Where to stay, when to come, what to see and how to fit it into three days - the plan we would give a friend flying in for the first time.
Updated October 2026 · 4 min read
A Phoenix vacation can be a lot of different trips: a resort and spa weekend, a golf week, a family holiday, a base for Sedona and the Grand Canyon, or a March pilgrimage to spring training. What they share is the desert, the light and the heat - and a little planning around all three makes the difference.
Below is where to base yourself, a three-day plan that works for most first visits, and the places we suggest for families and for the hottest months.
01 · Vacation planning
The Valley is wide, so where you sleep decides how much of your trip is spent in the car.
ScottsdaleAbout 20 min from Sky Harbor
The most popular base for first-time visitors: walkable restaurants, galleries, shopping and nightlife, with boutique hotels and resorts close by. Best for couples, groups and anyone who wants to go out in the evening without driving.
Between Phoenix and ScottsdaleAbout 20 min
A quiet, wealthy town of large homes and some of the country's best-known resort hotels, set on the slopes of Camelback and Mummy Mountain. Best for a resort and spa stay, with Old Town ten minutes away.
PhoenixAbout 10 min
Close to the airport, the ballparks, Footprint Center, the museums on Central Avenue and the light rail. Best for game and concert trips, business travelers and shorter stays.
ScottsdaleAbout 35 min
Desert golf courses, the McDowell Sonoran Preserve and big destination resorts. Best for golf trips and anyone who wants open desert views more than a walkable street.
TempeAbout 10 min
Near the airport and ASU, with Tempe Town Lake and Mill Avenue. Good value, central for the whole Valley and well placed for spring training in the East Valley.
02 · Vacation planning
Built for a first visit between October and April. In summer, move every outdoor stop to sunrise.
Papago Park, midtown, downtownA full day
Start at the Desert Botanical Garden when it opens, then cross Papago Park for the short climb to Hole-in-the-Rock. After lunch, spend the afternoon at the Heard Museum on Central Avenue. Have dinner downtown or on Roosevelt Row, and if there is a Suns or Diamondbacks game, catch it.
North Scottsdale and Old TownA full day
Tour Taliesin West, Frank Lloyd Wright's winter home and studio, in the morning. Spend the afternoon in Old Town Scottsdale - the galleries, Western shops and the Scottsdale Museum of the West - or at a resort pool. Stay in Old Town for dinner and a night out.
Two hours northA long day
Leave early for the red rocks of Sedona, stopping at Montezuma Castle on the way. Drive the Red Rock Scenic Byway, visit the Chapel of the Holy Cross, walk Tlaquepaque and watch sunset from Airport Mesa before heading home. Our Sedona day trip guide has the full timing.
Local tip: With a fourth day, swap in the Grand Canyon - see our Grand Canyon day trip guide.
03 · Vacation planning
Papago ParkAbout 15 min from downtown
Loop trails, plenty of shade and a strong desert-animal focus. Go at opening time in the warm months.
Scottsdale, off the Loop 101About 25 min
Two indoor attractions side by side - a large aquarium and a tropical butterfly conservatory - which makes them a perfect pair for a hot afternoon.
Downtown PhoenixDowntown
Three floors of climbing, building and play inside a restored historic school building, aimed at children up to about ten.
ScottsdaleAbout 25 min
Miniature train rides, a vintage carousel and big shady lawns - a local favorite and an easy, inexpensive morning.
Apache JunctionAbout 45 min
A rebuilt 1890s mining town at the foot of the Superstition Mountains, with a narrow-gauge train, gunfight shows and a mine tour. Pair it with Lost Dutchman State Park next door.
04 · Vacation planning
From June to September, afternoon highs above 105°F are normal. Phoenix is built for it - you just shift the day.
AnywhereAll summer
Hike, golf and garden at first light, spend the middle of the day at museums, the aquarium or the pool, and come back out after sunset when the desert cools and the city lights come on.
Tonto National Forest, northeast of MesaAbout 45 min
Floating down the Salt River on an inner tube is a summer rite of passage, with cottonwood-lined banks and red cliffs. The season generally runs from late spring into September.
Local tip: It is a cooler-and-a-crowd kind of afternoon. If your group is going, a driver for the day means nobody has to stay sober for the drive home.
Prescott, Sedona, Flagstaff2 to 2.5 hours
Flagstaff, at nearly 7,000 feet, can be 25 degrees cooler than Phoenix on the same afternoon. A summer day trip north is how locals cope, and it is a lovely drive.
Good to know
October to April is peak season: sunny, dry and comfortable, with cool nights in December and January. February and March are the busiest and most expensive months, with spring training, golf tournaments and wildflowers. May and late September are hot but manageable, with lower rates. June to August is very hot, and the monsoon brings dramatic afternoon storms from July - it is also when resort prices are at their lowest.
Good to know
Phoenix Sky Harbor sits about three miles from downtown, one of the most central big airports in the country. The free PHX Sky Train links the terminals to the light rail; rideshare and taxis pick up at marked zones at each terminal. A pre-booked chauffeur tracks your flight and meets you at the curb or inside at baggage claim - see our Sky Harbor transfer guide.
Getting there
Many of our vacation guests book us for the airport run both ways and one or two full days in between - the Sedona day, a golf morning, a night out in Old Town. One chauffeur, one vehicle, and nobody in your group has to drive.
Good to know
March is the most popular, with spring training and wildflowers, but also the busiest. For warm weather and smaller crowds, late October, November and April are excellent.
For most visitors, yes, or a driver. The light rail covers downtown, Tempe and Mesa, but Scottsdale, the trailheads, many museums and most resorts are outside its reach.
Scottsdale suits most leisure visitors because Old Town is walkable and close to the resorts. Downtown Phoenix suits short stays, games, concerts and business trips.
Yes. The zoo, the aquarium and butterfly conservatory, the Children's Museum, the Science Center and resort pools make it easy, especially from October to April.
About 116 miles, or roughly two hours by car via Interstate 17, which makes it an easy day trip.
Keep exploring
Desert hikes, museums, neighborhoods and game nights across the city.
Read the guide Scottsdale guideOld Town, Taliesin West, desert trails, golf, spas and the events calendar.
Read the guide SedonaThe route, the best stops, parking and passes, and a timed plan.
Read the guide Day tripsGrouped by drive time, from the Superstitions to the Grand Canyon.
Read the guideReserve
Tell us where you want to go and when. Dispatch confirms the car, the chauffeur and a fixed price before you pay.
