Chickery's Travels

Chickery's Travels logo. A blue-green Earth globe with continents surrounded by dots with an arrow denoting movement or travel and "Chickery's Travels" as part of the dotted circle. Next to this is a photo of their blue and white Arctic Fox 5th Wheel with the awning out.
  • Home
  • Campground Reviews
    • The Best U.S. National Park Campgrounds
    • 28 Must-See State Park Campgrounds You Can’t Miss
    • Alternatives To National Park Campgrounds: Discover Hidden Gems Just Outside the Park Boundaries
    • Best Luxury RV Resorts For All RV Types
    • Best Waterfront Campgrounds For Every Budget
    • Alabama
      • Gunter Hill Campground (Montgomery, Alabama)
    • Arizona
      • Best Campgrounds in Arizona
      • Aspen Campground (Payson, Arizona)
      • LazyDays KOA (Tucson, Arizona)
      • Lost Dutchman State Park (Phoenix, AZ)
    • Arkansas
      • Catherine’s Landing (Hot Springs, Arkansas)
      • Downtown Riverside RV Park (Little Rock, Arkansas)
    • California
      • Best Campgrounds in California
      • Crescent City Redwoods KOA (Crescent City, California)
      • Sea Breeze RV Park (Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station)
    • Delaware
      • Cape Henlopen State Park (Lewes, Delaware)
    • Florida
      • Best Campgrounds in Florida
      • Blue Angel Naval Recreation Area (Pensacola, FL)
      • Jonathan Dickinson State Park (Southeast FL)
      • LazyDays RV Resort (Tampa, FL)
      • MacDill AFB FamCamp (Tampa, FL)
      • Military Camping in Key West
      • Patrick AFB FamCamp (Cocoa Beach, FL)
      • Rainbow Springs State Park & Campground (Ocala, FL)
      • Walt Disney World’s Fort Wilderness (Orlando, FL)
        • Halloween at Disney’s Fort Wilderness
        • Chickery’s Travels Podcast Episode 5: Fort Wilderness Campground Review
    • Maryland
      • Cherry Hill Park (College Park, Maryland)
    • Michigan
      • Port Huron KOA (Kimball, Michigan)
    • Nevada
      • Las Vegas RV Campgrounds: Nellis Air Force Base and Lake Mead RV Village
      • Boondocking Near Las Vegas
    • New Hampshire
      • Lincoln / Woodstock KOA (New Hampshire)
    • New York
      • Round Pond Recreation Area (West Point, NY)
    • North Carolina
      • Outer Banks West / Currituck Sound KOA (Coinjock, North Carolina)
    • Oklahoma
      • Oklahoma City East KOA (Choctaw, Oklahoma)
    • Texas
      • Best Campgrounds in Texas
      • Alsatian RV Resort (Castroville, Texas)
      • Maverick Ranch (Lajitas, Texas)
      • Texas Wine Country Jellystone (Fredericksburg, Texas)
    • Tennessee
      • Camp Margaritaville (Pigeon Forge, TN)
      • Crossville I-40 KOA (Crossville, TN)
      • Midway RV Park (Memphis, TN)
    • Virginia
      • Complete Guide to Camping at Shenandoah National Park
      • Fort Belvoir Travel Camp (Alexandria, VA)
      • Harrisonburg / Shenandoah Valley KOA (Broadway, Virginia)
      • Shenandoah Views Campground (Luray, Virginia)
      • Lynchburg / Blue Ridge Parkway KOA (Monroe, Virginia)
      • Shenandoah River State Park (Bentonville, Virginia)
    • Washington
      • Crescent Bar RV Resort (Quincy, Washington)
    • West Virginia
      • Harper’s Ferry KOA (Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia)
  • USA
    • Alaska
      • 5 Things You Can’t Miss On Your First Trip To Alaska
    • Arizona
      • Apache Trail: A Crazy, Scary, Beautiful Drive
      • Lost Dutchman State Park (Phoenix, Arizona)
      • Phoenix Faves: Best Activities to Enjoy on Your Arizona Vacation
    • District of Columbia
      • Budget Friendly Fun in Washington D.C.
      • Favorite Hikes near Washington DC
      • Indoor Skydiving and TopGolf: Just Another Day of Family Fun!
    • Florida
      • Best Walt Disney World Festivals For Adults
      • Blowing Rocks Preserve – Jupiter Island, Florida
      • Bok Tower Gardens
      • Daytona Beach – The World’s Most Famous Beach
      • Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
      • Gasparilla – Tampa’s Pirate Invasion
      • 3 Days on the Nature Coast 
      • Florida Freshwater Springs on the Nature Coast
      • Halloween at Disney’s Fort Wilderness
      • Kennedy Space Center – Cape Canaveral
      • Island Hopping at Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island State Parks
      • Must See Sights in St. Augustine, FL – America’s Oldest City
      • Rainbow Springs State Park & Campground (Dunnellon, Florida)
      • Enjoy the Best of Sunny Sarasota
      • Tampa
        • Get Back to Nature in Tampa Bay
        • Take Me Out to the Ball Game – Spring Training in Tampa, FL
        • The 5 Best Beaches in the Tampa Bay Area
        • Why We Love Tampa
      • Tarpon Springs – The Gulf Coast Town with Greek Flavor
      • Top 5 Things to Do on Florida’s Space Coast
      • What Not to Do When Kayaking on the Weeki Wachee River
      • Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure
    • Georgia
      • Visiting Atlanta? Don’t Miss These Civil Rights Museums
    • Hawaii
      • Everything You Need to Know About Camping in a Jeep Wrangler in Hawaii
    • Illinois
      • One Day In The Windy City – Chicago Itinerary
    • Maine
      • Coastal Maine Road Trip
      • Discover the Beauty of Monhegan Island, Maine
      • Acadia National Park: Highlights You Can’t Miss
    • Nevada
      • Best Campgrounds in Nevada
      • Las Vegas RV Campgrounds: Nellis Air Force Base and Lake Mead RV Village
    • North Carolina
      • Complete Guide to Great Smoky Mountains National Park
      • Uncover the Coastal Charm of North Carolina’s Outer Banks | A Guide for Visitors
    • Tennessee
      • Complete Guide to Great Smoky Mountains National Park
      • Burgess Falls: 3 For 1 Waterfall Special
      • National Civil Rights Museum – Memphis, TN
      • Window Cliffs, TN – I’m Not Afraid of Heights, But I am Afraid of Falling!
      • WWII History in Tennessee
    • Texas
      • Best Restaurants in Fredericksburg
      • Enjoy a Bird’s Eye View of Texas Hill Country
      • Explore Nature’s Untamed Beauty at Big Bend National Park
    • Virginia
      • Explore Great Falls Park, Virginia
  • RV Resources
    • 3 Simple Steps to Find the Best RV Campgrounds
    • 5 Years Full-Time RV: Lessons Learned & Biggest Regret
    • Boondocking – What We Learned From Our First Dry Camping Experience
    • Tips for Boondocking Success
    • Essential RV Gear
      • Essential RV Gear Guide
      • DIY RV Power & Solar Upgrade
      • RV Must Have: Tire Pressure Monitoring System
      • RV SnapPads Product Review
      • RVLOCK Keyless Entry Door Handle Installation and Review
      • Shop “RV Local” With TechnoRV
      • Top RV Gadgets & Accessories
      • WeBoost Cellular Booster Review
    • Maintenance
      • DIY RV Power & Solar Upgrade
      • DIY Power Upgrade – “Solar Ready” Arctic Fox Fifth Wheel
      • An Easy Way to Protect Your RV Water Heater
      • Easy DIY Project to Protect Your RV Water System
      • How to Reduce the Likelihood of Tire Blowouts on your RV
      • Odor Free RV Black Tank Tips
      • RV Condensation: What It Is, What It Does, and How To Stop It
      • RV Roofs – What You Need to Know
    • Living in an RV
      • 9 Lessons From 2 1/2 Years on the Road
      • Biggest Regret Full-Time RV Living
      • Dealing with my Biggest Full-Time Travel Struggle, Missing Family While Traveling
      • Downsizing: 3 Areas That Make The Biggest Impact
      • Full-Time RV: 2019 Year in Review
      • Full-Time RV: 2018 Year in Review
      • Full-Time RV Travel – 2017 Year In Review
      • How Full-Time RVers Celebrate the Holidays
      • Get Ready for Full-Time RV Travel
      • Internet Solutions for RV Travelers
      • The Ultimate Guide to Embracing the Full-Time RV Lifestyle
      • Living in a Tiny, Traveling Home
      • Making Friends (and reconnecting with old friends) While Traveling Full-Time
      • Pros & Cons of Full-Time RV Travel
      • RV Organization & Storage Ideas
      • Short-Term RV Storage: Leaving The RV Behind
      • Top 3 Lessons Learned & Biggest Regret: 3 Years Full-Time RV Living
      • What We Wish We Knew Before Full-Time RVing – Stories from the Road
      • What You Need To Know Before Selling Everything And Moving To An RV
      • Why We Are Traveling Full-Time In Our RV
    • Must Read Books Before Becoming A Full-time RVer
    • RV Organization & Storage Ideas
    • RV Remodel
      • Planning an RV Remodel
      • RV Kitchen Cooking Videos
      • Painting Your RV Interior
      • Update the RV Kitchen – Backsplashes & More
      • Updating Your RV Window Treatments
      • RV Bedroom Makeover
      • RV Remodel Costs with Before & After Photos
      • Vintage Camper Renovation
    • RV Holiday Tour – Decorating Our Small Space
    • RV Hurricane Evacuation
    • RV Misery Can Be Overcome By The Generosity Of Others
    • How Book Readers Can Space and Weight in the RV
    • Slow Travel
    • Small Kitchen Cooking
      • Cooking Videos
      • Eating Healthy on Travel Days
    • Staying Healthy
      • Traveling with Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, and Other Chronic Pain Conditions
    • Trip Planning
    • Traveling with Pets
      • RVing with Your Cat
      • Traveling with Restricted Breed Dogs
    • Why I Prefer RV Travel Over Flying
    • Your Guide To Planning The Best Family Vacation This Summer
  • Travel Finance
    • 5 Tips to Save on RV Travel
    • 5 Ways to Fund Full-Time Travel
    • Creative Ways To Save Money On Your Next Vacation
    • Full-Time RV Expenses
      • Annual Full-Time RV Expenses – The Big Three
    • Five Credit Card Strategies To Improve Travel
    • How Much Do Campgrounds Cost?
    • How Much Does it Cost to RV Full-Time?
    • How to Camp for Free
    • How to Start a Profitable Blog
    • How to Save Money on RV Fuel Costs
    • How to Save on Food While Camping
    • How We Earn A Living While Traveling Full-Time (And How You Can Too)
    • How We Paid $139,000 of Debt in 2 Years While Full-Time RVing
    • Learn How to Finance Your Dreams
    • The Top 7 Ways to Save Money While Traveling Full-Time
    • RV Purchasing
      • RV Purchasing: Understanding RV Types
      • Benefits of Renting an RV: Try Before You Buy
      • Should I Buy A New or Used RV?
      • The Costs of RV Ownership
      • The True Cost of Financing an RV
      • Attend An RV Show – Even If You Already Own An RV | Exciting Reasons Why
    • Save Money Using the Public Library (On More Than Just Books)
  • Military Travel
    • Guide To Using Military Campgrounds
    • Health Care for Retired Military Full-Time RVers
    • Why Military Retirees Should Fly Space-A
  • About Us
    • RV Shows We’re Attending
    • Contact Us
    • Follow Us
    • Why We Are Full-Time RVers

10:01 pm by Julie Leave a Comment

Phoenix Faves: Best Activities to Enjoy on Your Arizona Vacation

Phoenix, the state capital of Arizona, is known for its warm, dry climate that attracts huge numbers of sun lovers during the winter months. The Greater Phoenix Area is a large sprawling city with a mix of modern high-rise buildings, Indian and Spanish colonial influences, and a touch of the Wild West. The city offers abundant art and cultural attractions, historic neighborhoods, and museums.

Table of Contents
  • Desert Botanical Garden
  • Heard Museum
  • Papago Park
  • Camelback Mountain
  • Apache Trail
  • Jerome Ghost Town Day Trip
  • Where to Stay

Desert Botanical Garden

Desert Botanical Garden

I really enjoy going to botanical gardens around the country and learning about native plants. The Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix is home to 21,000 plants representing close to 4,000 different plant classifications and is a terrific place to learn about the flora of the southwestern desert.  It is a large garden with six major trails/garden exhibit areas.  Winding paths over 50 acres showcase a fantastic variety of arid plants, from towering saguaros to delicate blooms.

My favorite part of the Desert Botanical Garden is the Plants and People of the Sonoran Desert Trail. It is an actual dirt path trail winding around the base of a hill. Along the way, there are displays showing how Native Americans used to live in the Southwest. It features five distinct habitats that have provided people with useful plants for food, fiber, medicine, and cultural purposes for 2,000 years: Desert, Desert Oasis, Mesquite Bosque, Semi-desert Grassland, and Chaparral. The story of these relationships is brought to life through cultural examples of the Akimel O’odham and Western Apache Roundhouse. Don’t miss out on hands-on activities such as pounding mesquite beans to make flour.

Desert Botanical Garden

Other trails include:

  • Desert Discovery Trail

This is the garden’s main trail with desert plants from around the world including a plethora of cacti and succulents. You’ll find the oldest plantings on this 1/3-mile trail, and it is easy to navigate.

  • Harriet K. Maxwell Desert Wildflower Trail

Learn how colorful desert wildflowers, hummingbirds, and bees interact in the Sonoran Desert on this short trail.

  • Sonoran Desert Nature Trail

A 1/4 mile trail where you can enjoy the big picture — desert, mountains, plants, and animals.

 

Heard Museum

Heard Museum

While researching activities in the area, I read that the internationally acclaimed Heard Museum is one of the best places to experience the art and history of the American Indians of the Southwest and it did not disappoint. The museum’s 11 spacious exhibit galleries and beautiful outdoor courtyards feature outstanding traditional and contemporary American Indian art. I also took two free docent-led tours that were included in the price of admission. The Highlights of the Heard tour allowed me to get the lay of the land and establish a plan for what I wanted to go back and see in depth. I returned later for the tour of their signature exhibit HOME: Native Peoples in the Southwest. 

One of the exhibits I really enjoyed was a room with hundreds of Kachina dolls. The carved figures are given as ceremonial gifts to young girls. Each gift represents a prayer wish for good health, growth, and fertility. Since the mid-20th century, these carvings have developed as an impressive art form. This display shows a wide variety of different styles.

I found an amazing tribute to Native American contributions to our military outside. The American Indian Veterans National Memorial is the only known national memorial dedicated to American Indian veterans of all conflicts. The Memorial consists of several sizable sculptures by the acclaimed Native artists Allan Houser (Chiricahua Apache) and Michael Naranjo (Santa Clara Pueblo). The 10-foot sculpture Unconquered II is the last sculpture created by Houser. Naranjo is a Vietnam War veteran who suffered an injury that rendered him blind.

Heard Museum Naranjo He's My Brother
Heard Museum American Indian Veterans National Memorial

Papago Park

Lake and palm trees at Papago Park

Nestled in the heart of Phoenix, Papago Park is a true gem waiting to be explored. The park boasts the famous Hole-in-the-Rock Trail, where visitors can hike to the top of the iconic formation for breathtaking views of the city. But that’s not all – the park also offers excellent fishing opportunities for those who love to cast a line, and with over 1,200 acres of pristine desert landscape, nature enthusiasts will feel right at home. It is also home to the Phoenix Zoo and the Desert Botanical Garden.

Camelback Mountain

View of Phoenix from Camelback Mountain

There are a lot of great hiking locations around Phoenix and Camelback Mountain is one of the most popular among tourists and locals alike. It is a short, but challenging trail, with 1,500′ of elevation gain in just over a mile. Hikers are rewarded with stunning city views, and scenery encompassing red sandstone rock formations.

Apache Trail

View of Canyon Lake from the Apache Trail

For those who want to experience more of Arizona’s natural beauty, taking a day trip to the Apache Trail is a must-do activity. The Apache Trail is a scenic road that weaves through the Superstition Mountains, Tonto National Forest, and the canyon vistas around the Salt River. Along the way, you can stop at the historical Goldfield Ghost Town, which has been preserved in time, offering a small glimpse of what it was like to live in the mining towns of the old West.

Jerome Ghost Town Day Trip

Image of an abandoned Blacksmith building at Jerome Ghost Town

If you’re on a quest to uncover hidden gems and unique experiences during your travels, take a day trip to the Ghost Town at Jermone Arizona. Once a thriving mining town, this mystical location now beckons tourists from all over, blending a rich history with a plethora of stories about its haunted past. While wandering through the steep and winding streets adorned with restored historical buildings, Jerome’s absorbing history immediately captivates the visitors. Jerome State Historic Park and its museum give you a chance to dive deeper into the town’s past.

Where to Stay

If you like to camp,  Lost Dutchman State Park is a terrific location at the base of the Superstition Mountains. It is far enough outside the city to enjoy nature, but close enough to visit the top sites. For a hotel with a beautiful view, try the Hilton Phoenix Tapatio Cliffs Resort.

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Read about the best attractions and things to do in Phoenix, Arizona. From the Botanical Gardens to hiking and museums, there is something for everyone.

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Filed Under: Arizona, Phoenix, USA Tagged With: Desert Botanical Garden, Heard Museum, Phoenix

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