Locals live for spring in Arizona. The days bring warm sunshine and moderate temps and the nights are cool with endless starry skies. Hiking trails fill up, folks ditch the office for spring training games and good luck getting a tee time! People from across the Midwest and East Coast envy the beautiful weather and flock to the sunshine and outdoor activities. So while the kids are on break and you're entertaining refugees from colder climates keep these bucket list activities top of mind.
Rainbow Ryders
A hot air balloon ride is the ultimate bucket list experience! Rainbow Ryders offers breathtaking community or private sunrise and sunset flights. Enjoy a 45- to 60-minute voyage through the clouds and experience breathtaking panoramic views of the sunrise or sunset over Deer Valley, Lake Pleasant and the Sonoran Desert. Toast to the beauty of the desert with a prickly pear mimosa to complete the experience. Sunrise flights are year-round, but sunset flights are only available through the end of March.
715 E Covey Lane, Phoenix
Octane Raceway
Octane Raceway in Scottsdale offers visitors a chance to live life in the fast lane at the only full-time, indoor/outdoor racing track in the U.S. Guests can race up to 45 MPH in the straightaways and carve up the corners on a third-mile track, which begins inside and winds outdoors. Take a break from the speed in the free-roam virtual reality gaming arena and arcade. New this spring is six lanes of ax-throwing with projection targets. There's plenty of high-adrenaline fun to be had at Octane Raceway.
9119 E Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale
Tempe Town Lake
Enjoy a day on the water. Boat Rentals of America, located on the south shore of Tempe Town Lake, offers visitors the opportunity to rent a variety of watercraft. Options include donut boats, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, pontoon boats, pedal boats and electric boats. Land lovers will appreciate the nearby walking and biking trails adorned with public art displays lining the lake. Pack a picnic and enjoy the warm Arizona sunshine from the shores of this urban lake.
Mill Ave & Rio Salado Pkwy, Tempe
Tortilla Flats
Established in 1904, Tortilla Flat offers locals and visitors alike a snapshot of Arizona’s authentic Wild West history. Once a stagecoach stop, Tortilla Flat, northeast of Apache Junction, is a fun (and secretly educational) day trip for families, out-of-towners and history buffs. Guests can mosey around town to check out the museum, schoolhouse, jail, general store and ice cream shop. Stop by the mercantile and gift shop to purchase Native pots, jewelry and knives, authentic cowboy hats and Southwestern specialties. The restaurant menu will satisfy the biggest appetites with hearty breakfast, lunch and dinner options.
1 Main St, Tortilla Flat