Just because the senior in your life has moved to senior living doesn’t mean they have to stay there all day, every day. Day trips and excursions are a great way to keep a brain sharp and a mind engaged with the world.
When you visit, there are many things to do and places to see in Peoria, Arizona, where Mission at Agua Fria Senior Living is located. Even just spending some time outside going for a walk has proven to boost a person’s mood, so getting out and spending a day in Peoria or nearby Phoenix can reap many benefits.
A colorful suburb of Phoenix, Peoria offers year-round festivals and fun. With a population of 191,000 people as of the 2020 census, you can appreciate a small-town feel while still enjoying the benefits of a larger city. Awards Peoria has won include being the number one master-planned community in Arizona and in the top ten most unique cities in the U.S.
Here are five things to do when you visit a senior living in Peoria, Arizona:
1. Spring Training
If your senior is a baseball fan, spring training could be a big draw. Every year, over 240,000 fans crowd in at the Peoria Sports Complex and typical springtime weather is usually in the 80s with clear skies – simply perfect for a ball game!
You can enjoy the state-of-the-art ballpark with the Cactus League’s largest digital scoreboard, and adults will love the Craft Courtyard with a wide variety of microbrews carefully selected from Arizona, California, and the Pacific Northwest. Further recent enhancements to the stadium includes a coastal-themed playground and splash park, perfect for those younger members of your party that cannot sit still through a game!
Themed games and dog-friendly parties round out the festive atmosphere – come and enjoy 32 Major League Baseball games over 30 days and create countless happy memories!
2. Savor the Outdoors
Peoria is home to 570 acres worth of public parks, including 36 neighborhood parks and three large community parks where you can walk and take in the landscape. Looking for a more challenging workout? You’ll have access to more than 60 miles worth of hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails.
Many people consider Peoria a hiking destination, considering the beauty and range of the Sonoran Desert. Several of these trails are right inside the city limits too – for instance, there are twelve and a half miles of trail along New River from Northern Avenue to Williams Road. Or you could take a shorter walk just under six miles along Skunk Creek from 83rd Avenue to 51st Avenue in Glendale.
Make sure you check out the Peoria trail map before you go, so you can determine the difficulty rating scale to find the right trail for your walk or hike!
3. Family Friendly Fun
If you’ve brought the whole family for your visit with the senior in your life, there are many family-friendly activities and attractions you can explore while including everyone in the fun! Just outside of Peoria, meet exotic animals at the Wildlife World Zoo Aquarium and Safari Park. The park has more than 600 unique species to see and learn about; don’t miss the petting zoo, the rollercoaster, or the zip lines either!
Next up, you may not think there could be ice skating in the desert, but you’d be wrong – visit AZ Ice for open skate times. Once you’ve worked up a sweat and tired yourself out, you’ll be hungry as well, but we’ve got you covered there. You can grab a bite at restaurants within walking distance of the ice complex.
Looking for a place to cool down? You must visit Pioneer Community Park, to splash around the splash pad and playground. You can also enjoy fishing and bringing a picnic, and there’s also an off-leash dog park for your furry friend where they can splash and make their own four-legged friends.
4. Eat!
Craving a good pizza? Peoria was ranked one of the Best Cities for Pizza Lovers in 2017. Taste your way through the Old Town Peoria historic district, beginning with Lucidi Distilling Co. Handcrafted vodkas, gins, and whiskeys are a great place to start, but you must try their agave spirits. Interested in Mexican food? Check out the Piggy in a Poncho taco, refined by Chef Jeremiah Gracia; it’s Mexican street fare with an upscale twist.
Hot weather also calls for barbeque. At the Haymaker Restaurant, sink your teeth into a barbeque burger with owner Joey Lucidi’s signature barbeque sauce.
This is just the tip of the iceberg. There’s an astonishing variety of foods to try in Peoria!
5. Museums
If this is your senior’s speed, make sure to check out an Act One Culture Pass, which provides access to the arts for retirees. All you need is an Arizona library card!
A cool place to spend a hot day, the Arizona Museum of Natural History has many permanent and rotating exhibits. Learn about the people who lived here first in the Native Peoples of the Past exhibit; imagine leviathans from the past in the Dinosaur Hall; and take a walk in Arizona 4.5 billion years ago.
The Pioneer Living History Museum is another great way to experience Arizona’s history. Also known as Pioneer Village, you can explore 30 historic and reconstructed buildings from the 1860s through 1912. The property is 90 acres altogether, and includes several exhibits in the Exhibit hall. Paved pathways will lead you through this open-air museum of houses and shops. Learn about the past in the reproduction blacksmith and carpenters shops. Take a step back in time!
As you can see, there are plenty of ways to entertain you, your family, and the senior in your life in Peoria. The Mission at Agua Fria takes pride in offering a wide variety of cultural and recreational programs as well, including social events and excursions and transportation to and from events. For more information on how the senior in your life can flourish in senior living, contact us today!