{"id":10005,"date":"2018-03-28T09:51:26","date_gmt":"2018-03-28T16:51:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.arizonafoothillsmagazine.com\/resorts\/?p=10005"},"modified":"2018-03-28T09:51:26","modified_gmt":"2018-03-28T16:51:26","slug":"skip-trip-stay-local-weekendzona-excursions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.arizonafoothillsmagazine.com\/resorts\/desert\/skip-trip-stay-local-weekendzona-excursions","title":{"rendered":"Skip the Trip and Stay Local with WeekendZona Excursions"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s no secret that Arizona has plenty of amazing places to see, but sometimes us locals are too busy booking another trip to SoCal to remember everything our own state has to offer. Sure, The Golden State is great but consider switching things up by venturing not too far from home to see what lies just beyond the Valley in our own backyard.<\/p>\n

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WeekendZona is a program from Local First Arizona Foundation<\/a> that coordinates specially curated travel opportunities to some of Arizona\u2019s lesser-known towns. The program\u2019s next trip is heading to Camp Verde May 18-20 to discover the three elements (earth, water, sky) of the small western town just 90 miles north of Phoenix. Located in the Verde Valley, the town is considered part of the Lower Sonoran Desert but is located on the Verde River, meaning lots of lush, green plants abound.<\/p>\n

\u201cCamp Verde is often referred to as \u2018Arizona\u2019s best-kept little secret\u2019 for its natural beauty and unique position near the Verde River,\u201d said Maya Azzi, Rural Program Coordinator for the Local First Arizona Foundation. \u201cWe can\u2019t wait to share this \u2018secret\u2019 with more Arizonans.\u201d<\/p>\n

WeekendZona trips are all-inclusive experiences coordinated by Local First Arizona Foundation staff with local businesses and partners in each community. Each trip is a highly curated experience that showcases \u201clocal insider\u201d spots and activities that guests might not otherwise know about. The program recently visited Globe-Miami and has plans for trips to Douglas in July and Pinetop-Lakeside in October.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to show Arizonans that there are many unique vacation opportunities right here in our own state,\u201d said Azzi. \u201cEvery year, Arizonans spend $6.5 billion vacationing in California alone. If we could direct some of those dollars into Arizona\u2019s rural communities, it would make a huge difference for those towns.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Verde River<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Elements of Camp Verde<\/h2>\n

Earth: Explore Camp Verde\u2019s beautiful mountains by hiking the ancient ruins and cliff dwellings and experiencing a Western horseback ride through desert foliage and sandy washes.<\/p>\n

Water: Cruise down the Verde River through small farms and ranches during a\u00a0guided kayaking tour, and experience the vibrant wildlife habitat home to bald eagles, hawks, blue herons, beavers and otters.<\/p>\n

Sky:\u00a0Camp Verde is pursuing the International Dark Sky Community designation and partnering with Astronomers of the Verde to show off the beautiful night sky. Guests will be able to enjoy the night sky through high-powered telescopes and learn about the stars from local astronomy enthusiasts. The astronomers meet monthly to share their latest tracking of asteroids and have displayed their brilliant astrophotography in the community to showcase the Verde Valley\u2019s dark skies.<\/p>\n

All packages include:<\/h2>\n

Lodging<\/strong><\/p>\n