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Encompassing nearly 17,000 acres, South Mountain Park and Preserve in Phoenix is the largest municipal park in the United States. It’s one of several options for hikers to shed their cabin fever while visiting the Phoenix area.

Special to the Journal-World

The Phoenix area boasts more than 200 golf courses, including the TPC of Scottsdale, home of the PGA Tour’s FBR Open.

Traveling to the Insight Bowl? It should be warm, for starters — but the recreation and nightlife are pretty hot, too. Here are some tips on where to go.

Rick Harrington knows what winters are like in Kansas. He was a Kansas University student here in the 1960s, and he’s part of a four-generation Jayhawk family.

That’s why he’s a little embarrassed by the question, posed over the phone last week: What’s the weather like in Phoenix today?

“Actually, it’s 47 and raining,” he says.

He adds quickly: “Let’s hope it’s not like that for the Insight Bowl.”

He’s thrilled his beloved Jayhawks, which he traveled to see in the Orange Bowl last year, are headed to Tempe this year to play Minnesota in the Insight Bowl. (The game is at 5 p.m. Central Time Dec. 31 at Sun Devil Stadium.)

And for Jayhawk fans traveling to the Phoenix metropolitan area, there will be plenty to do, indoors or outdoors. But especially for those Midwesterners with cabin fever, take solace: The average high temperature in December and January is a jacket-warm 66 degrees.

“All of those fans from the Midwest or from the colder climate back east really relish the simple things, like dining outdoors,” says Scott Dunn, spokesman for the Greater Phoenix Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Let’s hope for those Jayhawks making the trip to root for the Jayhawks, they can experience average temperatures or better.

For those planning to make the trip, here are some tips for their visit to Arizona.

Dining

Speaking of dining, the area is known for its southwestern cuisine. But it’s got plenty of other options, too.

For his part, Harrington suggests two high-end restaurants — Lon at the Hermosa, a southwestern restaurant in Paradise Valley, and T. Cooks in Phoenix, more of a traditional American restaurant.

His other suggestions:

• Olive and Ivy, an Italian restaurant in Scottsdale.

• Wildfish, a seafood restaurant also in Scottsdale.

Jan Fincham, a 1986 pharmacy graduate whose brother, Jack, was a longtime dean of pharmacy at KU, has his own suggestions for restaurants in the Phoenix area:

• The Sushi Roku, located at the W Hotel Scottsdale.

• Chelsea’s Kitchen, an American restaurant in Phoenix.

Lodging

There are several hotels within a mile of Sun Devil Stadium, if you want to stay close to the bowl game action.

The closest is the Tempe Mission Palms Hotel, which is adjacent to the stadium. Others within walking distance include the Courtyard by Marriott-Tempe Downtown, Twin Palms Hotel and the Four Points Sheraton Tempe.

Transportation

Good news for Jayhawk fans making the trip — a new 20-mile light-rail system is set to start moving Dec. 27. That will connect downtown Phoenix with the stadium area in Tempe.

But the CVB’s Dunn says you still might want to rent a car to get to other areas of town — and especially if you want to take the approximately four-hour drive north to see the Grand Canyon or make other day trips.

Fincham offers this word to warning, though, especially for New Year’s partying: Drunken driving laws in Arizona are steep and carry a minimum of 10 days in jail, plus costs.

Outdoors

If you’re wanting to get outdoors during your visit, the Arizona desert has just the cure for the Kansas winter.

Fincham suggests Camelback Mountain, one of several mountains that surrounds Phoenix. It offers hikers several levels of hiking, from beginners to more experienced.

“It’s a good workout, and there are great views,” Fincham says. “It’s a good workout before the game.”

And if you’re a golfer, Phoenix is a haven for you. There are more than 200 golf courses in the area.

“There are good public courses in any part of town,” Harrington says.

Shopping

There are several options for those wanting to do some post-Christmas shopping:

• The Scottsdale Fashion Square, a mall that includes top-tier stores such as Tiffany & Company, Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus.

• Biltmore Fashion Park, an outdoor mall area in Phoenix that has both chains such as Saks Fifth Avenue and smaller boutiques.

• The Mill Avenue District in Tempe, near Sun Devil Stadium, is similar to Massachusetts Street in its mix of college town-type shops.

Culture

The Heard Museum is one of the best-known American Indian art museums in the country, focusing on arts of the Southwest. Its 10 galleries draw nearly 250,000 visitors a year.

Other attractions in the area include:

• The Desert Botanical Garden, which highlights cacti and succulents from around the world.

• The Children’s Museum of Phoenix, with interactive exhibits geared toward children through 10 years old.

• Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park, which is located at a 1,500-year-old Hohokam village ruins.

Nightlife

There are plenty of places in the Phoenix area to gather with friends. The Mill Avenue District in Tempe, in addition to shopping, is home to a variety of nightlife options. And Scottsdale is home to a nightlife scene that — in addition to the golf courses — regularly attracts celebrities.

Jayhawk Connections

There are several organized activities surrounding the Jayhawks’ appearance in the Insight Bowl:

KU Basketball Watch Party

When: 6 p.m. Dec. 30

Where: Sugar Daddy’s, 3102 N. Scottsdale Road in Scottsdale

Tailgate Party and Pep Rally

What: Lunch and appearances by the KU band, spirit squads and mascots.

When: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Dec. 31

Where: 323 E. Veterans Way in Tempe, in the parking lot across the street from Sun Devil Stadium

Insight/Fiesta Bowl Block Party

What: Large-scale event featuring three fireworks shows and performance by Styx

When: 5 p.m. Dec. 31 to 1 a.m. Jan. 1

Where: Mill Avenue District, Tempe.

Cost: $20, with discounts available