Had your fill of art galleries, cute boutiques and western themed gift shops? Do you need a break from everything? No worries. Walk over to the Scottsdale Civic Center Mall and Plaza. Take a deep breath (or two) and relax. Find a bench or just lay back on the cool green grass and people watch or watch the clouds float by.
The Mall is the perfect haven for a quiet break after a long day of hiking as you head out to dinner in Old Town. Just leave a few minutes early and stop by the Mall first. The Civic Center Mall is surrounded by city buildings including City Hall and the Civic Center Library. It’s also a great place for getting in a little art and culture!
Art
Scottsdale is well known for its public art program, and the Scottsdale Civic Center Mall may be the perfect example of that. The large fountain is a great way to cool off and it has sculptures and ducks! Two famous examples of public art in the Mall are the iconic LOVE sculpture by artist Robert Indiana and a Louise Nevelson sculpture called Windows to the West. Now there are two great photo ops to take advantage of!
If you want your art with air conditioning, no problem. The adjacent Scottsdale Center for the Arts and Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art have plenty of both. Or, head to the Civic Center Library to cool off and grab a book or magazine to read.
Festivals and More
There is an amphitheater perfect for outdoor concerts and more photo ops. And, there is usually a festival of some sort going on. The Arizona Asian Festival, ArtFest of Scottsdale (in November), Annual Scottsdale Arts Festival (in March), and Sunday A’Fairs are just a few of the events held throughout the year in the Civic Center Mall.
Memories
Not only does the Scottsdale Civic Plaza and Mall have lovely gardens and fountains, it also has a scenic view of Camelback Mountain. It’s a great place to get that perfect Instagram pic. And this is one of the favorite locations for taking those photographs to last a lifetime as well as a very popular wedding photo venue.
Location of the Scottsdale Civic Center
The Scottsdale Civic Plaza is at 3939 N. Drinkwater Boulevard, in the heart of Scottsdale. That means there are plenty of restaurants and shops nearby once you’ve recovered. And, you’re close to the action of Old Town too. So sit back and take a break from everything, just for a little while. Be sure to explore our wonderful VRBO rentals in Scottsdale, AZ!
Contact Parsons Villas today to learn more about attractions in the area and to book your stay in one of our lovely Phoenix vacation rentals!
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If you’re vacationing in Scottsdale and you want to find something interesting to do in between all those hiking and outdoor desert activities, if you love cars and racing, we’ve got the perfect thing for you: The Penske Racing Museum. The museum is on the first floor, with a gift shop, the Turn 4 Café, and trophy room upstairs, and is free to the public.
Trophy Room
Most people recognize the Penske museum name, but unless you’re a racing enthusiast, you may not know that they have been racing for over 50 years and have over 15 Indy-500 wins and over 30 national championship wins. The trophy room features racing memorabilia – including original trophies – from their entire racing history.
Useful Links for the Penske Racing Museum
Octane Raceway | Penske Auto Mall | Kings 2.0
Cars and Racing at the Penske Museum
Approximately 18 cars are on display at any given time, which is about a third of the entire Penske Racing Collection. Some of the cool cars on display include the March 86C driven by Al Unser Sr. as he won the 1987 Indy-500 (his 4th Indy win), the Dodge Charger driven by Rusty Wallace in his final year in the 2005 NASCAR Nextel Cup, the Penske PC-6 1979 Indy-500 winner driven by Rick Mears (also driven by Mario Andretti in 1978 for Penske Racing), the March 84C 1984 Indy-500 winner driven by Rick Mears (his 2nd Indy victory), a 1972 Hurst/Olds Cutlass that was the 1972 Indy-500 Pace Car, and the 1973 Porsche IROC RSR driven by Mark Donohue as he won the inaugural IROC race.
Event Venue
If you’re looking for a unique venue for your next gathering, try the Penske Museum. A glass wall on the second floor can fold in, providing plenty of room for indoor events. There is even outdoor space too. The museum can host up to 300 guests and seat 150 for a private dinner. Music, food, and beverages are included when you book the venue, as are Land Rover Test Climbs. Imagine your son or dad’s next birthday party here, or a fun business celebration. And, it would be the perfect starting point for a bachelor party!
Location etc.
The Penske Racing Museum is at 7191 E. Chauncey Lane in Phoenix. The museum is open from 8am to 4pm on Mondays through Saturdays and from 12pm to 5pm on Sundays. The Turn 4 Café is open Monday through Friday from 8am to 3pm and is closed on the weekends.
And, when you’re done looking through the museum, you can browse the nearby Range Rovers, Bentleys, Lamborghinis and Maseratis for sale in the dealership showroom. Then, make sure to reserve only the best Phoenix vacation rentals for your stay with Parsons Villas; browse our available rentals today!
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Immerse Yourself in the Breathtaking Sights of Saguaro Lake
Just a short drive away from north Scottsdale is Saguaro Lake, a beautiful oasis in the midst of the dynamic environment of the desert. On Saguaro Lake, the best way to take in the sightseeing opportunities that the area holds is to take one of the lake’s famous sightseeing cruises on the Desert Belle.
Why the Desert Belle Tour Boat Deserves a Spot on Your “Must-See” List
With an extensive route that takes visitors around the lake on a cruise that lasts an hour and a half, The Desert Belle exposes those on board to the otherworldly atmosphere of Arizona. From unique wildlife to panoramic vistas and monolithic canyon walls, it’s the ideal way to experience the dramatic landscape of the desert.
Tours on the Desert Belle are narrated, providing further insight into the fascinating natural history of Saguaro Lake and the surrounding area. Drinks are available on the boat as well, including beer and wine, making it the perfect outing for taking in a desert sunset with a glass of wine or a palatable beer.
Additionally, the boat departs for its cruises regardless of whether it rains—a rare and happy event in Arizona when it does happen—allowing visitors to soak up the desert experience during any time of the year from the comfort of the boat’s enclosed and air-conditioned portions. In the rare instance that tours are cancelled due to the weather, visitors are allowed to reschedule to another time. Be sure to explore our wonderful VRBO rentals in Scottsdale, AZ!
The Wonders of the Arizonan Desert Await You with Parsons Villas
Contact our reservation specialists to find out further information on the Desert Belle Tour Boat and other one-of-a-kind attractions and activities that Arizona has to offer during your stay when you reserve your vacation rentals in Scottsdale through Parsons Villas today.
An Upscale Shooting Range Experience
Located just a short drive north from Old Town Scottsdale, Scottsdale Gun Club is the ultimate place to go for gun enthusiasts of all types—from veteran marksmen with years of experience to first-timers who want to experience the power of a gun for themselves. Housing a shooting range and a retail store for guns and equipment, as well as rentals, classes, and services for cleaning and repair, Scottsdale Gun Club offers just about anything firearm-related that you can think of.
What Makes the Scottsdale Gun Club Worth the Visit
The highlight of Scottsdale Gun Club is its expansive shooting range, which has the added benefit of being open to the public (though memberships to the Scottsdale Gun Club are available). Consisting of over thirty indoor and air-conditioned shooting lanes housed within four bays, there is enough space here for you and all of your traveling companions to each take your turn firing the awesome power of a gun. Top-of-the-line technology assists in providing an enhanced shooting experience, from sound dampening to touch screen control panels and a programmable rotating target system.
Gun rentals offered at the Scottsdale Gun Club include long guns like rifles and shotguns, handguns, and machine guns. A wide range of training classes are also available from basic pistol classes to defensive classes, rifle cleaning seminars, and intro firearms classes for children. Scottsdale Gun Club also offers an in-house store that carries everything from handguns and shotguns to ammunition, magazines, holsters, and even clothing and accessories.
Parsons Villas – Where All Great Scottsdale Stories Begin
Contact our team of reservation specialists to find out more about the Scottsdale Gun Club and other exciting attractions and activities located in Scottsdale and the rest of the Arizonan Desert when you book your vacation in one of the impossibly gorgeous vacation rentals in Scottsdale that are available for your stay through Parsons Villas today.
Book our Scottsdale Vacation Rentals today!
Scottsdale Go-Kart Racing
Every young kid likes to go fast. Who didn’t dream about racing around the racetrack in a stock car when they were little, feeling the rush of wind and adrenaline pumping through their veins. It’s not quite as full-throttle, but go-karts offer a hint at the excitement of a full-size vehicle while being significantly safer and more accessible.
Octane Raceway in Scottsdale, Arizona offers drivers young and old the chance to test their mettle on an indoor racetrack. This exciting experience puts you behind the wheel of a surprisingly powerful go-kart and pits you against each other in a race to finish the fastest lap. Read on for more information about Octane Raceway in Scottsdale!
The Karts
Octane Raceway features the most advanced go-kart in the world, the Sodi RTX racing kart. This electric kart has a top speed of 45mph, a disc braking system, a center mounted motor that allows for more precise handling and acceleration, and dynamic adjustment on its seat, pedals and wheel to accommodate riders of all sizes. Best of all, these go-karts have zero emissions, good for both your lungs and the environment!
How to Ride
Potential drivers must sign a waiver before getting in their kart, and they must wear closed-toe shoes. Any riders under the age of 18 must have a parent sign for them, either in person on online before arrival. Additionally, each driver must be at least 4’6” tall, but there is no actual age restriction for the junior races. To race in the adult races, you must be at least 16 years old.
You can book your race times ahead online, or you can simply show up and pay. After you register at the front desk, you will be given a race time. When your race time arrives, put on your helmet (tightening the helmet’s chin strap properly) and watch a short video before motoring out onto the raceway.
The Track
Octane Raceway features an indoor/outdoor track that is 1/3 mile in length. Each section of the track is designed to test the ability of each driver in different ways. Weave through quick turns, speed down the straightaways, and jockey for position with your fellow drivers to be named the fastest on the course!
Race for the Top Spot
Races at Octane are conducted under the Fastest Lap format, so there’s no need to actually fight to pass your fellow drivers. Each race has a set number of laps, and the drivers will be ranked based on their best-timed lap. Slower vehicles will be asked to move aside for those driving at higher speeds, and safety is of the utmost importance. Be sure to follow the directions of the supervisors at all times.
For more exciting attractions in Scottsdale, be sure to contact Parsons Villas today! We have your ticket to a great vacation in the Valley of the Sun. Be sure to explore our wonderful VRBO rentals in Scottsdale, AZ!
Click here to browse available Scottsdale vacation rentals!
High Performance Driving and Racing
If you’ve ever watched NASCAR or Formula One, you may have admired how the drivers expertly maneuvered their vehicles around corners while jockeying for position. The speed, the skill—it can be quite enthralling! But have you ever wondered where they learned it all, or wanted to learn for yourself?
Enter Bondurant Racing School, one of the top driving schools in the country. Highly decorated racing professional Bob Bondurant opened his school way back in 1986, and ever since the Bondurant Racing School has been training the best drivers in the world with the Bondurant Method. Read on to learn more about the thrilling history of racing—and how you can learn to drive racecars yourself!
Racing Programs
Aimed at the thrill-seekers who want to drive the high-speed cars they see on TV, Bondurant provides expert lessons in Forza Motorsport Grand Prix Road Racing and Advanced Formula Car Racing. No prior experience is needed for the Grand Prix Road Racing course, making this a great way to start your racing journey! You will learn race theory, skid control, heel-&-toe downshifting, weight transfer, ABS braking, racing etiquette and more. As the most popular course offered by Bondurant, you will build your ability to handle a racecar in a safe environment. Once you’ve completed this Grand Prix course, you can move on to the Formula Car course for even more advanced techniques!
Everyday Driving Skills
Not everyone wants the adrenaline pumping experience afforded by racing, however, and Bondurant also offers driving courses aimed at the everyday commuter. We can often develop bad habits when driving, and Bondurant will trim away at these poor choices while building strong driving skills designed to keep you safe. Accident avoidance and car control are important in both racing and everyday driving; let Bondurant teach you to drive with precision!
Parents will be extra happy to note that Bondurant offers Advanced Teen Driving courses. If your child is about to start driving on their own, don’t you want to know that they have the skills necessary to come home in one piece? Bondurant offers one to three day courses that will give your teen driver all the knowledge and ability they need to steer clear of accidents and build confidence in themselves.
Make Driving Fun Again
Corporate events, one-on-one training—you name it, you can find it at Bondurant Racing School. If you’ve become bored with driving (and really, who hasn’t at some point?) a visit to Bondurant can instill a sense of wonder and excitement again. Visit their location in Chandler, Arizona to get started.
Browse our amazing Scottsdale vacation rentals and book yours today!
Whether you like the sweet and rough sounds of jazz, the soulful sound of blues, or the passionate refrains of rock and roll, you must admit that music makes coping with life easier, and instruments make creating music easier.
When visiting Scottsdale, any music lover must check out Musical Instrument Museum. The museum offers seven fabulous galleries filled with musical instruments and history, as well as live concerts. There is something at MIM Phoenix for everyone’s musical tastes.
Useful Links for the Musical Instrument Museum
Mesa Arts Center | Music Instrument Museum | Sandra Terrace
Galleries
The Geographic Galleries are a great place to start your tour of the Musical Instrument Museum. You can explore the world through its music by seeing instruments from many countries and learning about their cultural significance. One exhibit pairs traditional clothing with instruments from South Asia and the Middle East. An exhibit focusing on American music tells you the history of Martin and Steinway and gives you a glimpse of the life of Elvis Presley. You can also have a gander at the world’s largest sousaphone.
If you prefer to make your own music, you can visit The Experience and Encore Galleries, where you can play instruments from all over the world. Children and adults alike will love strumming a Burmese harp or tapping an African drum.
The STEM gallery finds an entertaining way to teach kids about science. The exhibit about the human ear will show you how we hear music, while the exhibit on sound explains the mathematics behind music.
Concerts
If you would rather hear music than analysis it, you may want to check out some of the concerts at MIM Phoenix. The soul, rhythm and blues and funk group, Take 6, is a frequent performer. The vocal group sings both acapella and with instrumental accompaniment, with perfect rhythm and harmony.
Artists who have performed at the Musical Instrument Museum include folk star Todd Snider and country star Corb Lund. The museum also offers several outdoor music experience festivals throughout the year, such as The Arizona Experience and the Caribbean Experience.
Accommodations
After an educational and energizing day of listening to music at MIM Phoenix, you will want your own sanctuary to come home to where you can enjoy more music or the sound of silence. Parsons Villas has the most beautiful vacation homes in the state of Arizona.
Whether you want a luxurious villa for a large group or a cozy abode for your family we can find you the perfect place to stay.
Browse through our website or call us today at 408-781-0717 to book one of our amazing Scottsdale vacation rentals.
There may be no architect whose work is more revered or recognizable as the renowned Frank Lloyd Wright. Mr. Wright was the father of organic architecture, a philosophy which asserted that structures had to be in harmony with their environment. Although he was a Chicagoan for most of his life, circumstances eventually led him to build a getaway in Scottsdale known as Taliesin West. Today, the home has been turned into a school of architecture and a popular tourist attraction.
The expansive home is nestled in the McDowell Mountains. It served not only as a winter home for Mr. Wright, but also as a laboratory of architecture. Guided tours of the property are available, and each of the five tours has a different theme. No matter which one you chose, you are sure to learn a lot about design and the rich history of Taliesin West.
Insights Tour
Visit the private quarters of the famous architect himself and have a look at the drafting studio where he worked his magic. In addition to his designs, Mr. Wright was also a writer and a lover of music. Taliesin Arizona houses a music pavilion and a cabaret.
The Night Lights Tour
Mr. Wright’s brilliant designs never looked more beautiful than they do at night. Visitors are sure to love the home’s interior, where large windows and sloping glass ceilings allow visitors a fabulous view of the desert sky. You will also meet his fire-breathing dragon statue. Bring a date, but not the kiddies; children under 13 are not welcome on this tour.
Behind the Scenes
Enjoy tea and snacks on this thorough tour where you will not only see the living quarters and working area of Taliesin Arizona, but a unique desert site. You will want to bring your walking shoes for this tour, as it goes on for three hours.
Details Tour
This tour gives those with an interest in architecture a more comprehensive view of Taliesin West. Your guide will answer every question you might have about each room and give you plenty of time to explore and take photos.
Junior Architects Tour
If your house runneth over with Legos ,this is the tour for you and your little Lego architect. Your guide will tell you all about Mr. Wright’s colorful imagination and the inception of his desert home.
Accommodations
After a day at Taliesin West, you will want to come home to your own paradise. Parsons Villas has just the place for you and your family.
Our fabulous Scottsdale vacation rentals come equipped with everything your heart desires, so call us at 480-781-0717 or visit our website.
Arizona Vacation Rentals
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Who doesn’t love the sight of a beautiful butterfly fluttering along a wooded path? One of Scottsdale’s most exceptional attractions is Butterfly Wonderland, a nature preserve dedicated entirely to the study of the colorful and elusive insects. The main conservatory is an indoor rainforest that is home to over 3000 species of butterfly. Butterfly Wonderland has several permanent exhibits for visitors to enjoy.
The Butterfly Emergence Gallery
The caterpillar’s transformation into a butterfly is often used as a metaphor in literature for change and growth. The Emergence Gallery will give you a chance to see it happen for real as you see a former caterpillar emerge from its chrysalis as a butterfly and fly into the main conservatory to begin its short life.
3D Theater
You will learn everything you wanted to know about butterflies while wearing a pair of every movie lover’s favorite glasses. The short film, “Flight of the Butterflies,” is presented in English with Spanish subtitles.
Rainforest Reptile Exhibit
Although you may not want to think about it, there are some creatures that consider the butterfly nothing more than a crunchy snack. The reptile exhibit is the newest attraction at Butterfly Wonderland, introducing visitors to the many colorful amphibians and snakes who live in the rainforest.
Honey Bee Extravaganza
The honey bee is one of the world’s most essential and endangered species. This exhibit will let you watch them make their sticky magic right in front of you in a simulated hive. When they are not making honey, they are off pollinating the flowers in the conservatory.
Spineless Giants
This exhibit focuses on the large arthropods of the rainforest. An arthropod is an invertebrate animal that has an exoskeleton and a segmented body. Walking sticks and some butterflies are considered arthropods.
The Tropical Waters of the World
Anyone who has ever watched the Discovery Channel knows that the river contains some interesting and scary fish. Here you will see those fish right up close, separated by only a piece of glass.
The museum is open seven days a week from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. Tickets are $23.50 for adults and $15.95 for children.
Accommodations
After a day spent at Butterfly Wonderland in Scottsdale, you will want to come home to a quiet place where you can relax and get ready for another day in Scottsdale.
Parsons Villas can help you find the perfect Scottsdale vacation homes; call us at 480-781-0717.
Danish writer Isak Densen once said, “The cure for anything is saltwater: sweat, tears or the sea.” If you are in Arizona and you are not sad enough to cry or hot enough to sweat, you may find yourself in a predicament, as the state is not close to the ocean. Fortunately, you can visit a reasonable facsimile of the sea at OdySea Aquarium, which is the largest aquarium in the Southwest.
OdySea in Scottdale is open from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm on Sunday and from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm all other days of the week. Tickets are $75.95 for adults and $54.95 for kids. Before you get sticker shock, you must realize this is no ordinary aquarium. In addition to educating people about fish and sea vegetation, the aquarium also has some unique tours and exhibits.
Helpful Links for OdySea Aquarium
Butterfly Wonderland | Odysea Aquarium | Cochise Villa
The Bizarre and Beautiful Gallery
This exhibit will introduce you to some of the strangest creatures in the ocean. You will meet an axolotl, a fish that can regenerate its own organs. Be sure to check out the hidden viewing area behind the crab exhibit. You can find a tunnel that leads to a bubble window where you can get a better look at these curious fish.
The Penguin Interaction Program
If you are a fan of the adorable and fascinating flightless waterfowl known as the penguin, you will want to participate in this program. The experience is limited to eight participants at a time. These lucky people actually get to meet and interact with African black footed penguins for forty-five minutes.
The OdySea Voyager
The Voyager is the newest and largest exhibit at OdySea Scottsdale. Guests sit in stadium seating in a revolving underwater theater with 46-foot windows. They are then “submerged” in a “submarine” and taken through a narrated ocean adventure.
SeaTrek
The SeaTrek experience allows visitors to walk under water and meet many of the sea creatures by use of a special helmet that weighs seventy-two pounds on land, but only fifteen under water. The tour takes about an hour, with twenty minutes of helmet time.
Accommodations
The OdySea Aquarium is certainly worth a trip to Scottsdale all by itself. But where will you stay? Parsons Villas offers many vacation homes to chose from.