Arizona Inline Skating Adventure

DAY 1: A Recreation Paradise

We meet after lunch at our hotel in Tempe, Arizona for a quick round of introductions and a preview of our vacation before starting off on our first skate (or ride). We begin at Tempe Lake, a dammed area of the Rio Salado (Salt River), where we skate both east and west on the south shore of the lake. The trail is either concrete or asphalt, you always have water on one side, and you can choose your own distance to skate or cycle. This is one of the more popular recreation areas in Tempe so you will see walkers, runners, and cyclists on the path and kayakers and paddle boarders on the lake. After our skate you can check into our downtown Tempe hotel, which we consider the finest resort-style hotel in the center of the city, and then we'll walk up Mill Street (center of nightlife for the town) and eat dinner at a lively local restaurant that features very flavorful (and not typically American) Mexican food in addition to delicious mixed drinks.

Distances: 10, 14, or 25 Miles

DAY 2: Rural and Suburban Arizona

We start the morning with an optional short hike up Hayden Butte (also known as A Mountain thanks to the large A representing the local university) followed by a walk through campus. ASU is large but surprisingly compact, with a lovely central walking core. We then gather to begin our skating/biking for the day. If yesterday was about an urban recreation highlight, today is about rural skating as we use a series of canal paths to skate from Tempe to Gilbert to Mesa. The skating is almost entirely smooth concrete (with small lines between slabs) and flat as a pancake with no motorized vehicles allowed. Much of it is through rural areas or past suburbs. We'll end up in Gilbert for lunch, which has a shocking 30 restaurants in its downtown Heritage District, a surprisingly quaint town for a Phoenix suburb. You'll have the option to return the way you came for the Short Route or continue on a series of other canal paths to extend your skate. This evening, we dine at Zephyr owner Allan's favorite Arizona restaurant, which bills itself as a "healthy restaurant specializing in Greek, Mediterranean, Lebanese, Middle Eastern, vegetarian and vegan dishes made from fresh ingredients." If you have energy after dinner, we can visit the Mill Cue Club for pool or the "Low Key Piano Bar" with dueling pianos.

Distances: 10, 18, 26, or 36 Miles

DAY 3: Scottsdale's Greenways

This morning you have a non-skating choice to make. We'll offer two activities: a hike in the South Mountain Park Preserve to experience the desert landscape or kayaking on Tempe Lake. We will then check out of our hotel; lunch is on your own in Tempe. In the afternoon, we'll start our skating and biking for the day. Scottsdale is often considered the best of the Phoenix region's cities. It has a ton of preserved open space, beautiful sandstone buttes, a fantastic historic Old town, and an incredible network of bicycle paths situated in long greenways. We again skate right from Tempe, cross Tempe Lake on a pedestrian bridge, and travel through a long series of parks and golf courses on a paved path the entire way. Honestly, except for the sunshine and tanned faces, you might forget you are in a desert. Our path ends up in Old Town Scottsdale, where you can check into our central hotel (the area favorite with a great outdoor pool and bar) before showering and relaxing by the pool before we head out to dinner.

Distances: 13, 20, or 25 Miles

DAY 4: A Day of Adventure

After breakfast at our hotel, we'll skate right from our hotel onto the Arizona Canal Path that runs through Old Town Scottsdale. We'll then veer off when it connects with the Cross Cut Canal Path, heading south into Papago Park. Papago Park is actually located in both Phoenix and Tempe and is home to the Phoenix Zoo, Desert Botanical Garden, and beautiful sandstone buttes. Our canal trail takes us right along the eastern edge of the park and then straight into its central area. You can choose to turn around here for the short route or continue on, where the real adventure begins. We come to one of the only hills on the trip, an uphill paved path that brings us up Papago Buttes, where you will enjoy an outstanding view of the scenic park and the surrounding region. (Advanced skaters can skate this. Others might want to walk this short stretch.) We continue on through some urban connections to the long Grand Canal Path that takes us into suburban areas of Phoenix. We'll return to Old Town Scottsdale for lunch, where you can choose one of the approximately 100 restaurants in the compact central area. You can then shower, enjoy the pool, and wander the streets to check out the art galleries and shops of town. Before dinner, we'll visit the local Goldwater Brewing or do a short wine-tasting walking tour of Arizona-based wineries with downtown tasting rooms. This evening, we'll enjoy our final dinner at the Tortilla Factory, known not only for its homemade specialty tortillas but for excellent and creative Mexican food.

Distances: 9, 16, or 26 Miles

DAY 5 Skate for Breakfast

This morning we start off directly from our hotel and skate on the Arizona Canal Path and the Indian Bend Wash Trail to reach Mountain View Park. There, your guides will have prepared a nice continental picnic breakfast to reward your efforts. Return is via a different route, making a nice "Popsicle Stick" loop ride. We'll shower back at the hotel and check out before you can choose to head to the airport or extend your stay in Arizona.

Distances: 6 or 14 Miles