Travel & Adventure
Sometimes you have to get out of town.
A Little Bit of Everything
You won’t find any expired equines at Dead Horse Ranch State Park in Cottonwood, but the riverfront scenery is just as memorable as the unusual name.
The Ireys family required the state to keep the ranch name when they sold it in 1973. The family chose the moniker after touring several Verde Valley properties in the 1940s. Calvin “Cap” Ireys asked his kids which place they wanted to buy and they replied, “The one with the dead horse.” He bought the place in 1950 and the name stuck.
Today, the ranch looks a bit different but retains its rare riparian beauty. It spreads out along the Verde River just across the waterway from Cottonwood’s Riverfront Park. Three lagoons keep fresh with river water via the 1870s-era Hickey Ditch water rights that came with the park. A park store, ramadas, playground, restrooms, campsites, and cabins are connected by a system of trails that links to neighboring federal and state lands. Visitors enjoy fishing, swimming, hiking, bird watching, and horseback riding; an on-site riding concessionaire makes the latter easy for everyone.
‘The Jewel of the Pacific’
A must-see in central Chile is the colorful city of Valparaiso. The second largest city in Chile after Santiago, it consists of more than 40 rolling hills by the sea in a range of colors that includes incredible street art on the sides of homes and businesses. In 2003, United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization declared it a World Heritage site.
How Far Will Your Dreams Take You?
Once upon a time, there was a wild, fiery dreamer inside of each of us, who dreamed of far-off lands and adventures to be had. As we grew older and adulthood began knocking on our door, for many, those dreams were put up on a shelf and replaced by the never-ending responsibilities of everyday life: career, deadlines, family, health, and more.
The Largest Collection of Exotic Animals in Arizona
Mickey was already breeding birds and guinea pigs while growing up in west Phoenix. Although he grew up to become a schoolteacher, he was so involved in his animal ventures, that friends told him he should quit his job and open a zoo. He took their advice and opened the Wildlife World Zoo in the West Valley.
A Magical Ride
If you really want to spark that awestruck holiday sparkle in the eyes of your little ones, take them on the Grand Canyon Railway’s Polar Express excursion.
“There is something magical about the emotional connection people have to this train ride,” said Sam Langner, the railway’s community relations manager.
Farming Roots
Mortimers have taken farming far beyond what their ancestors could have imagined. Mortimer Farms welcomes thousands of visitors each year to pick their own food, participate in a huge variety of activities and games, and enjoy seasonal festivals including the wildly popular Pumpkin Fest and Corn Maze each fall.
A Getaway to Canyon Country …
Adventure seekers hoping to explore one of the most famed slot canyons in the world need look no further than a fall retreat to Hyatt Place Page/Lake Powell as the hotel debuts its new seasonal package with Ken’s Lower Antelope Canyon Tours, which takes guests on a remarkable and enriching trek they won’t soon forget.
‘We Were So Grateful’
The war in Ukraine has been stirring up memories for Mai Nguyen.
The impending North Vietnamese military invasion of South Vietnam forced Mai’s family to flee to the United States in 1975 when Mai was six years old, and she’s never returned. Vietnam has been a socialist republic controlled by communists ever since.
But you won’t hear Mai lamenting her life’s path.
A Local Favorite
Ask some of Prescott’s old-timers to name their favorite local forest hangout, and you’re likely to hear about a place closer to Williams: White Horse Lake.
It’s among Arizona’s rare lakes with a campground in a relatively remote setting, so how can you go wrong?
“I think that’s why it calls to so many people,” related Kevin Lehto, recreation staff officer for the Kaibab National Forest’s south zone. “It brings that classic camping feel.”
Putting Her Clients on a Wise Path
Synthesizing knowledge from three decades of diverse banking roles, Veronica Aguilera now thoroughly enjoys the freedom of being a wealth advisor.
Veronica is somewhat of a rarity, as a widely cited Barron’s study estimates that only 15-20 percent of wealth advisors are female. What attracted her to this role?
“I love that I get to know my clients pretty intimately,” Veronica related. Her goal is to help clients create guaranteed income streams ahead of retirement, so they don’t fall prey to stock market jitters.
Empowering … and Fun!
The Flagstaff Extreme Adventure Course (FLG X) features five courses with increasingly challenging obstacles and zip lines, as well as a separate zip line course that’s billed as the largest in the western U.S. with more than 30 lines. Platforms reach heights of 65 feet and zip lines are as high as 70 feet in the ponderosa pine forest.
A Spicy Celebration
The Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village kicks off its festival season with a spicy Cinco de Mayo celebration on May 7, the Saturday closest to the 5.
A north-of-the-border setting couldn’t be any more perfect for the celebration than Tlaquepaque, creatively modeled after the Spanish Colonial artisan villages of Old Mexico. Colorful costumes, piñatas, and hand-cut paper banners vibe with the flowering vines covering the arts village.