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PhoenixArizona's capital city, Phoenix, has risen from the mythical ashes of an ancient agricultural Indian village to become a sprawling modern metropolis, the sixth largest city in the USA. Its rapid urban growth has filled what is known as the 'Valley of the Sun', encompassing the neighboring towns of Scottsdale, Mesa and Tempe as suburbs and is America's fastest-growing urban center, claiming to have more 5-star hotels than any other city in the USA. With luxurious resorts and spas, glitzy shopping plazas, upmarket restaurants and superb golf courses, together with over 300 days
of sunshine a year, the area has become a popular winter getaway for the rest of the country. Phoenix's greatest attraction however is its location, surrounded by a vast cactus-studded desert and the magnificent scenery of the Red Rock Country around nearby Sedona, whose landscape of canyons, pinnacles and red cliffs have been the setting for numerous 'Wild West' films and novels. The Apache Trail is a winding scenic drive that passes through some of the beautiful rugged terrain of central Arizona, passing ghost towns, ancient ruins and the Superstitious Mountains.
Getting Around: Phoenix is spread out, and distances between places of interest to visitors tend to be significant; therefore, outside of the downtown area, a rental car is a must. However, the construction of the METRO light rail, expected to be completed in 2008, may help shorten these gaps a bit. In the meantime, keep in mind that local drivers often speed and tailgate. At present, the city's public transport system is geared more towards commuters rather than tourists, although the free central city shuttle bus service, called DASH (Downtown Area Shuttle), is useful for accessing attractions like the state capitol and major shopping malls. The buses run on weekdays between 6.30am and 5.30pm. The city's bus service is called Valley Metro, and schedules are available from the Central Station and Frys supermarkets. Taxis are freely available from local companies but tend to be expensive and are not recommended for getting around, unless for a short trip within a limited area.
TucsonWith a dramatic setting in the Sonora Desert, surrounded by a ring of mountain ranges with the Santa Catalina Mountains as a backdrop, Tucson is the fastest-growing resort city in the country and one of Arizona's most attractive. Together with the amenities of a modern metropolis and a small-town atmosphere, its constant sunshine and dry desert air, Tucson is a city that makes the most of its beautiful desert setting and is a popular health resort. Its proximity to the Mexican border is evident in its architecture and cuisine, and a long history that has left the city with a dynamic legacy of Spanish, Mexican, American and traditional Indian influences. With naturally eroded cliff forms, cacti, bird life and old cowboy towns in the area, it is also a good base from which to explore the many natural sights beyond the city limits. Horseback riding and hiking along the wilderness trails is a good way to explore the region. Nearby attractions include the Sagauro National Park with the highest concentration in the world of the desert-symbol Saguaro cactus, the Spanish-style Mission San Xavier del Bac, and the first-class Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum that features almost every kind of local desert fauna and flora in an outdoor setting. The old mining town of Tombstone attracts crowds of tourists as the site of the shootout at the OK Corral.
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