The capital of Arizona, Phoenix is a sun-soaked city that provides year-round sunshine and a unique, desert culture. The city anchors a diverse metropolitan area known as the Valley of the Sun, and features high-end spa resorts, Jack Nicklaus golf courses, and vibrant nightclubs.
It’s also home to the Desert Botanical Garden, which features cacti and native plants.
Floating high above the city in a hot air balloon
Floating high above Phoenix in a helium-filled hot air balloon is the ultimate way to enjoy Arizona’s scenic landscape. Floating above Phoenix, known as the Valley of the Sun, will give you the opportunity to see the city from a whole new perspective. During your flight, you’ll enjoy 360-degree views of the Sonoran Desert. The flight takes place most days of the year, and you can choose from a number of different balloon excursions.
After the balloon ride, guests are treated to a light picnic. Depending on your group size, the menu can range from hors d’oeuvres to champagne. This is a truly magical experience! Just remember to wear comfortable clothes, as you may walk on uneven surfaces. A hat may also make the flight more comfortable.
You can also go for a late afternoon flight for a slightly higher fee. During this flight, you’ll pass Camelback Mountain and the landforms of the Sonoran Desert as well as the Phoenix skyline. You can take this flight from November through mid-March. The fee for this flight is $20 per person, which includes hotel pick-up and drop-off.
Visiting the Heard Museum
If you’re looking for an art museum that focuses on American Indian art and culture, the Heard Museum is a great option. This privately-funded museum is located in Phoenix, Arizona. It is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and offers several exhibits. The Heard also includes classrooms and performance spaces. The museum was recently expanded to accommodate more visitors and features more artwork and events. It is the premier museum of its kind dedicated to American Indian arts. It now encompasses 130,000 square feet of space that includes galleries, classrooms, and performance spaces. The museum is a proud member of the North American Reciprocal Museums program, which means it is committed to providing a unique perspective on Native art.
Visitors can purchase authentic Native American art and souvenirs from the Heard Museum’s gift shop. The shop also offers children’s books and gift items. It has the largest collection of katsina dolls in the country, and a variety of Native American-themed gifts and souvenirs.
Visiting the Japanese Friendship Garden
Visiting the Japanese Friendship Garden in Phoenix is one of the must-dos while visiting Arizona. This garden offers a beautiful landscape and a taste of the Japanese culture. Even if you only have 30 minutes to spare, this garden is worth a visit.
The Japanese Friendship Garden is located in downtown Phoenix and features over three acres of beautiful, lush vegetation. The Japanese Friendship Garden is closed to visitors from June 1 to September 30 each year. It is a great place for people of all ages to relax and enjoy nature. You can take the Valley Metro light rail to Roosevelt Street and then walk a few blocks to reach the garden.
There’s also a tea house on the grounds. Visitors can indulge in a short version of the traditional Japanese tea ceremony with tea masters who have been trained in the formal art of Japanese tea ceremony. The ceremony is a spiritual refreshment and involves a lot of art and flower arrangement.
Visiting the Arizona Museum of Natural History
Visiting the Arizona Museum of Natural History in the Phoenix area is a wonderful experience. The museum has three galleries, all with changing exhibitions. One of them, titled “Rulers of the Prehistoric Skies,” examined the evolution of flight. While the exhibit is no longer on display, pterosaurs are still visible throughout the museum.
Visitors of all ages will enjoy the museum’s varied exhibits. Exhibits focus on prehistoric life in Arizona. Exhibits include animatronic dinosaurs, dinosaur skeletons, and fossil specimens. There are also displays on the life of Arizona’s ancient Ancestral Desert People. Visitors can also tour territorial jail cells and the Lost Dutchman’s Gold Mine.
The Arizona Museum of Natural History also features exhibits on the history of the region, from early tribes to Spanish explorers and missionaries. There’s also a gallery devoted to geology and gemology.