I told you about my agonizing delay in Phoenix, Arizona in a previous blog and now I am here to make amends to the Valley of the Sun. The city, while scorching hot for most of the year, is wonderfully kid-friendly and is home to a number of unique attractions that will have you forgetting about the heat and focusing on family fun.
Arizona Science Center
Whether they are chasing each other through a giant sneezing nose, or shooting paper airplanes from a mock air traffic control tower, your kids will love exploring the hands-on exhibits and interactive displays at the Arizona Science Center. The center is also home to a state-of-the-art planetarium and a big-screen theater. One of the center’s most popular exhibits is called “Many Hands Make A Home,” which looks at the process of creating a house from the ground up. The Science Center is the crown jewel of downtown Phoenix’s Science and Heritage Park, located in Copper Square.
Phoenix’s Mystery Castle
This attraction is one of those have-to-see-it-to-believe-it sites that make for great summer essays. The castle honors its creator, Boyce Gulley, who disappeared from his Seattle home in 1930 and resurfaced in the Arizona desert nearly 20 years later. Gulley maintained he built the dream castle for his daughter, Mary Lou. The structure is located in South Phoenix just outside the entrance to South Mountain Park. It’s easy to find, just look for the Indian pueblo-meets-medieval fortress made from a bizarre assortment of materials, including local rocks, tire spokes and construction pipes. Inside, the castle features 13 fireplaces, a replica of an early western barroom and a chapel. Tours run from October through June, Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tours cost $5 for adults, $3 for seniors and $2 for kids 5-15.
Wrigley Mansion
Yes, the same Wrigley known for his chewing gum empire. The Wrigley Mansion was built atop a rocky knoll in 1931 and offers breathtaking views of Phoenix vistas. It overlooks the Arizona Biltmore (once owned by Wrigley) in the Camelback Corridor in the north central area. Among the noteworthy features found in the massive, Mediterranean-style home is a closet lined with foil from gum wrappers and a rare 1929 Steinway player piano programmed to play Rhapsody in Blue precisely the way George Gershwin recorded it. Geordie Hormel — whose family made its fortune from Spam – now owns the mansion.
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