As one of the largest cities in the U.S., you’ll find every kind of attraction in Greater Phoenix: food, nightlife, outdoors and more fill every nook and cranny of our metro. If you’re not sure where you should start, we’ve rounded up the top attractions everyone — visitors and locals — should check off their Greater Phoenix bucket list. Find the best attractions in the urban sprawl of the Sonoran Desert, including hikes, museums, and more. You can also find more attractions below.
Camelback Mountain
The panoramic view from the “hump” of this iconic landmark, named for its resemblance to a kneeling camel, is worth scaling its two tricky trails, Echo Canyon and Cholla.
Hikers gain 1,200 feet in elevation to the summit, which looks out over the city and Phoenix Mountains Preserve. Camelback is one of the most popular urban hiking spots in Phoenix, so expect trail traffic and consider hiking on weekdays. During hot-weather months, hike in the early morning and drink plenty of water. See our outdoor safety tips page for more info before you head out.
Papago Park
Just minutes from downtown is iconic Papago Park, home to red rock buttes looped with trails, scenic views from the intriguing rock formation atop Hole-in-the-Rock Trail and two of the city’s top attractions: Desert Botanical Garden and Phoenix Zoo .
The park is also a popular hub of recreation, including fishing in seven acres of stocked lagoons, the Hall of Flame Museum of Firefighting and scenic Papago Golf Course , set at the base of Papago’s buttes.
South Mountain Park and Preserve
Boasting 50 miles of trails through 16,000 acres of the Sonoran Desert, this municipal park is perfectly suited for outdoor adventure just minutes from the city.
The skyline views and Sonoran Desert flora aren’t the park’s only perks. Keep a lookout for ancient petroglyphs carved into the rocks (we’ve got details in this blog post on petroglyphs in Phoenix). If you’d rather drive than hike, bike or hoof it up the trails, hop on the 5.5-mile Summit Road up to Dobbins Lookout, the highest accessible point in the preserve.
Musical Instrument Museum
See, hear and even play instruments from every corner of the world in a one-of-a-kind collection.
The Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) tunes you into thousands of instrument sounds with a headset that syncs seamlessly as you move through its galleries. Take a world tour of cultural instruments and pop culture artists, and return for a live music experience at MIM Music Theater, a year-round concert series hosting more than 200 international acts.
Desert Botanical Garden
The winding paths of this 50-acre desert garden showcase a fantastic variety of arid plants, from towering saguaros to delicate blooms.
This beautiful landscape is also the backdrop for the garden’s seasonal events. During the winter months, thousands of luminaria bags and twinkling lights transform the garden for Las Noches de Las Luminarias, a holiday tradition. The garden also features art installations intertwined with the flora each year.
Taliesin West
Tours of Taliesin West , Frank Lloyd Wright’s winter home, offer insight on how the masterful architect was inspired by the desert surroundings. Visitors walk through rooms, gardens, walkways and Wright’s entertainment pavilion on the grounds while learning about his organic architecture. Taliesin West was inscribed to the UNESCO World Heritage List on July 7, 2019, after being submitted for nomination by the National Park Service in November 2018. Find out more here.
