# phoenix



## chexchy (May 10, 2016)

hello,
We want to drive to phoenix this end of summer.  Could anybody suggest us what to do or places to visit.  We have two little girls of 10 and 8 yoa.  I checked the trip advisors but there are so many things.  I think I need a highlight places.  We will have a week in phoenix.
thanks very much


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## DeniseM (May 10, 2016)

Phoenix is in Arizona, which is in the West Coast region, so I move your post to that forum.

At the end of the summer, it will be 110 degrees some days.  It will simply be too hot to enjoy the outdoors, except for swimming, and indoor-air conditioned activities, during the day.

It was 103º - 110º every single day in August last year:  http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/phoenix-az/85004/august-weather/346935

I would not consider going then.

*If you do decide to go, have your car serviced and the AC charged, and make sure it is in top shape for the drive from southern CA to Phoenix.  Breaking down out in the middle of no where in that heat could be dangerous.  You should consider driving in the cool of the night.


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## Luanne (May 10, 2016)

As a kid, if I were going someplace that hot all I'd want to do is be in the swimming pool.


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## Ty1on (May 10, 2016)

chexchy said:


> hello,
> We want to drive to phoenix this end of summer.  Could anybody suggest us what to do or places to visit.  We have two little girls of 10 and 8 yoa.  I checked the trip advisors but there are so many things.  I think I need a highlight places.  We will have a week in phoenix.
> thanks very much



There are places like the grand Canyon and Pinetop that shouldn't be 110 degrees.  Lots to do in AZ without melting if you go to higher elevations.


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## DeniseM (May 10, 2016)

But the Grand Canyon is 446 mi. round-trip, and it's 376 mi. roundtrip to Pinetop.   I would not want to do those drives in the heat with kids, and that's too far for a day trip for most people.  YMMV


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## Passepartout (May 10, 2016)

For those of us who are accustomed to more temperate climates, the 105 +- during the daytime is one thing, but to step out at midnight and it's still 95 or so wears on you. August will find me absent from there.


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## hcarman (May 11, 2016)

There are quite a few attractions there that would appeal to younger children.  We got to Phoenix every year and my best friend has three young girls in the same age group.

The zoo is always a hit - but if you are trying to avoid the heat and focus on indoor activities here are some other ideas.  There is a butterfly attraction in northern Phoenix - can't remember the exact name off hand but we had a great time.  There is a room you can stand in that is literally filled with butterflies and they will land on you.  I seem to remember you can give them nectar.  Right next door a new aquarium  is underway and it may be done by the time you get there.  Also, there is a music museum.  While at first it seems too mature for younger children - there were quite a few young ones there having a blast.  I guess they enjoyed the interactive exhibits.  Or a drive through a park to see the giant Saguaro cactus is always fun.

While you may find the Grand Canyon too far - it is an easy trip up to Sedona and it is cooler.  The locals go there in the summer to escape the oppressive heat.  There is a train that you can take called Verde Canyon Railroad that travels through the country just outside of Sedona.  And  Jerome is a fascinating ghost town just up the road.  Also several dude ranches in the Cave Creek area with campfire sing a longs and horseback riding.  Flagstaff is another hour up the road and even cooler at its high elevation.  They have some museums and an observatory - and in the winter a ski area.

But, if it gets too hot find a good pool, lake, or rent a tube and take it down the river.  Just remember - it is a dry heat - for those used to humidity knowing you can stand in the shade or that it cools off some at night makes it a little easier to stand.

While many prefer to stay away from Arizona in the summer, I know others that think it is just fine - and less crowded than peak times.


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## VacationForever (May 11, 2016)

Not for kids, but the most memorable attraction for me in Scottsdale/Phoenix area was Taliesin West.


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## Karen G (May 11, 2016)

sptung said:


> Not for kids, but the most memorable attraction for me in Scottsdale/Phoenix area was Taliesin West.


For me, too. Loved that place.


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## jlp879 (May 11, 2016)

Two things my kids very much enjoyed when we were in Phoenix.  The Heard Museum had an excellent children's area with hands on exhibits and activities.  It is a cool way to escape the heat.

They also enjoyed the Old Town part of Scottsdale, poking around in the shops there and soaking up the old west atmosphere.  But you'd have to save that for a cooler evening.  

Also, I think lots of water time would be in order.  Apparently, a lot of the public parks in the area have water play areas which would be good for the kids.  Maybe try and find a water park as well.


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## csxjohn (May 11, 2016)

The music museum referenced above is the MIM.

http://mim.org/

The butterfly museum is Butterfly Wonderland

http://butterflywonderland.com/

IMO Taliesin West will be a waste of time and money for the little ones.  I enjoyed learning about FLW but the young ones will probably get nothing out of it.

The Desert Botanical Gardens was a great experience for us but again I don't think the kids will get too much out of it.

I agree that time at the resort pool will be best for the children.

Which resort will you be staying in?


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## PStreet1 (May 11, 2016)

Could you consider using Sedona or Flagstaff as your base rather than Phoenix?  There is a lot to do in the Sedona/Flagstaff area (hikes, rock sliding, Native American ruins that are actually fun for kids--maybe not for an extended visit, but definitely for seeing and exploring some--the Grand Canyon.  You would find the temperatures more agreeable and I think the kids would find the activities more agreeable.


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## Harry (May 20, 2016)

The end of summer is a great time to be here in Phoenix. Our "monsoon" rains cool off our temperatures (a little) and discounts are still in effect at all resorts. Your daughters will have all kinds of things to do. We have numerous water parks and the suggestions above are good. One of our favorite places is the Botanical Gardens. 

Harry


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## Chrispee (May 20, 2016)

We've been to Phoenix a few times with our son at the end of August, and we always spend a lot of time at the pool.  We drove up to Sedona a couple of times during our stays and did some hiking, and it was warm but definitely doable.  I can't give any recommendations on attractions as we were lazy and lounged in the pool most days.  I wouldn't personally recommend Phoenix in the summer if you're not pool people, and aren't planning on staying at a nice resort.


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## billwright1 (May 20, 2016)

I just heard about the Hall of Flame which is a fire engine museum, We haven't been there but plan to go in the fall.


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## VegasBella (May 20, 2016)

chexchy said:


> hello,
> We want to drive to phoenix this end of summer.  Could anybody suggest us what to do or places to visit.  We have two little girls of 10 and 8 yoa.  I checked the trip advisors but there are so many things.  I think I need a highlight places.  We will have a week in phoenix.
> thanks very much


I highly recommend the Children's Museum in Phoenix. It is really very cool. My son loved it and your kids probably will too. 

http://childrensmuseumofphoenix.org/

Check the calendar to see if there's a special day you'd want to go 
http://childrensmuseumofphoenix.org/events/



sptung said:


> the most memorable attraction for me in Scottsdale/Phoenix area was Taliesin West.



Teliesin has a "junior tour program" during the summer. Here's what they say about it:


> JUNIOR ARCHITECT TOUR
> DURATION:90 minutes
> SCHEDULE:Offered Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from June - August | Leaves 10:30am
> TICKETS:$24 adults, $20 Students (ages 13+), $7 Youth (ages 4-12) advance purchase*; $28 Adults, $24 Students, $7 Youth at Taliesin West
> Our family-friendly tour adventure for adults with children and children with adults! This tour is tailored specifically for adults with children ages 4-12 and offers a playful glimpse into the adventurous spirit of Frank Lloyd Wright, his apprentices, and the marvelous story behind the creation of Taliesin West. Children participate in an engaging art activity as part of this fun-filled family tour.


http://www.franklloydwright.org/taliesin-west/tickets-and-tours.html


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## VegasBella (May 20, 2016)

When were were there last we also went to a baseball game and saw The Diamondbacks. Chase field has a retractable roof so that it can be indoors and air conditioned. We were there in Summer and it was nice inside the stadium. That day they had it partially open. That roof is really amazing and worth seeing just as much as seeing the baseball game.


> The retractable roof, comprising 9 million pounds of structural steel, operates on the same tried-and-true technology found in drawbridges and overhead traveling cranes. A pair of 200-horsepower motors open or close the roof in slightly more than four minutes, utilizing more than four miles of cable strung through a pulley system. Each half of the roof consists of three moveable trusses which telescope over a fixed end truss. The east and west sides of the roof can operate either in unison or independently. Either side of the roof can be opened to any position in order to maximize sunlight on the turf and minimize it on the interior steel and concrete.


 The stadium also had things for kids to do when/if they got bored of watching the game. I had no trouble entertaining my my kiddo. 
 Here's info about the stadium and the team: http://arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com/ticketing/index.jsp?c_id=ari


For free activities, one of the things my son loved was playing at splash pads at the parks. Your kids might be a little too old for this but it's worth asking them if they'd like it


> The following parks have splash pads available during summer months: Altadena, Civic Space, Dust Devil, Edison, Francisco Highland, Mountain Vista, Laveen Village, Nuestro, Pecos and Trailside Point. Splash pads will operated May 28, 2016 to October 1, 2016.


https://www.phoenix.gov/parks/parks

Of course there are also water parks there too: 
http://bigsurffun.com/
https://www.wetnwildphoenix.com/


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## Steve (May 20, 2016)

*Musical Instrument Museum, Hall of Flame, Arizona Sea Life Aquarium, Rainforest Cafe*



billwright1 said:


> I just heard about the Hall of Flame which is a fire engine museum, We haven't been there but plan to go in the fall.



The Musical Instrument Museum is stunning.  So many instruments and elegant displays.  You could spend a whole day in there if you are into music.

The Hall of Flame museum has a great collection of old fire engines and related items.  It was much larger than I expected, and is a fun indoor activity.  I think it would be fun for kids, too, if they have ever had any interest in firemen or first responders.  However, it might appeal more to boys than girls.  

There is a small but well done aquarium at Arizona Mills outlet mall in Tempe. 

You can also eat at a Rainforest Cafe in the same mall. 

http://mim.org/

http://www.hallofflame.org/

https://www.visitsealife.com/arizona/

http://www.rainforestcafe.com/


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## UK Fan (Jun 19, 2016)

If you are interested in seeing the Grand Canyon, you can travel to Williams, AZ and board the Grand Canyon Railway which takes you to the South Rim for the day.  The train ride is about 2 hours each way.  

Thetrain.com


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## dwojo (Jun 19, 2016)

Mesa is only 45 minutes away and you will find a mining museum and 20 minutes past that a nice boat tour in a canyon.


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## Marathoner (Jun 20, 2016)

*Phoenix from the Wall Street Journal*

*Guide to the Ultimate Long Weekend in Phoenix*

_The best restaurants, hotels, art exhibits, hikes, cocktail bars and shopping in the Valley of the Sun
_

By MATTHEW KRONSBERG
Jan. 17, 2014 11:23 a.m. ET

TO THE SPORTS-MAD, Phoenix probably looks a lot like heaven. From the Cactus League—spring training for 15 Major League Baseball teams—to the massively attended Waste Management Phoenix Open golf tournament, to the Super Bowl (coming back to town next year), there always seems to be a reason to visit the Valley of the Sun. But what if you're not a jock or enthusiastic spectator? There's plenty for you, too. The Phoenix-Scottsdale area is a wonderland of midcentury modern architecture (though most of its best bars and restaurants are hidden in strip malls). It's where Chris Bianco makes what many consider to be the best pizza in the country. It is home to not just one, but two of artist James Turrell's "skyspace" installations. Winter is also an ideal time to explore the Sonoran Desert; a hike over the rocky landscape can be by equal turns punishing and thrilling—"Fifty Shades of Beige," if you will. So, even if you can't tell a bunt from a punt, you can have, ahem, a ball in Arizona.

*DAY ONE // FRIDAY*

*6 p.m.* Arrive at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Pick up a rental car.

*7:30 p.m.* A 20-minute drive takes you to the Hermosa Inn (from $149 a night; 5532 North Palo Cristi Rd., Paradise Valley, hermosainn.com ), conveniently situated between Phoenix and Scottsdale. Built in the 1930s by painter Lon Megargee, the inn has 34 rooms in adobe haciendas scattered across sculpture-filled gardens.

*8:30 p.m. *Drive about 15 minutes to FnB (Food and Beverage) tucked into a plaza off Fifth Avenue in Scottsdale's Old Town (7125 E. Fifth Ave., Ste 31, fnbrestaurant.com ). The focus is on locally sourced food and drink, right down to the wine list (yes, Arizona wine). Though the menu changes, there are a few stellar constants, including an appetizer of braised leeks with mozzarella, a fried egg and mustard bread crumbs. A dessert highlight: butterscotch pudding topped with whipped cream.

*10 p.m.* Kazimierz World Wine Bar is about a five-minute walk away (7137 E. Stetson Dr., Scottsdale, kazbar.net ). If you see a wall placard that reads, "Like all good speakeasies, the entrance is hidden in the rear," you're close. Look for the doorman around back. There is nightly live music; grab a table or one of the many sofas in this stone-lined grotto and sit back…to read the 75-page wine list, larded with commentary.


*DAY TWO // SATURDAY*

*9 a.m.* After a 10-minute drive, look for the slatted, vine-covered windows that keep Dick's Hideaway (6008 N. 16th St., Phoenix, richardsonsnm.com ) in perpetual twilight; there's no sign to indicate the strip-mall location of this local favorite. Breakfast standards like pancakes are done well, but the "New Mexican" dishes are the real draw. Try the carne adovada with eggs—pork shoulder is slow-smoked over pecan wood, simmered in red chili sauce and served on a tortilla with cheese and eggs, sided with beans and home fries.

*10:30 a.m.* Walk off breakfast at the Deer Valley Rock Art Center (3711 W. Deer Valley Rd., Phoenix, dvrac.asu.edu), about a 25-minute drive away. Rent binoculars at the interpretive center and then stroll out back to the Hedgepeth Hills Petroglyph site. A quarter-mile trail follows the base of a hillside covered in black basalt boulders and marked with symbols, some thought to be more than 5,000 years old.

*11:45 a.m.* Back in the city, the Heard Museum (2301 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, heard.org ) has one of the country's great collections of Native American art and artifacts. The exhibition "Remembering Our Indian School Days: The Boarding School Experience," gives insight into the consequences of removing generations of Native American youth from their families for "assimilation." The museum is also showing Georgia O'Keeffe's seldom-seen paintings of Hopi katsina dolls. The gift shop is a reliable source of authentic tribal art and crafts.

*1:30 p.m.* Get a feel for Navajo culture through its food. Sacred Hogan (842 E. Indian School Rd., Phoenix, sacredhoganphoenix.com ) offers traditional cuisine in another unassuming strip-mall setting. Mutton stew is, on the surface, just nubs of meat and pillowy hominy in broth, but it is also a testament to technique, tradition and trust in good ingredients. Co-owner Dwayne Lewis's grandmother, now nearly 100 years old and resplendent in silver and turquoise jewelry, provided recipes for much of the menu, including the frybread that comes on the side.

*2:15 p.m.* The stretch of Roosevelt Street between North 7th Avenue and North 16th Street in Phoenix (and the blocks immediately surrounding it) has taken on the moniker Roosevelt Row, and is home to a slew of independent shops, galleries and cafes. Pop into Made (922 N. 5th St., madephx.com ) to browse local crafts and artwork. One block west is the contemporary art gallery Modified Arts (407 E. Roosevelt St., modifiedarts.org ). Farther west on Roosevelt are GreenHAUS Boutique + Gallery (222 E. Roosevelt St., greenhausphx.com ), featuring vintage goods, modern art and Bison Made leather goods—everything from iPhone cases to razor strops, currently crafted in the MonOrchid space next door. MonOrchid is also home to the Songbird Coffee and Tea House if you need a little pick-me-up after all that browsing.

*3:45 p.m.* Return to the hotel for a well-earned, if brief, rest.

*5:15 p.m.* Watch the nightfall from inside "Knight Rise," at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (7374 E. 2nd St., smoca.org ). The installation—a "skyspace" by artist James Turrell—is an elliptical room with a 10-by-15-foot oculus in the ceiling. Best viewing is from about 20 minutes before sunset until 20 minutes after. You'll be amazed by how physical, almost touchable, the sky seems.

*7 p.m.* It's a short walk from the museum to Virtù (3701 N. Marshall Way, Scottsdale, virtuscottsdale.com ), one of the most acclaimed restaurants to open in the valley in the past year. The appetizer of grilled octopus with chickpeas comes on a platter streaked with chili butter; the octopus manages to have both char and tenderness. The cocktails here are inventive and made with food in mind. The Let the Beet Drop combines salted beet syrup with Calabrian chili-infused aquavit, mezcal and lime juice, and was created to go with the octopus.

*9 p.m.* If you liked "Knight Rise" and want to see a very different Turrell skyspace, drive 15 minutes to the Arizona State University campus (a short walk from the parking garage at Rural Road and Terrace Road in Tempe, skyspace.asu.edu ). "Air Apparent" is all hard angles, and glows like a freshly landed UFO.

*10 p.m. *On the way back to the hotel, stop at Crudo (3603 E. Indian School Rd., Suite B, Phoenix, crudoaz.com ), in the back of a strip mall. The main restaurant serves Italian food with an emphasis on raw fish. A chalkboard drink menu covering one wall brightens the otherwise muted décor of the bar. Try a 1951, with Arizona-made Copper City Bourbon, Meletti Amaro, grapefruit cinnamon syrup and bitters. You'll notice that nearly everyone is snacking on slivered, fried pig ears garnished with pickled Fresno chilis and litoi onions. You should be, too.


*DAY THREE // SUNDAY*

*9:30 a.m.* When you get to the Farm at South Mountain (6106 S. 32nd St., Phoenix, thefarmatsouthmountain.com ), stroll through the grove of pecan trees and past the garden plots of seasonal greens to the Morning Glory Café. The coffee at this outdoor restaurant is self-serve, the juice is fresh-pressed from local citrus and the huevos rancheros are topped with a piquant tomatillo salsa.

*11 a.m.* About 15 minutes away is South Mountain Park (10919 S. Central Ave., Phoenix, phoenix.gov ). At more than 16,000 acres, it isn't just bigger than Manhattan's Central Park—it's bigger than the island of Manhattan. Start with a drive up to Dobbins Lookout. At 2,330 feet, it provides spectacular views of the entire valley. Hiking, biking and horse trails cover arid terrain; trails are well marked, but downloading a map to your phone before you head out is well advised. The Kiwanis trail is about two miles round-trip, with an approximately 480-foot elevation change.

To see desert flora without getting dusty, drive about 15 minutes in the opposite direction to the Desert Botanical Garden (1201 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix, dbg.org ), home to an assortment of succulents and cacti so extravagantly formed, a visit feels like a stroll through the pages of a Dr. Seuss book. Works by glass artist Dale Chihuly will be displayed throughout the garden until May 18.

*1 p.m.* You've earned a good lunch. With the croquet gear on the lawn, fireplace on the patio and wainscotting in the dining room, eating at Bink's Midtown (2320 E. Osborn Rd., Phoenix, binksmidtown.com ) is like having lunch at the house of a friend—who happens to have cooked at the French Laundry and the Inn at Little Washington. Get a few dishes from the "local produce" section of the menu—dates and pecans with arugula and chevre, or a slab of eggplant dressed with miso vinaigrette. The "pig of the week" sandwich comes from a hog the restaurant roasts in a different style each Sunday.

*2:30 p.m. *The Biltmore Fashion Park—a fairly typical mall with fairly typical shops—distinguishes itself with a section called Union (2502 E. Camelback Rd., Phoenix, shopbiltmore.com ), filled with a small local businesses. For the People sells gifts and home accessories, including locally produced industrial-mod planters from the Nurture Project and intricate, angular jewelry from Mother of Gideon. Queen Creek Olive Mill sells Arizona-made olive oil.

*4 p.m. *Go back to the hotel. Get a massage. Use the hot tub.

*7 p.m. *Pizzeria Bianco is nearly as famous for its long waits for a table (two hours is not uncommon) as for serving what some consider the best pizza in the country. A second location in the Town & Country Shopping Center (4743 N. 20th St., Phoenix, pizzeriabianco.com ), solves the line problem—it takes reservations—without compromising on the food. The main dining room is hung with paintings by family patriarch Leonard Bianco. The Rosa pizza, with pistachios, red onions, rosemary and Parmigiano-Reggiano (no sauce) is light but complex. The pastas are all made in-house, and salads are market-driven. A recent special had escarole tossed with persimmons, local pecans and Champagne vinaigrette.

*9 p.m.* Return to the Hermosa Inn for a nightcap at the Last Drop, the lounge that takes its name from Lon Megargee's famous painting "The Last Drop from His Stetson," in which a trail-worn cowboy lets his horse drink from his hat. Ask bartender Travis Nass (the guy with the waxed mustache, bolo tie and bowler hat) to make you something more refined. The Mesquite Sour mixes High West Campfire Whiskey with mesquite amber syrup, lemon, egg white and mole bitters. Drink it in a fireside club chair or out on the patio.

*DAY FOUR // MONDAY*

*10 a.m. *Breakfast in jet-age splendor: To get to the restaurant ZuZu (6850 E. Main St. Scottsdale, hotelvalleyho.com ), walk through the soaring lobby of the 1950s Hotel Valley Ho. Take a table out by the pool—or better yet, at one of the round turquoise booths. The "Frosty Orange 'Ho-J' " is a decadent, milkshake-for-breakfast choice. If you want to be more virtuous, there's the California eggs benedict, in which avocado, spinach and tomatoes come between the hollandaise and the homemade English muffin.

*11:30 a.m. *About 30 minutes northeast is Frank Lloyd Wright's winter home, Taliesin West (12345 N. Taliesin Dr., Scottsdale, franklloydwright.org ). Sign on for the 90-minute "Insights" tour, which gets you a seat in Wright's living room and a peek into his bedroom. Even 77 years on, Taliesin West's sensitivity to landscape and use of local materials feels fresh.

*1:45 p.m.* A half-hour toward the airport is the Clever Koi (4236 N. Central Ave, Phoenix, thecleverkoi.com), a new restaurant with a pan-Asian menu. Along with traditional pork-based ramen, they offer dishes like the rich smoked "pig face" dumplings, cut nicely by the diced kimchi and pickled peppers served beneath. Crispy duck tongues and octopus sausage make appearances for the brave of palate. There is a strong cocktail program here. Check your flight and order accordingly.


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