From ancient Native American dwellings to upscale shopping venues that rival New York City and Dallas, Arizona holds many diamond in the rough. Thousands of visitors explore this great state and millions of people live here permanently. The perfect climate during the winter and spring months make this state the best vacation destination in the nation, while the cool fall and hot summer months call for hiking trips and swimming. Here are our favorite events, eateries and entertainment to explore.
Glendale, Arizona
The first event you’ll want to visit is the Desert Diamond Arena, located in beautiful Glendale, Arizona. In addition to seating for thousands of attendees, the arena has recently added upscale experiences for special parties or those who want a taste of luxury. You can reserve a suite, buy tickets in the loges and reserve club spaces, much like the entertainers and super stars of musical, sports and theatre events.
The Desert Diamond Arena hosts favorite events, such as Disney On Ice, and comedy groups, along with your favorite singing stars and entertainment groups. If you are in Arizona, don’t miss the Desert Diamond Arena.
Arizona Financial Theatre
Much like the Desert Diamond Arena, the Arizona Financial Theatre, located in Phoenix, offers a wide variety of entertainment, including touring singers, comedian groups, throwback singing groups, and corporate events. You can find a wide range of enjoyable events and select your seat, pay for your ticket, and arrange premium parking, all on the website.
Mattel Adventure Park
If you are interested in family rides and attractions, one of the state’s finest can be found in the Mattel Adventure Park. Located north of Phoenix, your entire family will be captivated by “everything Mattel” and the activities and wild rides that offer high levels of excitement. Be sure to book tickets in advance, as they can be hard to obtain in the fall and spring months.
Tucson “Wild West”
What about other crowd-pleasing attractions? Your entire family will love the Tucson “Wild West” Entertainment Park in Old Tucson, with regular shootouts between the good guys and the bad guys, magic shows, eateries featuring old-fashioned treats and candy, and a host of activities for families. After riding through the Old West, you’ll be ready to sample beers at favorite breweries. Try the Pueblo Vita Brewing Company in Tucson and the crowd-pleasing Craft, a Modern Drinkery. Craft holds weekly Trivia games for those who fancy themselves as “geeks” in the famous “Geeks Who Drink” games.
Prescott, Arizona
Further north, near Prescott, Arizona, is the Prescott Sunset Sanctuary, a magnificent geographical area from which to view the sunset skies of the desert. Rent a home in the area to capture those views and take your best camera to make a memory that will last a lifetime. Just a few miles away, you may want to take a break at Whiskey Row, where the true outlaws and heathen hung out in bars and saloons along the street. Today, the experience is just as much fun, although gun play doesn’t occur, which is a sigh of relief.
Horseback Riding in Arizona
If you enjoy horseback riding, Arizona is the place to be. Multiple cities and surrounding areas offer excellent trails and steady, well-trained horses to make those trips across the desert. Yavapai Trail Adventures near Prescott offers easy-going trail rides for those who aren’t as comfortable in the saddle as the cowboys. Their trails wind through outstanding scenic areas, streams, and plateaus, creating a magnificent ride for all. Just north of Phoenix, the Cave Creek Trail Rides company offers excellent trail rides in the Sonoran desert, complete with chaps, hats and boots for a no-fail riding experience. Families are welcome and groups can be accommodated, as well.
Ancient Ruins of Arizona
Finally, an adventure in Arizona wouldn’t be complete without seeing the ancient ruins of several Native American homes throughout the state. Multiple tribes lived in Arizona and you’ll discover a wide range of buildings, caves, platforms, and other forms of housing for the Native Americans throughout the state. One of our favorites is the Casa Grande Ruins National Monument. This monument highlights the Sonoran Desert People, a large population of the indigenous peoples, including the Tohono, Hohokam, Pascua Yaqui, O'odham, and Hohokam tribes.
Native Villages
Major tribal homes are also located in the northern portion of Arizona. There you’ll discover the villages of the Hopi tribe, the Navajo Nation, Hualapai tribe, Kaibab Band of the Paiute Indians and multiple smaller tribes. Interestingly, although these tribes lived near each other in many places within Arizona, they did not collaborate. Each tribe has its custom, culture, and traditions. This can still be observed today simply by looking at the homes of each tribe. Each is unique and constructed differently from the other tribes.
Tribal Homes
Most tribal homes were built in a way to maximize the cool earth and earth away from the blistering summer sun. You’ll find the homes have windows and doorways and are often constructed of mud, in addition to being nestled in the cool shadows, away from the high temperatures of the desert sun. In addition, on alert to the danger of other tribes or unwanted visitors, many tribal homes were built up high on platforms as a further means of protection against animal or human enemies.
Whether you are visiting Arizona or live in this beautiful state, we hope you’ll fully enjoy these diamonds in the rough!
