Happy New Year! Fun things to do in Phoenix on the long weekend, plus 2 easy road trips
Happy New Year #HappyNewYear
Alison Stanton, Special for The Republic Published 8:00 a.m. ET Dec. 29, 2020
Most of 2020 has been drastically different in so many ways. So, it’s probably no surprise that your way of welcoming 2021 may not resemble the way you’ve ushered in the new year in the past.
At the same time, you definitely want to bid a not-so-fond farewell and good riddance to this pandemic year in as fun and festive a way as possible.
Fortunately, there are plenty of entertaining ways to say sayonara to 2020 and ring in 2021 throughout metro Phoenix and around Arizona. As a bonus, many of these are outside in the fresh air where social distancing is usually easier to do.
Here are nine ideas for how to spend the long New Year 2021 weekend.
Walk-Thru Holiday Lights
Did you eat a few more holiday cookies than you intended? It’s OK, we did, too. To work off some of those oh-so tasty calories, consider strolling through a holiday light display.
Buy tickets to Las Noches de las Luminarias and ZooLights online in advance. If capacity is reached, no walk-up tickets will be sold. Masks are required and social distancing measures are in place.
Details: Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix. 480-941-1225, dbg.org. Phoenix Zoo, 455 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix. 602-286-3800, phoenixzoo.org. Glendale Glitters, glendaleaz.com.
Drive-Thru Holiday Lights
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If you prefer seeing holiday lights from the warmth of your car, no worries.
Details: World of Illumination, 6797 N. 93rd Ave., Glendale, and 2200 W. Alameda Drive, Tempe. worldofillumination.com. Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, 7555 N. Pima Road, on the Salt River Reservation near Scottsdale. 480-656-9940, holidaylightssrf.com.
BEST CHRISTMAS LIGHTS: Drive-thru and walk options around Phoenix
See your neighborhood lights
Whether you have already gone out many times to view the neighborhood Christmas lights or you haven’t made it yet, you still have time to experience your neighbors’ decorating efforts.
New Year’s Eve is a perfect evening to load up the family in the car, head to a drive-thru coffee shop for cocoa (or make your own) and see the displays in your area that would make Clark Griswold Grinch-green with envy.
Need inspiration for a new-to-you drive? Check out azcentral.com’s Phoenix holiday lights map. It features over 100 terrific displays. If a neighborhood looks especially festive, you can always pull over and walk around to check out the displays up close. Remember your mask, and mind your distance.
Take a Hike
Why not celebrate the new year with a hike? While the traditional First Day hikes hosted by Arizona State Parks are not happening this year, you still have plenty of options.
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If you are new to the whole hiking thing, Phoenix has plenty of easy trails to sample. Try the Scenic Trail at McDowell Mountain Regional Park. Fit hikers up for a challenge can tackle the Flatiron in the Superstition Mountains or Picketpost Mountain near Superior.
BEST PHOENIX HIKES: Trails for every ability
Go for a Midnight Madness run
Due to COVID-19, the 31st annual Midnight Madness 5K run will be held virtually this New Year’s Eve. The run starts at 10:30 p.m. so you should have plenty of time to boost your heart rate before watching the ball drop in Times Square on television.
Details: 10:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 31. $40. raceroster.com.
Enjoy a Hot Chocolate Bomb
Perhaps you prefer to stay in on New Year’s Eve and cuddle up on the couch with a Netflix show or two and some tasty snacks. After a busy holiday season that capped off a challenging year, this sounds great to us, too.
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Consider trying the sweetest trend of 2020: hot chocolate bombs that you can buy or make. This decadently delicious treat is a chocolate sphere filled with hot chocolate powder and marshmallows. Place the bomb in a mug, add hot milk or coffee and voila — a scrumptious cup of cocoa or mocha.
Snow Week at Arizona Science Center
This year’s Snow Week at the Arizona Science Center will look a bit different this year, but the ninth annual event will still offer plenty of fun. There won’t be snow to play in on the hill, but indoors you can discover the science behind ice and snow. Watch ice-themed shows in the Dorrance Planetarium and Irene P. Flinn Giant Screen Theater. Snow Week events run Dec. 26-Jan. 1.
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While you’re there, don’t miss Victoria, the largest touring T. rex skeleton in the world. It’s only on display through Jan. 3. Capacity is limited; buy your timed tickets online in advance.
Details: 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays-Mondays. Last entry is at 2:45 p.m. Arizona Science Center, 600 E. Washington St., Phoenix. $19.95, $14.95 for ages 3-17, free for age 2 and younger. azscience.org.
Day Trip: Boyce Thompson Arboretum
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If you have resolved to see more of our lovely state in 2021, you can’t go wrong with a drive to Superior and a visit to Boyce Thompson Arboretum, which is showing off its latest addition, the 13-acre Wallace Desert Garden. You can explore the gardens and trails all you want without a reservation. Just be sure to bring your masks as they are required at all times on the trails and in the facilities.
Details: Winter hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; last admission is at 4 p.m. 55 miles east of central Phoenix on U.S. 60. $15, $5 for ages 5-12. btarboretum.org.
Day Trip: Saguaro National Park
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Another nice day trip involves heading down to Tucson. Pack plenty of snacks and drinks and explore the great scenery, hiking trails and picnic areas in Saguaro National Park. In the Tucson Mountain District on the west side, the park is open to vehicles from sunrise to sunset daily. Don’t miss the scenic Bajada Loop drive that winds past picnic areas and trailheads. The dirt road is suitable for all cars. In the Rincon Mountain District east of downtown Tucson, the paved scenic road is open to cars from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Details: $25 per car, good for seven days. See the website for maps, trailheads and visitor center hours. nps.gov/sagu.
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