Mesa Southwest Museum
This is one of the best museums in the valley, and its wide variety of exhibits appeals to people with a range of interests. For the kids, there are animated dinosaurs on an indoor "cliff" with a roaring waterfall, plus plenty of dinosaur skeletons. Also of interest are an exhibit on movies that have been filmed in the state, a display on Arizona mammoth kill sites, some old jail cells, and a walk-through mine mock-up with exhibits on the Lost Dutchman Mine. There's also a mock-up of a pre-Columbian temple and an artificial cave filled with beautiful mineral specimens.

Heard Museum
The Heard Museum is one of the nation's finest museums dealing exclusively with Native American cultures and is an ideal introduction to the indigenous peoples of Arizona. The extensive exhibit Native Peoples of the Southwest examines the culture of each of the major tribes of the region and includes a Navajo hogan, an Apache wickiup, and a Hopi corn-grinding display. In the Katsina Doll Gallery, you'll get an idea of the number of different kachina spirits that populate the Hopi and Zuni religions, while the Crossroads Gallery offers a fascinating look at contemporary Native American art. On many weekends, there are performances by singers and dancers, and throughout the week, artists demonstrate their work. Guided tours are offered daily. The annual Indian Fair and Market, held on the first weekend in March, includes traditional dances along with arts and crafts.The museum also operates Heard Museum North, at El Pedregal Festival Marketplace, 34505 N. Scottsdale Rd., in Carefree. This gallery features changing exhibits and is open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 5:30pm and Sunday from noon to 5pm. Admission is $3 for adults and is free for children 12 and under.

Desert Botanical Garden
Located in Papago Park adjacent to the Phoenix Zoo and devoted exclusively to cacti and other desert plants, this botanic garden displays more than 20,000 plants from all over the world. The Plants and People of the Sonoran Desert Trail is the state's best introduction to ethnobotany (human use of plants) in the Southwest. Along the trail are interactive displays that demonstrate how Native Americans once used wild and cultivated plants. You can make a yucca-fiber brush and practice grinding corn and mesquite beans. At the Center for Desert Living, there are demonstration gardens and an energy- and water-conservation research house. On the Harriet K. Maxwell Desert Wildflower Trail, you'll find an ever-changing palette of colorful wildflowers throughout much of the year. If you come late in the day, you can stay until after dark and see night-blooming flowers and dramatically lit cacti. A cafe on the grounds serves good food and makes a great lunch spot. In spring and fall, there are also concerts in the garden. In early December, during Las Noches de las Luminarias, the gardens are lit at night by luminarias (candles inside small bags).

Homewood Suites Phoenix-Metro Center
This Homewood is located 10 miles from downtown Phoenix in the Metro Center area. Sky Harbor Airport 13mi nw, Take I-10W to I-17N exit Peoria route. Greyhound Bus Station 10mi nw, Take I-10W to I-17N exit Peoria route. Downtown Phoenix 10mi nw, Take I-10W to I-17N exit Peoria ...

Hampton Inn Phoenix/Midtown/Dwtn Area
This hotel is located 1 mile north of Downtown Phoenix, along the Central Business and Financial Corridor and within walking distance of Park Central Mall, St. Josephs Hospital and major corporate and government offices. Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl Airport 6M NW, Taxi-super shuttle-car rental. Downtown 1M N, Taxi- city bus. Union Station-Amtrak 1 1/2M N, Taxi- city bus. Greyhound-Trailways 1 1/2M N, Taxi- ...

Wyndham Phoenix
Located within walking distance from Phoenix's Convention Center. Property is 4.5 miles West from Phoenix Sky Harbor ...