Queen Creek Travel Guide
We hope you have enjoyed newest video "Queen Creek Travel Guide" Included in the blog post below are the details and travel tips on each of the destinations mentioned in the Travel Guide.
Schnepf Farms
24610 S Rittenhouse Rd, Queen Creek, AZ 85142
Schnepf Farms is a great place for both tourists and locals alike who are looking to experience what it is like to be a part of a working farm. Schnepf Farms is a family-owned organic farm that offers visitors the ability to pick fresh from their peach orchards and gardens. They have on-site glamping, a farm store & cafe and much more! The best part is the farm is budget friendly, especially when comparing to other organic options in the area. During your visit, you can enjoy a Yoga Class for $5, take your kids on a miniature train ride for $3, Pick fresh organic peaches for $2 per lb. or pick a bouquet of flowers for $1 per stem. If that wasn't enough, you could even ride a vintage roller Coaster, and other amusement park rides for $3 each or save even more by grabbing a $15 wristband for unlimited rides during their local festivals. Farm entry prices vary depending on the season and festivals that are going on. During peak festival times there are ticket entry costs that include some activities, but during regular operating hours your entry is free, and everything else individual priced. Your best bang for your buck is to attend a Festival as they offer more activities and shows, however, if budget is the primary concern our recommendation is to experience the farm off-season and skip the crowds, festival pricing, vendors, and enjoy what the farm has to offer ala carte. We recommend checking the farm's Facebook page for current prices and offerings, as they are always adding new experiences to the farm!
If you need a hotel while in Queen Creek, try the Cozy Peach located on-site at Schnepf Farms. The Cozy Peach offers a luxury camping experience in restored vintage Airstream's. These bright and airy Airstreams are a great place to rest your head after a day enjoying the festivities or working on the farm! Each Airstream has a unique and creative look, allowing you to document your vacation on Instagram with unique and note-worthy photos. A stay at the cozy peach is the perfect way to end your day on the farm while leaving the exhausting activities behind but maintaining the rustic lifestyle a bit longer. Kick back and enjoy your favorite beverage while watching one of Arizona’s picturesque sunsets at no additional cost.
San Tan Regional Park
6533 W Phillips Rd, Queen Creek, AZ 85142
San Tan Park offers the best multi-use trails in the area, with more than 10,000 acres there is plenty to explore! When visiting you will be able to experience trail hiking, Mountain Biking, Horseback Riding and even Yoga! Prices are reasonable for even the smallest of budgets.
Entry into the park is $7.00 per car, or you can purchase an annual pass for the reasonable price of $85.00. The annual pass is good for several Maricopa County parks, so it's an excellent value for a more extended trip or for locals who utilize the parks regularly.
Horseback riding is available through an outside vendor MD Ranch, and Prices vary depending on the trail ride you select, so check the MD website for current pricing and specials. To experience this ourselves we used a Groupon for our family and were able to ride as a family of four for only $109! That breaks down to about $27.00 each for a one hour ride; it was a fantastic experience and worth every penny! In addition to horseback riding the park also offers many great (FREE!) classes and educational programs. Check out their calendar; their offerings vary depending on the season so make sure you take a look if you are looking for something specific. Our favorite classes are the night time activities where you can hike via moonlight and for the more adventurous go on a toured scorpion hunt, a must-have adventure for any visitor to Arizona!
Queen Creek Olive Mill
25062 S Meridian Rd Queen Creek, AZ 85142
Queen Creek Olive Mill offers a locally produced gourmet market, a healthy farm to fork cafe, and on-site olive oil processing with an Olive Mill tour. If you have the time participate in the 45 minute Tour where they do a great job of keeping everyone entertained while educating on the process of taking olives from tree to bottle! The cost of the informative tour is $7. However, kids 12 and under are free. Entrance to the Olive Mill is free, so your final expense depends entirely on your ability to resist all their tempting offerings. You will enjoy taste testing all their offerings from fresh olive oil to custom flavored sorbet, so be prepared to go home with something tasty. After our tour and taste testing, we settled on a glass of prickly pear lemonade ($3.00) and a fresh olive baguette ($3.00). We were able to enjoy our budget-friendly lunch relaxing under the trees enjoying our peaceful day. One word of caution when it comes to the gourmet market, it's tough to say no to all their offerings and not to go home with some unique and local products. Just don't blame us if you break the bank at the market!
Salt River, Tonto National Forest, Mesa Ranger District
(a short drive from Queen Creek)
To visit the river, you need a Tonto Day pass ($8) or a National interagency pass ($80) The interagency pass is the best value if you plan on visiting several National parks or plan on going to the Salt River frequently. Regardless of which pass you choose, make sure get your pass BEFORE you head to the river. Passes are NOT available to purchase at most parking locations, so it's easy to get stranded without one.
If you are looking to partake in the organized tubing at the Salt River Recreational facility, it will not require a Tonto pass as the cost includes it as long as you park in their designated areas. That cost is $17 per person and includes tube rental, free parking, and shuttle bus service. It's a hassle-free way to float down the river.
On our last tubing adventure, we skipped the salt river tubing and purchased our flamingo floats for $7.99 each. Re-using your tubes will allow you to avoid this future cost. I loved our pink flamingo tubes as we customized our experience to our family, but by the end of the day, I did miss the convenient shuttle service that would have saved us a lot of time and maybe we would have been able to take another trip before the sunset.
If DIY Stand up paddle boarding is more your thing, try No Snow SUP. where an all-day paddle board rental is $40. Just make sure you have a way to haul it to the river or lake with your truck or rental car.
River Rafting, kayaking and paddleboarding tours are offered through AOA Adventures. Although they are the higher priced option on this list ($140 Per Person), With AOA you get a great value and a great experience! They provide a shuttle, the snacks, a tour guide and all the gear you need. I was very impressed with our tour guide; she was fun, experienced and super knowledgeable about the river. I'd take her with me on any of my adventures! AOA offers a genuinely stress-free experience! Pricing varies based on the tour, so check their website for current pricing.
Last but not least, Queen Creek Food Truck Fridays! This "Feastival" is our favorite way to spend a Friday night out. Every Friday night, year round they offer live music, boutique shopping, and up to 25 Food Trucks! Pricing varies based on what you buy so you can spend as little or as much as you like. If we find budget is a concern, we often taste test and then pick one meal to share. Portions are above average in size so you won't go home hungry. If a full dinner is entirely out of the budget; spring for something sweet instead, you will enjoy your tasty treat while enjoying the live music. Our families favorite dessert at the time of this blog is the bacon and maple syrup mini donuts. It doesn't get much better than this; they are so good! If you are worried about variety, the trucks rotate weekly, so there is always a variety of new things to try!
That wraps up our mini-tour of Queen Creek Arizona! If you have a budget-friendly experience that you would like to recommend, post it in the comments below, and we will try it on our next adventure!
Jack & Julie
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