Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 20 miles, about 1 hour total riding time with stops for field trips. Walking up to 2 miles total throughout the day; flat, paved terrain.
At the hotel restaurant.
We’ll pull out our maps and become acquainted with the Phoenix Metropolitan Area – nicknamed the Valley of the Sun – pinpointing our destinations over the upcoming days and getting a sense of the Valley’s extent. Still at the hotel, we’ll learn about water in the west through a presentation given by a representative of the Salt River Project, the utility and water provider for much of central Arizona. After boarding the motorcoach, we’ll transfer to the Desert Botanical Garden (DBG), for a docent-led exploration. A valuable community resource, the garden aims to educate and conserve the wonders of the desert with a focus on plants of the Southwest. Since a Swedish botanist planted a sign “Save the desert” in his yard in the 1930s, community members came together to create, develop, and expand the garden as the Arizona Cactus and Native Flora Society.
This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to have what you like at either of the two eateries on the Garden grounds.
Continue to explore the Desert Botanical Garden on your own wandering through the garden’s 50 acres in search of the 139 rare, endangered, or threatened species of plants from across the globe. Before returning to Scottsdale, we will take time to explore the Arizona Biltmore, designed by Albert Chase McArthur, a former student of Frank Lloyd Wright who served as consulting architect on the project. Opened in 1929, the Biltmore was immediately crowned the “Jewel of the Desert” and has been a preferred resort for celebrities, heads of state, and business scions. After a brief orientation to the Biltmore by our group leader, we will have the opportunity to explore the grounds on our own.
At a local restaurant.
We’ll be joined by a local expert for a presentation on a topic of local interest. Our topic will vary by week and feature a local author, artist, or regional expert.