47% off (Sale price $99.00, Reg. Price $189.00) :: Hotel at a Glance: Hotel San CarlosWhen it opened in 1928, the Hotel San Carlos had one thing no other hotel in downtown Phoenix did: air conditioning. Along with that first, the hotel lays claim to a guest list that includes the likes of Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe. This 90-year legacy helped it become a member of Historic Hotels of America. Best way to cool off: swimming in the outdoor pool. It’s heated for those cooler days. Free WiFi helps travelers plan their days. Break a sweat in the fitness center. Downtown Phoenix is easily accessible via the light-rail station a block away.Phoenix, Arizona: Bustling Metropolis and Native American Culture Surrounded by DesertThough the topography of the Phoenix area is all desert, it’s by no means desolate. Camelback Mountain is a city park area with scenic trails that wind past boulders and red-sandstone formations; climb to the very top for a view of the entire city. Or hit the themed trails at the Desert Botanical Garden filled with Southwestern flora such as huge sonoran cacti and other moisture-hoarding succulents. Either way, plan hikes in the early morning or twilight hours to catch the most stunning sunlit views and stay cool.For an in-depth look at the cultures of Arizona’s indigenous population, browse the 12 exhibition galleries and sculpture garden at the Heard Museum. The collection’s nearly 40,000 pieces of art range from 500 Hopi katsina dolls to a full-size Pueblo oven. In nearby Scottsdale, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West was the renowned prairie-style architect’s winter home as well as a campus for his architecture school.
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