by Sheri Heiney, President & CEO, Prescott Chamber of Commerce
What’s your favorite thing about Prescott? Is it a beautiful downtown with amazing shops and restaurants? Maybe it’s a favorite park where you enjoy playing with your kids, hiking or walking your dog? Or is it the people in your community — your neighbors, local leaders and business owners?
Your hometown will always be your home. This is the place you grew up, went to school and made all your friends and memories. Or maybe you recently relocated to Prescott, like I have, and come to love and claim Prescott as my new hometown.
I would like to challenge readers to seek out opportunities to spend more time in your hometown and explore it with a renewed sense of excitement. The Prescott Chamber of Commerce along with the Tourism Office would like to ask that you consider becoming a tourist in your own hometown — Prescott!
Trips that don’t involve packing for a week-plus or dealing with multiple bouts of airport security may not rate as front-page moments in your travel life, but they can be just as rewarding as the “epic itinerary.” The same holds true for exploring your hometown as if you’ve never been there before.
Time and time again I’ve watched visitors’ faces light up at the wealth of attractions to be found here, whether it’s our area’s natural beauty, our four museums, the Heritage Park Zoo or our local theaters.
Here are some ideas to build your hometown itinerary.
TAKE A HISTORIC TOUR
Sure you can reel off the names of the iconic buildings in your hometown, but do you know their history? Do you understand how Prescott was founded and why?
Here at the Chamber, we offer a free 90-minute walking tour most Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays (call ahead to confirm) starting in May. Tours start at 10 a.m. at the Visitor Information Center at the Chamber of Commerce, 117 W. Goodwin St.
Check out the New Heritage Trail Tour as well, which is self-guided. Maps are available at the Visitor Information Center at the Chamber.
GET A ROOM
Waking up in a hotel or bed-and-breakfast is a tried-and-true way to set the mood for exploring. You have so many choices from downtown historic hotels to quaint bed-and-breakfasts nestled in the pines with views that will take your breath away.
MAKE A DATE WITH PRESCOTT
We all have a place we’ve driven by that we always say, I want to stop there some day. Set a date, create the list and go out exploring.
Enjoy a lunch or dinner at a place you have never tried but heard great things about. Catch a show at the Elk’s, the Prescott Center for the Arts or Yavapai College. Check out the brand new Bob and Linda Lee Planetarium at Embry-Riddle, taking in a free show.
BE A TOURIST IN YOUR HOMETOWN
Add some fun trips to your usual routine. Check something out that you haven’t tried before like a new trail, a store or a restaurant you have been wanting to try. You’ll be surprised how simple shifts in everyday strategies can widen your window for adventure.
Fall in love with Prescott all over again, take advantage of everything the town has to offer, support the local businesses and just enjoy your hometown, Prescott.
For more information about the Prescott Chamber of Commerce, please visit prescott.org or call us at 928-445-2000 or 1-800-266-7534, or stop by the Visitor Information Center at 117 W. Goodwin St., Prescott, AZ 86303.
The mission of the Prescott Chamber of Commerce is to provide leadership and resources to create a vibrant business environment for Prescott.