Best Casino GILA RIVER RESORTS & CASINOS AT WILD HORSE PASS strap on some skates to slide and glide along an inch of frozen water, and the two locations of the Coyotes Ice Den are the place to do it. The rink opens up to the public every Saturday and Sunday and some select weekday afternoons, and also offers special events and affordable skating lessons so children and novice adults can get into the skating spirit together. There’s even a bar and restaurant called 18 Degrees with twin views of the action on the rink and the gorgeous patio with its fire pit and family games. Done watching amateur hockey and newbie skaters face-planting on the ice? The bar contains a majestic 165-inch television to stare at sports. You can also quench your shopping fix with a pro shop and a store that carries women’s fashion and accessories. Best Pool Hall Q & BREW 3400 South Mill Avenue, #348, Tempe 480-968-3722 theqandbrew.com 104 There’s nothing fancy about longtime Tempe pool hall Q & Brew, and that’s just the way we like it. We don’t need to dress up, or even bring a lot of money for a chill afternoon or evening. Q & Brew, located in the historic Danelle Plaza, offers 14 tables, some TVs playing sports, a few pinball machines, and a full bar serving up cheap, strong drinks. Show up early (3 to 6 p.m.) for free pool, but even later in the day, you don’t have to pay a lot to post up at a table. Play often enough at Q & Brew, and you’ll get to know the regulars, which means you’ll always have someone to play against when you drop in. 5040 Wild Horse Pass Boulevard, Chandler 800-946-4452 playatgila.com/resorts/wild-horse-pass A night at the casino means different things to different people. It could be gambling, sure, but these days, there are Best Thrill Rides CASTLES N’ COASTERS 9445 North Metro Parkway East 602-997-7575 castlesncoasters.com When it comes to pulse-pounding attractions, family fun centers ain’t got nothing on Castles N’ Coasters. The long-running north Phoenix amusement park contains the Valley’s biggest and most adrenaline-inducing thrill rides to get your heart racing. Case in point: the Skydiver, an enormous drop tower that plunges you 120 feet straight down while your stomach lodges in your throat. (The meek might want to steer clear.) Nearby, the Sea Dragon, a Viking- themed swinging boat, hurls its riders to and fro, and the Splashdown log flume attraction is guaranteed to drench you. The crown jewel of the collection is Desert Storm, the tallest and fastest permanent roller coaster in Arizona, which uses two loops, 360-degree turns, and a massive 80-foot vertical drop to extract as many screams as possible from its passengers. If you’d prefer rides that won’t require a double dose of anxiety meds, the park also offers the smaller Patriot coaster, go-karts, a fun house, and bumper boats. Who needs a trip to a pricey SoCal theme park when you can stay home and get your fill of thrills at Castles N’ Coasters? BEST OF PHOENIX 2022 | WWW.BESTOFPHOENIX2022.C0M | SEPTEMBER 29, 2022
