America’s sixth-largest city will lure you in with the beautiful weather and those huge Saguaro Cactus but it will keep you here because of the great arts, culture and food scene. Make no mistake, located in the heart of the Sonoran Desert and the gateway to the Grand Canyon, nature plays an important role in the active life of its citizens. If you visit, you will love its history encompassing Puebloans, ranchers, miners and visionaries.
This timeless Southwestern backdrop is the perfect setting for family vacations, weekend adventures or romantic getaways. Each year 22 million leisure visitors travel to Greater Phoenix (which includes, among others, the cities of Chandler, Glendale, Scottsdale and Tempe) has a population of nearly 4.7 million and covers 2,000 square miles (3,210 sq. km.). They enjoy resorts and spas infused with Native American tradition, golf courses that stay emerald green all year, mountain parks crisscrossed with trails, and sports.
One misconception is that Arizona can be expensive. On the contrary, there is much to see and do for free or almost free. You don’t have to spend a lot to have a good time in Phoenix and the surrounding area. What you do have to have is time. Some of these events are spread throughout the year and it’s best to do a bit of planning to maximize your time there.
Arts & Cultural
Phoenix has museums to suit nearly every taste. The Heard Museum (Native American); Desert Botanical Garden (the world’s largest collection of desert plants); Taliesin West (home of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation); the Phoenix Art Museum (the Southwest’s largest art museum); the Fleischer Museum (American Impressionism); the Arizona Science Center; the Hall of Flame – Museum of Firefighting (featuring the world’s largest collection of fire-fighting equipment); S’edav Va’aki Museum (formerly the Pueblo Grande Museum and Cultural Park – Native American) and the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) are among the cultural hot spots.
Take advantage of the free Self-Guided Mural Tour: Downtown Phoenix has a plethora of eye-catching murals, perfect for selfies and photo backgrounds. Check out our favorite murals around town at the moment.
Free museum days
Jump into Phoenix’s rich arts and culture scene with free museum admission, offered on specific days throughout the month.
Heard Museum: Discover the region’s American Indian culture through history and art. Free admission is 6 p.m.–10 p.m. every first Friday of the month (except March), and the third Saturday of the month 11 a.m.–5 p.m., June through August.
Phoenix Art Museum: The Southwest’s largest collection of classic and contemporary art offers free admission every Wednesday from 3 p.m.– 7 p.m. and the first Friday of the month from 3 p.m.– 9 p.m.
Desert Botanical Garden: Think the desert is all dirt and tumbleweeds? Think again. Desert Botanical Garden is home to thousands of species of cactus, trees and flowers from all around the world spread across 55 acres in Phoenix, Arizona. This must-see Phoenix attraction houses thousands of desert plants on acres of trails. Admission is free all day the second Tuesday of every month.
Children’s Museum of Phoenix: Kids up to age 10 can crawl, play and create at this imaginative museum for from from 5 pm – 9 pm. the first Friday of the month.
Penske Racing Museum: Check out this collection of cars, trophies and racing memorabilia chronicling the career of one of the most successful dynasties in all of sports, including a replica of the 1963 Pontiac Catalina which Roger Penske drove to victory in the 1963 Riverside 250. Admission is always free.
Mesa Arts Center: Arizona’s largest arts center is located in Phoenix’s East Valley city of Mesa. The five art galleries in its Contemporary Arts Museum are always free to browse.
Arizona Capitol Museum: Free historical and educational exhibits are housed in the Capitol Building under a dome made from copper, the state’s official metal.
Arizona State University Art Museum: Don’t be fooled by the fact that this museum is housed on ASU campus in Tempe — it’s one of the best local museums for contemporary art. Even better is the fact that it’s always free to check out.
Free historic tours of the Orpheum Theater are led by our team of knowledgeable docents. Tours last approximately one (1) hour and take place at 12:00p and 1:30p on alternating Tuesdays throughout the year. Call 602.495.7139 for a group tour reservation.
- More on Arizona State and National Parks
- Arizona Resorts: Endless Exploration Meets All-Inclusive Luxury
- 15 Stunning Places to Visit in Arizona
- Insta-Envy Alert! Discover – Top Instagram locations in the USA
Outdoor Adventures
Phoenix Trails – hiking and biking
There are many public trails that you can climb in the greater Phoenix area and other things tondo in Scottsdale. Last year we stayed at the Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort (check out my review on TripAdvisor) and climbed the hills around the resort. We were able to get some beautiful views and when we were done, we had a swim in their fabulous pool. I cannot recommend this resort enough.
The city’s desert trails cross every corner of the metro area—and they are always free to bike, hike or ride. Download or request a pocket-sized version of our Phoenix Trail Guide for maps and trail picks for every level. The six suggestions below are directly from the Phoenix Trail Guide. You’ll see there are many to choose from with varying levels of difficulty and distances.
EASY
Lower Salt River Nature Trail, Phon D. Sutton Recreation Area This interpretive trail is great for families and birdwatchers. It skirts the Salt River’s lush riparian zone and gives hikers plenty of opportunities to see wildlife (including wild horses). Length: 2.3 miles (loop)
Waterfall Trail, White Tank Mountain Regional Park This well-maintained trail on Phoenix’s northwest flank takes hikers past an amazing display of ancient Hohokam petroglyphs en route to a seasonal waterfall—a rare sight in a desert canyon. Length: 2 miles (out and back)
MODERATE
Hidden Valley Loop via Morman Trail, South Mountain Park This popular hike near downtown Phoenix affords views of the city and Camelback Mountain before looping through a sand-floored “hidden” basin and a rock tunnel called “Fat Man’s Pass”. Length: 4 miles (out and back)
Butcher Jones Trail, Saguaro Lake This trail winds along the shoreline of Saguaro Lake, passing through a mesquite bosque and several fishing coves. Summer brings crowds to the lake—but is also the season for a post-hike swim. Length: 5 miles (out and back)
CHALLENGING
Flatiron, Superstition Wilderness Area This 4,800-foot peak is accessed via a steep, rocky ascent of Siphon Draw Trail. The rugged climb rewards hikers with one of the best 360-degree views in the region. Length: 6 miles (out and back)
Tom’s Thumb Trail, McDowell Sonoran Preserve Tom’s Thumb is an iconic landmark in the McDowell Mountains. The trail climbs steadily through a dramatic boulder field that’s blanketed by wildflowers in spring. Length: 4.6 miles (out and back)
For just a $7 per-car fee + $3-5/person, you can join Maricopa County Parks’ guided events and explore the outdoors on wildflower walks, moonlit hikes, scorpion hunts and more.
Shopping & Public Market
Take a Self-Guided Mural Tour: Downtown Phoenix has a plethora of eye-catching murals, perfect for selfies and photo backgrounds. Check out our favorite murals around town at the moment.
Cool off with refreshing family fun at splash pads. CityScape, Fountain Park at WestGate City Center, Scottsdale Quarter and Outlets at Anthem are just a few shopping centers with free water features.
CityScape is a 2-block concentration of retail, entertainment and dining options in the city’s urban heart. In October, you can take in a free screening of Coco.
Every Saturday and Wednesday during the summer and early fall, enjoy the Uptown Farmers Market. Nearly 200 vendors gather at this food-based market with local produce, handmade foods, and handcrafted goods. Check out the full list of vendors on their website (Open Wed. 9 am – 1 pm, Saturday 8 am – 1 pm ).
The Roosevelt Row Arts District is downtown Phoenix’s walkable arts district, home to art galleries and studio spaces, restaurants, bars and boutique shops in a landscape dotted by colourful street art be sure and visit on First Fridays. Downtown Phoenix hosts one of the nation’s largest, self-guided art walks every First Friday from 6 to 11 pm, with free event shuttles available throughout downtown and are headquartered at the Phoenix Art Museum. Remember, you can find free or almost free things to do in Phoenix!
If you miss First Friday, you can try Third Fridays which showcase exhibition openings in dozens of galleries in the district. No worries if you miss both. There is plenty to see any other day Monday to Sunday!
Sports
Phoenix is one of the few U.S. cities with franchises in all four major professional sports leagues: Phoenix Suns (NBA), Arizona Diamondbacks (MLB), Arizona Cardinals (NFL) and Arizona Coyotes (NHL). There is no question you can take it a game of some sort but it won’t be cheap. We did manage to get some last-minute seats to see a Diamondbacks baseball game and thoroughly enjoyed it. Baseball is BIG in these parts with 15 Major League Baseball teams conducting spring training in the Cactus League.
For as little as $10 for a single ticket, you can watch a baseball game in the 10 stadiums located in the Cactus League. Spring train runs in for 5 weeks in late February and all of March. The Greater Phoenix is currently home to 15 Cactus League franchises: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Guardians, Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, Oakland Athletics, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies. Those are a lot of up-and-coming baseball players and veterans to watch during spring training in a smaller league with small league prices.
Conclusion
Overall, there is something to do in the Greater Phoenix area that will not cost an arm and a leg. You can find free or almost free things to do in Phoenix. With so many museums, galleries, shopping centers and beautiful state parks and walking trails, you don’t have to have a lot to have fun here. I had a wonderful time last year and hope to return again. I know I have to see more of those wonderful museums.
Photo Credit: Jill Richards
This post was NOT SPONSORED. I would like to thank Visit Phoenix for providing images and information. I attended a Travel Massive event in Toronto hosted by Visit Phoenix and I’m glad I went to learn more. All opinions are my own.
Margarita Ibbott is a travel and lifestyle blogger. She blogs about travel in Canada, the United States and Europe giving practical advice through restaurant, hotel and attraction reviews. She writes for DownshiftingPRO.com and other online media outlets.