USA Travel Guide

Welcome back to USA Travel Guide. Two opening thoughts:

1. Can you believe that hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, of all people, was the first to break the news?
2. I love John Cena. The man can wrestle, he can act, he can crack a joke … he’s the muscle-head version of a triple-threat.

It’s time for “Destruction in the Desert” as WrestleMania XXVI comes to the University of Phoenix Stadium in the Phoenix suburb of Glendale, Arizona. Although the action is still more than a month out – the rumble kicks off on March 28, 2010 – the bill is already jam-packed with titanic matches and lots more fun to go with.

Some of the biggest names in the game will be there, shirts thoroughly removed, to settle some scores:

• Heavyweight Champion Chris Jericho vs. Edge
• The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels
• WWE Champion Batista vs. John Cena
• 8-Person Ladder Match Starring Christian

For the trouble of your trip, you’ll certainly get more than one day of bone-breaking action. There’s a full week of WrestleMania XXVI activities leading up to the big night. They’re brining back the charity art showcase, WrestleMania Art, as well as WrestleMania Axxess, a massive fan event with your opportunity to meet the wrestlers, the WWE Divas and even a few legends. See the schedule.

Live music always plays a big part of WrestleMania, but if they’ve released the schedule, I can’t find it. Anyway, last year it was Kidd Rock and one of the Pussycat Dolls, so expect something like that, and if you really want to know, stay glued to the official Web site. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.

The University of Phoenix Stadium is located slightly out of the way in Glendale, Arizona, but we’re going to stay cozy in Phoenix at one of our favorite. A couple recommendations for you:

• Crowne Plaza Phoenix – this stylish North Phoenix hotel offers discount rates for guests attend events at University of Phoenix Stadium. Since the offer ends April, this is great timing.
• Hotel Highland at Biltmore – a little boutique flavor awaits you at this charming Phoenix, AZ hotel in the Biltmore district. Amazingly, the only thing that isn’t “upscale” about this joint is the price.

Have fun this March 28, 2010 at WrestleMania XXVI in Phoenix!

The tickets are gone, but it’s not too late to get your hotel rooms in Phoenix, Arizona for the 2010 Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium.*

I let on in the past that I’m no college football expert (or in fact, an expert of any sport unless you count competitive Call of Duty), so we haven’t featured every match in the BCS on the blog. However, I have been taking time to mention the ones that arouse my interest.

For the diehard fans, and I know there are a lot of you, the line-up at the 2010 Fiesta Bowl may strike a sour note. Both TCU and Boise State have fine teams, but nothing really to prove against each other. Since both teams are “non-BCS” (a first), there are few bragging rights up for grabs.

For the casual observer like me, it’s a whole other story. See, both the Horned Frogs and the Broncos are undefeated, with 12-0 and 13-0 records respectively. This match up assures that only one team will walk away with a perfect record. You diehards can have your backdoor bowl game politics and economic implications; a fight for the perfect record is the kind of drama I can get behind.

This year the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl returns to the University of Phoenix Stadium in the North Phoenix suburb of Glendale, Arizona. The game will be played on January 4, 2010, kickoff at 6:00 p.m. MST.  Tickets are officially sold out, so you’re relying on scalped merch at this point, which I can’t legally recommend.

However, I can recommend a couple hotels in Phoenix, Arizona you might choose to stay when you head in for the game. These aren’t the closest options, but we’re fond of them and always enjoy a satisfying stay.

• Crowne Plaza Phoenix, for a moderate upscale stay, we’re fans of the Crowne Plaza brand, and this North Phoenix hotel brings a boutique sensibility to the scene
• Hotel Highland at Biltmore – this snazzy spot in Phoenix’s famous Biltmore District has a chic veneer that’s at once modern and so appropriate for Phoenix.

Have fun at the 2010 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl in Phoenix, Arizona.

*Probably the last Bowl Game we’ll mention this month (probably).

When we wrote about Rawhide Western Town nearly a year ago now, they called it Rawhide at Wild Horse Pass, and their sign was a fair bit more charming, too. But changing the name doesn’t change the fact that Rawhide is still a fun afternoon excursion for anyone in the Phoenix area. So happens it’s also a great place to rustle up some unusual holiday entertainment.

Holiday Events at Rawhide Western Town
Put yourself in the moment. Horses tied to a splintered old post, dusty saloon door swinging in the breeze, a raggy jingle slinking its way up and down the piano. You hear raised voices in the bar, just on the edge of a brawl, then the sudden clink of spurs behind you. The sheriff walks up slow, a wizened calm exuding through the sun-burnt wrinkles on his face. Welcome to the Wild West!

Maybe you’re thinking John Wayne, maybe Clint Eastwood, or maybe you’re like me and you’re thinking Firefly. Either way, live the spirit of the Wild West, without the hassle of a ruthless untimely death, at Rawhide Western Town & Steakhouse near Phoenix, Arizona.

This free-to-enter entertainment destination offers Wild West-themed amusements aplenty – costumed actors, mechanical bull riding, authentic stagecoach rides, shooting galleries, and themed shows packed with trick roping, gun twirling, horse-riding and, of course, dude shooting.

That’s just a selection, because what we’re really here to talk about (said the blogger five paragraphs in) is the special Thanksgiving and holiday attractions at Rawhide. For Thanksgiving, the delicious Rawhide Steakhouse is featuring a special menu loaded with all your favorites – butter basted turkey, honey-lime glazed ham, country sausage and corn bread stuffing and green bean casserole. Because it’s Rawhide, you can also get a succulent prime rib. Learn more.

Head back just a week later for the start of Rawhide’s “Cowboy Christmas”. Beginning December 3, Rawhide Western Town will take on an uncharacteristic red and green glow as the spirit of the season takes over Main Street. New holiday shows will play at both theatres, and every evening will kick-off in festive glamour with the lighting of an 80-ft. Christmas tree. Santa might even roll in on a horse-drawn carriage.

All the fun of Rawhide plus tree-lighting and holiday music and a Wild West Santa? That’s a lot of seasonal fun!

Rawhide Western Town & Steakhouse is open Thursday – Sunday, although their event hours do vary. It’d be easier for you to look it up following the link below. Rawhide is free to enter, and you can pay for attractions either by one or you can purchase an unlimited wristband (recommended). Learn more.

Rawhide is located south of Phoenix off I-10, and we always stay in town. For hotels in Phoenix, we again recommend the Crowne Plaza Phoenix Hotel. The hotel is situated near several of our favorite attractions, or at least within a reasonable drive, and we’ve always found the accommodations a cut above.

Have fun! 

One of the cool things about Phoenix is that where most places roll out the full-time schedules during the summer, several Phoenix attractions do it in the winter. Not ideal for the school season, I guess, but at least you don’t have to stand outside in the heat.

Another cool thing about Phoenix is the Pueblo Grande Museum and Archeological Park. This ancient village of the Hohokam people features houses, offices and canals dated back more than 1500 years, with more yet to be discovered. While the tour sections have been preserved for the purpose of receiving guests, Pueblo Grande is still an active dig.

Although the location of such an extensive archeological dig within the limits of a major metropolitan city seems unusual, the site is no accident.  In fact, it was the Hohokam’s intricate canal system and “city planning” that encouraged city founder Jack Swilling to believe a community could thrive in the arid location. The original water system of Phoenix followed that of Hohokam’s almost exactly.

Exhibits include The Hohokam: The Land and the People, an in-depth look at the people and culture through art and artifacts. Hohokam Houses lies along the ruin trail and features stunning unearthed samples of the people’s dwellings. Their use of fencing (walling, technically) is surprisingly similar to modern American suburbs.

Dig It! is a popular stop, especially for the little ones. Here you have the chance to experience the day-to-day of archeology in a faux-dig site. Nice hands-on fun.

But one of the best things to do at Pueblo Grande, and the reason we waited until now, is visit the Pueblo Grande Museum Indian Market. For two days in December, experience the sights, sounds, smells and flavors of a traditional Indian market ranked among the best in the country. Artists from more than 60 tribes travel in to sell authentic, handmade art, pottery, weavings, jewelry and more. You get to buy directly from the artist.

More than a market, it’s a whole experience. See and maybe even participate in traditional dances performed by Arizona tribes. View impressive artist demonstrations. And of course, eat delicious Native American cuisine, including Fry Bread, which if you’ve never had it, is the greatest of all breads.

The market does not take place at the park, so get your addresses straight. Learn more about the market here.

The Pueblo Grande Museum and Archeological Park is a fun, healthy and educational good time for the whole family. Adult admission is only $6, and the park is open daily between October and April. Learn more.

From one of Phoenix’s oldest attractions to one of its newest. The Hotel Highland at Biltmore is a new hotel in the trendy Phoenix Biltmore district. Accommodations and amenities are surprisingly upscale, given the affordability (at that location). All the “frees” you could want.

Have fun!

Those summer highs in Phoenix haven’t started to abate just yet (I think it got up to 108 on Tuesday), so if you’re in town you’ll definitely want to do something inside. Really, it was only a matter of time before we got to magnanimous Heard Museum.

One of the earliest cultural landmarks in Phoenix, Arizona, and perhaps still the best internationally known, the Heard Museum is a world-class institution that belongs on any trip to the Phoenix area and on any museum-lovers bucket list. It is the premier museum of Native American art, culture and history, subjects it explores through extensive collections, authentic performance and a popular program of events.

Award-winning galleries of Native American art and artifacts consistently draw the crowds. “Home: Native People in the Southwest” is the signature exhibit, a multimedia journey into the diversity and spiritual fascination of an incredible people. Almost 2,000 original pieces including pottery, baskets, beadwork jewelry and other items make up the bulk of the exhibit. Joining this incredible gallery are 500 Hopi katsina dolls, a 21-foot mural of the Yaqui people, a full-sized Hopi piki room and four short film presentations. Guided tours are available for free.

One thing to love about the Heard Museum is that it is actively growing. Whether it’s an exciting new temporary exhibit or a proud new addition to the permanent collection, there is always something new to see at the Heard, as the subject still has so many secrets to tell. Across 10 exhibits, a full afternoon’s worth of wonderment awaits.

The Heard Museum attracts more than 40,000 visitors a year to one or more of its cultural events. From art shows to dance contests to juried competitions, the museum loves to celebrate big. In the nearer future, the museum will host the chic fundraising gala Moondance (Oct 24), the Spanish Market, a display of more than 70 Hispanic artists from New Mexico and Arizona (November14-15) and a full week of programs closing out the year called Holidays at the Heard (Dec 26-31). Many events are free, while others require a regular museum admission.

Speaking of that, you can visit the Heard Museum in Phoenix, Arizona for a regular admission of $10 which includes access to every gallery and guided tours. Parking is free, and there is a Phoenix light rail stop just out front. Learn about the Heard Museum.

For hotels in Phoenix, Arizona, we’re big fans of the Crowne Plaza Phoenix. The beautiful property suggests an upscale sensibility, but there’s nothing fussy about great rooms and good prices.

Don’t miss the Heard Museum.

If there’s one place they need a world-class water park, it’s Phoenix, Arizona. So can you believe it took until July 1, 2009 for them to get one? Get your towels ready, because the wait is over: Wet ‘n’ Wild Phoenix is open for business.

The largest water park in Arizona, and clean as it will ever be right now, Wet ‘n’ Wild Phoenix is cooling off that hot desert summer with some of the coolest rides in the biz. Don’t miss the inaugural season of what is sure to be one of the most popular Phoenix attractions.

Wet ‘n’ Wild Phoenix has two claims to fame: bigger and better. That’s the sentiment that went into the creation of the park’s signature ride: Maximum Velocity. Topping the thrill meter, this one-of-a-kind ride is actually two water coasters in one, a high-speed 4-passenger race featuring gravity-defying climbs and pulse-pounding drops. I’m hoping the tandem tubes help the line to move along a bit quicker. A similar single-tube coaster at the New Braunfels Schlitterbahn here in Texas is fun but takes forever to ride.

Boasting 30 rides and attractions, you can bet there’s more to find. Along with a slick array of body and tube slides, you have to check out the Tornado, a quality rendition of the high-speed funnel ride that’s all the rage these days. The over-named Serpentine Complex is a similar experience, but different too. Riders are shot from a snake-like slide into a Bundt pan of a bowl that uses centrifugal force to whip the riders around again and again before sliding them down to the landing pool. Be sure to try this one.

The under-named Raging River is a classic whitewater rapid-style attraction with group-sized rafts. I’ve always dug that whole genre of ride. And of course you’ve got your lazy river and your wave pool. In my book, it’s just not a true water park without them.

Throw in multiple kids attractions and it all adds up the right way. This is a more than full-featured water park with a surprising twist to several of the rides. We love it.

If you can, plan your visit for Friday and stick around for the “Dive ‘n’ Movie”. This evening attraction features a family-friendly film shown on a massive screen over located adjacent to the wave pool, completely free to park guests. Grab a deck chair or chill out in the pool while watching a flick. The film roster isn’t exactly my bag, but I love the idea.

Wet ‘n’ Wild Phoenix is just a good time to have in the summer. Learn more about it.

Our friends at the Courtyard Phoenix / Happy Valley didn’t waste a minute. The hotel is already offering a cool Wet ‘n’ Wild Phoenix discount package featuring accommodations and tickets. Check out the package or learn more about the hotel.

Have fun in that Phoenix sun!

In how many places can you climb a mountain without leaving the city limits? And don’t start ringing off a bunch of towns already in the mountains. That’s cheating.

On the other hand, if you said “Phoenix, Arizona” you’d be right on the money! That’s because this vibrant Sonoran Desert city is home to Piestewa Peak (formerly Squaw Peak) of the Phoenix Mountains. Protected as a natural preserve, this half-mile high mountain summit is within the Phoenix borders, making it not only a designated point of local pride, but also making it a favorite for hikers, bikers, dog-walkers, equestrians, opening scene from Mission Impossible 2 reenacters and your everyday outdoor enthusiasts.

If you’re in Phoenix and you’re looking for something a little gamier than another round on the green, consider testing your strength with a rewarding hike up to Piestewa Peak.

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In the wake of our notorious article, “The Top 10 Zoos in America“, we more or less let our individual zoo articles fall by the wayside. But no more! We’re coming back strong with our choice as the #4 zoo in America: The Phoenix Zoo.

You might not place your finger on it immediately, but you’ll realize during you’re very first visit to the Phoenix Zoo in Phoenix, Arizona that something is different. Maybe it’s the unique, sprawling, trail-like structure, maybe it’s the inline skaters whizzing past, maybe it’s the picnicking families, or maybe it’s just the animals themselves. Indeed, with more than 1,300 scaled, furred and feathered friends to discover, over 200 of which belong to endangered species, the Phoenix Zoo is an endlessly rewarding attraction for animal-lovers and conservation enthusiasts of any age.

When forming our Top Ten list a few months back, we were drawn to the unusual build of the Phoenix Zoo, along with some decidedly customer-friendly policies. Rather than the more common habitat clusters, the zoo is structured into four lengthy walking trails – Africa, Arizona, Tropics and Children’s – each housing a wide glimpse of its theme in vast, natural habitats. Along with the four major trails, there are numerous side attractions including Harmony Farms, a large lake and the humongous 15,000-gallon Stingray Bay “touch” tank, featuring numerous rays and also horseshoe crabs, white-spotted bamboo sharks and nurse sharks.

We suspect you won’t be able to help but see them all, but absolute “must-sees” include white rhinoceros, spectacled bear, reticulated giraffe, Asian elephant, Sumatran tiger, and Padfoot the painting Ocelot.

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I gave you beaches, mountains, adventure, and a little bit of everything else. Yet, I still managed to overlook one of the biggest Spring Break activities of all: golf.

Whether it’s college friends, fathers and sons, or even whole families, more and more people are spending their week away from the real world out on the fairway, and with inviting, affordable golf destinations like Phoenix, Arizona to choose, it’s no wonder why? Let’s take a closer look.

(With considerable help from our previous article on Phoenix golf vacations. Forgive the laziness. I’ve written so much about Spring Break now that I think my mind is already there.)

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Trolling over the archives I realized that we hadn’t done much lately for the golfers in the audience, and with the temperatures warming up quickly over the next couple of months, not to mention Spring Break just around the corner, the time seemed right.

Since the temperature likes to hover above one hundred degrees in the summer, right now is an especially good time to be thinking about a Phoenix, Arizona golf vacation. It’s no secret: Phoenix is the golf capital of the southwest, and it’s with good reason. The low humidity and limited, reasonably predictable precipitation leaves the maintenance of the many, many Phoenix golf courses in the hands of the experts, in other words, the owners.

The architects have taken this freedom and gone buck wild. Phoenix is an excellent destination for golfers who like a long game. The wide open spaces of the Sonoran Desert, an elevated desert as beautiful as it is unique, allow for larger, longer courses than you find in the more compact golf destinations of Florida, Virginia and Southern California. If you’re used to playing on a 6,000-yard course, you’ll want to start your morning with some stretches because many Phoenix, Arizona golf courses top 7,000 yards easy.

Like any top golf destination, the highest-rated courses are resort courses and they’ve got the price tag to match the prestige. If money’s no issue, check out the Troon North Golf Club, the Phoenician Golf Club, or The Boulders. This celebrated trio gets a lot of play from tour professionals, and indeed they are stunners, but they can also run over $200 a round, which is a little much for us professional bloggers.

Don’t fret, however. One of the great things about Phoenix is that by sheer saturation (there are over 200 Phoenix area golf courses) you can find a top-notch course that’s also competitively priced. These aren’t “budget” courses, but you can typically play them for well under $100. Here’s a few of our favorites: 

• Ahwatukee Country Club
• Hillcrest Golf Club
• Stonecreek Golf Club
• Encanto Golf Club (best value!)

Golf rates in Phoenix dip in the summer, but you’ll want to keep the temperatures in mind. Once it tops out at 105 to 110, it’s gone past the point of discomfort and can even be dangerous. We recommend playing in the fall, winter or spring, but should you play in the summer, be sure to wear sunscreen, drink plenty of water and for goodness’ sake don’t dilly-dally.

Two recommendations today, both located in the beautiful North Phoenix area near Paradise Valley and both quite new.

Expected to make a pretty big mark among Phoenix area hotels is the Courtyard Phoenix North/Happy Valley. Take advantage of the new hotel shine: state-of-the-art amenities, resort-style pool, free Internet – the works!

For business trips or longer Phoenix golf vacations, the Residence Inn Phoenix North/Happy Valley boasts itself one of the best extended stay hotels in Phoenix, Arizona. The suites feature full kitchens, stove, dishwasher and all, so if you don’t mind feeding yourself, you can save that much more for your course selection.

Get out there and get golfing!