Arizona is a popular seasonal destination for Canadians looking to escape the winter, but with travel can come homesickness. For any Canucks heading to warmer territory with a trip to sunny Arizona (who don’t want to entirely leave Canada behind) there are a few ways to feel like you’re back on home turf.
Catch a hockey game
There are few things more Canadian than hockey and, luckily, you can still get your hockey fix while you’re in Arizona. The Arizona Coyotes play out of the Gila River Arena in Glendale, a suburb of Phoenix. You can check out the full schedule of games here.
Or hit the ice
If watching a hockey game didn’t quite do it for you, why not try playing a game of hockey? Arcadia Ice Arena in Phoenix is a great place to go whether you’re new to the sport or you know your stuff when it comes to handling a puck. The rink offers open hockey without having to register in advance, so you can just drop right in. Arcadia Ice Rink also offers many public skating time slots throughout the week. Left your skates at home? Don’t worry, you can rent them at the rink for $2.50 USD. The Ice Den in Scottsdale also offers adult open hockey in 90-minute sessions, but for this one you do need to sign up in advance, one hour before the session. Just note that you’ll need to have your own equipment in order to hit the ice. Who knows, you might run into a fellow Canadian, too.
Chow down on some poutine
One of the most Canadian dishes has to be poutine. The delicious mess of French fries, cheese curds and gravy is a favourite among many Canucks so it would be understandable if you find yourself craving it while you’re away. Luckily, you’ll find a few spots to fill up on poutine in Arizona. The Welcome Diner in Phoenix has poutine on their menu of snacks. This one comes with sausage gravy and melted cheddar rather than cheese curds. Over in Scottsdale you can head to Scottsdale beer Company for the smothered fries, which gets you hand-cut fries topped with brown ale gravy and cheese curds.
Go camping
People from all over enjoy camping as a fun outdoor activity, but pitching a tent is a particularly popular activity among Canadians. So if you’re missing home while in Arizona, why not take advantage of the great outdoors and plan a camping trip? Arizona is filled with beautiful places to set up camp so the hardest part will be choosing a spot. One option to consider is Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, which encompasses more than one million acres. In addition to campgrounds, the sprawling recreation area offers opportunities for fishing, kayaking, swimming and guided boat tours on Lake Powell.
Take a hike
Like camping, hiking is a popular activity everywhere, but it also ranks high on activities Canadians often participate in. If you’re not keen on a multi-day camping excursion you can scale down and go for a hike instead. At Chiricahua National Monument in Wilcox, Arizona, you can explore more than 27 kilometres of hiking trails. A convenient (and complimentary) hiker shuttle leaves the visitor centre at 9:00 a.m. and takes hikers to the Echo Canyon or Massai Point trailheads. Just remember to sign up in person at the visitor’s centre the morning of your hike.
Have a Tim Hortons coffee
Don’t think that you need to forgo your Tim Hortons coffee and doughnut fix just because you’re in Arizona. You can get your fix while at a hockey game at Gila River Arena or while catching a concert (Justin Bieber will be playing March 30). There are Tim Hortons stands on both the main and upper concourses serving coffee and Tim Bits.
Featured image: istockphoto.com/DOUGBERRY
