Activities and Things To Do In Phoenix

Phoenix isn’t just about sunshine and cacti – it’s a bubbling cauldron of events that cater to every interest and thrill seeker! Forget the standard calendar clichés; prepare to be dazzled by the unique experiences Phoenix has in store:

Sports Fanatics Rejoice!

• Waste Management Phoenix Open (WMPO): Tee off with the “Greatest Show on Grass” in February! Witness world-renowned golfers battle it against the stunning backdrop of Camelback Mountain, all amidst a carnival-like atmosphere with live music, celebrity sightings, and outrageous fan costumes.

  Popularly known for its raucous atmosphere, the Waste Management Phoenix Open is a professional golf tournament held annually in Scottsdale, Arizona, and is perhaps “The largest golf event in the world,” attracting an estimated 500,000 spectators. The tournament is organized by Thunderbirds, a volunteer organization, and is held at the TPC Scottsdale golf course. It is part of the PGA Tour and attracts some of the top golfers from around the world. The tournament is known for its lively and enthusiastic atmosphere, with the 16th hole being one of the most iconic holes in golf due to the large and loud crowds that gather to watch the players. The Waste Management Phoenix Open has a long history, dating back to 1932, and has been won by some of the biggest names in golf, including Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson, and Rickie Fowler.

  

  Travel & Parking

  TPC Scottsdale is located 17 km north of Old Town Scottsdale.

  The distance from Sky Harbor International Airport to TPC Scottsdale is approximately 14.6 miles. It is easily accessible by car as public transportation options, such as city buses, trains, etc, are limited. Therefore, it’s advisable to use rental cars, taxis, and rideshare. As a result of the huge attendance and traffic Waste Management Phoenix Open, early arrival is recommended.

Outdoor activities

If you’re not into golf. That’s okay! The Phoenix area has plenty of outdoor activities and adventures. Get out and explore the beautiful scenery and enjoy some fresh air with these top picks:

• Spring Training: Dust off your baseball cap and catch the electrifying pre-season games of Major League Baseball teams like the Arizona Diamondbacks and Chicago Cubs. Soak up the sunshine, watch future stars in action, and revel in the lively ballpark atmosphere.

• Phoenix Art Festival: Immerse yourself in a vibrant explosion of creativity at the Phoenix Art Festival in March. Browse stunning artwork from over 300 artists, witness live demonstrations, and discover unique pieces for your home or collection.

• Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction: Revive your engines at the world’s largest collector car auction in January. Witness rare and iconic vehicles fetch staggering prices, marvel at automotive masterpieces, and soak up the high-octane atmosphere.

• Pangaea: Land of the Dinosaurs: Take a walk through prehistoric times at Pangaea! This interactive exhibit brings dinosaurs to life with animatronic creatures, fossil digs, and educational programs. Kids and adults alike will be awestruck by these legendary beasts’ sheer scale and majesty.

Unleash Your Inner Foodie:

• Devour Culinary Delights at Scottsdale Culinary Festival: Tantalize your taste buds at this gourmet extravaganza in April. Sample dishes from award-winning chefs, attend cooking demonstrations by culinary masters and indulge in wine pairings and gourmet treats.

• Phoenix Pizza Festival: Raise a slice (or five) to pizza perfection at the Phoenix Pizza Festival in October! Sample countless pies from local pizzerias, vote for your favorites and enjoy live music and family-friendly activities.

Immerse Yourself in Diversity:

• Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market: Celebrate Native American culture and art at the largest Native American art market in the US. Explore booths showcasing exquisite jewelry, pottery, and textiles, witness traditional dances and demonstrations, and immerse yourself in the rich heritage of Native American tribes.

• Fiesta Mexicana: Feel the rhythm of Mexico come alive at Fiesta Mexicana in April. This vibrant festival features traditional music and dance, authentic cuisine, colorful parades, and lively arts and crafts markets. Celebrate the beauty and traditions of Mexican culture right in the heart of Phoenix.

Active Adventures:

Thrill Seekers:

• OdySea Aquarium: Dive into an underwater wonderland at OdySea Aquarium, where kids can marvel at playful penguins, majestic sharks, and colorful coral reefs. Interactive exhibits and touch tanks let them get up close to marine life, sparking curiosity and wonder. With over 50,000 sea creatures and interactive exhibits, this is a fun and educational experience for the whole family. This spot is a lively and interactive underwater world where you can come face-to-face with different sea creatures- from colorful schools of fish to playful sea otters! With over 200 species of sea creatures, this modern and state-of-the-art facility in Scottsdale will transport you into an ocean of adventure and education. Whether you’re a kid or a kid-at-heart, OdySea Aquarium promises a fun-filled and unforgettable experience for all. 9500 East Vía de Ventura Suite A-100, Scottsdale, AZ 85256
• Pump It Up: Release the wiggles at Pump It Up, an inflatable playground paradise! Slides, tunnels, climbing walls, and obstacle courses galore will have kids bouncing (and parents secretly giggling) for hours.
• Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament: Transport yourselves to a time of knights and chivalry at Medieval Times! Witness jousting tournaments, cheer for your favorite knight, and feast on a delicious (and messy!) royal banquet. The interactive show guarantees laughs and memories to last a lifetime.
• Enchanted Island Amusement Park: Situated within Encanto Park, this charming amusement park offers classic rides like carousels and bumper boats, perfect for younger children. There’s also a miniature train ride, a water play area, and plenty of green space for picnics and games.
• Enchanted Island Amusement Park: Step into a world of childhood wonder at Enchanted Island, nestled within the vibrant Encanto Park. Let squeals of delight fill the air as kids spin on carousels and bump merrily in bumper boats. Hop aboard the miniature train for a charming tour, cool off in the splash pad, or challenge yourselves at carnival games. Pack a picnic basket and spread a checkered blanket under the shade of palms, creating memories that sparkle like fairy lights.

Brain Buzzers:

• Phoenix Art Museum: Take a creative journey at the Phoenix Art Museum, where interactive exhibits and kid-focused programs make art accessible and engaging. Explore different cultures, mediums, and artistic styles, igniting imaginations and sparking conversations.
• Pangaea: Land of the Dinosaurs: Travel back in time at Pangaea, where life-sized dinosaur animatronics roar and move, bringing these prehistoric giants to life. Interactive exhibits and fossil digs let kids become paleontologists for a day, learning about dinosaur anatomy and their fascinating world.
• Crayola Experience: Unleash your inner artist at the Crayola Experience! Scribble, color, and create in a world of vibrant imagination. From melted crayon sculptures to digital coloring adventures, there’s something for every artistic level and age.

Nature-Friendly Options with a Twist:

• Phoenix ZooLights: Experience the zoo in a new light during Phoenix ZooLights! Dazzling light displays transform the familiar animal exhibits into a magical wonderland. Live music, interactive activities, and hot cocoa add to the festive atmosphere, creating a family-friendly holiday tradition.
• Butterfly Wonderland: Flutter into a tropical paradise at Butterfly Wonderland. Stroll through vibrant gardens teeming with hundreds of colorful butterflies, learn about their life cycle, and witness the magical transformation from chrysalis to winged wonder.
• SEA LIFE Arizona: Dive into the ocean depths without leaving Phoenix at SEA LIFE Arizona! Interactive exhibits, touch tanks, and underwater tunnels put kids face-to-face with playful sea otters, graceful sharks, and mesmerizing jellyfish. Learn about ocean conservation and the importance of protecting these vulnerable ecosystems.

Creative Explorations:

• Children’s Museum of Phoenix: This interactive museum sparks curiosity and encourages learning through play. Kids can explore a grocery store, climb through a giant treehouse, build structures with giant blocks, and participate in engaging workshops and activities.
• Musical Instrument Museum: Journey through this unique museum’s fascinating world of music. Explore different instruments from around the globe, listen to live performances, and even try your hand at playing some of them. Interactive exhibits and educational programs make music come alive for everyone.
• Heard Museum: Celebrate Native American art and culture at the Heard Museum. Explore stunning exhibits, participate in hands-on activities like pottery making and basket weaving, and attend cultural performances like traditional dances and storytelling.

Watery Fun:

• Wet ‘n’ Wild Phoenix: Beat the Phoenix heat with a splash at Wet ‘n’ Wild Phoenix! Thrill-seekers can conquer daring waterslides, while smaller kids enjoy splash pads and a lazy river. There’s something for everyone in this family-friendly water park.
• Scottsdale Civic Center Mall Splash Pad: Cool off for free at the Scottsdale Civic Center Mall Splash Pad. This interactive water playground features jets, sprays, and fountains, perfect for kids of all ages to run through and beat the heat. Pack a picnic lunch and relax on the nearby lawn for a budget-friendly day out.
• Golfland Sunsplash: Combine miniature golf with water park fun at Golfland Sunsplash. Play a round of mini-golf on one of their themed courses, then cool off in the wave pool, lazy river, or water slides. There’s even an arcade and laser tag for added entertainment.

Educational Enrichment:

• Phoenix Science Center: Discover the wonders of science at the Phoenix Science Center. Interactive exhibits let kids explore everything from space exploration to the human body. Check out the IMAX theater for an immersive movie experience or participate in one of the annual educational programs.
• Arizona Capitol Museum: Take a step back in time at the Arizona Capitol Museum. Learn about the history of Arizona statehood, explore the Governor’s office, and see the impressive stained-glass dome. Guided tours and educational exhibits make history come alive for all ages.
• Arizona Children’s Museum: This museum caters to younger children, offering interactive exhibits designed to stimulate their senses and encourage learning through play. Explore a mini-city, climb through a construction zone, and dress up in fun costumes. The museum also hosts regular story times and educational programs.

Dust off your doubt about things to do and embark on a time-traveling adventure to Tuba City, Arizona, where the whispers of the past echo beneath your feet. Nestled in the Navajo Nation, just beyond Flagstaff, lies a treasure trove of footprints preserved in stone – the Moenave Dinosaur Tracks. Imagine yourself walking in the footsteps of giants millions of years ago when colossal dinosaurs traversed this sun-scorched landscape.

These aren’t your average fossils locked away in museums. The Moenave Tracks are an open-air museum scattered across a sandstone bench under the watchful gaze of Hamblin Ridge. You won’t need glass barriers or interpretive plaques; the story unfolds at your fingertips here. Step over tridactyl prints made by nimble theropods, marvel at the massive five-toed impressions left by lumbering sauropods and let your imagination paint the picture of these magnificent creatures who once roamed this very earth.

The journey to the tracks is an adventure in itself. Wind your way through the Navajo Nation, where mesas dance on the horizon, and saguaros stand like silent sentinels. Breathe in the scent of desert sage and prickly pear, and let the vastness of the landscape fill you with a sense of awe. The drive itself becomes a prelude to the ancient wonders that await.

At the Moenave Tracksite, a gentle half-mile trail guides you through the captivating tapestry of time. Interpretive signs offer insights into the dinosaurs that left their mark, revealing the secrets hidden within the stone. Learn about the different types of dinosaurs that graced this land, the environment they inhabited, and the incredible journey their footprints represent.

But the real magic lies in the silent dialogue between you and the tracks. Imagine the thundering strides, the earth tremoring beneath their weight, the echoes reverberating through the canyons long before humanity set foot here. Each footprint whispers a story of a time when giants walked the earth, leaving behind a legacy etched in stone.

The Moenave Dinosaur Tracks are more than just fossils; they are a window into the past, a portal to a world when dinosaurs ruled the roost. It’s a humbling experience, a reminder of the immensity of time and the fleeting nature of our existence. So, lace up your shoes, pack your sense of wonder, and prepare to be transported to a time when giants danced beneath the Arizona sun. The Moenave Tracks await, ready to whisper their ancient secrets to those who dare to listen.

In the heart of the Arizona desert, where the sun paints the landscape in shades of ochre and sage, lies a colossal wound in the Earth – Meteor Crater. This isn’t a natural canyon or erosion’s handiwork; it’s a scar etched by a celestial visitor 50,000 years ago, a testament to the raw power of the universe.

Imagine the scene: a fiery streak blazing across the twilight sky, a thunderous crash shaking the very foundations of the earth, and a giant crater erupting, spewing dust and molten rock miles into the sky. This is the legacy of the Canyon Diablo Meteorite, a behemoth weighing an estimated 300,000 tons that left its mark upon the land.

Today, Meteor Crater stands as a stark reminder of that cosmic collision. Its 3,900-foot diameter and 560-foot depth dwarf everything around it, a visual testament to the immense force that created it. Walking along the rim is like peering into a giant’s footprint, a humbling experience that makes you feel insignificant against the vastness of time and space.

But Meteor Crater is much more than just a hole in the ground. It’s a scientific treasure trove, a natural laboratory that offers insights into the early days of our solar system. Geologists sift through the crater’s ejecta, searching for clues about the composition of the meteorite and the forces that sculpted the planets. Meteorites from otherworldly places, remnants of millions of years old celestial collisions, have even been found here.

For the non-scientist, the crater offers a playground for the imagination. Picture the fiery rain of molten rock, the shockwaves that rippled through the land, and the prehistoric creatures that witnessed this celestial spectacle. Imagine yourself as a space explorer, surveying the lunar-like landscape, searching for extraterrestrial secrets within the crater’s rim.

The journey to Meteor Crater is itself an adventure. Wind your way through the Sonoran Desert, where saguaro cacti stand like silent sentinels, and the sun bakes the landscape in its golden glow. Visit the Barringer Space Museum, housed within the crater’s rim, where interactive exhibits and informative displays bring the story of the meteorite to life.

So, Meteor Crater beckons if you’re a science enthusiast, a history buff, or simply a seeker of awe-inspiring natural wonders. It’s a reminder of the universe’s power, a canvas for your imagination, and a testament to the resilience of life in the face of cosmic forces. Come, stand on the rim, and gaze into the scars of creation; let the whispers of the past fill your ears, and feel the echo of that fateful day when a fiery visitor from the heavens forever changed the landscape of Arizona.

Budget Gems in The Valley:

• Tempe: Nestled next door to Phoenix, Tempe offers a lively college town atmosphere with budget-friendly hotels like the SureStay Plus Mountain Shadows Tempe-ASU or the Home2 Suites by Hilton Phoenix Tempe/Airport. Plus, you’ll be close to Mill Avenue with its quirky shops and restaurants.
• Scottsdale: Don’t be fooled by Scottsdale’s upscale reputation! Check out extended-stay options like the Staybridge Suites Scottsdale McDowell Ranch or the Residence Inn by Marriott Scottsdale McDowell Ranch at Mayo Clinic. You’ll be close to hiking trails and golf courses and have access to nearby McDowell Mountain Ranch Park for outdoor adventures.
• Mesa: Known for its family-friendly vibes, Mesa offers budget-conscious choices like the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Mesa-Grand Canyon East or the SpringHill Suites Phoenix-Mesa. You’ll have easy access to the Superstition Mountains, the vibrant Downtown Mesa, and plenty of shopping options.
• Glendale: Home to the Cardinals stadium, Glendale offers affordable options like the Hampton Inn & Suites Phoenix Glendale-Westgate or the Fairfield Inn & Suites Phoenix Glendale/Westgate. You’ll be steps away from entertainment options like Gila River Arena and Westgate Entertainment District without breaking the bank.
• Chandler: This rapidly growing city has budget-friendly gems like the TownePlace Suites Phoenix Chandler/I-10 or the Homewood Suites by Hilton Phoenix Chandler/Price Road. You’ll be close to the Chandler Fashion Center, the Arizona Railway Museum, and plenty of family-friendly activities.

Beyond Hotels:

Remember, it’s not just hotels! Consider alternative budget-friendly options like:

• Airbnbs: Many Phoenix-area neighborhoods offer charming and affordable Airbnbs with unique character. You might find a cozy casita near Piestewa Peak or a shared house near Old Town Scottsdale, all at a fraction of the hotel price.
• Hostels: Phoenix has a few hostels offering dorm beds and private rooms, perfect for solo travelers or those on a tight budget. Check out HI Phoenix Hostel Central or The Ballard House for social vibes and budget-friendly stays.
• RV Parks: If you’re traveling with an RV, consider staying at one of the many parks in the area. You’ll have access to amenities like laundry facilities, pools, and even organized activities, all at a fraction of the cost of a hotel room.

Remember:

• Location: Think about your proximity to desired attractions and transportation options. Some locations might require car rentals if public transportation isn’t readily available.
• Amenities: Consider what amenities are important to you – pool access, wifi, laundry facilities, etc. Prioritize what matters most to avoid paying for things you won’t use.
• Reviews: Always read reviews before booking! Get a sense of the atmosphere, cleanliness, and overall experience from other guests.

Ultimately, the best budget accommodation in Phoenix depends on your needs and preferences. Do some research, compare options, and don’t be afraid to think outside the box! An affordable, comfortable haven awaits you in The Valley of the Sun. Happy travels!