Greater Phoenix’s No. 2 industry is tourism, so Boise State football fans should expect plenty of choices to fill their days before or after the Fiesta Bowl on Monday in Glendale, Ariz.
Shopping, apparently, is a must.
"If I was a husband, I would not be letting my wife go to Scottsdale," said Boise State tight ends coach Scott Huff, who is from Phoenix. "It’s kind of like Beverly Hills. There’s going to be a lot of money spent."
Golf is a given. The area boasts more than 200 courses — many of them award-winners.
"There’s a course for anybody," Huff said.
The nightlife and dining are renowned, too. Hit the Mill Avenue District in Tempe or the more sophisticated downtown Scottsdale for some evening fun.
You’ve got your choice of sporting events — from college football to college basketball to the NBA and NHL to minor-league hockey. You can even catch an Idaho Steelheads game, if you stay the night of Jan. 2.
Outdoor recreation is popular, too. Hiking. Biking. Horseback riding. A zoo known as one of the best for children. The Desert Botanical Garden. This is a chance to get some sun.
And if you’ve always wanted to see the Grand Canyon and haven’t found the time, you can take a "flightseeing" tour.
Oh, and did we mention Mexican food? The Arizona-based Broncos say it’s legendary.
What to do and where to go while you’re in Arizona
Sporting events
• Phoenix Suns, nba: The high-scoring Suns play Portland today and New York on Friday, both at 7 p.m. at US Airways Center in Phoenix. The games are sold out, but tickets are available through a re-sale program.
Info: www.nba.com/suns
• Phoenix Coyotes, NHL: The struggling Coyotes, coached by Wayne Gretzky, face one of the West’s top teams, San Jose, at 7 p.m. Saturday at Jobing.com Arena in Glendale. Tickets range from $15 to $300.
Info: www.phoenixcoyotes.com
• Phoenix Roadrunners, ECHL: The cheaper hockey option also is available Saturday, when Long Beach visits US Airways Center in Phoenix. Also, if you’re staying an extra day, the Idaho Steelheads will be in town Jan. 2. Both games begin at 7:11 p.m. Tickets range from $7 to $50.
Info: www.phxroadrunners.com
• Insight Bowl: Minnesota (6-6) takes on the wide-open passing attack of Texas Tech (7-5) on Friday. Game time is 5:30 p.m. at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe. Tickets range from $20 to $80.
Info: www.insightbowl.com
• Arizona State men’s hoops: The Sun Devils play home games Thursday (Stanford, 7 p.m.) and Saturday (Cal, 8 p.m.) at Wells Fargo Arena. Tickets range from $20 to $30.
Info: www.thesundevils.cstv.com
Golf
The Greater Phoenix area has more than 200 golf courses. Many of them will be pricey this time of year, but they’re also some of the finest courses in the country. Here are a few options:
• TPC of Scottsdale: The home of the PGA Tour’s FBR Open is open to the public. The rate is $249.
Info: www.tpc.com/daily/scottsdale/index.html
• Estrella Mountain Ranch Golf Club: The Jack Nicklaus II design has appeared on several best-public-course lists. It’s in Goodyear, southwest of Phoenix. The rate is $139.
Info: www.estrellamountainranch.com/recreation/golf.asp
• We-Ko-Pa Golf Club: The Cholla course at We-Ko-Pa was named one of the 10 best new courses in the world by Sports Illustrated shortly after it opened in December 2001 and is ranked No. 2 among Arizona public courses by Golfweek. A second course opened this month. The rate is $170. The courses are in Fort McDowell, east of Scottsdale.
Info: www.wekopa.com
Shopping
• Scottsdale Fashion Square: The area’s best-known shopping mall includes more than 40 stores not available elsewhere in the state. Stores include Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Burberry, katespade, Tiffany & Co., Gucci, Crate & Barrel and Boss Hugo Boss.
Info: www.fashionsquare.com
• Biltmore Fashion Park, Scottsdale: The open-air, brick-pathed shopping center includes Bella Dimora, Apple Computer, Betsey Johnson, Cartier, Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spas, Patigonia at Ducksback and a children’s clothing store called This Little Piggy Wears Cotton.
Info: www.shopbiltmore.com
• Old Town Scottsdale: The downtown area is full of art galleries, restaurants, bars and specialty shops. Scottsdale ArtWalk is a Thursday night tradition. The area is near Fashion Square.
Info: www.scottsdaledowntown.com
Other things to do
• Casinos: There are at least six Indian casinos in the Phoenix area, including two in Scottsdale.
Info: www.500nations.com/Arizona_Casinos.asp#Maricopa
• South Mountain Park: The 16,000-acre preserve has been touted as the largest municipal park in the world. You can tour it by foot, bike, horse or car. The park is south of Phoenix.
Info: www.phoenix.gov
• Desert Botanical Garden: The garden in Phoenix includes 50 acres of exhibits featuring 139 rare, threatened and endangered plant species.
Info: www.dbg.org
• The Tempe Improv: The comedy club is near Arizona State University.
Info: (480) 921-9877
• Air tours of the Grand Canyon: Several companies provide flightseeing tours of the Grand Canyon out of the Phoenix area. A 2-hour trip is less than $200.
Info: www.visitphoenix.com
• Phoenix Zoo: The zoo has been rated one of the top five in the country for kids. You can see a lion, tiger, elephant, bald eagle, jaguar, Mexican gray wolf, giraffe, bear and white rhino.
Info: www.phoenixzoo.org
• Visit Sedona: The popular recreation area north of Phoenix has been named one of the 10 most beautiful places in the country. It’s about a two-hour drive from the Phoenix area.
Info: www.visitsedona.com
• Rawhide: The replica Old West town is a popular stop for families. It’s in Chandler, south of Scottsdale.
Info: www.rawhide.com
• Hike Camelback Mountain: The mountain reaches 2,704 feet and the trails climb more than 1,200 feet. It’s not a hike for beginners, but it offers great views.
Info: www.phoenix.gov/PARKS/hikecmlb
• Mill Avenue district: The Tempe nightclub scene, near Arizona State University, is one of the Phoenix area’s most-recommended stops.
Info: www.downtowntempe.com
