Prescott Guide

Retirement is the time to slow down and escape the hustle and bustle of the 9-to-5 work week. Unfortunately, living in a crowded city or suburb does not typically feel laid back; in fact, it sometimes feels like you haven’t retired at all. Always waiting in traffic and standing in long lines at the supermarket keeps everyone on edge, including yourself. So where can you live that will let you experience the retirement lifestyle ? Prescott Guide discusses why you should retire in Prescott. Small Town Retirement is about slowing down. A small town like Prescott allows you to stop and enjoy your surroundings. A simple task like driving doesn’t feel like such a chore. You may meet a few new friends when you take a stroll around the Courthouse Square. Active Community Based on the number of community activities and festivals, you may not guess the average age of Prescott residents is 55. There is something for everyone. If you are interested in the performing arts, you can take in a...

Were you aware that Arizona has a planetarium? Prescott Guide introduces the Jim and Linda Lee Planetarium at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott . The Jim and Linda Lee Planetarium in beautiful northern Arizona offers shows free to the public! The shows are held most Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons, and tickets can be reserved in advance for upcoming events. Take thrilling tours of the farthest reaches of the galaxy. Get an up-close look at our own moon. These full-dome planetarium productions will astound you and your family and friends! The Jim and Linda Lee Planetarium is an excellent resource to our faculty and students. The planetarium brings quality programs to the greater Prescott and Quad-City area. Through the support of the public, new and different programs are brought to audiences continually. The Jim and Linda Lee Planetarium’s goal is to serve a wide and diverse audience of science and space enthusiasts. Two operations specialize in serving d...

Just a hop, skip and jump away from downtown Prescott, lies the quickly recognizable Thumb Butte. Visible from almost every direction, Thumb Butte is a favorite destination among the locals and if you're a newcomer to the area who likes to hike, Prescott Guide would love to introduce you to our legendary local landmark, Thumb Butte. Because of its proximity to Prescott's infamous downtown, also known as The Square, Thumb Butte Trail is one of the area's most popular and heavily-used hiking trails in the Prescott National Forest. There are many signs along the trail to identify the diverse vegetation including manzanita, ponderosa pine and scrub oak as well as signs that enlighten trail hikers in forest ecology including the plentiful snakes and birds that can be found in the area. The View A popular trail among proficient hikers is Trail #33. It offers a steep climb to a ridge that rests just below the crest of Thumb Butte. From the ridge at Groom Creek Vista, hikers c...

Being in the “Wild West” means that Prescott has a rich history. With all of these historical sites, it is easy to overlook some of our more recent history. At Prescott Guide, one of our favorite places to visit in Prescott is the Arizona Softball Hall of Fame (ASHF). It may not seem like much at first glance, but it deserves a second look. We want to invite you to explore this fascinating historical archive. History of the Arizona Softball Hall of Fame The foundation was formed in 1973. It honors Arizona’s greatest teams, players, and coaches of fast-pitch softball - both men and women. For unknown reasons, the ASHF stopped operations from 1980 to 2000 but was rekindled when a group of retired fast-pitch players formed a new committee. For a long time, the ASHF did not have a permanent home and frequently moved around. But in 2005, it found a permanent home in Prescott. Inductees The first person to be inducted into the Arizona Softball Hall of Fame was Art Funk. Art was the sponso...

Generally, “Victorian architecture” is that which came into being during the reign of Queen Victoria of England. There is some wonderful Victorian architecture in Prescott, and Prescott Guide invites you to enjoy it! In 1864 the “Governor’s Mansion” was constructed in Prescott. This building was a log structure built by hand from locally felled trees. However, during the 1890s the architecture influenced by the Victorian age emerged to prominence in Prescott. Most of the high-end homes built from 1890 to 1906 reflect a mix of Victorian era styles, including: Queen Anne Eastlake Italianate Gothic Greek Revival Colonial Revival Queen Anne has become one of the most recognized architectural styles of the Victorian era and is the most common Victorian style in Prescott. The Queen Anne style is characterized by embellishment in nearly every way one could imagine, including: Irregularly shaped roofs with several planes that are steeply pitched Asymmetrical facades made up of a...

Portions of the beautiful Prescott National Forest today are much the same as they have been for hundreds of years. At the lower elevations, the primary vegetation is of the unique Sonoran Desert type. As the elevation rises, chaparral becomes common, along with juniper and piñon pine. At the highest elevations, Ponderosa pine fills the landscape. Prescott Guide invites you to enjoy Prescott National Forest. Viewing scenery. It would be difficult to find any part of the Prescott National Forest that is not beautiful. From seemingly endless vistas to narrow canyons, rivers, creeks and lakes, beauty and inspiring scenery can be found throughout the Prescott National Forest! Viewing plants. The unique transition of plants found in the Prescott National Forest is formed by the geology, climate, and soils of the forest’s mountains and valleys. There are some very scenic drives you can take with elevation changes that will take you from the desert to the pines and so much more! Viewin...

What better way to explore Prescott's legendary cowboy country than on horseback? If you haven't already done so, Prescott Guide invites both visitors and locals to explore our scenic countryside. What are you waiting for? Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your horseback riding adventure. Regardless of your plans, the weather, situations from a trip earlier in the day, and trail conditions all offer potential delays meaning schedules can vary slightly. Take your time, enjoy the day, and please be patient and forgiving when it comes to your horseback riding schedules. Guides, like the rest of us who love what we do, can be entertaining, informative, and a joy to be around. But like most of us, guides, as well as horses, can get tired by the end of a long day. So, if you're able, plan to go riding earlier in the day when everyone's energy is high. It's always a good idea to stay well-hydrated but there's a little bit of a downside...potty...

Beautiful Prescott is the former territorial capital of the state of Arizona. Located in Arizona's central highlands, we are conveniently located and nearly equidistant to Phoenix and Flagstaff. Prescott is famous for our historic downtown business district showcasing Courthouse Square and blocks and blocks of stately Victorian homes. Prescott's pioneer history is saturated with many old saloons, remnants of the gold rush, and stories of famous local cowboys like Tom Mix. In addition to the many historical attractions in and around downtown, Prescott is located near the Prescott National Forest and the uniquely captivating Granite Dells, which offer an abundance of outdoor activities. Prescott Guide invites you to our famed Courthouse Square to enjoy the best of Prescott this season: 2018 Holiday Light Parade Saturday, November 24, 2018, 11:00 am The Holiday Light Parade thrills locals as it winds it way through Prescott on its way to the Courthouse. 64th Annual Yavapa...