Summer of the Kid: 16 uniquely Arizona places to see

Arizona doesn't have a Disneyland or a Six Flags or anything similarly extravagant. But it does have plenty of attractions that kids enjoy — and that are uniquely Arizona. With its diversity of climate and geography, you can do almost anything here. Except ride Space Mountain. But these 16 activities and destinations make up for that.

Queen Creek Olive Mill

Tour Arizona's only working olive grove, Queen Creek Olive Mill, and learn why most of the Valley's top chefs use this oil in their kitchens. Visitors can tour the groves and processing plant and buy the mill's peppery olive oils, stuffed olives, tapenades and artisan breads in the gift shop. Tours are given every hour on the half hour from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. seven days a week. A tour package including lunch for an additional fee requires reservations.

Details: 25062 S. Meridian Road, Queen Creek. 480-888-9290, queencreekolivemill.com.

Arcosanti

Italian architect and environmentalist Paolo Soleri died last year at 93, but his legacy lives on in the high desert about an hour north of the Valley, where he built an urban laboratory out of concrete, steel and earth as a place to work out theories about how humans live and consume natural resources. To partly fund further construction, Soleri's disciples make elaborate, distinctive bronze and ceramic wind-bells on-site. You can watch as part of the Arcosanti site tour, and you can buy them for $28 to $2,995 at the Arcosanti Gallery, the Cosanti Gallery and online. Arcosanti also has a cafeteria that serves a vegetarian and vegan-friendly buffet meal three times a day.

Details: Off Interstate 17, Exit 263, north of Cordes Junction; 928-632-7135. Cosanti Gallery, 6433 E. Doubletree Ranch Road, Paradise Valley, 480-948-6145. arcosanti.org.

Encanto Park

Get chased by the geese at Encanto Park, an oasis of palm trees and lagoons teeming with wildlife in the heart of Phoenix. The tenacious geese mean business, so bring bird food — no bread or crackers, please — at your own peril. The neighboring Enchanted Island Amusement Park has been around since 1948, when it started out as Kiddieland. Take a twirl on the historic carousel or take a train ride around the park.

Details: 15th Avenue and Encanto Boulevard, Phoenix. 602-261-8993.

Tempe Town Lake

Sitting on the northern edge of the Mill Avenue District in the heart of downtown Tempe is the narrow-but-deep reservoir popular for such water sports as rowing and sailing. It also is the site of the Ironman Arizona triathlon every year. Tempe Beach Park hosts big annual events, such as Oktoberfest and a Fourth of July fireworks show, and the walkways along both sides of the water and foot bridge on the west side near the Tempe Center for the Arts are popular destinations for walkers, runners and bikers.

Details: Mill Avenue and Rio Salado Parkway. 480-350-8625, tempe.gov/lake.

Queen Mine tour

A history lesson is a lot more fun when you get to wear a hard hat and ride underground in a mine cart — and the low temps are a summertime bonus. Bisbee's Queen Mine was in continuous operation for nearly a century before closing in 1975, producing 8 billion pounds of copper, 4.8 million pounds of silver and 180,000 pounds of gold. The bonanza of precious metals made a boom town of Bisbee, which also is home to the Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum (bisbeemuseum.org) and the Copper Queen Hotel (copperqueen.com), built in 1898.

Details: Queen Mine, 478 Dart Road, Bisbee. $13; $5.50 for ages 4-12; free for age 3 or younger. 866-432-2071, queenminetour.com.

Pueblo Grande Museum

This park and museum are on a 1,500-year old archeological site abandoned by the Hohokam culture about 500 years ago. The main trail winds its way through the prehistoric Hohokam village, which includes a partially excavated ball court, platform mound and replicated houses. In the musuem, visitors can check out the main gallery, the changing gallery and an interactive children's gallery. The museum hosts special events, classes and workshops for kids, such as the science of archeology and archeological digs, so make sure to the check the online calendar.

Details: 9 a.m.-4:45 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays through September. Closed Sundays and Mondays. 4619 E. Washington St., Phoenix. $5-$6; $3 for ages 6-17; free for age 5 or younger and museum members. 602-495-0900, phoenix.gov/parks/arts-culture-history/pueblo-grande.

Biosphere 2

In 1991, a crew of eight "biospherians" spent two years in a gleaming, 3-acre terrarium north of Tucson in an experiment designed to see if human could survive in an artificial environment. Those results were inconclusive. These days, scientists still conduct large-scale experiments within the sprawling eco-machine, now owned and operated by the University of Arizona. Biosphere 2 (Earth is biosphere 1) has been open to the public since 2002. Tours last about 75 minutes and include a visit to the biospherians' eating and living quarters, as well as the "biomes," individual microenvironments that simulate ecosystems.

Details: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. daily except Thanksgiving and Christmas. Biosphere Road off State Route 77 northeast of Oracle Junction. $10-$20. 520-838-6200, b2science.org.

The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

This Tucson attraction is a zoo and botanical garden in one. Spacious habitats for mountain lions and wildcats make it feel more like an Arizona safari than a traditional zoo. It also features up-close encounters with venomous reptiles and, since last year, the Warden Aquarium, focusing on tropical species from the Gulf of California as well as fresh-water critters from Southwestern river environments.

Details: Summer hours through August are 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. daily (until 10 p.m. Saturdays). 2021 N. Kinney Road, Tucson. $19.50; $17.50 for age 65 or older; $15.50 for ages 13-17; $6 for ages 4-12; free for age 3 or younger. 520-883-2702, desertmuseum.org.

Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park

This 400-acre desert oasis about an hour east of central Phoenix offers a fun outdoor family getaway. On any given day, visitors might spot many of the nearly 300 species of birds, as well as other animals, such as mule deer, javelina, foxes, foxes, reptiles and dragonflies. Learn about the various desert environments while trekking along the many trails. Take a break at scenic Ayer Lake, or enjoy a pack lunch in the picnic area. The park's calendar features many activities, including learning about lizards and bird and dragonfly walks, so make sure to check that out before visiting.

Details: 6 a.m.-3 p.m. daily; 8 a.m.-5 p.m. starting Sept. 1. U.S. 60 near mile marker 223; about 55 miles east of central Phoenix, near Superior. $10, $5 for ages 5-12; free for age 4 or younger. 520-689-2811, arboretum.ag.arizona.edu, pr.state.az.us/Parks/BOTH/index.html.

Heard Museum

What's great about the Heard is kids can learn while having fun. The Heard offers a crash course in Native American art and culture of the Southwest in its permanent exhibit, while rotating exhibits showcase art from other cultures and contemporary Indian art. And running through Sept. 28, there's "Build! Toy Brick Art at the Heard." That's Lego bricks, with plenty of hands-on opportunities.

Details: 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sundays. 2301 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. $23;, $18.50 for seniors; $12.50 for students and ages 6-12; free for 1 or younger. 602-252-8848, heard.org.

Goldfield Ghost Town

What youngster doesn't love a ghost town? This one in Apache Junction is built on the remnants of a gold-mining town that sprang up in 1893 but had played out by 1926. You can tour the Mammoth Gold Mine, visit the Goldfield Museum, pan for gold and take a ride on Arizona's only narrow-gauge train. And peel an eye for the old-West shootouts re-enacted by the famous Goldfield Gunfighters.

Details: Town open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily; saloon open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. daily. 4650 N. Mammoth Mine Road, Apache Junction. Free admission. 480-983-0333, goldfieldghosttown.com.

Urban bat-watching

Watch Mexican free-tailed bats take flight from a deck off 40th Street, north of Camelback Road. During their maternity season (spring through late summer), thousands of bats occupy a tunnel in a diversion channel along the Arizona Canal. The path to the tunnel is on the northern side of the Arizona Canal. Walk west on the path about 200 yards, past office buildings and a parking garage, then head north about 20 feet to a paved path that leads to a viewing area. There you'll find interpretive signs. Go at sunset for the best view.

Details: 602-942-3000, azgfd.gov/w_c/bat_conserv_bat_viewing.shtml.

Pioneer Living History Museum

Generations of Arizona schoolkids have visited this reconstruction of a Western town on a field trip. The site encompasses 90 acres in north Phoenix and is filled with authentic buildings (some dating back to the 1800s) and historically accurate replicas. Visit the opera house, a miner's cabin, an 1890s dress shop and, of course, the jail.

Details: Open 7 a.m.-11 a.m. Wednesdays-Sundays. Beginning Sept. 6, open 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesdays-Sundays. 3901 W. Pioneer Road, Phoenix. $9; $7 for ages 5-17; free for age 4 or younger. 623-465-1052, pioneeraz.org.

Salt River Project canals

Take a ride on the mild side by cycling alongside one of the many Salt River Project canals that lace metro Phoenix. The service roads, which are closed to motorized vehicles, provide more than 130 miles of recreational opportunities for cyclists (as well as walkers, joggers, horseback riders). More than 60 miles are paved with lighting and amenities. One nice segment in the West Valley stretches from Arrowhead Towne Center to 30-acre Cortez Park at 35th and Dunlap avenues, which has restrooms, drinking fountains and lots of picnic sites. Want to see how far you've gone? Check the canal map at srpnet.com/water/canals/distances.aspx.

Tombstone

When you think of the old West, some version of Tombstone is almost certainly what you're thinking of. "The Town Too Tough to Die" was the real deal; the likes of Doc Holliday, Wyatt Earp and Johnny Ringo, to name a few, have ties to the place. And it was, of course, where the Shootout at the O.K. Corral took place. Gun battles are re-enacted daily, you can take explore such storied places as the Bird Cage Theatre, take guided tours and dress up in 19th-century duds, and several saloons serve food and drinks. Yes, it's touristy, but Tombstone still feels like the real thing (or a movie version of it, at least).

Details: Take Interstate 10 east 160 miles to Benson, then go south on State Route 80.

Red Rock State Park

This is a perfect place to introduce kids to Sedona's geological formations, Oak Creek and the area's wildlife. A 5-mile network of trails loops through the rocks and the lush greenery of the creek. Guided nature walks are available, or pick up a trail guide and create your own outing. The park also features a movie theater and a junior ranger program. Ask the parking attendant for directions to Buddha Beach, a relatively short, creekside hike. Don't miss the photo op at Red Rock Crossing, a short walk from the parking lot.

Details: Park open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. daily; Visitor Center 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. daily. 4050 Red Rock Loop Road, Sedona. $5; $3 for ages 7-13; free for age 6 or younger. 928-282-6907, azstateparks.com/parks/rero/index.html.