TOP TEN REASONS TO VISIT PHOENIX
By Sara Francis Fujimura
Tired of gray skies and plunging temperatures? Then put
away your mittens and break out the spring wear. Whether
you want to enjoy a family hike through picturesque South
Mountain Park, a bike ride through the Phoenix Zoo, or a trip
back in time to Arizona’s early days, bring your sunscreen
and enjoy the Valley of the Sun’s balmy, blue-skied winter
days.
PIONEER ARIZONA LIVING HISTORY VILLAGE
3901 W. Pioneer Road
Phoenix, AZ 85086-7020
623-465-1052
www.pioneer-arizona.com
Take a trip back in time to Arizona’s territorial days (1880s to
1912) at the 90-acre Pioneer Village. Learn about everyday
life in an Old West Town through the eyes of cowboys,
Victorian ladies, and other costumed interpreters. Visit
restored buildings including a working blacksmith shop, a
1890s dress shop, and the opera house where Lilly Langtry
once sang.
SOUTH MOUNTAIN PARK
10919 S. Central Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85042-8302
www.phoenix.gov/PARKS/hikesoth.html
Banish cabin fever with a trip to South Mountain Park. The
nation’s largest municipal park, South Mountain Park offers
58 miles of trails for hiking, horseback riding and mountain
biking. Don’t forget your camera for the obligatory giant
saguaro cactus shot!
THE HEARD MUSEUM
2301 N. Central Ave.
Phoenix, AZ 85004-1323
602-252-8848
www.heard.org
With 10 galleries and outdoor courtyards, the Heard
Museum offers visitors a sample of Arizona’s indigenous
peoples’ history and culture. The exhibit “We Are! Arizona’s
First People” invites families to learn more about the past,
present, and futures of Arizona's 21 federally recognized
tribal communities through interactive exhibits.
ARIZONA MILLS SHOPPING CENTER
5000 Arizona Mills Circle
Tempe, AZ 85282
480-491-7300
www.arizonamills.com
Need to buy a scorpion-encased paperweight? Stock up on
souvenirs or please a shop-a-holic, by making a pit stop at
Arizona Mills. The mall features outlet shopping—including
Last Call from Neiman Marcus and OFF 5TH from Saks Fifth
Avenue—as well as, mall staples like the Gap and The
Children’s Place. Specialty stores such as Sanrio and the
Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory are sure to please the
kids. After a day of shopping, enjoy a movie at Harkins
Cinema or at the IMAX Theatre. Hungry shoppers can grab
a quick sandwich at the food court or enjoy an upscale,
fanciful meal at The Rainforest Café.
DESERT BOTANICAL GARDEN
1201 N. Galvin Parkway
Phoenix, AZ 85008-3437
480-941-1225
www.dbg.org
Gardeners and non-gardeners alike will enjoy a trip to the
Desert Botanical Gardens. Where else can you see a dozen
different types of cactus with such interesting names as
Teddy Bear Cholla, Prickly Pear, and Hedgehog? Keep your
eyes peeled for native inhabitants, including scorpions,
geckos, and hummingbirds. Each February through May,
the garden offers a special butterfly exhibit guaranteed to
delight children big and small.
SUN DEVIL STADIUM
Arizona State University
500 Stadium Drive
Tempe, AZ 85281
480-965-8777
Football fans, rejoice! Sun Devil Stadium is host to both
Arizona State University’s Sun Devils and the NFL’s Arizona
Cardinals. Each January, people from across the U.S. fill
the 73,000-seat stadium to celebrate the NCAA’s Fiesta
Bowl.
HALL OF FLAME MUSEUM OF FIREFIGHTING
6101 E. Van Buren Street
Phoenix, AZ 85008-3421
602-275-3473
www.hallofflame.org
Try on a firefighter’s turnout coat and helmet, slide down the
pole, and climb on a real fire truck. The Hall of Flame
boasts almost an acre of firefighting exhibits including more
than 90 fully restored pieces of equipment, some dating
back to 1725. Children can enjoy an age-appropriate
section on fire safety and learn what to do during an
emergency.
PHOENIX ZOO
455 N. Galvin Parkway
Phoenix, AZ 85008-3431
602-273-1341
www.phoenixzoo.org
Walk, take a guided tram ride, or even pedal in a family-
sized specialty bike around the 125-acre park to visit with
lions, elephants, wallabies, and the other 1200 inhabitants
of the Phoenix Zoo. Don’t forget to visit the Arizona Trail with
its exhibit on the native animals of the southwest. From the
end of November through the beginning of January, join the
Phoenix Zoo for their annual ZooLights exhibit. Additional
fee required.
ASU’S GAMMAGE AUDITORIUM
1200 S. Forest Avenue
Tempe, AZ 85287
Box Office: 480-965-3434
www.asugammage.com
Come admire one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s last designs and
take in a high-caliber concert or show. The Gammage has
recently featured such Broadway blockbusters as The
Phantom of the Opera, Hairspray, The Graduate, and Disney’
s Lion King. Call the box office in advance for ticket
reservations.
PUEBLO GRANDE MUSEUM AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL
PARK
4619 E. Washington Street
Phoenix, AZ 85034-1909
602-495-0900
www.pueblogrande.com
Learn about Arizona’s ancient inhabitants at this 102-acre
site built on the 1,500-year-old ruins of a Hohokam village.
Children can learn about archaeology and Hohokam culture
by participating in the museum’s Archaeology for Kids
programs, held on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month,
October through May.
Whether you’re a mountain biker, a history buff, or a bargain
hunter, let a trip to the Valley of the Sun melt away your
winter blues. Don’t forget your sunscreen!
By Sara Francis Fujimura
Tired of gray skies and plunging temperatures? Then put
away your mittens and break out the spring wear. Whether
you want to enjoy a family hike through picturesque South
Mountain Park, a bike ride through the Phoenix Zoo, or a trip
back in time to Arizona’s early days, bring your sunscreen
and enjoy the Valley of the Sun’s balmy, blue-skied winter
days.
PIONEER ARIZONA LIVING HISTORY VILLAGE
3901 W. Pioneer Road
Phoenix, AZ 85086-7020
623-465-1052
www.pioneer-arizona.com
Take a trip back in time to Arizona’s territorial days (1880s to
1912) at the 90-acre Pioneer Village. Learn about everyday
life in an Old West Town through the eyes of cowboys,
Victorian ladies, and other costumed interpreters. Visit
restored buildings including a working blacksmith shop, a
1890s dress shop, and the opera house where Lilly Langtry
once sang.
SOUTH MOUNTAIN PARK
10919 S. Central Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85042-8302
www.phoenix.gov/PARKS/hikesoth.html
Banish cabin fever with a trip to South Mountain Park. The
nation’s largest municipal park, South Mountain Park offers
58 miles of trails for hiking, horseback riding and mountain
biking. Don’t forget your camera for the obligatory giant
saguaro cactus shot!
THE HEARD MUSEUM
2301 N. Central Ave.
Phoenix, AZ 85004-1323
602-252-8848
www.heard.org
With 10 galleries and outdoor courtyards, the Heard
Museum offers visitors a sample of Arizona’s indigenous
peoples’ history and culture. The exhibit “We Are! Arizona’s
First People” invites families to learn more about the past,
present, and futures of Arizona's 21 federally recognized
tribal communities through interactive exhibits.
ARIZONA MILLS SHOPPING CENTER
5000 Arizona Mills Circle
Tempe, AZ 85282
480-491-7300
www.arizonamills.com
Need to buy a scorpion-encased paperweight? Stock up on
souvenirs or please a shop-a-holic, by making a pit stop at
Arizona Mills. The mall features outlet shopping—including
Last Call from Neiman Marcus and OFF 5TH from Saks Fifth
Avenue—as well as, mall staples like the Gap and The
Children’s Place. Specialty stores such as Sanrio and the
Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory are sure to please the
kids. After a day of shopping, enjoy a movie at Harkins
Cinema or at the IMAX Theatre. Hungry shoppers can grab
a quick sandwich at the food court or enjoy an upscale,
fanciful meal at The Rainforest Café.
DESERT BOTANICAL GARDEN
1201 N. Galvin Parkway
Phoenix, AZ 85008-3437
480-941-1225
www.dbg.org
Gardeners and non-gardeners alike will enjoy a trip to the
Desert Botanical Gardens. Where else can you see a dozen
different types of cactus with such interesting names as
Teddy Bear Cholla, Prickly Pear, and Hedgehog? Keep your
eyes peeled for native inhabitants, including scorpions,
geckos, and hummingbirds. Each February through May,
the garden offers a special butterfly exhibit guaranteed to
delight children big and small.
SUN DEVIL STADIUM
Arizona State University
500 Stadium Drive
Tempe, AZ 85281
480-965-8777
Football fans, rejoice! Sun Devil Stadium is host to both
Arizona State University’s Sun Devils and the NFL’s Arizona
Cardinals. Each January, people from across the U.S. fill
the 73,000-seat stadium to celebrate the NCAA’s Fiesta
Bowl.
HALL OF FLAME MUSEUM OF FIREFIGHTING
6101 E. Van Buren Street
Phoenix, AZ 85008-3421
602-275-3473
www.hallofflame.org
Try on a firefighter’s turnout coat and helmet, slide down the
pole, and climb on a real fire truck. The Hall of Flame
boasts almost an acre of firefighting exhibits including more
than 90 fully restored pieces of equipment, some dating
back to 1725. Children can enjoy an age-appropriate
section on fire safety and learn what to do during an
emergency.
PHOENIX ZOO
455 N. Galvin Parkway
Phoenix, AZ 85008-3431
602-273-1341
www.phoenixzoo.org
Walk, take a guided tram ride, or even pedal in a family-
sized specialty bike around the 125-acre park to visit with
lions, elephants, wallabies, and the other 1200 inhabitants
of the Phoenix Zoo. Don’t forget to visit the Arizona Trail with
its exhibit on the native animals of the southwest. From the
end of November through the beginning of January, join the
Phoenix Zoo for their annual ZooLights exhibit. Additional
fee required.
ASU’S GAMMAGE AUDITORIUM
1200 S. Forest Avenue
Tempe, AZ 85287
Box Office: 480-965-3434
www.asugammage.com
Come admire one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s last designs and
take in a high-caliber concert or show. The Gammage has
recently featured such Broadway blockbusters as The
Phantom of the Opera, Hairspray, The Graduate, and Disney’
s Lion King. Call the box office in advance for ticket
reservations.
PUEBLO GRANDE MUSEUM AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL
PARK
4619 E. Washington Street
Phoenix, AZ 85034-1909
602-495-0900
www.pueblogrande.com
Learn about Arizona’s ancient inhabitants at this 102-acre
site built on the 1,500-year-old ruins of a Hohokam village.
Children can learn about archaeology and Hohokam culture
by participating in the museum’s Archaeology for Kids
programs, held on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month,
October through May.
Whether you’re a mountain biker, a history buff, or a bargain
hunter, let a trip to the Valley of the Sun melt away your
winter blues. Don’t forget your sunscreen!
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FAMILY TRAVEL FUN