Phoenix Zoo

We went to the Phoenix Zoo twice while we were living in Phoenix, and definitely don’t regret it! This is by far the best zoo either of us have ever been to. The life-size models of dinosaurs are a fun touch in their Dinosaurs in the Desert exhibit, but the wide array of living animals is even more impressive.

We had a great time exploring their “Monkey Village” and seeing many of the apes inquisitively engage with people through the glass. The exhibits are beautiful and there are multiple islands inhabited by different species which provide endless entertainment. We ate at a little café near the red-ruffed lemur island and were entertained watching them yell back and forth with some geese that swam ashore on the little island.

The zoo itself is beautiful, expansive, and lush with a great gift shop, and plenty of decent food options throughout the park.

Desert Botanical Garden

Right near the zoo, you’ll find the Desert Botanical Garden. If you’re new to the desert landscape, this will be a great place to learn more about the vast array of plant life that thrives in the desert. The botanical gardens are beautiful and we’ve found that gardens like this in general are some of our favourite spots to explore while we visit new cities travel nursing.

We’d suggest starting your visit a bit before sunset to appreciate the gardens during the day, while still getting to catch the sunset and see the gardens illuminated after dark by all the lights.

Hiking

There are SO many opportunities to hike in and around Phoenix! North and South mountain are great places to go, or even right by the Phoenix Zoo there’s a short little hike up to a cave that overlooks the zoo. We hiked a bit on North Mountain as we lived right by there, but South Mountain is great too! We’ve just been advised, especially with South Mountain, to watch out for getting lost. There are so many little trails and it’s not like hiking through the woods where it’s pretty clear what trail you’re on/if you’re on a trail at all.

Sunset

Hiking at sunset is a must! There are plenty of great spots to catch the sunset; we even had a bit of a mountain view right at our apartment that turned red with the sunset most every night. Sunsets here are incredibly consistent and beautiful.

Old Scottsdale/Eat & Shop in Scottsdale

Old Scottsdale is a little neighbourhood that has been transformed into what you’d expect an old western town to look like. There are lots of restaurants, pubs, shops, etc. to explore as you walk the saloon-lined streets.

Scottsdale is the place to go to shop. There’s a giant luxury mall (Fashion Square) that we had fun walking around, though we didn’t go in many stores as most had bouncers and a velvet rope at the entrance… I’m not sure what criteria you have to meet to get in, but we figured we probably didn’t meet it haha. Scottsdale Quarter is a giant outdoor mall and also a fun spot to walk around, eat, and shop.

Tucson

About a two/two and a half hour drive from Phoenix, Tucson is a great place to check out. Since it’s so close, you could just make it a day trip or even stay for just one night to give yourself a little extra time to explore.

We went there for Dan’s birthday and stayed at a remote little inn near Saguaro National Park, but made it into the city a bit for some tacos and the annual gem show. Spend some time hiking in Tucson as well as enjoying some local restaurants and the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum! Check out our post about our overnight trip to Tucson here.

Sedona

Sedona is also a two/two and a half hour drive, it depends on the traffic and whether you drive straight through or make a stop or two. There is so much great hiking to do in Sedona as well! Check out the old mining town of Jerome on your way and grab lunch at the Hudson for some incredible views and delicious food.

Make sure to drive the Red Rock Loop Road for some more amazing views! Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village is another great stop; there’s plenty to do and see in Sedona! Check out our post about our day trip to Sedona here.

Prescott

We drove up to Prescott (about two hours) right around Christmastime! They are well known as the Christmas Capitol of Arizona and decorate their town square each year with hundreds of strands of Christmas lights (thousands?). We enjoyed some amazing BBQ at Colt Grill and a tasty hot chocolate from Pralines of Prescott.

Grand Canyon

Originally we were planning to do just a quick day trip to the Grand Canyon, but in the end Dan was able to change his work days to allow us to stay a night. It’s about a four hour drive (with stops) from Phoenix, so doing it in a day is a bit of a stretch, but if that’s all you have it’s still worth it to go!

Even in the wintertime, the Canyon is typically somewhat traversable and absolutely breathtaking. We had a great time bringing my brother to see the Canyon for the first time, even if we did have to drive through a massive snowstorm to get there! Check out our post about our overnight trip to the Grand Canyon here.

Theodore Roosevelt Lake

When my cousin visited, we drove up to Theodore Roosevelt Lake and Tonto National Monument. It was another long drive, about two and a half hours, but so worth it. Honestly, even if we hadn’t been able to see the lake or the cliff dwellings (Tonto), it would have been worth it for the views on the drive. That said, the lake was beautiful and the short hike up to the centuries old cliff dwellings offered more amazing views.