Trying to figure out what to do with kids in Phoenix? James, the 12 year old son of our KEY publisher, shares his experience of flying in a Hot Air Balloon over Phoenix with Hot Air Expeditions.

Looking for things to do in Arizona on your vacation? Lake Pleasant Regional Park offers camping, boating, fishing, swimming, hiking, picnicking, and wildlife viewing.

A trip to Lowell Observatory atop Mars Hill in Flagstaff brings you to one of the most historic landmarks in Arizona.

Arizona has many fantastic parks for all kinds of camping. Dad and I usually load up the van and sleep in our giant tent. However, I have started training for our first backpacking trip.

I walked into Taliesin West not knowing what to expect. Could a building be exciting to an 11 year old? The answer is YES.

Very recently, I had the pleasure of heading to Sedona and staying at the Sedona Rouge Hotel & Spa. Now being a traveler, I’ve been to a lot of hotels, but never one like the Rouge. It’s design, rooms, food, spa, and even beds, are fascinating and unique.

When my dad first asked me to hike down to Havasu Falls with him, I thought he was insane - just an excuse to use all of his beloved “gear”. What teenager would want to hike 10 miles down into the canyon and back up just to see some falls? Well, as I soon found out, I would.

We started on the Serengeti Tour with our guide, Sean, originally from South Africa. He was very helpful in explaining the animals and their backgrounds. The first animals we saw were zebras. They came right up to the bus and Sean pulled out treats. “Have you ever seen a zebra smile?” he asked us. Seconds later, we all did. I thought that was awesome; but so much more was ahead of us.

In July, I attended a production of Grease at the Arizona Broadway Theater with my family. Sitting down to a wonderful gourmet dinner before the show started, I was looking forward to the curtain going up because I had watched the television show “Grease: You’re the One that I Want” and had voted every week for my favorite “Danny” and “Sandy”.

Ever since I was a child, I had a great love for noodles. I could eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I asked for them so much that my mother actually nicknamed me Noodle. So you can imagine my excitement when Avantí Restaurant said that their pasta chef, Margarita, was willing to share her noodle making secrets with me.