During your Phoenix vacation, don't miss these great establishments and attractions:
Pinal County Historical Museum
Before touring the town, stop in at this small museum to orient yourself and learn more about the history of the area. You can blame the presence of the prison for the macabre exhibit of hanging nooses and a gas-chamber chair. There's also a collection of Tom Mix memorabilia.
Arizona Historical Society Museum in Papago Park
This museum, at the headquarters of the Arizona Historical Society, focuses its well-designed exhibits on the history of central Arizona. Temporary exhibits on the lives and works of the people who helped shape this region are always highlights of a visit. An interesting permanent exhibit features life-size statues of everyday people from Arizona's past (a Mexican miner, a Chinese laborer, and so on). Quotes relate their individual stories, while props reveal what items they might have traveled with during their days in the desert.
Burton Barr Library
This library is among the most daring pieces of public architecture in the city, and no fan of futuristic art or science fiction should miss it. The five-story cube is partially clad in enough ribbed copper sheeting to produce roughly 17,500,000 pennies. The building's design makes use of the desert's plentiful sunshine to provide light for reading, but also incorporates computer-controlled louvers and shade sails to reduce heat and glare.
The Wyndham Buttes Resort
Located only 3 miles from Sky Harbor Airport, this resort makes the most of its craggy hilltop location, and although some people complain that the freeway in the foreground ruins the view, the rocky setting and desert landscaping leave no doubt you're in the Southwest. The only other resorts in the area with as much of a desert feel are Boulders and Four Seasons, both of which are quite a bit more expensive than this resort. From the cactus garden, stream, waterfall, and fishpond inside the lobby to the circular restaurant and free-form swimming pools, every inch of this resort is calculated to take your breath away. The pools (complete with waterfalls) and four whirlpools (one of which is the most romantic in the valley) are the best reasons to stay here. Guest rooms are stylishly elegant. The city-view rooms are a bit larger than the hillside-view rooms, but second-floor hillside-view rooms have patios. Unfortunately for fans of long soaks, most bathrooms have only three-quarter-size tubs. The Top of the Rock restaurant snags the best view around, and sunset dinners are memorable.Facilities: 3 restaurants (New American/Southwestern, American, bar and grill); 3 lounges; 2 pools; 4 tennis courts; volleyball courts; exercise room; access to nearby health club; spa services; 3 Jacuzzis; sauna; bike rentals; concierge; business center; room service; massage; dry cleaning, executive-level rooms.
Scottsdale Resort & Athletic Club
Fitness fanatics rejoice; this club's for you. If you can't stand the thought of giving up your workout just because you're on vacation, book a stay at this little boutique hotel just off busy Scottsdale Road and adjacent to the Silverado Golf Course. With standard rooms and huge 1- and 2-bedroom "villas," this place is plenty comfortable, but the main reason I like this hotel is because it's affiliated with the Scottsdale Athletic Club, a large workout facility that emphasizes its tennis program. The basic rooms are a real steal for Scottsdale, and while the villas/suites are quite a bit more expensive, they are gigantic and have fireplaces, DVD players, full kitchens, and washers and dryers. On top of all this, you get a view of Camelback Mountain.
Gold Canyon Golf Resort
Unless you're an avid golfer, this place is going to seem way too far out of the city. However, if you just want to play golf, then this older resort at the foot of the Superstition Mountains is a great choice. Located way out on the east side of the valley near Apache Junction (at least a 30- to 45-min. drive from the airport), Gold Canyon is a favorite of devoted golfers who come to play some of the most scenic holes in the state. Although nongolfers will appreciate the scenery, the small pool and the lack of an exercise room make it clear that golfers, not swimmers, take the fore here. The spacious guest rooms are housed in blindingly white pueblo-inspired buildings; some have fireplaces, while others have whirlpools. The deluxe golf-course rooms are definitely worth the higher rates. The limited dining options here and in the immediate vicinity are a drawback, but if golf is your game and you've just got to play the Dinosaur Mountain course, then the lack of menu variety shouldn't matter too much.
