Photo Courtesy Wickenburg Chamber of Commerce

If you head, as the brochures pithily recommend, “Out Wickenburg Way,” you’ll find a nice photo opportunity in the town’s much-advertised Jail Tree. It’s a 200-year-old mesquite, tucked absentmindedly behind a Circle K near the corner of Tegner Street and Wickenburg Way.

According to legend, and the tree’s authoritative metal sign, the ancient mesquite served as Wickenburg’s “hoosegow” from 1863 up until 1890 when the town finally got itself a real jailhouse. As the sign attests in its characteristic Western font, there were no escapes. The same as any town’s oddball jail attraction.

Myth has it that convicts were sentenced to the tree and chained there until they either died from exposure or, if lucky, they completed their stretch. But, in truth, the tree was simply a holding facility. Offenders were shackled or tied to the tree only until a Phoenix lawman could make it up that way to retrieve them. Still, according to Wickenburg’s Chamber of Commerce, this could be anywhere from two to five days. At least they had some shade.

Photo Courtesy Arizona Department of Transportation

Saguaros stand next to Joshua trees, cliffs and canyons loom to the east and west and granite boulders give way to an expanse of jagged volcanic rock. Between Wickenburg and Wikieup, this 54-mile byway cuts a path through the blurred boundaries the Sonoran and Mojave deserts.

The drive officially begins in Wikieup. Wikieup is known for its pie, the Snoopy-piloted Wikieup arrow, the Wikieup Trading Post, Eat at Joe’s Barbecue and the creosote-peppered hills that surround Bronco Wash.

Once travelers move past Wikieup, they’ll find the Big Sandy River. The river, unless it’s been rainy, lives up to its name—it’s big and sandy. Beyond the river, eroded cliffs loom that are speckled in spots with saguaros and scrub.

At Mile Marker 147, travelers will see rocks that are piled on top of each other. It’s the perfect sight before arriving at  the town of Nothing. Nothing was a real Arizona town, but it remains fairly desolate now. When travelers spot it, they’ll see there isn’t much beyond junk.

Joshua trees become the focal point of this drive around Mile Marker 162. They’re reminiscent of the baobab trees made famous in Saint Exupery’s Little Prince, and if your imagination is active, you might see a little blonde boy emerge from the trees with a dog and a well-protected flower in hand.

By Mile Marker 169, the forest of Joshua trees is dense and you’ll see a sign that reads: “Joshua tree Parkway of Arizona.” The route continues on to Wickenburg, a classic Old West town that celebrates the state’s cowboy heritage with the Desert Caballeros Museum and a string of Western-themed shops and restaurants.

Mesquite Groves Aquatic Center – Photo Courtesy City of Chandler

Mesquite Groves Aquatic Center 

It’s as if a part of one of the bigger water parks resides within the Mesquite Groves Aquatic Center. Included in the center is a lazy river, water vortex, two water slides, family pool with zero-depth entry, toddler slides, and a 752-gallon “big blue bucket.”

http://www.chandleraz.gov/default.aspx?pageid=733 

Gilbert Aquatics 

Gilbert Aquatics encompasses four public pools: Greenfield pool, Mesquite Aquatic Center, Perry Pool and Williams Field Pool. Visitors of anyone of these locations will be kept busy with the many amenities offered. Between the four pools are water slides, a kiddie slide, a zero depth area, splash pads, tumble buckets, a water sprinkler, geysers, diving boards and shade ramadas. Events like a Family Pirate Party and Dive-in-Movies help to further enhance visitors’ experience.

http://www.gilbertaz.gov/departments/parks-and-recreation/aquatics

Rhodes Aquatic Center

The Rhodes Aquatics Center is a place for those who miss the California tides. Aside from its beach-like entry, a splash pad, tumble buckets, and eight lap lanes, the Rhodes Aquatics Complex is also home to the famous FlowRider. The FlowRider crosses snowboarding, skateboarding and wakeboarding into an exciting ride as it simulates real waves that guests of the center can surf. The best part is that anyone can take on the FlowRider. Someone with no experience can jump on a boogie board and almost instantly start doing tricks.

http://www.mesaaz.gov/parksrec/Aquatics/pools/Rhodes.aspx

Kiwanis Wave Pool 

Kiwanis Wave Pool has brought the ocean to Arizona. With its pool that generates three-foot waves, guests can escape to Arizona’s indoor water haven. Kiwanis wave pool also offers a lap pool with six lanes, a 15 ft. tall double spiral water slide along with raft and tube rentals so guests can fully experience those waves.

http://www.tempe.gov/kiwanis 

Photo Courtesy Town of Paradise Valley

What would a trip around Arizona be without a visit to the spa? The Valley of the Sun boasts an array of spas and resorts, drawing visitors from all over the country to relax and bask in the beauty of the desert.

Paradise Valley is home to several of these resorts and spas and the trip to relaxation is just minutes away from most Valley cities. Historic boutique hotels like the Camelback Inn and Hermosa Inn reside in the vast desert landscape of Paradise Valley and other luxurious resorts like Sanctuary Camelback Mountain and Montelucia Resort and Spa, among others, call the town home.

Another benefit of being a resident of Arizona – lower rates at hotels and resorts during the summer! Be sure to check your local resort for summer rates that will have you relaxing in the spa while your family hits the pool.

http://www.ci.paradise-valley.az.us/352/Resort-Spas 

Photo Courtesy City of Tempe

Right in the heat of the Valley sun lies a desert oasis that serves as a recreational hub and gathering place. Tempe Town Lake, which was initially opened in 1999, offers 25 acres of recreation space and is the only place in the Valley where one can bike, run, picnic, boat and paddleboard just within minutes of downtown areas.

The venue is a top Arizona tourist attraction; some saying it only rivals the Grand Canyon in number of visitors annually. Each year, the lake sees thousands of participants enjoying local charity runs and competitive races, and many triathlons, including the Ironman Arizona call it home.

                      City of Tempe Glow Paddles –                         Photo Courtesy City of Tempe

Early morning or evening visitors can enjoy a stroll along the water’s edge, taking a 2-mile trek from the Mill Avenue to Rural Road bridge or strolling across the new pedestrian bridge, located just adjacent to the Tempe Center for the Arts. Daytime water adventurers can cool off on the lake’s surface, enjoying kayaking, rowing and stand-up paddleboarding activities, among others. Tempe Beach Park is also home to a 1-acre splash playground, where children can cool off and parents can enjoy some respite.

Come on down – the water’s great!

Photo Courtesy AZ Central

Hayden Flour Mill is a relic of our agricultural past, when Tempe was a small town surrounded by miles of farmland and anchored, economically, by the processing and marketing of grain, cotton, fruit, vegetable, and dairy products.

The Hayden Flour Mill is the oldest cast-in-place reinforced concrete building in Tempe. The mill that currently exists is the third building erected on that site; the two previous mills burned. The original mill started operations in 1874.

The ground of the Hayden Flour Mill, is now open for picnics and casual recreation. A small grove of trees allows for shady picnics. The north lawn is also open as a special event venue.  The new Flour Mill site includes the opportunity for people to look through the ground floor windows of the Mill and see some of the equipment that was used to grind flour.

Photo Courtesy of City of Scottsdale

The McDowell Mountain Ranch has everything a person in search of a pseudo beach adventure could want. Amenities at the center include a large tube water slide, 600-foot lazy river, zero-depth entry into a large play pool, water play features, interactive spray pad, grassy sections with multiple shaded areas, 8-lanes lap pool, diving boards, and a party island. The best part about the center is its midnight swims. The pool is open for night-time swimming the first Saturday of the month from June to August.

With four amazing facilities, the City of Scottsdale Aquatic Centers has a lot to offer this summer for aquatic fun! This summer, Scottsdale has themed its aquatic centers with the “Amazing Swim 2014: Swim the SEVEN WONDERS!” where you can visit any Scottsdale aquatic center and track your miles to swim your way to great prizes, better health, and fun destinations. There is no registration fee; just participate each time you use the facility throughout 2014.  The idea is to swim (the distance around or through,) the seven natural wonders of the world including Mount Everest, Victoria Falls, and the Grand Canyon! Compete against yourself, or compare your progress against other swimmers in Scottsdale.

For more information, call 480-312-POOL or visit http://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/sports/aquatics.

Photo Courtesy of World’s Smallest Museum

We tend to focus on the things that make the loudest noises in our lives, but it’s important to take some time to appreciate the littler things, too. The World’s Smallest Museum hones in on this concept. The museum, standing at only 134 square feet displays common yet unique artifacts. A visit to the World’s Smallest Museum is a step back in time and a stroll down memory lane.

Included in the exhibit is a 1984 Compaq home computer, a Beatles concert poster, a 1960 letter from president-elect John F. Kennedy (to Jake Reaney), and the World’s Largest Apache Tear, which is a kind of rock.

Just outside of the museum is Waterfall Avenue and Memory Lane. These attractions are decorated with the artifacts of ordinary working equipment that have been recycled into fountains and waterfalls. It includes monuments to the unsung heroes and hardworking people of the world.

Photo Courtesy of San Tan Mountain Regional Park

‘Help us protect the land, history and wildlife’ is the motto for the more than 10,000-acre southeast Valley park of the lower Sonoran Desert. The park ranges in elevation from about 1,400 feet to over 2,500 feet. Goldmine Mountain is located in the northern area, with a spectacular San Tan Mountain escarpment in the southern portion of the park. Near the town of Queen Creek, the San Tan Mountain area is an ideal location to enjoy a part of the Sonoran Desert and truly appreciate the desert habitat and its wildlife, where vegetation changes from creosote flats to dense saguaro forest. Various types of wildlife may be observed, including reptiles, birds, and mammals. Amenities are slated for future development.

Don’t forget to stop by the Visitor’s Center to pick up educational tidbits, purchase souvenir items, visit with park staff, and see the wildlife exhibits or tortoise habitat. Restroom facilities are available and additional amenities are slated for future development.

San Tan Mountain Regional Park

6533 W. Phillips Road

Queen Creek, AZ 85142

480-655-5554

E-mail: santanpark@mail.maricopa.gov

Park Hours

Sunday-Thursday: 6 a.m.-8 p.m.

Friday-Saturday: 6 a.m.-10 p.m.

365 days a year!

Photo Courtesy of Phoenix New Times

Like the lore of those mysterious Phoenix lights, some things are just more amusing when left unexplained. The Dreamy Draw Dam is possibly one of those things. Located on the side of Piestewa Peak, Dreamy Draw is a recreational area in the city of Phoenix, providing the perfect location for laid-back hikes and family picnics. What makes Dreamy Draw just a little more interesting is its supposed background in an alien-associated account. Just weeks after the theoretical 1947 spaceship sighting in Roswell, New Mexico, a flying saucer reportedly crashed right in Phoenix’s backyard at the Dreamy Draw. Many believe the Dreamy Draw Dam was constructed to keep onlookers from discovering more about the believed extraterrestrials.

In the early 1900s, the area of the Dreamy Draw was found to have cinnabar, a type of mercury sulfide, and for years, served as a mining site. Because of the toxicity of the mercury, many of those miners experienced sickness, including hallucinations. Many others believe that the alien life forms just stemmed from the imaginations of those working near the site.

Several theories remain about the supposed UFO visit, but one fact remains true: Dreamy Draw offers plenty of recreational activities that are out of this world.