About City

Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the state of Arizona. Phoenix is the most populous state capital in the United States. Phoenix is the anchor of the Phoenix metropolitan area, also known as the Valley of the Sun, which in turn is a part of the Salt River Valley. Nearly perfect year-round weather and several impeccably designed championship courses have made Phoenix one of the world's top golf destinations. But there's more to this mild-mannered metropolis than pristine greens and tee times. The greater Phoenix area also offers an array of impressive cultural attractions. Visit the internationally renowned Heard Museum for an in-depth look at Native American history or peruse the fine collection at the Phoenix Museum of Art. Enjoy a ballet performance at the ornate Orpheum Theater, or catch a Broadway show at the state-of-the-art Dodge. In addition to golf, the city offers numerous outdoor activities including rock climbing, hot-air ballooning, desert jeep tours and more. Family-friendly attractions, first-rate shopping, dining and entertainment, and spectacular recreational activities make Phoenix a must-see destination. The Southwest's most populous city isn't great with first impressions, but gives this desert metropolis a chance. Just when you've dismissed the place as a faux-dobe wasteland of cookie-cutter subdivisions, bland shopping malls and water-gobbling golf courses, you're pulled short by a golden sunset setting the urban peaks aglow. Or a stubborn desert bloom determined to make a go of it in the dry, scrubby heat. Or maybe it's the mom-and-pop breakfast joint drawing crowds and thumbing its nose at the ubiquitous chains that dominate the landscape.

 

Culturally, Phoenix offers an opera, a symphony, several theaters, and three of the state's finest museums: the Heard Museum, the Phoenix Art Museum and the Museum of Musical Instruments. The Desert Botanical Garden is a stunning introduction to the region's flora and fauna. For sports fans, there are professional baseball, football, basketball and ice hockey teams, and the area is dotted with more than 200 golf courses.

 

Greater Phoenix – also referred to as the Valley – may be vast, but the areas of visitor interest are limited to four communities. Phoenix is the largest city and combines a businesslike demeanor with a burgeoning cultural scene and top-notch sports facilities. Southeast of here, student-flavored Tempe (tem-pee) is a lively district hugging two-mile-long Tempe Town Lake. Further east it segues smoothly into ho-hum Mesa, which has a couple of interesting museums. North of Phoenix, Paradise Valley and Scottsdale are ritzy enclaves. While the former is mostly residential, Scottsdale is known for its cutesy old town, galleries and lavish resorts.

Attractions & Landmarks

• Phoenix Zoo.
• Hall of Flame Fire Museum.
• Phoenix Art Museum.
• Arizona Science Center.