Quick! What's the first thing that
comes to mind when you think of Arizona attractions? If
you are like most people, you probably think of the Grand
Canyon. Indeed the Grand Canyon
is by far one of the most breathtaking Arizona
attractions. However, there are a number of equally
exciting places to go in Arizona. While some of these
are very popular, you might want to balance your Arizona
sightseeing by paying a visit to some of the quirky, lesser-known
roadside attractions.
Although you may not be old enough to remember the Cold
War, it lives on in the minds of the retirees of the Green
Valley ICBM. For this reason, they have volunteered to
staff the Titan Missile Museum, located at 1580 W Duval
Mine Rd. in Green Valley, Arizona. Your tour begins with
a video entitled "Peace Through Power." Then, select a
hard-hat and follow your guide to the rocket's den. If
the missile looks vaguely familiar, you must be a Star
Trek fan. Scenes that featured the first warp ship in
Star Trek: First Contact were filmed at this Green Valley
silo.
Continue your Arizona sightseeing with a visit to Casa Grand in Coolidge Arizona. Many pseudo-scientists speculate that this was an ancient, astronomical observatory. However, all that is really known is that it is a decaying, Native American ruin. So why is it so interesting? In 1936, the WPA spent $28,000 to build a huge steel umbrella over the ruin, in order to protect it from the sun. Now, each year they spend $38,000 to keep it painted each year. Go figure!
Another rather unusual Arizona attraction is the Red Garter Bed and Bakery. While you may not be the type to visit a brothel, if you ever had the strange desire to sleep with the ghost of a "lady of the evening," this is the place to go. If you are taking the Grand Canyon Railway to do some Arizona sightseeing, you can spend the night at this restored brothel, which is located in nearby Williams Arizona. The Red Garter was built in 1897 by a German tailor, who hoped to profit for the alleged silver and copper boom at the Grand Canyon. The first floor had a saloon; the second floor had a brothel. Years later, in 1979, a man by the name of John Holst bought and renovated the building. When the Red Garter Bed and Bakery re-opened as a guest house, the guests began to report "ghostly activity."
If you are now ready to visit some of the more traditional
Arizona attractions, let's pay a visit to Montezuma
Castle. First, there are two things you need to know:
Montezuma Castle Monument is not a castle.
Montezuma was never here.
Montezuma Castle is a 20-room, five-story cliff dwelling that was home to the prehistoric Sinagua Indians. It is considered to be one of the most well preserved cliff dwellings in North America. The desire to preserve the site was a major factor that influenced the preservation movement in the United States. Thus, in 1906, Montezuma castle was proclaimed as a National Monument. In your travels to Arizona, you are sure to find many similar monuments of this kind. Be sure to put them into your Arizona travel itinerary.
