Here’s a summer’s worth of things to do while keeping your distance

Throughout metro Phoenix, entertainment options from concerts to arts events to movies have been canceled or postponed to fight the spread of the new coronavirus. If you choose to go on an outing, be scrupulous about social distancing. Know that some Arizona cities and counties require masks while others don’t. Check your destination before you head out so you know what’s expected. Pack snacks and supplies. Restaurants are operating at reduced capacity and some are doing takeout and delivery only. Stores are open, of course, but minimizing shopping trips is a good goal. If you go hiking, choose an uncrowded park or trailhead. Congregating at popular hiking trails like the West Fork of Oak Creek or Cathedral Rock in Sedona may not let you keep the recommended 6-foot distance between you and another person.

Visit a state or national park

Many Arizona national and state parks are open, although public programs have been canceled. All Navajo Tribal Parks, including Antelope Canyon and Monument Valley, are closed indefinitely. For some classic Arizona scenery, head to Saguaro National Park in Tucson. The looping scenic drive through the park’s western district is especially gorgeous at sunset. Check your destination’s website for the most upto-date information.

Boyce Thompson Arboretum

An hour east of Phoenix lies a 392acre oasis for hikers, bird watchers and cactus fanatics at Boyce Thompson Arboretum. You’ll find more than 800 varieties of cactus at the Cactus Garden, 230 species of birds, a man-made lake, meditative labyrinths and a 1.25-mile loop trail. The arboretum is open for people to walk through but no guided hikes or public programs are being offered. Admission is free for medical professionals this summer.

Details: https://www.btarbor etum.org.

Download and color

Maybe you don’t want to leave the house. Vision Gallery in Chandler has download-and-print coloring sheets availableonline, featuring works by local artists. For the social media-savvy, post your (or your little ones’) creations on Instagram and tag @visiongalleryaz to show off your art.

Details: https://www.visiongallery .org/vision-kids.

Watch an Arizona-made movie

Here’s another one that doesn’t require leaving the house: the new romantic musical “Sweet Sunshine” shows off landscapes from the Sonoran Desert to northern Arizona’s forests — no movie ticket necessary. It’s available to stream on Amazon Prime.

Go to the drive-in

The drive-in is back while movie theaters are closed. Watch new releases and classic films from your car at drivein theaters in Mesa, Glendale and Queen Creek. There are occasional popup screening events at WestWorld of Scottsdale, too.

Attend a drive-in concert

Drive-in entertainment isn’t limited to movies. Some drive-in concerts are also popping up in Arizona — Arizona jam scene heroes Spafford played a concert in Mesa earlier this summer. Keep checking the social media accounts of your favorite local bands to see if they have a drive-in show scheduled.

Bearizona Wildlife Park

Drive through this park in Williams — about 30 miles west of Flagstaff — to see North America’s wildlife, from black bears to bison to wolves. Bearizona recently acquired three grizzly cubs from Montana that can be viewed inside the Fort Bearizona Walking Area as well as on the Bearizona website’s cub cam. The park can also be experienced from inside your car along the 3-mile route.

Details: https://bearizona.com.

Cruise the Zoo

Phoenix Zoo has a solution for people who’d like to see the animals while avoiding people. It periodically closes to foot traffic to host Cruise the Zoo, where visitors can drive through the grounds and get glimpses of giraffes, lions, cheetahs, baboons and more. For those who want to catch up with the animals from home, head to the Phoenix Zoo’s Facebook page every Wednesday morning for a “digital safari” on Facebook Live.

Details:https://www.phoenixzoo .org/cruisethezoo.

MIM online for kids

Every Wednesday, the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix hosts music classes for kids 5 and younger on Zoom. The cost is flexible for those interested in tuning in to the 30-minute classes featuring song, dance and play. The museum also helps kids make music and craft their own instruments at home on its music-making activities page.

Details: https://mim.org/upcoming -events.

Online crafts for families

The Children’s Museum of Phoenix has also put educational resources and at-home activities online during its closure. Find dozens of ideas on its page with DIY projects and activities, from glitter handwashing to water bottle bowling and mindful breathing exercises.

Details: https://childrensmuseum ofphoenix.org.

Desert Botanical Garden

Public events and tours are canceled, but most of the scenic trails at Desert Botanical Garden have reopened with safety precautions. Ticketing is by reservation only, and everyone 6 and older must wear a face covering.

Details: https://dbg.org.

No gym? Work out with online videos

With the constantly changing state of gyms and fitness centers being open or closed, many people are working out at home. Fitness centers large and small have put classes online. Planet Fitness hosts workouts daily on its Facebook page that you can join for free. CorePower Yoga also offers a selection of free videos with varying lengths and difficulty levels.

Explore Roosevelt Row

Most downtown Phoenix galleries are still closed but you can get to know the Roosevelt Row arts and culture district through its virtual tour of the Second Street A.R.T.S. Market.

Details: https://www.rooseveltrow.org/first-friday-virtual-tour.

View Phoenix from South Mountain

The Dobbins Lookout Trail at South Mountain offers sweeping views of the Valley. If you’re not up for a 4.8-mile round-trip hike in this heat, you can drive to the observation deck at the summit. Just know that improvements are being made to the lookout that may limit access at times this summer.

Details: https://www.phoenix.gov/ parks/trails/locations/south-mountain.

Arizona Falls is a hidden gem in Phoenix’s Arcadia neighborhood. The falls are created by a natural 20-foot drop on the Arizona Canal and have been a gathering spot for a century. It’s been improved with a sleek building and water features in recent times. The park is on Indian School Road between 56th and 58th streets.

Details: https://www.srpnet.com/ water/canals/azfalls.aspx.

Pretend you’re going to the beach

Tempe Town Lake and Kiwanis Park in Tempe, Encanto Park in Phoenix and Veterans Oasis Park in Chandler have man-made lakes. You can rent kayaks and other watercraft at Tempe Town Lake.

Cool spots for selfies

Take a selfie at the LOVE sculpture, by the late artist Robert Indiana, at Scottsdale Civic Center Mall. Or pose on the Tempe Town Lake pedestrian bridge, now known as the Elmore Pedestrian Bridge after James Elmore, ASU’s founding dean of architecture.

Visit ASU’s Secret Garden Watch the bats come out

Go visit the bat cave. No, not that bat cave. The one where thousands of Mexican free-tailed bats take flight every night around dusk from May to October. You can find the tunnel north of 40th Street and Camelback Road. The path to the tunnel is on the north side of the Arizona

Canal. Follow the canal west for about 200 yards, past the office buildings and parking garage. An asphalt path to the right leads to the top of the tunnel.

Carefree Desert Gardens

Though it’s a bit of a trek up to Cave Creek, this northern suburb offers a 4acre public botanical garden and one of the largest working sundials in the country.

Details: https://visitcarefree.com/ local-attractions.

What’s that pyramid in Papago Park?

You know you’ve wondered: What is that white-tiled pyramid in Papago Park? It’s the tomb of Arizona’s first governor, George W.P. Hunt. Go see it for yourself. It’s not creepy or anything.

Details: https://www.phoenix.gov/ parks/trails/locations/papago-park.

Walk beneath the palms

Stroll ASU’s scenic Palm Walk. The corridor is apparently the most photographed site on the university’s Tempe campus.

Details: https://tours.asu.edu/ tempe/palm-walk.

Enjoy a cocktail at home

For the time being, Arizona restaurants and bars can offer cocktails and alcohol to-go. That means you can order alcoholic beverages for takeout from dozens of restaurants and bars around the Valley, including two of Arizona’s top bars.

Check out Chandler’s Pop Up Beer Garden

For those wanting to dine out but who may be uncomfortable eating inside a restaurant, portions of Dr. AJ Chandler Park and some surrounding green areas have transformed into a pop-up beer garden where restaurant customers can bring takeout meals, bring a blanket and enjoy a cold beer.

Details: 3-9 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays and noon-6 p.m. Fridays-Sundays. 3 S. Arizona Ave., Chandler. https://www.chandleraz.gov/explore/ downtown-chandler.

Up your home chef game

Forget complicated recipes or aspirational Instagram-worthy dishes. Arizona Republic dining critic Dominic Armato has some kitchen tips to help you feel a little less uncomfortable and keep food on the table until you can get back to your usual routine.

Start a garden

Whether it’s embracing the opportunity to grow food at home or picking up a hobby with a cooped up kid, some Arizona residents have been embracing gardening during the coronavirus outbreak. Local garden experts have plenty of advice, from finding great soil to what to plant and when.

Plan a local wine tasting at home

While the new coronavirus is making it nearly impossible to physically come together, local wineries are showing social distancing solidarity by making it easier for enthusiasts to get their fill of vino without leaving home. At least four Arizona wineries will deliver their goods right to your door.

Go stargazing

You don’t need any special equipment to get outside and see the Milky Way at night. Some places you can go in Arizona include Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, anywhere in Coconino National Forest and Oracle State Park. If you want to catch the next meteor shower, plan to get outside

Many public pools and splash pads are closed across metro Phoenix this summer due to the coronavirus, but you’ll find some that are open in Chandler, Queen Creek, Glendale, Phoenix and other parts of the Valley. Check your city’s website to confirm that your local splash pad is open before going.

Explore Phoenix’s Black Lives Matter murals

Phoenix artists painted murals in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement after worldwide protests decrying the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police erupted in June. You can see a portrait of Dion Johnson, a Black man who

Some Sedona trails become more beautiful to hike during the monsoon. You can expect more vibrant colors, towering clouds and ephemeral creeks from rainfall. Three recommendations are Munds Wagon Trail, Secret Slickrock Trail and the North Urban Trail System. Remember: Stay inside if there’s thunder or lightning. You don’t want to encounter a flash flood.

Plan your dream hiking trip

Tired of doing the same hikes and need some inspiration? You can marvel at the views you’ll find hiking the

Traveling the country by RV is the big travel trend this summer. You can do a peer-to-peer rental from an owner from companies like RVShare and Outdoorsy, or from a company like Cruise America, which owns a fleet of vehicles in 126 locations across the U.S. and Canada. Go to https://www.azcentral.com/travel -explore to find a first timer’s guide to renting an RV.