Places for Nature Lovers to Check Out Around Phoenix

Here are a few places you should check out around Phoenix, regardless if you live here or are just visiting:

Desert Botanical Garden
Located in Papago Park, the Desert Botanical Garden is about 50 acres of both native plant life as well as many rare and endangered plant species from around the world. There are five trails that can be followed through the garden: the Desert Discovery Trail, Sonoran Desert Nature Trail, Plants & People of the Sonoran Desert Trail, Harriet K. Maxwell Desert Wildflower Trail, and Center for Desert Living Trail. If you are into discovering and learning about beautiful plant life, you have got to check out the Desert Botanical Garden.
Visit http://www.dbg.org/ to learn more.

Phoenix Zoo
One of the younger zoos in the country, the Phoenix Zoo is completely non-profit and is funded by donors. It has also been voted one of the top five zoos in the nation for kids. The zoo is open year-round and is active in various wildlife conservation programs. The zoo has over 1,200 animals on 125 acres for your viewing. In addition to animal viewing, you can pedal boat on the zoo lake or ride the Safari Shuttle across the zoo. There are also concerts and various special events.
For more information, check out http://phoenixzoo.org

Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park
About 3,200 plants from all over the world's deserts can be seen in the Boyce Thompson Arboretum, which is Arizona's largest and oldest botanical garden. The arboretum has a 1.5 mile trail where most of the plants can be viewed. Over 250 species of birds have also been recorded at the arboretum.
For more information, check out http://arboretum.ag.arizona.edu/

We've just begun to scratch the surface of the many, many places around Phoenix, Arizona created for nature lovers. And remember, if you would like to make this wonderful part of the country your home, contact Choice Group Realty today. We'll help you find your perfect home!

Phoenix, Arizona: Let's Go River Rafting!

Today we thought we would talk a little about one of the greatest activities you can do while in the Phoenix, Arizona area: river rafting. Rafting is the act of utilizing a raft to navigate a river or other body of water. It is usually done on what is called "whitewater," which is water that has a bubbly, frothy appearance because of the rapid and unstable current. Whitewater rafting is an incredibly exhilarating experience, and central Arizona has some of the finest rafting in all the world. Following are a few companies you can contact to arrange a river rafting trip here:

Mild to Wild Rafting - www.mild2wildrafting.com - rafting tours on the Salt and Verde Rivers in lengths ranging from an afternoon to multi-day.

Desert Voyagers Guided Rafting Tour - www.desertvoyagers.com - specializing in trips that combine a desert jeep tour with river rafting.

Salt River Tubing & Recreation - www.saltrivertubing.com - spend the day or afternoon tubing the Lower Salt River rapids near Mesa, Arizona.

There are more rafting companies to choose from. We just wanted to get you started. If you do venture out into the river, remember to wear your life vest, wear shoes (to protect your feet from the rocky river bottom), stay sober, use sun block, and drink lots of water. Now get out there and experience some real river rafting, like only Arizona offers!

Mesa, Arizona - One of the Hottest, Fastest Growing Cities in the U.S.

From 1980 to 1990, the population of Mesa, Arizona increased from 152 thousand to 288 thousand, a whopping increase of 89% (number one in the country). By 2000, the population had increased to 404 thousand. Today, Mesa is the third largest city in Arizona. So what accounts for this incredible growth?

It is a number of factors, including:

• A very mild winter.
• A very pleasant year-round atmosphere. In fact, Mesa has over 320 days of sunshine every year. How many places in this world can make that claim?
• Strong economic conditions.
• An incredible array of outdoor/sports-related activites.

If you're a golfer, then you are going to love it in Mesa. There are many golf clubs. Just a few are:

• Arizona Golf Resort
• Augusta Ranch Golf Club
• Desert Sands Golf and Country Club
• Dreamland Villa Golf Course
• Las Sendas Golf Club
  

This is no way a complete list. Just a start.

There is also horse back riding, desert exploration, hiking, even river tubing!

But despite all this, ultimately, the reason for Mesa's growth is the fine people who live here. There is a warmth of the Southwest that radiates in the people who call this city home. We invite you to come check it our for yourself. And if you decide to stay, Choice Group Realty is here to help you find your perfect dream home. Just call us!