Phoenix's perpetual sunshine might tempt you to find a secluded resort and spend all your days sipping margaritas next to the swimming pool. Don't give in. Exploring our city's desert horizons will broaden yours.

Experience the Culture

Our museums and attractions are not to be missed. For a uniquely Southwestern experience, stroll through the Desert Botanical Garden to see desert plants, or visit the Heard Museum for Native American art and culture. If it's contemporary art you seek, the Phoenix Art Museum and SMOCA are for you. If you have kids, the Children’s Museum of Phoenix, the Arizona Science Center and the Phoenix Zoo are must-dos.

Get Outdoors

Phoenix is located in one of the lushest and most colorful deserts in the world, and rugged mountains define the city's horizon. In winter, sunshine warms hiking and biking trails. In spring, blooming cactuses and wildflowers carpet hillsides and valleys. Enveloped by such breathtaking scenery, outdoor enthusiasts who visit Phoenix usually come to the same conclusion as coyote pups and jackrabbits: The Sonoran Desert is a great place to play. See our Outdoor Activities for more ideas.

Relaxing Lifestyle

Phoenix is famous for palm-tree-shrouded resorts, desert golf courses and elegant fashion centers, So relax your way, whether it's on a golf course, in a spa or by shopping. Or if you want to get out on the town, check out our Nightlife trip ideas for where to go.

Megan Finnerty's Phoenix Dream Night