North Phoenix Celebrates Multiple Grand Openings This Weekend

If you have been following the North Phoenix Blog for a while, you may remember that I have written about the new QuikTrip store, the new Agave Library, and the new Wet-N-Wild Waterpark. It is my pleasure to announce that all of these places are now open for business!

Wet-N-Wild Phoenix (formerly Waterworld Safari) is having its grand opening celebration today, July 4th, 2009, according to The Arizona Republic [article no longer available]. Check their website for pricing and contact information.

The newest QuikTrip store in North Phoenix opened Thursday, July 2nd, 2009. Store #421 is located at 19990 N 19th Ave, which is just south of the Loop 101 / Beardsley Road. Stop by and check it out anytime - all QuikTrip locations are open 24 hours.

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Summer Hiking Tips for Phoenix

Hiking is one of the most popular year round activities in Phoenix. Like any outdoor activity, it's much easier to have fun when you are well prepared. If you plan on doing any hiking this summer, please keep these tips in mind:

» Check the forecast before you go. If there's a storm warning or heat advisory, it is best to wait until conditions improve.

» Tell a friend or family member where you are going and when you expect to be back. Hike with a friend if possible.

» Bring LOTS of water. A half gallon or full gallon jug is recommended.

» Wear sunscreen. It's the best defense against skin cancer, sunburns, and other dermal discomforts.

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Get Revved Up at Speed Sports USA in North Phoenix

Update: Speed Sports has gone out of business and their website is down.

An unassuming warehouse just north of Deer Valley Airport is home to one of North Phoenix's most underrated attractions.

It is here that contestants meet to do battle, where the difference between victory and defeat is measured in seconds, and where the only rule is: "No frowning."

Okay, I made that last one up. But you'd never know it wasn't really a rule, because everyone at Speed Sports USA sure smiles a lot. In fact, it's kind of contagious. There was a sense of excitement in the air as I stopped by to check it out one Saturday night.

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WaterWorld Safari in North Phoenix, AZ Undergoing Major Renovations

Like many North Phoenix residents, I was stunned when I saw that WaterWorld Safari water park appeared to be closing its doors for good. In the Fall of 2008, the following message appeared on the website for Waterworld Safari:

Golfland Entertainment Centers has permanently ended its operation of WaterWorld Safari. We have enjoyed serving you for the past 16 years and invite you to visit us in 2009 at Big Surf in Tempe and Sunsplash in Mesa. Additionally, Golfland in Mesa is open year-round for family fun. Thank you for your patronage.

This potentially dire situation warranted an investigation on my part. How could one of North Phoenix's most popular attractions be closing? To put things in perspective, I should mention that WaterWorld Safari was the water park I had always gone to as a child. Going there with the family was a summer ritual to be greatly anticipated and remembered.

During the scorching summer months when temperatures would hit 110*F or higher, WaterWorld Safari was definitely the place to be. With over a dozen slides and attractions spread over 36 acres, it was truly an oasis in the desert. From the Serengeti Surf wave pool to the lazy river, the Kilimanjaro Speed Slides, and the enclosed "Black Hole" slide, WaterWorld offered something for everyone.

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North Phoenix High Rise Hotel Close to Completion

Deer Valley's newest high rise hotel is getting close to completion.

The hotel is currently under construction at 23rd Avenue and Pinnacle Peak Road, just East of Interstate 17. When the 7-story structure is finished, it will be the new home of Drury Inn and Suites. With a total of 180 rooms, the Drury will be the largest hotel in North Phoenix.

Drury is a family-owned hotel chain that was first founded in Missouri. Arizona's first Drury Hotel opened in Flagstaff earlier this year. The Drury Inn and Suites Happy Valley will be their second Arizona location. Additionally, Drury owns and operates 115 hotels in 17 states according to their website.

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City of Phoenix to Open Agave Library This Summer

UPDATE: The Agave Library has been open since June 20, 2009.

If you haven't been up to North Phoenix in a while, you may not have known that a new branch of the Phoenix Public Library is set to open its doors this summer.

Located just down the road from the Goelet A. Beuf Community Center, the new Agave Library is on the corner of 36th Avenue just North of Pinnacle Peak Road. This will be very convenient for people in the Deer Valley and North Gateway areas.

According to the Phoenix Public Library website, funding for the Agave Library was approved in a 2001 bond election, and construction began in the fall of 2007.

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Your Guide to Phoenix Events This Weekend

The weather forecast calls for this weekend falls somewhere between "awesome" and "perfect." I hope you're going to get out there and enjoy it before things really start to heat up! Here are some events going on this weekend to help get you started.

Men's Arts Council Field of Dreams Car Show
When: April 4th, 10am - 4:30pm
Where: Tempe Diablo Stadium, Tempe, AZ
What: Car show featuring rare and classic sports cars
Cost: Free
https://mensartscouncil.com/cs/

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New QuikTrip Under Construction in North Phoenix

Times are tough for many businesses in Phoenix, but one company continues to build and expand its network of convenience stores.

North Phoenix's newest QuikTrip store is now under construction at the Southwest corner of 19th Avenue and the Loop 101 freeway. For the past couple of weeks I have watched as construction crews cleared the land and prepared it for building. Just the other day, a friend told me about the newly installed sign confirming it will be a QuikTrip.

The new store will join three other North Phoenix locations including 17th Avenue and Bell Road, 7th Street and Loop 101, and the Cave Creek Road and Deer Valley Road store.

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Deer Valley Magazine Publishes Best of Deer Valley 2009 Guide

When in Phoenix, do as the Phoenicians do.

Fortunately for residents and visitors to the North Phoenix area, there is now a complete guide to the Deer Valley area. Deer Valley Magazine has recently published its "Best of Deer Valley 2009" list, which includes all types of local businesses from restaurants to financial and legal services.

When you want the top-rated businesses and services in North Phoenix, look to the Best of Deer Valley guide for their expert recommendations. You can pick up a free copy of Deer Valley Magazine at any of the fine locations listed on their website.

For the rest of the Phoenix area, be sure to check out the "Best of Phoenix" directory from the Phoenix New Times. What are some of your favorite places near Deer Valley Airport? Post your comments below!

Japanese Friendship Garden Links Phoenix to Sister City

To a native desert dweller like myself, Japan sounds like an exotic and interesting place that's half a world away. And yet, Japan is not as far away as you might think!

Everyone is always surprised to hear that Phoenix is home to one of the best Japanese Gardens in the Southwestern US. Known as Ro Ho En, it's located right in the heart of downtown Phoenix in Margaret T. Hance Park. Yes, that's the park on top of the Interstate 10 "Deck Park" Tunnel. How's that for a surprise?

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Phoenix Recognizes Landmarks as Points of Pride

Forget about Rand McNally. Forget about Frommer's. If you are after the most unique and interesting places in Phoenix, look no further than the city's Points of Pride program.

The Phoenix Points of Pride is a special campaign formed in 1992 by the Phoenix Pride Commission. Twenty-five carefully selected Points of Pride were chosen from more than 150 candidates to represent the best attractions that Phoenix has to offer.

The list includes parks, cultural centers, historic properties, and mountains in the Phoenix area. Today, that number has grown to 32 places with the newest ones added in 2008.

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Go With the Flow at Arizona Falls

There is a very cool place in Central Phoenix that most people do not know about. It's on Indian School Road just past 56th Street, and accessible through Herberger Park. This is the location of Arizona Falls.

"What is Arizona Falls?" you might be wondering. Well, it's a lot of things. It is the location of a major elevation drop in the SRP canal system. It was the first hydroelectric power plant in the City of Phoenix. Finally, it is a historical feature of Phoenix and a neat place to visit.

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More Hotels Sprout Up in Norterra Shopping Center

Recently, I wrote about the trio of new hotels that opened up in North Phoenix last year. "What's up with all of these new hotels?" I wondered. It would appear I spoke too soon, because two more hotels have also sprouted up in the same area! Seriously, the paint on the walls has barely dried and these places already had guests arriving when I went to check them out. Let's take a closer look:

Hampton Inn and Suites
The Hampton Inn and Suites Happy Valley opened in December of 2008. It is located on Charlotte Drive, behind the Super Wal-Mart on I-17 and Happy Valley Road. The four-story hotel has 125 rooms and suites, all of which include Hampton's "Cloud 9" beds and linens.

Guests will enjoy a full list of freebies such as flat-screen TVs with premium channels, wireless Internet, local calls, shuttle service, breakfast, USA Today newspaper, coffee and cookies in the lobby, and an outdoor pool and spa. The freebies you get here are better than the comps at many Las Vegas casinos!

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Come Stay With Us: Deer Valley Opens 3 New Hotels

In a recent post, I wondered if North Phoenix was expanding fast enough to accommodate nine new banks within two miles of each other. It's a road we'll travel down once more, because this year we have seen three new hotels open up within one mile of each other, for a total of 432 new rooms available in the area.

Marriott Residence Inn Hotel - Phoenix
The new Residence Inn by Marriott is now open on Whispering Wind Road, right next door to the Courtyard by Marriott. The two properties are located about a half mile off the Interstate 17, so you can sleep soundly away from the roar of traffic. The Residence Inn is a five-story building with 129 guest rooms. It's a no-nonsense kind of place with quality where it counts. Let me explain what I mean.

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Deer Valley Rock Art Center is a Hidden Gem

It is fairly common for Arizona transplants to criticize Phoenix as a sprawling metropolis devoid of culture and history. For some reason, people love to move to Arizona and accuse the city of being nothing but an endless sea of shopping malls and housing developments.

One of my goals in starting this blog was to show the world that this simply isn't true, and the Deer Valley Petroglyph Preserve (formerly the Rock Art Center) is a perfect example of what a rich and diverse place Phoenix really is.

The Deer Valley Petroglyph Preserve is a historically and culturally important part of North Phoenix. It is nestled at the base of Hedgpeth Hills in the Adobe Dam Recreation Area, just west of 35th Avenue on Deer Valley Road.

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Fast Times at Penske Racing Museum

By now, it is no secret that Phoenix has plenty to offer the automotive enthusiast. Between car shows, cruise-ins, and auction events, there's something for almost everyone. If there is one thing Phoenix is short on however, it's car museums. There's just one that I know of, but it's definitely worth checking out.

It's called the Penske Racing Museum, and it is home to both cars and racing memorabilia from the personal collection of Roger Penske, who is the owner of the Penske Automotive Group. The museum is conveniently located on Scottsdale Road, just south of the Loop 101 freeway.

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An Honest Review of Culver's Deer Valley

Overview
If you do not venture up near the Deer Valley Airport on a regular basis, then you may not have heard of Culver's by now. It's the newest contestant in the battle for fast food supremacy along Deer Valley Road, and it's going to be a tough one to beat.

The Wisconsin-based franchise has selected Arizona for its newest test market. Culver's Deer Valley opened up earlier this year, in March of 2008. Besides the Phoenix location, there is another one in Mesa and a third one under construction in Surprise. That's a very small number of restaurants and if you do not live nearby, you may be wondering if it's worth the drive. Maybe I should start by explaining what makes Culver's different from the other fast food franchises.

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What To Do In Phoenix

It seems like the biggest complaint about Phoenix from both residents and visitors alike is that "there's nothing to do in Phoenix." This is a common misconception among transplants and locals, and it's time to put it to rest. You might think at first there's nothing to do here, but there is actually a lot going on in our big desert playground. You just have to dig a little deeper to find it.

A recent article in the Arizona Republic called "50 Ways To Love The Valley" [link no longer available] offers a wealth of ideas for when there's nothing else to do. From nightlife to dining to sporting events, it's a well-rounded list and a great way to get started exploring what Phoenix has to offer.

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Battle of the Banks

In the peaceful desert landscape near Deer Valley Airport, a storm cloud has been brewing for the last two years. The air has grown heavy with anticipation as 9 different opponents prepare to do battle. They have chosen North Phoenix as the arena, and it's going to be one heck of a fight.

Okay, so maybe it's not a fight in the traditional sense with guns and soldiers. But the competition for your business will be fierce with 9 new banks opening along a two-mile stretch of road. That's right; nine different banks have locations staked out along 19th Avenue between Deer Valley Road and Happy Valley Road. All of them are brand new locations constructed within the past two years. Let's take a look at the contenders:

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In Good Health With John C. Lincoln

From emergency care to long-term illness, a quality hospital is at the heart of every strong community. Fortunately for residents in the Deer Valley area, they have the John C. Lincoln Health Network on their side.

Located at 27th Avenue and Beardsley Road, John C. Lincoln Deer Valley Hospital is easily accessible from both Interstate 17 and the Loop 101 Freeway. A new health center in Anthem and the hospital on Central and Dunlap are also part of the JCL network.

John C. Lincoln's 174-bed hospital in North Phoenix is a small operation compared to valley giant Banner Health, which has a 397-bed hospital in Glendale and has locations in six other states.

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