When it comes to nicknames, ‘Valley of the Sun’ builds up expectations of year-round rays. And Phoenix doesn’t disappoint - there are over 300 sunny days a year here. Phoenix is a city that’s perfect for discovering on four wheels, with great areas of natural beauty, leading museums and theatres, while there’s more than a hint of Mexican flavour in the architecture and food.
Seen and Heard
There are few places in the world to rival the Heard Museum for American Indian art, both modern and old, and the story it tells about the Native American experience through exhibitions. Since opening in 1929 it has become an important centre for ceramics, fine art, spirit dolls and pottery, while the Heard also works closely with local tribes. There are plenty of kid-friendly interactive exhibits too.
If you have time, there’s a wealth of other museums that will give you a taste of south-western life. The Phoenix Art Museum may boast work by Monet, but it also has a gallery dedicated to depictions of the Arizona landscape. The Arizona Museum of Natural History is a great place to learn about archaeology, see their local exhibits and, perhaps best of all, explore the magnificent Dinosaur Hall. With a unique Musical Instrument Museum and the play-centric Children’s Museum of Phoenix also in town, you’re not short of options.
Dine in the desert
If you’d rather be outside in the sunshine, the Desert Botanical Garden is a beautifully cultivated space with tens of thousands of plants, a wide variety of cacti but also inventive sculpture and well-crafted nature trails. It’s a place that comes alive at light when they light up the gardens, while there’s a rotating schedule of musical performances including blues, Latin, folk-rock, jazz and more. You can eat here too. Gertrude’s focusses on seasonal menus with herbs grown on site. Think bison tenderloin with yucca croquettes, crop rotation risotto or lollipop kale with fermented chilli – all washed down with a truly memorable sunset.
Outside the city limits
There’s so much incredible landscape here, you’ll want to really feel the benefit of car hire at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport by driving beyond the city. Flagstaff is a lively city, the Grand Canyon a must-see, and Mesa also alluring. But a perfect place to cool off outdoors is at Lake Havasu City, three hours from Phoenix. This man-made lake has serene beaches and family activities, but also offers fishing, boating, off-road driving, golf, restaurants and shops and, during winter, even ice skating at the original London Bridge. The latter was taken apart in London, each stone numbered, shipped via the Panama Canal and reconstructed here, opening in 1971. You can camp nearby, or just visit for the day before heading back to Phoenix.
With the rugged desert landscape surrounding you, glorious sunshine, wonderful museums and no shortage of attractions for solo-travellers, couples and families, you can see why Phoenix is growing in popularity as a place to visit.
