Things To Do: Phoenix and Central Arizona

Phoenix and Central Arizona offer visitors the best of two worlds – luxurious resorts and spas, world-class golf courses, outstanding dining and shopping, and a sophisticated arts and cultural scene, all within steps of the rugged, thrill-a-minute adventures that await in the lush Sonoran Desert . Add in a near-perfect climate, a variety of activities and attractions and easy access via a bustling international airport and you have a destination sure to please even the most discerning travelers.

Phoenix

Phoenix is the capital city of Arizona , the fifth-largest city in the nation and the business and financial center of the Southwest. There are so many attractions in the Phoenix area it is difficult to decide where to begin. The Desert Botanical Garden offers visitors a one-stop shop to view over 20,000 plants native to the desert, and the Phoenix Zoo is home to over 400 species of fauna – most indigenous to the region. Child Magazine awarded the Phoenix Zoo the fifth best family-friendly zoo in the country. The internationally acclaimed Heard Museum is one of the best places to experience the myriad cultures and art of Native Americans of the Southwest. The Phoenix Art Museum, at just over 160,000 square feet, is one of the largest general visual arts institutions in the Southwest.

The Copper Square-Downtown Phoenix area is home to the Arizona Science Center . Here you can explore 350 hands-on exhibits in five themed galleries. The Phoenix Museum of History focuses on the history and development of the city itself. Historic Heritage Square is a striking remnant of Phoenix ’s Victorian past. The Rosson House is the cornerstone of a city block dating from the late 1800s. Museums, shops and restaurants now inhabit the block, which encompasses the only remaining group of residential structures from the original townsite of Phoenix.

Downtown Phoenix boasts several unique entertainment venues that host a variety of performances. The Orpheum Theater is an awe-inspiring 1,400-seat theater. The Dodge Theatre is a state-of-the-art entertainment venue designed specifically for concerts, Broadway shows and family stage shows. The Herberger Theatre opened in 1989 to become home for Arizona ’s most widely acclaimed professional theater troupe, the Arizona Theatre Company. Phoenix Symphony Hall is an internationally recognized performing arts center. Ballet Arizona is the Southwest’s premiere professional ballet company.

Downtown Phoenix is also home of the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Phoenix Suns as well as two world-class business oriented hotels (plus a new 1,000-room Sheraton opening in 2008), and numerous restaurants and shops.

For history buffs, The Pioneer Arizona Living History Museum portrays Arizona ’s territorial history, dating back to 1858-1912.Greet a working blacksmith, explore an old print shop and witness a cavalry fort. To see a Hohokam prehistoric ruin, take a short hike along an archaeological site, and join in workshops at the Pueblo Grande Museum.

If shopping is your thing, Biltmore Fashion Park has upscale shops and wonderful restaurants. The outdoor mall is a popular weekend shopping destination.

Scottsdale

Nestled in the heart of the lush Sonoran Desert , Scottsdale celebrates its Native American, Hispanic and cowboy heritage, while offering visitors all of the world-class amenities guests expect from a premier resort destination. With more than 65 outstanding resorts and hotels, Scottsdale offers a full range of accommodations, from five-diamond resorts and hip boutique hotels to family-friendly lodgings. In addition, Scottsdale is home to over 25 resort and day spas, many of which feature treatments formulated from indigenous Sonoran Desert elements such as golden desert honey and cactus flower extracts.

For golfers, Scottsdale offers expertly manicured courses ranging from the rolling green fairways of traditional designs to the cactus-studded excitement of desert layouts.Only in Scottsdale will golfers find courses with such notable monikers as Troon North Golf Club, TPC Scottsdale, Grayhawk Golf Club, We-Ko-Pa Golf Club, the Golf Club at Eagle Mountain and many more, all located within an easy 30-minute drive of each other.

Thrill seekers will find plenty in Scottsdale to get their adrenaline pumping. Jeep and Hummer tours, horseback riding excursions and backcountry hikes are exciting ways to explore the Sonoran Desert . Guests also can learn authentic cowboy skills at the Arizona Cowboy College or get behind the wheel of a genuine race car at the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving.

For arts aficionados, Scottsdale boasts more than 125 art galleries, museums and performing arts venues. The downtown arts districts, home of the weekly Thursday night ArtWalk, feature dozens of galleries ranging in style from contemporary and Impressionist to Native American. Also in downtown are the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art and the Scottsdale Center for Performing Arts. Just north of downtown, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West provides guests with an in-depth look at the legendary architect’s amazing talent for blending nature and architecture.

Native American cultures are celebrated at the Heard Museum North, which offers an unparalleled collection of art and cultural artifacts from tribes throughout Arizona . And, visitors traveling to Scottsdale between January and March will want to experience Native Trails, presented by the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation and produced by the Scottsdale Center for Performing Arts. These free seasonal festivals explore Native American cultures through music, dance, storytelling, and art.

The phrase “shop ‘til you drop” takes on a whole new meaning in Scottsdale! Guests can browse more than 2,500 boutiques, shops and malls, including the upscale Scottsdale Fashion Square, Moroccan inspired Boulders el Pedregal Festival Marketplace, enchanting Borgata of Scottsdale, and the unique neighborhoods of boutiques and galleries in the Downtown Scottsdale Arts & Shopping Districts.

When it’s time to dine, Scottsdale’s award-winning restaurants and chefs are here to please, with culinary creations inspired by the flavors of the world. And if after-dinner entertainment on the agenda, Scottsdale delivers with sophisticated wine bars, cool jazz hideaways and trendy nightclubs. In downtown Scottsdale alone, there are more than 30 nightspots, most of which are within walking distance of each other.

Visitors also will enjoy Scottsdale’s neighboring communities. Along Scottsdale’s southwestern border, Paradise Valley offers luxury resorts and spas, in addition to fine dining and shopping. To the east, Fountain Hills boasts resorts and spas, magnificent golf courses, and the world’s tallest year-round fountain. Just past Fountain Hills, the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation provides visitors with outdoor experiences through Fort McDowell Adventures, and accommodations, entertainment and gaming at the Radisson Fort McDowell Resort and Casino. Nestled along Scottsdale ’s central and southeastern border, the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community showcases the Hoo-Hoogam Ki Museum, Talking Stick Golf Club, The Pavilions shopping center, and two branches of Casino Arizona.

Mesa

Mesa, the third-largest city in the state, is just 20 minutes from downtown Phoenix . This family-friendly community of 440,000 is the ideal place to catch a Chicago Cubs Spring Training game every March. In addition to the Cubs, the city takes great pride in its heritage with museums dedicated to preserving the history of the city and culture of the area. The Arizona Museum for Youth, a child-oriented fine arts center, was voted one of the nation’s  best children’s museums by USA Today. The Mesa Historical Museum’s 30,000 square feet of exhibit rooms showcase artifacts from Mesa ’s pioneer days. And the Mesa Southwest Museum presents history back to the dinosaurs, including a 10,000-year old mammoth, Indian petroglyphs, Spanish conquistadors and frontier history. And the brand new Mesa Arts Center houses four theaters, five art galleries, and 14 art studios making it the largest arts complex in Arizona.

Mesa’s many recreational choices include: horseback riding, river rafting, desert Jeep tours, steamboat rides and 25 golf courses. With two major malls, a factory outlet mall and a sizable collection of antique stores, shoppers can indulge their shopping passions.

Apache Trail

Just east of Mesa is the Apache Trail, a road built in 1906-1911 to move supplies and equipment for the building of Roosevelt Dam, offering travelers miles of majestic scenery. The trail encompasses the lush Sonoran Desert , the blue lakes of the Salt River, twisting canyons, and the grandiose Superstition Mountains.

Tortilla Flat, an old stagecoach stop on the Apache Trail boasts six residents and a movie backdrop ambiance. At Goldfield Ghost Town, an authentic 1890s mining town, visitors can pan for gold, ride a train, take an underground mine tour, a horseback ride or discover desert dwellers in the reptile exhibit.

The most-visited wilderness in the United States , the Superstitions is the home of the legendary Lost Dutchman Gold Mine and a vast network of hiking and equestrian trails. The spring wildflower display on the western end attracts photographers from all over the world.

Canyon, Apache and Roosevelt Lakes are filled with boaters all summer long. Canyon Lake, the first of three desert lakes along the trail is home to the Dolly Steamboat, a 100-foot-long replica of an early American riverboat sternwheeler. Enjoy a Nature Cruise with breathtaking views only accessible by boat. Groups of up to 135 can take a lunch or dinner cruise on the 10-mile-long Canyon Lake.

Tempe

Adjacent to both Phoenix and Scottsdale , Tempe is less than 10 minutes from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Tempe is home to Arizona State University; the 5 th largest in the U.S. More than just a college town, Tempe personifies a vibrant cultural climate with a mix of performing arts, sports and recreation. Picturesque, eclectic and pedestrian-friendly Mill Avenue is the heart of campus and Tempe with more than 120 restaurants, taverns, cafes, quaint stores and nightclubs. The downtown area includes the stunning Frank Lloyd Wright designed ASU’s Gammage Auditorium, which boasts a full schedule of Broadway shows, cutting edge theatre, dance and music performances and seating for 3,000. On the north end of Mill Avenue , visitors will enjoy Tempe Town Lake, a two-mile urban oasis. The lake offers leisure boating, group charters, kayaks and electric boats, as well as several major festivals throughout the year.

Tempe also offers additional shopping and entertainment venues beyond Mill Avenue. Arizona Mills, located at Interstate 10 and US 60, is Arizona ’s largest, value oriented shopping experience with over 170 shops and restaurants all under one roof. Beyond shopping, Arizona Mills includes family friendly destinations such as IMAX, GameWorks and Rainforest Café. Additionally, Tempe is the home of the state’s largest store, IKEA. This Swedish furniture store contains more than 340,000 square feet of items to enhance your lifestyle.

Other area attractions include Papago Park featuring the Desert Botanical Garden, The Phoenix Zoo, Arizona Historical Society Museum, Hall of Flame Firefighting Museum and miles of hiking and biking trails. All of these attractions combined with world class accommodations make Tempe an ideal home base for any Arizona adventure.

Chandler

The trellis-covered walkways and colonnades of Historic Downtown Chandler, as well as the Chandler Fashion Center, the latest crown jewel of the Valley’s shopping venues, lure shoppers to this unique community. The mall expands over some 1.3 million square feet of retail space, including a mix of 180 different retails shops and restaurants.

The Crowne Plaza San Marcos Golf Resort, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was once a favored haunt of Hollywood luminaries and heads of state. Today, thousands are attracted to the Chandler Center for the Arts where musical and other cultural performances are presented in a beautiful setting. Rawhide, Arizona ’s largest western-themed attraction is located near Chandler at the Wild Horse Pass on the Gila River Indian Community. This replica of an 1880’s frontier town offers dozens of wild west attractions and unique retail shops.

Glendale

Located on the Western edge of Phoenix , Glendale is a convenient 20 minutes from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport . The charming city revels in the national spotlight for both its famed Historic Downtown Shopping District and its exciting, brand-new professional sports and entertainment options.

Voted one of the ten best places in the nation for antique shopping, Glendale ’s quaint historic downtown is lined with small cafes, art galleries and antique shops. Food lovers can tour the Cerreta Candy Factory where samples of silky chocolate are included. Nearby, the Bead Museum showcases a variety of ancient and contemporary beads. Sahuaro Ranch Park, an 80-acre historical park that has turn-of-the-century buildings, citrus groves and rose gardens to wander through, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Recently the city has grown into a true sports destination, boasting the Phoenix Coyotes and the Arizona Cardinals who play in the brand new University of Phoenix Stadium which will host the 2008 Super Bowl, the 2008 Fiesta Bowl and other national events.

Peoria

Bordering Glendale , Peoria boasts the Challenger Space Center of Arizona, a Smithsonian Institution affiliate, offering simulated space missions and astronomy training. And, Lake Pleasant is the metro area’s largest water playground with sailing, fishing and water-skiing year round at the 24,000-acre manmade lake.

The West Valley

Wickenburg, 50 miles northwest is home to four distinct guest ranches where city slickers saddle up for horseback rides and cattle drives, strap in for four-wheel tours or float away on hot-air balloon rides. Desert Caballeros Museum showcases Native American and late 19th- and 20th-century Western American paintings and sculptures. The Nature Conservancy’s Hassayampa River Preserve is home to 230 species of birds, including eagles.