Hello again friends and colleagues, today I wanted to give you some more information to keep you, your friends and family busy when you come to Phoenix in May to participate in the CLDA Final Mile Forum.
As a CLDA member you should already have signed up for an amazing new member benefit that was recently added this year, Tickets at Work. If you have not yet signed up, you are missing out on a no cost benefit that gives you, your employees and drivers access to thousands of discounted tickets for activities and attractions from local movies to national amusement parks to many of the places you will want to visit in Phoenix when you come to the CLDA Final Mile Forum. Make sure you sign your company up for free today! Just complete the attached “Corporate Enrollment Form” and email a scanned copy to [email protected]. A unique company code will be provided to your company as well as customized marketing material for your use.
I am sure that you all ran to sign up for Tickets at Work, but now that you are back let’s talk about some great things to do and see while you are here, ideally at a discounted price through Tickets at Work.
Phoenix hosts many conventions each year, with good reason. It’s a vibrant, dynamic city with incredible views and weather and lots to do. Here is a list of a couple more options to consider while you are here!
Aquariums
There are two wonderful aquariums in Phoenix. Sea Life Arizona is a 26,000 square foot interactive aquarium located at Arizona Mills Mall. There are thousands of creatures to see, plus touch tanks and a 360° ocean tunnel. The OdySea Aquarium in Scottsdale, Arizona, is a marine aquarium that has over 30,000 animals over a span of 50 different exhibits and 200,000 square feet of aquarium. In addition, the complex at OdySea Aquarium in Scottsdale is also neighbor to a wonderful butterfly conservatory with over 3000 butterflies in their walk in exhibit. It is an amazing experience unless you have Lepidopterophobia.
Art District
Roosevelt Row is Phoenix’s art district. Even without stepping foot in a gallery, you’ll see an incredible display of creativity. Roosevelt Row is famous for its fantastic street art. After checking out the street art, you can take your pick of galleries and studios to visit. Roosevelt Row is also home to a number of cafes, coffee shops, and bars. If you are coming in early for the CLDA Final Mile Forum see if you can get in town early Friday, May 3rd, for First Friday Art Walk one of the nation’s largest, self-guided art walks. Tour more than 70 galleries, venues and art-related spaces to see a variety of artwork and to enjoy the spirit and culture of the city. Visitors are invited to hop-on/hop-off free shuttles that circulate on three routes through downtown Phoenix’s arts districts.
Sonoran Desert
A trip to Phoenix wouldn’t be the same without a sightseeing tour of the Sonoran Desert. Bring your camera, pack plenty of water, and apply generous amounts of sunscreen before heading out. If you want to stay in the city, I recommend a visit to our amazing Desert Botanical Gardens. There you can find a display of cacti and numerous other native plants. If you prefer hiking, Camelback Mountain is the most famous and has the best views of the city. There are also numerous options to take professionally guided tours by horseback, Segway, or jeep. If you’re an adventurous sort of person you can take a hot air balloon, helicopter, or plane ride around the city. You can even find zip line rides in Phoenix at the Out of Africa Wildlife Park.
For kiddos
Outside of the wonderful aquariums and outdoor adventures, there are a lots of parks and playgrounds nearby, including the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park which is a 40-acre railroad park located in Scottsdale, Arizona. It features a Magma Arizona Railroad locomotive, a railroad museum, and a live train they can ride through the park. Also, if you are visiting the SeaLife Aquarium in Arizona Mills, you can just go next door to the Legoland Discovery Center where you can find an amusement center full of family-friendly activities and rides.
For the Adults
At the end of the day and before and after the forum, CLDA Final Mile Forum attendees can head to downtown Phoenix or downtown Tempe for a fun filled evening. From rooftop lounges and live music to gourmet restaurants and bars, Phoenix and Tempe have it all. Not sure where to go first? Check out the CityScape in downtown Phoenix. It’s a two-block area with a high concentration of things to do and see, and places to eat. Check out the retail shops or look for Stand Up Live—a comedy theater and supper club. In Tempe there is always Mill Avenue which is in the heart of Tempe and abutted up against Arizona State University. Mill Ave falls somewhere dead between a posh outdoor strip mall that has a bar or a shop for everyone to a congested, traffic filled street, full of drunkards and the cops who babysit them. Any way you look at it, you will be having a blast.
So, if you read this far and have read my other emails, you deserve some sort of reward and potentially a psychiatric evaluation, but what I have to offer is my favorite unique and equally delicious restaurant in Phoenix. House of Tricks will not disappoint any anticipation you could have before you go. Make a reservation, sit on the patio at night and enjoy our beautiful Phoenix weather over a glass of wine and a wonderful meal with friends and family.
And now, the moment you have been waiting for.
Yes, you are almost free to go about your day, but before you do, one more interesting story about Phoenix that just might keep you up at night, or at least watching the night sky while you are here in May. Phoenix is well known for its UFO sightings and the the National UFO Reporting Center in Seattle has said the 1997 “Phoenix Lights” sighting “may rank as the most dramatic UFO event in the past 50 years.” Even a decade later, it remains one of the most publicized paranormal events on record. Keep an eye on the night sky in May, and read more about it here.
