Tours in Gold Camp

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.

When it wasn’t busy serving as Disney's exclusive Jeep tour provider, Red Rock Western Jeep Tours earned an Experience Arizona Reader's Choice award in 2009 for its adventurous mix of jeep, horseback, and helicopter tours through the picturesque red rocks of the Sedona canyons. Guides arrange breathtaking views from land and air, sending Jeeps rambling across panoramic vistas or arranging bird's-eye peeks with helicopter tours or rides on the back of passing rocs. Vortex tours delve into otherworldly phenomena with access to the mystic energies lurking in the medicine grounds of the Sedona Vortices. Group tours and horseback rides inspire trail-time camaraderie, and romantic wine tours proffer spirits from Oak Creek's Javelina Leap Vineyards & Winery, nestled among the region's vineyard-laced hillsides.

Jack Cleeves stands tall in the annals of helicopter tourism with a career now spanning more than 25 years and innovations that led the way for helicopter tourism in the area. His reputation as a top chopper baron began with an early series of firsts: he was the first pilot ever granted a five-year landing spot on the bottom of the Grand Canyon—when others had to touch down on the canyon brim and feed the meters—the first to install air conditioning in his helicopters, and the first to grant every client guaranteed flights.

Upon earning the trust of high-profile organizations—such as the U.S. Department of the Interior and several major Las Vegas casino-hotels—the aviator known for his impeccably maintained aircrafts got around to establishing Sky Blue Helicopters in 2011. Using Robinson R44 Raven II Series helicopters, the company helps train the next generation of pilots and specializes in Jack's signature aerial tours. On each trip, groups glide over desert, mountains, and canyons as pilots tell the stories of the area’s history and passengers take in nature’s showmanship from above.

Ranked as one of the top five tours in Phoenix by TripAdvisor, Taste It Tours explores Phoenix's bustling and burgeoning restaurants. Local experts guide groups to the restaurants that highlight Phoenix’s local eateries, weaving architectural, historical, and cultural information into their narration along the way. Most tours last three hours and may cover up to two miles on foot. The up-to-six-stop tours serve up a sampler that many guests equate to a full meal and that many bears equate to a prehibernation brunch.

Helmed by animated guide Marvin Neer, Segway Expeditions’ fleet of i2 segways zips along urban pathways and desert landscapes during scenic tours of Phoenix and Scottsdale. After strapping on fitted helmets, guests throw lassos around the handlebars of nearby segways and hop onto their backs to begin a 15-minute safety lesson. Marvin then leads packs out on tours of Papago Park, Scottsdale Green Belt, South Mountain Park, or Tempe Beach Park, commenting on the local flora and fauna as they swoosh by. A gyroscopically self-balancing mechanism keeps the segway stable as it cruises at speeds of up to 12 miles per hour, so riders need not worry about falling off their metallic steeds during sharp turns or impromptu jousts.

Over the sands the desert, the sunset paints the landscape with a thrilling palette of rose, orange, and vivid gold. Desert Sky Tours West gives its passengers a bird's-eye view of the natural artwork with panoramic vistas from 7,000 feet in the air. In the company's three-passenger plane, passengers soak in the sights as a pilot with 11 years of experience guides them into the air.

Romantic tour packages enhance the views with sparkling wine and strawberries and possible add-ons such as dinner and transportation from the airport. The flights soar over shadowy sand dunes and the city of Phoenix as night falls and its glittering lights and sandy godzillas emerge. Desert Sky Tours West also leads aerial jaunts above the winding shores of Lake Havasu and the red sandstone of Sedona reaching out to meet the blue horizon.