Cooler temperatures will be coming to the Valley soon and with that temperature drop comes the influx of out of town visitors. With so many beautiful, unique places in Arizona, it’s difficult to choose what to do to keep them busy. Here are a few ideas on where to take your out of town visitors this fall.
Grand Canyon: A Must-See
The Grand Canyon is the perfect place to take your houseguests if you want them to be in awe of the beautiful state you live in. One of the best times to visit the Grand Canyon is September through November when daytime temperatures begin to cool and the crowds begin to thin. With kids back in school and parents back to work from summer vacations, there are far less tourists competing for hotel rooms and trail access. Temperatures around this time range from the mid-20s to mid-70s. You'll find that more facilities and trails are open around September and October, but once snow begins to fall, you can count on many areas to be out of commission so check the weather and plan accordingly.
Heard Museum
Looking for something a little more cultured? Phoenix has several impressive museums to choose from, and one of the most popular ones is the Heard Museum. The Heard Museum has become recognized internationally for the quality of its collections, world-class exhibitions, educational programming and its many festivals. Dedicated to the advancement of American Indian art, the Heard presents the stories of American Indian people from a first-person perspective, as well as exhibitions that showcase the beauty and vitality of traditional and contemporary art.
Montezuma’s Castle National Monument
Montezuma’s Castle is one of the best-preserved cliff dwellings in North America. This 20-room high-rise apartment, built into a limestone cliff, tells a story of survival in an unforgiving desert landscape. Approximately 350,000 people a year gaze through the windows of the past during a visit to Montezuma Castle. Even 600 years after their departure, the legacy of the Sinagua people continues to inspire the imaginations of this and future generation. A short drive for the Valley, this is sure to impress your guests.
Kartchner Caverns State Park
Kartchner Caverns State Park is a state park featuring a show cave with 2.4 miles of passages. The park is located 9 miles south of the town of Benson, AZ. Long hidden from view, the caverns were discovered in 1974 by local cavers, assisted by a state biologist who helped in its preservation. The caverns are carved out of limestone and filled with speleothems which have been growing for 50,000 years or longer, and are still growing. Careful and technical cave state park development and maintenance are designed to preserve the natural cave system. This attraction is a living cave and quite spectacular. Plan on making a day of it if you travel with guests; you don’t want to rush through this!
Tombstone
If you have movie buffs in the family, don’t miss taking them here! Tombstone is a town in southeastern Arizona, known for its Wild West history. Exhibits at the Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park include a replica gallows. On historic Allen Street, the O.K. Corral outdoor theater re-enacts an 1881 cowboy gunfight. Resident ghosts are said to haunt the bullet-riddled Bird Cage Theatre. Outlaws are among the local townsfolk buried at the 1878 Boothill Cemetery. There’s something for the whole family, from Big Nose Kate’s Saloon to gunslinger fights in the street.
Fall festivals galore
Once you’ve hit a few of the big attractions in AZ, don’t overlook all the wonderful fall festivals going on around the Valley of the Sun. Here are a few fun fall festivals coming up in September:
Wickenburg’s Fiesta de Septiembre - Wickenburg
Phoenix Cooks - Phoenix
Rockin’ Taco Street Fest - Chandler
The Good, The Bad and The Weird - Mesa
Brazilian Day Festival - Scottsdale
Queen Creek Founders’ Day Festival – Queen Creek
A Taste of Greece Greek Food Festival – Chandler
Old World Oktoberfest - Peoria
If your out of town guests fall in love with Arizona and want to stay, we can help them find them the perfect home, whether they want to live in the east valley or prefer homes in the west valley. Give us a call at 623-206-9936. We’ll help them house hunt and find a property which best suits their wants and needs.