The tour was worth the five year wait/lottery! We had a wonderful docent and received a fantastic…read moretour of Tovrea Castle which was superb in every way possible. I have lived in Arizona, specifically the Phoenix area, for most of my life and have driven by Tovrea Castle thousands of times. It was so cool to be able to walk the grounds and get a peek inside. I would highly suggest entering the lottery, it's free and some people have better luck than I did and can get in sooner than 5 years. This was an insightful tour mixed with great storytelling and history. The basement with all the artifacts of the family and learning more about the area makes me proud to be a part of Arizona! Worth the visit!

If you live in the Valley it's highly likely that you have driven by this place. From the 202 fwy…read moreyou can easily see it. I often wondered what is that building? Finally after passing it so many times I was curious enough to look it up. I googled "cake shaped building PHX" and it was the first result. "Tovrea (said tov-ree) Castle aka A jewel in the Sonoran desert" Since 2010 the City of Phoenix purchased, renovated, and opened it for tours. The very abbreviated story with this place is that some homesteaders from the early 1900s owned the land, sold 277 acres to a wealthy Italian man. Alessio Carraro had built a fortune in the sheet metal business in the 1920s from San Fran. He planned to build a hotel resort surrounded by a housing subdivision on 277 acres, Carraro Heights. The castle was built near the timing of when the Great Depression set in. Carraro wanted out, he sold the castle and some amount of acreage (for a fraction of his investment) to Della Tovrea, wife of cattle baron E.A. Tovrea. She lived there until her tragic death in 1969. Nearby is the Stockyard Restaurant, built by E.A.'s son so cattlemen had somewhere to eat near the stockyards. That restaurant still exists today. I plan to check it out. If you want more details and full story, go take the tour :) however tickets are not easy to come by. Tours sell out many months in advance and they started using a lottery system. I bought my tickets months ago. However worth a try to go. I wouldn't say its the most amazing thing I've ever seen and the use of the word "castle" is a stretch. I've been inside some real castles in US and Europe, however it's interesting and a fun thing to do and it satisfied my curiosity! :) Per their website- The Ticket Lottery for Fall 2022 Tickets has ended and all tickets have been distributed - look for last minute cancellation tickets. Ticket Lottery for Spring 2023 Regular Tours closed on October 15, 2022 and Winners will be notified via email starting November 1, 2022. https://tovreacastletours.com

I grew up in an old victorian house and thought it would be fun to bring my dad here for a tour…read morewhen he was in town visiting. We ended up being the only ones on the tour which was nice. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and funny. The entire house has been restored to represent how the original owners would have it set up as closely as possible. The inside details are gorgeous and intricate. Our tour ended up being more like 45 minutes because it was just us and we didn't ask questions. It was a great way to spend a little bit of time before our next activity.

Was in the area from out of town and I wanted to see this beautiful house in person. I wasn't able…read moreto go inside but the outside is so pretty Love all the details. It's truly breathtaking

So for my thousand Yelp review I wanted to make it special. I wanted to chose a place that is a…read morestaple of the local community. I mean after all, isn't that what Yelp is all about? I wanted to review a local business that seemed to Ooooooze AZ identity. Sooooooo, I even put a call out to my friends and fellow Yelpies on social media. I asked them to think about it. When they thought of AZ, what local businesses came to mind? I got so many great answers. However, when I saw the list I realized that after 15 years being Elite, I had already reviewed all of them. When I went onto this page and realized I had not made a review of the David and Gladys Wright House. It seemed like a perfect Karma solution and partnership. I did not know how that was even possible that I had not already reviewed this local treasure. What a great way to complete my One Thousandth review with such an amazing place! To honor a great artist that is associated and influenced within the State of 48 is special. Wright is one of the Kings of American Architect. So let's begin. When you go you will be greeted to a unique layered circular shaped home. Some of you might recognize the ASU Grady Gammage cake swirl technique. ( do you like my fancy non expert architecture terminology there? Ha!) The driveway is the same. Take in all the glory of that breathtaking view of camelback mountain and the property. According to https://franklloydwright.org/site/david-wright-house/ the masterpiece of this Wright residential home home was Titled "How to Live in the Southwest" in the plans by Frank Lloyd Wright, the David & Gladys Wright House is one of three spiral designs realized by Wright. Raised on columns to provide a view of the property's citrus orchard, the house at the base of Camelback Mountain looked outward towards the surrounding desert and inwards onto a central courtyard with a plunge pool and shaded garden. David and Gladys Wright lived in the house until their deaths (David in 1997 at the age of 102, and Gladys in 2008 at the age of 104), after which the residence fell into disrepair. Saved from demolition, its current owners are restoring the property. In early 2022, the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Definitely sign up for a tour and go and check it out. It is totally worth it for historical and artistic purposes alone. Oh, okay, who am I kidding? It is worth the price alone to just check out that view and the home. Just a quick note, you cannot just show up and expect to get in. You have to go with a tour. Enjoy your visit. Happy 1,000 review! I hope this was helpful to those architecture and history fans out there.

Came here for a holiday lights open house this year…read more You park at the south side of the church at 5225 E. Camelback and there is a door that you walk through to get to the Wright House. I have to share, it was a beautiful evening. The weather was warm and even before we got out of our car, we could see the hundreds of Christmas lights twinkling in the distance. As we walked through the door, we were greeted warmly by volunteers and there was a long, long driveway leading to a giant Christmas tree beautifully lit, the long driveway continues to the house. There was a string quartet playing and hot chocolate/ coffee & macaroon served by the Henry. I brought my 9 year old son & his friend with me. There were not too many kids there which was too bad since the look of wonder on their faces were priceless. They were old enough to appreciate the experience and the architecture. It created a memorable experience for them. The house itself is being restored and sits on I think sits on at least a 3 acre property. It's beautiful & worth a visit. Thank you for opening this up for the public for this holiday season!

It was the Felch House and it's front lawn chess set that had caught my eye about eight months ago…read more Then, the whole tree-lined street of Lynwood seemed to suck us in as we'd just done to our breakfasts. (Vovomeena) For a leisurely after-breakfast walk, we went. We admired the grassy front lawns (many "newer" suburban communities don't allow grass in the front lawn) and the architecture of the homes (bungalows mostly) as well as the mature trees and landscaping. Then, just a couple days ago, it happened again. Lynwood is one nice street down which to take a stroll and check out the architecture. And it was then that I learned that this area is designated "The Historic Roosevelt Neighborhood" which is the area from McDowell to VanBuren and from Central to 7th Avenue. it's a series of neighborhoods that grew North of Phoenix between 1893 and 1930. Lynwood St is actually located in an overlap with historic area: "The FQ Story Neighborhood Historic District" which spans from McDowell south to Roosevelt Street and from 7th Ave west to Grand. I'd thought I'd noticed, too, as we'd driven by one of the homes..that there was a white box affixed to a tree. Christmastime...letters to Santa maybe? or maybe the home had a special historical designation...? The joy of discovery. Simple stuff. It wasn't either of those. Note: There's an annual home tour in early November "Historic Roosevelt Home Tour" If you feel like you want to keep walking/sightseeing - check out the nearby "Japanese Friendship Garden" at Portland and 3rd Ave...(there is an admission fee.)

Did a night tour with a friend. This house, its story and the treasures it houses were colorful and…read morefascinating. I don't want to give anything away that my photos didn't already reveal. You owe it to yourself to do a tour. The gift shop/cottage houses more of the properties treasures: lavender inspired home, bath, and body products. I'm coming back to take a soap making class.

I enjoyed our visit to this beautiful mansion. We purchased tickets well in advance which I highly…read moreRecommend. Be sure to go to the store to check in and receive your passes for the tour. And use the restroom there as it's the only one around. The lavender cookies are not to be missed they are two for $10.00 A variety of soaps, scrubs and lotions to choose from. I was disappointed they don't do essential oils or perfumes. I tried one of the soaps this morning and liked it along with the body lotion. The tour itself was great and the house has so many unique features that can't be missed. The stories of the owners from different decades was interesting and our tour guide was engaging. Meet at the front door when your tour starts. There are a lot of stairs to climb- but this is my opinion and may not be suitable for those with a challenge. I'm glad my husband and I were able to manage them. It's a beautiful property and a great way to spend the morning or afternoon.

Did a ghost hunt at the old jail in Globe AZ and it was an incredible night. We used SLS camera,…read moreOvilus and each of us were given a meter to use the entire night. We did Spirit box sessions and got responses to our questions. The team that ran the event were very knowledgeable and did various experiments with us.

From the owner: Ghost Tours in Globe, Arizona provides a short presentation of the history of the location along…read morewith the claims of activity or evidence we have captured. Then you go on actual investigation with experienced paranormal investigators utilizing the latest equipment. All proceeds are donated to the location

This small museum is currently exhibiting Tempe's Old West history, and I found it very interesting…read moreto read about how quickly the town changed and spread. Included in the exhibit are pieces of clothing, tools, and toys from this boomtown era. The rest of the museum has displays from an ethnic standpoint to the movie industry to sustainability in the desert to ASU history. One corner has a truck, books, and costumes so that kids can get hands-on. Admission is free, and the museum shop has lots of unique gift items. Bonus: the Tempe Public Library is right next door

I have been coming here for 20 + years as our go-to library is just next door. The museum is…read morerelatively small. It has different exhibits throughout the year and includes interesting fun facts about the history of Tempe. The exhibits feature some different displays of ancient history and Native American history. The displays feature a modern history of the city, buildings, local favorite eateries, and businesses. It's a great place for people and families of all ages. Admission is free but be kind and drop some money in the donation box. There is also a little shop that has a good selection of gifts & trinkets at the entrance/exit

We were in the Scottsdale area on vacation and came across their website. We texted them and…read morereceived a call back from Monica within 15 minutes. We booked an Ice cream and Gelato tour around Old Town and the Waterfront and were picked up within 15 minutes by "Captain Kirk". He is a very warm and personable guide. He was well versed in the area including buildings/archetecture, public art, history of the area, restaurants and entertainment venues. We had three stops on the tour for 1) Ice cream, 2) gelato and 3) sorbet. All were excellent. We certainly had our fill of sweet treats, all included in the price of the tour. We would certainly recommend this company for one of their many various tours, based on this experience. It was a weekday in January so just be aware that you may need to make more advanced reservations than we did. Thank you Monica and Kirk.

This is a unique and fun way to see sights and get some fresh air! Captain Kirk was ready to go…read morefrom the moment we pulled up; we scheduled a private tour for my husband's birthday and the golf cart was decked out! We bopped around Old Town Scottsdale, being given historical information about the town/city and various landmarks. It was extremely interesting and a nice mellow way to start the tour. We then went up towards the Phoenician resort and toured the ritzy neighborhoods to see the beautiful homes - that is definitely an spect of the tour I don't think we'd get anywhere else! There were options to stop for photos, beverages etc. I would note to be prepared for the breeze as you ride on the golf cart and be aware you'll likely be on a couple busy roads with actual cars so ensure your belongings are secure. It was an absolutely fantastic time and I can confidently say I'd love to do another tour with any out-of-town guests who visit me!

Scorpion Gulch in Phoenix is such an interesting historic stop. It's an abandoned stone structure…read morebuilt in 1936 by William Lunsford as a home and trading post, and it still has that rugged Wild West feel. The stone walls and open-air layout make it a great backdrop for photos, which is why I stopped by to scout it for a shoot. It's right on the way to South Mountain Park, just before the main entrance, so it's easy to find. There is convenient parking right in front of the buildings and more parking adjacent to the site. I drove down to the visitor center for a restroom but they were closed, so that was a little disappointing, though I did find very clean porta potties in the parking lot. There are also some beautiful hiking and walking trails around the area, but I didn't get a chance to explore them that day. I went midweek and I was the only person there, which made it peaceful and easy to look around without any crowds. Whether you're into photography, history, or just want a quick scenic stop on the way to South Mountain, Scorpion Gulch is worth checking out.

Was out in Arizona and looked up some places to check out while we were heading out and I found…read morethis place and I was very interested in going and taking some pictures and finding out the history. It's very neat to see in person. It's absolutely beautiful buildings made out of rock the greenery around. It just made me imagine how it was once upon a time. I definitely recommend if you're in the area to check it out or driving through the area while traveling it was very clean and quiet. It was nice to walk around and take everything in. I'm glad that I was able to find this place and go.

Here at The Showcase Room, you ARE the exhibit…read more Second time popping into this event venue in eight years. I recently popped in for a work function and it was a great time. It's a clean and spacious venue and Culinary Dropout catered the food here both times I have been here. And if you know Culinary Dropout, you know you're in for some truly tasty bites. Soft pretzels and provolone fondue? Need I say more? If you're looking for a modern venue spot to hold all your birthdays; anniversaries; wedding(s), I'm not here to judge lol; work functions; baby showers; et cetera, look no further. The Showcase Room is where it's at!

As far as event spaces go it doesn't get much better. The Showcase Room was elegant, large, and had…read morereally spectacular food and drink for this kind of venue. I came here for a really large work party and the best way to describe the ambiance was a nice wedding reception without a wedding. We had beautifully decorated tables with assigned seats, fun music, a bar, and photo ops. The drinks were good - in my opinion they were pretty standard event cocktails. Definitely tasty, but not craft cocktail level drinks. When it came time to eat and we all went through the buffet, I had pretty low expectations since it is a buffet to feed over 100 people. I have to say though, the food was really and truly wonderful. Best event food I've had hands down. Overall if you're looking for a fun place for your next large party this is a great option. I'd be happy to have a reason to go back!