The Best Things to Do in Phoenix, Arizona

At a glance

• Where: Phoenix, Arizona, with the big museums on and near Central Avenue, a garden and zoo cluster in Papago Park, and a music museum in North Phoenix
• Anchor picks: Desert Botanical Garden, Heard Museum, Phoenix Art Museum, Musical Instrument Museum, Phoenix Zoo
• Hours: Typically daytime; hours shift by season, so check each official site before you go
• Cost: Most museums and gardens charge admission; City of Phoenix trail pages mention no entry fee

The best things to do in Phoenix are five anchor attractions, Desert Botanical Garden, the Heard Museum, Phoenix Art Museum, the Musical Instrument Museum and the Phoenix Zoo, plus a few desert hikes and a day spent walking Downtown Phoenix, Roosevelt Row and Arcadia. Every pick below is inside the City of Phoenix and was confirmed open on its own official site in November 2026.

This is the list a local would give a friend who has one long weekend. Phoenix is spread out, so the trick is grouping things by area rather than zigzagging across the Valley.

How we chose

We started with the places Phoenix is known for, then kept only the ones that are open now, sit inside Phoenix city limits and are worth a real chunk of your day. We checked 16 candidates and kept 13. Anything we could not confirm open on an official site stayed off the list, and prices and hours are given as typical figures that you should recheck before you go.

What are the five can't-miss attractions in Phoenix?

The five anchors are a botanical garden, two museums of art and culture, a music museum and a zoo. Each takes half a day or less.

1. Desert Botanical Garden (Papago Park)

Desert Botanical Garden, at 1201 N. Galvin Parkway in Phoenix, is a living collection of Sonoran Desert and world desert plants; its own site counts about 4,800 plant species. Walk the loop trails, then slow down in the cactus and agave displays.

• Time needed: 2 to 3 hours.
• Local tip: Typical hours in the fall and early winter run from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, so go early for cool air or stay late for the after-dark installations. The garden also runs a pay-what-you-can Community Day on the second Tuesday of each month. Details at dbg.org.

2. Heard Museum (Central Phoenix)

The Heard Museum, at 2301 N. Central Ave. in Phoenix, is dedicated to Native American art and culture, with galleries on the peoples of the Southwest and beyond. It is the place to understand who has lived in this desert, and for how long.

• Time needed: 2 to 3 hours.
• Local tip: From September through May the museum typically opens daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Bank of America cardholders get free general admission on the first full weekend of each month through the Museums on Us program. Check heard.org for current rules.

3. Phoenix Art Museum (Central Phoenix)

Phoenix Art Museum, at 1625 N. Central Ave. in Phoenix, is the city's large general art museum, a short walk from the Heard Museum. It is closed Mondays and Tuesdays, which catches visitors out.

• Time needed: 1.5 to 2.5 hours.
• Local tip: Its Pay-What-You-Wish Wednesday runs 3 to 8 p.m., and Wednesday and Friday evenings stay open until 8 p.m. Free visitor parking is north of the main entrance. See phxart.org.

4. Musical Instrument Museum (Desert Ridge)

The Musical Instrument Museum, at 4725 E. Mayo Blvd. in North Phoenix, shows instruments and music traditions from around the world, and you listen as you walk. It sits in Desert Ridge, well north of downtown, so pair it with a North Phoenix day.

• Time needed: 3 to 4 hours; it is bigger than it looks.
• Local tip: It is typically open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Buy tickets through the museum's own site and plan lunch on site or at nearby Desert Ridge Marketplace.

5. Phoenix Zoo (Papago Park)

The Phoenix Zoo, at 455 N. Galvin Pkwy. in Phoenix, is open daily except for daytime hours on Christmas Day, and its hours change with the seasons: shorter days in winter, early-morning summer hours of 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• Time needed: 3 to 4 hours.
• Local tip: In the warm months, arrive at opening and be out by noon; animals are more active and you are too. Confirm the season's hours at phoenixzoo.org.

What else is worth doing in Phoenix?

These eight picks round out a trip: more museums, a historic house, a garden and three places to get outside.

6. Arizona Science Center (Downtown Phoenix)

The Arizona Science Center, at 600 E. Washington St. in Downtown Phoenix, has hands-on exhibits, a planetarium (the Dorrance DOME) and the Evans Family SkyCycle. It is typically open Tuesday through Sunday, 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Buy or reserve tickets on the center's site. Allow 2 to 3 hours. Tip: it is the easiest rainy or very hot afternoon in the city. azscience.org

7. Hall of Flame Museum of Firefighting (Papago Park area)

The Hall of Flame Museum of Firefighting, at 6101 E. Van Buren St. in Phoenix, houses historic fire apparatus. It is typically open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with last admission at 5 p.m. Allow 1 to 2 hours. Tip: it is a ten-minute add-on to a zoo or garden morning. hallofflame.org

8. S'edav Va'aki Museum, formerly Pueblo Grande (East Phoenix)

The S'edav Va'aki Museum, formerly Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park, at 4619 E. Washington St. in Phoenix, preserves a National Historic Landmark site with a Hohokam canal system. Hohokam farmers irrigated this valley with canals centuries before the modern city of Phoenix existed. Hours vary by season and weekday, so check the City of Phoenix museum page. Allow 1.5 to 2 hours. Tip: it stays open until 8 p.m. on Thursdays in the cooler months.

9. Rosson House Museum at The Square PHX (Downtown Phoenix)

The Rosson House Museum, at 113 N. 6th St. in Downtown Phoenix, is an 1895 Victorian house you visit on a guided tour. It stands on Block 14 of the original townsite at The Square PHX (Heritage Square). Tours run Thursday through Sunday at set times. Allow about an hour. Tip: book around the tour times and lunch at the square. thesquarephx.org

10. Japanese Friendship Garden of Phoenix, Ro Ho En (Downtown Phoenix)

The Japanese Friendship Garden of Phoenix, known as Ro Ho En, at 1125 N. 3rd Ave. in Downtown Phoenix, is a garden of koi ponds, curving paths and a teahouse. It is typically open Tuesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Allow about an hour. Tip: it is a quiet reset after Roosevelt Row. japanesefriendshipgarden.org

11. Hole-in-the-Rock (Papago Park)

Hole-in-the-Rock, at 625 N. Galvin Pkwy. in Phoenix, is a large wind-eroded hole in a butte in Papago Park. The trail is only 0.2 miles, rated easy, with a stepped path to the viewing hole. The City of Phoenix lists the trailhead open 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. Allow 30 to 45 minutes. Tip: it pairs with the garden and zoo next door, and the hole frames a view over the Phoenix metro. Phoenix Parks

12. Camelback Mountain, Echo Canyon Trail (Arcadia area)

Camelback Mountain's Echo Canyon Trailhead is at 4925 E. McDonald Dr. in Phoenix. The city rates both the Echo Canyon and Cholla trails extremely difficult; Echo Canyon is 1.14 miles one way and climbs about 1,400 feet, and Cholla climbs about 1,420 feet. Dogs are not allowed on any Camelback trail. The trailhead is open sunrise to sunset, and the gate closes when the lot is full, which is typically all day on weekends. Tip: start at dawn on a weekday in the cooler months, or skip the summit and enjoy the view from the canal path in Arcadia. Details from Phoenix Parks.

13. South Mountain Park and Preserve (South Phoenix)

South Mountain Park and Preserve covers more than 16,000 acres inside Phoenix, with more than 100 miles of trails and a Summit Road up to Dobbins Lookout at 2,330 feet, the highest point in the park open to the public. The City of Phoenix lists parking open 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. and trails 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. Summit Road closes to cars from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. on the fourth Sunday of each month, which is the best day to bike or walk it. Allow 1 to 4 hours. See South Mountain and the city page.

Where should you spend your time in the city?

Downtown Phoenix, Roosevelt Row and Arcadia are the three neighborhoods to walk once the museums are done.

[Downtown Phoenix](/areas/downtown-phoenix) holds the Arizona Science Center, The Square PHX and the Japanese Friendship Garden, plus Mortgage Matchup Center and Chase Field, where the Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Mercury and Arizona Diamondbacks play. Visit Phoenix notes that Valley Metro Rail serves downtown, so you can leave the car.

[Roosevelt Row Arts District](/areas/roosevelt-row), known as RoRo, is a walkable run of murals, galleries and restaurants north of downtown. Its monthly First Friday A.R.T.S. Market and Art Walk reports up to 150 vendors and more than 20,000 attendees. Check rooseveltrow.org for current details before you go.

[Arcadia](/areas/arcadia) sits at the southern foot of Camelback Mountain and is known for citrus trees, ranch homes and the Arizona Canal, which runs through it. Walk or bike the Arizona Canal Trail for the flattest, shadiest-feeling stretch of the neighborhood.

How do you see Phoenix in three days?

Group your days by area: Central Avenue, Papago Park, then Downtown Phoenix.

1. Day 1, Central Avenue: Heard Museum at opening, lunch, then Phoenix Art Museum. Stay for the evening hours on a Wednesday or Friday.
2. Day 2, Papago Park: Desert Botanical Garden at opening, Hole-in-the-Rock, then the Phoenix Zoo or the Hall of Flame in the afternoon.
3. Day 3, Downtown and out: Rosson House tour, Arizona Science Center or Japanese Friendship Garden, an evening in Roosevelt Row. Swap in Musical Instrument Museum, Camelback at dawn or South Mountain on days that suit you.

When is the best time to visit?

The cooler months, roughly October through April, are the easiest for outdoor picks. In summer, do the hikes at sunrise and save the museums for afternoons. Check the Phoenix weather page before you plan.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What are the top things to do in Phoenix?

The top things to do in Phoenix are Desert Botanical Garden, the Heard Museum, Phoenix Art Museum, the Musical Instrument Museum and the Phoenix Zoo. Add a desert hike at Camelback Mountain or South Mountain Park and Preserve, and a walk through Downtown Phoenix and Roosevelt Row.

What is there to do in Phoenix when it is too hot outside?

Go indoors to the Heard Museum, Phoenix Art Museum, Musical Instrument Museum or Arizona Science Center. All are typically open in the daytime, and each takes 2 to 4 hours. Check each official site for current hours.

How many days do you need in Phoenix?

Three days covers the main attractions: one for the Central Avenue museums, one for the Papago Park garden and zoo cluster, and one for Downtown Phoenix and Roosevelt Row. Add a fourth day for the Musical Instrument Museum or a long hike.

Are there free things to do in Phoenix?

Yes. City of Phoenix pages for Hole-in-the-Rock at Papago Park, Camelback Mountain and South Mountain Park and Preserve mention no entry fee. Phoenix Art Museum has a Pay-What-You-Wish Wednesday from 3 to 8 p.m., and Desert Botanical Garden has a pay-what-you-can Community Day on the second Tuesday each month.

Can you visit Phoenix attractions without a car?

Partly. Downtown Phoenix is served by Valley Metro Rail, so the Arizona Science Center, The Square PHX and Roosevelt Row work without a car. Papago Park, the Musical Instrument Museum and the trailheads are easier with a car or rideshare.

Is Camelback Mountain hard to hike?

Yes. The City of Phoenix rates both Camelback Mountain trails, Echo Canyon and Cholla, extremely difficult, with climbs of about 1,400 to 1,420 feet. Dogs are not allowed, and the Echo Canyon lot is typically full all day on weekends.