What are some good things to do around Phoenix?

Lebkuecher

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Looks like I might be moving to Phoenix in two months and would like to hear about some neat camping and outdoor place's within 4 hours driving time. I love to get out and try different things. Camping, hiking, rafting just about anything. Any ideas and information would be very welcome.

Also, being from Tennessee, it's hard to know what to expect, any advise about moving and the city would also be nice.
 

Rothrandir

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visit arc and sasha! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

arc is in tempe, but that's still pretty close.
sasha is somewhere in arizona...
 

Greta

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Go to the library and get your hands on every copy of Arizona Highways that you can. (Or you can just click on that link I just provided you with... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif ). Phoenix is very centrally located within the state. If you're limiting yourself to a 4 hour radius (that would be about 250-300 miles here), then you will have at your disposal nifty things like The Grand Canyon, Sedona and the Verde Canyon, Prescott, Lake Havasu City and the London Bridge, The Hoover (Boulder) Dam... and so on and so on...

This is one very diverse state. You can be getting a sunburn on a jet ski one minute and within three hours, you can be snow skiing. There is barren desert, high desert, the Joshua Tree Forest, lakes, rivers, mountains, caves, red rocks.

As far as the city of Phoenix goes, it's one of the nicest cities I've ever been to. One of it's "burbs" is Tempe... where Peter and Arc Flashlights are. By far, Tempe is the prettiest city I've ever been in. It's a college town that is really clean and pretty. There are lots of cultural things to do in that area also. I went to see the Bolshoi Ballet there last year.

All of that said... have you ever spent a summer there? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif
 

PhotonWrangler

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[ QUOTE ]
Sasha said:

As far as the city of Phoenix goes, it's one of the nicest cities I've ever been to. One of it's "burbs" is Tempe... where Peter and Arc Flashlights are. By far, Tempe is the prettiest city I've ever been in. It's a college town that is really clean and pretty.


[/ QUOTE ]

I've been to Phoenix a couple of times (including Tempe) and I agree. The desert southwest has it's own special kind of beauty, and it's something that you just have to experience; it doesn't come across in postcards. But step out into the open desert with the sauguaros and it suddenly hits you.
 

hyeTotum

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It's just another opinion -- but for me, the most awe-inspiring sight on earth is Sedona's red rocks!

Sometime I want to visit Wickenburg, too... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/broke.gif
 

Greta

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Hye... spiritual is the word. And those who poo-poo that notion have obviously never been there. "Spectacular" seems like such a bland word to describe those rocks.

Wickenburg is very nice also. My husband did a precision rifle course out there a few years ago. I went and visited him there and spent the night in a tent in the desert. No electricity or running water. We froze our asses off at night and fried our brains out during the day. And my son got to see a rattler lose it's head and rattle. Did I mention that this was how I spent my 19th anniversary? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon6.gif
 

Lebkuecher

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Thanks for the link Sasha, I've been checking it out. (The pictures are beautiful) I've never been to Phoenix in the middle of the summer but have visited in late summer. From what I've heard it sounds like it might be a little warmer than Nashville. I love exploring new places and AZ seems like a neat place to spend some time in. How is the economy? Are the people nice?

Thanks Randy for the offer to email, email sent.
 

Greta

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Lebkuecher... oddly enough, I moved here 8 years ago from Clarksville... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinser2.gif ... You'll find that AZ doesn't have any kudzu and you will come to miss the color green... ALOT!! The good news is that you will forget completely what humidity is and you'll give all of your coats and boots to St. Vincent DePaul's.

The economy seems to be pretty good here. I honestly can't be the judge of that in the Phoenix area. Where I live is a tourist town and the economy is at the whim of the snowbirds (learn that term! You'll come to hate it!!) and the Californians and the Spring Breakers. We hate them too.

So in answer to your question if people are nice... SURE!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 

Sigman

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Man - The Diamondbacks Baseball, The Cardinals Football, & The Phoenix Coyotes Hockey!!!!!

Head over to the east side of town out into the desert to Canyon Lake, The Superstition Mountains...

Go on down to Tucson, see Old Tucson, the Air Force "Boneyard"...keep going down to Nogales, Mexico to shop for gifts, bargain/negotiate with the vendors...great trip...

Head over to Laughlin, Nevada to some casinos for fun, see the London Bridge...

Tons of stuff to do and places to go!!
 

darkgear.com

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Sasha is right about Arizna Highways. It is probably the best resource you will find for Arizona.

Hrmm.. some highlights...

Water sports. Sounds strage fom a land locked desert state but whwn I moved there AZ had the highest amount of boats per capita of any state. I though no way... but its was true. AZ will still be top 5 now. There are many lakes and rivers and with al the heat. they are used frequently.

Camping and hiking. TONS everyhwere. Just remeber to pack lots of water and a GPS in case you get too adventurous.

Phoenix. FOOD!! all kinds and especially southwestern. Shopping. Scottsdale Fashion Square is my favorite. Nice golf courses and resorts on Scottsdale. as Sigman mentioned the sports and sports venues are top notch. Floating sown the Salt River is a great time day trip. Especially on Memorial Day or labor day. Its packed with kids from all over.

Havasu.. I'll leave that to Sasha

Grand Canyon. Grand Canyon railroad from William to the Grand canoyon. Nice ride and a great experience. Story tellers and surprise. Especially check out the north rim.

Prescott. During the 4th of July - Oldest continuous rodeo in the world and continuous entertainment in the square.

Dewey. Young's farm in October. The pumpkin festival draws hundreds of thousand from all over the state. Entertainment, Rides, Food, shopping, great fun for all ages.

Cordes Junction. Arcosanti. Amazing research into a community without vehicles. Also neat architecture using sherical building techniques.

Red rock country. Sedona et all. Beautiful. Lots of good hiking and fishing. Don;t miss slide rock during the Summer. If you fly, Sedona has carrier landings. The airport is on a mesa.

Oak creek Canyon. If you miss the changing of leaves in fall. The aspens in Oak creek put a terrific show.

Route 66

Flagstaff - Snowbowl, Lava tube lots of places to camp.

Meteor Crater, Petrified forest, Painted desert.

Tombstone. As good as it gets when it comes to feeling like the real old west. Walking into the bird cage saloon is an incredible trip back in time.

Tucson. Mothballed Aircraft museum. Biosphere.

Lake Powell. Spectacular (house)boating. Oh and Glen Canyon Dam. Rainbow bridge.

Dams. lots of em including Hoover.

Wickenberg in march sometime has a fantastic parade. It was the first time I saw the Budweiser Clydesdales in person.

Paulden. Nothing at all :p except Gunsite. If you're in to guns it is one of the finest training schools in the world.

k this is making me miss AZ.

Replying to your email tomorrow.

Best regards,
Randy
 

James S

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As Roth says, visit Arc!!!

Then take a drive up to Sedona. Unless you're into such things avoid the "vortex" tours and just drive down the road to the end of town and take a little hike up the washes and such. It is probably the most amazing and magically beautiful place I have ever just wandered around in.

My mom moved out to Arizona almost on a whim, don't know what made her choose that we had never even visited there. When I first went out to see her I guess I was expecting the Sahara dessert and bleak dunes as far as the eye could see. But the Sonoran desert is not like that at all. It's an amazingly alive and beautiful place. Go exploring, but carry lots of water (even in the winter time) and watch out for rattle snakes /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 

Lebkuecher

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Wow, Thanks for all the information, I wasn't going to mention it but I am flying to Phoenix this weekend to meet what I think will be my future wife. We went to high school back in the seventies here in Tennessee and we have recently re-found each other. She has lived in Phoenix for a while but is not as out doors oriented as I am. One of the things that I'm hoping to do this Friday is to visit Arc. Being a member of the CPF for almost a year and after buying several of Arc's products (LSH_P, several AAA turquoise and several AAA LE) I have grown to respect Peter and his company. It's kind of funny, I was over at my parent's house yesterday and I mentioned that I might be able to visit Arc (If Peter has the time) and they thought I was nuts. To them I guess I'm a closet Flashaholic. I actually told my dad about the CPF and he just looked at me like what happened to you, what did we do wrong. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Thanks again for all the information, I've been in technology sales for several years, mainly phone and computer equipment so if anyone knows of any employment possibilities please let me know.
 
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