West Valley of the Sun Vacation Guide
The area around Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Mesa, Arizona is affectionately called "the Valley of the Sun." The region sees sunshine on average 325 days a year. You can enjoy a slice of that sunshine yourself when you stay in a vacation rental in Surprise AZ, Glendale Arizona vacation rentals by owner, Peoria rental homes or vacation rental homes in Goodyear.The fast-growing West Valley offers visitors a diversity of outdoor, cultural, historical, and leisure activities. Twelve communities define the area, each offering distinct experiences: Avondale, Buckeye, El Mirage, Glendale, Goodyear, Litchfield Park, Peoria, Surprise, Sun City, Sun City West, Wickenburg, and Youngtown. There are also vacation rentals in Sun City, and you can rent homes in Sun City West or choose Sun City Grand house rentals.
The West Valley is fast becoming a professional sports mecca. The stadium in Surprise is the Cactus League spring training home of the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers. The NHL hockey arena in Glendale is home to the Phoenix Coyotes. The NFL Arizona Cardinals stadium is scheduled for completion in 2006, and will host the Super Bowl in 2008. Avondale is home to the Phoenix International Raceway. The sports complex in Peoria is the spring training home of the Seattle Mariners and the San Diego Padres.
Water enthusiasts will enjoy 10,00-acre Lake Pleasant, offering boating, water skiing, jet skiing, sailing, and fishing. Hikers and bikers will enjoy Thunderbird, Estrella, and Bradshaw Mountains, plus the White Tank Mountain Regional Park with authentic petroglyphs. 230 species of birds make their home at the Hassayampa River Preserve in Wickenburg.
Cultural activities abound in the West Valley. Visitors can tour the Sahuaro Ranch in Glendale, listed in the National Register of Historic Places, consisting of 17 ranch buildings constructed between 1886-1901. The Challenger Space Center, a Smithsonian affiliate in Peoria, offers simulated space missions. The performing arts are celebrated throughout the year at the West Valley Fine Arts Council in Lichfield Park, the Sundome Center for the Performing Arts in Sun City, and the West Valley Art Museum in Surprise. The Wildlife World Zoo in Litchfield Park is the state's largest collection of exotic animals.
Golfers make the pilgrimage in droves to the Valley of the Sun. The West Valley boasts several dozen golf courses, ranging from beginner municipal courses to challenging desert designs.
Historic downtown Glendale is Arizona's "antique capital." More than 90 antique and specialty shops, surrounding a town square, are within walking distance of one another. Whether your preference is outdoor adventure, golf challenges, shopping delights, or cultural diversions, the West Valley is a getaway that will please every age group and personal taste.
