Location: Camelback East
Top Things to do in Camelback East
The 10 Best Things to do in Camelback East, 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. 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.
2. Arizona Tour & Travel - Day Tours
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 185 reviews
Personalized sightseeing tours of the West. Specializing in Grand Canyon, Sedona, Arizona and Utah
3. 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.
4. Shemer Art Center and Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 8 reviews
A Phoenix Point of Pride, this museum is a cultural locus, featuring local artisans and offering its own arts and crafts workshops.
5. 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!!
6. Papago Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 832 reviews
This park offers runners both paved and dirt trails.
Reviewed By kendra612 - Minneapolis, United States
This was a great starter hike. The views were amazing and it is very close to the zoo and botanical gardens. It can get busy at The Hole in The Rock, so be prepared for a crowd.
7. Phoenix Mountain Preserve
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 233 reviews
Offers more than 23,000 acres crisscrossed with trails.
Reviewed By bpred754 - Phoenix, United States
I have lived in Phoenix my entire life and have never really given much thought about the Phoenix Mountains Preserve. Well, that has changed! I hiked to Piestewa Peak, and wow, was it beautiful! It was also a very good workout! I can't believe the amount of hiking that is available in the preserve right in the middle of Phoenix! I definitely recommend checking out the assortment of trails the preserve offers. It is pretty large, so if you need help finding preserve amenities like drinking fountains, restrooms, ramadas, etc., the app, Avem, is very helpful!
8. Camelback Mountain
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,520 reviews
Reviewed By 866TaylorB - Chicago, United States
Camelback Mountain is to Phoenix, Arizona, what Lake Michigan is to Chicago or the Golden Gate Bridge is to San Francisco or the Gateway Arch is to St. Louis. It is a distinctive feature that is associated with the city. Camelback is a mountain whose English name is derived from its shape, which resembles the hump and head of a kneeling camel. It is a prominent and unmistakable landmark of the Phoenix metropolitan area, located in the Camelback Mountain Echo Canyon Recreation Area between the Arcadia neighborhood of Phoenix and the town of Paradise Valley. It also is a popular recreation destination for hiking and rock climbing. Not to mention photo ops. A cave discovered on the north slope of the mountain indicates that it was once used as a sacred site by the prehistoric Hohokam Culture before they abandoned the area in the 14th century. The mountain features two hiking trails that ascend 1,280 feet to its peak. The Echo Canyon Trail is 1.14 miles in length while the Cholla Trail covers 1.4 miles. Both are considered strenuous with steep grades, requiring a round trip time of 90 minutes to three hours. For rock climbers, the Praying Monk is a red sandstone rock formation on the northern slope that rises about 100 feet. The mountain lends its name to a major east-west street in the Phoenix area called Camelback Road that starts in Scottsdale and goes about 34 miles west past the West Valley suburbs of Goodyear and Litchfield Park.
9. Wrigley Mansion
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 536 reviews
Reviewed By B0lder - Bothell, United States
Wife and I ended week long trip to Phoenix/Scottsdale area with a tour and afternoon high tea at Wrigley Mansion. Neither events disappointed! There was complimentary valet parking which we took advantage of. There are currently three offering of tour times; 10, 11 and noon. It’s reasonably priced and our group size was 6 plus the guide. Shout out to our guide, Kirsten, as she was animated in her presentation and talked about not only the history of the mansion but also some great stories about the Wrigley and Hormel families. We loved it! The hour went by very fast. After the tour we stuck around the mansion to soak up the atmosphere and for their afternoon tea. I think reservations are required and servings are only Thursday and Friday but check with the facility website for more details. Kenny and Landon did a great job of serving up a lovely 3 course afternoon tea of finger sandwiches, scones and deserts. You can choose your tea from an extensive list or they can pair your tea with the food course to get the best result. Food and tea were top notch and service was friendly and knowledgeable. During our tea we enjoyed wonderful piano playing on a one of a kind Steinway player piano from an amazing local talent, Mark DeCozio. If you want to know more about that piano you just have to go on the tour! It’s an interesting story and it still works as a player piano. Mark played beautifully and definitely added to the enjoyment of our experience. The one negative to the whole experience was the construction project of a new restaurant at the front of the facility. That sort of thing doesn’t really bother us but I do mention it as it might bother some. It sounds like it will be a remarkable addition to the facility when it’s complete but it definitely mars the view from the front and there is construction noise. Overall, great job Wrigley Mansion staff! Well done. Looking forward to coming back the next time we are in the area to check out your brunch and hopefully the new restaurant.
10. Arizona Military Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 36 reviews
This place is temporarily closed.
Reviewed By ljohnson08 - Littleton, United States
This is a free museum with a donation. It is open Sat and Sun from 1 to 4 pm. It has military uniforms and weapons from colonial time to today. The Arizona section Spains introduction to America to the present time. A read of this section takes over 20 minutes. It has memorabilia for both WW I and WW II complete with uniforms and weapons. It has a Vietnam room complete with a touch and feel machine gun mounted Jeep and a Huey Helicopter fully accessible.There is so much to see and read that 3 hours is not enough, so I must return.
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