Year-Round Golf in Phoenix

There may not be another city more appropriately nicknamed than Phoenix – The Valley of the Sun. Arizona's state capital and one of the five largest cities in the country, Phoenix enjoys over 300 days of sunshine a year and an average temperature of 74 degrees. Now is the time to take advantage of the weather and enjoy amazing winter and spring temperatures, even outdoors.

While many cities are under winter watch, Phoenix in winter and spring are the time to get out and golf. With over 200 courses, there are plenty of options. One of the best options is the public Dinosaur Course at Gold Canyon Ranch in Apache Junction. Good enough to compete? Enter the 2010 Phoenix City Amateur Golf Championship. This event is played over two weekends in March at four different Phoenix courses. Play Maryvale, Encanto, Cave Creek, and Aquila courses with a bit of pressure to perform and great bragging rights for the winner. The 45th annual Phoenix Metropolitan Women's Golf Championship is also played in March. Amateur female golfers, enjoy the Cave Creek course while competing in this long standing Phoenix tradition.

Play Ball! Spring in the Valley of the Sun brings the Cactus League – Baseball's spring training circuit. The 2010 season welcomes the Cincinnati Reds to the schedule. Nine of the eleven stadiums used by the Cactus League are in the greater Phoenix area. Fifteen well known Major League Baseball teams from across the country gather for pre-season play and gear up for the regular seasons back home. Games are played everyday through March and early April. No experience can beat spring training for baseball fans. Pick your teams, the days you want and come on out to the ballpark.

14th Annual Arizona Bike Week 2010 presents Cyclefest at WestWorld mid April. WestWorld is Scottsdale's premier special events facility. With pre rally events, this is a full week jammed with activities for any motorcycle fan. Events include nightly concerts with top name entertainers including; Dierks Bentley, Vince Neil and George Thorogood. The Riding for Kids Charity Run kicks off the official events. This event benefits children's charities and starts at Buddy Stubbs Arizona Harley-Davidson. The final ride of the 2010 Bike Week, which also benefits kids, is a 110 mile ride through the beautiful Sonoran Desert in spring bloom.

NASCAR Fans, the Phoenix International Raceway presents NASCAR'S Subway Fresh Fit 600 even the second weekend in April. Featuring a full weekend of events, culminating with the Sprint Cup Series Subway Fresh Fit 600 race on Saturday. The weather will be perfect to spend the entire day at the track. Bring the family and enjoy a weekend of NASCAR Events.

Tickets are on sale now for the Heard Museum's 52nd annual Indian Fair and Market. Held the first week in March, this is a must attend festival for collectors and aficionados of Native American arts and culture. This Heard Guild Festival is Arizona's largest Native American market.

Best Western Hotels are located throughout the Valley of the Sun, ready to meet your travel needs. Conveniently located and affordable, choose Best Western Hotels to make your stay complete.

Grand Canyon in Northern Arizona

Visitors to Northern Arizona are often surprised to be in the largest Ponderosa Pine forest in the United States complete with snow capped mountains and unexpected cold weather. From Flagstaff and the San Francisco Peaks, east on I 40 to the White Mountains, winter and spring is a winter wonderland, not the warm desert getaway some expect.

Flagstaff is centered in the crossroads of Northern Arizona, convenient to east west travel along I 40 and historic route 66, as well a a gate way to the Grand Canyon and points north. Coined the City of Seven Wonders, Flagstaff is surrounded by amazing geography and natural resources, including the San Francisco Peaks and Sunset Crater.

Ski Report: 2010 has been a banner year for snow in the mountains, ensuring some great spring skiing at the Arizona Snowbowl near Flagstaff. Look for specials that include Women's Wednesdays, Boomer's on Thursdays and Family or Freestyle Fridays.

With the waning of ski season, city sights start coming alive. April brings the opening of the Flagstaff Arboretum. Educational and entertaining, visit to learn about the native flora and fauna of the Colorado Plateau. Spring is the best season to take in the indoor exhibits, and opening this year features a live birds of prey show and program. A terrific opportunity for the entire family to see birds up close in natural setting.

Express your artistic side April and May at the Annual Flagstaff Recycled Art Exhibition. Demonstrations by the artists and workshops are held on Saturdays both months. The exhibition is held at the Coconino Center for the Arts and features works of art which must be 80% composed of recycled materials. You will see amazing works of art from the wacky to the unimaginable. You may think twice the next time you fill the recycle bin.

At the Grand Canyon, the average time spent looking at the canyon is approximately 17 minutes. Winter is a great time to extend the viewing. Although hiking may be out of the question, snow adds exceptional beauty to the vista by highlighting the crags and crevices along the canyon edges. Find a spot to spend some time, watch as the sun moves through the day - see the shadows come and go, watch the colors change and soak in the grandeur of the canyon.

The Grand Canyon Railway is a fun and relaxing way to see the Grand Canyon. The train leaves from Williams, just 30 minutes west of Flagstaff. The train was the original mass transit used in the early 20th century for visitors and development of the area. Enjoy the two hour ride through the pine forests and see the canyon without the hassle of driving and parking. Sedona, in Northern Arizona, is widely known by metaphysical enthusiasts as an energy vortex and global power spot. With the majestic beauty of the red rock formations and breathtaking vistas, every visitor will leave inspired by nature and the beauty of the area. Plan a visit for the end of February and attend the Sedona International Film Festival, or in May for the Sedona Bluegrass Festival. Take in world class entertainment in one of the world's most incredible natural settings.

Best Western Hotels are convenient in Northern Arizona, whether you are traveling through the stark beauty of the Indian Reservations or the Mountain forests. With affordable accommodations, Best Western Hotels will meet all your lodging needs.

Tucson Mountain State Park
Tucson, Arizona

From Tucson's luxury resorts and golf courses to the planked sidewalks of Tombstone, southern Arizona offers an immense variety of sights and attractions for visitors. Almost forgotten ghost towns, rugged desert terrain, and the urban attractions of the city are the regions calling cards. With mild winter temperatures and the seasonal spike in population, it is an exciting and vibrant region to visit in the Winter and Spring. From Yuma in the West to Douglas in the east there are also interesting towns along the US Mexico border to enjoy the melting pot of cultures.

Tombstone, in old west lore, is the town too tough to die, and it has not. Today, its historic preservation efforts, render it one of America's best examples of the old west. Famous for the gunfight at OK corral, with good guys Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday, reenactments of the gunfight are a popular event today.

South of Tombstone on the Mexico Border sits Douglas, a small town with some big stories. The town was settled during the days of Wyatt Earp and Geronimo, providing real old west drama to local history. The Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa was no stranger to Douglas, where you could hear his gun fire and watch the banditos ride through town. The seventh step in the marble stairs of the Hotel Gadsden is chipped from Pancho Villa riding his horse upstairs to the balcony. You had better book a Best Western Hotel as the Gadsden is also reported to be haunted by the Gadsden ghost.

You can find all the best of Arizona in Tucson. In winter and spring, activities range from snow skiing to golfing and baseball. Ski Valley, outside Tucson on Mt Lemmon, is getting amazing snow this year and is reasonably priced for a family day on the slopes.

Baseball Fans: Tucson hosts two major league baseball teams for Spring Training. With two terrific facilities, you can catch any number of your favorite teams during March and Aprils exhibition games.

The Fourth Annual Fiesta de Saguaro is held the first of March, celebrating southern Arizona's Hispanic heritage. Immerse in the culture, enjoying mariachi music, traditional dance performances and pinata breaking for kids. There will be plenty of excellent food and demonstration making it a full and exciting day. The festival is held at Saguaro National Park East.

Gear up for the 100th annual Pima County Fair in April. Bring the entire family and enjoy the exhibits, animals, carnival rides and great entertainers. This year is not to be missed.

Music lovers get your tickets now for the Espectacular Concert, the finale to the La Frontera Tucson International Mariachi Conference. This is held April 20-24 at the Tucson Civic Center. The concert will feature Lila Downs in addition to well know Mariachi groups.

While you are in Tucson stop by the DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun for a retrospective exhibit of paintings by Ted DeGrazia. Through April, DeGrazia's paintings from his apprenticeship with famous Mexican muralist Diego Rivera are on exhibit. All the paintings were done while DeGrazia worked in Rivera's studio in 1942. This is an exceptional treat for fans of Latin American art.

Best Western Hotels are located through out Southern Arizona no matter where the road takes you. Convenient and affordable, choose Best Western for your lodging needs.