Phoenix: The Valley of Sun

The Valley of Sun has something in store for everyone: golf courses, zoos and national parks, amusement parks, paddle boats, fountains, and a host of scenic places within driving distance. The best time to visit is between October and March.

Quick Tips:

Be sure to carry sunscreen, hats, goggles, and lots of drinking water, along with chocolates and candies during summer months. Keep on drinking water at regular intervals throughout the day to avoid dehydration.

Best Way To Get Around:

Phoenix roads are a pleasure to drive on. It's better to rent a car, although most attractions can also be reached using the Valley metro, the local Phoenix bus service. There is no toll on any of the highways and parking is free or available for a small charge at most attractions.

This review describes our trip to the Phoenix Zoo. It is fun picnic place for both the young and adults. The zoo is huge spread over an 100 acres and has around 2.5 miles of walking trails that have been designated as Tropics, African, Arizona, and Children trails. The whole area is very neat and clean and well maintained. There are a large number of animals on display, including zebras, giraffes, giant tortoises, orangutans, elephants, ostrich, seals, baby monkeys, and a host of other animals, birds, and reptiles. There is a small train through the zoo, and you can enjoy the ride as it takes you through the various exhibits. The ticket price was very reasonable, only about $3 per person.

You can also enjoy navigating the zoo using a pedal boat or a bike, both of which are available for reasonable rentals. We rented the pedal boat for an hour at $16/hr, and it was lots of fun. The bike looked pretty comfortable, but we didn't try that.

We had carried our own sandwich and soda, but we enjoyed having a hamburger and fries at the snack shop. The food was delicious and not overpriced as at other places. We also got a T-shirt and cap for my nephew from the gift shop. Overall, it was a fun experience and we had a great time

Admission is $14, but you can save about $2 per person by purchasing the ticket online at www.phoenixzoo.org. Also, we managed to get a 2-for-1 discount from the Phoenix entertainment book, which further added to the fun.

The place is located just off the I-17 highway close to the Metro Mall. The park has a small but very pretty castle that resembles the Disney Castles and a big roller coaster. This place has something for everyone. Carousels and mini rides, go-cart and mini golf, roller coaster, and sky fall. The rides are all fun and the prices are reasonable. You can get 2-for-1 coupons from the entertainment book or from the local stores like Frys several times a year. There is also mini-golf, which is lots of fun. The courses are neat and very well-maintained. You can get the equipment from the same place. There is also a large arcade with a variety of video games and pinball machines. Makes for a great family picnic anytime of the year.