Everyone loves them some drive-thru food every once in a while, but come on, McDonald’s? Boring. Phoenix has you covered with breakfast at D’lish, Mexican at The Stand, Thai at Sa Bai, Greek at Z’s, and the best, local coffee-on-the-go at Copper Star Coffee. No need to get out of your car to get local and actually awesome fast food.
The Diamondbacks are loved and revered, and what’s better than seeing them play at home? But it’s Phoenix, so there is the issue of sweltering heat and monsoons. Chase Field is the perfect solution, with a retractable roof is closed before games so the massive HVAC system can drop the temperature before the gates open. And you thought you couldn’t love baseball any more.
New York City has pigeons, Florida has gators, North Carolina has bears, and Phoenix has coyotes. You’ll hear them howling, yelping and barking throughout the night in various areas in Phoenix. They’re probably more afraid of you than you are them. Plus they can run 40 mph and jump an eight-foot fence. How cool is that?
Not everyone knows that Phoenix’s coffee scene is one of the best in the nation, so let me clue you in. Whether you’re looking for a posh cup of joe (Inside the Bungalow), a kid-friendly place (Lux) or a bike-obsessed, hipster crowd (Cartel Coffee Lab), you’ll find it it Phoenix. There are literally dozens to choose from.
There’s enough Mexican food in Phoenix to eat at a new place every night of the week for months. Phoenix is renowned for authentic Mexican, and some of the “must-try” spots are Gallo Blanco, Chino Bandido, Barrio Cafe, La Santisima Gourmet Taco Shop, Rokerij, and Los Reyes De La Torta. And like, hundreds of others.
The light rail was only introduced only a few years ago, but it’s by far the best way to get around: Super clean, safe, and extremely affordable. It’s the perfect choice for going out with friends, exploring downtown, getting your drink (or four) on, and not having to drive. It’s also the perfect seat for the best people watching in the city.
You’re going to notice right away that there is a lot of golf going on in Phoenix. The more than 200 courses are unique and strategically located throughout the city. And Phoenix is also home to the largest professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour—the Phoenix Open. Yes, that Phoenix Open.
Phoenix is the perfect starting ground for startups, entrepreneurs, and local companies. There are also five Fortune 500 companies with their corporate headquarters based right here: Freeport McMoRan, PetSmart, Avnet, Republic Services and Insight Enterprises. In this economy it definitely depends on who you’re asking, but it’s clear Phoenix knows how to diversify.
There is no better way to beat the heat and indulge your inner adrenaline junkie than at one of the area water parks. Wet ‘n’ Wild Phoenix is the absolute best. Dueling water coasters, tandem slides, the Tornado, and Monsoon Bay, a wave pool with 4-foot swells. Yeah. It’s like that. There may be others in Arizona, but trust me when I say Wet ‘n’ Wild is the bomb.
You can literally slide into the dining room at Rustler’s Rooste on their famous tin slide (stairs are provided for the more unadventurous). This Western-style saloon is part of an old mine shaft, is family owned and operated, and has some great country western bands and a roaming magician. And make sure to try the rattlesnake and cactus. Yes, fried rattlesnake with prickly pear cactus fries. It doesn’t get fresher here than straight from the desert.
Desert tortoises, roadrunners, chuckwallas, wild pigs and gila monsters—and if you’re lucky you’ll spot some jaguars, bald eagles, mountain lions and bobcats. And a lot of snakes. A lot.
Watch your step. Phoenix has some of the most diverse vegetation in the United States, and some of it is more than a little prickly. Go see it all at the Desert Botanical Gardens in a class, tour, event, or exhibit and you’re less likely to find yourself covered in needles.
Phoenix is getting friendlier and bike-ier all the time. Many people bike to work, to school, even the grocery store. Commuters bring their bikes on the bus and light rail, and Bicycle Boulevard is 4.6 miles of biker blisss right downtown. If you’re going to move here, bring your wheels. Or don’t. The Grid Bike Share program has them all over town.
Phoenix's nickname is The Valley of the Sun for a good reason—at least 300 of them. That’s how many sunny days Phoenix gets every year, and the temperature stays at least 100 degrees for nearly a third of the year. Everyone will say ‘It’s a dry heat’, but trust me, it’s still heat. Oh, and opt for a car without leather seats. You’re welcome.
This is definitely debatable. Some people love floating down the Salt River and do it often. Others think the river is kinda gross. But we’ll let you make up your own mind.
The Arizona Science Center is one of the best ways to explore your sense of wonder in Phoenix and has more than 300 hands-on exhibits, an IMAX theater, a state-of-the-art Dorrance Planetarium and speaking of wonder… The W.O.N.D.E.R Center (The Walton Optimal Neurological Discovery Education and Research Center) allows you to explore the original supercomputer, the human brain. It’s not just for kids - you can actually view live brain surgeries and see an actual human brain. It’s neuroscience awesomesauce.
There’s no denying that Phoenix is a tourist city. More than 16 million people visit metropolitan Phoenix each year. But just consider all the reasons they visit the place you now call home: Luxurious spas, fancy resorts, fabulous casinos. Oh, and that other thing, the Grand Canyon. Living here means your day-trips and weekends will be better than they’ve ever been before.
The Stockyards Restaurant opened in 1947 and holds the esteemed title of “Arizona’s Original Steakhouse.” Melt-in-your-mouth prime rib, venison and wild boar sausages, buffalo meatloaf, elk medallions, calf’s liver with caramelized onions, and a 24-ounce Arizona cut, bone-in ribeye. In other words, vegetarians: This is not the joint you’re looking for.
From ballet, symphony and theater to barbershop to Broadway, there’s a wide variety of high-quality performance art in Phoenix. Check out the Scottsdale Symphony Orchestra, Arizona Opera Company, Ballet Arizona, or head to US Airways Center, Chase Field or The Sundome. Gammage Auditorium was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and the best outdoor performance center is Cricket Pavilion.
With 189 city parks, 33,000 acres of desert preserves, and 200 miles of trails, it’s kind of obvious. It doesn’t matter if you’re into hiking, mountain biking, trail running, horseback riding or just going for walks, playing frisbee and having picnics - you are completely covered with all the manicured lawns and/or rugged terrain you can handle. Don’t forget to check out South Mountain Park and Preserve, the largest municipal park in the nation!
It doesn’t matter if you’re into techno dance clubs, country-western line dancing, a dueling piano bar or jazz, or whether you want a cold PBR, a fine glass of wine, or a cigar and a martini. Phoenix’s diverse nightlife will deliver. There’s a variety of nightclubs, comedy clubs, Broadway productions, upscale lounges, dive bars, and more. Cheers! What do you love about living in Phoenix? Leave a comment and let us know!
