I'm new to the area & need some ideas for things to do for Labor Day weekend (Phoenix: coupons, hotel)

[ms.teach]

I was thinking of going on a road trip, but I'm not sure where. I'd like to drive to either Sedona or Cali. I've been in AZ for a month from the east coast and I'm feeling a little homesick so I want to be sure to stay busy over Labor Day weekend. Are there any groups (for ppl in their 30s+) that I could look into joining that will go on any fun/relaxing adventures? I tried looking at the meetup site, but couldn't really find anything for this weekend and for what I'm looking to do. TIA!

[observer53]

If you go to Sedona, it will be crowded. Suggest you come back on Sunday. Less traffic, and less chance of getting stuck on I-17 if there's a wreck that closes the freeway.

[ms.teach]

Originally Posted by observer53

If you go to Sedona, it will be crowded. Suggest you come back on Sunday. Less traffic, and less chance of getting stuck on I-17 if there's a wreck that closes the freeway.

Oh, good point! but I should add - I have off til Tuesday - so I could even go home on Tuesday in order to avoid the crowd coming home.

[sexxxcblac]

Google Salt River tubing.
I need you to do that first before you take a road trip.
What this will do is show you a peice of Arizona you will never forget It will permanently edge an appreciation of the unmatched beauty of this state. Another reason I want you to do this first is once you go down that river for a couple of hours , what will happen is you will bond with your new state. You intimately meet your new state and your new state intimately meets you.
After that you can go from Tucson to Flagstaff and meet the other members of your new family and you will develop a deeper appreciation of YOUR great state.

[Jukesgrrl]

You can stay VERY busy in Phoenix. You're living in the sixth largest city in the U.S.! Why not get to know your new city? Get a copy of Phoenix magazine and read the calendar section. Go to the Phoenix New Times website; I guarantee they'll have an article this week on Events for Labor Day weekend. Click on the Menu in the upper right corner. The drop down list will give you a Calendar of Events, a comprehensive music section, and excellent restaurant coverage. You can subscribe to a weekly E-mail called Things to Do. You can also sign up for Voice Daily Deals, which will give you coupons on restaurants and places with entry fees.

There are things to do for virtually every taste. If it's not too hot, go to the Botanical Garden. They have a great restaurant there for lunch or dinner. Explore the art of our region at the Heard Museum. Get a day pass to a spa; you can swim, have a massage, get a facial and other pampering things. Go to the Crescent Ballroom for live music or Trivia Night.

See a play at the Herberger Theater, Theatre Artists Studio, or the Arizona Broadway Theatre. Go to a comedy club — Billy Gardell, Jen Kirkman, and Brad Williams all have stand-up shows in coming days. Are you into cosplay or anime? Saboten Con 2016 will be held at downtown’s Sheraton Grand Hotel all Labor Day weekend. There's a fetish ball somewhere on Saturday night, too, although I don't remember where.

Valley Bar Phoenix, 130 N. Central Ave., has free game night every Monday. Play skee ball, pool, darts, shuffleboard at no charge while drinking $1 drafts. Like football? Mother Bunch will have it on big screens with good quality food and libations in Central Phoenix all weekend. Or pretend you're at the beach sipping a mai tai at Hula’s Modern Tiki, 4700 North Central.

The Musical Instrument Museum has a special multi-media exhibit about Johnny Cash and the Carter Family's influence on American Music. Check out the Atomic Retro Vintage Swap Meet and Farmers Market at the Arizona Event Center in Mesa, 7 am to 1 pm every Saturday and Sunday.

Want to do something with a group? The city sponsors Meet Me Downtown, which is a 5K casual fitness walk every Monday evening, including Labor Day. Just show up at 5:15 p.m. for check-in at Copper Blues inside City Scape at 50 West Jefferson Street. The walkers do a loop on city streets and through a park. Dogs and kids are welcome so it's not a show-off-your-speed-walking thing, it's a meet-the-neighbors thing.

Have a great weekend.

[locolife]

Here's a bunch ideas:

Top Arizona Labor Day weekend events

[ms.teach]

Originally Posted by locolife

Here's a bunch ideas:

Top Arizona Labor Day weekend events

THANK YOU!

Originally Posted by Jukesgrrl

You can stay VERY busy in Phoenix. You're living in the sixth largest city in the U.S.! Why not get to know your new city? Get a copy of Phoenix magazine and read the calendar section. Go to the Phoenix New Times website; I guarantee they'll have an article this week on Events for Labor Day weekend. Click on the Menu in the upper right corner. The drop down list will give you a Calendar of Events, a comprehensive music section, and excellent restaurant coverage. You can subscribe to a weekly E-mail called Things to Do. You can also sign up for Voice Daily Deals, which will give you coupons on restaurants and places with entry fees.

There are things to do for virtually every taste. If it's not too hot, go to the Botanical Garden. They have a great restaurant there for lunch or dinner. Explore the art of our region at the Heard Museum. Get a day pass to a spa; you can swim, have a massage, get a facial and other pampering things. Go to the Crescent Ballroom for live music or Trivia Night.

See a play at the Herberger Theater, Theatre Artists Studio, or the Arizona Broadway Theatre. Go to a comedy club — Billy Gardell, Jen Kirkman, and Brad Williams all have stand-up shows in coming days. Are you into cosplay or anime? Saboten Con 2016 will be held at downtown’s Sheraton Grand Hotel all Labor Day weekend. There's a fetish ball somewhere on Saturday night, too, although I don't remember where.

Valley Bar Phoenix, 130 N. Central Ave., has free game night every Monday. Play skee ball, pool, darts, shuffleboard at no charge while drinking $1 drafts. Like football? Mother Bunch will have it on big screens with good quality food and libations in Central Phoenix all weekend. Or pretend you're at the beach sipping a mai tai at Hula’s Modern Tiki, 4700 North Central.

The Musical Instrument Museum has a special multi-media exhibit about Johnny Cash and the Carter Family's influence on American Music. Check out the Atomic Retro Vintage Swap Meet and Farmers Market at the Arizona Event Center in Mesa, 7 am to 1 pm every Saturday and Sunday.

Want to do something with a group? The city sponsors Meet Me Downtown, which is a 5K casual fitness walk every Monday evening, including Labor Day. Just show up at 5:15 p.m. for check-in at Copper Blues inside City Scape at 50 West Jefferson Street. The walkers do a loop on city streets and through a park. Dogs and kids are welcome so it's not a show-off-your-speed-walking thing, it's a meet-the-neighbors thing.

Have a great weekend.

Awesome response! You're right - I should get to know my new city! Thank you!

Originally Posted by sexxxcblac

Google Salt River tubing.
I need you to do that first before you take a road trip.
What this will do is show you a peice of Arizona you will never forget It will permanently edge an appreciation of the unmatched beauty of this state. Another reason I want you to do this first is once you go down that river for a couple of hours , what will happen is you will bond with your new state. You intimately meet your new state and your new state intimately meets you.
After that you can go from Tucson to Flagstaff and meet the other members of your new family and you will develop a deeper appreciation of YOUR great state.

Thank you! That sounds super duper fun... I'm going to look into it - if not this weekend (bc i feel like it would be really packed this weekend) definitely some other weekend!

You are all so kind! THANK YOU AGAIN!

[adriver]

Originally Posted by ms.teach

I was thinking of going on a road trip, but I'm not sure where. I'd like to drive to either Sedona or Cali. I've been in AZ for a month from the east coast and I'm feeling a little homesick so I want to be sure to stay busy over Labor Day weekend. Are there any groups (for ppl in their 30s+) that I could look into joining that will go on any fun/relaxing adventures? I tried looking at the meetup site, but couldn't really find anything for this weekend and for what I'm looking to do. TIA!

There's been some great suggestions so far, but is there anything in particular you are looking for, or what you enjoy doing?

If you're looking for a road trip, I would highly suggest just taking a drive up to flagstaff if you haven't done it yet. We are only a month or two away from them getting snow, and unless you are going to ski/snowboard you probably won't want to mess around up there till spring. Its only about an hour and a half north and a 5,000 ft climb (completely different environment). Once up there; you have mt Humphreys, the meteor crater, the petrified forest, or even downtown flag to go walk around for an hour or few just to get out and see something a little different then desert.

[ms.teach]

Originally Posted by adriver

There's been some great suggestions so far, but is there anything in particular you are looking for, or what you enjoy doing?

If you're looking for a road trip, I would highly suggest just taking a drive up to flagstaff if you haven't done it yet. We are only a month or two away from them getting snow, and unless you are going to ski/snowboard you probably won't want to mess around up there till spring. Its only about an hour and a half north and a 5,000 ft climb (completely different environment). Once up there; you have mt Humphreys, the meteor crater, the petrified forest, or even downtown flag to go walk around for an hour or few just to get out and see something a little different then desert.

That sounds like a great idea! I do want to explore this city - but the heat is a bit much & everyone says how beautiful it is up north... so what your suggesting may be a good plan. I'm pretty open to do anything - hiking, kayaking, etc - I just want to explore, maybe meet some new people and see what else is out there. Being that I've been waiting my whole life to live away from the snow in the winter - I doubt I'll be going up for skiing over the winter!

Thanks for this suggestion!

[SoCalCpl2]

If you like Alice Cooper he has a bar/grill/lounge/whatever downtown... Funky little place, but you probably can have some fun there...