Phoenix Travel Guide

Travel to Phoenix

Arizona’s capital is rapidly growing and becoming one of America’s mega-metropolises. Phoenix, also known as the Valley of the Sun, is located in North America’s ruggedly stunning southwestern desert. Despite how large and urbanely exciting this area becomes, it will always retain it's old southwest flavour.

Transportation to Phoenix

One of the largest airports in the US Southwest is Phoenix's Sky Harbour International Airport. Conveniently positioned, just three miles east of the city centre, the facility handles flights from almost every American city and other most significant international cities. Phoenix isn’t connected by rail, although Amtrak does offer daily stops in Tucson. 

Once you get into the metropolitan area, route 101 makes a loop all the way around the north, west and east sides of the Valley. The most straightforward route into Scottsdale is to follow the Red Mountain Freeway (Arizona 202) east to route 101, which will need to be followed north. The Superstition Freeway runs directly to Tempe, Chandler and Mesa. Greyhound buses follow routes to localities across the state and cities in the region, with bus services to cities further afield.

What to see

The Desert Botanical Garden is an interesting place to commence a tour of Phoenix. The beautiful Garden is situated in Papago Park and houses a comprehensive collection of the wonderful and hardy plant life that adorns the local desert. The Phoenix Zoo can be found here as well. The Heard Museum focuses on the local tribal history and it’s a great place to purchase some magnificent arts and crafts.

In one of the city’s oldest residential neighbourhoods you can find Encanto Park, which is an enormous 222-acre park. This charming park boasts a nature trail, a large lagoon where you can paddle, and numerous pleasant picnic areas. There are two golf courses as well. All the park’s facilities are free of charge.

Day trips

Scottsdale is a suburb of Phoenix and a great place to visit. The place features a brilliantly well-preserved old-west Old Town. The Scottsdale Center for the Arts and the Scottsdale Historical Museum are conveniently located in the same building. Scottsdale is also a perfect town to pick up old-west souvenirs.

Activities and leisure

Phoenix is one of the few cities in the United States with teams in all four main sports (baseball, hockey, basketball and American football). March is the best month to visit for sporting events. The Valley is surrounded by some pleasant mountain parks which provide areas to bike and hike. Phoenix South Mountain Park, with over 16,000 acres and 58 miles of trails, is arguably the largest city park on the globe. Golf is perhaps the most popular sport in Phoenix with nearly 200 courses available in the Valley.

Safety issues

Law and order are well-kept in Phoenix and the city is well policed. However, Phoenix is a metropolis and thus has its share of big city crime. Theft is mainly targeted at vehicles, not people. The climate around Phoenix is one of the world’s hottest and the sun is very strong. Always protect your skin against the sun when you venture outside, even if it’s just around town. Medical assistance in the US is very expensive and we strongly advise you take out travel insurance for you or your family.