Mo or over
6 road trips you can take over Memorial Day weekend
While the thermometer and calendar have different views about the start of summer, make no mistake: Memorial Day weekend is the official kickoff, when the days are long and the SPF numbers are high. ● The lure of three days off lends itself to a road trip. Here are six ways to get out of town to start the sun-drenched season.
Sierra Vista
Have you ever attended a wine festival and come away wishing it offered the chance to perform an impressive physical feat? Folks behind the Sips and Skies event understand.
Before taking a sip, you can tackle one, two or three summits in the Huachuca Mountains.
The Sky Islands Summit Challenge starts as early as 5 a.m. Saturday, May 26, for those intent on conquering Carr, Miller and Pat Scott peaks, ranging in elevation from 8,517 to 9,465 feet. The double-summit challenge starts at 6:15 a.m., and those with just one summit in them start at 7:30 a.m.
Maybe you don’t want to summit at all. The Sips and Skies portion includes wineries, breweries and distilleries from the region serving samples Friday, May 25, through Sunday, May 27.
Wine festival is 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Sunday, May 25-27. Veterans Memorial Park, 3105 E. Fry Blvd., Sierra Vista. $15-$20. Sky Island Summit Challenge cost $50-$100 and is limited to 250 people. visit.sierravistaaz.gov/events/sierra-vista -sips-skies-home.
Prescott
Fans of cooler temperatures and Western art will be treated to both at the Phippen Museum Western Art Show and Sale May 26-28.
More than 90 artists from across the nation will set up booths in Courthouse Plaza downtown. The juried show includes works in oil, watercolor, sculpture and more.
At 2 p.m. May 26 and 27, roughly 20 artists will compete in the Quick Draw. Armed with their creative weapons of choice, they will have 60 minutes to complete a work of art. Their works will be auctioned on the north steps of the courthouse. Stick around for the awards show on the courthouse steps at 11 a.m. May 27.
The Phippen Museum is admission during the show.
May 26-28. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday. Courthouse Plaza, 120 S. Cortez St., Prescott. Free. phippenartmuseum.org.
Tombstone Taylor Crown King Camping
offering
www.crownkingaz.com. free
The blanks will be flying during Wyatt Earp Days, a Memorial Day tradition in the town too tough to die (and too tough to be chased inside by triple-digit temps).
Tombstone has staked its claim on an Old West reputation that also refuses to die, thanks to a certain shootout at a particular corral. The annual festival salutes the spirit of famous lawman Wyatt Earp with staged gunfights, mock public hangings, a chili cook-off and more.
Be sure to bring plenty of sunscreen because Tombstone is not too tough for skin damage.
10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday-Monday, May 26-28. Downtown Tombstone along Allen Street. Free. www.wyattearpdays.com.
This quaint town in the White Mountains celebrates its past old school, with a soap-box derby, beard-growing contest and country music concert.
At 9 a.m. Saturday, May 26, officials conduct a Memorial Day flag-raising ceremony that sets a proper mood, followed at 10 a.m. by the Veterans Memorial Program at the LDS Stake Center.
At 11 a.m., pint-size drivers gather for the soapbox derby, and at noon the swarthy compete in the beard-growing contest. (Competitors will arrive with facial hair in place rather than attempt to grow it on the spot.) Saturday’s festivities end with a 6:30 p.m.country music show and dance.
On Monday, May 28, guests are invited on a 4 p.m. hayride to see some of the town’s historic homes.
Saturday, May 26, and Monday, May 28. See full schedule and locations online. Taylor is about 15 miles north of Show Low on State Route 77. snowflaketaylorchamber.org.
In this town occupying a small clearing atop a mountain, residents will gather shortly before noon on Sunday, May 27, for a favorite annual event: The World’s Shortest Memorial Day Parade.
Those not driving ATVs and pickups draped in patriotic colors will line Main Street to cheer their neighbors’ spirit. When it’s over — and it will be in short order, befitting the name — families will gather at the Crown King Fire Department for an old-fashioned carnival, while adults head to the Crown King Saloon to toast those who gave their lives serving the country.
While there’s no definitive proof that Crown King’s Memorial Day Parade is the world’s shortest, no one tends to argue the point.
As Easter means church for those rarely attend, Memorial Day weekend means camping for people with barely passable outdoor skills.
Fortunately, Arizona is filled with campgrounds where sites are well-prepped and the plumbing is indoors. Even camping rookies will find themselves at home once the tent is pitched.
Visit azstateparks.com or www.recreation.gov (U.S. Forest Service) to pick the best campground for you. Some sit near quiet lakes that beg to be fished. Others offer trails that wind through thick pine forests. All have that outdoor feeling you can only get by being, you know, outdoors.
If you want to camp without the sorts of inconveniences implied by “roughing it,” try a cabin. Five Arizona state parks have cabins equipped with beds, heating and cooling: Lyman Lake, Alamo Lake, Roper Lake, Dead Horse Ranch and Kartchner Caverns. Kartchner’s cabins also have microwaves and mini-fridges. Learn more and reserve a spot at azstateparks.com/cabins.
Flagstaff
Like the swallows returning to Capistrano, desert dwellers stream north when the summer heat settles in.
More often than not, those journeys end in Flagstaff, land of comfortable temperatures and reasonable hotel rates.
Flagstaff is one of the most popular getaways thanks to amenities that range from brewpubs to hiking trails to mild summer weather.
Escape the crowds by exploring the trails along the base of the San Francisco Peaks, or visit Fort Tuthill County Park to test your agility and endurance at the Flagstaff Extreme Adventure Course.
When you’re ready to unwind, head across the railroad tracks to explore Flagstaff ’s lesser-known south side. Enjoy the dog-friendly patio behind the Southside Tavern, or relax with a local craft beer at Mother Road Brewing Co.
flagstaffarizona.org.
3 more Memorial Day weekend ideas
Activities include rides, games and food with proceeds benefiting the Nature Center.
May 24-28. See event schedule online. Mountain Meadow Recreation Complex, 1101 N. Woodland Road. 928358-3069, www.wmnature.org.
Zuni artisans from throughout the Southwest will share expertise in carving, weaving, painting and more. Enjoy traditional dances while learning about Zuni life and culture.Copy checked
9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, May 26-27. Museum of Northern Arizona, 3101 N. Fort Valley Road. $12, $8 for ages 10-17, free for age 9 and younger. 928774-5213, musnaz.org. Yavapai Cemetery Association presents the annual Memorial Day observance at Citizens Cemetery. It includes patriotic speeches plus music by Veterans Memorial Pipers, High Mountain Chordsmen and Prescott Brass Ensemble. There also will be a presentation of flags by Camp Verde Cavalry and Arizona Rough Riders, a flag raising, volley and echo taps by American Legion Post 6.
9 a.m.-10 a.m. Monday, May 28. Citizens Cemetery, 815 E. Sheldon St. Free. 928-713-8807, www.yavapai.us/ycc/ citizens-cemetery.