Arizona is TravelQuest’s backyard, and there’s no mystery why: beneath our vast, clear skies you find some of most exciting astronomical destinations in the world.
Join us in May 2019 as we partner with Astronomy magazine on a nine-day journey from Tucson to Flagstaff that we’ve called Arizona Skies. We want to share the beauty of our desert home, from its landscapes dotted with cacti to the incredible expanse of stars overhead. Guided by your expert trip leader, and Astronomy editor Micha ...Show more
Founded to preserve the history of aviation in the U.S., the Pima Air & Space Museum is home to a wide variety of historic aircraft, from an original Wright Flyer to a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The museum also features a gallery devoted to space exploration, with replicas of key vessels. Your visit includes a guided “Boneyard” tour aka the 309TH Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG) in a climate-controlled tram around the 80-acre site – a great way to take in the incredible array of aircraft.
This morning we tour the Arizona State University Center for Meteorite Studies, home to one of the world’s largest meteorite collections: over 30,000 individual specimens representing more than 2,000 distinct meteorite falls and finds. The collection is actively used for geological, planetary and space science research at the university and throughout the world.
This morning we travel north through the spectacular Kaibab National Forest to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon – heralded by Theodore Roosevelt as “one of the great sights which every American, if he can travel at all, must see.” You’re in for an endless series of breathtaking vistas with time on your own for personal exploring. Later, we travel along Desert View Drive to visit Cameron Navajo Trading Post – a haven for explorers, traders and travelers for nearly a century. Enjoy shopping for Native American crafts and souvenirs, and having dinner here before our return to Flagstaff this evening.
Barringer Meteor Crater, about 40 miles east of Flagstaff, is named for mining engineer and entrepreneur Daniel Moreau Barringer, who was the first to identify its probable origins in 1903. Recognizing the crater’s scientific importance and educational value, Barringer took measures to protect it. Today his descendants (who still own the property) maintain the site as closely as possible to its natural state, making it available for scientific research while ensuring appropriate access by the general public. We tour the crater rim and explore the Interactive Discovery Center, where you can learn more about the crater’s history and the fascinating science around meteorite strikes.
In the evening, we visit Lowell Observatory, founded in 1894 by astronomer Percival Lowell for his pioneering studies of Mars. Named one of “The World’s 100 Most Important Places” by Time magazine, the observatory has been at the center of many landmark astronomical events, including the discovery of Pluto, the mapping of the Moon for the Apollo program and the first corroboration of the expanding nature of the universe. Enjoy a special farewell dinner before spending some time observing the skies firsthand through the historic Clark refractor.
