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| Attractions |
| Phoenix has a wide variety of activities
and attractions for you to choose from while visiting. Family fun activities
ranging from the Phoenix Zoo for relaxing family entertainment to Castles
and Coasters for fast moving exciting rides. Whatever your pleasure you
will surely find something to satisfy. Below we have highlighted some
of the more popular activities in the Greater Phoenix area. Arcosanti Paolo Soleri - a student of Wright - developed his own form of organic architecture, which he termed 'arcology,' the combination of architecture and ecology. Soleri's headquarters are 5 miles (8km) north of central Scottsdale at the Cosanti Foundation, where you can see a scale model of his magnum opus, the futuristic Arcosanti. An architectural experiment in urban living, Arcosanti is an ultracompact city of precast concrete that hopes one day to house 5000 people intent on living an aesthetically rewarding, environmentally aware existence - no desert hermits here. The project is still under construction, 40 miles (65km) north of Phoenix off I-17. Arizona State University - The sprawling 750-acre Tempe campus of ASU is notable for its public art and innovative architecture, much of it designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Arizona Science Center This complex contains a museum with 350 hands-on exhibits that encourage visitors to explore and experiment with computers, bubbles, weather, physics and biology. There's also a five-story giant screen theater with shows about the American West, NASA and other subjects. A planetarium has star shows every hour; in the evenings, you can relive junior high school at one of the planetarium's laser light shows that accompany the music of such AOR stalwarts as Pink Floyd and the Doors. Breck Girl Hall of Fame - Pop-culture enthusiasts are sure to enjoy this one-room museum containing more than 150 of the signature pastel portraits from the "Breck Girl" shampoo ads, including pictures of Brooke Shields, Kim Basinger, Cybill Shepherd, and other now-famous former Breck Girls. A guide can detail the life and times of Mr. Edward J. Breck, whose lasting contributions to society include being the first person to differentiate between dry and oily. (602) 207-4000 Desert Botanical Garden Aficionados of desert flora can stroll among the succulents in this 145 acre (59ha) garden, which contains thousands of species of plants particularly adapted to the arid landscape. The best time to come is during the brilliantly colorful flowering season of March to May. Surrounding Papago Park has picnic areas, jogging, biking and equestrian trails, a city golf course and a children's fishing pond. It also houses the Phoenix Zoo. The garden, park and zoo are 8 miles (13km) east of the capitol on N Galvin Pkwy. Heard Museum A one-stop shop for learning about Southwest Indian tribes' history, arts and culture, the Heard Museum is touted for quality rather than quantity. Sure, there are thousands of exhibits, but these are so well laid out (in so relatively small a space) that a visit is much more relaxing than the torturous schleps of most major museums. The Heard's kachina doll collection is outstanding, as are the audiovisual displays, live demonstrations and bookshop, which has the area's best - albeit priciest - selection of Native American arts and crafts. The Heard is on the northern outskirts of downtown, about 4 miles (7km) from the capitol. Mystery Castle - This curious dwelling was hand-built from desert rocks, railroad refuse, and anything else its builder could get his hands on. Chock-full of oddities that will fascinate everyone in the family, the castle has 18 rooms with 13 fireplaces, 90 bottle-glass portholes, a downstairs grotto, a floating cantilever stairway, and a roll-away bed with a mining railcar as its frame. Old Town Scottsdale Half a dozen blocks near Scottsdale's chamber of commerce constitute 'Old Town,' a cluster of early 20th century buildings and some more recently styled to look like those of the Old West. Not quite the dusty streets of Sam Peckinpah; though you can still mosey past saloons and dodge imaginary bullets, the real killers these days are Scottsdale's prices.One of the area's true fossils is the 'Little Red School House,' built in 1909 and now housing the Scottsdale Historical Museum. It hosts exhibits on the area's early days. Nearby, the Scottsdale Center for the Arts is home to some decent contemporary art galleries and a sculpture garden, and plays host to various performing artists. Old Town is in central Scottsdale, 9 miles (14km) northeast of downtown Phoenix. Phoenix Zoo - Five designated trails wind through this 125-acre zoo, which has replicas of such habitats as an African savanna and a tropical rain forest. Meerkats, warthogs, desert bighorn sheep, and endangered Arabian oryx are among the unusual sights. Superstition Mountains - Traveling up the Superstition Highway through Tempe, Mesa and eventually Apache Junction you will come upon the massive Superstition Mountain heaves. Supposedly the mountains are home to the Lost Dutchman Mine which the location of, has been debate for many many years. - Apache Junction Taliesin West Frank Lloyd Wright - America's most famous 20th century architect - lived, designed and taught in Scottsdale at Taliesin West. Set on 600 acres (240ha) of desert, Taliesin West is a working example of Wright's organic architecture, which uses natural forms to shape most structures. Wright moved here in 1927 and didn't finish building for 30 years. Today, the natural rock, wood and canvas structures continue to be both living quarters and a teaching establishment. Hourlong guided tours are given daily. Taliesin West is about 10 miles (16km) northeast of Phoenix. Activities Hot-Air Ballooning over the Desert - The peaceful silence of life hundreds of feet up is unforgettable; since the balloon is carried on the wind, you'll experience no wind yourself. In addition to this awesome tranquility, many elusive desert creatures can be viewed in their natural habitat only from balloon. Castles 'N Coasters - surround yourself with fun and experience miniature golf or one of the many other attractions in magical settings. (602) 997-7575 Island of Big Surf - a 2.5-acre ocean in the middle of the desert open for swimming, surfing and other water and sun sports. (602) 947-SURF or 947-7873 Fiddlesticks - fun for the entire family, including miniature golf, driving range, go-carts and bumper boats, batting cages and a video arcade. (602) 961-0800 CrackerJax Family Fun Park - features miniature golf, go-karts, bumper boats, arcade, volleyball, baseball and golf ranges, and a restaurant. (602) 998-2800 |
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