CHAMBER
Your Nine-Day Itinerary is Ahead Experience a Sonoran adventure this Spring Break By Heather Maxwell Anthem Area Chamber of Commerce
W
ith busy metropolitan Phoenix to the south and Arizona’s high country to the north, the communities along the Phoenix Sonoran corridor enjoy clean air and a casual, active lifestyle. Bookended by Lake Pleasant Regional Park on the west and the stunning Phoenix Sonoran Preserve on the east, few areas in the Valley of the Sun are home to such a diverse collection of manicured parks, local attractions, outdoor adventure and untouched desert landscape. Seemingly unnoticeable to outsiders, the quiet suburban communities that call the north edge of Phoenix Sonoran Desert home are always buzzing with events and activities. Keep the bags unpacked! Your nine-day local Spring Break itinerary is ahead!
Saturday, March 14 But first—coffee! The Anthem Community Council hosts Java & Jammin’ the second Saturday in March, May, October and December from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. on the terrace of the Anthem Civic Building. The free, family-friendly program features live music by Janelle Loes, coffee and treats. The Sonoran Desert Pet Resort and Anthem Pets are hosting a pet adoption event
Anthem Outlets
from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. You can view all of the adoptable pets on the Anthem Pets website, anthempets.org. The Plant Bar Spring Festival promises fun for all ages from noon until 8 p.m. The free, family-friendly event will include food, music and, of course, plants! Wind down the night with dinner and a sunset at the Glossy Heifer Bar & Grill. Enjoy fresh, local-inspired American cuisine and live music by David Sheehy from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Sunday, March 15 There’s always something to do at Lake Pleasant Regional Park! Open to the public 365 days a year, Pleasant Harbor Marina is a full-service marina and RV park and features Dillon’s Bayou, a floating restaurant redefining “lake food.” Rent a kayak or standup paddleboard (SUP) and explore the shoreline, then relax and take in the spectacular lake views while enjoying award-winning barbecue at Dillon’s Bayou. Stop by the Discovery Center at Lake Pleasant Regional Park from 2 to 3 p.m. for fun and educational arts and crafts— perfect for families! Learn about the history of petroglyphs in the region while you design and create your own. Visit maricopacountyparks.net for a full list of upcoming events and activities at the park.
Monday, March 16 Grab your bike or take a hike! The Phoenix Sonoran Preserve is comprised of more than 9,600 acres of wild, mostly undeveloped desert in North Phoenix. Three trailhead locations—Desert Vista, Desert Hills and Apache Wash—offer 36 miles of trails, open to the public from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. Trail maps are available at the Anthem Area Chamber of Commerce office. Bring plenty of water and review the “Take a Hike. Do it Right” guidelines before enjoying the preserve. For more information, visit phoenix.gov/parks/trails/locations/ sonoran-preserve. End the day with a bucket-list sunset hot air balloon ride. Explore the unmatched beauty of the Phoenix Sonoran corridor from above. A variety of operators offer both sunrise and sunset hot air balloon rides daily November through March, weather permitting.
Tuesday, March 17
Daisy Mountain
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85085 | MARCH 2020
Head east to enjoy a guided hike of the Caroline Bartol Preserve on Saguaro Hill in Cave Creek with Desert Foothills Land Trust. Space is limited, so sign up in advance or learn more about DFLT’s other guided hikes at dflt.org/hikes-and-events. Daisy Mountain Veterans and Youth for
