Phoenix/Tucson Area

a reply to: Quetzalcoatl14

Love Apache Lake. Spent many summers waterskiing there. There are definitely strange lights in the sky in AZ when you're away from light pollution.

Arizona native here, still love my home state a lot!

Everyone forgot Stardust Ranch, however I recommend bringing nuclear weapons if they fit in your suitcase that is. Very creepy for me even to this day.

Superstition Mountains, as many have mentioned are gorgeous. Many people disappear there - bring GPS, chalk lines, compass, laptop, smart phone, sat phone, and extra underwear.

Tombstone in the South, must see as mentioned previously.

Sedona - used to be great, recommend avoiding now.

There's also the famous Copenhaven, Tovrea, and Mystery Castles conveniently located in downtown Phoenix for your enjoyment!

Aliens actually LIVE in Jerome. If you don't believe me, go there on a weekday in the off-season and not on holidays. That when you can catch glimpses and maybe conversations with the local artists who live there.

Old mining town with a lot of history. And I don't know if The Haunted Hambuger restaurant is actually haunted, but they make a helluva burger.

If you want a really unique experience though, do all your Christmas shopping in the shops there one year. You'll spend some money, but you won't regret it.

Edit: What was I thinking? Check into getting into the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff. You're at 7,000 feet up there.

a reply to: TStoops88

Lots of good advice. No "secret" places- but you might also be interested in these -

*State of Arizona emergency operations center in Papago Park, Phoenix . Cold War era, semi hardened. Surface entrance and comms antennae visible from McDowell Rd . The park is very scenic- great hiking.

* The alternate E.O.C. is at the ASU polytechnic campus in Mesa. Also some old disused ammo bunkers- check out Google Earth.

* Disused Space Command "Space Fence" radar installation South of the city. Take the back road towards Anticipation.

*The 1-10 tunnel through downtown Phoenixand the park above were originally designed with underground transit stations, shopping,ekevators etc- and multiple egress/ventilation structures(with stairs leading underground ) are readily visible in the park. If driving down I-10 you can see the fenced off tunnel in the middle and the Department if Transportation tunnel facilities on either end. The library in the park is pretty amazing. Very modern, copper clad..

There's also a private "cut and cover" construction underground vault in the side of North Mountain off of Cave Creek Rd. Armed guards, 3 ton blast door, 12 inch concrete. You can visit- just tell them you want to rent a safe deposit box. mountainvault.net...

Finally- there's a former Titan missile facility near the aforementioned museum. Rougher condition and for sale.

Enjoy Arizona.

a reply to: DeepImpactX

Yes, the slogan in Jerome is “we’re not all here, because we’re not all there”. Jerome is an amazing place. I know more stories of Jerome than any other place in AZ — due to being a tour guide in Sedona.

The Haunted Hamburger is still there.

a reply to: SpartanStoic

Sedona is still great. Just better to go in the off season (Jan., Feb., July, Aug.) during the week, if you can.

The Titan Missile Museum outside of Tucson should be on your list along with Davis Monthan AFB, of course .

If you are interested in old CIA artifacts there is a 10 X 10 mile grid of concrete Corona calibration targets marking many of the crossroads just south of Casa Grande. You can see them on Google Earth to get an idea where to look.

a reply to: Drunkenparrot

www.atlasobscura.com...

A better link.

There was an a mainstream press article about these a month or two ago.

I know this is an old post, but what aircraft are you referring to?

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: RadioRobert

It was worth taking the bus tour for me. I got to see the only aircraft I've ever been happy to see out of the fleet sitting in the yard. The only thing that could have made me happier is if it was in pieces.

a reply to: Cavrecon22

It was an LC-130. They were coming out of Antarctica and developed engine problems and came back down on the ice. It took them 15 years to recover it. By the time it made it to Hickam they had all kinds of problems, and an idiot Flight Engineer that made it worse.

I will have to look at some of these things...sounds like you guys have good knowledge of the area. I've lived in AZ for some time but have yet to really explore.