Activities in Phoenix
Covering 25 sq miles (65 sq km), Phoenix South Mountain Park is the
largest city park in the US, providing over 40 miles (65km) of trails
for hiking and mountain biking. There are also good views and scores of
Indian petroglyphs to admire. The park is on one of the lower ranges surrounding
the valley, with South Mountain topping the landscape at 2690ft (820m).
It's situated about 8 miles (13km) south of downtown Phoenix.
Just in case you'd doubt the valley's cowpoke roots, there are almost
40 horseback riding outfits listed in the Phoenix yellow pages. Short
rides, often combined with a country breakfast or barbecue cookout, are
popular activities, and overnight packing trips can be arranged. And if
riding the range doesn't sate the desperado in you, drop by the local
shooting and archery ranges for a whiff of gunsmoke and quiverful of release.
Serious golf players probably already know that the valley, despite its
desert digs, is a major American golfing center with about 100 greens
- from 'pitch and putt' to PGA championship courses.
One great way to chill out in summer is inner tubing down the Salt River,
which cuts through Phoenix just south of downtown. Several companies will
give you information, rent tubes and provide shuttles to good places to
begin your float. Tubing season is mid-April through September, and weekends
draw crowds of people bent on cooling off and partying on.
Dozens of companies offer hot-air balloon flights over the valley. Flights
usually lift off in the calm morning air, drift for about an hour and
top off with a traditional champagne brunch.
Get Out and Enjoy Greater Phoenix Adventures
Phoenix is truly a four-season city when it comes to enjoying the
outdoors. Even during the warmest months of July and August, early morning
hours offer delightful opportunities to get outside and be active. In
addition to golf, hiking is a much-pursued activity in Greater Phoenix.
Trails in South Mountain Park wind through washes and up cliffs, past
petroglyph sites and near intricate rock formations. Nearby stables provide
horses for guided rides through the park. March through May is whitewater-rafting
time on the Salt River, whereas mellow floats on the Gila River are great
fun from June through August. Or discover the secrets of the desert with
a knowledgeable guide and a four-wheel-drive-vehicle.
The climate of the Sonoran Desert makes it ideal for getting off terra
firma and up in the atmosphere in a hot-air balloon. Along with some of
the best weather in the world, it's easy to see why more than 12 million
travelers visit Phoenix annually.
Sports & Recreation
Only eight U.S. cities have top professional teams in all four major sports,
and Phoenix is one of them. The Arizona Diamondbacks began play in 1998
and became the fastest team to ever win a World Championship when they
defeated the New York Yankees in a thrilling 2001 World Series. The Diamondbacks
have established quite a winning tradition, having recenlty captured their
third National League West Division Championship while winning the most
home games in Major League Baseball in 2002. In hockey, the 2001-2002
campaign marks the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes' sixth season in town. The NBA's
Phoenix Suns regularly play to near-sellout crowds at America West Arena,
and the NFL's Arizona Cardinals are in their 14th season at Arizona State
University's Sun Devil Stadium.
Every January Greater Phoenix hosts the Phoenix Open PGA tourney. Another
January event, the Fiesta Bowl, is in college football's national championship
game rotation. Rounding out this dynamic menu of sporting events are Arizona
State University athletics, WNBA and Arena Football League action at America
West Arena, Cactus League baseball, NASCAR and Indy Car races at Phoenix
International Raceway and greyhound racing at Phoenix Greyhound Park.
It's easy to see why Greater Phoenix has a reputation as a sports-lover's
paradise.
Enjoy Golf and Good Times at the 2003 Phoenix Open
Although golf is a given at the Phoenix Open, good times are guaranteed
as well. Every year, hundreds of thousands of fans flock to the Tournament
Players Club of Scottsdale Course not only to admire some incredible PGA
Tour golf, but to see and be seen. Last year's tournament, won by Chris
DiMarco, drew more than 500,000 fans over a seven-day period -- and the
spacious course had plenty of room left over.
The Phoenix Open boasts a purse of $4 million and typically draws one
of the top fields on the PGA Tour. This year's golf extravaganza will
be held January 20-26. Ample free public parking is available near the
course, or if you prefer not to walk, free shuttle service is also available.
Wednesday of Phoenix Open week features celebrity events, when personalities
such as Diamondbacks pitcher Randy Johnson and local rock artist Alice
Cooper take part in one of several annual pro-ams. Also, from Wednesday
through Saturday, spectators can put the golf etiquette aside and let
loose at the Miller Lite Birds Nest entertainment tent at nearby Westworld.
At least three bands perform live, beginning at 4 p.m. each day.
Experience Fall Sports Excitement in Greater
Phoenix
Both the Suns and the Coyotes entertain fans at America West Arena,
making the downtown area buzz from the fall through spring months as the
regular seasons overlap for both teams. The Suns and Coyotes often play
home games during the same weekend from October through April, a perfect
opportunity for a sports escape.
The Suns have a rich history of success, and are one of the NBA's all-time
winningest teams. From their first playoff appearance in 1970 at the tender
age of two, to their current streak of 13 playoff appearances in 14 years,
the Suns haven't stopped shining. Young superstars like Stephon Marbury,
Shawn Marion and Amare Stoudemire lead this year's exciting team.
Upon moving to Phoenix in 1996, the Coyotes were embraced by sports fans,
and ice in the desert quickly became a big draw - thanks in part to five
playoff appearances. Hockey legend Wayne Gretzky joined the team as managing
partner in June of 2000, and helped lead the team to a playoff berth and
sixth-place finish in the Western Conference last season.
Many lively neighborhood grills within just a few hundred feet of America
West Arena enhance the Copper Square-Downtown Phoenix sports experience.
And, thanks to the great weather in Phoenix, these outdoor options for
good food and fun are enjoyed year-round. |