Phoenix & the Valley of the Sun - American Southwest - page 442

442

beneath the town. The Superstition Narrow Gauge Railroad circles the town, and the
Goldfield Livery Stables ( & 480/982-0133 ) offers horseback riding and carriage rides.
If you're here at lunchtime, you can get a meal at the steakhouse/saloon.
4650 N. Mammoth Mine Rd. (4 miles northeast of Apache Junction on Ariz. 88). & 480/983-0333. www.
goldfieldghosttown.com. Museum admission $4 adults, $3 seniors, $1 children ages 5-12; train rides $6
adults, $5 seniors, $4 children 5-12; mine tours $7 adults, $6 seniors, $4 children 6-12; horseback rides
$30 for 1 hr., $50 for 2 hr. Town daily 10am-5pm; museum, tour, and ride hours vary. Closed Christmas.
Hall of Flame Firefighting Museum Kids This world's largest firefighting
museum houses a fascinating collection of vintage firetrucks. The displays date from a
1725 English hand pumper to several classic engines from the 20th century. All are
beautifully restored and, mostly, fire-engine red. In all, more than 90 vehicles are on
display.
At Papago Park, 6101 E. Van Buren St. & 602/275-3473. www.hallofflame.org. Admission $6 adults, $5
seniors, $4 students 6-17, $1.50 children 3-5, free for children 2 and under. Mon-Sat 9am-5pm; Sun
noon-4pm. Closed New Year's Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Bus: 3. METRO light rail: Priest Dr./
Washington St.

McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park Kids If you or your kids happen to like
trains, you won't want to miss this park. On the grounds are restored railroad cars and
engines, two old railway depots, model railroad layouts, and, best of all, a 5 / 12 -scale model
railroad that takes visitors around the park. A 1929 carousel and a general store round
out the attractions.
7301 E. Indian Bend Rd. (at Scottsdale Rd.), Scottsdale. & 480/312-2312. www.therailroadpark.com.
Train $2; carousel rides $1; museum admission $1 adults, free for children 2 and under. Hours vary with
the season; call for schedule. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas (museum closed June-Sept). Bus: 72.
Rawhide at Wild Horse Pass Kids Sure, Rawhide is a tourist trap, but this fake cow
town is so much fun and such a quintessentially Phoenician experience that no family
should get out of town without first moseying down its dusty streets. Those streets are
lined with tourist shops and plenty of places for refreshments, including a steakhouse.
Attractions and activities include stunt shows, gunfights, trick-roping demonstrations, a
mechanical bull, gold panning, and stagecoach, burro, and train rides. February through
May and October and November, there are Saturday sundown cookouts ($45 adults, $19
children) with hayrides, live music, and storytellers. Throughout the year, there are spe-
cial events, including rodeos.
5700 W. North Loop Rd., Chandler. & 800/527-1880 or 480/502-5600. www.rawhide.com. Free admis-
sion (individual shows and rides $4; all-day ride/attractions pass $15). Hours vary with the seasons; call
for details.

13

6 ORGANIZED TOURS & EXCURSIONS

The Valley of the Sun is a sprawling, often congested place, and if you're unfamiliar with
the area, you may be surprised at the great distances between attractions. If map reading
and urban navigation are not your strong points, consider taking a guided tour. Numer-
ous companies offer tours of both the Valley of the Sun and the rest of Arizona. However,
tours of the Valley tend to include only brief stops at highlights.
BUS TOURS Gray Line Tours Phoenix ( & 800/777-3484 or 602/437-3484; www.
graylinephoenix.com) is one of the largest tour companies in the Valley. It offers a 4-hour