The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain, welcomes children from the moment they first enter the lobby with a special counter just their height and “VIK (Very Important Kid) Check-in.” Add more kid-friendly services, a water slide and spacious rooms to the mix, and you’ve got a recipe for a happy family weekend getaway at this luxurious desert resort in Marana, Arizona, about 40 miles north of Tucson International Airport.

I spent a weekend at The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain with my good buddy Melanie of Travels With Two on a relaxing girlfriend getaway. But here’s why I wouldn’t hesitate to bring my children to the upscale resort:

1. Scavenger hunt: When kids first approach the front desk — again, at their height, with a stool for smallest guests — they not only fill out a special check-list asking their name, age, birthday and favorite color and food, but they geta “Young Diner’s Guide to Adventure” activity book that doubles as a children’s menu (see below). The inside front cover has a map and spaces to collect special ink stamps at locations throughout the resort. After they collect all six stamps, they can show the booklet to the front-desk staff and choose a stuffed toy from the wagon full of prairie dogs, rabbits and other desert animals.

2. Children’s menu: At any of the resort’s dining establishments — which include the fine-dining Core, the Ignite lobby bar with terrace dining and sushi bar, To Go snack items (such as gelato, pictured at right) and coffee, Turquesa pool restaurant and Cayton’s at the golf course — kids can order off of a menu that includes grilled cheese, quesadilla, cowboy steak and cheeseburger sliders. Each entree is accompanied by your choice of fresh fruit cup, tortilla chips, carrot sticks with ranch dressing, french fries or steamed veggies, plus a dessert and beverage for $10. Not a bad deal!

3. Family hikes: Most mornings at 8 a.m. “Ranger Rick” leads a 45-minute, complimentary family nature walk around the property. I highly recommend this easy walk, as Rick shares so much about the flora and fauna of the area. Melanie and I walked right past some petroglyphs on some distant rocks, whereas Rick points out the clever viewing position poles that leads your eye right to them (pictured left)! Rick also helped us locate trailheads so we could take longer uphill walks along the myriad trails that branch out into the mountains surrounding The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain. There are also mellow flat trails ideal for young children. I highly recommend you pack your hiking shoes to venture out and check out the huge saguro cacti!

4. Water slide and water sprays: Oh, how a water slide adds huge value to my my kids’ vacation. It’s not unusual for them to run to the top of a water slide and zoom down over and over and over again. Indeed, this quick ride lands in a pool that’s 3 feet 6 inches, is fun for the whole family! For littlest visitors, a flat area with water sprays is ideal for cooling off in the hot desert sun.

5. Spa treatments for kids: The Spa at The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain is outstanding, with its huge locker room, multiple relaxation areas and private hot tub and outdoor shower. My Signature Massage was sublime, and the outdoor Serenity pool (open only to guests who have booked treatments or paid the $25 usage fee for spa facilities) is a lovely oasis, with its cabana beds and excellent poolside service. Your children can sample the spa with facials and massages for teens (ages 14 to 17; a parent remains present) as well as Princess Fizzing Pedicure and Manicure (designed for children ages 2 to 10; parents also remain present.

Still more reasons to take the kids to The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain:

• spacious suites with big bedrooms and huge living rooms
• ping pong table by the pool
• a bocce court and lawn games
• board games in the library
• s’mores kit for purchase for roasting homemade marshmallows at a chimera under the millions of stars in the desert night sky
• cool sunset celebration honoring the Native Americans who made their home in the area for centuries
• dive-in movies at the spa’s Serenity pool
• arrowhead-making demonstrations
• Ranger Rick’s friends (hairy spiders and snakes) on display in the lobby!

The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain is currently offering special $199 holiday rates from November 28 to January 1 on select dates and based on availability (i.e. I’m guessing 12/31 is booked already). On November 25 the 850-acre resort unveils a giant gingerbread teepee — yet another reason to bring the whole family to this pretty desert property.

Thanks Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain for hosting me on an incredibly relaxing weekend at your resort.

Quincy Tahoma was a Navajo painter from Arizona and New Mexico. While he died at an early age, his contributions to Navajo art stirred the interest of my friend and fellow travel writer, Vera Baderscher. She co-wrote Quincy Tahoma: The Life and Legacy of a Navajo Artist. She and her collaborator Charnell Havens also write a blog about Tahoma’s life. The blog tells the story of their research and details of Tahoma’s life. Vera and Charnell were happy to answer some questions for The Vacation Gals.

Who was Quincy Tahoma?

Tahoma was a gifted Navajo painter who died in his thirties from the effects of alcoholism. His life led him from a sheep  camp near Tuba City, Arizona to Santa Fe, New Mexico and international fame as an artist. His life was full of triumphs and tragedies’ he still inspires young American Indian artists today. We were able to show more than 200 of his works in our biography, Quincy Tahoma: The Life and Legacy of a Navajo Artist.

When did you first become interested in Navajo painter Quincy Tahoma?

(Vera) I have lived in Scottsdale, Arizona for forty years. The city is packed with Indian art stores. My friend Charnell Havens introduced me to Tahoma’s art: I was interested in the way his life parallels some of the major cultural trends of the Navajo people in the mid-twentieth century — boarding school education, World War II, self-government, alcoholism, the growth in general interest in American Indian art, and the migration away from the reservation.

(Charnell) When I was a child, my next-door aunt visited Santa Fe and came home with five of Tahoma’s paintings. I was spell bound by them.  having found out very little about his life, I started probing in 1995 and gradually ramped up the research effort. In 2000, Vera joined me and from there, it was full steam ahead.

How does this book relate to your own blog, and your career as a travel writer/travel book review specialist?

(Vera) As a travel writer, I am always eager to provide people with a reason to visit new places and learn about new cultures. I hope that Quincy Tahoma: The Life and Legacy of a Navajo Artist will stimulate curiosity about the fascinating culture of the largest American Indian group. And of course, Tahoma’s paintings may entice people to learn more about Navajo art and seek it out for themselves. As for how this work relates to A Traveler’s Library, the connection is personal. Having assigned myself the job of critiquing books, I’ve become more keenly aware of the stylistic and organizational demands on a writer. I had to ask myself constantly — would I want to read this book? How would I review it?

How often do you get to tour the Navajo area? Any favorite spots therein?

(Vera) Since I have lived in Arizona for so long, my husband and I have traveled to every corner of the state, and the Navajo reservation sprawls across a large portion of Northern Arizona and New Mexico. One of my family’s favorite road trips with our boys was across the Navajo reservation. We have been back many times — particularly to Canyon de Chelly, my favorite of the many scenic spots in Arizona — and to Monument Valley.

(Charnell) I go whenever time and resources allow it. After I moved from Texas to Virginia in 2005, those trips unfortunately became less frequent. I love all the spots I’ve visited so much that I bravely took three teenaged grandchildren to New Mexico and Arizona for ten days of exploration. The trip was magical for all four of us.

Any plans to write another book together?

(Vera) I spent ten years on Quincy Tahoma: The Life and Legacy of a Navajo Artist, and Charnell started even earlier. I am not prepared to make that kind of commitment again. We wanted to make more people familiar with this outstanding Navajo painter. Now that the book is published, our main interest is in making sure that we complete that job by ensuring that as many people as possible see the outstanding art work and read the moving life story of Quincy Tahoma.

(Charnell) Amen to that!

Thanks, Vera and Charnell. Through you, hopefully the legacy of Quincy Tahoma will live on and become more well known.

Sure, Phoenix in the summertime is steamy hot, but that’s what all the great resort pools are for — to cool off! And Phoenix/Scottsdale resorts really roll out the red carpet for families once the school year ends. check out these deals, discounts and packages at three different top Arizona resorts this summer:

Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale: Four Seasons resorts offer amazing complimentary child care in the form of “Kids For All Seasons” at its various properties.  I’ve toured the facilities and seen the schedule of activities at Four Seasons Vail and Four Seasons Lanai at Manele Bay, and I am sure the program at the Four Seasons Scottsdale is also top notch.

This summer the Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale (pictured right) focuses on its youngest guests with The Very Important Kids package, which includes:

• $100 resort credit for every two paid consecutive nights
• Family-themed “make your own snack mix” turndown amenity
• One complimentary in-room family movie during stay
• One voucher per child (up to two per room) to receive one complimentary poolside smoothie during stay

The Very Important Kids package is valid June 1 to Aug, 31, 2011, with rates beginning at $184 per night.

Westin Kierland Resort & Spa: My husband’s cousin took his kids to the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa resort over spring break, and the whole family can’t stop raving about it — especially the resort’s water park with huge lazy river and 110-foot waterslide. This summer, you can plan a Dreamworks-inspired “Happily Ever After” Summer Getaway complete with the magic of Shrek-themed fun:

• $100 daily credit to use toward resort dining, spa, golf or FUN activities.
• Connecting rooms or suite, based on availability
• Souvenir Shrek snack cup or Resort amenity
• No minimum stay required; based on availability.

The “Happily Every After” package is valid May 29 to September 11, 2011, with rates starting at $249/night. Call 480-624-1202 and ask for rate plan FAM100.

Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa: This Phoenix resort has partnered with the LEGO Store to present exclusive “mini-build” weekends for children ages 5 to 12. Offered twice, June 18 -19 and again on July 22-23, this package includes:

• One night in a luxurious guestroom (Friday check-in)
• Access for two children into the two-hour LEGO mini-build workshop
• Two LEGO welcome amenities, a $10 LEGO gift-card, a 2-year LEGO Club Membership
• A $5 off coupon redeemable at the LEGO Store at Chandler Fashion Center
• Access for two children and two adults to Arizona Science Center
• Two hours of complimentary Sheraton Adventure Club for each participating child.

Cost is $115. Each participating family is welcome to enter additional children into the mini-build workshop, if paid in advance and up to class capacity, for $15 per child.  To book this package call: 602-225-0100 and mention the LEGO11 promotion code.

I visited Flagstaff AZ late last spring, and I’m still talking about it. There are so many fun and interesting things to do in and around Flagstaff that a return vacation is definitely in order. The Grand Canyon, one of the best US National Parks, is pretty close by, and Historic Flagstaff (what with Route 66 and all) has a lot of quirky shops and southwestern restaurants. One activity I absolutely want to highlight, though, is a trip to Walnut Canyon National Monument. It’s my favorite of the best things to see and experience around Flagstaff, Arizona.

The loop trail in that video is not strenuous at all to walk around. It’s only about a mile long. There are a bunch of cliff dwellings along the trail (maybe 20 or 30), but Walnut Canyon has even more cliff dwellings that are not accessible via the trail. Those ruins are, in fact, off limits – but plainly visible when looking across the canyon. It’s a fantastic experience to be able to stand in the cliff dwellings along the loop trail. Visitors shouldn’t touch the walls or remove anything, of course, but taking the time to appreciate the stillness of the canyon, looking out from an ancient cliff dwelling, gives a powerful sense of what the days looked like to the Sinagua Indians, so many years ago.

I completely recommend experiencing Walnut Canyon National Monument to anyone vacationing in Northern Arizona. It complements the Grand Canyon National Park so well; green where the Grand Canyon is arid, small where the Grand Canyon is enormous, and completely manageable in one morning. It makes for a memorable travel activity. There are several other historic and interesting sites within a fifteen minutes drive of Flagstaff, but Walnut Canyon is my favorite one.

Jerome, Arizona is a short drive from Sedona. The Wild West setting, 1800′s mining boom and bust, population decline and potential of Jerome turning into a ghost town would be a familiar tale – but the artists who moved here in the 1960′s revived Jerome and helped remold the town into what it is today. History amid modernity coexist easily here, with the bohemian culture of acceptance and mellow friendliness throughout. Of all the art galleries and stores here, Nellie Bly Kaleidoscopes and Art Glass is a real stand-out. But don’t take my word for it; see for yourself:

The video ends abruptly because I knocked over that poor kaleidoscope! But the mood at Nellie Bly is so friendly and jovial, my misdeed was soon forgotten. I bought a couple of plastic kaleidoscopes as gifts for my kids, and shared a laugh with the store employees. And yes, it’s true that they have the largest collection of kaleidoscopes in the world. Whether your Arizona travel interests lay in history, culture, or just buying gifts and souvenirs, all will be satisfied with a day trip to Jerome.

Sedona is famously beautiful, with red cliffs and vistas that can seem otherworldly. An outdoorsy Sedona vacation is easily had, but the last time I traveled to this part of Arizona, I took a short detour west to Jerome, Arizona. For its art and historic significance alone, Jerome is absolutely worth a day trip from Sedona.

Wild West History in Jerome AZ

Jerome is a fun little town with an interesting history. Originally settled as a mining area in 1883, it saw many of the archetypes of the Wild West: Rough cowboys, hardworking miners, gamblers, armed robbers, and a succession of sheriffs holding down the fort. The most successful (financially, anyway) were the town prostitutes – it was a hard place for a lady to make money legally back then, after all.  Many of the century-old buildings sport the long second-floor porches from which these women would, let’s say, advertise their wares to passers-by.

When the copper and silver mines dried up, so did the money. It’s a common theme of Western America’s history; people moved away, and Jerome came very close to becoming a ghost town. Instead, something happened that not only saved Jerome, but gave it a unique feeling among old towns that survived the 1800′s Wild West. As the townsfolk like to say, “the hippies moved in.” Artists, poets, and other free-thinking types discovered Jerome – this was in the late 1960′s, when it was designated a Historic District – and set up studios and stores. Today, Jerome is quietly thriving: It has a terrific balance of old Western America architecture, and funky, absolutely unique artist galleries.

Authentic West for Cultural Travel

The mellow culture in Jerome is especially striking. There is no sense of close-mindedness at all. Instead, it’s not uncommon to wander in to a gallery, coffee shop or store, and find that the owner has left for a while to visit a neighbor. In fact, we left five dollars on the counter at the tiny Jerome Chamber of Commerce, after picking up a couple of maps – and never saw a soul there. I guess that’s what the old-timers mean by “hippies;” a sense of relaxed trust in neighbors and visitors that I can’t say I’ve seen anywhere else in our country.

We didn’t stay in Jerome overnight, but we saw two hotels there. The Jerome Grand Hotel looked authentic to the history of Jerome, and the Connor Hotel (circa 1898!) had several couples hanging out happily on its front steps. There are also a handful of B&Bs. The next time I take a vacation in Sedona, Arizona, I’m definitely going to take a day to re-experience Jerome. The blend of preserved American history and the generous, warm nature of its creative community, make it worth the trip.

It’s finally time to say good-bye to Tucson. I’ve lived here many years and have enjoyed every moment. There is so much to see and do in Southern Arizona and, let me tell you, there is nothing more breathtaking than a Sonoran Desert sunset (thank the dusty environment for those). But before I head north to Minnesota, I’d like to share some of my favorite Tucson attractions and what I’ll miss most.

1. Mt. Lemmon. The stunning backdrop of Tucson is more than just scenery. On the east side of Tucson you can drive up Catalina Highway to Mt. Lemmon for  a day or weekend of seasonal activities: hiking, biking, fishing, skiing, sledding and even an upcoming Oktoberfest.

2. Delicious Eats. I dread leaving the marvelous Southwest cuisine. Mexican restaurants are found on every corner, many family owned. Some of my favorites are up near where I live on the northwest side of town: La Parilla Suiza, El Charro Cafe (did someone say margaritas?) and then there are the non-Mexican inspired choices like Zinburger (wine and burgers do pair well) and Harvest (talk about fresh ingredients – and right across from my neighborhood in Oro Valley).

3. The Wild West. Southern Arizona relishes its Wild West history, and there are plenty of places to get your fill. Old Tucson Studios, Tombstone and Trail Dust Town are all fun places to take the family to relive the Old West.

4. Saguaros. When I first moved to the desert I was completely enthralled by the miles of Saguaros – and the novelty never seemed to wear off.  These regal succulents help give Tucson its special ambiance.

5. Finally, what I will miss the most: The People. We’re leaving my stepsons here to continue their high school studies, of course they still have their mom, sister,  family and gazillion friends in Tucson – so they won’t be lonely – but we will miss them. And we can’t wait to welcome them to the Twin Cities and show them our new home.

I’ve made some wonderful friends over the years, from the Tucson Moms playgroup I joined as a new mom to the wonderful teachers and parents at St. Andrews Preschool and Manzanita Elementary to my supportive Toastmasters group and, finally, my wonderful writers group. I will miss them all dearly.

Speaking of Tucson writers… it seems appropirate to introduce you to some of them and their blogs – as they all have something special to share. If you’re looking to see Tucson on a budget, visit Kate Reynolds’ blog Tucson on the Cheap (she is always digging up free and cheap stuff to do). If you’re a pet lover, Edie Jarolim (also a travel writer) has a new book coming out: Am I Boring My Dog? Donna L. Hull writes travel for baby boomers at My Itchy Travel Feet and Vera Marie Badertscher is behind A Traveler’s Library (Love books? Love travel? This site is for you).

I hope you enjoyed hearing about some of my favorite Tucson attractions and the people I adore, there are plenty more I was unable to list.

While it’s difficult to say good-bye to a city I have grown to love, it’s also an exciting time. I’m always up for an adventure and there is certainly one on the horizon: new friends to make, restaurants to check out, attractions to discover and experiences to be had.

Good-bye, Tucson!