Central Phoenix - Downtown
Red-rock mountains offset the downtown skyline. Many of the city’s events take place in Copper Square, including the Phoenix Convention Center, the US Airways Center, and Chase Field. Nearby, lawmakers convene at the Arizona State Capitol. Other area cultural institutions include the Phoenix Art Museum, the Heard Museum, the Phoenix Zoo, and the Arizona Science Center.
Chandler
The first locomotive chugged through Phoenix on July 4, 1887; this single event cemented the city’s enduring reign as Arizona’s economic hub. This rich history is on display at the Arizona Railway Museum in Chandler. A different type of economy—casino gambling—is prominent today at nearby Native American tribal lands. The Firebird International Raceway features drag racing and drag-boat racing.
Goodyear
Although a growing westside suburb, Goodyear retains some of the rugged landscape best associated with Arizona. The Estrella Mountain Regional Park offers 33 miles of trails for hiking, biking, and horse riding. The city’s North Lake Park is the site of two annual concerts: a spring symphony and a fall jazz festival. Nearby, F-16 fighter planes fly in and out of Luke Air Force Base.
Mesa
Mesa is a popular nighttime hangout. Locals head to the major streets around Fiesta Mall—including Alma School, Baseline, Dobson, and Southern— to dine and drink. Baseball spring training takes place at Hohokam Stadium, a famed Cactus League venue. The Mesa Arts Center hosts performing and visuals arts, while the Arizona Museum of Natural History displays a large dinosaur fossil collection.
Northern Phoenix
Northern Phoenix is mostly residential with pockets of commercial activity. Notably, the Desert Ridge Marketplace offers 110 acres of outdoor shopping and dining, a relative rarity in Phoenix’s desert climate. Beyond Northern Phoenix, novice and experienced hikers alike can explore the flora and fauna of the Sonoran Desert through the system of trails at the 2,900-acre Cave Creek Regional Park.
Peoria - Glendale
This suburb claims one of Arizona’s aquatic treasures: Lake Pleasant. Located in Peoria’s northern fringes, Lake Pleasant is the state’s second biggest lake. Fishing, boating, water and Jet Skiing are popular activities here. The Peoria Sports Complex is a venue for Major League Baseball spring training. Next door, the Arrowhead Towne Center is considered the area’s Restaurant Row.
Scottsdale
Scottsdale’s golf courses form a green oasis amid Phoenix’s arid surroundings. This premier golfing destination has about a dozen golf and country clubs. Baseball fans hit a fevered pitch at Scottsdale Stadium, a Major League Baseball spring training facility. Art galleries, restaurants, and shops abound in Old Town Scottsdale. Nearby, Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpiece Taliesin West is open for tours.
Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
Surrounded by freeways, the Sky Harbor International Airport is about three miles east of downtown. Largely industrial, the airport area contains cultural attractions. Near the edge of the airport’s runway, the Pueblo Grande Museum and Archeological Park features a 1,500-year-old Hohokam village ruin. The Chinese Cultural Center’s shops, restaurants, and koi ponds are also nearby.
Surprise
Surprise overlaps with Sun City, a massive retirement community. Sun City residents provided the drive and leadership that established the West Valley Art Museum, one of Surprise’s main attractions. The museum’s broad collection includes antique Japanese woodcuts and contemporary American pop art. Another major tourist draw is Major League Baseball spring training at Surprise Recreation Campus.
Tempe
From brick-and-mortar Victorian to futuristic glass and steel, the Arizona State University campus runs the gamut of American architecture. One of its jewels is the Grady Gammage Memorial Auditorium, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Nearby, Tempe Town Lake is popular for picnics, fishing, and boating. The Tempe Center for the Arts hosts the Tempe Symphony Orchestra, plays, and dance troupes.
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