Phoenix & the Valley of the Sun - American Southwest - page 443

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tour of Phoenix and the Valley of the Sun for $52; reservations are necessary. The tour
points out such local landmarks as the state capitol, Heritage Square, Arizona State Uni-
versity, and Old Town Scottsdale. If you're looking for a simple overview of the city, these
tours are fine, but you won't get more than a passing acquaintance with the various
locales.
HOT AIR BALLOON RIDES The still morning air of the Valley of the Sun is perfect
for hot-air ballooning, and because of the stiff competition, prices are among the lowest
in the country. Over the Rainbow ( & 602/225-5666; www.letsgoballooning.com)
charges only $159 for a 1- to 1 1 / 2 -hour flight, while Adventures Out West ( & 800/755-
0935 or 480/991-3666; www.adventuresoutwest.com) charges $175 to $205 (or $195-
$225 with transportation from your Scottsdale hotel) for a 1-hour flight.
JEEP TOURS After spending a few days in Scottsdale, you'll likely start wondering
where the desert is. Well, it's out there, and the easiest way to explore it is to book a Jeep
tour. Most hotels and resorts work with particular companies, so start by asking your
concierge. Alternatively, you can contact one of the following companies. Most will pick
you up at your hotel, take you off through the desert, and maybe even let you pan for
gold or shoot a six-gun. Depending on how many people there are in your party and
where you're staying, expect to pay around $75 to $85 for a 3-hour tour. Companies include
Arizona Desert Mountain Jeep Tours ( & 800/567-3619; www.azdesertmountain.
com) and Arizona Bound Tours ( & 480/962-6620; www.arizonabound.com).
If you want to really impress your friends when you get home, you'll need to try
something a little different. How about a Hummer tour? Sure, a Hummer is nothing but
a Jeep on steroids, but these off-road vehicles still turn heads. Contact Desert Storm
Hummer Tours ( & 866/374-8637 or 480/922-0020; www.dshummer.com), which
charges $95 for a 4-hour tour ($75 for children 6-16); or Stellar Adventures ( & 877/
878-3552 or 602/402-0584; www.stellaradventures.com), which charges $135 for a
basic 4-hour tour ($95 for children 10 and under) and $165 for its advanced tour. Both
companies also offer night tours ($145-$165) that let you spot wildlife with night-vision
equipment.

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7 GETTING OUTSIDE

BICYCLING Although the Valley of the Sun is a sprawling place, it's mostly flat and
has numerous paved bike paths, which makes bicycling a breeze as long as it isn't windy
or, in the summer, too hot. In Scottsdale, Arizona Outback Adventures, 16447 N. 91st
St., Ste. 101 ( & 866/455-1601 or 480/945-2881; www.azoutbackadventures.com),
rents road bikes for $50 to $85 per day, hybrid bikes for $35 per day, and mountain bikes
for $35 to $85 per day. Mountain-biking trail maps are also available. This company also
does half-day and full-day guided mountain-bike tours.
Among the best mountain-biking spots in the city are Papago Park (at Van Buren St.
and Galvin Pkwy.), Phoenix South Mountain Park (use the entrance off Baseline Rd. on
48th St.), and North Mountain Preserve (off Seventh St., btw. Dunlap Ave. and Thun-
derbird Rd.). With its rolling topography and wide dirt trails, Papago Park is the best
place for novice mountain bikers to get in some desert riding (and the scenery here is
great). For hard-core pedalers, Phoenix South Mountain Park is the place to go.
There's also plenty of good road biking and mountain biking up in the Cave Creek
area, where you can rent a bike for $45 a day at Flat Tire Bike Shop, 6149 E. Cave Creek