Peoria, Grand Canyon among top 10 outdoor places to visit

PHOENIX– Two Arizona locations, including one in the Valley, made a national newspaper’s list of 10 unique destinations for experiencing the outdoors.

“Even though we might like to keep it all to ourselves, we are truly thrilled to share our amazing amenities on the national stage so more people will be able to discover why Peoria is the place to be,” Mayor Cathy Carlat said in a press release Wednesday.

Located in the northwest valley just a half-hour from Phoenix, Peoria draws outdoor enthusiasts to a variety of attractions, from spring training baseball at Peoria Sports Complex to rejuvenating at Castle Hot Springs.

“One of the biggest gems is Lake Pleasant and the Lake Pleasant Regional Park as well as we’re known for our outdoor hiking and trails which are in the heart of the Sonoran desert,” Jennifer Stein, Peoria communications and tourism director, told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Wednesday.

The Lake Pleasant Regional Park stretches 23,362 acres and offers visitors activities like kayaking, paddle boarding, boating, camping and dinner cruises.

“We know that our city’s treasure is the perfect combination of beautiful desert spaces, mountains, trails and the vast, cool waters of Lake Pleasant,” Carlat said.

The Grand Canyon National Park made the list for its unique hiking trails like the Bright Angel Trail to the bottom of the canyon and Havasu Falls.

The park also offers activities such as rafting down the Colorado River, biking from rim to rim and skydiving into the Grand Canyon. In the winter months, visitors can experience canyon skiing or snowshoeing when the North Rim receives heavy snowfall.

Other cities on the list included Boise, Idaho; Aspen and Telluride, Colorado; and Niagara Falls, New York.

KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Nailea Leon contributed to this report.

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