The Mirabella Explorers Gather for Exciting Monthly Adventures Around Arizona

Apr 26, 2022

Who says adventure has to stop as we age? In fact, Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.” As a resident-led group, the Mirabella Explorers live this affirmation each month, deepening their relationship with Arizona and each other by visiting amazing destinations in our beautiful state.

In March, the Explorers visited the Desert Botanical Garden to view the Chihuly in the Desert exhibition. Chihuly in the Desert showcases artist Dale Chihuly’s large scale glass sculptures settled into the Garden’s desert flora. Residents viewed the luminous sculptures throughout the exhibition, inside and out, and experienced the gorgeous spring desert come alive with hummingbirds, flowers, and many different types of cacti. Residents also received a welcoming introduction and overview of the Gardens from Executive Director, Ken Schutz.

The Explorers

Explorers also adventured to the Verde Canyon on a scenic bus ride and a tour on the Verde Canyon Railroad. The train followed the Verde River through a 680-foot tunnel, and highlighted other historic locations, including several locations where scenes from How the West Was Won were filmed. Most of the land on and along the railroad is in the Prescott National Forest. The adventure was teeming with wildflowers and amazing scenery along the way—perfect for all the photographers on board! The Mirabella Explorers are an exciting part of life at MBA, a tight-knit group staying active through adventure and continuing their lifelong learning journey together.