9.18insideAvi+FiThe Best of Aviano, Fireside, & Desert Ridge

Cover Photo By Julia Hill

Checking In With The

Jakobsens

10 11 August 2018inside Avi+Fi

What’s not to love about our local museums? For families, it’s a chance to explore together and learn something new (plus a fun way to beat the heat). The best part is that you don’t have to break the bank to get the whole crew into some of the best cultural attractions in the Southwest—if you know when to go. Phoenix Art Museum Located in downtown Phoenix, this world-class visual arts center features beautiful permanent exhibitions with more than 19,000 works of Asian, European, Western, contemporary and more art, plus fashion design and rotating photography. The all-ages galleries will engage and excite even the littlest art aficionados, starting with the lobby and promenade covered in a swarm of 25,000 black butterflies! Free days: The second Sunday of each month is Discount Tire Free Family Sunday, when the museum is hopping with exciting activities such as scavenger hunts, live performances, story time and free tours.Tip: Don’t miss the giant, fire-truck-red T-rex sculpture in a cage by the museum entrance.

Free Museum Days in PhoenixBY JULIA HILL

Heard Museum Downtown’s award-winning Heard Museum advances American Indian art and culture through exhibitions and representation of contemporary art from tribal communities. It’s a great chance for families to learn about the unique perspectives and cultures of the American Southwest. Plus, there’s an interactive exhibition space for kids to get hands-on to create, color and decorate. Free days: The first Friday evening of each month will have food, fun and performances often with a theme related to the galleries.Tip: Check out the incredible Katsina Doll Collection, featuring over a thousand handcrafted Hopi katsinas with lots of color and character. Children’s Museum of Phoenix It’s OK to touch and play at this museum, where kids up to age 10 will love hands-on experiences, a chance to express their creative side, and pedaling, climbing and building their way through exhibitions. Favorites include an immersion into a world of dangling pool noodles; a cafe and grocery marketplace just for

kids; and a massive climbing tree with some wacky features (yep, that’s a bathtub with wings!). Free days: The first Friday evening of each month.Tip: The tricycle track and “car wash” is always a hit. Desert Botanical Garden OK, so it’s not your traditional “museum”—but you can easily spend part of the day here exploring acres of trails through fantastical desert plants with the family. The themed loops take visitors through discovering plants and people of the Sonoran Desert, including constructions of native households and a cacti and succulent gallery full of whimsical flora. Free days: The second Tuesday of each month.Tip: Opening next month is “Electric Desert,” an exciting nighttime installation where the desert and cacti become a living canvas for light and music. Penske Racing Museum If you’ve got a race car kid in the fam, they’ll love a visit to North Scottsdale’s Penske Racing Museum. Small but mighty, the museum features a variety of historic vehicles of Indy Car fame, plus memorabilia such as trophies and more. Free days: It’s always free.Tip: Visit the attached dealerships after for a peek at some exotics parked just outside (Bentley, Maserati and more).

family focus

12 13 August 2018inside Avi+Fi

Wild horses, cool water and a leisurely river float. In these triple digit temps, it sounds like heaven—and it happens to only be a 40-minute drive away!

Here’s how to pack up for a Salt River trip, two different ways: A quiet, serene kayaking experience on your own, or joining other river revelers on a tubing trip.

Technically, this section is called the Lower Salt River; farther north on the Upper is where you’ll find whitewater rapids. The slower, calmer Lower offers a lush riparian area perfect for paddling and spotting wildlife.

KayakingIf soaking up a serene moment sounds like your thing, it’s arguably best done from the seat of a kayak. Start out early in the day before the summer tubers begin at 9 am, and

By Julia Hill

outdoor spotlight

How to Float the Salt RiverSummer Safety...

you’ll enjoy a peaceful float with a little excitement from some manageable rapids. It won’t be hard to spot wild horses drinking and grazing on the river bank, or a bald eagle or heron drifting overhead.

A common spot to put in is the Water Users Recreation Site, and take out is at the Phon D Sutton Recreation Area. This allows for a pleasantly long trip with easy access to the parking lots. If you want to completely avoid the rapids or shorten your trip, start out at Pebble Beach Recreation Area instead.

You’ll need to make sure you have another person, so you can leave a second car at the launch site and the take-out site. Both vehicles require a Tonto Pass. There are no rental companies located directly at the recreation areas, but several options to pick up kayaks in town. If you’d rather

leave the logistics and rentals to someone else, there are a few great local recreation companies that offer guided tours.

The Salt River isn’t just for kayaks. If you’re a stand-up paddleboarder, you’ll love this float as well.

TubingSalt River Tubing trips offer an easy way to see the beauty of the river from the comfort of a rented tube. You’ll be shuttled with a group to the drop off spot and picked up at the take-out, so all you need to do is kick back and relax. The atmosphere especially on the weekends is energetic and busy. Coolers are acceptable to take on the river, but be mindful of others trying to enjoy the environment and your own safety.

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