Many people only see Arizona as a hot desert wasteland with not much to do, but if you visit Phoenix there are many options for fun things to do!
- Go hiking
There are many beautiful hikes that you can choose from when looking for a good hike while in Phoenix. The first is Hole in the Rock. This hike is located in Papago Park, and is 0.3 miles long. Along the trail you will see many sandstone buttes with holes in them caused by erosion, and at the end of the hike you will overlook the city from inside one of the larger holes. If you want a bit of a harder hike, you should try out Piestewa Peak Summit Trail. This is located in the Phoenix Mountain Preserve, and it is a 2.1 mile hike. The good thing about this hike is that its parking lot will connect you to several other hiking trails as well. Lastly, one more good trail for you to try while in Phoenix is the Hidden Valley Trail. This trail is located in the South Mountain Preserve, and is about 3.4 miles long. The Hidden Valley Trail is unique because of its rock formations that formed tunnels you can walk through and slanted rocks that you can slide down. This hike, although possibly more difficult than the others, will allow you to see beautiful views and see nature in a way you never have before. If you are hiking any trail in Phoenix, make sure to bring water and sunscreen with you as it is easy to get dehydrated and sunburnt in Arizona, no matter what season it is.
- Go to Flea Markets
As far as flea markets go, there are many you could go to depending on the date you are here, but there are two main ones I would recommend. The first is the Phoenix Park ‘n Swap which is located in the heart of Phoenix, open Wednesday’s (4pm-10pm), Friday’s (6am-12pm), and Saturday’s/Sunday’s (6am-4pm). This market has many vendors selling a variety of products, and there are even places to grab food or drinks, as well as several small amusement park rides for children. My second recommendation is the Melrose Vintage Market. It is located in the Melrose District, and although it is only open on certain Sundays (you can find the dates on their website), there are many cute vintage shops in this area where you can find cute items for good deals.
- Attractions
There are various exciting attractions you could go to in Phoenix, Arizona. For those who appreciate unique art and music, I would recommend going to Roosevelt Row. It is in downtown Phoenix, and is the home to alluring street art, delicious food, live music performances, and so much more. It is a great place to go and walk around to look at everything it has to offer. Another attraction is the Phoenix Zoo/Botanical Garden. These two places are located directly next to each other, and are great places to go for both children as well as adults or individuals of any age. The botanical garden is a great place to see the plants native to Arizona and take some cute pictures, and the Phoenix Zoo gives you an opportunity to see the animals you love and learn more about them. Lastly, is the Japanese Friendship Garden which will hopefully restore your zen and help you learn some things you didn’t know before. When visiting the garden you can just walk around, go on a tour, experience the Japanese Tea Ceremony, see an exhibit, go to a workshop, or any mix of these activities. Going to the friendship garden would be a great way to spend a day that you don’t have anything to do and release some stress that you have.
I have given you several ideas of things that you can do while you are in Phoenix, but these definitely are not all that is available for you to do. Don’t be afraid to go online and do some more research into things in Phoenix that may line up more with your interests, and then go out and do them!