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During your Phoenix vacation, don't miss these great establishments and attractions:
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
Located outside the town of Coolidge not far from Florence, this national monument preserves one of the most unusual Indian ruins in the state. In Spanish, Casa Grande means "Big House," and that's exactly what you'll find. In this instance, the big house is the ruin of an earth-walled structure built 650 years ago by the Hohokam people. It is speculated that the building was once some sort of astronomical observatory, but this is not known for certain. Whatever the original purpose of the building, today it provides a glimpse of a style of ancient architecture rarely seen. Instead of using adobe bricks or stones, the people who built this structure used layers of hard-packed soil, which have survived the ravages of the weather and still stand in silent testament to the Hohokam's long-ago architectural endeavors. The Hohokam began farming the valleys of the Gila and Salt rivers about 1,500 years ago, and eventually built an extensive network of irrigation canals for watering their fields. By the middle of the 15th century, the Hohokam had abandoned both their canals and their villages and disappeared without a trace.
Cosanti
This complex of cast-concrete structures served as a prototype and learning project for architect Paolo Soleri's much grander Arcosanti project, currently under construction north of Phoenix (see "En Route to Northern Arizona," later in this chapter). It's here at Cosanti that Soleri's famous bells are cast, and most weekday mornings you can see the foundry in action. Visit between 9:30 and 12:30 for the best chance of seeing bronze bells being poured.
Castles & Coasters
Located adjacent to Metrocenter, one of Arizona's largest shopping malls, this small amusement park boasts an impressive double-loop roller coaster, plenty of tamer rides, four 18-hole miniature-golf courses, and a huge pavilion full of video games.
Sheraton Crescent Hotel
Nearby Airport: * Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport - 13 Miles Nearby Cities: * Glendale - 5 Miles * Paradise Valley - 10 Miles * Scottsdale - 12 Miles * Cave Creek - 20 Miles * Tempe - 23 Miles * Mesa - 25 Miles * Sun City - 25 Miles * Chandler - 30 ...
Hampton Inn & Suites Phoenix Airport South, AZ
Centrally located 2 1/2 miles southeast of Sky Harbor International Airport at I-10 near Tempe Diablo Stadium. Six miles from downtown Phoenix and Scottsdale; three miles from downtown Tempe / ASU with easy access to the entire ...
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- ...
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