< PreviousCHINLE REI at Canyon de Chelly For more than three decades, REI adventure travel has been a global leader in worldwide guided active adventure trips. While the company offers more than 300 unique itineraries, REI’s Canyon de Chelly National Monument hiking and camping trip is at the top of our list. A Navajo guide takes a small group on an unforgettable four-day hiking adventure. Trip highlights include discovering well- preserved rock art and ruin sites, hiking in Petrified Forest National Park and camping under the star-filled sky. rei.com, @rei 98 INAZ 8x10.5 v7.indd 981/15/20 4:01 PM99 INAZ 8x10.5 v7.indd 991/15/20 4:01 PMBY MELISSA LARSEN You have an eye for it culture vulture enlightened aesthete highbrow INARIZONA ARTS & CULTURE BALLET ARIZONA 100 INAZ 8x10.5 v7.indd 1001/15/20 4:01 PMPHOENIX Ballet Arizona Under the artistic direction of Ib Andersen, Ballet Arizona is an innovative professional ballet company that has a mission to create, perform and teach outstanding classical and contemporary ballet. A hallmark of the program is Ballet Under the Stars; the performances are free and open to the public, taking place at outdoor venues in various local communities every fall. balletaz.org, @balletarizona MESA Mesa Arts Center From catching a concert to viewing an inspiring exhibit, Mesa Arts Center can do it all as Arizona’s largest arts center. It is home to four theaters, five art galleries and 14 art studios, giving guests the chance to savor live entertainment, world- class visual arts and an array of arts education classes. Plus, the stunning facility itself is an architectural showpiece within the city of Mesa. mesaartscenter.com, @mesaartscenter.com IN 2020, MESA ARTS CENTER HOSTS THE LIKES OF MANDY PATINKIN, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM AND MORE. PHOENIX Musical Instrument Museum Few places allow guests to experience music in the way the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) does. MIM displays more than 6,800 instruments collected from around 200 of the world’s countries and territories and hosts global music exhibits, events and performances throughout the year like Experience France, MIMFest and family weekends. The Experience Gallery is a favorite, allowing music lovers to bang and strum unique instruments from across the globe. mim.org, @mimphx SCOTTSDALE Taliesin West This historic landmark of Taliesin West is legendary architect’s Frank Lloyd Wright’s winter residence and studio and home to the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and The Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture. Taliesin West offers a broad selection of tours (including a range of evening tours so visitors can beat the daytime heat), speaking engagements and other events that will appease design nerds and novices alike. franklloydwright.org, @WrightTaliesin MESA ARTS CENTER 101 INAZ 8x10.5 v7.indd 1011/15/20 4:01 PMHEARD MUSEUM the finer things 102 INAZ 8x10.5 v7.indd 1021/15/20 4:01 PMPHOENIX Heard Museum The Heard Museum aims to be the world’s finest museum for the presentation, interpretation and advancement of American Indian art. Its collection concentrates on the lives of Native people of North America with more than 40,000 objects and 4,000 fine art works in 12 exhibit galleries. Free guided tours, an outdoor sculpture garden, a cafe, a contemporary art gallery and trading post-style shopping are also available to museum visitors. heard.org, @heardmuseum SCOTTSDALE Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCa) presents the best of contemporary art, architecture and design from both near and far. There are nine to 12 exhibitions per year so that each visitor will always experience the most current works of art. SMoCa also hosts unique and engaging events including films, guided tours and artist talks that embrace the realms of music, literature, dance, performance and film. smoca.org, @_smoca PHOENIX Phoenix Art Museum Phoenix Art Museum, the largest art museum in the Southwest, houses 19,000 works of American, Asian, European, Latin American, Western American, modern and contemporary art and fashion design. Families flock to the museum’s monthly Make It! events, which are drop-in, kid-friendly, hands-on art-making events that are inspired by objects in the museum’s collection or current exhibitions and collaborations. phxart.org, @phxart PHOENIX ART MUSEUM 103 INAZ 8x10.5 v7.indd 1031/15/20 4:01 PMFAST FAVORITES: PARADISE VALLEY Cosanti ARCOSANTI.ORG/ COSANTI. An unobtrusive natural retreat and residence of the late architect Paolo Soleri SCOTTSDALE Western Spirit: Scottsdale Museum of the West SCOTTSDALEMUSEUM WEST.ORG. A museum encapsulating “The West’s Most Western Town” that houses classic western items from a signed John Wayne business card to Texas ranger badges from the 1890’s PHOENIX The Phoenix Symphony PHOENIXSYMPHONY.ORG. Arizona’s largest performing arts organization TUCSON Pima Air & Space Museum PIMAAIR.ORG. One of the largest non- government-funded aviation and space museums in the world, with more than 350 historical aircrafts 104 INAZ 8x10.5 v7.indd 1041/15/20 4:01 PMPHOENIX Desert Botanical Garden The largest botanical garden in the Southwest, Desert Botanical Garden spans 140 acres and showcases 50,000-plus plant displays in beautiful outdoor exhibits. The garden aims to help the community understand, protect and preserve the desert’s natural beauty while also hosting entertaining events (like the iconic holiday tradition, Las Noches de las Luminarias), programming and family activities throughout the year. dbg.org, @dbgphx A TRIP TO THE GARDEN ISN’T COMPLETE WITH A TASTE OF GERTRUDE’S RESTAURANT. BE SURE TO REQUEST A SEAT ON THE PATIO, WHERE YOU’RE SURE TO GET A VISIT FROM A FRIENDLY DESERT CRITTER OR TWO. THE PHOENIX SYMPHONY DESERT BOTANICAL GARDEN THE PHOENIX SYMPHONY 105 INAZ 8x10.5 v7.indd 1051/15/20 4:01 PMI’m counting to five BY MELISSA LARSEN energy for days bouncing off the walls party time INARIZONA KID’S ATTRACTIONS GREAT WOLF LODGE ARIZONA 106 INAZ 8x10.5 v7.indd 1061/15/20 4:01 PMSCOTTSDALE Great Wolf Lodge Arizona The 350-room family resort, located within the Talking Stick Entertainment District, has been making waves in the Valley long before it even opened in September. Great Wolf Lodge Arizona has an 85,000-sq.-ft. indoor waterpark, Great Wolf Adventure Park, nine F&B outlets and plenty more fun for everyone, from the biggest wolves to the teeniest cubs. greatwolf.com/Arizona, @greatwolflodge SWEET NEWS: THE LODGE MARKS BEN & JERRY’S RETURN TO THE VALLEY. CHANDLER Crayola Experience There’s nothing quite as fulfilling for kiddos as a day out with their parents exploring their creativity. For budding artists, the new Crayola Experience in Chandler offers hours of colorful, hands-on play— from melted crayon drip art to molding your own crayon shapes, creating your custom crayon wraps to sitting down at the Ultimate Coloring Station with a giant caddy that holds thousands of crayons. crayolaexperience.com, @visitcechandler END YOUR DAY OF CREATING WITH A STOP AT THE CRAYOLA STORE FOR CRAYON-THEMED SOCKS, SHIRTS, BATH ACCESSORIES, SCHOOL SUPPLIES, SNACKS AND MORE. SCOTTSDALE Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament This new opening at the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community’s Talking Stick Entertainment District marks Medieval Times’ 10th castle in North America and transports visitors of all ages to the action-packed days of yore. The electrifying show is exciting for the entire family and combines jousting, weaponry, horsemanship, falconry and a grand four- course feast (plus cocktails for Mom and Dad). medievaltimes.com, @medieval_times STOP BY THE QUEEN’S ROYAL GIFT SHOP FOR A RANGE OF WOODEN SWORDS, DRAGON STATUETTES, KNIGHT AND PRINCESS COSTUMES AND MORE MEDIEVAL GOODIES. PHOENIX Arizona Science Center Inquisitive minds of all ages are invited to discover the world of science, history and imagination at Arizona Science Center. There are more than 300 hands- on exhibits displayed on four levels in five galleries; the permanent attraction Forces of Nature even has an Immersion Theater that allows guests to feel like they are in the midst of a hurricane, tornado, wildfire, volcanic eruption or monsoon. azscience.org, @azscience SCOTTSDALE OdySea Aquarium As the largest aquarium in the Southwest, kids of all ages (Mom and Dad, too) can explore more than 50 exhibits and see 30,000- plus animals and 500 species. Take a ride through the first-of-its-kind OdySea Voyager (the rescued sea turtles are a hoot!), be one with nature in the 3D theater and check out everything from scalloped hammerheads to baby Siamese crocs under one roof. odyseaaquarium.com, @odysea.aquarium WILLIAMS Bearizona Wildlife Park This unique drive-through experience puts you face- to-face with four-legged creatures (like bears, wolves, bison and more)—without ever having to leave your car. Then, at the end of the tour, visitors walk along winding paths in Fort Bearizona and view the antics of smaller and baby animals on exhibit. Fort Bearizona is also the location of animal shows, restrooms, a gift shop, a snack shack and the complimentary Wild Ride Bus Tour. bearizona.com, @bearizona 107 INAZ 8x10.5 v7.indd 1071/15/20 4:01 PMNext >