Location: Phoenix
Top Things to do in Phoenix
The 10 Best Things to do Good for Big Groups in Phoenix, Arizona (AZ)
Nearly perfect year-round weather and several impeccably designed championship courses have made Phoenix one of the top golf destinations in the world. But there's more to this mild-mannered metropolis than pristine greens and tee times. The greater Phoenix area also offers visitors an array of impressive cultural attractions. Visit the internationally renowned Heard Museum for an in-depth look at Native American history or peruse the fine collection at the Phoenix Museum of Art. Enjoy a ballet performance at the ornate Orpheum Theater or or catch a concert at the state-of-the-art Comerica Theatre. In addition to golf, the city offers access to numerous outdoor endeavors including rock climbing, hot-air ballooning, desert jeep tours and more. Family-friendly attractions, first-rate shopping, dining and entertainment, and spectacular recreational activities make Phoenix a must-visit destination.
Restaurants in Phoenix
1. Phoenix Symphony
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 180 reviews
Reviewed By SDDPHOTO - Fountain Hills, United States
Guest artist Augustin Hadelich was brilliant playing Concerto in D major for violin and Orchestra Op. 61. It didn’t hurt that he was playing on a Stradivari violin. The audience was especially appreciative when he graciously played an encore piece that was both calming and magical. Originally from Cleveland Ohio I attended the Cleveland Orchestra from age 5. I’ve been in Arizona 35 years and had season tickets most of that time. Don’t miss a symphony performance if you are in town.
2. Desert Wolf Tours
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 2,625 reviews
Desert Wolf Tours is Scottsdale's #1 Ranked desert off-road and firearms Adventure! Better yet, we were named THE BEST OFF-PREMISES EXCURSION IN THE WORLD by TravelGolf and were just inducted into the TripAdvisor HALL OF FAME for earning their prestigious Certificate of Excellence for the 6th year in a row! At Desert Wolf Tours, YOU get to drive an authentic military-grade TomCar UTV. A Tomcar is smooth, fast, maneuverable and drives like no other off-road vehicle. Even if you've driven consumer grade UTVs and ATVs made by Polaris, Kawasaki, Yamaha, etc., you've never driven a military-grade UTV! They glide over the rocky terrain, leaving all others in the dust!! (Here is an added benefit - UNLIKE MOST AREA ATV TOURS, YOU DON'T NEED TO WEAR A HELMET ON OUR TOURS! So, no need to worry about that horrible "helmet hair".) As Arizona's #1 ranked self-drive tour outfit, Desert Wolf Tours provides unique tours to proprietary attractions that no other company offers. Because we're so near to most Scottsdale/Phoenix resorts, you'll be able to spend more time in the desert and less time in somebody else's van. We use the world's most comfortable off-road vehicles, have the best Adventure Guides and play in the most interesting terrain. With access to hundreds of thousands of acres of Desert Wilderness just North of Phoenix full of Cowboy history and gorgeous vistas, our guests leave our tours with awesome memories that last a lifetime? BOOK TODAY and we'll guarantee that you'll have a Great Time! NOTE - ALL OF OUR DESERT OFF-ROAD TOURS LEAVE FROM THE ROADRUNNER RESTAURANT AND SALOON, JUST A FEW MILES NORTH OF PHOENIX ON I-17.
3. Musical Instrument Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 6,330 reviews
The World's Only Global Musical Instrument Museum. Home of the MIM Music Theater--a 300-seat acoustically superb performance space--as well as the award-winning Café Allegro (open 11 am - 2 pm daily) and the MIM Museum Store. The average guest spends nearly four hours at MIM. Please allow plenty of time to fully enjoy MIM's galleries and exhibits. Open daily, 9 am - 5 pm; Closed Thanksgiving; Open Christmas, 11 am - 5 pm. General Admission: $20; Teens (ages 13-19): $15; Children (ages 4-12): $10; Children 3 and under: Free. Hours and prices are subject to change.
Reviewed By P1520TPandrewk
1. Expect to spend at least five hours or more! 2. Wear comfortable shoes! 3. Take your camera, phone charger etc.. 4. For Musicians, music lovers etc... 5. Bucket List Item 6. All styles of music represented 7. 777 Jackpot Rating! Go and see this place!
4. Liberty Wildlife
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 22 reviews
Liberty Wildlife is a non-profit rescues, rehabilitation, education and sustainability organization located just south of Sky Harbor Airport. Tucked inside Phoenix city lines, we have an amazing backdrop along the Rio Salado. Tour through our sustainable building and get a glimpse of how our hospital treats the sick, injured and orphaned wildlife that arrive daily. Also walk through our education trail where you will see non-releasable birds of prey, including native hawks, owls and even bald and golden eagles. Each day that we are open to the public there is a presentation in our amphitheater at 11:15. You'll get an up close experience with some of the wildlife that we care for.
Reviewed By lisasS8477XZ - Sedona, United States
Liberty is a wildlife rescue rehabilitation and conservation organization. The education side of the facility is open to visitors several times each week (check the website for specific days and times). The education side houses animals that could not be released due to the nature of their injury or illness. This is the best place to see and photograph native birds of prey up close. Open hours usually include an opportunity to see an eagle feed and listen to education about eagles. You will see volunteers handling, caring for, and interacting with the birds. They can help you get an unobstructed photo of the birds and tell you all about the history of each animal. Many of the volunteers will help you snap a picture with a bird. There is also an interactive room with displays that can be touched as well as reptiles and a Pygmy owl named Newton. Along the rehab side of the facility you can watch surgeries through a window as well as new intakes coming into the facility and being examined by volunteers. Be sure to say hi to ravens Lenny, Beaker, and Clarence. They thrive on the attention!
5. Chase Field
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,313 reviews
The home of the state's Major League Baseball team, the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Reviewed By Pbuddy
Even if your aren’t a baseball fan put this on the list of things to do Great atmosphere, friendly environment and a beautiful stadium
6. South Mountain Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,302 reviews
This, the largest municipal park in the world, is a popular hiking, biking and horseback riding trail area.
Reviewed By michiganpete7 - Muskegon, United States
On our first full day in Phoenix, we chose to hike the Hidden Valley Trail via Mormon Loop Trail, which we found highly rated on the AllTrails app. A 5+ mile hike that took us 2.5 hours, as we’re ‘moderate’ hikers, it was a lot of fun. Bring plenty of water, backpack, sun screen, lip balm and a hat. The low ‘50’s temps were perfect mid-morning, feeling warmer than that as the sun was out. Hard sole shoes or boots will greatly help your hike!
7. Desert Botanical Garden
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 8,787 reviews
Discover the tranquil vibrancy of desert plants nestled amid the red rocks of the Papago Buttes. Visitors can stroll through five thematic trails to explore the fascinating beauty of the Sonoran Desert, from towering cacti and alluring succulents to brilliant wildflowers and lush trees. Scroll through the Garden's calendar so not to miss festive events and dazzling exhibitions. Delve deeper to learn about desert landscaping, nature art, cooking and wellness and more through the Garden's various adult and children's classes.
Reviewed By TeamRealMcCoy - West Linn, United States
While we visited the Botanical Park years ago, it has really expanded and is an even more fascinating attraction in Phoenix today! We arrived at the park just moments before the next scheduled tour would be held. While we are normally not tour type of folks, we realized we stood to learn many things from a docent-led walk, and we were not disappointed. The docent we had was entertaining and well informed and had incredible props for her talk. You will learn much about cacti and succulents spending a day at this park, but you will learn so much more from a docent-led tour. I should mention the tour does not cover the entire park but just the heart of it. Then you are free to wander and enjoy the many offerings on your own. We enjoyed a snack at the Patio Café mid day, and were very lucky to see roadrunners, a jack rabbit, squirrels, quail, and two of the infamous Arizona javelinas. It should be noted that javelinas can wreak much damage in a park like this, and park staff are attempting to safely trap these and relocate them away from the botanical park. During our visit in January, we were surprised at the number of cacti with prickly pear and succulents with blooms and other plants in full bloom! There are ample benches and chairs throughout the park to sit and quietly contemplate the beauty or simply take a rest. The paths are easily navigated by those on foot, with a walker, or even a wheelchair. There is a marvelous plant shop and a lovely gift shop on the premises. There is a permanent exhibition of Dale Chihuly glass works, a marvelous complement to the nature of the garden, and while we were there, there was an Italian art exhibit, Wild Rising by Crackling Art, featuring more than 1,000 vividly colorful animal sculptures symbolizing sustainability and conservation.
8. Heard Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,899 reviews
The foremost showcase of Native American art and culture in the U.S., the Heard Museum reveals the cultures of tribes in the region through exhibits, demonstrations and live performances and displays the work of contemporary Native American artists. Artists demonstrate their work during the week and musicians perform on most weekends.
Reviewed By MsInformedALWAYS - Las Vegas, United States
This place was a real surprise, nice architecture, beautifully displayed/housed native America goods from clothes, baskets, paintings, and general artifacts in excellent condition. Very well laid out with a nice bookstore AND gift shop (a bit pricey) Most enjoyable visit and stands out above and beyond most I've seen (I'm a fan of native American indian works - I've been to a half dozen wonderful museums...)
9. Hole in the Rock
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,027 reviews
Reviewed By jesseo582 - Jackson, United States
Close to the zoo and botanical gardens, this is a an extremely accessible and fun park! And, in early November, there were few people enjoying it. I was especially glad to read interpretation here that the rock had Native astronomical significance. For many it’s a place to scramble. But the picnic facilities, cacti, birds and rabbits I found were most enjoyable.
10. Hall of Flame Museum of Firefighting
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 395 reviews
The world's largest firefighting museum chronicles the history of the profession and commemorates fallen firefighters.
Reviewed By Sheree1956
My husband and I spent the better part of the afternoon at this museum. Being from a paid to volunteer fire department family this place was absolutely wonderful. The total history of the fire fighting service, as well as, international fire history is found there. Just about all 50 states are represented whether it is a piece of equipment or a department patch. All aspects of the fire service is recognized from the cities to the smoke jumpers. The tribute room displays many photos and articles of heroes and fallen heroes, including the Granite Mountain Hotshots and the World Trade Center Port of Authority. The director, Chuck and Tim were very personable and enlightening as they both came from a paid fire department background. Highly recommend!!
