Things to Do in Gold Camp

Koko Bee's Playhouse entertains tykes aged 10 and younger with a slew of indoor activities staged safely in sight of parents. Little feet blaze trails across the slide-filled subdivisions of playhouses that sprawl across the facility’s carpeted interior. The inflatable bounce house hosts jumping contests in its pillowy cavern, a train table entrances the minds of aspiring engineers, and a diaper-clad bouncer checks for photo IDs at the toddler-only play area. Toy dolls and tool sets inspire hours of imaginative play, and romps through the spaceship and medieval castle enlighten kids to the playtime customs of their historical counterparts. The staff orchestrates themed days on which kids can paint faces or blow bubbles and curates celebratory gatherings with private and public party packages. Free WiFi fills the café area, where parents sip on coffee as their concerned youngsters search the internet for cooties remedies.

Fun facilitators Monica and Gabor accelerate customers’ heartbeats with exhilarating motorcycle rentals through AZride.com. Gabor, a biker since the age of 14, started AZride by deciding to combine his cherished hobby with more than 20 years of collected industry experience. His infectious love for riding spread to Monica, AZride’s guest-relations expert, who personally tends to each customer’s reservations and special requests for a Batcycle. AZride's enthusiastic duo hosts customized and guided motorcycle tours across Arizona’s arid landscapes or equips customers to explore their surroundings with structured ride plans for private self-guided tours.

Sew from the Heart beats with owner Susie's passion for textiles and fashion cultivated during her more than 40 years as a seamstress. Together with husband Hank, a retired Air Force fighter pilot who traded brawny planes for delicate needles, she shares her love with the public via a menu of classes ranging from embroidery and quilting to garment creation. The husband-and-wife team teaches students sewing-machine and software use, and frequently leads workshops such as how to turn T-shirts into quilts and how to turn quilts into T-shirts for giants. Their spacious store also houses a seemingly endless array of sewing products, stocking kits with threads and fabrics or outfitting workshops with machines, books, and software.

If you see a group of pilgrims or zombies wandering your streets, you can take comfort in the fact that it's probably not a reenactment of the American Civil War. It's likely one of Ryfle Events' scavenger hunts, which sends costumed participants on a race that fuses physical challenges, clue solving, and urban exploration. Race planners award cash prizes to the winners, who can compete in a championship round at the end of the year.

An understated wedding bouquet. A stately dining room centerpiece. A single red rose. The designers at Absolute Floral Farms understand the impact that flowers can have, drawing on their decades of experience and influences ranging from traditional Western arrangements to tropical Tongan floral compositions to instruct students in the fine art of flower craft. During each class, they empower their pupils to shape their own wedding arrangements or fashion handmade prom boutonnieres, channeling the stress surrounding event planning into memorable bonding experiences with friends and family. Guests share drinks, laughs, and snapshots as they use the shop’s farm-sourced plants to learn what colors complement each other and which flowers fight to the death when dropped into the same container.

Founder Joani Castillo developed an abiding love for artistic endeavors in a dance class at the age of three. Those moments started her on a path that encompassed school musicals, dance teams, and a degree in theater education and dance before spending 14 years as a creative director at Word of Grace Church in Mesa. Today, Castillo and her team of passionate instructors help students learn an appreciation for their unique gifts and the ability to express themselves through a wide range of disciplines, hoping to instill the same inspiration Joani felt as a youth. In the school’s workshops, young students create uplifting music in piano, vocal, and drum classes, convey a wide range of emotions in theater and dance courses, and make credible threats to run away with the circus after acing high-flying trapeze and aerial lessons.

Not only do the instructors at Experience Arts School help students realize their talents and potential with training for the stage but they enrich lives with outreach services, including mentoring programs, educational partnerships with schools, and free performances for hospitals and care facilities.