CAMP VERDE – You don’t need to travel around the globe for an (almost) authentic African safari. Just head to Camp Verde. The small town in Northern Arizona is home to the Out of Africa Wildlife Park, an interactive zoo with hundreds of wild and even friendly creatures common to Africa and other far off parts of the world.
NEAR YAVA — Some of those folks in Yavapai County must have too much time on their hands. That might explain why they have painted boulders that resemble a giant frog, a giant skull and this one — a giant duck.
SELIGMAN — For those who have been there before, part of the entertainment at the Snow Cap Cafe is watching the expressions on the faces of first-timers when they order an ice cream cone, and the man behind the counter asks, “Do you want mustard with that?” And before the befuddled customer can answer, the server aims a yellow plastic bottle and delivers a direct squirt.
HOLBROOK — Millions of years ago, dinosaurs were common across the flatlands that now encompass this city. But they disappeared. A couple decades ago, several small-scale dinosaurs appeared along Interstate 40 near this city. But they also vanished. Holbrook, however, maintains a strong relationship with the big earth-stompers because some of them are still visible.
Another Arizona character who delighted locals and visitors alike was John Hance. In the old days they used to say that anyone who visited the Grand Canyon and didn’t meet Captain John Hance had missed half the show. For some 20 years, Cap Hance provided lying and lodging for the tourists. His brand of humor was a windy nature. The dudes never knew just how much of Cap’s stories to believe, for he always led them down the paths of plausibility…
