Jan
10
Phoenix Travel & Sightseeing Guide
Filed Under United States
A trip to Phoenix
The state capital of Arizona, a metropolitan city on the rise, has always been a popular destination in the American Southwest. Both a destination in itself and a springboard to explore the rugged countryside of Arizona, the expansive craggy desert surrounding Phoenix was the location of historic battle sites in the days of real cowboys and Indians.
Flights to Phoenix
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is the largest travel hub in the Southwestern United States, acting as the city’s airport as well as a gateway to surrounding regions. The airport receives a great deal of domestic traffic and almost as much international traffic. If you are looking for a cheap flight to Phoenix try Ebookers.
Making the drive to Phoenix is straightforward, with I-10 connecting the city with Tucson and Los Angeles, California. Interstate 8 runs south of the city and is the best way to get here from southern Californian cities like San Diego. The tool route, known as the Superstition Freeway, provides access from other cities in the state like Chandler, Mesa and Tempe. There are no direct rail links to Phoenix, but the Amtrak network stops in Tucson, where onward connection to Phoenix is but a minor inconvenience.
Phoenix The USA
Sightseeing in Phoenix
If you’re short on time and can’t make it out to the desert to admire the particular flora of the Southwest, your not dead in the water yet. At Papago Park in the city lies the Desert Botanical Gardens, where pretty much every variety of plant you could find in the area is housed under one roof. The Phoenix Zoo is attached to the complex and makes a great way to spend an afternoon.
For a look into the area’s pre-European culture, the Heard Museum is very informative and a good place to pick up some souvenirs of the arts and crafts variety.
Fun by night – eating, drinking and partying
The variety of cuisine available indicates the city’s rapid growth, with many ethnic tastes available. Being the Southwest, Tex-Mex is a local favourite, while most palettes will find something to fill the hunger gap in the downtown area.
Phoenix is typical of certain North American cities in that it doesn’t have a city centre per se. Instead it encompasses groups of suburbs that combine to form Phoenix. With things being so spread out, finding a good place to go out and spend an evening is not as simple as strolling along the proverbial main street and walking into a bar or restaurant that looks interesting.
There are a couple of areas to hit when it comes to live music or clubbing, however, starting with Scottsdale. This is one of the main concentrations of bars and clubs in Phoenix, where a variety of options are available. Downtown Phoenix also as a good variety of places at which to let your hair down and cut a rug.
Fun by day – shopping and activities
There are plenty of shopping malls and plazas where you can get some shopping done, and the choices are expanding as the city grows in stature and popularity. Phoenix will keep fashion hunters busy with its various shopping centres that are spread throughout town.
With the beautiful desert landscape surrounding the city, visitors would do well to drive out to the Grand Falls of the Colorado River located on Navajo land, the biggest Indian reservation in the country. There is much to be found and purchased in the form of Native arts and crafts here, the sale of which supports local communities.
Daytrips
Theodore Roosevelt called it ‘the most awe-inspiring and most sublimely beautiful panorama nature ever created’ - the Apache Trail. It is one of the best drives in the entire US, taking in delectable scenery through fine desert wilderness with hairy drop-offs to the Fish Creek Canyon. Simply go east of downtown Phoenix and loop from the Apache Junction.
Florence lies to the south of Phoenix and is somewhat of a historic Western town with smart Victorian architecture and more than 150 sites on the National Register of Historic Places. For something a little different while in Florence, check out the museum where one of the exhibits features a collection of nooses used in executions.
Not far outside Phoenix is the fun Goldfield Ghost Town, which is a reconstructed gold mining town from the 1890s nestled between the Goldfield Mountains to the west and the Superstition Mountains to the east. Although touristy, kids will love it with its period buildings, mine tours, train rides, gun fights and gold panning.
Another fine daytrip from Phoenix is the Historic Sahuaro Ranch, detailing the ranch life of Phoenix back in the day. Tours of the restored farmhouse and fruit-packing shed are all the rage. Cave Creek is also worth a jaunt for its Frontier Town look and feel, and its local steak houses and saloons.
Must-see attractions
Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park is a must-see Phoenix attraction on Washington Street. It details pre-Columbian Hohokam civilisation and is America’s only city-operated archaeological site.
Phoenix Zoo is a must for the kids; a unique zoo that features a rainforest exhibit but mainly focuses on animals from Arizona. Apart from these creatures are Central and South America animals, and beasts from the African savannah.
The Arizona Center is another good Phoenix family attraction, a huge shopping complex in downtown Phoenix with dozens of shops and eateries, loads of bars, and even a theatre house. The Arizona Center also has lush gardens complete with fountains and is great for people-watching.
The Desert Botanical Garden is a huge 50-acre garden that lies within Papago Park in the centre of town. There are thousands of plants here, including many endangered species.
Best time to go
Phoenix has some of the hottest city temperatures in North America, due to its dry desert climate and mid-continent positioning. As such summers are generally blisteringly hot and uncomfortable, although the dry air makes the weather more bearable. Winters are nicest in Phoenix where temperatures hover around the low-20s (°C), and days are warm and nights cool.
Rainy day suggestions
The Phoenix Museum of History can be found in the Heritage and Science Park in downtown Phoenix and is good for one of those autumn rainy days. It covers the history of the city and region well, while the Phoenix Art Museum is huge and has many fine collections. Also worth noting is the Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum and the curious Heard Museum.
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