Arizona

Whether you are a full time resident or just a visitor, antique and collector shopping in Arizona is a lot of fun. Many people visit the Goodwill Industries Stores in search of antique china, silver, jewelry, vintage clothing and more. In my opinion, the best Goodwill Industries Store to visit is the store located in Scottsdale, Arizona. Scottsdale is a very affluent community and you will find many treasures there. This Goodwill Industries Store is located on 2115 North Scottsdale Rd. Directly across the street from this Goodwill are two terrific antique stores where you can spend many, many hours. My recent finds were a limited addition “Perth” Ice Wizard pewter figurine. I purchased it for $15.00 and was pleasantly surprised to find out that the market value for this stunning item was over $600.

They also carry new and gently used designer brand clothing. I purchased a gently used designer “Valentino” dresses at an extraordinary price. You must go early in the day to make your finds. Every other Saturday merchandise is fifty percent off. Students from Arizona State University shop here because of the proximity to the campus. Many e-Bayers shop here to find bargains to resell. If you are on a tight budget, you will certainly save a buck. You can get discount coupons online at the Arizona Goodwill Organization webpage. The money from your purchases goes to a good cause!

Arizona offers a variety of fishing including lakes, ponds, streams and rivers. Trout season is year round in Arizona. Fishing in the cooler waters in northern Arizona, especially for trout, is more active during the warmer, summer months. In the trout streams and lakes of the White Mountains, the rare Apache trout can be found.

Those age 14 and older fishing any public accessible water in Arizona must have a valid Arizona Fishing License, and if fishing for trout must have a trout stamp as well. You don’t need an Arizona Fishing License in private ponds or lakes.

Trout fishing is very good fishing in the Colorado River. Small mouth bass can be had on famous Roosevelt Lake. Large mouth and strippers can be fished at Lake Pleasant, just outside of Phoenix. Warm water fishing places in Arizona are located in the lakes of the Salt River region from east of Phoenix, and the lower Colorado River. Arizona fly fishing is filled with great opportunities and with so many different places to visit such as Hawley Lake in the White Mountains, Canyon Creek, or Woods Canyon.

My favorite spot is located in Greer located in the White Mountains. People in southern Arizona can visit Patagonia Lake and even Woods Canyon Lake up on Mt. Lemmon near Tucson. No wonder fishing in Arizona is considered the best. Before you go you can check out the Arizona Weekly Fishing report

The Mexican Red Bird of Paradise plant (Caesalpinia mexicana) is one of the most spectacular flowering plants in my Arizona desert landscaping. This plant transforms my desert landscaping into a spectacular site during the summer and early fall. It attracts everyone’s attention when it blooms. It produces magnificent blooms of a number of orange-to-red petals and one petal that are yellow.

The plant is also known by the name “Pride of Barbados”. It is native to the southern United States and northeastern Mexico. The Bird of Paradise is heat and drought tolerant and can grow to 10-20′ tall. It is a deciduous plant which looses its leaves when the temperature reaches the freezing point. It uses very little water. It attracts bees and butterflies. The plant is self-propagating and in the fall you can actually hear the seed pods burst open when standing next to them. The seeds and plant are poisonous if ingested. I always cut the branches back to the ground in the fall. This cutting back and removing dead branches helps produce big and better plants during the next bloom.

Just north of Flagstaff, Arizona is a majestic mountain range called the San Francisco Peaks. This range was formed from volcanic rock. It is the focal point of the area and can be seen for miles around. The mountain’s elevation is one of the highest in the state. While Flagstaff is 7,000 feet above sea level, the San Francisco Peaks range measures 13,000 feet above sea level. Many of the Native American Indian tribes consider this mountainous area to be sacred. This range is located in Coconino County. The area is wooded with Alpine, Douglas fir, Aspen, Ponderosa pine, juniper and similar trees, forest plant life and grasslands. The mountain offers skiing and hiking opportunities to the local people as well as the tourists. Wildlife is abundant in the forest. You may see elk, deer, bears, wild turkeys, porcupines, racoons and a beautiful variety of birds. This scenic mountain is the foundation of the area’s tourism industry.

Whether you are a full time resident or just a visitor, hiking in Arizona is a lot of fun. Pinnacle Peak Mountain was originally part of the Arizona State Trust Land, owned by the State of Arizona. The mountain’s elevation is around 3,170 feet. Pinnacle Peak park is now part of the Scottsdale Park Department. It is a terrific place for people of all ages. Pinnacle Peak Mountain and Park is a 150-acre natural preserve located in North Scottsdale, Arizona. Besides some of the best views of the Valley, moderate-level hiking and rock climbing is available. It’s a very well run park and it has a four-mile hiking and biking trail around the mountain peak. Climbing is allowed during daylight hours only.

It you’re looking for something to do outside on a fall, winter or spring weekend, try a hike at Pinnacle Peak Park. Be on the lookout for rattlesnakes and other creatures at the park. Summer is not a very enjoyable time because of the harshness of the desert and heat. When planning your hike please remember to wear hiking boots and keep hydrated. Don’t hike alone. Pinnacle Peak Park is a treasure to the Scottsdale community and visitors alike.

One the most visited natural wonders in North America is the Grand Canyon with over six million visitors a year. The Grand Canyon is a rugged, vast and remote place in northern Arizona. The spectacular natural beauty of the pinions and juniper woodlands at the Grand Canyon is home to a lot of wildlife including deer, bighorn sheep, bobcats, coyotes, and more. The best time to see or photograph the Grand Canyon is in the early morning or late afternoon on sunny days. Hiking and backpacking is rigorous because the 7,000 foot elevation, extreme temperatures and difficult trails. The inner canyon can become as hot as 120 degrees in the summertime. You should be in excellent physical condition if you plan to hike down into the canyon. All overnight camping below the rim requires a backcountry permit. The Colorado River flows along the bottom of the canyon and it is about one mile below the rim. Some visitors make arrangements with tour businesses to go whitewater rafting in the river. The Skywalk located on the west rim is a glass-bottom U-shaped walkway projecting 70 feet out over the edge. It allows visitors to look straight down, nearly 4,000 feet below to the bottom of the canyon. There is a fee to walk the Skywalk and to enter the Grand Canyon. No cameras are allowed on the Skywalk.

Tucson, Arizona is significantly older than Phoenix. It holds a strong historical tradition. Tucson is the second largest city in the state. Tucson is known as the “Old Pueblo” and is well-known for its western hospitality and friendliness of its residents. It is located in a valley and is a little cooler than Phoenix. Elevation is 2,584 feet. Tucson is surrounded by mountains on all sides and is part of the Sonoran Desert. The mountains are the Santa Catalinas, the Rincons, the Tucson Mountains and the Santa Ritas. In the summer temperatures exceed 100 degrees, but the winters are very mild. Tucson is the home of the University of Arizona and Flandrau Planetarium, Tucson is an outdoor, active lifestyle community in the desert and people dress casually in Tucson. Tucson is famous for elegant spas and salons such as Canyon Ranch. Tucson is a great place if you like to go hiking, biking or running. Golfing, tennis and swimming are enjoyed anytime of the year. It is just a hop, skip and a jump to the Nogales, Mexico border. Kitt Peak National Observatory and many other attractions are within driving distance to Tucson. Tucson tourist industry attracts many winter visitors.

Scottsdale, Arizona is located in the “Valley of the Sun,” in Arizona. Scottsdale borders the city of Phoenix, Arizona and town of Paradise Valley to the west. Tempe, Arizona is located to the south and Fountain Hills to the east. Whether you are in Scottsdale, Arizona for business or to simply enjoy the relaxing, friendly environment, you will certainly enjoy the climate in the winter, but summers are very hot in northern reaches of the Sonoran Desert.

Scottsdale’s primary employer is tourism and it’s widely known as a premier destination for golf and rated number one for spas in the country. Upscale shopping with unique brand stores is available. Contemporary and Western Art can be found in Scottsdale; especially in downtown Scottsdale and the Civic Center Mall. Scottsdale’s Art Walk is every Thursday night. Here you can stroll the streets of downtown Scottsdale and enjoy special exhibits. Old Town Scottsdale is at the heart of the city’s art scene.

Did you know, a Frank Lloyd Wright memorial stands in North Scottsdale and a major street bears his name? The Scottsdale Culinary Festival draws many visitors looking to enjoy fabulous food, fun and festivities. Whether you come to Scottsdale for business or pleasure, there is certainly something to see or due to suit everyone.

Firebird Lake on the Gila Indian Reservation is a man-made lake in Maricopa County in the state of Arizona. Firebird International Raceway is south of Phoenix on I-10 at the Maricopa Road exit. If you’re into racing, there is plenty to get excited about in the Phoenix area. Some of the best drag boats in North America run on Firebird Raceway. Firebird Lake offers great conditions for water-sports tournaments and boat-testing. It is home of the ASU Water Ski team. Firebird Lake hosts boat racing in April and November.

Besides motor boat racing, Firebird International has a 1/4 mile drag strip and 4 distinct road courses. Drag racing is in February, April, June, September, and October. Firebird holds monthly and weekly drag racing programs for the benefit of the amateur racer as well. Firebird is currently home to the Bob Bondurant School or Racing. Former sports car and Formula One racer Bob Bondurant has run one of the best-known racing and street-driving schools since the late 1960s. The school offers street driving, grand prix racing and executive anti-terrorist maneuvers. What man could resist all this place has to offer!

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Willcox, Arizona is just 75 east of Tucson, Arizona and is located in Cochise County. Willcox is a rural community known as an “apple-growing town” and hometown of the “Arizona Cowboy,” Rex Allen. Be sure and visit the Rex Allen Museum and Willcox Cowboy Hall of Fame on your trip.

Apple harvesting in Arizona begins in August and runs through October. It’s traditional for many Arizona families to drive over to Willcox for the day to have some old-fashioned fun apple picking. There are dozens of U-Pick-It farms in Willcox. You can pick your own peaches, pears and apples. There is nothing like picking your own organic tree-ripened fruit. Peaches, pears, apple bread, apple pies, apple cider and apple butter are also produced en mass in the kitchens of these farms. If you don’t want to explore the fields and orchards, many farmers sell just-picked fruits and vegetables from roadside stands. This agricultural community along with traditional crops, also has pistachio and pecan groves, grape vineyards. One summer when I was in Willcox, I picked my own beautiful bouquet of zinnias from a huge field of colorful flowers. In the summer we brought home green beans, squash, corn and of course, tomatoes.

In October the pumpkin patches are harvested. You can pick your own pumpkin and enjoy pumpkin pie at one of the many farms. One of the farms even offers a traditional hayride for the kids to enjoy. It is a great way to get away from the stress and traffic of living in the big city and have some old-fashioned fun.