6 SUMMER ’24 ANDRETTI INDOOR CARTING AND GAMES 1712 S. Cooper Road, Chandler Admission: pay-as-you-go; single races are around $25. Andretti Indoor Karting & Games is a brand-new entertainment venue that features high-speed electric Superkarts, an arcade, two VR options, a laser tag arena, spark augmented reality duckpin bowling, and a 7D Xperience motion theater. andrettikarting.com ARIZONA MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY 53 N. Macdonald, Mesa Admission: $13 for adults, $7 for ages 3-12. Plan for a full day of exploring at the Arizona Museum of Natural History, where you can find exhibits about cultures of the ancient Americas, a paleo dig pit, archeology, paleontology and art collections and Dinosaur Hall, where folks can check out skeletons of those gigantic prehistoric animals. arizonamuseumofnaturalhistory.org BEARIZONA WILDLIFE PARK 1500 Historic Rte. 66, Williams Admission: $35 for adults, $25 for ages 4-12. Drive through more than three miles of wildlife at Bearizona Park. Visitors will have the chance to be up close to bears, wolves, birds, badgers, bison, bobcats and more. There is also a walking option at Fort Bearizona, with more of a “zoo” feeling, plus daily shows where you can learn about the wildlife and even feed the otters at the park. bearizona.com FLAGSTAFF EXTREME ADVENTURE COURSE 2446 Fort Tuthill Loop, Flagstaff Admission: $60 for adults and teens, $30 for ages 7-11. This adventure course is full of swinging ropes, bridges and cables and will test your endurance with 10-17 obstacles. After a 30-minute training course, guests will ascend to the trees and wiggle their way through the course. flagstaffextreme.com I.D.E.A. MUSEUM 150 W. Pepper Pl., Mesa Admission: $9 per person. This children’s museum contains over 20,000 feet of engaging, interactive space, including ArtVille, a larger-than-life “town” designed to help children develop their artistic side. The museum also offers a spring and summer camp, plus ArtVille Academy, an eight-week program for ages 3-5. ideamuseum.org MUSEUM OF NORTHERN ARIZONA 3101 N. Ft. Valley Road, Flagstaff Admission: $15 per person. The Museum of Northern Arizona boasts natural history artifacts and indigenous materials from Colorado Plateau pioneers. It was founded back in 1928! The museum has an interactive geology gallery, historical artifacts, natural history and art collections (including artifacts from the southwestern United States) and special events. musnaz.org OUT OF AFRICA 3505 W. Camp Verde Bridgeport Hwy., Camp Verde Admission: $43 for adults, $28 for kids. Experience Africa in the heart of Arizona, with a plethora of family-friendly activities. Out of Africa has tiger shows, “predator feeds,” an African Bush Safari, a zip line, sloth encounters, giant snake shows, an aviary, and a couple of spots to stop for snacks and drinks in between the excitement. outofafricapark.com PIMA AIR & SPACE MUSEUM 6000 E. Valencia Road, Tucson Admission: $20 for adults, $13 for ages 5-12. This museum features around 400 historic aircraft, from a Wright Flyer to a 787 Dreamliner. The museum opened its doors in 1976 and, over the past 48 years, has grown to include six indoor exhibit hangars. Check out the aerospace gallery, the 390th Memorial Museum, the Titan Missile Museum, and stop by the Flight Grill for a snack in between exhibits. pimaair.org SIX FLAGS HURRICANE HARBOR 4243 W. Pinnacle Peak Road, Glendale Admission: $35 per person. This is the largest theme park in Arizona – and the one with the most water rides! There are over 30 attractions, including a wave pool, lazy river, slides and kid-friendly play areas. There are multiple snack areas with food, drinks, and beverages for grown- ups when you get hungry. sixflags.com/phoenix SLIDE ROCK STATE PARK 6871 N. Highway 89A, Sedona Admission: $20-$30 per vehicle. Explore the beauty and scenery of Slide Rock State Park, and make sure to bring a swimsuit. Slide Rock is 80 feet long and boasts one of the top swimming holes in the United States. There is a half- mile of Oak Creek where visitors can swim, slip and slide down the slippery rocks. There are also fishing areas full of Rainbow Trout for those who want to cast a line. azstateparks.com THE MINI TIME MACHINE MUSEUM 4455 E. Camp Lowell Dr., Tucson Admission: $14 for adults, $8 for ages 4-17, three and under free. It’s a museum of miniature proportions! The gallery contains over 500 miniature houses, room “boxes,” and other collectibles. Explore The Pencil is Mightier: Art on the Tip of a Pencil, or check out Jim Roark’s Metal Monsters, a recreation of classic vehicles abandoned in the desert. theminitimemachine.org VERDE CANYON RAILROAD 300 N. Broadway, Clarkdale Admission: $119 per person. Get ready to take in the beauty of Verde Canyon with a classic train ride. Depending on where you’d like to sit, Verde Canyon Railroad offers packages for each part of the train, from the locomotive to the caboose. Guests can order snacks and drinks on the train during the ride, and there will be photo opportunities along the way. verdecanyonrr.com Worth Worth the the DRIVE DRIVE

7 SUMMER ’24 he benefits of reading are many – learning something new, expanding vocabulary, growing imagination – and book clubs have long been popular amongst adults. Did you know that the Valley has a place that also offers book clubs for young readers? Club Read is a monthly gathering at Changing Hands Bookstore, where 8-12-year-olds can hang out, play games, eat pizza, and discuss new releases and hot title books of the month. Teen Advisory Board (TAB) is a book club by teens, for teens that also takes place at Changing Hands. This program brings readers aged 13-18 together to discuss books they choose while hanging out with other readers. The clubs take place at both the Tempe and Phoenix locations. “Club Read and TAB read and discuss one book a month. TAB will sometimes read more if they are equally interested in a few different books,” Allie Cesmat, assistant children’s book buyer and event coordinator said. “We reveal the next pick at each Club Read, and for TAB, they vote on which book to read next.” Club Read has a selection of different genres and tries to feature new releases or debut authors. The hosts work with Changing Hands’ children’s book buyers to build out the list for the year, with the goal of covering an array of fun, inclusive and diverse topics. Both locations read the same book each month for Club Read. TAB votes on their monthly choices from a short list of titles picked by the host, with feedback from the book buyers. The reading selection differs between locations, as each group picks choices that reflect its unique members. “The groups don’t have a theme, and the book choices don’t have an underlying purpose, usually,” Cesmat said. “These programs exist as gateways to get kids and teens reading and allow them to find a community where they can hang out and discuss bookish topics. And above all, have fun!” At Club Read meetings, the host starts the meetings by asking participants their general thoughts on the book selection of the month and holds a discussion with questions from the host. The kids join in an activity or game that ties to the book. “Kids also enjoy meeting up with their friends and talking about life outside of books or discussing anything else they’re reading or interested in,” Cesmat said. Each club meeting does a big reveal of the following month’s book and awards stamps for different achievements, like attending meetings, bringing a friend, creating artwork based on the book, etc. The stamps can be redeemed for prizes like a free paperback book, stickers, t-shirts and more. Each location runs differently for TAB since teens lead the groups. They discuss the book of the month and analyze characters, themes, general thoughts, etc. Then, they’ll present around four choices for next month’s book and vote on the winner. “It’s also a time for teens to talk about life, movies, other books they’re reading, and meet and hang out with people who are likewise passionate about books,” Cesmat said. Club Read takes place on the last Saturday of every month at 2 p.m. TAB happens on the third Saturday of every month; Tempe meets at 3 p.m., and Phoenix meets at 4:30. All clubs meet for one hour. Both are free to attend. changinghands.com For the For the Readers… Readers… T These programs exist as gateways to get kids and teens reading, and allow them to find a community where they can hang out and discuss bookish topics.