The Valley of the Sun is a sprawling, often congested place, and if you're unfamiliar with the area, you may be surprised at how great the distances are. If map reading and urban navigation are not your strong points, consider taking a guided tour. Numerous companies offer tours of both the Valley of the Sun and the rest of Arizona. However, tours of the Valley tend to include only brief stops at highlights.

Bus Tours -- Gray Line Tours Phoenix (tel. 800/777-3484 or 602/437-3484) is one of the largest tour companies in the Valley. It offers a 4-hour tour of Phoenix and the Valley of the Sun for $52; reservations are necessary. The tour points out such local landmarks as the state capitol, Heritage Square, Arizona State University, and Old Town Scottsdale.

Glider Rides -- The thermals that form above the mountains in the Phoenix area make this an ideal place for flying sailplanes (gliders). On the south side of the Valley at the Estrella Sailport, Arizona Soaring, 22548 N. Sailport Way, Maricopa (tel. 520/568-2318), offers sailplane rides as well as instruction. A basic 20-minute flight is $100; for $150, you can take an aerobatic flight with loops, rolls, and inverted flying. To reach the airstrip, take I-10 E to Exit 164 (Queen Creek Rd.), go west on Queen Creek Road (which becomes Maricopa Rd. [Ariz. 347]) for 15 miles, turn right on Arizona 238, and continue 6 1/2 miles. On the north side of the Valley, there's Turf Soaring School, 8700 W. Carefree Hwy., Peoria (tel. 602/439-3621), which charges $95 for a basic flight and $175 for a deluxe aerobatic flight. Turf Soaring School also offers flights for two people ($160-$220), although your combined weight can't exceed 300 pounds. Reservations are a good idea at either place.

Top Gun -- Ever wanted to be a fighter pilot? Well, at Fighter Combat International (tel. 866/FLY-HARD or 480/279-1881) you can find out if you've got the right stuff. This company, which operates out of the Williams Gateway Airport in Mesa, offers a variety of exciting aerobatic flights, including mock dogfights. Best of all, on some flights, you get to fly the plane up to 75% of the time and learn how to do loops, rolls, spins, and other aerobatic moves. Flights start at $445; for a mock air combat mission, you'll have to shell out $695.

Hot-Air Balloon Rides -- The still morning air of the Valley of the Sun is perfect for hot-air ballooning, and because of the stiff competition, prices are among the lowest in the country -- between $135 and $195 per person for a 1- to 1 1/2-hour ride. Companies to try include Over the Rainbow (tel. 602/225-5666) and Adventures Out West (tel. 800/755-0935 or 480/991-3666).

Jeep Tours -- After spending a few days in Scottsdale, you'll likely start wondering where the desert is. Well, it's out there, and the easiest way to explore it is to book a jeep tour. Most hotels and resorts work with particular companies, so start by asking your concierge. Alternatively, you can contact one of the following companies. Most will pick you up at your hotel, take you off through the desert, and maybe even let you pan for gold or shoot a six-gun. Depending on how many people there are in your party and where you're staying, rates range from $65 to $100 for a 3-hour tour. Companies include Arizona Desert Mountain Jeep Tours (tel. 800/567-3619) and Arizona Bound Tours (tel. 480/962-6620).

If you want to really impress your friends when you get home, you'll need to try something a little different. How about a Hummer tour? Sure, a Hummer is nothing but a jeep on steroids, but these military-issue off-road vehicles still turn heads. Contact Desert Storm Hummer Tours (tel. 866/374-8637 or 480/922-0020), which charges $95 for a 4-hour tour; or Stellar Adventures (tel. 877/878-3552 or 602/402-0584), which charges $125 for a basic 4-hour tour and $155 for its extreme tour. Both companies also offer night tours ($125-$130) that let you spot wildlife with night-vision equipment.

Scenic Flights -- If you're short on time but want to at least see the Grand Canyon, book an air tour in a small plane. Westwind Scenic Air Tours, 732 W. Deer Valley Rd., Phoenix (tel. 888/869-0866 or 480/991-5557), charges $320 to $525 for its Grand Canyon tours, $225 to $305 for its Sedona tours, and $525 for its Monument Valley tour. This company flies out of the Deer Valley Airport in the northwest part of the Valley.