Phoenix anchors a sprawling desert metro known as the Valley of the Sun, home to Scottsdale, Tempe, and Mesa alongside the city itself. Flights land at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, just a few miles from downtown and one of the closest major airports to a city center in the country.
A Desert Climate That Flips the Usual Calendar
Phoenix runs on the opposite seasonal pattern from most North American cities. Winter, not summer, is peak travel season here. Daytime highs in the 70s draw snowbirds and golfers from colder climates from November through April, while summer brings genuinely extreme heat, often past 110 degrees Fahrenheit, that keeps both crowds and hotel prices down from June through August.
Desert Landscapes Right in the City
Camelback Mountain and Piestewa Peak both offer serious hiking within city limits, drawing a steady stream of visitors and locals for sunrise climbs. The Desert Botanical Garden in Papago Park showcases cacti and desert plants from around the world, and the Heard Museum holds one of the country’s most respected collections of Native American art and history.
Getting Around the Valley
Valley Metro’s light rail connects Sky Harbor Airport to downtown Phoenix, Tempe, and Arizona State University’s campus, making a car unnecessary for a trip focused on the urban core. Scottsdale’s resort district and Salt River day-trip areas sit outside the rail network, so a rental car opens up more of the wider Valley for visitors planning to explore beyond downtown.