Where to Go and What to See in Prescott

YOUR PERSONAL TRAVEL GUIDE TO Prescott

The best place to start gathering the goods on Prescott is the Prescott Chamber of Commerce, 117 W. Goodwin St., 86303; toll-free (800) 266-7534. All phone numbers are in area code 520 unless otherwise indicated; all 800 numbers are toll-free.

Getting There: Prescott is located 102 miles north of Phoenix via Interstate 17 and State Route 69.

Accommodations: Whether your lodging wish list includes old-world elegance, Victorian charm, or relaxing creek-side R&R, Prescott has a place for you.

The Hassayampa Inn, 778-9434, or (800) 322-1927, is the grande dame of Prescott hotels. Room rates include breakfast in the Peacock Dining Room.

Other historic downtown hotels include the 72-room Hotel St. Michael, 776-1999, and the Hotel Vendome, 776-0900, which is believed to have at least one ghostly guest who never checks out.

Just outside the downtown area is the Best Western Prescottonian Motel, a 121-room motor lodge that has been a favorite in the area for many years, 445-3096; (800) 528-1234.B&Bs in the downtown area include the Briar Wreath Inn, 778-6048; the Marks House, 778-4632; the Mt. Vernon Inn, 7780886; the Pleasant Street Inn Bed & Breakfast, 445-4774; and the Victorian Inn of Prescott, 778-2642. Little more than a mile from downtown is the Prescott Pines Inn, (800) 541-5374. New on the B&B scene are the Willow Tree Manor, 771-9310; The Cat & The Fiddle, 778-0385; and the Wildoroe Vistas, 771-0212.

The 161-room Prescott Resort and Conference Center overlooking the valley offers all the bells and whistles of a sophisticated full-service hotel, (800) 967-4637, including Bucky's Casino and Lounge. At the new Mediterranean-inspired Forest Villas Hotel, (800) 223-3449, each of the 61 guest roomsfeatures a private balcony. And you can soak up the sun at the hotel's hilltop swimming pool.

Lynx Creek Farm Bed and Breakfast, 778-9573, five miles east of Prescott, raises the B&B concept to new heights. Its log cabin guest rooms have king-size beds and private decks with hot tubs.

In addition to the accommodations listed, there are about 35 other inns, motels, and B&Bs that would fit every budget.

Restaurants: The stylish Peacock Dining Room at the Hassayampa Inn is favored for special occasions and for everyday epicureans. The Prescott Brewing Company and the Gurley Street Grill offer micro-brewed libations and hearty American cuisine. Two more havens for food and fun are Clancy's Pub and the Casey Jones Sports Eatery. Murphy's Restaurant is a favorite of Prescott residents as is the Prescott Mining Company Restaurant.

Cozy, eclectic, and culinarily creative describe Siena, the new restaurant whose multiethnic menu is getting rave reviews. The Pine Cone Inn on White Spar Road tothe south of downtown has become well known over the years for its good steaks. And locals are flocking to Frontier Village, the massive shopping center east of town, to dine at The Taj Mahal said to serve to-die-for Indian cuisineand Zeke's Eatin' Place, a country-style restaurant that prides itself on serving good food and plenty of it. Ever ordered a four-egg omelet?

In addition to these, there are nearly 100 more restaurants of every kind, including Mexican, Chinese, Italian, breakfast, delicatessens, diners, and fast food.

Things to See: Sharlot Hall Museum, 445-3122, captures the essence of the territory's life and times. The museum, at 415 W. Gurley St., is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 A.M. to 4 P.M. and Sunday from 1 P.M. to 5 P.M. A donation of $2 per adult is suggested.

The Smoki Museum, 445-1230, with displays of Native American artifacts from territorial days to the present, is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 A.M. to 4 P.M. and Sunday from 1 P.M. to 5 P.M. It is located at 100 N. Arizona St. Admission is $2, adults; free for children under 12.

The Phippen Museum of Western Art is north of town at 4701 Highway 89N, 7781385. The museum is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 A.M. to 4 P.M. and Sunday from 1 P.M. to 4 P.M.; closed Tuesday. Admission is $2 for adults, $1.50 for seniors, and $1 for students. Children are admitted free.

The small Bead Museum, 445-2431, turns trinkets into treasure by exploring how beads are used in personal adornment, trade, currency, religious symbolism, and social identification. The museum, at 140 S. Montezuma St., is open Monday through Saturday from 9:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. Admission is free.

Hours at museums from October through March may be different.

Things to Do: Hiking through cool pine forests, picnicking, and fishing in high mountain lakes draw thousands each summer to the 1.2 million acres of national forestland around Prescott. Elevations range from 3,000 to 8,000 feet. Thumb Butte, the towering landmark west of town, is a magnet for hikers. Set out in the morning if you want to be sheltered by the cool pines for most of your trek. The picnic tables at the base of Thumb Butte offer an idyllic, restful setting. Rock-climbers and hikers also favor Granite Dells, the outcropping of boulders along State Route 89 four miles north of Prescott. For maps and information, contact the Prescott National Forest, 771-4700, or stop by the chamber of commerce.

Five nearby mountain lakes offer a variety of outdoor opportunities. Anglers can drop their lures into three lakes stocked with trout, bass, bluegill, and catfish: Granite Basin Lake, nine miles north of downtown off Iron Springs Road; Goldwater Lake, four and a half miles south of downtown on Senator Highway; and Lynx Lake, four and a half miles west of downtown off State Route 69. For more information, contact the Arizona Game and Fish Department at (602) 942-3000. Both Lynx Lake and Watson Lake Park, four miles north of downtown off State 89, provide boating facilities. Willow Lake, north of town off State 89 and Willow Creek Road, caters to travelers with RVs.

If you love the outdoors but prefer to let someone else do the trailblazing, consider the jeep tours offered by Bradshaw Mountain Backcountry Tours, 445-3032. Excursions center around panning for gold, poking around old mines, exploring the Prescott National Forest, or winding up treacherous trails to lookout points with spectacular views.

Camping and Horseback Riding:

For a directory of Prescott's recreational areas that feature campgrounds, stop at the Prescott Chamber of Commerce or the Prescott National Forest's Bradshaw Ranger District, 2230 E. Highway 69; 445-7253.

If you like to saddle up, ask about Groom Creek Horse Camp, which is exclusively for campers who bring Old Paint along for a ride. The camp is located seven miles south of Prescott on Senator Highway. And if you leave your pony at home, try Granite Mountain Stables, 771-9551, which offers scenic trail rides, hay rides, and overnight camping trips.

Summer Camps:

If you want to send your children to summer camp for a true Arizona experience, there are 16 private summer camps in the Prescott area to consider, including two of the oldest, Friendly Pines and Orme Summer Camp. For more information, contact the chamber of commerce.

Golf:

The two 18-hole championship public courses at Antelope Hills Municipal Golf Course offer two styles of play. The traditional-style North Course, with tower-ing trees lining its fairways, is ranked fifth among public courses in Arizona. The South Course offers links-style play with wide-open, undulating fairways. The courses are located on State 89 nine miles north of downtown Prescott, adjacent to Prescott Municipal Airport. They are open year-round. Reservations are accepted up to three days in advance, (800) 972-6818 (in Arizona) or 776-PUTT.

Prescott Country Club, 772-8984, located 14 miles east of Prescott on State 69, is open to the public year-round. The par-72, 18-hole course lies in the foothills of the Bradshaw Mountains.

Antiques:

Prescott has an impressive collection of antique stores, featuring everything from 100-year-old treasures to '50s, '60s, and '70s kitsch. Many of these eclectic outlets for historical objets d'art are concentrated downtown along Cortez and Montezuma streets. Stop at the chamber of commerce for a listing of shops. Twice a year, on the first Sunday in October and third Sunday in May, more than 80 antique dealers set up a buy-and-sell extravaganza at the Courthouse Plaza.

Horse Racing:

Because few mountain communities sport their own racetrack, people visiting Prescott Downs, 445-0220, often pinch themselves when they settle back into their chairs to watch sleek quarter horses and thoroughbreds sprint past them under the bright-blue summer sky. When not wagering on the horses running in front of them at the Prescott Fairgrounds, 828 Rodeo Drive, players can join in the off-track betting on races simulcast from Santa Anita, Del Mar, and other tracks. The ponies run in Prescott Thursday through Sunday from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Admission is $2.

Annual Events:

While many people spell Prescott R-O-D-E-O, especially during the big Frontier Days Rodeo and Parade held over the Fourth of July, there are other annual events worthy of a visit.

In June Prescott celebrates the ingenuity of its frontier forebearers at the Folk Art Fair, featuring demonstrations of such turn-of-the-century talents as candle making, sourdough biscuit baking, and weaving. Also in June is Territorial Days, a weekend that features a large arts and crafts sale at the Courthouse Plaza, live entertainment, and tours of historic homes.

In mid-August the Bluegrass Festival attracts music lovers to Watson Lake with performances by nationally known musicians and workshops for wannabe performers of all ages. Also in August, the Arizona Cowboy Poets Gathering at Sharlot Hall showcases the talents of more than 50 cowboys known for their traditional verse, humor-ous poetry, old-time singing, tall-tale telling, and cowboy yodeling.

While Fourth of July fireworks may get a lot of "oohs" and "aahs," there is one Prescott event that's known for taking the breath away: the annual Courthouse Christmas Lighting Ceremony. This early December tradition is preceded by an old-fashioned Christmas parade.