Location: Phoenix
Top Things to do in Phoenix
What to do and see in Phoenix, Arizona (AZ): The Best Things to do
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. 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!
2. 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
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. 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!
5. 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...)
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. Piestewa Peak
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 706 reviews
Reviewed By txgrl011 - Austin, United States
I hiked Piestewa Peak for the first time this past weekend. We got there right at 6am to beat the heat and the crowds, but apparently 6am is on the later side, as the parking lots were already full, and were got lucky to grab a spot. The hike is a straight incline the entire way up, so if you aren't in decent shape, I would not recommend. Especially not in the hot summer. The views are beautiful however, and everyone is friendly on the trail. It was a great workout! I will say that the trail is very narrow (much more so than Camelback mountain), and you are passing people only a foot away. It made me a little nervous with Covid, so you may want to bring a bandana to put on your face if that's something you're concerned about. Also, please don't be one of those people we saw with no water out there during the summer. The temps were already in the low 90's when we finished the hike at 7:30am! It took us exactly 1.5 hours to complete the hike. (For reference, my sister and I are both 37 years old, in good shape, and went at a fairly quick pace). If you are active and want a great workout with awesome scenery, I would highly recommend.
9. 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.
10. 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.
