Good Morning from Phoenix, Arizona!
Arizona is full of deserts with cactuses that touch the sky and mountains that are ever so gorgeous. The capital of Arizona, Phoenix, is one of the bigger cities in the state that has a lot of great things to offer. There are things to do both inside and out. Whether you want to explore the city or go into the countryside for a nice hike and picnic in the park, Phoenix is the perfect place to do it all.
Before I left for my final destination in Arizona, I spent one day in Phoenix.
Here is my 24-hour itinerary for Phoenix.
Wake up with the sun and go to the Hole-in-the-rock.
I arrived at the Hole-in-the-Rock just around the time sun was rising. It was a little chilly but the view made up for it. This is overall a great spot to take pictures. The parking lot is located right under the big hole. Therefore, it is a great thing for kids or even elderly because it is an easy trail up, that won’t take you more than five to ten minutes. (unless you are like me and stop a hundred times to take pictures!)
After your morning hike, we walked across to the other side of the parking lot to Papago Park.
This is a great place to just relax and let loose. There are picnic tables if you want to eat lunch here or even brunch in my case. The water right near it is very calming and is great for some more pictures.
Right next to Papago Park is the Phoenix Zoo.
I did not go to the zoo but it a great place if you are traveling with children or just want to feed the giraffes. It is one of the largest non-profit zoos in America. With over 3000 animals living there, you will not be disappointed.
After lunch, the next stop on my list was the Phoenix Art Museum.
Even if you aren’t a huge fan of art, this should be on your list of must-do in Phoenix. The art here was more than just paintings. They had amazing sculptures and my personal favorite the mirror room of lights titled “Fireflies” by Yayoi Kusama. The pictures do not do the museum justice. This was one of my favorite art museums that I have ever been to. If you are ever in town this is one thing that you should not leave out of your plan.
For dinner, there are many great places to eat in downtown Phoenix. Here are some places that you should grab a bit to eat.
After dinner, you can drive up to Dobbins Lookout for a fantastic sunset.
Not only is the drive to the lookout gorgeous, but the view at the top is just as amazing. You can see the whole city of Phoenix from the top. You can either drive to the top or park at the bottom and hike to the top which is about 3.5 miles.
After the beautiful sunset, you can drive back to the city and see the light sculpture in Her Secret is Patience.
This is a huge swirl of lights in the city by Janet Echelman. There is a net that is 38ft off the ground and about 100 ft tall. The piece is worth about $2.5 million. It is something you won’t want to miss even if you just go to snap a picture before heading back to your hotel for the night.
If you have any other must-see sights in Phoenix, feel free to comment them below.
Enjoy your time exploring Phoenix.
Keep traveling, travel bugs!
xoxo Gina