Phoenix

Attractions & Activities

About Phoenix Attractions & Activities

Phoenix is a dynamic, growing city with year-round potential for visitors. During the sweltering summer months, the city offers plenty of indoor (air-conditioned!) attractions to keep the whole family entertained. The world-class Heard Museum of Native Cultures and Art features engrossing collections of Native American artifacts and works from contemporary Southwestern artists, while the Phoenix Art Museum takes a more global approach with exhibits of paintings from around the world, innovative designer fashions, mixed media pieces, and sculpture. The Arizona Science Center is a hands-on museum with wide appeal, plus a planetarium and an IMAX theater. When the heat isn't quite as oppressive, visitors can take advantage of magnificent views, hiking and other outdoor activities at Papago Park, which is also home to the Phoenix Zoo (lions and tigers and bears, plus cheetahs, wolves and meerkats), Desert Botanical Gardens (with the world's largest outdoor desert plant collection), and a golf course. If you have more time, don't limit yourself to in-town attractions. The nearby communities of Chandler, Mesa, Tempe and Scottsdale also have a wealth of fun and engaging places to visit. -- Kim Goodin, 10Best Editor