As summer heats up in the Northern hemisphere, places like Phoenix, AZ start to enter their slow season, as tourists look to vacation in cooler places. Thanks to dynamic pricing, this means that many of the costs of travel will drop, allowing the budget traveler to take advantage of cheap, last-minute flight to Phoenix. Visiting a city during this time is often a great way to get a better feel for the place, as less crowds means you get a better sense of the day-to-day life of the locals. If a summer vacation in Phoenix sounds good to you, then read on as we explore cheap activities in Phoenix that will help you beat that hot Sonoran sun!
Water Sports in Lakes
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Canyon Lake, with its rocky cliffs, is a great place to get some pics for the Gram (just be careful swimming in rocky waters!). The massive Lake Pleasant Regional Park with over 10,000 acres of water is a great place to go camping, which is also a lot cheaper than renting a hotel room. Unfortunately, the conveniently located Tempe Town Lake(pictured above) right in the heart of metro Phoenix is usually off limits for swimming, but you can rent a kayak or paddle board here. Saguaro Lake near Mesa has places for swimming, along with boat rentals and lake cruises, and provides great natural scenery with saguaro cacti poking up from the surrounding hills. Nothing beats the summer sun quite like a dip in the lake, and Phoenix has lakes to spare!
Desert Botanical Garden
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The Desert Botanical Garden located in Papago Park, just east of downtown Phoenix, is a 140-acre living museum that features over 50,000 plant displays and houses over 4,000 plant species from all over the world. A trip here during the day will leave you open to the hot summer sun, but after the sun goes down, you can explore the garden’s by flashlight for an ominous and majestic view of nature. They often have events like Las Noches de las Luminarias, where the garden is lit up at night by thousands of hand-lit luminarias. An evening visit here is the perfect way to take advantage of the cooler evening temperatures and experience the magic of the desert. Be sure to check their website to see what activities and events they have going on.
Museums
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Another great way to spend a day in Phoenix is at one of their many museums, not least of all because of the air conditioning. The Phoenix Art Museum, with its lush sculpture gallery, is the largest art museum in Arizona with American, European, Latin American, and Asian displays. The Heard Museum (pictured above) displays American Indian art, culture, and history and often hosts festivals and cultural events. The Arizona Science Center is great for families who want to expose their kids to a little education in their entertainment and features a five story IMAX screen. There are more than a dozen museums in and around Phoenix, so you’ve got plenty of temperature-controlled places to spend the hottest part of the day!
Resort Day Pass
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If you are staying at a resort, then you will likely be spending high noon at the pool or enjoying their restaurants and bars. But even if you don’t spring for a high end stay, many resorts offer day passes at affordable prices where you can take advantage of their amenities without having to book a room. Consider camping by a lake to save on lodging, then get a day pass to cool off during the day. You’ll get to experience Arizona’s natural beauty at night, and then cool off at the pool while sipping Mai Tais during the day. It’s the best of both worlds!
Watch the Sunset
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The sun setting over Phoenix is a truly heavenly display, and it marks the time when temperatures start to become more bearable. Each night you stay here, you can find a different spot to watch this magnificent natural showstopper. Book a table at a restaurant with a rooftop patio right before dusk. Take a trip out to a lake and set up a campfire. Hike up Camelback Mountain and watch as the lights of the city turn on under the darkening skies. There’s no wrong way to experience the sun over Phoenix, just as long as you’ve got a good view!
