Discover Sonoran Desert Fun

Our kind of Arizona living features striking Sonoran Desert landscape and ample sunshine. To take advantage of our beautiful home in the valley, here are must-see, memorable, and exciting attractions that may be worthy of your Arizona bucket list.

• White Tank Mountain Regional Park – With peaks rising to an elevation just over 4,000 feet, the White Tank Mountains range boldly stands as the West Valley’s predominant and most distinctive landmark. Spanning 29,271 acres of desert and mountain landscape, the White Tank Mountain Regional Park is the largest regional park in Maricopa County. Nature-lovers can enjoy a wide variety of outdoor recreational activities, such as horseback riding, mountain biking, and spectacular hiking of all skill levels. The park also has Hohokam petroglyphs dating back 10,000 years, a nature center with gift shop and library, and a waterfall that appears after heavy rain conditions. With 40 individual camp sites that are available with water, electric hook-ups, picnic tables, barbecue grills, and fire ring, there’s everything a camping enthusiast would need. Located within the mountain range is the Skyline Regional Park which also offers hiking, stargazing, and educational tours on the various wildlife and creatures that inhabit the area.
• Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) – Explore the world’s music and cultures as the museum takes you on a global journey in celebration, deep into the heart of human creativity. A popular attraction in Phoenix, the MIM displays more than 7,500 musical instruments from more than 200 countries and territories. Visitors can enjoy trying out different instruments in the Experience Gallery and learn how they are preserved and restored in the Conservation Lab. The museum also hosts featured artists and live music, representative of various eclectic genres.
• Desert Botanical Garden – Showcasing the vibrant tranquility of desert plants, this outdoor museum presents flora that stretches from Southwest native vegetation to the sprawling cacti from Mesopotamia. Within the 140-acre garden you’ll have opportunities to sign up for guided tours, or flutter about in the butterfly filled pavilion. Amidst the succulents, walks and trails include the state’s best introduction to Southwestern Ethnobotany where you can make your own yucca-fiber brush or practice corn grinding as Native Americans once did. Other highlights included concerts and movie nights in the cooler months, as well as Las Noches de las Luminarias in December.
• Arizona Science Center – Visitors can take in a wide variety of activities dedicated to educating and entertaining guests with science. The center offers mysteries of the universe in the planetarium, out of the ordinary hands-on displays, live demonstrations, as well as traveling exhibits. The Arizona Science Center is conveniently located in the heart of downtown Phoenix in Heritage Square. As a reminder of the city’s vibrant past, Heritage Square occupies a city block and is also home to 14 original Victorian-Style homes. Anchored by a fully restored 1895 Queen Anne Victorian house, the Rosson House is a link to the city’s 19th century origins. Other points of interest in the area are several highly celebrated restaurants like Pizzeria Bianco and Royal Coffee Bar. There’s so much to see and do in one place!
• Phoenix International Raceway – Nestled by the Estrella Mountains, the Phoenix International Raceway (PIR) is located in Avondale, Arizona. This one mile, low banked, tri-oval track was built in 1964, and hosts two NASCAR race weekends annually. The hillsides along the track offer unique views and a USGS bench marker of the Gila and Salt River Meridian, which is now on the National Register of Historic Places. Long before the track was built, this spot was the original land survey point for all the State of Arizona. Are you feeling the need for speed? Check out the Phoenix Raceway NASCAR Style Driving Experience & Ride Along.
• Children’s Museum of Phoenix – The Children’s Museum of Phoenix is a wondrous place of creativity, inspiration, and fun. With hands-on interactive exhibits, it’s a museum for kids from young infants to 10 years of age. Their mission is to engage the minds, muscles, and imaginations of children. Having 300 play exhibits that encompass three floors, visitors rave about the hanging forest of pool noodles, miniature grocery store, climbing structures and fort-building area.
• Phoenix Art Museum – Housed with notable examples of Modernist architecture, the Phoenix Art Museum is the largest fine-art museum in the Southwest and permanent home to over 17,000 American, Asian, and European masterpieces. Complete with contemporary wing and fashion design center, the museum is also noted for its Western American collection. As a premier institution of visual arts, it’s also known worldwide for alternative exhibits such as live performances and independent art films.
• Taliesin West – Built at the foothills of the McDowell Mountains, Taliesin West was the winter home of renowned American architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Sprawling nearly 600 acres, the remarkable Taliesin West also houses the main campus of the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture and is a National Historic Landmark and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tours vary from a one-hour brief history, to in-depth, intimate views of the complex.
• Phoenix Zoo – Established in 1962, this privately own zoo is the largest non-profit zoo in the U.S. Operating on 125 acres of land, the zoo is located in the Papago Park. With over 1,400 animals to see, the zoo contains several miles of walking trails that are divided into four themed areas. The Africa Trail showcases animals from Africa, while the Arizona Trail is home to the Southwest flora and fauna found naturally here in Arizona. For something different, the Tropics Trail leads you to explore the residents of the rainforest, and the Children’s Trail is complete with a petting zoo for little ones. Conservation minded from the beginning, the Phoenix Zoo now includes a sanctuary to care for endangered or unwanted animals. Some of the other noteworthy attractions at the zoo are the Stingray Bay with “touch tank,” the Safari Train, Giraffe Encounter, and Camel Rides.
• Old Town Scottsdale – An effortless blend of urban chic and Old West charm, Old Town boasts nine walkable neighborhoods with a unique collection of shops, fine restaurants, art galleries, and trendy nightlife. A great way to explore the area is by taking the Arizona Food Tour, which turns happy hour into a guided Sip and Sample while you learn about the incredible history of how Scottsdale became the hub of the Old West. There are also several fun and exciting ways to navigate the streets of Old Town. You can ride in style by horse drawn carriage, pedal your way through on a Party Bike Pub Crawl, partake in a golf cart guided tour by JoyRidesAZ, or zoom around on the Segway of Scottsdale. Whether you take in the Farmers Market, visit the Brown Avenue historic sites, cool off with a sweet treat from the Sugar Bowl, or catch some live music at the Rusty Spur, there’s a little something for everyone.

When living in Teravalis, residents will soon have ample opportunities for discovery with radiant nature and activities right in their own backyards.

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Teravalis is primed to be a 37,000-acre premier master planned community located in the West Valley of the Phoenix metropolitan area, in Buckeye, Arizona. Translating to “land of the valley,” Teravalis is positioned between the White Tank and Belmont Mountain ranges and is committed to preserving the natural High Sonoran Desert beauty. Utilizing innovative technology and sustainable planning, the community will feature unparalleled amenities and wide-open spaces to explore and discover. Teravalis is a community of Howard Hughes®, known for its mission to curate vibrant communities that elevate the everyday, creating meaningful moments in great places where people can live their best lives – and thrive for generations to come.