Flowing Wells, AZ Indoor Activities

Since 2002 The Loft Cinema, a nonprofit, has unspooled a constantly changing lineup of independent, foreign, and classic films. The classic big screen in the main theater and secondary screen upstairs flicker with a full schedule of small-run documentaries and feature films. Special themed series—such as Late Night Cult Classics, which exposes night owls to quirky hits, and One Hit Wonders, one-night-only showings of thought-provoking documentaries—bring little-seen titles to life in brilliant 35 mm. An eclectic concession stand dispenses snacks both familiar and creative, including popcorn drizzled with real butter, vegan cookies, craft beers, and licorice boom mics that are slowly lowered over guests’ heads.

High above the Sonoran desert, on the Tohono O'odham Reservation, the Kitt Peak National Observatory keeps track of the night sky with the world's largest collection of independent telescopes. Throughout the day, guides lead tours of three of the behemoths, including the world's largest solar telescope and a historic gazing dome built in 1973 to broadcast the moon explorers’ games of golf. On those chilly desert evenings, visitors can take part in the nightly observing program and view distant planets and far-off galaxies through 20- and 16-inch telescopes. Reservations are recommended; the program is quite popular and stars tend to shyly hide behind comets around large groups.

Located on the University of Arizona’s campus, the Flandrau Science Center and Planetarium opens the eyes of all ages to the scientific wonders of our planet, solar system, and universe. The center houses a mineral collection that dates back to 1892, and now holds more than 26,000 specimens including meteorites and minerals from Arizona, Mexico, and elsewhere in the world. They also feature exhibits such as an exploration of Arizona’s Sky Islands—mountains that rise above the desert basins and shelter myriad plants, birds, and animals. Other exhibits include Mars: Up Close and Personal, which features a scale model of the red planet’s surface.

Bridget Connelly’s journey to Pilate-cally Correct included many pit stops. At the first, in Philadelphia, she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the University of the Arts. At the next, in Miami, she completed the Core Dynamics Pilates teacher-training program. She then practiced in Miami and established a not-for-profit Pilates organization, moved to Paris and taught for two years, and finally settled in Tucson—her hometown. Here, she assumed ownership of Pilates Experience and transformed it into Pilate-cally Correct. Today, Bridget and her staff continue to spread the healing benefits of Pilates through private sessions, group mat classes, and small-group reformer classes. They also offer Xtreme Barre, which blends ballet and cardiovascular exercise with Pilates.

The instructors at Plexus Pilates strive to inspire their students to new levels of fitness by challenging them to learn experientially how Pilates’ muscle-strengthening benefits can enhance any lifestyle, from active to sedentary. During class, the instructors can teach any combination of floor-based mat exercises and machine-based moves on the Pilates Reformer, which generates gentle amounts of spring resistance to boost the difficulty of Pilates moves in much the same way a waterbed increases difficulty for a sleepwalking sloth. While instructors offer ample attention and step-by-step guidance for beginning students, the intermediate and advanced sessions require pupils to closely monitor their own form and technique. The studios' system can eventually teach attendees how to apply the skills of mindful muscle control and slow-motion high-fiving to everyday life.

Founder Brianna Arndt dreamed of a place where her fellow citizens checked their stress at the door, engaging only in meditative exercise and relaxing spa treatments. So she got her hands on a 2,400-square-foot studio with new, polished hardwood floors and used her know-how as a registered yoga teacher and massage therapist to open Barefoot Studio. Brianna blends an intimate knowledge of the body's workings into every class, choosing asanas that help relax, heal, or energize clients. Outside the studio, she employs massage to relax tense muscles or beautifies bodies with waxing, facials, and pedicures, the only known treatment for a chronic fear of toes.