As the sixth largest city in the country, Phoenix is often dismissed as another commercial region made up of chain restaurants and cookie cutter homes. Sadly, this false summarization overlooks the breathtaking desert sunsets, local small town eateries, and thriving cultural community. If a deeper connection to Phoenix’s arts is the goal, it won’t be hard to find a solution with a range of museums and performing arts theaters providing a broad cultural scope.  For a more natural indulgence, the Desert Botanical Garden welcomes guests to Arizona’s southwest locale and outdoor adventures await as Phoenix’s surrounding desert blooms with cactus plants and widespread mountains.
Still, any Phoenix tour guide will note the impact of weather on tourists planning to take in Arizona’s great outdoors. Visitors escape their colder hometowns for the city’s 300 days of sunshine, but summer months see temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. As such, fall and spring are the most common times to visit Phoenix and those travelling in June-August should be prepared for extreme heat.