9 Things to Do in Phoenix in the Summer
My husband and I went to visit my son in Phoenix at the end of July. He had an internship there and we wanted to go out there for a visit. Everyone kept telling us, “it’s unbearable in the summer in Phoenix,” but we couldn’t grasp how much more unbearable it could be. In New York, the summers are rough. We generally get 80+ degree days with 70% humidity. How bad could Phoenix be when it’s “dry” heat?
Well, I’ll tell you, when we got into town, we couldn’t believe it was over 100 degrees in the evening! It actually gets hotter as the day goes on so at 5 pm, it could be the hottest part of the day.
So what do you do in Phoenix when the weather is too hot to stay outside?
Here are my top ten picks on things to do in Phoenix in the Summer:
- Stay at the Arizona Biltmore – This is a Waldorf Astoria hotel and is completely done “Frank Lloyd Wright” style! Every inch of the place screams Frank Lloyd Wright down to the sculptures molded out of original sculptures. The hotel had a pool and hot tub (which isn’t that much warmer than the pools) at every building and then there was a main pool which had a huge slide. There was the Biltmore Spa on the premises along with a decent gym. The Arizona Biltmore offered day cabanas with TV, refrigerators, air conditioning in the room and showers. It’s a great pick because you can save a ton of money and stay at a five star resort!
- Go in a pool – there were plenty of outdoor pools throughout the area. We went in the Biltmore pools. The only problem with the pools was they were warm and not refreshing. They cooled you off for a moment only. (But I guess every moment counts!) On very hot days, 110+ and over, I found that people stood in the pools drinking and talking with friends.
- Top Golf — This was an interesting concept for the golf lovers out there. I found it way too hot to play golf but Top Golf is a driving range that offers a variety of games. They provided you with the clubs — from a driver to a pitching wedge. They even had hybrids! We played two games. You had to hit certain targets to get points. Happily, I won the second game by a landslide! It was outside, but it was covered and they had fans blowing constantly, so it didn’t feel too warm. It was a ton of fun and worth the visit. We paid $25 an hour plus $5 each for a membership.
- Take a Hike in Sedona — Sedona is only two hours north of Phoenix and is well worth the trip. Start out early to get the whole day in. We went on an 8 mile hike at the West Fork. They charged $10 for a car load to park there, but the hike was worth the money. It took us 3 hours and at times, it was difficult, especially balancing over the rocks to get across the creek. There were 11 creeks to go over each way so beware of falling in with your shoes on! (I did twice!) The scenery was magnificent.
- Eat at The Hudson in Sedona — Before our hike, we went to The Hudson and had lunch. It was a beautiful place to eat. The food was good and the views were even better!
- Get a Massage – Although it doesn’t take the full day, it does break the day a bit and is very relaxing. There are tons of places throughout Phoenix, Scottsdale and Sedona that offer massages. However, we had one at the Biltmore Spa and it was simply delightful. They had a summer special which offered $50 off the massage. So for under $100, you can get an hour massage, then spend the time in the hot tub, sauna and steam room, which were all indoors!
- See a Game – It’s baseball season and the arena is indoors! Eat a hot dog and just enjoy the old fashioned past-time! If you buy a special ticket, you can even splash around in the pool while watching the game.
- Shop at the Mall – The air conditioning malls were simply delightful in the summer!
- Go to a Museum – There are tons of museums ranging from art to history museums all throughout Phoenix and Scottsdale and the best part, they are nice and cool!
Phoenix is a beautiful city, but it is very hot in the summer. However, if you’re willing to be creative and stay indoors, you can have an awesome time there!
