EXPLORERS GUIDES
Phoenix, Scottsdale, Sedona & Central Arizona
EXPLORERS GUIDES
Phoenix, Scottsdale, Sedona & Central Arizona
A Great Destination
SECOND EDITION
Christine K. Bailey
The Countryman Press Woodstock, Vermont
Copyright 2011 by Christine K. Bailey
Phoenix, Scottsdale, Sedona, & Central Arizona
ISBN: 978-1-58157-970-5
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages.
Interior photographs by the author unless otherwise specified
Maps by Erin Greb Cartography, The Countryman Press
Published by The Countryman Press, P.O. Box 748, Woodstock, VT 05091 Distributed by W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110.
To Matt, for his love and support,
and for his faith in me.
Acknowledgments
The original edition of this book is still very much a foundation for this one; the people who influenced the content youll find in its pages are still here cheering me on (husband, children, sister, parents, and friends). I am forever grateful for your love and support.
To a few new colleagues who have helped me make the leap to full-time writer; five amazing women writers who encouraged me to make writing an everyday part of my life: Audrey RL Wyatt, CL Coons, Robin Kramme, Terri Weeding, and Wendy Marshall; to my fellow Arizona travel and food writers who simultaneously inspire and challenge me: Jackie Dishner, Teresa Bitler, and Geri Koeppel (whose sidebars youll get to read in this edition); and to all of the otherswriters, editors, chefs, teachers, dancers, artists, business ownersIve met on trips, at the coffee shop, doing business, via Facebook, and on Twitterthank you for making a place in this world for doing what you love. It makes it easier for the rest of us to follow our passions.
Contents
MAPS
Introduction
If living in Arizona since 1998 doesnt make me a native, then the 20-plus years of listening to my fatherborn in Tucson in 1955 at St. Marys Hospitaldoes. Less than a year old, living on a plot of land as wild as any desert youll see today, with a swamp cooler to stave off the humid monsoon weather, he started forming the impressions that he would later pass on to his midwestern family. It would take him almost 43 years (with mere visits in between) to return for goodand in the process to bring all of us with him.
He instilled in us a sense of adventure, an excitement for exploration, and an appreciation for all things Arizonanfrom the snakes, spiders, and scorpions to the pungent smell of wet creosote after a summer rain. Both of my sons, born in Chandler, Arizona, in 2002 and 2005 respectively, already know that while all snakes are amazing creatures, we cannot always tell which ones are poisonous and which ones arentand so we step around them with respect and awe. They are our neighbors.
In a state where climate is considered a commodity, it is no surprise that Arizona attracts more than 35 million visitors each year. From border to border, our state boasts one natural wonder after anotherthe Petrified Forest in the Painted Desert, the Grand Canyon, Organ Pipe National Forest, Kartchner Caverns, and Tonto Natural Bridge State Park, to name only a few. Even residents of Arizonaa whopping 30 percent of Arizonas tourists each yeartravel the state on weekends searching for something new to do and see. And they are never disappointed. Art galleries, museums, historic sites, resorts, restaurants, natural parks, monuments, and shops stretch from the ArizonaMexico border north through Tombstone, Bisbee, Tucson, Coolidge, Casa Grande, Chandler, Tempe, Glendale, Payson, Yuma, Prescott, Sedona, Camp Verde, Flagstaff, Winslow, Lake Havasu, and Pageand this list is but a sampling of the cities and towns and landmarks, each rich with history, culture, and geographic charm, nestled among the foothills, mountains, and deserts that cover the state.
But perhaps the Valley of the Sunhome to Phoenix, the fifth-largest city in the United States and the capital of Arizonacan be considered representative of all that is Arizonan. Located in the heart of the Sonoran Desert, within half a days drive of any given point of interest, the Valley is a multifaceted jewel of emerald golf courses, sapphire skies, and the amber and ruby rays of breathtaking sunsets.
Currently thousands of people flock monthly to the Phoenix metro area alone, and the famous saying of John B. L. Soule (or Horace Greeleywherever you may have heard it first)Go west young man, and grow up with the countrystill rings true. They are the young, the old, and the active, and perhaps they, too, have found what theyve been looking for. With so much to offer, Arizona might just be your little spot of happiness. So whether youre here for a romantic vacation, visiting for a three-day conference with only a couple of hours to spare, or here to stay, we hope that you find this book full of possibility and your time here an adventure.
The Way This Book Works
For your convenience, this book has been divided into regions and cities within the Phoenix metropolitan areaknown to locals as the Valley of the Sun. You will find nine chapters: History, Transportation, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe and the East Valley, Glendale and the West Valley, Sedona, Side Trips, and Information, which provide important details to help you better enjoy your stay in Arizona as well as great online resources and books to supplement what you find in this book.
But wait, we added something new to the second edition: the 48-hour itinerary. If youre only in town for a few days, you can catch the highlights that each area covered in this book has to offer. We also added and updated maps, provided new side bars, tips and suggestions and included if you like thisyoull like this recommendations throughout the book. The content and layout has been redesigned to help you navigate the book and the area more easily.
The History and Transportation chapters provide you with background information on Greater Phoenix and tips on how to navigate it, respectively. The Phoenix chapter covers the city of Phoenix and all it has to offer, from traveling downtown to visiting the Heard Museum. The chapter on Scottsdale highlights information about Frank Lloyd Wrights Taliesin West, shopping and spa options, and what you can expect in downtown Scottsdale. Tempe and the East Valley targets things to do around Arizona State Universitys Tempe campus, including its various museums, as well as tips about navigating the Mill Avenue District and what youll find in Chandler, Gilbert, or Mesa. Glendale and the West Valley features tips on how to take a tour of University of Phoenix Stadium and what you can do in Historic Downtown Glendale, plus it reveals some of the latest spring training additions to the West Valley.
Next page