What a scorching summer! Yes, it’s Phoenix, yes, it’s a desert, yes, it’s expected. Turns out, Chicago winters are no training for conditions that make even the hardiest of geckos sprint to shade. As someone recently said, walking outside at 6 p.m., when it’s still 106 degrees, feels like you are living in a hair dryer.
So, because last summer, I baked through the Valley temps, this year I was determined to take advantage of the northern part of our state and head for higher elevations and relief from the relentless blaze. I happened to share this desire with a new co-worker and that conversation shaped my plans – she told me about a cute B&B she and her mom went to, in Williams, AZ. She raved about the food, the hospitality and the delicious peanut butter cookies received on arrival. I looked at a map and realized I must have been thru Williams before (blink and you miss it) – I’d visited Bearizona in 2023 (see my prior blog post here) and the town also seems to be a gateway to the Grand Canyon. But as a destination? I was intrigued.
TripAdvisor furthered my interest – the Sheridan House Inn (and the owners, Debbie & Mark) had glowing reviews. I’m all for experiences so it was an easy decision to book 3 nights and start dreaming of pine trees and cozy evenings (which is funny because when I lived in the Midwest I absolutely dreaded the cold – but as my mom says “everything is relative”). Temps were predicted to be 80’s during the day and 40s or 50s at night – my sweatshirts were ecstatic to feel needed.
In doing my research, I also learned about the Grand Canyon Railroad. I’d been to the “Canyon” at least 3 times already (no complaints, just a fact), but it was enticing to think about exploring it a different way.
I drove up on a Thursday, stopping in Camp Verde (cheaper gas!) and Flagstaff (home to this fave little store). Traffic was surprisingly manageable, at least until I arrived in Flag, where the University was back in session. Even so, I found easy downtown parking, which offered the chance to stretch my legs and acclimate to the thinner mountain air.
Upon arrival at the Inn, I met Debbie. She provided oodles of information about the stay and prodded into my plans to help prioritize suggested places of interest. I’d emailed ahead about my railway trip (thus, missing their set breakfast hours), and she assured me I wouldn’t go hungry, with an earlier slot reserved just for me.
After I saw my great accommodations, I ambled to the Grand Canyon Railway hotel to pick up my ticket (the station was closed by this time of evening). True to the train’s ye olde charm, the tickets were still old-school paper versus digital versions.
Breakfasts were consistently thoughtful throughout my stay. Presentation mattered, flavors flowed. There were 4 different breakfast selections, a savory, a sweet, a regional and a ‘light’, as well as starters and smoothies and surprises like the a.m. ‘ice cream’ (frozen mango and bananas pureed together). My picks included smoked salmon quesadillas, avocado toast and a fantastic omelet with broccoli, roasted radish, smoky cheese and pesto. And, because my sweet tooth knows no bounds, I made sure the decadent hot cocoa was part of the mix each day.
On Friday, full and fueled, I grabbed my backpack-cooler picnic lunch (one of the Inn’s add-ons) and walked the 15 minutes to the station. Before boarding, they do a little ‘show’ – I arrived a few minutes late, so the only thing I saw was a sheriff shooting some ‘bad guys’ – but did hear them announce (Foreshadowing? We’ll see…) that the criminals like to rob trains so we needed to be aware.
The ride itself was a mix of charm, relaxation and some laughs. I booked the schmancy seating area with big windows and lounged in comfort while a lovely woman named Nancy oversaw our journey. She told cow jokes and brought drinks and clearly loved her job. Question: What do you call a cow with milk ‘up to here’ (as Nancy gestured to her forehead)… Answer: Pasteurized. Get it? Past-Your-Eyes – hahahahahahaha.
Though the landscape leaned heavily on scrub – between bovine humor, friendly banter and a couple surprise singers – 2 hours and 15 minutes went fairly quickly.
Arriving at a new-to-me part of the rim, I dodged the endless gift shops and discovered a shaded area with a stellar view to dig into my mid-day meal. The backdrop brought better ambiance than a five-star restaurant.
During my three-hour stay at the Canyon, the weather kept things interesting: bright sunshine, stiff breezes, and dark clouds rolling in just before I left. Then, as if on cue, the rain came down.
A little soggy, I almost forgot about those scary train outlaws – but on the ride back, an announcement revealed they’d escaped jail. Confusing, since I’d caught the tail end of the morning show and the gunfire had them flat on the ground. Apparently, they found enough energy (and a few band-aids?) to track us down. Nancy warned us the crooks liked to trick the engineer into stopping – and sure enough, a few minutes later, (with what seemed like terrible judgement), the locomotive slowed and the robbers tried to steal from us. Fortunately, the sheriff intervened and rounded them up – crisis averted! Shortly after, the storm eased and a rainbow appeared. Maybe the criminals should have gone searching for the pot of gold instead.
The next day, I craved steps, fresh air and reading my book, so I took the recommendation to head to Dogtown Lake. The route had a 4-mile stretch of unpaved road. This made Sunny happy but the rubber ducks, less so. It was so bumpy, two of them tumbled off the dashboard and landed in the passenger seat – preferring to sit shotgun the rest of the way.
The walking path was a little rocky (definitely wear sturdy shoes) but scenery didn’t disappoint, between the water, trees, mountains in the distance and even a bald eagle sighting!
If you’re inspired to explore more of Williams after a Dogtown-style morning, here are a few nearby ideas:
- Bearizona: Drive-through wildlife park, great for seeing (you guessed it!) bears as well as bison, and more. VIP experiences are available for those wanting extra access.
- Grand Canyon Deer Farm: Small, interactive animal park – a hands-on experience, good for anyone wanting a close-up with deer and other critters. They also have bison (maybe the ones from Bearizona moonlight here?)
- Canyon Coaster Adventure Park: A mile-long descent where you control your own coaster.
- Downtown Shops: Family-owned gems selling souvenirs, Native American arts & crafts and western wear.
- Route 66: Cruise a stretch of the historic road.
That night, I opted for dinner at the Inn. On the porch with a slight chill in the air (and a roaring fire pit), I dug into an indulgent beef filet on sourdough (with truffle oil!) while conversing with other guests from our separate tables – soaking in the northern escape vibe. To top it off… s’mores with the option to pair the toasted treat with a variety of ‘bases’. I had a hypothesis for the best ‘sandwich’ and after experimenting with all the choices (because…science), I found my winner – a marshmallow tucked into an Oreo. Boomerang pouted that he wasn’t invited to dinner but sticky dessert + koala fur = a bathing fiasco that was not on my agenda.
Sunday, after that aforementioned omelet (plus the requisite hot chocolate), I meandered south, detouring to Sedona along the way. Objective: See the red rocks and visit the Sedona Fudge Company (I wrote about them before – their chocolate covered Oreos and Nutter Butters are worth the stop). Plus, they included a bonus chocolate covered graham cracker – thank you dessert-masters!
Escaping the heat, capturing the memories, dodging brazen bandits and sipping far too much hot cocoa – a special weekend for me – however I hear Williams is now facing a mysterious s’mores shortage…