) to check out areas for my husband to spend 1-3 winter months next year, escaping the cold snowy MI winter for a time.
He has an internet-based business, so is flexible on a work/housing arrangement. He would like to be in an area that is at least in the 60's during the day. For housing, he can be in an RV Park,short-term rental house, or really anything that has reliable internet, allows dogs, and gives him access to UPS service. He would also like to have either a garage or rent a small warehouse building to process his orders/packages.
He prefers to keep to himself, and appreciates others who also mind their own business. He does not need a lot of entertainment. He likes to ride his 1983 GoldWIng.
We also need to be within 2 hour's drive of a major airport.
I am considering the outlying areas of Las Vegas too.
I have researched the following towns: Wickenburg, Prescott, Gilbert, Apache Junction, Florence, Casa Grande, Maricopa, Kingman, Lake Havasau City, Bullhead City, Pahrump (NV), and Mesquite (NV).
With only 6 days to work with, I realize I only will be able to get a first impression of these areas. What is your suggestion as the route I might take to hit as many of these places as possible?
Are there other towns I should consider, or take off my list?
I can fly in and out of either Vegas or Phoenix.
Thanks to all for your insight. This forum is awesome!

Suggestion: Check out VRBO.com (one of several web sites that list "short-term winter rentals") You will find most of the towns you have listed. It will give you an idea as to what is available; which places allow dogs; a price range for varying levels "of quality"; and most (listings) will indicate if a garage is available. Phone numbers for the owner are also usually given as well.

I have rented in 5 different locations in "central" AZ for up to 4 months duration each of the last five winters and I have a dog with me. Be prepared to provide a "pet-damage-deposit" of up to $500. (refundable, if upon inspection at the end of rental period--there is no damage.) Also, my experience has been that the monthly rental price range (for something other than a "dump"), will range from $1500 to $2500 per month for a furnished house etc.

snoshoewalkr · 01-25-2011, 03:40 PM

Thanks Montana, I will check it out. Does anyone else have suggestions about the most efficient route I could take to see these towns? I can map it out, but I have no knowledge of road conditions, etc.

observer53 · 01-25-2011, 05:14 PM

Well, some of them you can see branching out from Phoenix, Gilbert and Apache Junction are in the metro area, Maricopa not far outside. From Maricopa you could drive on down to Casa Grande and Florence. each trip, and how many trips, depends on how much time you want to spend in each one, and what you need to "see". You could see Prescott and Wickenburg in a single trip from Phoenix, if you take the back way down from or up to Prescott. Bullhead, Kingman and Havasu are another trip, you could go on to Vegas and surrounding from there. Road conditions are not likely to be an issue, if you are talking weather conditions.

I really think you need to thin down your choices without planning on seeing all of them in person. This is a LOT of driving in six days!

adventuregurl · 01-25-2011, 05:57 PM

Prescott will be too cold for your requirements so that might save you some time.

snoshoewalkr · 01-25-2011, 08:40 PM

Thanks, Observer and Adventuregurl. I wondered if maybe I was biting off more than I could chew for this trip

NW Crow · 01-26-2011, 05:16 PM

I'd suggest either:

A. Fly in to Phoenix, spend day 1 and part of day 2 in the area. Then onto Wickenburg for night 2. Then onto Kingman for night 3. Hit one or more of the Colorado river cities on day 4. Then maybe more time in whichever place interested you most until to have to fly out.

B. If you want to do those NV cities, fly into Vegas and immediately head to Mesquite on day 1. Then do Pahrump on day 2. When satisfied, do a late afternoon / night or morning drive to Kingman / Bullhead City on day 3. if you are going to go to Phoenix you'd have to do so by morning of day 4 and hustle thru that region and Wickenburg and give yourself enough time to make the drive back to Vegas for the flight out. If it is not more expensive or much more expensive maybe fly in to one and fly out of the other. That would save you at least half a day.

snoshoewalkr · 01-26-2011, 07:32 PM

"If it is not more expensive or much more expensive maybe fly in to one and fly out of the other. That would save you at least half a day."

I thought of that, but I don't know if that can be done if a rental car is involved-to rent at one airport and drop off at another????
You have excellent suggestions, thanks!

NW Crow · 01-26-2011, 08:44 PM

I forgot about the rental car. It is usually pretty expensive to do the pick-up one place, drop off in another place thing. But you check / ask. It might work for this pair of cities.

keninaz · 01-27-2011, 08:58 AM

If I were you I would take Prescott off the list.
I live here and used to ride myself. My back prevents it now.
But spending the winter in Prescott for someone who likes 60s and bike WX might be a problem.
The town is great but we get snow on occasion starting late November through March or April. And that snow may be a dusting, and inch or so is normal that lasts a day or two, or even 10-12" at a time. The later is a little unusual but it's happened a couple of times in the last 3 seasons I have been here.
I don't think the winter climate here is very good for an RV either unless the RV is higher quality and you are used to that type of think in colder WX. We owned many an RV in our time and cold WX use can be challenging.
Overnights at the typical 5400' here are in the teens and sometimes lower.
Our typical temperatures here are 15-22° colder than the Phoenix area so if you look at their temps and then ours I think you will see you may not like it here.
At 9 Am this morning I am at 24° and it was 16° when I got up this morning.
Good Luck on your search.