Three Affordable Arizona Adventures

Photo+Credit%3A++Old+Town+Scottsdale+Instagram

Photo Credit: Old Town Scottsdale Instagram

Nasreene Gant, OwlFeed Editor-in-Chief

If‌ ‌you‌ ‌live‌ ‌in‌ ‌Arizona,‌ ‌you‌ ‌know‌ ‌that‌ ‌one‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌many‌ ‌struggles‌ ‌of‌ ‌living‌ ‌in‌ ‌this‌ ‌dry‌ ‌state‌ ‌is‌ figuring‌ ‌out‌ ‌what‌ ‌there‌ ‌is‌ ‌for‌ ‌fun‌ ‌around.‌ ‌A‌ ‌lot‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌time‌ ‌the‌ ‌only‌ ‌fun‌ ‌that‌ ‌may‌ ‌come‌ ‌to‌ ‌mind‌ ‌is‌ ‌something‌ ‌that’s‌ ‌expensive‌ ‌like‌ ‌going‌ ‌to‌ ‌Castles‌ ‌and‌ ‌Coasters.‌ ‌ ‌

So‌ ‌what‌ ‌if‌ ‌I‌ ‌told‌ ‌you‌ ‌there‌ ‌are‌ ‌affordable‌ ‌and‌ ‌fun‌ ‌places‌ ‌to‌ ‌go‌ ‌to‌ ‌out‌ ‌here?‌ ‌The‌ ‌only‌ ‌catch‌ ‌is‌ ‌you‌ might‌ ‌have‌ ‌to‌ ‌do‌ ‌some‌ ‌hiking,‌ ‌but‌ ‌the‌ ‌destinations‌ ‌are‌ ‌worth‌ ‌it.‌ ‌That‌ ‌I‌ ‌can‌ ‌most‌ ‌definitely‌ ‌promise‌ ‌you.‌ 
Unfortunately,‌ ‌all‌ ‌of‌ ‌these‌ ‌places‌ ‌are‌ ‌a‌ ‌little‌ ‌far‌ ‌from‌ ‌our‌ ‌comfortable‌ ‌little‌ ‌Avondale,‌ ‌so‌ ‌the‌ ‌only‌ thing‌ ‌expensive‌ ‌about‌ ‌these‌ ‌trips‌ ‌might‌ ‌just‌ ‌be‌ ‌the‌ ‌gas‌ ‌if‌ ‌you‌ ‌haven’t‌ ‌already‌ ‌filled‌ ‌your‌ ‌tank.‌
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1. Old‌ ‌Town‌ ‌Scottsdale‌
If‌ ‌you’re‌ ‌like‌ ‌me‌ ‌you’ve‌ ‌never‌ ‌heard‌ ‌of‌ ‌Old‌ ‌Town‌ ‌Scottsdale‌ ‌and‌ ‌that’s‌ ‌perfectly‌ ‌okay.‌ ‌I’m‌ ‌here‌ to‌ ‌give‌ ‌you‌ ‌the‌ ‌411‌ ‌on‌ ‌this‌ ‌cute‌ ‌historic‌ ‌town‌ ‌that’ll‌ ‌take‌ ‌your‌ ‌breath‌ ‌away.‌
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As‌ ‌you‌ ‌may‌ ‌have‌ ‌guessed‌ ‌this‌ ‌blast‌ ‌from‌ ‌the‌ ‌past‌ ‌is‌ ‌most‌ ‌definitely‌ ‌in‌ ‌Scottsdale,‌ ‌Arizona,‌ ‌with‌ beautiful‌ ‌shops‌ ‌and‌ ‌restaurants‌ ‌lining‌ ‌the‌ ‌sidewalks.‌ ‌In‌ ‌this‌ ‌town‌, ‌there‌ ‌is‌ ‌always‌ ‌something‌ ‌to‌ do.‌ 
The‌ ‌town‌ ‌is‌ ‌“a‌ ‌step‌ ‌back‌ ‌in‌ ‌time…”‌ ‌according‌ ‌to‌ ‌Clevalander‌ ‌from‌ ‌‌Trip‌ ‌Advisor‌.‌ ‌“The‌ ‌old‌ ‌shops‌ and‌ ‌simple‌ ‌construction‌ ‌remind‌ ‌us‌ ‌of‌ ‌what‌ ‌life‌ ‌was‌ ‌like‌ ‌before‌ ‌the‌ ‌American‌ ‌Revolution‌ ‌in‌ ‌this‌ ‌ part‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌country.‌ ‌It’s‌ ‌charming‌ ‌and‌ ‌full‌ ‌of‌ ‌life‌ ‌with‌ ‌cafes,‌ ‌restaurants,‌ ‌shops‌ ‌, and‌ ‌bars.‌ ‌Full‌ ‌of‌ locals‌ ‌as‌ ‌well‌ ‌as‌ ‌foreigners‌ ‌and‌ ‌well‌ ‌worth‌ ‌a‌ ‌trip‌ ‌while‌ ‌visiting.”‌
The‌ ‌tour‌ ‌for‌ ‌Old‌ ‌Town‌ ‌Scottsdale‌ ‌is,‌ ‌you‌ ‌guessed‌ ‌it,‌ ‌free ‌because‌ ‌the‌ ‌only‌ ‌person‌ ‌showing‌ ‌you‌ around‌ ‌will‌ ‌be‌ ‌you.‌  ‌‌
However,‌ ‌you‌ ‌might‌ ‌have‌ ‌to‌ ‌also‌ ‌drop‌ ‌some‌ ‌cash‌ ‌on‌ ‌lunch‌ ‌or‌ ‌the‌ ‌events/exhibits‌ ‌that‌ ‌may‌ ‌be‌ ‌in‌ town‌ ‌when‌ ‌you’re‌ ‌there.‌
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If‌ ‌you’re‌ ‌wondering‌ ‌which‌ ‌one‌ ‌you‌ ‌should‌ ‌go‌ ‌to‌ ‌I‌ ‌suggest‌ ‌the‌ ‌‌Wonder‌ ‌Space‌ ‌Exhibit‌.‌ ‌They‌ happen‌ ‌to‌ ‌be‌ ‌in‌ ‌Scottsdale‌ ‌until‌ ‌the‌ ‌foreseeable‌ ‌future.‌ ‌Tickets‌ ‌are‌ ‌$15-$24‌ ‌depending‌ ‌on‌ ‌the‌ ‌day‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌week.‌
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For‌ ‌more‌ ‌information‌ ‌on‌ ‌events/exhibits,‌ ‌restaurants,‌ ‌hotels,‌ ‌and‌ ‌shops‌ ‌visit‌ ‌the‌ ‌website‌ ‌for‌ ‌‌Old‌ Town‌ ‌Scottsdale‌‌ ‌and‌ plan‌ ‌your‌ ‌next‌ ‌affordable‌ ‌trip.‌
2. Tonto‌ ‌Natural‌ ‌Bridge‌ ‌State‌ ‌Park‌ 

Much‌ ‌like‌ ‌Old‌ ‌Town‌ ‌Scottsdale,‌ ‌until‌ ‌I‌ ‌did‌ ‌a‌ ‌Google‌ ‌search‌ ‌on‌ ‌cool‌ ‌places‌ ‌to‌ ‌visit‌ ‌I‌ ‌had‌ ‌no‌ ‌clue‌ that‌ ‌this‌ ‌was‌ ‌something‌ ‌that‌ ‌we‌ ‌had.‌ ‌Now,‌ ‌I‌ ‌know‌ ‌that‌ ‌we‌ ‌have‌ ‌hiking‌ ‌trails‌ ‌and‌ ‌I’ve‌ ‌heard‌ ‌of‌ ‌a‌ ‌few‌ ‌of‌ ‌them‌ ‌before.‌ ‌However,‌ ‌what‌ ‌I‌ ‌didn’t‌ ‌know‌ ‌is‌ ‌that‌ ‌we‌ ‌had‌ ‌waterfall‌ ‌trails.‌

Photo Credit: Tonto Natural Bridge State Park Instagram

 

I‌ ‌know‌ ‌what‌ ‌you’re‌ ‌thinking.‌ ‌This‌ ‌is‌ ‌dry,‌ ‌roasting‌ ‌heat‌ ‌Arizona,‌ ‌there‌ ‌is‌ ‌no‌ ‌possible‌ ‌way‌ ‌that‌ ‌we‌ could‌ ‌have‌ ‌waterfalls.‌ ‌Well,‌ ‌we‌ ‌do.‌ ‌‌
 
However,‌ ‌those‌ ‌aren’t‌ ‌the‌ ‌only‌ ‌trails‌ ‌that‌ ‌Tonto‌ ‌Natural‌ ‌Bridge‌ ‌State‌ ‌Park‌ ‌offers.‌ ‌In‌ ‌fact,‌ ‌on‌ ‌the‌ website‌‌, ‌they‌ ‌mention‌ that‌ ‌“the‌ ‌park‌ ‌also‌ ‌offers‌ ‌four‌ ‌‌hiking‌ ‌trails‌,‌ ‌which‌ ‌descend‌ ‌into‌ ‌the‌ ‌Pine‌ Canyon‌ ‌and‌ ‌capture‌ ‌the‌ ‌magnificence‌ ‌of‌ ‌this‌ ‌geologic‌ ‌wonder.”‌ 
These‌ ‌trails‌ ‌are‌ ‌also‌ ‌extremely‌ ‌affordable‌ ‌for‌ ‌everyone‌ ‌to‌ ‌hike‌ ‌or‌ ‌even‌ ‌stay‌ ‌the‌ ‌night‌ ‌on.‌ ‌For‌ children‌ ‌7-13‌ ‌it’s‌ ‌$4,‌ ‌for adults‌ ‌it’s‌ ‌$7,‌ ‌and‌ ‌children‌ ‌under‌ ‌the‌ ‌age‌ ‌of‌ ‌6‌ ‌are‌ ‌free.‌ 
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Tonto‌ ‌also‌ ‌includes‌ ‌one-of-a-kind ‌road‌ ‌tripping‌ ‌experiences‌ ‌as‌ ‌well‌ ‌as‌ ‌haunted‌ ‌house‌ ‌tours.‌ ‌So‌ ‌if‌ you’re‌ ‌looking‌ ‌for‌ ‌an‌ ‌affordable‌ ‌multi-faceted‌ ‌trip‌ ‌look‌ ‌no‌ ‌further‌ ‌than‌ ‌Tonto‌ ‌Natural‌ ‌Bridge‌ ‌State‌ ‌Park.‌ ‌The‌ ‌park‌ ‌is‌ ‌about‌ ‌a‌ ‌two-hour‌ ‌drive‌ ‌from‌ ‌Avondale.‌ 
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Click‌ ‌‌HERE‌‌ ‌to‌ ‌view‌ ‌Tonto‌ ‌Natural‌ ‌Bridge‌ ‌State‌ ‌Park‌ ‌website‌ ‌to‌ ‌book‌ ‌your‌ ‌next‌ ‌trip‌ ‌or‌ ‌hike.‌
 
3. ASU‌ ‌Museum‌ 
The‌ ‌last‌ ‌affordable‌ ‌destination‌ ‌that‌ ‌I‌ ‌would‌ ‌love‌ ‌to‌ ‌give‌ ‌an‌ ‌honorable‌ ‌mention‌ ‌is‌ ‌the‌ ‌ASU‌ Museum.‌ ‌This‌ ‌museum‌ ‌is‌ ‌located‌ ‌in‌ ‌Tempe,‌ ‌Arizona,‌ ‌near‌ ‌an‌ ‌abundance‌ ‌of‌ ‌restaurants‌ ‌and‌ ‌shopping‌ ‌centers.‌  
 

The‌ ‌museum‌ ‌has‌ ‌a‌ ‌total‌ ‌of‌ ‌eight‌ ‌different‌ ‌rooms‌ ‌that‌ ‌show‌ ‌different‌ ‌pieces‌ ‌from‌ ‌either‌ ‌the‌ ‌same‌ or‌ ‌different‌ ‌artists.‌ 

Photo Credit: ASU Museum Instagram
If‌ ‌that’s‌ ‌not‌ ‌enough‌ ‌to‌ ‌hold‌ ‌your‌ ‌interest‌ ‌then‌ ‌here’s‌ ‌one‌ ‌more‌ ‌thing‌ ‌you‌ ‌should‌ ‌know‌ ‌about‌ ‌the‌ exhibit.‌ ‌They‌ ‌have‌ ‌their‌ ‌own‌ ‌art‌ ‌and‌ ‌activities‌ ‌room‌ ‌just‌ ‌for‌ ‌you.‌  
“There‌ ‌is‌ ‌so‌ ‌much‌ ‌to‌ ‌do‌ ‌in‌ ‌that‌ ‌one‌ ‌little‌ ‌room,”‌ ‌Shale‌ ‌Jameson,‌ ‌a‌ ‌senior‌ ‌at‌ ‌Agua‌ ‌Fria,‌ ‌exclaims.‌ “I‌ ‌spent‌ ‌most‌ ‌of‌ ‌my‌ ‌time‌ ‌drawing‌ ‌though.”‌ 
In‌ ‌the‌ ‌activities‌ ‌room‌, ‌you‌ ‌can‌ ‌create‌ ‌your‌ ‌own‌ ‌bandana,‌ ‌draw‌ ‌a‌ ‌neat‌ ‌picture‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌community‌ sketchbook,‌ ‌play‌ ‌a‌ ‌few‌ ‌games, and‌ ‌even‌ ‌read‌ ‌up‌ ‌on‌ ‌different‌ ‌styles‌ ‌of‌ ‌art.‌

If you don’t believe Jameson and I, then I guess that means you’ll just have to go take a look for yourself at the ASU Museum.

Honestly, I researched so many affordable trips/adventures for high schoolers that I could probably give you about eight more of my favorite ones. However, I thought that with the heat starting to rise that everyone would appreciate these cute little trips.

So without further ado, I bid you goodbye and hope that when you decide to go on one of these adventures that you stay safe and have the most fun you’ve ever had.