We love camping at Maricopa County parks. They do a fantastic job in every way. Campsites are well spaced, clean, in working order and amenities are as described. Even the black water dumping station here at Usery is the nicest one we have been to! There are more popular parks and we enjoy them all but Usery is really a beautiful park. It is also a best of both worlds place to stay while exploring this area of Arizona. You are in the wilderness and close to the Salt River. Lakes, Superstition Mountain, Tonto National Forest but also shopping, restaurants, tourist destinations, a top notch shooting range and lovely golf courses. I am charmed by this park and rate it as one of the best in Arizona right up there with the very popular Lost Dutchman State Park! Great job Usery!

Great hiking area to soak in the gorgeous Arizona landscape and wildlife - especially the cacti! Some of the largest we’d ever seen, and the park allows nature to take its course so you will come across cacti in various stages of life, even when they’ve fallen over and have started returning to nature. The trails we took were flat and relatively easy, but the ground is often rocky, sandy and a bit uneven to wear appropriate shoes of course!

This is a really nice campground just minutes away from Mesa, AZ, and close to the lower Salt River Recreation Area. There are some wonderful trails, everything from easy. To moderately difficult, short to long (9+ miles). There is water and 50/30 amp service, but no sewer. Restrooms and showers are well kept and clean. Nice and quiet!

Nice park. Just be aware that there is a gun range close by and they do not adhere to published hours so be ready for some gun noise. Additionally there are pack rats and rodents that can cause damage to your vehicle or RV and there are frequent occurrences. You’ll see many vehicles with their hoods open and a string of lights in the engine bay in an attempt to thwart the critters.

This park is a large, beautiful place. With many different lengths of trails to choose from. There's also a large variety of cacti and desert plants. There's also many butterflies and birds. The whole place is well maintained.

I've been to a few outdoor ranges, but this one has to be one of the best and most professional ranges around! The staff were very nice and made sure my concealed gun was not loaded prior to entering the range. When I asked questions because I wasn't familiar with their policies, they answered professionally and not like at some ranges who treated me like I was an idiot for not knowing something. I highly recommend trying this range!

A beautiful and well maintained park, offering numerous trails of all abilities, with an excellent visitors center. Employees are enthusiastic and obviously enjoy their positions.

I spent a good while selecting seats that had the best view I was looking for. Their website helps a lot since it warns you if you select a seat with an obstructed view, so be sure to take that seriously! There are a few areas off to the sides (on all levels?) that block your view of half the stage. Just FYI! We enjoyed our evening and all of the staff we encountered were very friendly and helpful. A small bottle of water was $4 but there was also a water fountain handy so I can't complain. A can of beer was $11, but I couldn't find a beer fountain.

Clean well managed place for large events, plenty of views from all seating areas. Great sound system and friendly staff. Bathrooms were very clean. My o my gripe is the parking isn’t amazing here. Parking ramp is a little tight and not super well marked.

Mesa Arts Center hosted a Día de los Muertos annual event in collaboration with the community. It was a great event that had a variety of vendors (food and merchandise), music and dance performances, a community ofrenda, plenty of seatings and it was all laid out through out the art center. We had a great time and loved all the whole experience. Día de los Muertos Festival Oct. 25 - 26, 2025

I recently had my graduation at the Mesa Arts Center and it was absolutely beautiful and amazing. The entire space is stunning from every angle. In my opinion, there are no bad seats in the entire venue. The layout, design, and atmosphere made the event feel so special. The building itself is also impressive and adds an elegant touch to any occasion. I could not have imagined a more perfect place to celebrate such an important milestone.

First trip to this place. Show was a weekday holiday but still not crowded. Parking a breeze and reasonable. Wait time was minimal. Organized, well staffed that were both engaging and very helpful. The auditorium itself a good size for music events. Only holds 1500 people so that controls the crowd. Ample bathrooms on three of the four floors, clean and stocked. Comfortable seats with leg room, good viewing from just about any seat. Acoustically seemed fine. The bar service seemed overwhelmed at times. Better planning on their part needed. Shouldn't have to miss any part of the performancec to get a cold drink. Lines before the show and during intermission were too long. Pricing as you would expect, high.

Wonderful facility for concerts. Plenty to free parking around the area and very helpful staff inside. Comfy, big chairs and room to move around. Great views from any seat in the house. Had to wait a bit until doors to theater opened, but fast entrance through security outside.

This was my first time visiting this venue for the show of Penn & Teller. Comfortable seats and gorgeous, clean venue. Staff running the event friendly and helpful.

Took a family trip to the Museum and enjoyed it very much. My 4 year old Grandson loved the Dinosaur exhibits and especially liked panning for gold. You can't erase history it's happening everyday. Great Job to the Museum.

Me and the family had such a great time visiting the museum of natural history. My kids are infatuated with dinosaurs, so be able to see the fossils and skeletons was really neat to see their eyes light up. I love to exploring most of Arizona’s natural history as well. It was a very educational day for us and we are excited to come back.

I spent an amazing friday afternoon at this museum with my kids and it was a hit! The dinosaur exhibit with a real waterfall was a wow moment, and the hands-on activities and play areas were a huge hit with my 4-year-old twins. They loved exploring the Native American and Maya exhibits, and learning about the wildlife native to Arizona. One of my twins was initially scared of the mammoth skeleton, but with some encouragement, she faced her fears and we ended up staying for almost 4 hours. The museum is well-curated and engaging for kids, and the staff were friendly and helpful. Highly recommend for a fun and educational outing with little ones.

A cool experience for everyone and I got in for free! Natives get in for free with Tribal ID. Lots to read and look at. Real fossils! I took my time and read just about everything I could. Even with it being crowded, we got in smoothly, and enjoyed our experience. It's 3 stories big. Take your time to look at everything. For $16! Worth it.

Please lower your standards and you will have a great time. Unfortunately for us we read in advance about all of their amazing features such as “the flood” and their animatronics. Nothing worked and quite frankly it was like walking into Bass Pro Shops. I gave them 2 stars because at least their staff was very nice.

Attended the Rock on the Rock fundraiser on Saturday, September 27th at the museum. First time attending the museum; enjoyed an amazing night of music, good food and learning about AZ history. Plan to visit again during regular hours for a tour and gaining more knowledge about the wonderful finds made throughout Arizona.

Educational and fun for the entire family! The interactive kids room was popular but not crowded on a Saturday afternoon. A wide variety of exhibits kept us busy for a couple of hours. Lots of dinosaurs, rocks, crystals & panning for gold, cultural relics of the indigenous Indians of the area, the jail, the mine, plus more. Lots to learn & see in a smaller museum. Fair entry prices. Clean restrooms & exhibits. Really fun museum! Well done!!!

This tour—no kidding—changed my brain. Walking through the property was an expansive journey, and the audio tour was educational and really helped ground me in the space and pull me into the details of Frank Lloyd Wright’s design and philosophies. I can’t recommend this enough for lovers of design, story, and interesting spaces. I left inspired and with an augmented appreciation of the power of organic architecture, playfulness, and of spaces designed to foster community. If any questions come up for you, I highly recommend asking them to the staff present throughout the tour— they provided additional anecdotes and history that very much enriched our experience. My one regret is we didn’t go earlier in the day to be able to take more time soaking up the unique spaces.

It’s really easy to drive past the entrance since the sign blends in with the landscape. So keep an eye out! We took the self guided tour. The property was stunning, and we really enjoyed learning about Wright’s process and the history behind the property. Absolutely beautiful. The gift shop had so many unique items, too! Lots of locally made pieces.

The house in relation to the geography creates an ethereal setting that will leave you dazzled. It's an incredible way to experience Right's genius as you look through a window or a vista and realize that every turn, every view was meant to inspire. The tour goes by too quickly, like a dream you don't want to end. The controlled number of guests is also very important as the interior spaces are smaller than you think.

This was a great introduction to the complex. It was discovery day so the cost was only $5.00 each to go on a self guided tour. All the grounds and buildings were accessible and along the way they had hosts to provide details at various locations as well as answers questions. They also invited some other groups to provide information about their services. They also had some food vendors, activities and music. Free parking was provided and the fee allowed us to stay as long as we wanted. I was surprised that for a Saturday it not crowded and it was easy to view each location and enjoy the grounds.The store has a variety of keepsakes and beautiful creations for sale and the staff are very friendly.

Loved it! So informative and the guided tour was simply wonderful. Hard to imagine how all this was built in this hot landscape so many years ago! Very inspiring! Highly recommend!

Frank Lloyd Wright's genius design skills are at work here. The buildings look like they have always been there, which is the hallmark of his designs. Definitely a must see attraction in the Phoenix-Scottsdale area.

Such a great tour. FLW was so iconic to both Arizona and architecture. We did the hour audio tour which was very informative. This is a must see attraction.

This place is fantastic. The preserve staff is so helpful and knowledgeable about the trails. This mountain preserve provides so many beautiful trails for all skill levels. Multiple trails with varying elevation gain and distances. It’s a magical place. It is fairly busy but never too busy to where I don’t enjoy it.

Love doing the Gateway Loop Trail every year. I went early because of the heat. Helpful person at trailhead that recommended to not hike past 10am, plus sign. Nice bathrooms and trail well maintained.

Did 3.6 mile Gateway loop. 78 and sunny. Took me 2 hours. Went clockwise. Bathrooms at trailhead. Very rocky (it’s Arizona!) but well maintained trails, beautiful views. The official grade of moderate/hard is definitely not true. This is an easy loop with a few small sections that qualify as moderate. I’m 70.

What a beautiful sunrise and hike to Gateway Saddle. It was moderately difficult and stumbled on a few rocks but else a great 1:40 round trip. Definitely need some water early morning and likely a lot more later on or if a hot day!

This is a well maintained trail! When we went, there was a lot of people there, granted Thanksgiving is just a couple of days down this week. Good to see people enjoying the outdoors and maybe learning along the way! We went on the loop and enjoyed the informational panels throughout the trail! At the end, we were blessed with a close encounter with a roadrunner! (Video in this post) Remember to stay hydrated!

An excellent trail. With paths to several other trails. We took the loop, but took 3 hours because we are slow and took a ton of photos. The other hikers were friendly and helpful.

Easy, well marked trail system. Lower trails are good for families with small children but it does get significantly more rocky the more you progress up the mountain.

The best hike in the Phoenix Mountain Preserves area. And probably the busiest. A lot of people do this trail for the exercise. I do it for the beauty. Mother nature. The animals, rocks, cacti, fresh air, the smell of outdoors, and for the exercise. The most popular trail is the one that goes up to the top, which is great. The view from the top is incredible. But the Perimeter trail, which goes around Piestewa Peak is another great trail. A little longer, and very scenic. A really really nice trail. (See the photos) And from the Perimeter trail you can easily take a number of other trail and go to different areas of the Phoenix Mountain Preserves. LOTS of trails. But be careful, it's easy to get lost. Even though you can't really get lost lost. You're in the middle of the city. Any direction you go will take you to civilization.

Currently, some areas are closed off due to construction, but I’m excited to see the improvements they’re making to the park. It’s surrounded by beautiful mountains and offers a variety of hiking trails for all levels. I visited during sunset, so I didn’t get to explore as much as I wanted, but I definitely plan to come back and leave a more detailed review next time!

Beautiful and somewhat strenuous hike up Piestewa Peak. I recommend getting there early for a couple of reasons. 1. Easy to find parking and you beat the crowds. 2. You get to see the sun rise over the Phoenix skyline. It very much reminded me of the Manitou Incline in Colorado but not as steep or as difficult but it does give you a great workout.

I hiked from the Piestewa trailhead walking 302 Circumference / Freedom trail. Sunny and about 69 degrees with wind. The trail is a little rough with quite a bit of elevation changes especially at the beginning. It's a great hike in the city but there are long stretches where it's seems you're in a far off desert hiking remote trails.

Moderate amount of hikers at 6:00 am. Plenty of parking, breath-taking views, clean restrooms and water fountain.

This trail was both very difficult and very rewarding for me. Great views.

Great hike. It can be a little difficult if you're not used to climbing stairs non-stop for an hour. However, if you pace yourself, you'll do just fine. It's 100% worth it, as it is absolutely gorgeous. The sun does beat down on you for the majority of the hike, so make sure you have plenty of sunscreen and water, and try to get out before sunrise. The trail is a little crowded at times, it's still very easy to enjoy the quiet and the views. There will be people trail running, sightseeing and the ones that climb there daily.

Great hike for easy to moderate hike with 360⁰ views. While there is a fair amount of elevation change, the 2 mile trail is very well maintained with steps, benches, and signage. It's a 4 mile out and back or can be through-hiked. The park facility is very good. I'm not a super fast hiker but did the out and back in about 2 hours.

Great 3.2km (2 miles) one-way trail with beautiful views. Gets a bit challenging by the end but easy-moderate to hike

We had an amazing hiking experience here today. Along our way a volunteer, Gary, told us some impressive facts about the plants, trail, and tips to see the best views. He then proceeded to continue the hike as our guide. He made our whole experience better than we could have imagined. Lots of laughs and plenty of sweat was had haha

What a fantastic hike. Absolutely beautiful views. The visitor Center has a place to fill your water bottles as well as clean bathrooms. There is no fee for the parking or for the hike. Bring sunscreen and plenty of water. Like most of the desert There is almost no shade.

Open at 5:45 am Has lot of parking Has restroom Scenic points Shady Can go with family and friends 2 miles one way Moderate and easy Carry liter water

Beautiful views of homes I wish I could afford. Nice pleasant hike but there are some tough parts. Parking lot fills up early but spots start to open up around 9 am.

Fun hike, lots of good views of the surrounding neighborhoods and greater area. The parking is limited, but everything is super well maintained and the trail is well marked. I will say it was harder than I expected. A lot of significant inclines and declines. But a fun hike for sure.

Excellent museum! It is a huge place. You wear a headset which plays music as you approach the various exhibits. Exhibits are well labeled and so many interesting details. I loved hearing and seeing people playing the instruments on display via the headset and videos. There is a room where kids and adults can play a variety of instruments. Highly recommend!

Very amazing and educational museum. Would definitely recommend to anyone to go! 2 stories of history and cultures! Plan for it to take a good portion of your day. They have a cafeteria on site that has amazing food as well! Also an interactive instrument room where you can try out some of the different instruments you saw in the exhibits!

This museum is now firmly within my top 5 favorite museums in the world. I was pleasantly surprised at how large the museum is after deciding to visit last-minute. The exhibits are thoughtfully curated and include not only visuals but optional audio for everything you are viewing. With interesting facts about instruments, artists, and music styles from around the world. I only had the chance to see about 1/4 of all they have in my quick 2 hour visit so I’d recommend planing a few hours to come here and experience it all. There is a gallery where you can play a variety of instruments which as a musician was a dream. I’ve always wanted to play a harp and got the chance to do so here! The gift shop had such a fun variety of unique items, I came away with jewelry made from piano strings that I love! And on top of it all, this museum was truly inclusive for folks who need special accessibility accommodations. I recently injured my foot putting me on crutches. The staff kindly offered my choice of a wheelchair or electric scooter at no charge to use while in the museum. I can’t wait for the day I can come back to experience more!!

It is the best museum I ever seen! I am not a fan of music, but I am deeply touched by all kinds of music and instruments from all over the world, hundreds of countries and hundreds cultures. Staff in this museum are super nice, they are ready to answer your questions and provide useful information you need. This museum is not only good for adults, but also great place for kids! If you want your kid to learn instruments, bring kids to this museum and kids will start to fall in love with music. I will definitely come back to this museum again with my kid. Overall, I strongly recommend this museum. It is the No.1 best museum among the hundreds of museums I have seen.

MIM is worth the drive, no matter where you're staying in Phoenix. It's not just for music lovers, but also about history and engineering. We drove up from Tempe with our ASU student - we already plan to go back! The mechanical music room was fascinating and the artists room had so much variety - do not say no to the headphones. The experience of floating in and out of the sounds of the instruments on display really was magic. We finished with watching the short introduction film they offered. After experiencing the museum, it really brought home the universality of music through out all of human history... and it seems all to be represented right there in MIM. Really well organized and displayed: unique instruments, how instruments are made, antidotes from artists, instruments and musical styles from every corner of the world. Love!

Really wonderful museum. So much to see and the staff/volunteers are friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful. If you're interested in music at all, this museum would be worth your time and money.

I had a wonderful time going in here and seeing all the different instruments from way back in the day took stuff that's current. I enjoyed all the way the sections were broke out so you could see different instruments from different locations and also just to come to the place of understanding where music builds our societies and who we are and also molds and changes people and cultures. I would definitely go back here again because I got overwhelmed after I had been there a few hours and had gone through a whole bunch of stuff. There are two sections on it I didn't even get through.

The stadiun has a Huge parking lot. Parking close to the building was a mistake, when it was time to leave. It took a long time to get out of the parking lot, and we could not turn the way we wanted to (it was blocked off). The stadium was air conditioned, which felt great. Our seats were close to the end zone, next to the the stairs, so my view was people walking up/down the stairs. Luckily, there was a huge screen to my left, so I watched that. I enjoyed the game (and the Seahawks won) 💚💙

Went here for the Packers vs Cardinals game in October of 2025. Getting into the stadium was quick and easy. Once inside, was a little underwhelming on comparison to other stadiums but still a good stadium. Drinks were good and fans around us were very cool and fun. All around, a great experience (especially since the Packers won haha)

Awesome venue. Ever seat is great. Vendors and service people are friendly. Gate workers super strict. Can bring blankets jackets but took my seat cushion cover because it had a 6 inch zipper. Took the super thin small cover off and the man still said no. Absolutely no way to hide anything in a small thin piece of cloth. Mean while jackets and pants have zippers. Also people let in with extensive costumes which can easily hide objects.

Got hooked up w some tickets. Ended up in Section 105 row 36 great seats. Close to entrance and exit. Parked in black lot short walk to stadium. Purchase parking pass on seat geek in advance. The gentlemen at parking told us Handicap was full but it was not. Parents had to walk further.

We had a great time at the drone show. I do suggest getting there early so you can get a good spot. Getting out of the venue was a bit tough. The exits were choked off so only a few people could get out at a time.

Great place to watch a game. Paid for a primo parking space. Cuz I can't stand waiting an hour to leave, so worth the 60 bucks! Paid for really good first section 35 yard line seats. Very enjoyable. Kind folks. Very respectful and kind to military families and those that stood before us. I liked that too. Will definitely be back. All services and facilities one needs in a stadium, this place has. Clean and newer looking!

Literally INSANE to charge $30 for parking after we spend so much to get into the damn stadium anyways. And the cost of food/drinks INSANE. I truly will never ever understand how this is legal and allowed. But anyways, atleast its always clean when I go, seems to be well taken care off. Cotton candy was stale, but I guess I expect that after paying $22. Thats about it. Its your average stadium, with not so average pricing.

Lots of great places to eat and walk around. Love the ambience and people watching while eating dinner in the common areas.

Westgate is beautiful. It’s hit or miss if the fountains are working but when they’re on, it’s absolutely beautiful at night. They have some really good bars there. Drinks can be pretty pricey throughout the district, but the atmosphere makes up for it. There’s not a lot of restaurants in there, but the ones that are there are pretty good.

Great restaurants and atmosphere. Parking was plentyfull but can be difficult getting out after events at State Farm Stadium.

Nice place that is foodie galore. A huge handful of the restaurants were Mexican, but they also have Japanese and other flavors there too. There's something for everyone. They have a second floor area too with more fun things to do like a comedy club and places to eat. They have stairs, or accessible elevators or escalators you can take up and down. They also have a steakhouse, theater, and even a gaming arcade. Plenty of parking too. There's also a scenic water fountain.

A large entertainment center includes shopping mall and restaurants. It was hard to to find a parking spot

Wow Wow Wow! West gate Is Such A Great Place To Experience! The People Are All Friendly, The Atmosphere Is Electric and The Food Is Amazing! There’s So Much Entertainment To Enjoy Whether Solo or With Your Family. Have Fun, Be Safe and Be Blessed

Great place to come and chill and relax. Plenty of food places to try out. Our you can just come to watch a movie in imax. Try to avoid it if there is a football game going on (well unless you are going to attend the game of course) because they charge for parking and it's just a big mess for miles in every direction.

It was a wonderful spot to escape the heat, though the water slides had very long lines, preventing us from riding many of them. The expenses added up quickly—tickets, food, cabanas, and more—especially considering how much time was spent waiting in line. Despite that, the kids had a great time and really enjoyed themselves.

Spent the day here. Went on a Thursday so it wasn’t horribly crowded. They seem to have changed their opening hours from 9am to 10:30 am so we sat and waited a while. Overall the slides are all well done and functional. The lazy river was good but needed more inner tubes. The wave pool was broken in the morning and was up in the afternoon but it isn’t a monster wave pool like the place in Mesa used to have. Food was good value. The cheese burger had 2 patties and probably a half pound. The chicken tenders had like a half dozen and the fries had plenty is seasoning. I bought a beer. Only 1 beer… because it cost $20!!!! For 1 beer. Maybe that was a little overpriced…. Lockers are available for use and you keep the code all day. The park was clean and staff seemed nice. We would likely come again

Awesome day. We went the week school started in Phx so it wasn't very busy which made it amazing.. I recommend going on off days highly.. otherwise the water was refreshing cause I was very afraid the summer heat was gonna be too much. The food is expensive but I got the admission tickets half off on a groupon so we had budgeted for extras. They have a small store if you forgot anything and plenty of rides to keep every age busy. We rented a cabana but we really didn't need it as there were a lot of open chairs but I imagine those get filled up much faster on full regular busy days

Hurricane Harbor was a pleasant surprise! We went on a Friday afternoon and the lines weren’t too bad. There are a few slides that are super fun! I don’t know that I need multiple days here but it’s a great way to spend one day. The website made it sound like they were strict on bringing in your own food/water but we took our own stuff in w no issues. The ground gets super hot so you’ll want sandals you can take off and hold on the rides or socks to wear around (personally I’d go for the socks).

Went on a Friday around 12 the lines were super long for the slides. If you try to pay attention to wich have shorter lines it isn't so bad. The splash play area for young children is excellent though. They also have a small wave pool and a lazy river. The misting systems for the slide lines is very helpful. I wish there was a "fast pass" I would absolutely purchase one to skip long lines. The food is beyond unreasonable the main bummer was really just how long every line was. I didn't feel like it was super Crowded at least not enough to make the lines so long.

Very busy. Hard to find a chair so we rented a cabana. It was a little expensive but it came with 4 rental tubes, a little fridge with 6 bottles of water a couch and table and ceiling fan. The lines were quick so we got on all of the rides.

Visited on the very last day of the season (our first ever visit) and we were very impressed! Every ride in the park was open and fully operational. The lines were extremely short (usually under 5 minutes), so we were able to enjoy everything multiple times. The slides were a blast, with a great mix of raft rides, racing slides, and even a water coaster. The staff were all friendly and upbeat, and even the food was decent (though pricey), with every option still available despite it being the last day of the 2025 season. A fantastic first experience—we’ll definitely be back next year!

Lovely zoo with aquarium, restaurants and animal encounters. It also has a few rides and tours. We went today, 9/8/2025, and it absolutely as dead as could be. The heat was oppressive (but we knew it would be) and most of the attractions were for the summer. We pretty much had the place to ourselves and we really enjoyed our visit. We will be back in the Fall and in the Winter. We watched the Sea Lion show and we're lucky enough to see every big cat in action. The tram ride was wonderful and provided a great little break from walking. Our guide was great! The knowledgeable staff was friendly and available. The only thing that keeps this review from being a 5 is the lack of seating throughout the park and the aquarium. But, truly an absolutely awesome experience!

We had a nice morning here at the zoo. It's larger than we thought...you can walk for quite a while. We went to the sea lion show and it was a hoot. Penguin feeding was ok...not great. The aquarium part of the tour is good. There are 2 or 3 buildings with aquariums I believe. The hands on stingray tank is cool. They actually love to be touched. We learned they call this type of stingray "Puppies of the Sea" lol. There are some food places on site. We had some brisket at the BBQ place which was just ok. We purchased tickets on Groupon...I think we saved $6 per ticket.

We have been wanting to visit this park since we've moved to Arizona 3 years ago. Since it's located in the West Valley that's a big plus for us because we live in the West Valley and most of the fun attractions for kids are in the East Valley I require a long drive. I had a lot of observations about this venue which I will summarize with pros and cons PROS ~Lots to explore- Over 200 acres! ~Unique venue- zoo, aquarium, amusement park rides all in one ~ No crowds- This was our 1st visit. We went on a Sunday w/ beautiful weather. One person in our group said she had never experienced crowds in any of her many visits through the years ~ Sea Lion Show was very well done and included in admission ~ Lots of shade- which ia so nive on warmer days ~ Large variety of animals ~ Free Parking ~ Several restaurants CONS ~ Admission Price is on the high side ~ No family memberships ~ Walking pathways are dirt, so wear good walking shoes ~ No outside food allowed A Family membership plan for locals would be a great incentive to visit. Memberships that include rides would also be great. I would like to acknowledge EMPLOYEE TROY. He talked to us near the Kangaroo area, and told us all about the baby kangaroos. He was very professional, knowledgeable & friendly. Food was very good at the restaurant that we ate at called SLICE. Overall this was a 3.5 to 4.0 experience for me, but I am rounding up to 4.0, because there were a lot of positive things about our visit. Ultimately for local families I think that the high price is an obstacle. We are an extended family with four grandchildren and we are always looking for Great Value memberships locally that we can bring our grandkids to and enjoy throughout the year. It would be such a benefit to so many to create a family type of membership that would allow us to return on a regular basis at an affordable price. The ability to bring food in would also be great because a lot of families do like to pack food to save money. There are a lot of areas where picnic tables could be added. ~ Thank you for a memorable day!

If you are in or near Phoenix AZ I highly recommend stopping here. Although a lot of the enclosures were empty, there was still plenty to see. A lot of the animals were interactive. I like how they have an outdoor section on the right, then an aquarium section on the left. That way you can go back and forth to cool down. I’ve also been to zoos with snack stands but this one has actual restaurants. I believe only the pizza place was open. Which was good but not great for the price and size. I do wish they put more effort into the enclosures for the animals to cool down. Some just had a puddle of water and no shade. I was on the verge of a heat stroke so I can only imagine how hot some of these animals are in the summer. Overall it was a cool experience. You can feed giraffes, go up in the air over a bunch of enclosures, food and gift shops.

We had a really great time here today. Went on a Thursday in November and the weather was great, had a minimal crowd and virtually all the animals were out to see. We started on the right side of the park, walked back to have lunch at Dillons Bbq, which was delicious, and really enjoyed the huge fish tank in the restaurant. We then ventured around the aquarium park and finished up in Adventure Land where we took the tram tour, which I highly recommend. Spent about 5 hours in total at the zoo.

What a great zoo and aquarium. It seems to be slow but it was amazing to see the animals so up close. Monkeys are on little islands, peacocks are rooming freely. They have giraffe you can feed and various animal encounters too.

Great place to see wonderful animals and make memories with family and friends. You don't want to miss the opportunity to feed the giraffes, birds, fish, and goats - what a blast for my 4 year old granddaughter! If you really like going several times a year, be sure to get the membership. The membership pays for itself after 2 visits. There are refill cup options and reasonable food prices. There is also a nice restaurant attached to the zoo.

Interesting buildings from the 19th century and small telephone museum, which can be seen in about 1-1.5 hours. There are a variety of buildings like homes, church, dentist office that were either original and moved here or replicas from the late 1880s. Though we couldn't go inside, most had a sign on the exterior giving its history then an open door where you could see the interior contents. Recommend getting a map from the front as there are not maps once inside. We came the day before Thanksgiving and it wasn't busy at all, but did have the modern Christmas decor being put up for the nighttime winter wonderland. It was a bit unusual to see modern lights and frosty displays on 19th century buildings, but am sure it's beautiful in the evening. The workers were very friendly and helpful. Restrooms near the front were clean, and a few cold sodas and waters were sold for $1-2 each.

Some of the buildings looked like they were starting to show signs of neglect, which was a little disappointing. A few houses had open doors or uncovered windows so you could look inside, though they were blocked off to prevent entry. There were still some interesting sights — the miner’s house had old tracks and carts nearby, and the schoolhouse was pretty cool. There was even a wedding happening at the chapel, which added a nice touch. Overall, it was something to do for the price, but I left feeling a bit underwhelmed.

Wow this museum more than blew me away. There was so much to see. In the front room where you check in, there's various antiques. Then, you walk through a small museum of telephones, and the displays are jam packed. From there, you walk outside. If you go to one side, they have a small shaded picnic table and the Spanish mission with murals. On the other side - you'll see most of the old buildings (and the buildings are genuine; the signs show how some of the buildings were moved over too from other sites). You loop around and see various cabins, a miner house, school house, and more. They all have the doors open so you can look in, and there's interpretive signage so you can look more. For animal lovers, they have a rooster pen, a peacock pen, and also goats. I spent about two and a half hours walking around, there was a lot to see! Accessible parking and they do have accessible paved paths, though some exhibits require you to walk up on sloped gravel path.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ We had such a wonderful time at the Pioneer Living History Museum! It felt like stepping back in time — the buildings, the scenery, and all the little historical details were incredible. The staff were so friendly and knowledgeable, and you can tell they really care about preserving the history and making it come alive for visitors. It’s a perfect place for families, kids, or anyone who loves learning about the past in a hands-on way. We’ll definitely be coming back!

What an absolutely wonderful place! A fun gander back in history with things to learn and see! Connie Jo greeted us with such cheer and a background on the museum. Very friendly and positive atmosphere! I would definitely visit again! Beautiful area and lots to experience! Thank you!

Oh my goodness! If you love old towns, museums, reenactments, dressing in old western wear, or if you have a class that does field trips in the fall, this is the place for you! We had so much fun. The woman who checked us in was awesome and knowledgeable. The parking lot is massive and gravel. There is an RV park nearby as well as a shooting range if that is something you like to do too. They have festivals in the fall, you can have weddings on site, and it makes for a great morning out and about just a little ways from Phoenix. They have picnic tables on site, and you can bring your water bottles/ lunch bag in with you.

Was looking for something to do on a recent trip to AZ. Stopped in at this site after reading reviews and checking the museum’s website. We arrived to find the entire property was closed. This was a Wednesday when they should have been open. No indication they were closed on the website or Facebook. Poor form not to post an unexpected closure. That is one of the beauties of social media. Wished we could have toured.

White Tanks park is only seven dollars to get in and they have some good trails for the family to enjoy. My wife and I took or two boys there and they have kid friendly and wheel chair accessible trails. Overall a great park. Will be returning soon.

Attended a group campout here. (We reserved a group site. ) Hadn't been out here since they paved the roads. Guessing that was 40 years ago since my last visit. Park is clean and well maintained. Bathroom and showers were clean which was great because I visited during the government shutdown and wasn't sure if the funding issues were affecting state and county parks. Lots of places to picnic and camp. Camping is 22.00 a night (dry camping. No hookups). Now that the weather is cooler, I'll definitively be back.

Beautiful scenery. And if you go the day after it rains, you can hike the waterfall trail and see a little arizona waterfall. Great place, plethora of public restrooms, well-kept and maintained roads, nice staff, and definitely a place to visit to hike, camp, and bike.

Beautiful 😍 natural resources, public for everyone to enjoy! Good facilities, well maintained and with family activity areas like playgrounds 😁👍🌵

I love coming to the White Tanks when I'm in town visiting family. I'm an archaeologist and an avid birdwatcher. This park is great for both of those interests. The petroglyphs are beautiful and well preserved. The wildlife pond is great for birdwatching. It's only a 0.2 mile walk there and back. The trail is well maintained and very flat. There is one bench about halfway down the trail, and a few benches once you reach the pond. I saw six new species of birds today, which aren't found in my local area!

The White Tanks have always been a family favorite to hike, have a picnic, and clear your head etc. The trails are varied and can go from easy to very rustic. It doesn't matter whether you go on a sunny day or cloudy day, it's always worth it to get out into nature. Always bring more water than you think you'll need, as it's better to be prepared. Dog friendly, you see many along the trails, with people of all ages. The restrooms are always clean, and the picnic areas ready to be enjoyed as well. Grab a map if you have been here from the entry where you pay, and explore our beautiful state. Wildlife abounds, so be mindful and respectful as you might encounter critters and snakes. No need to be afraid, just be cautious of your surroundings. Stunning views, will not disappoint!

Right now is the best time of year to go hiking! I went on the waterfall trail today. It is so well maintained and the views are amazing!!

Had an awesome experience here with our bach trip! Our guide, Josh, was super chill and kept us laughing with his dad jokes the whole ride. The UTVs were great and the trails were super fun. Definitely would come back and do it again! * you do get SUPER dirty so make sure to bring clothes you don’t care about *

Arizona Outdoor Fun was an absolute blast! I honestly didn’t have high expectations since I’ve done ATV rides elsewhere that were just okay, but this experience completely exceeded them. The guided UTV tour, led by Austin, was incredible. We had multiple stops for breaks and photos, and the views were amazing. My friend and I did the Ride & Shoot combo, and it was our first time shooting a gun. The entire experience was so amazing, and Jesse was the best! He was patient, skilled, and made me feel comfortable the whole time. Shooting for the first time was actually an emotional experience for me, but I’m so proud I faced that fear and I’m really glad Jesse was the one guiding me through it. Ask for Jesse and Austin next time you’re at Arizona Outdoor Fun!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Unforgettable UTV Tour with Arizona Outdoor Fun Adventure Tours! Our UTV adventure with Arizona Outdoor Fun Adventure Tours was absolutely incredible! From the moment we arrived, the staff was professional, friendly, and organized — everything ran so smoothly. Their ranch is beautiful, surrounded by Arizona’s breathtaking desert views, with mountains, cacti, and endless open sky all around. Our guide, Mayton, made the experience even better. He was hilarious, knowledgeable, and made everyone feel comfortable and safe while still keeping things exciting. He shared fun facts about the area and had us laughing the entire ride! The UTVs were powerful and well-maintained, and the trails offered the perfect mix of scenic views and off-road adventure. It was the perfect balance of thrill and beauty. We had so much fun and made amazing memories. Highly recommend this tour — and definitely ask for Mayton if you can!

My husband and I did the Ancient Ruins 3 hr guided tour with Andrew at the New River location and it was A BLAST!! Andrew was extremely knowledgeable, funny, and easy-going. He made sure to answer any questions we had, brought plenty of water and his own "outdoor ac". The sites were absolutely beautiful and I loved seeing the ancient ruins from the Hohokam tribes (got to see donkeys too!!). We would absolutely recommend going!! Thank you Andrew for the best tour!!

Kicked off at 8am with the UTV tour. Austin was a great guide and being early birds meant we had the place to ourselves. Followed up with an absolute smorgasbord of weaponry with Adam. He took the time to explain everything and make sure that I was comfortable, truly made the experience unforgettable and I cannot recommend this place highly enough to anyone in the area! Did you really travel to America if you didn't shoot a .50 cal? Thanks again legends!!

2nd time doing ATVs here and it’s always super fun. We had to go on a guided tour instead of the unguided that we paid for due to congestion of riders, but our Guided Rider was amazing. He help take pictures of us and gave water too. Also gave us space to get fast and creative 😂. 10/10

Lorenzo, Bryan and Clay were very awesome! Lorenzo did are ATV tour with my husband and I, I was a little scared and he was really understanding about that. Plus Lorenzo took some fire photos of my husband and I. Bryan was very cool with the check in process and explaining the rules. Clay was very too and cool, my husband had great experience shooting the gun with Clay. Overall the experience was very enjoyable and yes we be back! Thank you guys for a great time.

Fort Verde State Historic Park presents what life was like in Arizona, early in its history - including Indian wars. We spent about an hour in the main building, walking through a number of rooms and browsing the various exhibits depicting life, especially military life in Arizona in its early days. Many wartime artifacts are on display across many discipline from doctoring, to soldiering and more. In the last room of the main building, a video plays on a loop. The video is about Indians in Arizona and how they were involved in wars and especially how many of them helped the white man’s army. It was too hot to visit the other 2 buildings across the street today, as they are not air conditioned, so we’re not sure what’s in them. We did enjoy our visit.

Such an amazing piece of history right on my backyard. The parade field and a few of the original bldgs have been fully restored. SO many antiques and relics in the museum and all around. Took my malinois along for the ride, and altho dogs can't go inside the bldgs, she was welcome throughout the property. A wonderful place for history buffs or anyone just wanting to explore!

The park staff was amazing providing insight into the history and weapons. The museum displays were annotated and focused on a subject that provided plenty of detail. Buildings were interesting and you got additional perspective using the QR codes. All in all a good stop and worth the admission fee.

I’ve mostly been a vendor there for the Camp Verde days but the staff there are always nice, the people that visit cool, and so far the weather has always been pretty good. One of the cool things they do is use our axe throwing trailer to help sponsor local non profits. It’s been folks from the local high school to hospice. Always great meeting different folks of the Camp Verde community. If you are from Phoenix it’s probably on the cool side and if you are from Flagstaff, it’s probably on the warmer side.

Loved visiting Fort Verde State Historic Park. I didn’t know anything this cool was in Arizona. Everything was so well preserved. The staff was super helpful and friendly. They are also very knowledgeable and will tell you the backstory to everything you’re looking at. The park had displays with QR codes that you could scan and that would lead you to YouTube videos with reenactments of people dressed in character for the display you’re looking at. It was one of the coolest things I’ve seen!

It's a great little place to catch up on the local history

Well worth adding to the list of places to visit during a trip to Sedona. Located in Camp Verde, this place captures history of the area and provides a deep dive into what it was like living in the West over a century ago. Gives insight to the purpose of the Fort and its significance during the time period it was established. Each building gives a glimpse into the past. Everything well maintained. The rangers are very knowledgeable about the history. Be sure to spend time watching the videos and reading the placards all throughout the properties.

Amazing and must see history if you’re driving by- it’s like 4 minutes off the freeway and gorgeous. The staff was INCREDIBLE and so friendly, not sure why so many people were working and no one could check us in to pay, that was confusing. Lovely gift shop though and unique souvenirs. Not sure why so much was blocked off by cones Just a nice getaway overall

The national monument is a must see location if you are in the area. From the parking lot to the front door the walk is easy. Once inside, we noticed the area to the right with had the history of the location and to the left was a nice gift shop area. The staff was informative and friendly. As we approached the historic sight, we were in awe of the size and its location within the mountain. The included pictures may not do it justice. It is a "must see" exhibit. Overall, the Montezuma Castle is worth the time to visit...our children, who were here 20+ years ago were spot on with their recommendation. 👍

National Park pass accepted, otherwise $10 per person. Path is paved and very walkable. Very educational regarding monument and nature around the area. Park is well maintained.

Very interesting and educational experience about the indigenous community and their way of life! Wonderful hiking trail and ability to access for all ages and functional mobility levels. $10 per person entry.

Very interesting and historic venue. If I wasn't near by. I don't think I'd go out of the way to see this. You can't get inside to see the way they lived. Your on a walking path looking up at it. So yes, History it was interesting. But 1 time visit is all I need here.

It’s a nice monument to the old cultural sites, nice first spot to visit after driving from Phoenix to Sedona. However, wasnt a fan of the $10 fee for a small site, and the bathroom was closed.

Good historical site and ruins. Worth the visit, good culture lesson. Nice gift shop, friendly staff. Pretty site surrounds.

I loved our visit here. We live in Prescott Valley so it was less than an hour drive. We bought the package that included general admission, feed a tiger and a deeper narrarated tram ride. All in it was about $140 for the 2 of us. My wife loved the sloth. Tiger Splash was fun seeing the big kitty's play. The tour was informative and you saw the animals up close. We all got to feed Giraffes 🦒. A great half day that we will do again.

If there were more than 5 stars, this place would deserve them. What a fantastic experience my husband and I had. Even the turkey sandwich for lunch was way better than expected! And we got to sit by the white tiger while we ate! Everything/one from the start was wonderful. Alana got us all checked in at the gift shop, (we had booked a VIP tour) and had us in stitches with her personality and sass while we waited for our truck. Nikki (sp?) was our tour guide and driver, and she was a hoot! Extremely knowledgeable and super friendly. She was just perfect. All around, the absolute best way to spend a day. The animals were exquisite and seemed happy and healthy, (which is huge for me) and the time we got to spend with them was more than adequate. We got to pet Jericho, the rhino, and we got to feed the giraffes by hand! What a magical place. I could not possibly recommend this place highly enough. We will 100% be coming back.

Went here this past Sunday for my sister's birthday. It was raining, so most of the park was closed off because of running water and mud. The only part that was open was the safari. We had bought tickets beforehand, so we didn't want them to go to waste. What could have turned into a rained out activity, it was actually a great experience! The safari was short, about 25 minutes, but it was awesome. Our guide/driver Armando was great. We got to feed one of the giraffes, Timba, who was really cute and friendly. Walked right up to us and got some great close up pictures and videos. Then we drove around and looked at the zebras, antelope and bulls. We all had a great time despite most of the zoo being closed off and not seeing the other animals. All the staff including the two women at the gift shop were extremely helpful, friendly and wonderful. Wish we could return for another visit!

So we went ziplining across the safari. It was super fun! It rained so we got delayed but we stuck it out and waited. Good thing we did!! The 2 guides were amazing. They really were cautious about our safety and very helpful with all our questions about the animals! We would definitely go back again when more animals werent hiding bc of the rain.

It was fun. What you would expect for hot outdoor view of animals. Staff were great. I would recommend eating and bringing tons of water with you. There is a small place to buy water but its only in 1 location of the park. There is no shade, wear cool clothes and agaim, lots of water.

VIP tour is worth every penny, the guide brings every animal right to the fence to have close up interactions. The owner, Prayeri, met us for lunch and talked with us, she is great, so passionate. Everyone made us feel like a VIPs. Will go again and always take VIP tour. We got to feed a tiger and pet a rhino ! We also returned at night for the special nighttime tour/feed of the tiger, lions and others. Such a great day!

Amazing experience! We did the tiger splash, fed the tigers, went on the super mog (higher tier safari), and then wandered around the park. Definitely don’t miss the supermog tour; it’s worth it for the close encounters with the animals. Stick around for the reptile show and the predator feeding. 10/10 day! 🦁

Great state park, just a heads up it is $10 per person not per car so the can definitely get pricey. Every day at 10am they have a ranger guided nature walk that takes about an hour. We chose to go on it and enjoyed it. This is a park you do have to walk, it's not one you can drive around and see things. Make sure you drive down to the creek, it's beautiful.

Came here for hikes twice with my wife. Really love how secluded it was as you hike outward. The views are truly spectacular as you can see a lot of the main Red Rock formations from here. Trail was well maintained and relatively bug free. We did see some private property along the way but generally well marked. If you are into moderate hikes with great scenery then this is definitely the right place. Just be sure to bring a few bottles of water.

Excellent drive with places to stop off for pictures. The park itself has 5 trails including on just .4 miles along a stream. Others are 1 to 3 miles long. Possible wildlife sightings but we only saw some birds. Peaceful environment. Picked up a cool new ornament in visitor center. Trails are not paved.

Only had a short time so we took a drive up to red rock State Park. We did an easy 2 mile hike and it was gorgeous!

This state park charges a $10 per person entrance fee and NOT per car. Unless you are into hiking around the park, the views of the surrounding mountains are no more spectacular than those you get from the various roadside lookout spots. There is a museum here with some displays.

Red Rock State Park was absolutely stunning! My friends and I visited recently and were blown away by the natural beauty and photo-worthy views at every turn. Even though it rained the whole day and we couldn’t stay long, we still managed to capture some amazing pictures and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere. The only thing we wish could improve is the parking—it felt a bit limited and tricky, especially on a busy day. But overall, it’s a must-visit if you’re in Sedona. Hoping for better weather next time because we’ll definitely be back!

Beautiful place to hike. I suggest starting early to stay out of the sun. The place is well kept and there are many trails.

Gorgeous place and a great hike! Taking off a star because of way too many people around, which unfortunately, inevitably means at least some inconsiderate people. That also means that it would be hard for anyone seeking solitude to fully enjoy this hike. But then again, anyone considering this hike should already know it is a very popular hike which draws a lot of people. All of that aside, it really is a hike that shouldn't be missed!

Excellent hiking trails. This is an out and back trail with one side trail. Side trail is a must. Can be abit long if its a hot day. There is lots of tree cover in the seccond half of the trail. The end is very nice.

Absolutely fantastic hike! The walk itself is really pleasant — you wander through a tiny forest on a well-maintained, comfortable path, surrounded by stunning canyons on all sides. It feels like you’re walking through a hidden valley, enjoying the beauty of the red rocks from different angles as you go. The highlight, of course, is the Subway Cave. The short climb up is a bit tricky, but absolutely worth it — the view and the atmosphere inside are breathtaking. Honestly, it’s hard to put into words how beautiful it is. Definitely the best hike I’ve done in Sedona!

The Boynton canyon vortex is absolutely beautiful. The views are fantastic, and notes very peaceful. We got there at about 8:30 on a Tuesday (Verteran's Day), but the parking log was full, but we parked about a half mile down the road. I'd say the difficulty is moderate - the trail is easy but it turns into a bit of a scamble to get up to the vortex.

We hiked this trail to find the Subway Cave, saw some mule deers along the trail. It was easy for about 2 over miles until the entrance to the cave. The steep climb up to the cave requires scrambling and was a little nerve wrecking. There was a less steep trail on the left side of the cave that many people used as well. But once you get up from there, you would need to walk along narrow rock edge to get around to get the view of the subway cave.

Somewhat of a nature walk, off the Enchantment, into the canyon. Lots of bugs in June and if you are the first to head toward the subway cave, you'll also be the first to clear the spiderwebs created the night prior. All is worth it, and the influencers may thank you. Epic views with magical properties await.

First time in Sedona. We were short on time so we came here for a quick hike. Small parking lot that requires small fee so we parked on road where so many others were parked. Walked to the parking area where the trail started. There was a big sign showing trail system. We chose an out and back. The only thing at the parking area was a single unisex bathroom. Not a flushing toilet. Smell was horrible. So bad. No ranger or park employee. Kind of like a self serve. The trail we chose was very easy and no difficulty. It took us through the valley floor with the rock formations all around us. So incredible. A no frills area with million dollar views! Just outside the city limits of Sedona.

Neat museum off the beaten path. Building is an old school so it's cool that it's been repurposed as a museum. Lots of stuff to look at. Super nice gentleman working the counter. Definitely worth a stop to see all the artwork and artifacts and history.

Arizona copper museum is such a nice place to go, I’ve visited three times now!! The staff are very friendly and knowledgeable, always willing to talk if you ask!! there is so much to see so plan a hour or two to go through. It’s very affordable and my favorite thing about it is THEY ARE PET FRIENDLY!! you can bring your dog inside so they don’t have to sit in the hot car and they can walk around with you :)

This is a wonderful museum. Beautiful collections that surprisingly include some items from antiquity. The gentleman who greeted us was inviting and friendly. I was in awe of the beauty and the history contained in this small town museum. If you're in this area do not miss the Copper Museum.

It's very interesting seeing coppers history. There are so many beautiful copper pieces. The history isn't played up enough, and theres a lot of binders to tumb through. Sadly, my husband doesn't have the attention span for me to go through pages of information, so I'm not sure what all is covered on those pages. It's worth a peek to find out. I would have loved it to be more informative as to the processes to get to the end products, as in more story boards with pictures to go along with the equipment. It's creatively set up, so you follow copper Footprints around the museum, from room to room. You'll see an astonishing amount of copper crafted into all sorts of items from different time periods. I personally found the ammo shell creations and the records the most surprising of all. It's not over the top WoW, but it's pretty cool overall. It's worth checking ✔️ off your bucket list.

Great! Deep in the heart of Copper country is the Copper museum. Beautify art gallery and lots of information about copper. Probably more than you wanted to know. LOL. Don't miss this gem.

Wonderful stop during our group tour! If you ever wondered about the mysterious world of copper, this is your place to absorb that information! Great group of people with an absolute endless knowledge of the the copper industry. You'll need at least an hour to walk through this small building but the time spent will be worth it!

Interesting collection of copper items and vast information on the history of copper in the area. Worth a visit when in the area.

Awesome!! Worth the trek!! It's a bit of a hike. They say it's about 60 steps. It's pretty uneven and could be difficult for some. However, we had a 78 year old who is not very active who made it fine. Not easy but not too difficult. A must see while you visit Sedona. Amazing views. Amazing heritage. The Visitors Center has excellent displays and historical information. Park Rangers are very knowledgeable , friendly, and very nice. The only complaint is that it feels a bit rushed as they release tour groups every 30 minutes. I wanted to spend more time but felt a little rushed. However, it's probably necessary due to the number of tourists. Groups are limited in size. Ours had 6. You must make reservations, but it's about controlling the number of people. Very inexpensive. Plenty of parking. We had someone who has the America the Beautiful—the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass which is all you need for parking. However, in Sept 2025, the cost for parking was $5.00 (without the Pass) and you can pay at the kiosk in the parking lot. Porta-potty type bathroom at the parking lot but not on the hike. If Google tells you it will take an hour, I recommend adding at least 30 minutes. The dirt road is very rough and you must go slow. I would say most cars can make it but not low cars like sports cars. You can rent a jeep in town if you prefer. There are two ways to get there. One has about 6 miles of dirt road (Highway 89A) and the other is around 3 miles (Boynton Pass Rd). Roads and the park may be closed when it rains. Several areas would not be passable if it's raining heavily.

The drive is easy if you take your time, even a sedan can make it as the road is maintained though it has some rough spots. Once there the staff was great, very friendly and full of knowledge about the area. The hikes are short and you don't have to rush and can take your time if needed. There are some rock stairs. The indian art/pictures on the rocks was my favorite part. And the guide took the time to point out most of the drawings and what they were for or ment. Great history here. Enjoyed every minute off it.

Awe-inspiring experience. So grateful we visited. The volunteer guide crew at Palakti Heritage Site were incredible and their passion for the history at this site was inspiring. I found myself completely captivated by the petroglyphs (carvings) and pictographs (paintings) due to the depth of the explanation given by our incredible guide. I had my mom (75 y/o) and her partner (82 y/o), both of who have some functional mobility issues (advanced knee arthritis). They did not make it up to the cliff dwellings due to the uneven steps that were too treacherous for them), but could still see the dwelling from the flat path and the volunteer staff were so welcoming and accommodating to have them sit at the picnic benches or in the visitor center. They did make it up to the grotto site for the petroglyphs and pictographs, which they loved. They were also able to enjoy the scenic awe and pure beauty of the setting surrounded by these huge red rock structures. Give yourself extra time to get there due to wanting to drive slowly on the gravel road. Our guide also said that excess dust from the road erodes the pictographs, so slow it down to preserve the site! Thank you to all the volunteers who made our day special!!

Amazing, beautiful and great docents. Horrible roads though. going in from Sedona is bad, but not as long as going in from Cottonwood. Bought the very expensive tour tickets online ($1 each) easy to buy through the AZ gov website. The docents, were so very helpful, kind and knowledgeable. Loved the stories they had. The place is beautiful. Not too strenuous, they have some walking sticks you can borrow which were helpful. Bring some water, it's not a long hike, but there are some areas along the tour that have little to no shade.

Amazing box canyon spent 2.5 hours and could have stayed all day. The folks running the preserve are fantastic. All I needed was a hammock

Worth the drive (probably best to have an SUV or off road vehicle). Our guides were super knowledgeable and offered to let us extend our tour. Last tour starts at 2pm so get there early!

Personalized tour of cliff dwellings and pictographs and petroglyphs. Tour guides are very knowledgeable about the history, with some pictographs dating back 10000 years.

Loved walking through the old Douglas Mansion and learning about the history of Jerome. The short film is well done and worth a watch. Great views from the patio and parking lot. Friendly folks at the counter and a small gift shop. $10 entry.

Very cool place they had a free day the day we went. There was live music of older time music which was really cool. The staff answered all my questions about the place. It was cool to learn about all the cooper and how things were done. They had someone also doing metal smithing which was awesome to see and ask questions about. He built his furnace which was awesome. I also got shocked by the dynamite explosive thing which was shocking lol. Amazing to see working still and looked up later how it looked inside you could see the backside but I was curious lol.

A recommended stop, a lot of history in this area. The town was established in 1876. Known for copper mining, some gold and silver were found. The town is small with lots of interesting shops and eateries. The drive up is very narrow roads. I don’t recommendtowing a camper or a motorhome parking is very limited. The Jerome grand Hotel had been a hospital. And for a time it was the largest hospital in the west.

Interesting history about Jerome and the mining that made it very prosperous during its heyday. Has good exhibits that discuss the people involved and the equipment involved in mining. The views outside of the museum are really nice.

Always something new is learned. We make this one of our must stops when visiting Jerome. Good for adults and children. Reasonable entry fee and much to see. The history is fascinating and the amount of cooper, gold, silver and other ores taken is amazing. We usually take a lunch and use their nice picnic area prior to going to the town.

A very nice Adobe home, the largest Adobe mansion in Arizona and it contains the mining history of the town of Jerome, it is a very interesting town of 500 people, the mines closed in 1953 and the town dwindle down to 100 people, during the hight of. The mining rush the town grew to 15000 people

Amazing information about Jerome. Beautiful old mansion turned into State Historic Park

The perfect place if you love old cars and tools! The ghost town has contraptions and mechanical vehicles throughout its property. It takes around 30 minutes to see everything, but you’ll need more time if you want to “pan for gold. Note for families with small children: It’s a definite “do not touch” environment since almost everything is covered in rust.

Fun time! Went there with my wife and two teen sons the Monday after Easter, late in the afternoon. We all enjoyed it. Younger kids would really enjoy this too. A good display of an old mining town. A ton of historical items around. They also have life animals and gem 'mining', but we did not do the mining. A good time was had by all.

It was something different, fun to do, and passed the time. REALLY liked the gold mining! (That was our purpose for going.) The place is a cross between a museum, a junk yard, an art exhibit, a ghost town, and a Renaissance Fair, minus the food and people. We followed Google maps directions and found it just fine. In Jerome there's an old style black & white oil truck with a big red arrow on top - follow it to the mine. Neat views! Cool stuff to see. There's a store with a nice selection of souvenirs and jewelry, and fossils. There are paths to take to buildings and exhibits. (Earth path vs paved path, so if there's moisture there will be mud). I recall a dentist, a blacksmith, sheds of vintage vehicles, the gold and gem mining, and a fake mine entrance. There is so much to look at your eyes are constantly moving. The blacksmith was there selling wares (hooks & hangers he forged, etc). There are flowers, plants and cactus, rocks, and bits of rusted or enameled parts scattered and displayed throughout. Little details everywhere. Its evident someone (many people) took time to create this southwestern ghost town wonderland. I think we paid $12 a person to get in and explore, and our bags of material to pan were maybe $25 a person? Gem bags were less cost. And the gold miner guide was very nice, and it was evident he enjoyed it. Fun day! We certainly didn't regret it. And now are addicted to gold panning...

A very fascinating place with sooooo much to see, you could literally spend all day here, my husband didn't want to leave. It would be nice if some of the youth activities were included but feeding the animals, geode, and gold panning are all extra. There is very little shade so be prepared for that.

What a wonderful and fun experience with friends at the mine on Saturday. We learned about the operations and saw the equipment. We even got to look for gold and copper. Every member of staff was very welcoming and friendly. Animals are adorable. It was a great way to start a birthday celebration weekend.

Had a wonderful time. The views were absolutely beautiful. The ride was bumpy but fun. Vivian was an excellent guide, so friendly, very knowledgeable, and an excellent driver. I would recommend this tour to anyone and would say ask for Vivian.

So reading other reviews and going to the place it's easy to see people chalking it up to a junkyard, but that's from visitors who don't appreciate nostalgic things. Everything is American made steel and cars, it allows people to see past beauty made at home. You really have to love learning and looking at antiques to appreciate this place. We spent 2 1/2 hrs here. Feeding animals, doing the mining activities and just looking around. It's fun seeing historical places still operating. Plus the people running it tell about the town's history and mining. Just a good place to explore. Our kids age 6 and 15 both had fun

Such a cool place to go. It was an added stop during out travels, and it was well worth it! I am going to have to go back and do it backwards so I can remember that half of it as well. Make sure you eat at the first Saloon when you go....

Be very aware that some establishments here are cash only. While this is labeled on the entryway, this isn't something people normally stop to check for. So after they've poured your drink and you try to pay with your card they point to their private ATM which charges an additional fee which the establishment collects. I don't have a problem paying cash I just don't normally carry it and would have appreciated being told prior to the drinks being poured that it was cash only. I was clearly a tourist in the area and I'm sure this is something they routinely experience. I felt like this was just another upcharge because I was a tourist.

I had a blast roaming the antique and consignment stores. I spent two afternoons doing that during our three day visit. However one afternoon included the craft fair that was going on in the center square. All the stores are clean and well maintained. Items are nicely displayed. For those of you that have dogs, some businesses have water bowls outside their front entrance for them.

Great bars and atmosphere in the area. There are so many shops and eateries in the area that I didn’t have a chance to stop at each place. Would definitely visit again

Had dinner at The Palace Saloon! What a terrific restaurant. Loved the decor and atmosphere, including the bartenders and servers dressing in style for the late 1800's. Put this on your to do list.

Great stretch of historical shops and saloons. We stopped at The Palace and had a couple yummy appetizers and whiskey drinks. Lots of interesting, historical paraphernalia and pictures. The service was excellent and the food and drinks thanks were very good. We will be back again some day.

Been going to this oldest established continously bars west of the Mississippi for 25 yrs plus,thee place to go for weekend nights,holidays any day too. Safe street and fun energetic people having fun!

Definitely worth doing if you have some extra time in Prescott. This is the location of the first building, the governors mansion and the first headquarters of government when it was established as the capital. The transportation museum is really awesome and really a lot of really cool replicas and actual old buildings takes you back in time! !!

We loved this museum! Our family - ages 10 to 60+ enjoyed reading, learning, and exploring. We spent three hours here and did not see it all. It was nice that kids are free and that admission covered two days!

I have a lovely time here with my husband, brother, and sister in law. It's a laid back museum that shows artifacts from Prescott History. It's super cute and I found a couple neat books in the gift shop too. You can take a couple of hours to get through it, or, take extra time to sit on the benches and enjoy the landscaping.

Omg, this is a must see museum in Prescott, AZ. It's $15 adult admission, but, worth every penny! It is on 4 acres with beautiful landscaping between the historical buildings. Each building has a different theme regarding the history & artifacts of the evolution of Prescott. One is Travel, which has bicycles from the 1800's to an actual covered wagon. Another an original house exactly as it looked, with the household items displayed. I could go on & on. So, if you are lucky enough to be in Prescott, AZ, you should plan it as part of your itinerary.

Fantastic visit and history of Prescott and surrounding the with a really nice native American exhibition

The rose garden is so beautiful! Everyone was so kind and the buildings are all so great. There was even a neighborhood kitty (Mr. Chunk) who stopped in to say hello. It's an excellent place and we'll be going again very soon.

The Sharlot Hall Museum was so nice to visit! There was so many historical artifacts to see, ranging from natural history, Native American History, and Western history. We especially enjoyed walking through the Governor's Mansion and Fremont House. It was so fun to see what our everyday products used to look like in the 1800s. The docents were friendly and informative. Highly recommended stop while visiting Prescott!

Watson Lake is absolutely stunning and a must-visit in Prescott! The unique granite boulders surrounding the lake make for some of the most picturesque views you’ll find anywhere. It’s a great spot for hiking, kayaking, fishing, or just enjoying a peaceful picnic by the water. The trails around the lake are beautiful and offer plenty of photo opportunities. Easy to spend a whole afternoon here soaking in the scenery. A true gem in Prescott and perfect for nature lovers!

One of the most beautiful lakes I've ever visited. Tucked away just outside of Prescott Arizona it is definitely a hidden jewel. The layers of rocks surrounding the lake are absolutely gorgeous. It's almost like going back in time. The photo opportunities are many. The water reflections of the hillside's, rocks, and beautiful blue sky and clouds make for phenomenal photos. We live in San Diego but we make it a point whenever visiting Arizona or Phoenix, we make the drive up to Prescott

I almost don't want to post anything about it because I want it to remain the treasure that it is. This is a beautiful place to kayak, plus there's trails all over the place, really cool ones through riparian areas.

Went kayaking for an hour. The first time slot at 8 am I believe is the best time to go. The birds are out and you can see cows on the mountain. We saw an Eagle. Beautiful boulder of rocks and fish. Wasn't hot and a good little work out on your arms and core. Good price for the hour. You can tandem or solo.

Beautiful place to spend some time relaxing. You can rent a kayak and go kayaking in the lake just no swimming. View from up top was beautiful and the place was not that crowded. Best time to visit the lake is early morning or later in the evening. There is an entry fee for day time entry and for overnight camping. There is a designated area for the camping and recreational activities. Plenty of parking so no issue there. Hike around the lake is easy to moderate (depending on the hikers capacity) but a perfectly tracked way with easy walk. So, Enjoy !!!

Love to kayak here!! Have for years

Great Lake and Park outside of Prescott, AZ. Great trails that run the perimeter of the lake. Great views on the trail. Peaceful no wake lake. Perfect spot to kayak. The surrounding park has picnic areas, playgrounds and open fields to play. Clean bathrooms. A well maintained park. $3 for day visit.