When it comes to having fun outdoors, the natural diversity of Arizona provides almost limitless possibilities. During February and March, attendees can challenge the rapids of the Salt River. Just a few months later, tubing on the Salt and rafting on the mellow Gila River provide good fun.
How many destinations let you ski in the morning and play golf in shirt sleeves in the afternoon? In Arizona it's not only possible, but frequently done. The lofty heights of Mount Lemmon near Tucson are ideal for winter skiing while Tucson's dozens of golf courses are at their greenest.
To get close to all that's fun and fascinating in the Sonoran Desert, hook up with Desert Storm Hummer tours or other companies that make forays into off-road crannies. What may seem like a barren and lifeless land comes alive when its animals and plants are described by a knowledgeable guide.
Arizona is the only state in which the "giants with arms," those mainstays of Western sunsets called saguaro cactuses, grow naturally. Saguaro National Park in Tucson has hiking and cycling trails that wind among these flourishing "prickly pickles." Or, your group can see them, along with hundreds of other desert species, at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix.
Trail rides follow paths in South Mountain Park, which borders Phoenix's southern edge. At 17,000 acres, it's the largest municipal park in the world, with trails that lead to a number of petroglyph sites. For something different, provide attendees with binoculars for a visit to a birding preserve. Ramsey Canyon south of Tucson, Hassayampa near Wickenburg, and the Patagonia-Sonoita preserves near the Mexican border all are prime birding venues.
