01

Day 01

Papago Park, the Heard & the Desert

Desert plants, red buttes and the Southwest's finest museum of American Indian art.

1. Morning

   Desert Botanical Garden

   Arrive at the Desert Botanical Garden at opening, when it is coolest, and walk the Desert Discovery Loop among saguaros and cacti.

2. Late Morning

   Hole-in-the-Rock

   Drive a few minutes to Hole-in-the-Rock in Papago Park and climb the short trail to the natural window in the butte.

3. Lunch

   Arcadia

   Have lunch in the Arcadia neighborhood, at the foot of Camelback Mountain.

4. Afternoon

   Heard Museum

   Spend the hottest hours at the Heard Museum, exploring its collections of American Indian art.

5. Late Afternoon

   Phoenix Art Museum

   Walk to the nearby Phoenix Art Museum, the largest art museum in the Southwest.

6. Evening

   Pizzeria Bianco

   End the day downtown with wood-fired pizza at Pizzeria Bianco on Heritage Square, expecting a wait at peak times.

02

Day 02

Scottsdale & Frank Lloyd Wright

Desert architecture, bronze bells and the galleries of Old Town.

1. Morning

   Taliesin West

   Take a morning tour of Taliesin West, Frank Lloyd Wright's desert home and studio, booked in advance.

2. Late Morning

   Cosanti

   Visit Cosanti, the studio of architect Paolo Soleri, known for its earth-cast concrete structures and bronze bells.

3. Lunch

   Old Town Scottsdale

   Have lunch in Old Town Scottsdale.

4. Afternoon

   Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art

   Explore contemporary art and design at the museum, then browse the galleries of Old Town.

5. Late Afternoon

   Soleri Bridge and Scottsdale Waterfront

   Walk along the canal to the Soleri Bridge.

6. Evening

   FnB

   Dine at FnB, known for its seasonal, vegetable-forward cooking and Arizona wines.

03

Day 03

Sunrise Hike & Musical Instrument Museum

A mountain sunrise, a world of music and sunset over the Valley.

1. Morning

   Piestewa Peak or Camelback Mountain

   Start before sunrise for a hike in the Phoenix Mountains Preserve or on Camelback, carrying plenty of water.

2. Late Morning

   Breakfast in Arcadia

   Refuel with breakfast near the mountain.

3. Lunch

   Musical Instrument Museum

   Drive to the Musical Instrument Museum and have lunch at its cafe before exploring.

4. Afternoon

   Musical Instrument Museum galleries

   Spend the afternoon in the geographic galleries and the Experience Gallery.

5. Late Afternoon

   Resort pool

   Cool off at your hotel or a resort pool.

6. Evening

   Dobbins Lookout

   Drive up South Mountain to Dobbins Lookout for sunset and the city lights, checking road hours.

04

Day 04

Downtown Phoenix & Roosevelt Row

History, science, ancient canals and the city's arts district.

1. Morning

   Heritage Square

   Start at Heritage Square with a guided tour of the Victorian Rosson House.

2. Late Morning

   Arizona Science Center

   Next door, explore the hands-on exhibits of the Arizona Science Center, or visit the free Arizona Capitol Museum west of downtown.

3. Lunch

   Matt's Big Breakfast or downtown cafes

   Have a late breakfast or lunch downtown.

4. Afternoon

   S'edav Va'aki Museum

   Visit the Hohokam platform mound and museum, formerly known as Pueblo Grande, near the airport to learn how ancient canals shaped the valley.

5. Late Afternoon

   Roosevelt Row

   Walk the murals and galleries of Roosevelt Row, Phoenix's arts district.

6. Evening

   Lom Wong or a game

   Have dinner at Lom Wong, known for regional Thai cooking, or catch a Diamondbacks or Suns game downtown.

05

Day 05

Superstition Mountains & the Salt River

Jagged peaks, a ghost town and desert lakes east of Phoenix.

1. Morning

   Lost Dutchman State Park

   Drive about an hour east to Lost Dutchman State Park and hike a trail beneath the Superstition Mountains.

2. Late Morning

   Goldfield Ghost Town

   Visit the recreated mining town of Goldfield, with its shops and narrow-gauge train.

3. Lunch

   Apache Junction

   Have lunch in Apache Junction or at Goldfield.

4. Afternoon

   Saguaro Lake

   Drive to Saguaro Lake for a scenic boat cruise among desert cliffs.

5. Late Afternoon

   Lower Salt River

   Look for wild horses along the Salt River near Coon Bluff, keeping a safe distance.

6. Evening

   Return to Phoenix

   Drive back to Phoenix for dinner, or stay to watch the stars.

06

Day 06

Tempe & Papago

A college town, a lake in the desert and sunset from a butte.

1. Morning

   Tempe Town Lake

   Walk or bike around Tempe Town Lake, or rent a kayak or paddleboard.

2. Late Morning

   Arizona State University

   Stroll the campus of Arizona State University.

3. Lunch

   Mill Avenue

   Have lunch on Mill Avenue, Tempe's main street.

4. Afternoon

   Phoenix Zoo

   Visit the Phoenix Zoo in Papago Park, or an indoor museum in the hottest months.

5. Late Afternoon

   Hayden Butte

   Climb Hayden Butte, known as A Mountain, for views over Tempe.

6. Evening

   Tempe Town Lake at night

   Return to the lake for dinner and the reflections of the city lights.

07

Day 07

Day Trip to Sedona

Red rocks, scenic drives and galleries about two hours north.

1. Morning

   Drive to Sedona

   Leave early for the drive of about two hours north on Interstate 17.

2. Late Morning

   Red rock trails

   Hike a trail among the red rock formations, choosing one suited to your level and arriving early for parking.

3. Lunch

   Uptown Sedona

   Have lunch in Uptown Sedona, with views of the red rocks.

4. Afternoon

   Chapel of the Holy Cross

   Visit the chapel built into the red rocks, with views over the landscape.

5. Late Afternoon

   Tlaquepaque

   Browse the galleries and shops of Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village.

6. Evening

   Sunset and return

   Watch the sunset over the red rocks, then drive back to Phoenix or stay overnight.