Best Places to Visit in Phoenix

Phoenix, Arizona’s gorgeous capital city, is one of the most attractive destinations in America. It has bright sunshine and pleasant temperatures all year, and its vast stretches of the arid desert are one of the reasons it is so popular. Phoenix, Arizona’s capital and biggest city, is at the center of the Valley of the Sun, a sprawling metropolitan area. It is blessed with year-round hot weather due to its location in the sun-drenched Sonoran Desert, making it a perfect site to enjoy physical activities. In addition to the different golf courses in the vicinity, Phoenix places to visit offer excellent hiking, mountain biking, and rock-climbing opportunities amid the breathtaking landscape of its numerous parks and mountains.

The huge metropolis, which serves as an economic and cultural center for not only the state but the entire Southwest, is home to a plethora of fine art galleries and magnificent museums. Aside from that, it has an incredible culinary scene to explore, with a plethora of excellent restaurants and bars. Phoenix has a lot to offer, from beautiful parks and interesting historic tourist destinations to major sports teams and vibrant nightlife.

If you’re visiting this city, it’ll be difficult to condense all of the attractions into a manageable list. To assist you, we’ve put up a list of the best places to visit and top things to do in Phoenix, Arizona:

Wrigley Mansion: The beautiful Wrigley Mansion, which sits atop a famous knoll facing Phoenix, is just a short drive northeast of the city center. The estate, which was built between 1929 and 1931 by chewing-gum billionaire William Wrigley Jr, is a work of art with fantastic tours that take you through all of its sumptuously adorned rooms.

The magnificent palace is recognized for its excellent tile work, in addition to its magnificent Spanish Colonial style architecture. You’ll discover all about the history of the lovely building and the notable families that lived here while visiting all of its magnificent rooms, which number more than twenty in all. Wrigley Mansion, now a private club, serves a variety of meetings and weddings in its fine-dining restaurant and bar, which boasts spectacular views from its outside veranda.

Phoenix Zoo: If you’re an animal enthusiast or visiting with children, the Phoenix Zoo in Arizona’s Papago Park is a great spot to visit. The well-kept grounds, which span four paths and cover 125 acres, are home to a variety of animals. With so much to do, it’s no surprise it’s one of the top places to visit in Phoenix!

Asiatic elephants, Komodo dragons, baboons, giraffes, Galápagos tortoises, and Sumatran tigers are among the animals that roam the grounds and exhibits. The Red Barn petting zoo allows visitors to go even closer to the animals, and they may even take a guided safari trip if they like!

The zoo also features a 4D cinema, a carousel ride, restaurants, picnic areas, and a gift shop. Adult entry costs $24.95 and children’s ticket is $14.95. There will be supplementary charges for some attractions.

Heard Museum: If you enjoy learning about history and art, this location provides a fantastic chance for all art enthusiasts. The museum is air-conditioned and is regarded as one of the best places to visit in Phoenix, providing a comprehensive overview of native Arizonans and their way of life. Here you may learn about the culture and way of life of Native Americans in the Southwest.

It is recommended that you set aside at least 3-4 hours to visit the magnificent Heard Museum; guided tours will provide you with a full history of art and tradition. The museum also has a sculpture park, a cafe, and a gift store.

Golf Courses: Even though it is a hot and dry climate, Phoenix is an ideal location for golfers. The gorgeous valley of the sun has turned hundreds of courses into lush flora. You can adjust the game’s levels of difficulty according to your skill level. If you want to relax and get away from the noise and bustle of the city, a prominent golf course like Troon North is the perfect alternative. The Raven Golf Club, on the other hand, is surrounded by 6000 mature pine trees, creating a lush green impression.

Certain golf course alternatives, such as Gainey Ranch, allow golfers to rest in a spa after their round. The option is entirely yours; these golf courses are well-maintained all year and have recently become one of the most popular Phoenix tourist attractions.

Goldfield Ghost Town: The Goldfield Ghost Town is located in the eastern suburbs of Phoenix, at the foot of the rising Superstition Mountains. This well-known tourist destination was formerly a bustling mining town. Visitors can now take tours of the mine and town, as well as participate in gun battles, ziplines, and ride the town’s small gauge railroad.

The city was founded in 1893 when gold was discovered in the adjacent mountains, but when the sparkling veins ran out, the inhabitants slowly decreased and died. With its corral and county jail, saloons, and shacks, the recreated town is now an entertaining and family-friendly site, transporting you back to the days of the Wild West. You can pan for gold, check out the shooting range, and learn a little about the ghost town’s past at its small museum in addition to roaming about its large grounds.

Arizona Science Centre: Visit Arizona Science Centre with your kids if you wish to see some of the best tourist attractions in Phoenix. It’s additional guidance where kids can learn about everything from electricity to outer space. The display gives visitors an understanding of weather patterns, gravity, and sound, among other things. The Arizona Science Centre includes an IMAX theatre built-in, which is a fun area where children’s education is prioritized.

The display takes about half a day to explore for guests. The tickets are a touch on the costly side, but they are well worth it. It is preferable to purchase tickets online because it saves time.

Taliesin West: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West was a stunning residence. The breathtaking location is in the McDowell Mountains. The legendary Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation currently has its home in Taliesin West. It has a 600-acre base, and the structure was built with the assistance of Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture students. In this lovely setting, you’ll find artistic theatre, studios, and an apartment. The Taliesin West is one of the best places to see in Phoenix because it was built entirely out of locally accessible materials in the natural environment.

Taliesin West serves as a research and instructional center for artists and architects from all over the world. Travelers refer to the location as an architectural gem, an ideal vacation for those who want to experience natural architecture and breathtaking scenery.

South Mountain Park: The enormous South Mountain Park is situated just to the south of the city center and is one of the largest metropolitan parks in the United States, if not the world. It is very mountainous, and it contains three rearing ranges, each with gorgeous slopes that offer a diverse choice of outdoor activities for you to enjoy.

Since 1924, it has been properly secured as part of a park, and its vast limits are home to a diverse range of native desert plants, including a huge population of chuckwalla lizards. It includes a total of eighty kilometers of enticing routes where you may hike, mountain bike, or horseback ride in and among the breathtaking environments. Dobbins Lookout, the park’s highest mountain from where visitors may take in breath-taking panoramas of all of the top tourist attractions of Phoenix.

Desert Botanical Garden: You will be amazed to witness gorgeous-looking cactus, flowers, and tree kinds at the Desert Botanical Garden, which contributes significantly to Phoenix tourism. The garden is full of vibrantly colored flowers and plants. The stunning cinnamon-red buttes and Maxwell Desert Wildflower Loop paths are not to be missed.

The Desert Botanical Garden is one of the top places to visit in Phoenix, hosting a variety of activities such as cooking demos and indoor planting series. Visit the Desert Botanical Garden after the sun has set for a mind-blowing tour experience. You can take a tour of the bleak road and desolate garden. The garden is enclosed by a 4-mile-long fence and offers on-site amenities such as a restaurant and a gift shop.

Camelback Mountain: See the mesmerizing dawn and sunset from Camelback Mountain, Phoenix’s tallest summit. This location is known for scenic hiking areas for adventure seekers. If you’re a beginner looking for a short hike, the 1.5-mile Cholla Trail on the east side is a good choice.

The drive is magnificent, and it is best to start early in the morning to catch beautiful dawn. Start trekking in the late afternoon if you want to see the stunning sunset; the desert heat is bearable at this time. Without a question, this stunning beauty is one of the best places to see in Phoenix.

Papago Park: More of the city’s lovely desert scenery may be found in Papago Park, which also has several interesting sights and recreational activities. It contains everything including fishing lakes and golf courses to scenic walks, picnic spaces, and playing fields, as well as the Desert Botanical Garden and Phoenix Zoo, and it is located in both Phoenix and Tempe.

The rocky desert park, which is dotted with striking red rock formations, is a delight to hike or cycle about, with the massive Hole in the Rock and stunning Big Butte among its highlights.

Japanese Friendship Garden: The beautiful Japanese Friendship Garden is located just north of Downtown Phoenix and is a beautiful and relaxing place to visit. Pretty walks and plants, as well as little streams, stone lanterns, and a traditional teahouse, are all centered on a beautiful koi pond.

After nearly a decade of planning and polishing the layout, the calm garden was finally opened to the public in 1996. Phoenix and Himeji, its Japanese sister city, collaborated on the project. Aside from admiring its beauty, you can join one of the many Japanese cultural activities held in the tranquil garden regularly.

Castles N’ Coasters: Phoenix may not have been known for having the best amusement parks in the country, but it doesn’t mean it doesn’t have some great attractions that fit the bill! Castles N’ Coasters is located in the city’s northwest corner, and it is jam-packed with enough thrilling rides and attractions to keep you entertained for an entire day!

There are a variety of exciting rides to choose from. Rides on the water, such as the log flume Add a rush with a burst with Splashdown. Roller coasters featuring loop-de-loops, such as the Desert Storm, will get your heart pounding. In a horror-themed fiesta, the XD Dark Ride gets your pulse pumping with terrifying zombies. The Patriot provides a less thrilling ride while still getting you moving. There’s plenty more to do, too: a swinging Viking ship, bumper boats and vehicles, go-karts, a big arcade, a drop tower, and even miniature golf!

Old Town Scottsdale: Scottsdale was once a genuine town in the 1920s, but just because it doesn’t exist anymore doesn’t mean you can’t get a taste of it while visiting Phoenix, Arizona today!

Old Town Scottsdale is the oldest building in the suburb, and it still exists within the town’s previous website, but it is now a vibrant area with lots of things to do. In Old Town Scottsdale, guests have a plethora of options. On Saturdays during the summer, a farmers’ market is put up. 

Heard Museum: The massive Heard Museum, just a short drive north of the city center, houses a fascinating collection of Native American artworks, artifacts, and archaeological finds. While its award-winning displays concentrate on traditional arts from the American Southwest, they also look at everything from their heritage and ancestry to their culture and lifestyle.

Its huge collection has continued to expand since its founding in 1929, and it presently contains more than 40,000 objects. Beautiful beadwork and basketry, as well as fabrics and traditional arts, are on show in the museum’s lovely galleries. Its vast collection of traditional Hopi kachinas – miniature spirit dolls – and its magnificent seven-meter-long painting are particularly noteworthy. In addition, throughout the year, the museum presents several cultural events and festivals that include Native American artists and entertainers.

What’s next waiting for you?

Now that you’ve viewed this list of all the tourist destinations and best places to visit in Phoenix, Arizona, you should be able to plan your next holiday! You can bet your bottom dollar that you will never run out of the top things to do in Phoenix if you choose to go today, tonight, tomorrow, this week, this weekend, or next weekend.

Once you know where to go and what to do in Phoenix, you can plan your travel with total enthusiasm. Check out our other travel guides to explore best places to visit near Phoenix.