13 minute read
Grand Canyon/ Northern Arizona
GRAND CANYON ATTRACTIONS
ARIZONA OUTBACK ADVENTURES AOA specializes in single-day to multi-day guided hiking, biking and backpacking in the Grand Canyon and Havasupai. destinations.rei.com/arizona
ARIZONA RAFT ADVENTURES Embark on an expedition of the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon through rafting, paddling and motor adventures. azraft.com
GRAND CANYON TRAIL RIDES The half-day mule trip descends 2,300 feet down the North Kaibab Trail to the Supai Tunnel. canyonrides.com
MAVERICK HELICOPTERS This helicopter tour departs from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon and offers one of the most spectacular views in the entire canyon. maverickhelicopter.com GRAND CANYON SKYWALK THINGS TO KNOW: Located at Grand Canyon West, this 10-foot-wide glass platform that extends 70 feet out over the Canyon’s rim is a wonder all of its own. Strong enough to hold seventy 747 passenger jets at once, it easily bears groups of almost any size who want a bird’s-eye view of the Grand Canyon floor. In fact, you can see right through it, all 4,000 feet down. It’s been featured on the National Geographic channel, The Today Show, and CNN, and is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for any Grand Canyon visitor.
NORTHERN ARIZONA ATTRACTIONS
ANTELOPE CANYON The smooth sandstone was formed by millions of years of erosion and is a tourism destination for hikers and explorers. antelopeslotcanyon.com
HOOVER DAM The Bureau of Reclamation started conducting tours through the Hoover Dam — the highest concrete dam in the U.S. — in 1937. usbr.gov/lc/hooverdam
LOWELL OBSERVATORY Enjoy stargazing and learning about astronomy at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, where Pluto was discovered in 1930. lowell.edu
VERDE CANYON RAILROAD This historical railroad is as old as the state of Arizona and is truly a cherished piece of history.
verdecanyonrr.com
INFORMATION: grandcanyonwest.com
MUSEUM OF NORTHERN ARIZONA
THINGS TO KNOW: The Museum was founded in 1928 by Harold S. Colton and Mary-Russell Ferrell Colton and was originally established to protect and preserve the natural and cultural heritage of northern Arizona through research, collections, conservation and education. The museum has evolved into a regional center of learning with collections, exhibits, educational programs, publications, and research projects that serve thousands of people each year. As the only accredited museum within 150 miles of Flagstaff, the Museum of Northern Arizona plays a vital role as interpreter of the Colorado Plateau.
INFORMATION: musnaz.org
PHOENIX ZOO
THINGS TO KNOW:
Arizona Science Center engages minds through science with over 300 handson exhibits, a planetarium and theater.
azscience.org Crayola Experience
This family attraction features 19 hands-on activities and a Crayola Store with products and souvenirs.
crayolaexperience.com/chandler Children’s Museum of Phoenix
One of the top three children’s museums in the nation, this 48,000-square-foot museum has over 300 play experiences. Visit the Phoenix Zoo and explore a wondrous world of curiosity, imagination and discovery. For more than half a century, the Zoo and its animals have amazed guests from across Phoenix and around the globe. Whether you are on the lookout for aweinspiring Asian elephants, on safari to spot the great Sumatran tiger or seeking towering giraffes roaming the savanna, a day at the Zoo offers adventures like no other place in the Valley. With cafes, shops, lush gardens and exciting experiences like Stingray Bay, Giraffe Encounter, Monkey Village, Safari Train, 4-D Theater and many more, your visit to the Zoo will be memorable for the entire family. The Phoenix Zoo is one of the nation’s largest non-profit zoos, committed to conservation and providing experiences that inspire people and motivate them to care for the natural world. The Phoenix Zoo is home to more than 3,000 animals, including 30 species that are endangered or threatened.
DON’T MISS:
ZooLights is a magical event that will illuminate your holiday season. The nightly evening viewings feature millions of lights, hundreds of sparkling displays throughout the zoo and more activities and performances.
Arizona Science Center
INFORMATION: phoenixzoo.org
childrensmuseumofphoenix.org Enchanted Island
Geared toward children up to ten years old, the amusement park has 11 rides and attractions such as a giant climbing wall and splash zone.
enchantedisland.com Lego Discovery Center
Freestone Park
This park in Gilbert has sports fields and courts, a skate park, playground areas, a recreation center, railroad and amusement rides. life with animatronics and recreated
gilbertaz.gov/departments/ parks-and-recreation
I.d.e.a. Museum
This children’s museum allows kids to explore their imaginations through
ideamuseum.org Jake’s Unlimited
An indoor amusement park offering bowling, arcade games, laser tag and signature unicorn cotton candy tacos.
jakesunlimited.com
Play and learn about all things LEGO while you explore one of the center’s many hands-on attractions.
arizona.legolanddiscoverycenter.com
Pangaea Land of the Dinosaurs
This indoor exhibit brings dinosaurs to design in art, science and technology.
historic habitats.
pangaealandofthedinosaurs.com
MUSEUMS
ARIZONA MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY This museum in Mesa features archaeology, art, ethnology, geology, natural history and paleontology collections. arizonamuseumofnaturalhistory.org
HEARD MUSEUM Experience the myriad cultures and art of American Indians in 10 exhibit galleries, sculpture courtyards and dining. heard.org
PHOENIX ART MUSEUM Their permanent collection includes more than 18,000 works of American, Asian, European, Latin American, western American, modern and contemporary art. phxart.org
SCOTTSDALE MUSEUM OF THE WEST This museum celebrates the art, history, culture and unique stories of the 19 states comprising the American West. scottsdalemuseumwest.org MUSICAL INSTRUMENT MUSEUM THINGS TO KNOW: Displaying more than 7,000 instruments collected from around 200 of the world’s countries and territories, the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) is the world’s only global instrument museum. With a collection of more than 13,600 musical instruments and associated objects, MIM displays 7,000 instruments with historic and artistic merit in its two floors encompassing 200,000-squarefeet. Their five Geographic Galleries, Mechanical Music Gallery, Collier STEM Gallery, Conservation Lab, rotating exhibitions, along with the MIM Music Theater, Café Allegro and the Museum Store ensure a fun-filled day at the museum.
SHOPPING CENTERS
CHANDLER FASHION CENTER Chandler Fashion Center is the second largest mall in the Phoenix metropolitan area with more than 180 stores. shopchandlerfashioncenter.com
DESERT RIDGE MARKETPLACE The center’s 1.2 million square feet of retail space is home to more than 100 retailers and restaurants. shopdesertridge.com
KIERLAND COMMONS Located in Scottsdale, this outdoor shopping center includes Crate & Barrel, Michael Kors and 70 stores and restaurants. kierlandcommons.com
SCOTTSDALE QUARTER The urban destination sits on 28 acres with restaurants and is home to over 80 retailers, plus unique dining options.
scottsdalequarter.com
INFORMATION: mim.org
SCOTTSDALE FASHION SQUARE
THINGS TO KNOW: Fashion Square debuted the reinvented luxury wing in fall 2018, adding luxury retailers including Saint Laurent and Versace and renovations and expansions for Bottega Veneta, Jimmy Choo and Neiman Marcus, elevating Scottsdale’s premier shopping experience. From Prada and Tiffany & Co. to Gucci and Burberry, Scottsdale Fashion Square has more than 200 stores, plus inspired dining options at and surrounding the perimeter of Fashion Square and entertainment that make it a must- visit in Scottsdale.
INFORMATION: fashionsquare.com
Ak-Chin Him-Dak Eco-Museum Called a “museum without walls,” which displays tribal crafts, exhibits and photographs of the Ak-Chin people and residents take on the role of curator. ak-chin.nsn.us/about.html
Cocopah Museum and Cultural Center See traditional clothing such as bark skirts and leather sandals, traditional tattoo designs and the Cocopah warriors’ display. cocopah.com/museum
Colorado River Indian Tribes Museum The museum houses cultural artifacts, exhibits and provides an overview of CRIT and its people. crit-nsn.gov
BESH BA GOWAH ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK AND MUSEUM
THINGS TO KNOW:
800 years ago, this village southwest of Globe (the name is translated as “place of metal”) was occupied by the Salado people. Now, these ruins stand as a testament to this ancient civilization and how they lived. Visitors can walk around and explore the fascinating ruins, learning more about this fascinating culture and people. Around the ruins, there’s a museum that carries Salado pottery and artifacts, botanical gardens, and a gift shop. The site is available for student field trips.
DON’T MISS:
As you enter the museum, you’ll be treated to a brief film showing the history of Besh Ba Gowah, and will leave feeling far more informed than before. You’ll see firsthand how well-restored is the archaeological site: a point of pride for all those interested in preserving and maintaining Native American ruins. If you pass by Besh Ba Gowah in December, you can’t miss the Annual Festival of Lights, where the ruin walls are painstakingly covered in 2300 luminaries to celebrate the season’s magic, and where the Yellow Bird Dance Group performs their famed brand of entertainment.
INFORMATION: globeaz.gov/visitors/besh-ba-gowah nps.gov/hutr
Fort McDowell Adventures Visitors learn about the Yavapai Nation and Southwestern culture through bus and horseback riding tours. fortmcdowelladventures.com
Fry Bread House Get a taste of Native American culture at the first Native American restaurant to receive the James Beard American Classics Award. facebook.com/frybreadhouse
Heard Museum
Don’t miss one of Phoenix’s top cultural attractions and destinations for learning about Native American arts
heard.org Hubbell Trading Post
Feel the old wooden floor squeak beneath your feet as you enter the oldest, continuously operating trading post on the Navajo Nation.
and cultures.
Pueblo Grande Museum A fully accessible 2/3-mile trail takes you through a prehistoric Hohokam archaeological village site. pueblogrande.org
River Trading Post Navajo textiles and Hopi Kachina are sprinkled among baskets, pottery, jewelry and artifacts on display at this shop. rivertradingpost.com/scottsdale
AZ ATV ADVENTURES
THINGS TO KNOW: This one-of-a-kind group schedules ATV tours in both Sedona and on the Phoenix-Tucson border that are sure to be fun for the whole family. Trained tour guides will customize the group’s experience based on skill and experience levels, so you’ll know you’re doing something that’s safe and perfect for you. The company has been in the Arizona outdoor adventure business for more than 25 years, and is the largest and most experienced ATV tour company in the state. Before your tour, you’ll get the best hands-on training in their custom-built ATV training course, and will be evaluated for safety before the tour begins.
DON’T MISS: The West Sedona Canyon Tour is the most popular option, and takes you on a three-hour ride through some of the area’s best scenery. You’ll get a pristine view of the Verde Valley from the top of Skeleton Bone Mountain and might even see antelope running by your side as you drive. On the Phoenix-Tucson Box Canyon Tour, you climb up and over the front range of the Pinal Mountains near Florence as your guide points out ancient Native American petroglyphs. You’ll even see the old Butterfield Route way station that once serviced the Pony Express.
INFORMATION: arizonaatvadventures.com American Gold Prospecting Adventures American Gold
You will learn the techniques you need Prospecting Adventures to prospect for gold in the deserts and You will learn the techniques you need mountains of Arizona. to prospect for gold in the deserts and americangoldprospectingadventures.com mountains of Arizona. americangoldprospecting
Arizona’s oldest and largest botanical garden, Boyce Thompson the Arboretum was founded in the 1920s. btarboretum.org Arboretum State Park Arizona’s oldest and largest botanical garden, the Arboretum was founded in Fort McDowell Adventures the 1920s. Choose from adventures including a City btarboretum.org Slicker Cattle Drive, Segway tours in the desert, kayaking or riding the trail. Fort McDowell Adventures fortmcdowelladventures.com Choose from adventures including a City Slicker Cattle Drive, Segway tours Havasu Canyon trail in the desert, kayaking or riding The strenuous eight-mile hike from the trail. Hualapai Hilltop to the water forces you fortmcdowelladventures.com to earn the spectacular views of Havasu Canyon’s waterfalls. waterfallsofthegrandcanyon.com Havasu Canyon trail The strenuous eight-mile hike from Hualapai Hilltop to the water forces Kinishba Ruins you to earn the spectacular views of Havasu Canyon’s waterfalls. Explore the remains of a pueblo village waterfallsofthegrandcanyon.com built between 1250 and 1350 A.D. by the pre-Columbian Mogollon Culture. Kinishba Ruins discovergilacounty.com/kinishba-ruins Explore the remains of a pueblo village built between 1250 and 1350 A.D. by Off-Road Jeep Adventures the pre-Columbian Mogollon Culture. The educational and off-road guide-led discovergilacounty.com/kinishba-ruins Sunset Sonoran Desert Jeep Tour will take you through scenic trails of the Tonto Off-Road Jeep Adventures National Forest. The educational and off-road guide-led thejeeptours.com Sunset Sonoran Desert Jeep Tour will take you through scenic trails of the Pink Jeep Tours Take two- to five-hour tours exploring Tonto National Forest. thejeeptours.com ancient ruins, notable rock formations, or Pink Jeep Tours pair your off-roading tour with horseback Take two- to five-hour tours exploring riding with a combo tour. ancient ruins, notable rock formations, pinkjeeptourssedona.com or pair your off-roading tour with horseback riding with a combo tour.
Verde Hot Springs pinkjeeptourssedona.com
A hike, a crisp dip in the Verde River and a comforting float in the Verde Hot Springs Verde Hot Springs are three of the best ways to spend a day A hike, a crisp dip in the Verde River trip to Payson. and a comforting float in the Verde Hot paysonrimcountry.com Springs are three of the best ways to spend a day trip to Payson.
Western Destinations paysonrimcountry.com
Try horseback riding through the Old West Town of Coldwater or venture into the foothills of the Bradshaw Mountains on their Jeep Excursion. westerndestinations.com Western Destinations Try horseback riding through the Old West Town of Coldwater or venture into the foothills of the Bradshaw Mountains on their Jeep Excursion.
westerndestinations.com
PARKS AND MONUMENTS
CANYON DE CHELLY NATIONAL MONUMENT Take a scenic drive or hike to see the steep canyon walls that cradle hundreds of ancient pueblo ruins. nps.gov/cach
MONTEZUMA CASTLE NATIONAL MONUMENT This 20-room stone, timber and adobe dwelling is one of the best-preserved cliff dwellings in the U.S. nps.gov/moca
PETRIFIED FOREST NATIONAL PARK Take in spectacular scenery where the surroundings have aged for 225 million years, turning wood into stone. nps.gov/pefo
TONTO NATURAL BRIDGE For the adventurous, climb under this natural bridge to see beautiful rock formations and calming pools of water. azstateparks.com/tonto THINGS TO KNOW: It’s the world’s largest city park, and an essential destination for all those who love hiking, nature, and history. The park includes close to 17,000 acres, with more than 50 miles of hiking, biking, and equestrian trails. It’s home to more than 150 animal species, as well as a wide array of flora and fauna. There are petroglyphs left on countless rocks for you to observe, made by the Hohokam Indians and other ancient peoples.
SNOW DAY ADVENTURES
ELK RIDGE SKI AREA The family-oriented skiing, snowboarding and tubing recreation area totals 37 acres with a top elevation of 8,150-feet. elkridgeski.com
FLAGSTAFF SNOW PARK Flagstaff Snow Park has everything from groomed tubing runs and kiddie hill to outdoor fire pits and food and drink. flagstaffsnowpark.com
HITCHIN’ POST STABLES SLEIGH RIDES Try a sleigh ride through the snow-covered Coconino National Forest between November and March. historichitchinpoststables.com
MOUNT LEMMON SKI VALLEY The Sky Ride to the summit takes about 30 minutes and covers approximately one mile.
SOUTH MOUNTAIN PARK
skithelemmon.com
INFORMATION: phoenix.gov/parks/trails/ zlocations/south-mountain
ARIZONA SNOWBOWL
THINGS TO KNOW: Arizona Snowbowl is a haven for seasoned skiers and snowboarders, as well as beginners. Located on the majestic San Francisco Peaks at 9,500 feet above sea level, Snowbowl has been a destination for skiing and snowboarding for 80 years. Enjoy skiing and snowboarding on 777 acres, eight lifts, 40 runs and three terrain parks and technical jumps, rails and features. Snowbowl recently unveiled a new addition: the Arizona Gondola, Arizona’s newest high-speed lift with room for 8-people in each gondola cabin and two 6-person chairs.
INFORMATION: snowbowl.ski
