About Phoenix
Explore Phoenix & Scottsdale
Overview
Phoenix receives more sunshine than any major city on earth, around 3,872 hours annually. In fact, the metropolitan area is aptly referred to as The Valley of the Sun.
When it’s time to cool off, the Phoenix Art Museum offers a plethora of masterpieces from such artists as Diego Rivera and Georgia O'Keeffe, with her expressive southwest desert landscapes. The Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park provide a peek into an ancient city; while 334 days of sun reflect off Phoenix’s skyscrapers amid this thriving modern metropolis.
The subtropical desert climate allows plenty of time for fun in the sun. Stretching 120,000 square miles across southwestern Arizona, southeastern California, northern Baja California and Sonora, Mexico, the Sonoran Desert is also the warmest in North American, perfect for morning and early evening hikes and recreation.
What To Do
Rejuvenate body and soul at a local spa. Walk through the towering cactus and colorful desert flowers of the remarkable 50-acre Desert Botanical Garden. Explore the culture and crafts of 22 regional American Indian tribes at the Heard Museum.
Play a round or two of golf at one of the city’s more than 200 courses. Feel the urban beat of the city at the galleries along Roosevelt Row. Discover the contemporary and renowned works of arts at the Southwest’s largest art museum, the Phoenix Art Museum.
Take the kids for a walk on the wild side at the Phoenix Zoo or the Children’s Museum of Phoenix, where they can experience more than 300 exhibits in the interactive Art Studio, Book Loft, Texture Cafe and Noodle Forest. For those musically inclined, the unique Musical Instrument Gallery is a must. Here, you and your family can play to your heart’s content. There are even instruments from such musical greats as John Lennon, Taylor Swift and Elvis Presley.
When to Go
The best time to visit Phoenix is during the spring, when the weather is cooler and the cacti bloom. Late fall is a very pleasant time to experience the dry heat of the Sonoran Desert. Even during the winter, temperatures can reach the delightful mid-60s F, although they can sometimes be in the high 40s F, as well.
Getting Around
Phoenix's Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) is by far the largest airport in the Southwest, served by many national and international flights. International travelers from Canada, Mexico and the UK have good air access to Phoenix.
Sky Harbor International Airport, 5km (3mi) southeast of downtown, is connected with downtown by two Valley Metro bus lines, shuttle services and taxis.
Fast Facts
The capital of Arizona, Phoenix, is also its most populated city, boasting more than 1.6 million citizens. There are also 22 Native American tribes, communities and nations located in Phoenix and across Arizona. Cambridge-educated pioneer Darrell Duppa noticed the ruins and prehistoric canals of the Hohokam tribe and believed another civilization would rise from those ashes.
The town’s name mirrors its mythological namesake, the Phoenix bird, who also rises from the ashes. Neither Phoenix, nor Arizona, observes daylight savings time. Maybe they have so much sunlight, they don’t need to change the clocks to compensate during spring and fall. Phoenix is actually 1,117 feet sea level. People from Phoenix are called Phonecians.
In 1939, on a mission to “Save the Desert”, locals created the Desert Botanical Garden, now home to 140 acres with 21,000 plants, one-third of which only grow here.
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