Arizona’s urban heart and America’s sunniest metropolis, Phoenix is filled with many exciting things to do!
We’ve indicated below the attractions that are within walking distance by placing a .jpg)
next to them, otherwise the attraction is just a short taxi or light rail ride away.
next to them, otherwise the attraction is just a short taxi or light rail ride away.Shopping & Entertainment
Phoenix offers such an exceptional range of shopping and entertainment experiences.
Located in the heart of downtown, the Arizona Center is an open-air oasis of dining, entertainment, and shopping. Here you’ll find many different dining options, a 24 screen AMC movie theater, unique shopping at a variety of specialty retailers and above all, beautiful ponds and gardens to enjoy.
Scottsdale Fashion Square is the Southwest’s distinctive address for premier shopping, dining and entertainment. Biltmore Fashion Park is a lush garden of shopping and dining experiences in the center of the historic Biltmore District. Kierland Commons is a unique, upscale Main Street lifestyle center that artfully blends retail shopping, dining, and entertainment with urban residential living.
Museums, Theaters, & Other Attractions
Greater Phoenix has some of the best museums, art galleries, and theaters in the Southwest.
The Arizona Science Center offers hands-on, eye-opening fun with more than 300 interactive exhibits, a state-of-the-art planetarium, five-story giant-screen theater, live demonstrations, and traveling exhibitions. Explore 350 hands-on exhibits, a five-story theater and a planetarium in a unique setting.
The hands-on interactive exhibits at the Children’s Museum of Phoenix are designed to engage the minds, muscles, and imaginations of children up to age 10 and the grown-ups who care about them. Located in the historic Monroe School Building, kids and adults alike love the “play to learn” philosophy that abounds at each exhibit. Make a meal in the Texture Café, navigate your way through Noodle Forest, or relax and share a story in the Book Loft. These are just a few of the adventures that await you at the Children’s Museum of Phoenix.
Experience a prehistoric Hohokam ruin and full-sized replicated dwellings at Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park. Pueblo Grande Museum is located at a 1,500 year old Hohokam village ruins in modern day Phoenix. For more than 80 years, the museum has been dedicated to the study and interpretation of the Hohokam culture. On the 95-acre park grounds, visitors explore the ruin of an 800-yr.-old platform mound possibly used by the Hohokam for ceremonies or as an administrative center. An excavated ball court and full-scale reproductions of prehistoric Hohokam homes can be viewed along the ruin trail.
The internationally acclaimed Heard Museum is one of the best places to experience the myriad cultures and art of Native Americans of the Southwest. With a commanding presence on Central Avenue in downtown Phoenix, the museum hosts nearly 250,000 visitors a year. Its 10 spacious exhibit galleries and beautiful outdoor courtyards feature outstanding traditional and contemporary Native American art.
The Phoenix Art Museum, which underwent a $50-million renovation in 2006, showcases 20th century Western and European masterpieces. Here you will be immersed in culture while viewing popular exhibitions that feature artists such as Rembrandt, Norman Rockwell, Annie Leibowitz, and the list goes on.
Step out for a taste of Phoenix’s modern culture at Herberger Theater Center. This beautifully designed, intimate theater is home to Actors Theatre of Phoenix, Arizona Theatre Company, and Center Dance Ensemble. The Herberger’s complex is also home to the iTheatre Collaboration, Valley Youth Theatre, Theater League, and Stageworks.
The Orpheum Theatre is a Spanish Baroque Revival playhouse. Built in 1929, the theatre has seen the likes of Mae West and W. C. Fields. It now hosts a wide range of performing arts. The beautifully restored Orpheum is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Phoenix is an exceptional dining scene. Local restaurants offer a variety of culinary experiences and are celebrated for their unique brand of Southwestern fare derived from Native American, Spanish, and Mexican influences. Many restaurants also feature open-air patios where you can soak up the pleasant weather.
