Things To Do
Desert Ridge Outdoor Mall/shopping
Great out door shopping mall. It has all sorts of options for food/drink, outdoor areas for kids!
Cave Creek - Frontier Town (Old West town)
This little slice of Cave Creek is so fun to experience a little bit of an Arizona old west small town. It has tourist shops, really good food, antique stores and more. Only 20 min. from our house!
Tom's Thumb Trail
Level: easy / moderate
Sonoran Preserve - Desert Vista Trailhead
A popular hiking trail with gorgeous views, a well maintained trail and a huge hawks nest! Level: moderate
Tortilla Flat - Old West Town
We love coming here! It’s not a far drive from Phx. It’s an old west town that has lots of history! It began in 1904 and was a stagecoach stop and supply camp for workers building the Roosevelt Dam and Apache Trail. Fun to go check out!
Desert Botanical Garden
One of our favorites! It’s beautiful here. So many plants and flowers we have never seen before moving to Arizona. Great spot to check out if you’re looking for a low key, quiet sunny walk through the desert with a ton of plants, cactus and more!
Musical Instrument Museum
A huge display of instruments from roughly 200 countries, including some you can try out!
Old Town, Scottsdale
Old town Scottsdale is the probably the most highly visited place in Phoenix. It has so much shopping, antiques, and LOTS of bars! This is a hot spot for party’s, going out and having a good time. Check it out during the day for more relaxed vibe, with shopping and lunch or come out at night and have a party!
Hall of Flame Fire Museum
The world largest firefighting museum! We have never been here before but this place looks awesome! It might be a great option for kids! I see there is an educational tour or you can explore galleries of old fire trucks, hats, gear etc. We thought this looked pretty awesome!
Lost Dutchman State Park
This is where we took our pictures! This was one of the first places we camped at when moving to AZ. We love this mountain and state park!
Phoenix Zoo
Arts & Culture
Pemberton - one of our personal favorites for a date night. They have food, art, music, vendors (depending on the night) so be sure to check out the website before going to see what they have that night! Parking is very limited. We suggest ubering if you want to check it out!
Phoenix Art Museum
We have been here before and loved it! If you love a quiet afternoon walking around a museum, this a beautiful one!
Papago Park
A moderate hike / walk on some trails for a great view of Phoenix!
Arizona Museum of Natural History
Frank Lloyd Wright’s desert camp, Taliesin West
We haven’t been able to check this place out yet but have heard such great things about it! You can tour one of Frank Lloyd Wrights winter homes! You can do guided tours if you enjoy architecture!
Piestewa Peak Hike
This is a challenging hike and should only be considered if you’re up for a really good sweat!! Level: Hard Not suitable for children
Tempe Town Lake
This is a great spot to walk around outside! It’s got some shopping and good spots to eat!! Lots of parking
