Travels In Arizona - Arizona Renaissance Festival 2012 - Part 2 (Az Ren Fest)

Discover this vegan and raw food eatery in Downtown Container Park. Many of the recipes are gluten-free and soy-free. Have a hot and heavy love affair with vegetables at VegeNation because everything is percent plant-based. Located at E. The Hot Tamales and Save the Tuna sushi are among the standout items. And a sweet treat like the Brownie Sundae topped with caramelized banana should not be missed! For a swimmingly good time, the bar in this elegant seafood restaurant is a must-visit. The centerpiece is a 75,gallon tropical aquarium filled with colorful fish and rays. In addition to a large selection of wines, Chart.

Created by former mayor Oscar Goodman, he remains an ambassador for the city and well known for his love of martinis.

The crab cakes are utterly infatuating! This old school-style Vegas hideaway is small in size but big on character. There are leather chairs and rich red curtains drawn back by gold tassels. A shining baby grand piano adds to the amorous atmosphere. Young lovers should try the popular Lemon Drop while long-lasting couples might prefer a classic cocktail like the Gin Fizz. As its name suggests, this circular bar is located on the th floor of the Stratosphere Tower.

Level offers a unique collection of martinis and craft cocktails as well as a gourmet appetizer menu. DJs spin nightly until the wee hours, and you can make the experience more memorable with bottle service. Downtown is the hottest neighborhood in Las Vegas, and the El Cortez is the front door to all the action. It all starts here. Now Open at the El Cortez. Hit the slopes or warm up at the lodge with your favorite snow bunny! One of my personal favorites who can be seen here is legendary showman Clint Holmes.

Smokers and nonsmokers are welcome and it offers a great range of cigars. It is located at Seven Hills Drive. Enjoy the menu of beer and wine as if you were watching a movie in your very own living room. Every night is about having a good time and the audience is what makes the show such a blast! So fill your new year with humor by seeing one of these four funnymen in downtown Las Vegas.

Get more information at tickets. Hammer has spent more than 25 years getting into mayhem onstage.

From reading minds and picking pockets to swallowing double-edged razor blades, prepare yourself for a wacky experience. Hammer is a comedy magician with a cutting wit, and he loves to pull people out of the audience. Late afternoon at the D Las Vegas is filled with a hysterical mix of sleight of hand and lots of rubber ducks. Must be a B Connected member.

See the B Connected club for complete details. When those green fairways are combined with the off-the-course action, the combination makes for an unforgettable golf vacation.

Here are three area courses that offer a variety of options for your next trip to Southern Nevada. Royal Links features St. The beautiful Par Mates female caddies are available to add a little spice to each round upon request. For more info or tee times, visit royallinksgolfclub. The private course opened in and has been frequented over the years by celebrities, presidents, politicians, athletes, business greats, casino moguls and legendary Vegas mob figures. The course and surrounding neighborhood are where much of the real-life action of the movie Casino took place.

While the course is private, there are national memberships available for out-of-town visitors that allow access to the facility that is located close to the Las Vegas Strip. For more info, visit lasvegascc. This course is arguably the most historic golf course in the Las Vegas Golf Region. Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods have each won tournaments there.

Just minutes from the heart of the Las Vegas Strip, enjoy holes shadowed with hundreds of palms trees that add shade and character. And, by the way, you have to try the revolutionary Golf Boards at National. For more info or tee times visit LasVegasNational. A cancer diagnosis brings many questions, one being where to seek treatment.

For a variety of reasons, some patients choose to travel for care. Here are some of the factors that influence their decision. Team members should collaborate and coordinate a personalized treatment plan for the patient. These services may include: Contact us to discover how we can help cover the cost of your travel call or visit us at cancercenter. When Greg was diagnosed with prostate cancer, he wanted to find a hospital that had expertise in treating his disease - so he could get back to loving life in the great outdoors.

Our team will coordinate travel details, transportation and accommodations, so you can focus on fighting your cancer. Performances run Tuesday through Friday at 7: Participants and spectators can enjoy live bands, cheer teams and other entertainment along the routes. Join Frank Sinatra Jr. Show starts at 7: Hours are 10 a.

Taking place from 10 a. Sales by Springs Realty. Take full advantage of ever y minute with the many festivals held in the Valley of the Sun. Glendale Glitters, the culmination of the largest free holiday light display in Arizona 1. The Glendale Chocolate Affaire takes over downtown restaurants from Feb. These free noontime performances share the importance of preserving and conserving the land and its resources through song, dance and storytelling. The lawn comes alive with elaborate performances including the intricate Hoop Dance and Round Dance, which encourages audience participation to celebrate the connection of all people and cultures.

Vendors bring stands filled with jewelry, baskets, pottery, instruments and paintings. On Saturdays, featured artisans share. Bring your lawn chairs and blankets. Events will be held Thursdays and Saturdays from Jan. For more info, visit scottsdalenativetrails. The festival will be held Feb. When you hear about restaurant kitchens sourcing their produce locally, there is a good chance the food came from the Southeast Valley.

The region, made up of the towns of Gilbert and Queen Creek and promoted by Mesa, has 10 agritourism attractions that make up the trail and one can. Plan ahead as many of these roadside attractions host food-driven events in the winter months giving you even more reasons to stay awhile. This fourth-generation family farm just happens to be the largest peach grower in the Southwest and with that, set the stage for a wonderful Arizona epicurean showcase as part of its Dinners Down the Orchard event series each spring.

For visitors on the foodie trail, be sure to stop in at the Farm Fresh Bakery open Thursday to Sunday. In February, the fragrant Peach Blossom orchard trail is a photo worthy stop as rows and rows of peach trees welcome the desert warmth with hundreds of bright fuchsia pink and white blossoms on display. While here, visitors can enjoy complimentary tastings of the oils while waiting to take the Olive Tour. Offered on the half-hour, tours go behind the scenes showing off the cold pressing operation while experts answer nearly every question regarding this well-regarded elixir.

Featuring revolutionary hydroponic gardening techniques, visitors can learn about organic growing practices and sustainable farming. Queen Creek Olive Mill 3. True Garden Urban Farm 4.

Hayden Flour Mills at Sossaman Farms 5. Superstition Dairy Farms 7. The Orange Patch 9. The Pork Shop The original citrus grower, The Orange Patch, offers a delightful shopping experience on the trail. The wood-framed farm store is fully stocked with a variety of citrus unique to Arizona ask for samples , as well as bulk snacks, treats and sweets including handmade chocolates and orange blossom honey straight from the nearby groves.

Visitors are welcome to watch the picking and production process that takes place daily. The newest addition to the trail can be found and tasted at Sossaman Farms. Here, the focus is on preserving grain history with the growing and milling of heirloom wheat. Visitors can stop in to learn more about a variety of flavorful grains and the importance of wheat to the American diet.

Miller Ben Butler can be seen stone-milling ancient grains into some of the most in-demand flour at Sossaman Farms. Get ready to go green at True Garden. This brand-new 5,square-foot vertical urban garden offers a weekly farmers market and educational courses for visitors seeking knowledge and insight about the production of healthy and nutritious food using no soil. If getting dusty and dirty is on the agenda, opt for the Green Zebra tour. Low-profile Tomcars can race across the rolling desert floor with incredible agility and speed, promising high octane fun.

Buckle up for this wild and crazy ride as the Tomcar climbs up sizeable boulders and descends into desert washes. Or, wipe the dust off your goggles and take the scenic route. Pink Adventure Tours is stationed here, bringing their iconic pink Jeep Wranglers to this verdant terrain. Pairing desert education with hilly climbs and belly-rumbling twists and turns over rocky terrain is its specialty. New this season, the outfitter has partnered with The Desert Belle to offer a half-day experience serving up two adventures in one.

This joint excursion begins Then, guests head out to the cool blue waters of Saguaro Lake. Once aboard the Desert Belle cruise, the waterways take visitors to some of the most untouched scenery Arizona has to offer. Choose your adventure and start your to-do list at fortmcdowelladventures. Adventureseeking visitors to Arizona have plenty of them when they plan a stop at Fort McDowell.

Getting here is easy as visitors head out on the legendar y Bush Highway and enter a swath of Sonoran Desert that is beyond lush, with miles and miles of scenic vistas bordered by granite cliffs, and the Four Peaks mountain range in the distance. This expansive landscape, 28, acres in total, is home to Fort McDowell Adventures, one of the original outfitters that have been hosting city slickers for more than a decade.

Cattle drives are just one of the unique bucket list adventures they offer guests, along with the iconic Arizona horseback riding adventure. Expect to meet wild Mustangs on the cactus-studded path that takes riders across the Verde River. This is not an offer to sell or lease any real property. One of the best-attended golf tournaments in the world, much of that has to do with the parties taking place in and around the beautiful golf venue.

The scene is anchored by the Coors Light Birds Nest, a party and concert venue associated with the tournament. This year the Coors Light Birds Nest is going to the next level with performances by some of the top musical acts in the world. Rascal Flatts will kick-off the events with the upcoming concert on Feb 3. Robin Thicke ups the ante to a pop level on Feb. The single by the same name had a week Phoenix native Dierks Bentley will hit the stage on Feb. There are also all-event passes good for the entire week show. For more information or to reserve a spot in the Art Discovery series, call Styles range from realistic to impressionistic, Western realism, abstract and contemporary.

The outdoor sculpture garden is also back with its nearly pieces of life-sized and monumental sculpture plus workspace for the artists along with the popular Art Discover Series. Started last year, this once-weekly session brings guests face-to-face with artists to engage in panel discussions and live demos, accompanied by wine and cheese. For 26 years, the Celebration of Fine Art has been the place where art lovers and artists connect. Meet of the finest artists in the country, watch them work and share in the creative process.

Charismatic, spiky-haired host Guy Fieri and his crew have visited the Phoenix metropolitan area on several occasions. A rich and divine layered meat and cheese dish on top of a chewy crust. The scent of garlic hits you as you walk in, immediately springing your hunger pangs into action. A serious burger craving generally means that not just any meat patty will do. You want something you can sink your teeth into while making sure there are a stack of napkins nearby to catch the fallout.

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Make yourself at home at one of the wooden tables and choose something from the enticing menu full of sandwiches, salads and pasta dishes. There are also plenty of homemade items to take with you, including breads and desserts. The Beach House Burger is smothered in smoked mozzarella and pico de gallo. Chicken sandwiches, sides and vegetarian options round at the menu at this friendly, fast-casual neighborhood joint. Come see what everyone is talking about. Even with all of the outdoor activities fans can still watch their favorite sports including the upcoming football playoffs.

Located at Tempe Marketplace, Bar Louie has everything that makes watching football great. There are flat screen televisions everywhere which are easily visible from the outdoor dining areas, along with a cocktail and food menu that is more than impressive. Everyone in the group will enjoy appetizers such as the Bruschetta Pomodoro or Bavarian Pretzel Sticks. From there, grab a burger, flatbread, or salad, and match with the cocktail, beverage or beer of your choice.

The first location opened in downtown Phoenix in , and the franchise has expanded to five locations from Chandler to Flagstaff. Selection and variety are king here both in the food and drink menus.

Game starts at 1: Show times are Tuesday through Friday at 8 p. Visitors can learn helpful gardening tips on the self-guided tour or take a free guided tour daily at 10 a. Photo of Levi Stadium courtesy of 49ers. The one in Minnesota is in the autumn. Then good muddy fun. Safe travels to your next destination and bravo to your family for being so adventurous in everything you do! Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Notify me of new posts by email. Ranger aficionados, relaxed roadschoolers, and enthusiastic disaster relief volunteers, we are always on the lookout for a new adventure! Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Last weekend was the opening weekend of the Arizona Renaissance Festival… We discovered this event the first year we were here in Phoenix visiting family, and it has become a tradition to attend each year.

The grounds where the festival is held is called the Village of Fairhaven, and the buildings, fences, grandstands… Located just out of Apache Junction, the shops and grandstands are permanent structures, sitting idle all year waiting for their 2 months of use. A few games, rides, and of course the food courts, cost extra. We have done the Verde Canyon Railroad 5 or 6 times and we enjoy it very much. But if I had only one I could do, it would be the Renaissance Festival.

I'm not completely wheelchair bound as of now, so the train would probably be fine because I can sit. From what I can see on the pictures the outdoor cars look like there is benches to sit on? I'm still ok to walk around, I always have someone with me, and as long as I can sit I'm fine. I have the wheelchair for things like the festival where there is no way I could walk around and see everything.

Thanks so much for the input. I used to have no limits, even extreme sports, so it's hard to know what I will be able to do or not without input from people that have done these things. The Festival sounds just great. I used to ride, so I know the Jousting will be fantastic. The falconry shows too sound great, I love birds. Part of why I was considering the train since they say it's eagle spotting season.

Yes, the observation cars do have benches. The problem is that a lot of people stand along the side rails for a better view, which can block views for people sitting. I would have to say the bird thing settles it. There are no guarantees you will even see any birds on the rail. And even if you do, they will be pretty far away. At the RF you are assurred you will see the birds and be close enough to count the feathers.

I'm so glad I had signed up for notifications from AZ or I wouldn't even have known about it. Now I can't wait. All of your saved places can be found here in My Trips.