"So...what are the best must see/must things to do in Phoenix?"
The obvious answer is GOLF.
The Phoenix area has more than 270 golf courses and 'any' level of golfer can find several courses that match his/her skill level and/or price point.
GOLF.NOW is the best website for you as you can dial in the area you wish to golf; the price point; whether you are single, double or a foresome; and the time you wish to golf. They also have an APP as well as a loyalty plan so you can earn points for future golf benefits.
That's just the Phoenix area - if you want to go to Tucson or Sedona (more on this one shortly) then dial those locales in too.
The price point that most Canadian golfers seem comfortable with is $65 with cart. Many friends like to book at least 'one' luxury game during their visit - like at Troon North - but be prepared to pay in the $200's for the game.
And if you love GOLF try this place - TOP GOLF. You'll find one in Gilbert and one in Scottsdale. It's part driving range - part lounge/bar/restaurant - and it's digitized so you can track your progress at any level of expertise. http://topgolf.com/us/
Sedona - This is arguably one of the most beautiful places in the entire state, with the exception of the Grand Canyon. It's about a two hour drive north of Phoenix, and the surrounding mountains are all a vibrant 'red' - and especially when the sun is shining directly on them.
If you combined the International flare of Banff - with the rugged quality of Jasper - you'd be close to what Sedona is in scope. There are some stunning places to stay there - 5 star in quality - and you could bump into an entertainment giant walking the downtown streets as many stars have second homes in this beautiful area.
Suguaro Lake - This reservoir lake is about 45 minutes north of downtown Phoenix, and is ten miles long, and part of the water system that feeds Phoenix. There are boat rentals right from a two seater up to a full riverboat - jet ski's - etc. - and the serenity is amazing floating on this beautiful lake.
On the way up you'll go through Fountain Hills so be sure to see their legendary fountain shooting several hundred feet in the air at the top of each hour.
Tortilla Flat - This is another destination that is only about 45 minutes out of town. You'll drive along the legendary Apache Trail and end up at a 100 year old Stage Coach stop. For part of the year they open up the patio at the little cafe in town and have a live country band playing away while you dine on burgers and chilli made right in front of you. The ride, on a motorcycle, is rated one of the best in the entire United States and you'll have to be a seasoned vet to take it at a decent speed as the drop off is 'significant' if you miss a turn while staring at a huge variety of cacti.
Westgate Centre - This is where the NFL and NHL stadiums are, surrounded by an 'entertainment' area. Most weeknights there is either a car show, motorcycle show, or 'some' display going on. If you are lucky enough to be there on 'game days' you won't believe the activity. 70,000 for a football game with amazing tailgating - and for NHL games the outside area is a bee hive of actifvity too with outdoor bars and patios all facing the action. Jimmy Bufetts Margaritaville is always fun.
If you're with a group check out the Arizona Coyotes suites. They are all different in size and you can book them for individual games. Each has a full time waiter/waitress and 'menu' service. Prices for games here will shock you (in a good way) - and I highly recommend the South Club for hockey fans. It's like a bar 'inside' the stadium with a great view; premium food service; and you can wander around as well as sit in seats that have virtually double the leg room from other sections
Plenty of parking and just $10 per game. You can get that rebated if you shop or dine at the Centre.
There are high end shops - a 24 hour movie theatre - and a large Outlet Mall featuring some of the top names in retail all in the same area. Warning - there is little public transit in/out and you can be an hour or so getting out after a game if you don't plan your departure carefully.
Baseball - Spring training is everywhere and you will find each and every city hosting a team for over a month each spring. The newest stadium is in Scottsdale, at Talking Stick (hotel/casino) and is shared by both the Arizona Diamondbacks - and the Colorado Rockies. The amenities are amazing and the prices are cheap. (FYI Phoenix is made up of several cities incl Mesa, Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert, Scottsdale, Glendale, etc)
If the Arizona Diamonbacks are playing the stadium is also a 'must see.' Very cheap prices again for a game and check out the hot tub/pool in the suites where kids can swim during the baseball game.
You'll need a GPS to get around to the various ballparks as they literally are in each corner of the city. Phoenix has a population of 4.6 million and one of the biggest land masses of any city I've ever been in however the highway system is tremendous with 'non stop' loops around 101, 202, 303, etc. but just avoid the 'downtown spill' at around 3 to 5 pm if possible.
NFL Football: Played in Glendale and the tailgate parties alone are worth seeing so come early.
NBA Basketball - The Arizona Suns play downtown as well, plus the US AIRWAYS stadium often has good concerts.
Fish and Shark sighting: In Scottsdale, a massive new Aqaurium named OdySea has just opened (Fall 2016) http://www.odyseaaquarium.com
Music: The Musical Instrament Museum in Scottsdale is a must. Musical instraments and authentic costumes from virtually every country in the world. You could spend a whole day there.
Motorcycle Riding: I'm fortunate enough to have a motorcycle down here, and buddies to ride with, but there are lots of rental places with a great variety of bikes to choose from. The best rides are the secondary highways and the best 'corners' are the south east and north east as you loop around some beautiful topography - and through some real ghost towns.
The mine area in the south is a must - as they have been digging down for close to 100 years (copper) - and there are great viewing areas. The ride around Lake Roosevelt is also beautiful. Lots of people ride from Phoenix to Las Vegas - about 5 hours - and Los Angeles is about a 6 hour jaunt as well.
The secondary highways are pristine - with not a pothole in the state to worry about - however they don't really honour that "pass in the left lane" philosophy we have in Canada, which can be quite frustrating. The business truck highways are #10 south and #17 north - and I try to avoid them, when possible.
Here's a helpful link:
http://www.motorcycleroads.com/Routes/Arizona_78.html
Restaurants: This is where the city shines. There's a huge variety of totally great restaurants in all areas of town. My favorites are PF Changs and BRIO (Tuscan) but there are a ton of great ones to enjoy and you will be pleased with the 'service industry' here (top notch) and the prices.
Local favorites in the higher end area include Maestro's Ocean Club; City Hall; and Flemings. If you ask to sit outside on the patio area, depending on the time of the year - like a cold day in the winter or an extremely hot day in the summer - they will know you are most likely Canadian. (local joke!) Most restaurants have 'misters' that they turn on when the temperatures peak and these provide some nice fresh comfort with scented water lightly spraying fron above.
http://www.cityscapephoenix.com
During the winter there's an outdoor skating rink right in the downtown core. Skate in your shorts!
You'll be pleasantly surprized at the huge variety of musical entertainment 'weekly' in town and you'll note that many of these bands simply don't come north. I'd say the 'average' ticket price is about half of what we pay in Canada. Get the LIVE NATION app and or check their website for the full list.
Shopping - Again you'll be very pleased at the prices here in Phoenix - and the support you get when you walk into a store. The two biggest Outlet Malls are in Anthem (north) and Arizona Mills (Highway 10 at Baseline Road) - and the best upper end malls are Scottsdale Fashion Mall and Chandler Fashion Mall. There's a new outlet mall that recently opened in the Wild Horse Casino area - Highway 10 at 202.
You'll also find shopping 'villages' - like San Tan Village in Gilbert - which is designed like a small town where the bigger stores are on the outside whereas the smaller shops are inside, with great rest and strolling areas. There's even a childrens wing for one stop shopping (Disney store types) for families.
Old Scottsdale is a pure tourist trap but a great visit. Good restaurants, and if you walk a few blocks, some tremendous art.
Walk through the Scottsdale Performing Arts area across the street too - beautiful fountains and art work.
Case Grande - This is a State Park, about 35 minutes south of Chandler, that protects a native compound built nearly 700 years ago. It's just $5 to visit and the tour is enlightening and educataional. Look UP in the protective cover and you'll see Owls that have been mating there for the past 100 years.
Tombstone - If you don't mind a 2 hour drive south the town of Tombstone is frozen in time, with gunfights in the middle of the street.
Casinos - there are four or five in the Phoenix area and most are very high quality with excellent restaurants, clubs, pools and patios.
Jeep and Horse Back tours: If you want to see the fringe areas of Phoenix check out the Pink Jeep Tours and Horseback Riding operators - but again remember the "heat" can be a big factor.
Hiking - This is a hikers paradise with many different trails, all at various levels of expertise, in the area. Check out arizonahikingtrails.com for the ratings of each. The biggest caution is to be prepared; don't hike over your level; take lots of water; rest alot; and watch out for snakes and poisonous insects. Do NOT reach into rocks at any point as thats where most of the bites happen. Ditto if you're golfing - don't retreive your ball in a thick covered area or you may get a big surprize.
Transportation - You can now take a direct SkyHarbour link from the airport to what they call the METRO (we call our Edmonton rapid transit the LRT) - where it connects to both Mesa in the east and Scottsdale in the North. It's cheap - and they also have bike racks.
Tempe Town - Mill Avenue on the University site is also a great night spot with a variety of restaurants and shops. Quite often they will shut the entire area down, and set up stages for LIVE entertainment including the likes of Heart; Gin Blossons; Jimmy Eat World; Doobie Brothers, etc - for a very nominal fee. The Metro stops twice in this area as well.
Ostrich Days: You'll find this in Chandler as well....a 'fair' dedicated to that goofy looking bird. There are Ostrich races, great anthology bands, and even Ostrich Burgers (I'm guessing the losers of the race)
Canadian Picnic: For the past 60 plus years this has been held on the first Saturday of February at South Mountain State Park. It's directly under all the radio/tv transmitters that you simply can't miss at the highest point dead centre of town - south - that light up at night. Arizona Tourism predicts more than 875,000 visitors here annually - and there are about 100,000 permanent Canadians living here currently so you will likely run in to somebody you know just wandering around town.
Road Trip: The Military Airplane graveyard by Tucson is simply amazing. Take the 'bus tour' given by the Vets to hear some amazing stories of the planes you see.
Plus the TITAN Missle Museum is nothing short of 'amazing' as you tour through a decommissioned Nuclear Bomb control centre.
Also the BIOSPHERE east of Tucson is worth the drive - now run by the University of Arizona.
Hotels - You'll find a complete range of hotels to fit any budget. Some of the finest hotels include the Westin Kierland; Phoenician Hotel; and Boulders Resort.
Also in the Tucson area, about an hour and a bit south, the Karchner Caves - truly amazing and worth the drive. There are two different caves to tour - and you book them individually. They sell out so go on line to purchase your tickets before you head down.
Full information here: http://azstateparks.com/Parks/KACA/
Five star accommodations....
http://kierlandresort.com
http://www.thephoenician.com
http://www.theboulders.com
Getting here - Westjet and US AIRWAYS both fly direct, and during most months twice a day. Westjet will pull back during the summer months. Best prices happen when you book one way at a time and are flexible for your travel days. Sky Harbour Airport Terminal 4 is the usual terminal. Scottsdale has a private jet airport and the Mesa Phoenix Airport has a 1.6 billion dollar expansion currently underway so look for flights directly into the east valley in the coming years.
So there you go - obviously I couldn't keep it to just 10.
I've been meaning to write this for a long time for the many people who ask so I hope this answers your question and that it has been helpful to you.
I'm reachable at any time at mforbes07@shaw.ca - and on Twitter: @mjforbes
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