Arizona General Information Nickname: Grand Canyon State State bird: Cactus Wren State flower: Saguaro Cactus Blossom Capital: Phoenix Date of admission to the Union: 14th Feb 1912 Population: 5,130,632 (2000) Population density: 17.4/sq km 2000 total overseas arrivals/US ranking: 883,000/10 Time: Mountain (GMT - 7). Daylight Saving Time is not observed. The State: Arizona contains some of the most spectacular scenery in the whole of the United States. The Grand Canyon, the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest National Parks are just some of the highlights. Phoenix, the largest city in the State, shares borders with Scottsdale, the primary resort destination in Arizona. Both cities have a variety of accommodation and attractions, unique shopping, fine art galleries and many cultural events. Other State attractions include Tucson, the second-largest city; Saguaro National Park; Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum; six national forests (such as Kaibab National Forest); Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park; Hoover Dam; Montezuma Castle; and Tombstone, site of the infamous shoot-out at the OK Corral. Travel - International AIR: International airports: Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) (website: www.phxskyharbor.com) is 6km (4 miles) from the city centre, linked by a bus service that runs every 25 minutes 0600-1830 (travel time – 22 minutes). Taxis are available 24 hours a day, as is a door-to-door limousine service and a super-shuttle service; the latter departs every 15 minutes (0900-2100), less frequently at night. Tucson International Airport (TUS) (website: www.tucsonairport.com) is 16km (10 miles) from the city centre. Taxis and shared-ride vans that travel door-to-door run 24 hours a day; a local bus service is also available. Approximate flight times: From Phoenix to Atlanta is 3 hours 30 minutes, to Chicago is 3 hours 20 minutes, to Los Angeles is 1 hour 25 minutes, to Miami is 4 hours 10 minutes, and to New York is 4 hours 45 minutes. RAIL: Domestic services run frequently on two Amtrak lines; the ‘Sunset Limited’ line (Benson–Tucson–Yuma) and the ‘Southwest Limited’ line (Winslow–Flagstaff–Seligman–Kingman). The West Rail Pass is available for 15 or 30 days unlimited travel between the Pacific Coast and as far east as Chicago and New Orleans. The Far West Rail Pass is also available for 15 or 30 days’ of travel, covering the region from the Pacific Coast as far east as Denver and El Paso. First-class sleeping cars can be reserved for an additional fee. ROAD: Most major routes run east–west. Bus: Greyhound buses (tel: (800) 229 9424; website: www.greyhound.com) are available to many destinations throughout the USA. Gray Line, with offices in Phoenix, Tucson and Flagstaff, offers two-hour to two-day local sightseeing tours. Approximate driving times: From Phoenix to Tucson is 2 hours, to Las Vegas is 5 hours 30 minutes, to San Diego is 6 hours, to Los Angeles is 6 hours, to El Paso is 6 hours 30 minutes, and to Albuquerque is 9 hours. Approximate bus journey times: From Phoenix to Tucson is 2 hours, to Las Vegas is 8 hours, to San Diego is 8 hours, to Los Angeles is 7 hours, to El Paso is 7 hours 45 minutes, and to Albuquerque is 10 hours. URBAN: Bus: Phoenix buses run every 30 minutes throughout the day and every 10-20 minutes during peak traffic hours, although stops are spaced far apart. Tickets for local and costlier express fares are sold in books of ten; daily and monthly local passes are available. A bus service links Phoenix and Scottsdale, and special dial-a-ride services operate in both cities Mon-Sat 0630-1000. Tucson also has a local bus network. Car hire: Easily available in Phoenix and other major cities, with many car hire firms offering special weekend or weekly rates. Introduction GREATER PHOENIX AREA: The sixth-largest city in the USA and capital of Arizona, Phoenix has enjoyed a growth in popularity recently thanks to its improved airport facilities and a large investment in extensive urban redevelopment. Today, it claims to have more 5-star hotels than any other US city. Some of the recent development projects in the city centre include Copper Square, a 26-storey office tower with a newly completed 28-storey twin tower; the US$20-million, 225-suite Hilton Hotel, located in the central business district; the Arizona Center (an eight-block complex with a 600-room hotel, offices, restaurants, shops and entertainment); Patriots Square Park, in the centre of Phoenix, with a sophisticated and spectacular laser light system that is visible for miles around; and the restaurants and bars located in restored warehouses near the Bank One Ballpark. Sightseeing options include Encanto Park, Pueblo Grande, Papago Park (including the Phoenix Zoo and Desert Botanical Garden), South Mountain Park and the recently expanded Heard Museum, devoted to the art, anthropology, history and Native American culture of Arizona. The metropolitan area, home to over three million residents, is the 14th largest in the USA and offers some 174 golf courses. Founded in 1888 and having a strong Western heritage, Scottsdale has matured into a mecca for lovers of relaxed lifestyles. Year-round sunshine makes the outdoors a way of life, with scores of tennis courts, swimming pools and an ever-increasing number of spas. Attractions include a new museum of contemporary art and Taliesin West, the home and workshop of the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright. On the western edge of Phoenix, Glendale is known for its antique shops, while in the southeast are Mesa, the third-largest city in the State, and Tempe, known for the shopping and nightlife on pedestrianised Mill Avenue. LAKE HAVASU CITY: Nestled amidst rugged desert peaks on the Colorado River, this city with a small-town feel became the new home of London Bridge in 1971. Dismantled stone by stone, the bridge was brought over from England and reassembled in Arizona, where it became the focal point for an array of English-style shops, pubs and lodgings. The city’s warm, dry climate ensures that swimming, fishing, jet boating, water-skiing and other watersports along the miles of public shoreline are a year-round possibility. Likewise, it has led to the growth of outdoor activities such as tennis, golf, hiking, rock climbing and mountain biking in the area, as well as jeep tours in the nearby Sonoran Desert and Mojave Mountains. SEDONA: An attractive town nestled in the extraordinary red-rock formations and cliffs at the foot of Oak Creek, Sedona has a strong local arts scene and some celebrities have second homes here. The beautiful Oak Creek Canyon provides lush scenery, and there are prehistoric Native American ruins to be seen nearby. Jeep tours, hiking and mountain biking are also available. TUCSON: This popular winter resort is one of the fastest-growing resort cities in the USA. Surrounded by a ring of five mountain ranges in the Sonoran Desert, it is known for its constant sunshine; and its location, only 160km (100 miles) from the Mexican border, is apparent in its architecture, cuisine and lively fiestas and cultural festivals. The Tucson Children’s Museum, with many hands-on exhibitions, is a favourite with children and adults alike, as is the zoo at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. Tubac, an artists’ colony south of Tucson, with shops and galleries, is also the site of a walled fort and archaeological dig. Tohono Chul Park is a desert sanctuary where visitors can learn about and experience the desert; for the more active, hiking, cycling and horseback riding are available elsewhere in the desert wilderness. YUMA: As the best site for crossing the Colorado River, Yuma has long been an important transport centre. The Yuma State Territorial Prison, with cells carved out of the rock, is Arizona’s most visited State Historic Park. From 1876 to 1909, it housed many of Arizona’s most dangerous and notorious criminals. Fort Yuma was built in 1851 during the gold rush to protect settlers and the southern route to California. The 16th-century St Thomas Mission, the Quechan Indian Museum and the Yuma Crossing State Park are other popular attractions. APACHE TRAIL: An extraordinary scenic drive passing through arid deserts, winding canyons, looming buttes, glistening lakes and the ominous volcanic dome known as Superstition Mountain. Attractions include Goldfield Ghost Town and Mine Tours, Superstition Mountain Museum, Lost Dutchman State Park, Tortilla Flat (an old stagecoach stop offering ‘killer’ chilli and prickly-pear cactus ice cream), Roosevelt Bridge and Tonto National Monument (well-preserved cliff dwellings occupied 500 years ago by the Salado Indians and featuring examples of their weavings, jewellery, weapons and tools). GRAND CANYON: The jewel of the National Park Service and a World Heritage Site, the Grand Canyon’s impact is awe-inspiring. This massive rend in the earth may be experienced in a variety of different ways: by aeroplane or helicopter, from the back of a mule, on foot or aboard a raft. For those wanting to catch a memorable sunrise or sunset, it is worth booking accommodation at one of the hotels in and around the canyon. As the area is far from any city, those wanting to save time and see it all can take a ‘flightseeing’ trip over the canyon. Further information is available from the Grand Canyon Chamber of Commerce (tel: (928) 527 0359; www.grandcanyonchamber.org). Otherwise, the most common way to get there is by car from either Phoenix or Las Vegas (see the Nevada section), or to use the town of Flagstaff (tel: (928) 774 9541; website: www.flagstaffarizona.org), on the historic Route 66, as a base (travel time – 90 minutes). The planet Pluto was discovered at the Lowell Observatory here. LAKE POWELL: Many tour boats ply the waters of the second largest manmade lake in the USA. The most popular option, however, is to hire a houseboat and float serenely past the scenic wonderland of red rocks. Well worth seeing is the Rainbow Bridge, a spectacular natural stone bridge on the Navajo Reservation (see below), which most visitors travel to by boat. Information is available from Lake Powell Reservations (tel: (602) 278 8888; website: www.visitlakepowell.com). NATIVE AMERICAN RESERVATIONS: The Navajo Reservation spreads over more than 64,750 sq km (25,000 sq miles) and is home to 250,000 Navajos. Once a semi-nomadic people, they are known for their adaptability and have incorporated many skills into their culture from the Spanish and early settlers. They traditionally lived in hogans (dome-shaped houses of log and adobe) in small, scattered settlements. Nowadays, visitors are more likely to meet a Navajo as a guide on a horseback ride in the Canyon de Chelly or on one of the jeep tours through Monument Valley, where a number of John Wayne films were shot. In the middle of the Navajo Reservation sits the Hopi Reservation, comprising 6475 sq km (2500 sq miles) and accommodating 7000 Hopis. They have lived in the region for 1500 years and are known for their amazing agricultural talents in farming dry and difficult land. The Hopis live in snug pueblo-style villages on top of three mesas. This area is treasured for its outstanding natural beauty. TOMBSTONE: Tombstone owes its enduring appeal to the brief showdown at the OK Corral, and movies such as Wyatt Earp and Tombstone mean that it has retained its popularity. This notorious town plays on its past with restored sites and attractions like the Boot Hill Cemetery, the Crystal Palace Saloon, the Bird Cage Theatre and even has its original newspaper, named the Tombstone Epitaph. Re-enactments of famous gunfights are played out each day. Social Profile Food & Drink: Most restaurants serve American or American/Continental food but Mexican, Chinese and Italian cuisine is also available, sometimes as a ‘Southwest style’ fusion using Mexican spices. Drinking is legal in any licensed bar, restaurant, hotel or inn weekdays 0600-0100 and Sun 1200-0100. Minimum legal drinking age is 21. Many supermarkets and drug stores sell alcoholic beverages. Most liquor stores close at 0100. Possession and consumption of alcohol are prohibited on the Navajo, Hopi and other reservations. Theatre & Concerts: Herberger Theater Center in Phoenix is a US$19-million development that hosts the Arizona Theatre Company, Arizona Opera and Ballet Arizona (all of which are based in Phoenix), as well as the Actors’ Theatre of Phoenix. Touring Broadway shows can be seen at Phoenix’s historic Orpheum Theatre, recently restored for US$14 million, and the circular Gammage Auditorium, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, in nearby Tempe. Nightlife: Phoenix and Tucson have various nightclubs, and there is evening entertainment at many resorts in the area. Scottsdale’s nightlife is more concentrated, while the university crowd go out in Tempe, where there are good jazz clubs on Mill Avenue. Shopping: Phoenix has excellent shopping facilities, including Biltmore Fashion Park and the Arizona Center. Other good shopping centres in the metro area are at the Scottsdale Fashion Square and the upscale Italian-style Borgata, also in Scottsdale, and along pedestrianised Mill Avenue and at the Arizona Mills outlet mall in Tempe. Special buys in Arizona include Navajo silver and turquoise jewellery, sand paintings, rug weaving, paintings, and Hopi silver jewellery, kachina carvings, pottery, basketry and paintings. Tucson is a good place to pick up many of these items, as well as reasonably priced goods from Mexican import stores. Sport: Home games during the American football season are held at the Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe between the Arizona Cardinals and other visiting teams. A number of Arizona cities provides the training ground for some excellent major-league baseball teams every March, although none could match the Phoenix-based Arizona Diamondbacks, who beat the New York Yankees at the Bank One Ballpark to win the 2001 World Series. The Phoenix Suns play basketball in the America West Arena, where hockey games between the Phoenix Coyotes and visiting teams are held in winter. Horseracing can be seen at Turf Paradise in Phoenix and Rillito Downs in Tucson. Car-racing takes place in Tucson at Corona Speedway and Tucson Dragway and in Phoenix at Firebird Raceway and Phoenix International Raceway, where NASCAR races are held. Rodeos are popular in Arizona and there are over 25 major rodeo sites throughout the state. Skiing is available in the winter at The Arizona Snow Bowl near Flagstaff, Mount Lemmon (an hour outside of Tucson) and Sunrise Ski Area outside Pinetop/Lakeside. Other sports available include archery, horseback riding, bowling, fishing, golf, hiking, hunting, swimming, river tubing, hang-gliding, ballooning and tennis. Special Events: The annual Navajo Nation Fair is the largest Native American fair in the USA. It takes place in Window Rock, capital of the Navajo Nation, for five days in September. It includes lasso competitions, rodeos, horseracing, arts and crafts exhibitions, country & western dances, song and dance competitions, livestock and agricultural exhibits, food and a big parade. Other special events taking place in 2003 include: Jan 18-19 Sierra Stampede (all-women’s professional rodeo), Sierra Vista. Jan 20-26 PGA Phoenix Open, Scottsdale. Feb 14-23 All-Arabian Horse Show, Scottsdale. Feb 16-23 La Fiesta de los Vaqueros (rodeo), Tucson. Mar 13-16 National Festival of the West, Scottsdale. Apr 10-13 Culinary Festival, Scottsdale. May 24-26 Wyatt Earp Days, Tombstone. Jul Frontier Days and World’s Oldest Rodeo, Prescott. Jul 5-6 70th Annual Hopi Marketplace, Flagstaff. Aug 119th Annual World’s Oldest Continuous Rodeo, Payson. Aug 2-3 54th Annual Navajo Marketplace, Flagstaff. Aug 30-Sep 1 Rendezvous of Gunfighters, Tombstone. Oct Arizona State Fair, Phoenix; London Bridge Days, Lake Havasu. Oct 17-19 Helldorado Days, Tombstone. Climate Mostly warm and comfortable all year round. The mountains are colder, particularly in winter (eg Flagstaff is at 7000ft), and in summer, there are cool mountain breezes. Desert temperatures range from hot during the day to cold at night. Required clothing: Lightweight cotton clothing for all seasons, with a wrap for cool nights. Warmer clothing is needed in the mountains, especially in the ski areas. Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd.