Things to Do in Arizona City

The serious cyclist needs more than just a bike—there’s a whole inventory of gear, parts, and accessories that make bicycling fun, safe, and comfortable. That’s where ProBike Tucson steps in, offering the both essential bicycling components and new technology-enhanced gadgets, plus a team of techs to the keep bikes running smoothly. Riders outfit themselves in Garneau helmets, Oakley eyewear, and Shimano shoes that help improve performance while competing in cyclist fashion shows. Peruse ProBike’s selection of bikes, which spans brands from Pinarello and BMC to Ridley. Customers can chat with staff members to choose what kind of cycle would be best for their wants, whether road, mountain, tri, or urban bike.

Fitter Tim Carolan and mechanic Scott Anderson work to ensure that each cyclist's machine runs optimally with the cyclist’s body and with the road. Bikes can roll in for tune-ups and complete overhauls. For especially mysterious problems—perhaps when the brake stops working or when the bicycle bell keeps attracting unwanted mountain lions—the shop’s staff is happy to take look and determine the problem.

The Toro Loco Challenge fuses the arts of mud running, obstacle navigation, and adventure into twin courses––one competitive and one recreational. On the Raging Bull path, challengers hurtle through muddy terrain while confronting obstacles such as ziplines and spinning balance beams. On the 5K Leisurely Longhorn Course, dogs and children run along with racers over ropes and puddles. Music fills the air at the finish line, and prizes are awarded to the boldest costumes, the most spirited teams, and the most nimble pups. Proceeds from the Toro Loco Challenge will benefit the Petfinder Foundation, and adoptable dogs will be on hand throughout the event.

Step beneath the domed, packed-mud ceiling of a traditional Navajo family dwelling. Weave a Yavapi burden basket. Explore a secluded garden filled with bronze sculptures of women in prayer. By immersing visitors in Native American artifacts and artworks, the Heard Museum's exhibits strive to illuminate the cultural legacy of Arizona’s indigenous peoples. The collections emphasize first-person accounts of Native cultures, not only through artwork, but also in interviews with Native Americans, portraits by Navajo photographers, and monthly lectures. In addition to showcasing historical artifacts, the Heard Museum exhibits contemporary American Indian artwork. Like a ballerina trapped on a carousel, exhibits rotate often, and have included collections of Native American bolo ties, Hopi pottery, and 20th-century paintings depicting Native ceremony. Passing on cultural traditions to future generations, the staff educates children with tours, and brings Native American presentations and curricula to area schools.

The Arizona Republic and its online reviewers love the Phoenix Symphony, and Kudzu users give it five stars:

Challenger Space Center Arizona is on a mission: to excite and educate its visitors about science and the vast wonders of outer space. That excitement starts as soon as guests walk onto the entrance's elevated gantry bridge to see a four-story, space-themed mural painted by Robert McCall. Then it's on to the museum, where the center's affiliation with the Smithsonian Institution enables it to offer top-notch exhibits, which range from a model of an Iridium satellite to three separate meteorite exhibits. Beneath the planetarium’s night sky, stargazers can learn about the stars or test their wishes out on different constellations. Regular Family Star Nights encourage families to bond over stargazing presentations, a simulated shuttle launch, and other activities.

To immerse themselves in the space experience, groups can also sign up for two-hour simulated space missions that unfold in three spaces: a mission control room designed after the Johnson Space Center; the Spacecraft, which simulates a room onboard the International Space Station; and the Earth Space Transit Module, which helps crew members dock there.

For all their ubiquity, chain restaurants seldom embody the same character and culture as their independently owned counterparts. That’s where Arizona Food Tours comes in. With their signature A Taste of Old Town Scottsdale tour, the company introduces visitors to the idiosyncrasies and food of the desert burg, from classic western grub to the local wine bars that pour cabernet and red zinfandel for diners and thirsty cacti.