Arizona Pickleball Adventure

DAY 1

We meet after lunch at Phoenix International Airport and shuttle the one hour, 45 minutes to Prescott. Upon arriving we drive directly to our dedicated pickleball courts at Espire Sports and meet our pros. This first session is about getting to know each other on the court. We'll have some instruction from the pros as a group, some instruction when we break into smaller groups based on ability level, and then finish with for-fun games. We'll set the tone this first day, making sure everyone is having fun and getting the exercise they want without the stress they do not need. We'll then check into our suites at the Hassayampa Inn, have time for showers, and then walk across the street for a Southwestern casual dinner at Red, White, and Brew.

DAY 2

This morning breakfast is in the historic Peacock Dining Room of the hotel. We'll then shuttle the short distance to Espire Sports and our pickleball for the day. The plan is to again have instruction followed by fun games. It is then back to our hotel with time to shower and eat lunch on your own in Prescott. In the afternoon we'll do a short shuttle to Watson Lake with an option to kayak on the lake with its surreal, beautiful landscape of granite boulders surrounding the deep blue of the lake. Or you can choose to jump on an e-bike and bicycle on a gravel path with stunning views of the lake as you cruise through the northern Arizona landscape. This evening we'll have taco night at La Planchada restaurant.

DAY 3

This morning after breakfast we have pickleball session number three. This time we'll focus more on playing games, having our instructor integrate into games to give us live on-the-spot coaching while not reducing the fun. By the end of the two-hour session you will very likely have improved your game - regardless of where you started - while deepening your appreciation for why pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the country. Again we'll have time to return to the hotel and shower. After this we will shuttle a little over an hour to the historic mining village of Jerome. Jerome boomed during its mining days, almost busted into oblivion, and has been revised by its residents to be a cute small towns with shops and restaurants. You'll have time to wander and eat lunch on your own. In the late afternoon we continue on to Old Town Cottonwood and a visit to Tuzigoot National Monument, where you can learn about the original inhabitants of this region. We'll then sneak in a wine or beer tasting followed by dinner at Merkin winery's Trattoria.

DAY 4

After breakfast at the hotel we are off to our final session of pickleball. This time it is just fun and all games as we play a rotating schedule of games. You'll get to partner with and play against everyone over the course of the week. (Note we don't keep couples together the whole time.) You will also have the option to try singles pickleball, which is a much bigger workout but also lots of fun. We'll then return to the hotel for showers and lunch on your own in Prescott. In the afternoon you can choose to join an historical walking tour of Prescott (Wyatt Earp, Virgil Earp, and Doc Holiday were all residents) or do a two-mile hike at Thumb Butte Recreation Area, Prescott's most visible natural landmark. We'll then meet for an optional pre-dinner drink at the Palace Saloon on historic Whiskey Row, which with a founding date of 1877 is both the oldest operating bar and business in the state of Arizona. In the evening we'll enjoy our final dinner, at delicious Farm Provisions restaurant, which focuses on using local Arizona products.

DAY 5

Today is departure day! We'll have an optional pre-breakfast walk through Prescott's Victorian district to a viewpoint above town.  It is then back to the hotel for breakfast with time to shower and pack before heading back to Phoenix airport.